New York: Over 100 refugees from Bhutan have left their camps in Eastern Nepal and moved to the US, in one of the largest resettlement operations launched by the UN.

"This is the largest movement of refugees from Nepal's camps so far, and the pace will pick up in the coming months," the refugee agency spokesperson Jennifer Pagonis said yesterday.

By the close of 2008,over 10,000 refugees are expected to leave Nepal for resettlement in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.

Currently, there are more than 107,000 refugees who left Bhutan in the early 1990s residing in seven camps in eastern Nepal.

Some 25,000 refugees have registered for resettlement, said the agency which has submitted names of more than 12,000 for resettlement in the third countries, mostly in the United States.

"More refugees are expected to come forward for resettlement after they hear of how the first groups integrate in their new homes," Pagonis noted, adding that others are holding out for a chance to return to Bhutan.

Earlier this month, UNHCR appealed for funds after a devastating fire destroyed 95 per cent of the Goldhap refugee camp and left most of its 9,770 residents homeless.

Source : PTI