Resettlement Will Help in Repatriation: IOM Official

Source: TheHimalayanTimes.com

A high-ranking official of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said that the resettlement of Bhutanese refugees to the United States will also pave the way for their repatriation to Bhutan.

"The resettlement of Bhutanese refugees to the United States of America will open all doors of repatriation to their homeland", David Derthick, manager at the Damak-based office of the IOM, said on Wednesday.

"Resettlement is not good for all, but it has become imminent for some," Derthick said, adding that the process of resettlement was initiated after the Bhutanese refugee issue persisted for a long time. He said, "All refugees are free to choose the option of resettlement and no one is under pressure."

Derthick claimed that the Bhutanese refugees will be in a better position to launch pressure from the United States of America for repatriation to homeland than what they could do from Nepal. "Once they resettle in the US, the new generation will have the opportunity for best education. They can create international pressure and Bhutan will have no choice but to accept its citizens back." He said that Bhutan, after driving its citizens away from home, has not won the game, but found itself in an awkward position.

Derthick said, "Bhutan has lost its important and good citizens."
He said that the number of Bhutanese refugees that will be taken to the US for resettlement cannot be confirmed at this time. Saying that the resettlement process will help the new generation especially, he said that repatriation to Bhutan after resettlement in the US cannot be ruled out.

"There are many instances in which many refugees have returned to their homeland after resettlement in third countries."
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has recommended a name list of 3,000 Bhutanese refugees to the IOM for resettlement in the US, he said, adding the process of interviewing them has begun. "It's up to us to decide who will go to which country. It is under jurisdiction of the UNHCR or the host country," Derthick said. "However, certain criteria are there for selection. We will handle them."

Refuting rumours that the IOM was intimidated; he said that the security situation at the camps is excellent. "The cooperation we received from the Nepal government is excellent." He said that the refugees in Nepal were treated in a better way than their counterparts in Africa and other nations. The people here have also cooperated a lot, he said.

IOM Begins Interviewing Bhutanese Refugees

Source: TheHimalayanTimes.com

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) began interviewing the Bhutanese refugees opting for third country resettlement in the US in Damak on Tuesday.
Three high-ranking officials of the Department of US Homeland Security -- William Lowe, Keirn Van and David Radel -- began interviewing the refugees on their intention and opinion on resettlement, said Laxmankumar Hamal, assistant Chief District Officer and joint director of the Refugee Coordination Unit under the Home Ministry. He said the team will be in Damak till December 13.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has already submitted the applications of refugees having security concerns to the IOM.

It is said that interview in Morang's Shanischare and Damak's Beldangi camp has been completed in the first phase. However, the number of interviewees has not been revealed.
Jas Bahadur Subba, a refugee living in the Shanischare camp, said all the members of his family have been interviewed. Another refugee Homnath Baral said that he has been called for a health check up along with all family members by December.

The UNHCR has been continuing to inquiry about the refugees who have opted for third country resettlement. It is said said that 50,000 refugees of 10,000 families have applied for third country resettlement; the IOM has not disclosed the number of applications it has received.

The Divided Bhutanese Refugee

Here is two contradiction news that were published in two different leading publication of Nepal

Source: TheHimalayanTimes.com
BPP wants cops kept out of refugee camps

The Bhutan People’s Party (BPP) has demanded that the Armed Police Force (APF) post that has been established inside the camp be shifted to somewhere outside the camp.
In a press release issued today, BPP chairman Balaram Poudel alleged that the post was set up to suppress the refugees and create division among them to implement the non-transparent plan of third country resettlement of refugees.
“It is against the norms of the UN to deploy armed security men in the camp,” the statement said, adding: “Nepal should stop it and make a provision of providing security in the camps from outside the camps.”
The non-transparent US plan of resettling Bhutanese refugees in third countries is merely a long-term project aimed at foiling the Bhutanese people’s movement for democracy and serving the ill intentions of the Bhutanese king, the statement said. However, it said the BPP neither stands for nor against the proposal.
“If we want to go a third country, it will make us slav-es. We have to be repatriated if we want of be the master of our own.”
The party demanded the authorities concern-ed to immediately issue ID cards to the refugees and not to begin any process for resettlement before doing it.
The party also welcomed the recent concerns shown by the Indian government and political parties about the repatriation of refugees and the decision of an all-party meeting held in New Delhi on November 22 to send a team of MPs to the refugee camps and raise the issue with Bhutan.

