By Xinhua,
Kathmandu : United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that over 8,000 Bhutanese refugees left their camps in Nepal and were resettled in other countries in 2008,according to a statement issued by the UNHCR on Wednesday.
The United States of America which announced that it would resettle 60,000 refugees, and even more if needed, has received 7,547, the largest numbers so far.
Departures to Australia total 393, New Zealand 129, Canada 40, Netherlands 27, Norway 24 and Denmark 13, the statement said, adding that some 16,000-18,000 refugees are expected to leave Nepal in 2009.
“We are pleased to see so many refugees starting their lives afresh after living in difficult conditions in the camps for the last 18 years and to learn that those resettled are adapting well in their new country,” a UNHCR statement quoted Daisy Dell, UNHCR Representative in Nepal as saying.
She said, “this program would not have been successful without the strong support of the government of Nepal, International Organization for Migration and the resettlement countries.”
UNHCR added that around 60,000 refugees have shown their interest for resettlement.
in addition, the UNHCR said it, together with the international community, will continue to advocate for the option of voluntary repatriation to Bhutan for those refugees who wish to do so.
Some 106,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in seven camps in eastern Nepal for the last 18 years.