Nepal urged to end attacks on Bhutanese refugees

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KATHMANDU, June 7 (Reuters): Seven Western governments have expressed "deep concern" over violent attacks on exiled Bhutanese seeking resettlement and aid workers assisting them, urging Nepal to stop the attackers.

Several countries this year began resettling some of the 107,000 Bhutanese of ethnic Nepali origin who fled their homes in Bhutan or were expelled after demanding democracy and human rights there.

But the refugees, housed in United Nations camps in southeast Nepal, are split over the resettlement scheme.

Some of the exiles, particularly the elderly, say they want to return to their homes in southern Bhutan. The younger exiles prefer to resettle in the West because of better job and education opportunities.

At least one driver working for the International Organization for Migration and two refugees were injured last month when people opposed to the resettlement attacked their vehicles in southeast Nepal.