US team in Damak
BHADRAPUR: A three-member team of the Department of Homeland Security of the USA arrived in Damak on Monday in course of resettling the Bhutanese refugees to the US. The team will remain in Damak until December 13 and select the Bhutanese refugees willing to go to the US, Assistant CDO Laxman Kumar Hamal said.

Source: Kantipuronline.com
Refugees demand security to opt for third-country program

Bhutanese youths in the refugee camps in Jhapa district have demanded that the government provide a secure and fearless environment for refugees aspiring to opt for third-country resettlement.

The refugees have voiced such a demand at a time when various underground groups active inside the refugee camps have been issuing series of threats against those in favor of the third-country resettlement option.

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the American government have offered to take as much as 60,000 Bhutanese refugees to America as per the third-country resolution program. However, owing to threats, many of the interested refugees have shown reluctance to participate in the UNHCR selection process.

Refugees from all seven camps in the district participated in the mass gathering organized here on Sunday to express willingness to opt for third-country resettlement.

"We have eventually found an option to escape from our inhuman lives inside the camps after 17 years of hardship," said Motikhar Gurung, a refugee, adding, "But we feel conspiracies are being hatched to deny us the solution." Gurung also said many of the refugees including his family were hounded out of the camp for showing interests in the third-country resettlement program. Two weeks ago, some 12 refugee families were displaced from Beldangi refugee camp after unidentified men stuck posters near their huts threatening to take physical action against them for participating in the selection program.


Youths at the program also said nothing could be done for a free and democratic Bhutan by sitting idly inside the refugee camps. "But we can stage a sit-in in front of UN office in New York and draw the world's attention toward a democratic Bhutan," Manoj Rai, former secretary of Khudunabari refugee camp said.

Leaders demand to stop 'campaign' for resettlement

Source: Apfannews.com

Exiled Bhutanese leaders have accused that the US offer for third country resettlement has divided people in camps.

At an interaction program organized in Birtamode on Saturday, leaders also claimed that conspiracies were underway to make exiled Bhutanese homeless for ever.

Leaders also demanded to halt 'campaign' that has been going on inside camps to apply for third country resettlement. They also stated that there was Nepal's diplomatic failure in resolving the stalemate. They also accused that people in camps were trying to become slaves by opting for the option of third country resettlement.

President of Bhutan People's Party Balaram Poudel, General Secretary of People's Forum for Human Rights in Bhutan D.P. Kafle including Dr. Bhampa Rai and Jagirman lama were present on the occasion.

Meeting in India to discuss refugee repatriation issue

Source: Nepalnews.com

Even as the process of third-country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees has started, some leaders of the refugees are meeting with Indian parties and rights activists in New Delhi, Thursday, to discuss the issue of repatriation.

Refugee leaders Rongthong Kinley, Dr. DNS Dhakal and Jagirman Lama will take part in the meeting organised by Bhutanese Solidarity Group, reports Nepal Samacharpatra daily.

The meeting will focus on highlighting the issue of repatriation of Bhutanese refugees and applying international pressure on Bhutan government in this regard.

According to Balram Poudel, chairman of Bhutan People's Party, Indian political leaders including Sitaram Yechury of CPM, D Raja of CPI, DP Tripathy of National Congress and Devdut Bishwas of Forward Bloc will participate in the meeting.

Refugee camp security beefed up

Source: Kantipuronline.com

Citing increasing insecurity inside the Beldangi Bhutanese refugee camp during nighttime, the local administration in Damak has prohibited mobility to and from the camp after 7 p.m. every day, starting Saturday.

