An Open Letter to PM Balendra Shah of Nepal
Summary
An open letter urges PM Balendra Shah to use his UN General Assembly address to highlight Nepal’s flood and landslide losses and the unresolved plight of about 6,500 Bhutanese refugees still living in eastern Nepal. It calls for durable solutions including legal status in Nepal, voluntary repatriation, family reunification, and stronger ties with the Bhutanese diaspora.
Key Points
- The letter asks PM Balendra Shah to raise both Nepal’s climate-disaster losses and the Bhutanese refugee issue at the United Nations General Assembly.
- It says about 6,500 Bhutanese refugees remain in eastern Nepal after more than three decades of uncertainty.
- The author calls for legal pathways for those who wish to stay, voluntary repatriation for those who want to return to Bhutan, and family reunification options.
- It also urges Nepal to engage the resettled Bhutanese diaspora as a bridge for development and humanitarian support.
