Agencies to renew identity cards from Sep 17

The District Administration Office of Jhapa and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have announced that they would start renewing existing refugee identity cards from September 17. Chief District Officer of Jhapa Narendra Raj Sharma and UNHCR Damak Chief Sajal Gupta jointly made such an announcement to camp management committee of Beldangi camp, Monday. “Considering expiry date of refugee identity cards, we have planned to issue new cards from September 17,” Gupta said. Validity of most of the existing cards will be over by this October, while others would last up to February next year. According to Gupta, the distribution of new cards would commence from Sanischare camp, as his office plans to issue around 500 identity cards each day. The officials also informed the camp management committee that new cards will be more secure based on a digital technology. “We’ll distribute the identity cards at Damak, and every individual has to travel in person for the biometrics required,” said CDO Sharma, who heads the Refugee Coordination Unit. According to Sharma, some 27,000 individuals would be benefited from this package. “This figure excludes asylum-seekers whose registration process has recently completed,” CDO Sharma further said adding, “We have submitted details of all pending cases to the Ministry of Home Affairs. We need to wait for the Ministry’s response.” Chief District Officer of Jhapa (middle) speaks to camp management committee of Beldangi in presence of representatives from the UNHCR and other agencies  Meanwhile, the UNHCR also announced that the agency would bear travel costs during the distribution for all individual refugees. The agencies have also planned various consultation programs to inform exiled citizens regarding the renewal of their identity cards. Expressing his views during the information-sharing program, Beldangi Camp Secretary Dhan Bir Subba requested both the parties to expedite distribution of identity cards for all verified asylum seekers. Secretary Subba also appealed the UNHCR Damak Chief Gupta to continue assistance to refugees till camps exist.