Earlier this month, a joint meeting held between the camp management committee, the refugee coordination committee unit and the police administration had decided to tighten up camp security.

"The prohibitory orders have been imposed after taking account of the present situation," Raj Kumar Lamichhane, District Superintendent of Police of Armed Police Force Beldangi base camp, told the Post. "We will take action against any refugees trying to exit the camp or remaining outside it after 7 in the evening," Lamichhane added.

However, the administration has not clarified the total time stretch of the prohibitory order. "The prohibitory order is effective until the break of dawn," security personnel at the base camp said. Security in the camp was beefed up after increasing incidents recently of political pamphlets being stuck up and hooliganism.

Meanwhile, refugees at Beldangi-1 found a stray pamphlet inside the camp Friday night claiming that the Nepal Government and UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) were providing security to "unimportant persons." The pamphlet also accuses Chabilal Thapa, former secretary of Beldangi-1 refugee camp, of committing "severe crimes" in Bhutan and inside the camp, and claims that "the Bhutanese people would not forgive Thapa no matter what."

Right since some countries, chief among them the United States, announced they were to resettle the refugees, extremist youths have been threatening refugees not to opt for third country resettlement. The government, after facing a lot of flak, has set up bases for the Armed Police Force in each of the camps.

UNHCR distributes resettlement forms from Kathmandu office

Source: Apfanews.com

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has begun distributing forms for exiled Bhutanese who wish to apply for third country resettlement from its Kathmandu office as well.

Hundreds of exiled Bhutanese residing in Kathmandu for jobs or studies lined up in the UNHCR office from Wednesday asking the forms.

The UNHCR stated in the form that it was for expressing interest of those willing to be resettled.

The form can be obtained from the UNHCR office. Those reaching the refuge agency office to fill the forms said UNHCR instructed them to fill even the names of all their family members.

When the Bhutan News Service correspondent reached the UNHCR office to get reaction from the exiled Bhutanese registering their filled out forms, a few opposing the resettlement program had gathered on the way.

Two banners, that said UNHCR was acting against its mandates and principles, were hanged along the way that leads to UNHCR office.

Yet the number of exiled Bhutanese reaching the UNHCR office to register their willingness for resettlement seemed not decreasing. More than 10,000 exiled Bhutanese live in Kathmandu for job of studies.

UNHCR begins mass campaign, resettlement forms distributed

Source: Apfanews.com

UNHCR has formally begun mass campaign programs among the exiled Bhutanese for third country resettlement expected to begin early next year.

UNHCR officials launched campaign programs in Jhapa-based Goldhap and Khudunabari camp on Tuesday while similar programs are being launched in Beldangi camps on Wednesday.

It is reportedly learnt that the UNHCR has kept the forms, to be filled by the exiled Bhutanese to apply for resettlement in third country, at the health posts inside camps, Refugee Coordination Unit offices, Bhutanese Refugee Women Forum office, Disability Centers among few other proposed places.

It is also learnt that individuals above 18 years have to sign the form.

Refugees get death threats

Source: The Himalayan Times

Sixty-two Bhutanese refugees living in Beldangi-1 camp in Jhapa district have appealed to the police to protect them after they received death threats from the underground Bhutanese Republican Youth Union and the All Bhutan Revolutionary Students’ Union.
Chhabilal Thapa, Moti-khar Gurung, Arjun Subba, Dilip Kumar Dahal, Ram Rai, Bhim Subedi, Kiran Subba, Lok Nath Adhikari, Buddhiman Gurung, Sakun Subba and NP Koirala are among those who have made the appeals to the officials of the camp supervision post, Armed Police Force and the OHCHR. All of them are in favour of settling in the US and they received the threat on that account.

The two organisations close to the Bhutan Communist Party have also threatened the refugees to leave the camp within 15 days, failing which they will be eliminated physically or abducted. The two groups have also told the refugees that they will be forgiven and allowed to remain in peace if they recant from their pro-US settlement stance.

DSP of APF Raj Kumar Lamichhane said a probe has been initiated and that a search has been launched for those issuing the threats.

