Bhutanese Diaspora Delegation Arrives in Nepal to Advance Humanitarian Access, Reconciliation

Kathmandu, Sept. 26: Dr. Kumar Gurung, a Bhutanese diaspora leader based in Nebraska, United States, arrived in Kathmandu on Friday as part of an initiative seeking to advance discussions on humanitarian family access, reconciliation and durable solutions for Bhutanese communities affected by displacement.

Gurung is one of seven members of a delegation from Peace Initiative Bhutan (PIB), a U.S.-based nonprofit organization working on peacebuilding, human rights, humanitarian cooperation and reconciliation for Bhutanese communities displaced during the early 1990s.

Born in Bhutan, raised in Nepal and later resettled in the United States, Gurung holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration. He is president of Triratna Foundation Inc. and the International Council of Gurung Buddhism and has been involved in interfaith dialogue, humanitarian service, cultural preservation, youth mentorship, scholarship support and community development.

The other six members of the delegation are scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on September 26. They are PIB co-founder Sudarshan Sharma; PIB members Aarati Chapagai, Dipisha K.C. Khatri and Anisha Thapa; co-founder and board director Dr. Suraj Budathoki; and PIB member Kailash Mishra.

According to PIB, the delegation will hold consultations in Nepal from September 26 to October 8 with government officials, diplomatic representatives, international organizations, civil-society leaders, academics, community representatives and Bhutanese refugee communities in Kathmandu, Jhapa and Morang.

The visit is linked to PIB’s proposed Bhutan National Reconciliation Accord 2026 and its Durable Solutions and Reconciliation Framework. The organization says the framework is intended to promote dialogue, confidence-building measures, humanitarian cooperation and constructive engagement among Bhutan, Nepal and the Bhutanese diaspora.

Gurung said the initiative seeks to establish a peaceful and practical humanitarian pathway for addressing the concerns of families separated by displacement.

“Our vision is a peaceful and united future in which the Governments of Bhutan and Nepal, together with the Bhutanese diaspora, work in partnership to advance reconciliation, humanitarian cooperation, and sustainable peace,” Gurung said.

PIB has proposed measures including family reunification, humanitarian travel arrangements, restoration of communication between separated relatives and greater cross-border cooperation.

Subject to agreement among the concerned parties, PIB said neutral humanitarian organizations could assist with verifying cases, tracing family members, addressing documentation requirements and facilitating communication.

“This is first and foremost about families,” said Sudarshan Sharma, co-founder of PIB. “A mother should be able to see her child. A son or daughter should be able to attend a parent’s funeral. Grandparents should have an opportunity to meet their grandchildren. Humanitarian needs should not have to wait for every political disagreement to be resolved.”

Dr. Suraj Budathoki, another co-founder and board member of PIB, said the Nepal mission is focused on addressing the humanitarian consequences of prolonged family separation.

“Our Nepal mission is centered on one urgent humanitarian goal: reconnecting Bhutanese families separated for more than three decades. We are seeking practical humanitarian access to Bhutan for family visits, serious illness, bereavement, and restoring family contact,” Budathoki said.

The proposed framework is based on principles of nonviolence, mutual respect, inclusion, humanitarian cooperation and respect for the sovereignty and constitutional institutions of Bhutan and Nepal.

PIB said its proposal draws on international principles concerning the protection of family life and family unity, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant UNHCR guidance on families separated by displacement.

The organization said it is seeking practical initial measures that would enable urgent humanitarian cases to be considered while helping build confidence for broader dialogue.

The delegation is expected to hold a series of meetings and dialogue programs in Kathmandu and eastern Nepal during its visit.

Founded and led by members of the Bhutanese diaspora, Peace Initiative Bhutan works through community dialogue, advocacy and peacebuilding to promote human rights and humanitarian cooperation for Bhutanese communities affected by forced displacement.