The Department of Immigration (DoI) has decided to deport four Bhutanese refugee youths deported by the United States after imposing a fine of Rs 5,000 each.
The DoI has decided to send Ashish Subedi, Roshan Tamang, Santosh Darji, and Ashok Gurung back to the US if possible, or to Bhutan.
According to DoI spokesperson Tikaram Dhakal, who is also a director at the department, Director General Govinda Prasad Rijal made the decision on Friday.
In addition to the Rs 5,000 fine, they have also been ordered to pay visa fees and a daily delay charge of $8.
"Although they came from the US, they are Bhutanese. The sooner they prepare their travel documents, the sooner they will be deported," said Dhakal. "If not to the US, Bhutan is the easier option for us. They will also have to bear the airfare."
He also informed that a letter has been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for diplomatic efforts.
Until their travel documents are prepared, they will remain in designated locations.
During the 60-day period granted by the court "for investigation," the DoI had been saying that “no decision has been made yet." But it abruptly decided to deport the four Bhutanese refugee youths.
They were deported by the US and sent to Bhutan on March 28. Bhutan sent them to Nepal the same day after confiscating their documents and covering their expenses. Police arrested three of them on March 29, and one on April 1, on the charge of entering Nepal without a visa.
They were released on April 25 following an order from the Supreme Court on April 24.
Three of them are currently staying in Beldangi, Jhapa, and one in Pathari Shanishchare, Morang, within designated limits.
They will not have to pay visa and delay fees for the period they were in detention.
According to the Immigration Act, foreign nationals cannot stay in Nepal without a visa and passport.
Among the four, Ashish Subedi, Santosh Darji, and Ashok Gurung are staying in the Beldangi camp in Damak, while Roshan Tamang is in the Pathari Shanishchare camp in Morang.
They were released after Ashish's father, Narayan Kumar Subedi, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court.
The three in Beldangi were allowed to move only within Damak Municipality, while the one in Pathari Shanishchare was permitted to travel within the municipality.
A bench of Supreme Court Justices Bal Krishna Dhakal and Nityananda Pandeya had ordered that the refugees be transferred from police custody and kept within designated limits, and that the investigation be completed within 60 days.
The 60-day deadline set by the court expired on Monday.
The US deported and sent 12 refugees to Bhutan on March 28. Bhutan then confiscated their documents and sent them to Nepal.
They were detained on the charge of entering Nepal illegally.
Five more refugees deported by the US and handed over to Bhutan have also been expelled from Bhutan.
They are currently hiding in Nepal. The US had prepared a list of 63 Bhutanese refugees for deportation, accusing them of involvement in criminal activities. Among them, 18 refugees were handed over to the Bhutanese government.
The Bhutanese government, which initially accepted them as its own citizens, has since expelled the 18 using coercion and threats. Now, with Nepal also deciding to deport them, the refugee youths face even greater uncertainty.