65 huts gutted in fire in Belgandi refugee camp

Source: Nepalnews.com

Sixty five shanties housing the Bhutanese refugees were gutted in fire in Bengandi camp, Jhapa district, Friday evening.

The fire spread from the kitchen of one of the shanties at around 7:00 pm, reports said. With the help of fire brigade vehicles from Damak and Kakarbhitta, the locals and the police had managed to put out the fire after three hours.

Nearly 500 refugees have been displaced due to the fire breakout.

Refugees in Eastern Nepal to be resettled in the United States

Source: Kuenselonline.com

The United States government, the government of Nepal, UNHCR, and other agencies have formally begun the process of resettling refugees from the seven camps in eastern Nepal, with the first refugees expected to leave for the U.S. in January, 2008.

Ms Sauerbrey and the U.S. delegation with Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji and Foreign Secretary Yeshey Dorji

In a press conference with Bhutanese newspaper, radio and television reporters yesterday in Thimphu, the U.S. government’s Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ms Ellen R Sauerbrey, said that she had announced a year ago that the U.S. was interested in resettling 60,000 of the refugees over five years, but there was no limit and no quota to the U.S. offer.

“…there is no cap if more than 60,000 people are interested in being resettled and are referred to our programme by UNHCR,” she said. “We will take those who come forward and qualify. Most will qualify unless someone has a record of violence against citizens, major threats and intimidations involving violence in the camps. We are not cherry picking. We do not take these people on the basis that they are highly skilled or the best educated or the healthiest or the youngest, we will take them across the board and on their own interest to come to the U.S.”

Mrs Sauerbrey, who visited Kathmandu and the refugee camps before coming to Bhutan, said that the process was formally launched after Nepalese officials went to the camps with her delegation and announced publicly the Nepalese government’s support of the resettlement programmes.

She said that UNHCR, in the meantime, had already received, informally, applications from 3,000 people who desired to be resettled. “We have an overseas processing entity set up to do the resettlement work,” she explained. “In this case it is the international organization of migration. They have built a very significant complex where the interviews, medical examinations, and cultural orientation are done. It is functioning now and the first interviews are going on.”

“Our goal this year is to interview about 15,000 and, in the next few years, we are expecting 20,000 to 25,000 per year, based on the refugees having an interest themselves,” she added. “It is purely voluntary.”

The Assistant Secretary of State said that, for the U.S. government, which was very focused on helping to resolve protracted refugee situations, it was a humanitarian issue. “I have been in many refugee camps around the world and they are certainly not nice places to live no matter how nicely they are run,” she said. “We also know that refugees who see no hope or future are easily radicalized and we think this is really a critical time and this issue of this population needs to be resolved quickly before it becomes more fermenting in the region.”

Mrs Sauerbrey was accompanied on her four-day visit to Bhutan by the Overseas Program Officer of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Ms Lisa L Meyer, a State Department specialist on South Asia, Mr Jonathan Daniell, and the Political Officer at the U.S. embassy in India, Ms Reva Gupta.

The delegation held discussions with His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, the Prime Minister, Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, the Chief Justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, the Chief Election Commissioner, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, the leaders of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa and the People’s Democratic Party, former ministers Jigmi Thinley and Sangay Ngedup, and the Resident Coordinator for the UN System, Mr Nicholas Rosellini.

Mrs Sauerbrey said that resettlement could resolve a major part of the problem but there were people in the camps who were genuinely Bhutanese citizens and would very much like to come home. “The US and many other international communities do believe that Bhutan has a moral obligation with people who are genuinely Bhutanese citizens, to let them come home,” she said.

She told the Bhutanese media that it had been a good opportunity to discuss with His Majesty and government officials on how the process could move forward. “His Majesty was very generous to give his time and it was a very good opportunity to talk through the difficulties of the people in the camps and how Bhutan can move forward when there is a government in place after the elections and when Nepal has a government in place to get this process back on track.”

