Together with 9,000 others already relocated to various Core Group countries, the number of Bhutanese refugees resettled has reached 59,000.
The large scale resettlement of Bhutanese refugees started in early 2008, with the departure of refugees to the US and other Core Group countries-- Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, and the UK. [break]
“We are grateful to our international partners, most notably the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for their ongoing protection of this vulnerable population, whether they resettle or not,” said a statement of the US Embassy on Monday.
There are some 55,000 Bhutanese refuges still languishing at various camps in eastern Nepal. While urging the Government of Bhutan to accept the return of those persons who are eligible, the US has reiterated that it has not set any cap on the number refugees wishing to resettle in the US.
“The US is committed to accepting as many of the Bhutanese refugees whom UNHCR refers to us for consideration in Nepal and who meet the requirements of US law for refugee admission,” added the statement.
The Bhutanese resettlement program is currently the second-largest resettlement program for the United States. Bhutanese refugees, who have resettled in nearly all 50 States, receive employment and educational support from the US federal and state governments as well as non-governmental organizations to begin anew as productive, engaged residents.
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