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A newspaper published by journalists living in the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal can no longer be printed because of a lack of funds. The Bhutan Reporter, a monthly with a print run of 1,000, began publishing in 2004. Since then it has been produced and financed by a handful of refugee journalists stationed in all seven refugee camps and working unpaid. Now, those producing the paper say they can't afford the 2,000 Nepalese rupees (€22) it costs to print hard copies of the newspaper each month. The Bhutan Reporter (TBR) is published by the Bhutan Media Society, the publishing house of the Association of Press Freedom Activists (APFA) - Bhutan. The newspaper is uploaded to that site in .pdf form, but the majority of people living in the refugee camps are not online and are unable to download it. Click here for the latest edition. The TBR journalists can reach some of their audience via a weekly radio programme ‘Saranathi Sarokar’ (Voice of the Refugee) broadcast on Nepal FM 91.8 in Kathmandu, but according to TBR editor, TP Mishra, publishing hard copies of the newspaper is the best way to reach the target audience.  "We need to find a way to ensure that the people living in the refugee camps, especially those who do not have internet access, can still exercise their right to information." 
"We need to find a way to ensure that the people living in the refugee camps, especially those who do not have internet access, can still exercise their right to information." The TBR team has now appealed to the Bhutanese community overseas and international media organisations for financial aid to enable them to continue to print the newspaper. Editor, TP Mishra, says it is important the paper survives. "The media situation inside Bhutan is strictly under government threat. Organisations like APFA-Bhutan, established in the refugee camps, are trying to bring Bhutan's suppressed media in the international arena." Staff at the TBR say that raising 2,000 Nepalese rupees (€22) a month would ensure the print run continues. If they can increase that to 14,000 Nepalese rupees (€150) a month they would publish TBR weekly instead of monthly. But the priority for the TBR team is to ensure that the 1,000 hard copies are printed each month and delivered to all seven refugee camps and beyond. Anyone with advice for the staff at The Bhutan Reporter can add their comments below. If you would like to contact the editor, TP Mishra, you can do so
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. Note: Currency converted to Euros (€)
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