Mrs Sauerbrey said that the visit to Bhutan had also been a good opportunity to get a better understanding of the movement to develop democratic institutions in Bhutan. “As a former elected person in my own country, I was very interested in how the whole political process is developing, how campaigns would be structured, and the perception of the people,” she said. “I have to say that I am extremely impressed with His Majesty. This is an historic event when a Monarch, a person who hold such powers, is willing to give it up and understands that there can be good Kings and bad Kings and the people may be happy with this King and there could be a future King who is a tyrant and will oppress people.”

The U.S. was a country built on strong democratic traditions and cherished the right of the people to self-determination, she said. “So it is a huge step that has been taken. We are very excited and supportive to see democracy blooming. I think Bhutan has the potential of being a model in this region where there is so much turmoil. In terms of how the process is shaping up, we certainly recognize that there are going to be a lot of pains that people have to be educated about what democracy is, political party has to be formed, they have to understand their role, have to develop a reason for existence.”

Mrs Sauerbrey told the media that His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo was most gracious in thanking the United States for taking this major step in trying to solve an the issue that had been a stalemate for a long period of time. She said that His Majesty was interested in seeing more development and opportunities for people in the rural areas in Bhutan but was absolutely determined that he was not going to be involved in the political process.

Bhutan’s Caretaker Prime Minister, Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, told Kuensel that the government commended the humanitarian efforts of the U.S. government to solve a problem that was very complex with serious implications for the South Asian region.

“The government of Bhutan is fully committed to the agreement we have already signed with the government of Nepal,” he said. “Our new government will be in place early next year and I sincerely hope that the two governments will be able to move ahead with the bilateral process on this protracted issue. We welcome the initiative taken by the U.S. government and it is our collective responsibility to ensure a comprehensive and permanent solution to the problem.”

The U.S. delegation will visit India from tomorrow to talk about India’s role in this effort to resolve the problem. The officials also discussed the Tibetan refugee problem in Nepal and India where the officials will visit Dharamsala.

Ms Ellen R Sauerbrey has been the Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration since January, 2006. She has served as U.S. Representative to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and has spoken at numerous international women’s conferences. She represented the U.S. at the 2003 World Family Policy Forum in Provo, Utah, the International Congress on the Family in Mexico City and World Family Congress III. She also held conferences on family issues in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica, and led the U.S. delegation to the 2004 Ninth Annual Conference of Women in Latin America.

President Bush appointed Ms Sauerbrey to represent the United States at the March–April 2001 session of the UN Commission on Human Rights and to the U.S. delegations to the 2002 and 2003 substantive sessions of the Economic and Social Council and the UN General Assembly. During the 2003 session of the General Assembly, she led the negotiations that culminated in the successful adoption of the U.S.-proposed resolution on Women and Political Participation, with 110 co-sponsors.

Ms Sauerbrey has served as the Minority Leader of the Maryland House of Delegates and was the 1994 and 1998 Republican nominee for Governor of Maryland. A former teacher, she was elected to represent her northern Maryland district in the Maryland Legislature from 1978-1994, and served as Minority Leader from 1986-1994. An expert in economic, budget, and fiscal issues, she served on the Economic Matters, Ways and Means, and Appropriations Committees, among others.

Bhutan refugees are 'intimidated'

Source:BBC

By Subir Bhaumik
BBC News, Calcutta

Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal are facing "severe intimidation" ever since plans to resettle them in the West were announced, a senior US official says.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ellen Sauerbrey, says the refugee leaders in the camps are to blame.

Nepal is home to about 107,000 ethnic Nepalese expelled from Bhutan, which says they are illegal immigrants.

The US has said it will take 60,000 refugees, but says it can take more.

"There is no question that severe intimidation began in the camps when the US made the offer of resettlement," Ms Sauerbrey told the BBC.

'Intimidation'

She was stopping over in the city of Calcutta on way to Delhi after a tour of Nepal and Bhutan.

Ms Sauerbrey blamed the refugee leaders in the camps in Nepal for the "intimidation".

"For those who have spent 17 years trying to develop a programme to return to Bhutan, the idea that a large number of the refugees will come to the US reduces their political power," she said.

