Reuters reports that the UN’s World Food Programme has resumed food aid to Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, a month after withdrawing rations due to financial difficulties stemming from the global financial crisis. The shortage of aid available caused food assistance to be halved by the World Food Program in October.
Approximately 90,000 refugees of ethnic Nepali origin have settled in UN refugee camps in southeast Nepal since the early 1990s, having fled from discrimination and human rights violations. Equally troubling, the refugees have no legal rights to employment or property in Nepal, making them almost entirely dependent on food aid. Bhutan has refused to repatriate the refugees, and a series of talks that have strained relations between itself and Nepal.
Tens of thousands of refugees will be on the receiving end of said rations, thanks to Australian assistance. Australia has contributed $460,000 to resume the program.
Posted by Patricia Lee.
