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Bhutan is a Himalayan kingdom, nestled between north-eastern India and China. According to the official census carried out in 2005, Bhutan’s population is approximately 673,000, although unofficial estimates put the population much higher. The majority of the population is composed of ethnic Drukpas, who are Buddhist and speak Dzongkha. It is believed, however, that about 100,000 Lhotsampas, ethnic Nepalese Hindus who speak Nepalese, currently live in southern Bhutan.In the late 1980s, the Royal Government of Bhutan became increasingly concerned by the large increase of the Lhotsampa population in southern Bhutan. Political agitation in the Lhotsampa community led to the imposition of “one nation – one people” policies which further antagonized the Lhotsampas, generating anti-government protests and violent opposition. The government’s efforts to impose a single national culture and language and to restrict citizenship led to a further rise in tensions and the eventual displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Nepalese from Bhutan to Nepal between 1988 and 1993. These refugees, today estimated at 108,000, have resided in camps in eastern Nepal since the early 1990s.
Over the last several years, a number of efforts have been made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to encourage a comprehensive solution for the displaced, which would involve a mix of repatriation, local integration and resettlement. Bhutan and Nepal have also pursued a bilateral dialogue which has not yet yielded results.
In November 2005, seven countries organized themselves in Geneva into a working group called the Core Group on Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal in order to provide political support to the UNHCR and to encourage both Nepal and Bhutan to work toward a comprehensive solution to this protracted refugee situation. The participating nations are Canada, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United States.
The majority of refugees in Nepal have been displaced for over 15 years, without an opportunity to restart their lives. The situation in Nepal is not unique, however: a number of refugee populations around the world find themselves in very similar circumstances. In fact, of the 8.4 million refugees around the world, some 6 million are understood to be in protracted situations of displacement, living in refugee camps for decades with little hope of a durable solution. Canada is committed to finding lasting and comprehensive solutions for refugees, particularly those in protracted situations of displacement. Canada’s efforts to assist Bhutanese refugees in Nepal are part of this important commitment.
