Bhutanese refugees have launched a campaign in all the seven camps of Jhapa and Morang districts in eastern Nepal demanding repatriation.

According to Sunday's The Himalayan Times daily, some 8,000 refugees from 916 families have been taking part in the campaign that began more than 20 days ago.

Dilman Magar, who came to fill a form that would be submitted to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under the campaign, along with his family in Beldangi camp, said he would prefer to return home rather than settle in another country.

"I believe that the forms would be submitted to the UNHCR and the concerned organizations. I hope that we would get to return to Bhutan this time," he said.

Harkajung Subba, coordinator, Civil Society, who has been leading the campaign, said, "As many as 40,000 to 50,000 refugees are expected to fill the forms. We would submit the forms to the UNHCR, the governments of Nepal, India, Bhutan, diplomatic missions and human rights organizations."

More than 14,000 Bhutanese refugees have already been resettled in third countries since the rehabilitation process began two years ago, the report said.

Some 106,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in the seven camps for the last 18 years.