Refugee Camps

Bhutanese Regfugee CampsLocation and Population

Bhutanese refugees are housed in the seven United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR] administered camps in Southeast Nepal. They are Beldangi-I, Beldangi-II, Beldangi-II Extension, Goldhap, Khudunabari and Timai situated in Jhapa district of Nepal and the Sanischare refugee camp in Morang. The total number of the camp residents as of June 1999 figure at 96,617 which includes 47,287 female population.

Camp-wise Bhutanese Refugee Population
As of June 1999
Data source: RCU, Chandragadi, Jhapa, Nepal.

Camp

 Population
Male Female Total
Beldangi I 8516 8072 16758
Beldangi II 10504 10222 20726
Beldangi II Extension 5378 5139 10517
Sanischare 9623 9206 18829
Goldhap 4487 4156 8643
Timai 4721 4470 9191
Khudunabari 6101 6023 12124
Total: 49330 47287 96617

Visitors Guide To Bhutanese Refugee Camps

Visitors to the Bhutanese refugee camps may follow the guidelines below.

  1. Permission

    2. Visitors need to obtain a Permission Letter from the National Coordination Unit for Refugee Affairs [NUCRA], Home Ministry, His Majesty's Government of Nepal, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, prior to visiting the Refugee Camps. It would be better to get a special approval, which could be mentioned in the Permission Letter, from the NUCRA, for taking photographs in the refugee camps. They need to intimate that they have the permission to visit the camps to the Deputy Director, Refugee Coordination Unit, HMG Nepal, Chandragarhi.

  2. Travel

    3. Visitors may take a flight from Kathmandu or travel by night bus.

    If you wish to travel by air, you may take a Kathmandu-Biratnagar flight [Flight : Necon Air or Buddha Air; Duration : 55 minites]. Then you may take a taxi [90 minutes] to Damak. Should you intend to travel by road [Duration of the journey: 12-14 hours], you may board a bus from Kathmandu to Damak. Damak is located near the western camps [Beldangi-I, II, II Extension and Sanischare camps]. You can also visit the eastern camps staying in Damak.

    If you plan to stay in Birtamode, which is nearer to the western camps, you may fly to Bhadrapur [Cosmos Air/Buddha Air/Necon Air; Duration : 60 Minutes], travel by taxi to Birtamode [Duration: 30 Minutes] and stay in a hotel. You can also travel by night bus from Kathmandu to Biratnagar.

    Usually visitors chose to stay in Damak and visit all the camps.

  3. Food and Accommodation: LWF Guest House provides ideal food and accommodation facility. If the guesthouse is not free, ordinary hotels are also available in Damak.

YOU MAY CONTACT THESE ORGANISATIONS FOR HELP.

Bhutanese Groups

AHURA Bhutan : Ratan Gazmere/Dilip Bishwo, 00977-23-80382, Damak.

BRAVVE :      Mangala Sharma, 00977-23-40231, Birtamode.
                      Email: bravve@jhapa.brt.wlink.com.np

Relief Agencies

LWF : Tulsi Sharma, 00977-23-80725, Damak.
          Email: lwf-brp@ccsl.com.np

SC [UK]:  Quazi Ghiasuddin, 00977-23-40131/232, Birtamode.
               Email: scfjhapa@mos.com.np

CARITAS Nepal: Father P.S Amalraj, 00977-23-80219
               Email: jrsbrep@ecomail.com.np

UNHCR : Head of Sub Office, 00977-23-20776, Bhadrapur.

RCU/HMG Nepal : Deputy Director,   00977-23-20989/337, Chandragadi.

Implementing Agencies