Probe into JVT 'anomalies' over

Post Report
Birtamod, Jhapa
August 01, 2003

Defying the growing demand for an independent international tribunal, the Nepal-Bhutan Joint Verification Team (JVT) has completed investigation into appeals against its controversial verification report.

More than 94 per cent of the total 12,183 refugees in Khudunabari camps had appealed against the June 18 JVT report.JVT had placed 2.4 per cent in Category 1 (Bhutanese nationals forcibly evicted), 70.2 per cent in Category 2 (those who voluntarily left Bhutan), 24.2 per cent as non-Bhutanese in Category 3 and 2.85 per cent as those having criminal records.

Basanta Bhattarai, a member of JVT, said that the Bhutanese delegation has returned to Bhutan on Friday following a month-long investigation and that the Nepali team would soon submit its report to the government.He also informed that the two sides had differences on several issues related to investigation into the appeals submitted by the refugees. But he declined to elaborate when asked to specify the issues.

"We will suggest the government to improve on the classification procedures as there is still widespread dissatisfaction," Bhattarai said.The date for the first repatriation of the Category 1 and 2 refugees has been set for September 25 this year. More than 100,000 refugees are languishing in the camps .

The United States and European Union, among others, had raised concerns over procedures and results of the verification process.