HEAD COUNTING STARTS FROM BELDANGI

Nepal govt, UNHCR conduct Bhutanese refugees census



Kantipur Report


KATHMANDU, Nov 15 - The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Nepal government began conducting census of the approximately 106,000 Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal on Wednesday.
According to sources, the joint government-UN census started earlier today at 10 from the Beldagi-1 camp in Jhapa.

The census will be collecting all relevant details from refugees living in the seven camps in Jhapa and Morang district.

According to the UN refugee agency, the census team was made up of UNHCR-trained persons who will conduct the interviews in close co-operation and collaboration with the officials of the Nepal Government to both count and update basic bio-data and profile of the refugees.

This census is being conducted to correct the inconsistencies of the previous census and update the data since the last census and will incorporate all details of the refugees including their health and education situation.

After Beldagi-1 the census team will head for Khudanabari, Timai, Beldangi-2 and Mornag's Sanischare camp.

The refugee agency’s newly developed proGres software will be used to log an accurate record of the number of refugees and to collect other related information.

Previously, UNHCR Representative in Nepal, Abraham Abraham, had said that a reliable census data would help the Nepal government and UNHCR to provide better protection, security and support to the refugees on the basis of improved documentation on “who is who” and “who is where” to be able to respond to individual needs.