UNHCR REGIONAL DIRECTOR ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002415 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/INS AND PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/2015 TAGS: PREF PREL PTER PHUM PGOV NP SUBJECT: UNHCR REGIONAL DIRECTOR ON BHUTANESE REFUGEES, IDPS Classified By: DCM Elisabeth I. Millard, Reason 1.4 (b/d) ¶1. (U) This is an action request please see para. 3. Bhutanese Refugees: Need Solution to Protracted Problem -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Janet Lim, UNHCR Director for the Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, briefed the diplomatic community in Nepal on November 9 about progress on Bhutanese refugees and gave an update on UNHCR's new engagement in IDPs. She noted the urgency of finding a solution to the protracted problem of Bhutanese refugees given Nepal's deteriorating security situation, rising frustration among the refugees, and the possibility of Maoists infiltrating the camps. She added, however, that she was encouraged by the donor community's renewed commitment to solve the problem. She told the group that a "Resettlement Working Group" had formed in Geneva. It had discussed a paper prepared by Denmark on the role of resettlement in forming a comprehensive solution, and had formed a smaller group to study the Danish paper and map out a plan of action. She noted that the six countries in that smaller group, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada and the U.S., planned to meet on the margins of the December 5 ICG meeting in Geneva. Lim plans to travel to Bhutan, at its invitation, after Nepal. Although she will not visit India, she said that UNHCR has ongoing discussions about the Bhutanese refugees with the Indian Representative in Geneva (and she will meet with Indian Amb. Mukherjee in Kathmandu). The Indian Representative had explained India's reluctance to get more involved in the issue by saying that it wanted to continue to balance its good relations with Bhutan and Nepal. Action Request -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Embassy Kathmandu would be grateful for a copy of the Danish working paper and an update on the discussions in Geneva. IDPS -------------- ¶4. (C) Lim explained that, for the UN, UNHCR would now head up protection, camp management, and shelter for IDPs. The UN planned to partner with other bilateral agencies, e.g., the Norwegian Refugee Council, to conduct surveys and a needs assessment. Lim stressed that UNHCR would need additional contributions from donors for this specific area of work and appealed to the donors to let her know as soon as possible what assistance they could provide. UNHCR could not divert resources away from refugees, and she wanted to get a sense of the support UNHCR would receive to work with IDPs in Nepal. In addition to conducting initial field assessments, UNHCR planned to advise His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) as it continued to develop its IDP policy. The UN country team in Nepal wanted to focus on the most vulnerable, children, women, and men (in that order) and recognized that there could not be a blanket approach. Lim noted that it was "important not to derail 'coping mechanisms' in place," but the response would be tailored to the varying needs in different places. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) HMGN has yet to issue a clear IDP policy; assistance from UNHCR could be most helpful in shaping the direction Nepal will take. UNHCR could also provide a much needed leadership role in helping identify the parameters of the IDP problem and organizing a response. MORIARTY