Press release: support to the victims of fire break-out in Beldangi - I Bhutanese refugee camp in Jhapa, Nepal.

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) and Bhutanese Community in the Netherlands (BCN) are shocked and saddened by the fire incident that displaced hundreds of Bhutanese refugees from their huts. We are moved to hear that the victims could not save any of their belongings.

Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) and Bhutanese Community in the Netherlands (BCN) in collaboration has agreed to support the victims of fire calamity in Beldangi I Bhutanese refugee camp. BCN with a financial support of GHRD provides a sum of 28,844 Rupees in order to meet the basic and emergency needs to the displaced people and the children.

BCN's personal inquiry identified that the victims are in need of materials like: T-shirts, lungi and especially inner/under wares for girls, school dress for the school going children, utensils and mattress. This support is earmarked for a populations of 442 who got displaced from their huts following the fire episode. The victims of fire incident claim that they could not save anything including their documents. The loss of property and material is yet to be estimated.

On 20th January 2010 at 21:35 Hrs Nepal time, there was a fire breakout at Beldangi-I, Bhutanese refugee camp. The fire started from Sector A. Though the refuges, local community and Armed Police Force struggled to put the fire off; 28 bamboo-thatched huts got totally brunt. In order to control further spread of fire, 48 huts were dismantled.

Signed by,

Mr. S. Sital, Chairman GHRD

Dr. Lakshmi Prasad Dhakal, President BCN