"The refugees have also been fed on false rumours consistently."

Leaders of these Bhutanese refugees have been trying to organise them for a long march back home through India.

But Delhi - which has very friendly relations with Thimphu - has deployed border guards and police to foil these marches.

Refugees in the Beldangi II Extension camp
The refugees have been living in Nepal since the 1990s

Ms Sauerbrey says the government of Nepal must provide "adequate security" in the refugee camps, so that the UNHCR can provide resettlement information to the refugees and enlist those who voluntarily come forward to accept the offer.

"If there's enough security in the camps, I am confident most of these refugees would take up the offer of resettlement in the US," Ms Sauerbrey said.

She said the US was interested in resettling 60,000 of the refugees over five years, but there was no limit and no quota to the US offer.

"If more than 60,000 people are interested in being resettled and are referred to our programme by UNHCR, we will take those who qualify.

"Most will qualify unless someone has a record of violence in the camp," she said.

Resettlement

"We do not take these people because they are highly skilled or educated, we will take them for humanitarian considerations."

Ms Sauerbrey, who visited Kathmandu and the refugee camps in eastern Nepal before travelling to Bhutan, said the process was formally launched after Nepalese officials went to the camps with her delegation and announced publicly the Nepalese government's support of the resettlement programmes.

She said 3,000 refugees have already applied informally for resettlement in the US.

"Our goal this year is to interview about 15,000 and, in the next few years, we are expecting 20,000 to 25,000 per year, based on the interest generated amongst the refugees ," she added.

Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal try to enter the Indian state of West Bengal on May 29 2007
Bhutan says the refugees in Nepal are illegal immigrants

Ms Sauerbrey said the US government was keen to resolve the protracted refugee situation on humanitarian grounds.

"If you have been to refugee camps, they are not nice places and these people have been in the camps for 17 years. That is a long, long time," she said.

Ms Sauerbrey said the resettlement could resolve a major part of the problem but there were people in the camps who were genuinely Bhutanese citizens and would very much like to come home.

"The US and many other international communities do believe that Bhutan has a moral obligation with people who are genuinely Bhutanese citizens, to let them come home," she said.

Tens of thousand of Bhutanese of Nepali origin started fleeing the kingdom in the 1990s, complaining of persecution by the royal administration.

They found refuge in the camps in eastern Nepal, run by the UNHCR.

Several rounds of talks between Nepal and Bhutan have failed to resolve the issue.

But as Bhutan heads for its first national elections next year, the refugee leaders are pressing for the return of their people to the kingdom so that they can vote and regain their citizenship .

Process for third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees begins

Source: Nepalnews.com

The process for large scale third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees living in eastern Nepal has begun with the mass information campaign in all the camps, UNHCR today said.

The campaign is aimed at assisting the refugees to make an informed decision by providing them with accurate information, the UN refugee agency said.

This follows the decision of the Nepal government to allow those refugees who wish to opt for third country resettlement as an alternative solution to do so on the basis of an informed choice and acceptance by the resettlement country.

“UNHCR prefers to help refugees go back to their home countries when they can do so in safety and dignity, however, in this case, the only option currently available is that for resettlement in a third country for those refugees who wish to make this choice,” said Abraham ABRAHAM, UNHCR Representative in Nepal. He emphasised, “Resettlement to a third country does not in any way preclude the right of refugees to return to Bhutan.”

The UNHCR representative also urged the refugee leaders to respect the right of every individual to make informed choices and take decisions regarding his or her own future.

According to UNHCR, resettlement is the relocation of a refugees and their family from Nepal to a third country. This is done with the support and agreement of the resettlement countries as part of a burden sharing mechanism towards achieving a humanitarian solution so that refugees do not have to continue suffering in the camps.

On arrival in the resettlement country they will have legal permanent residence including the possibility for being citizens of that country in due course, if they so desire.

“The UN refugee agency together with the international community will continue its efforts to ensure that as many doors as possible are opened in terms of achieving lasting solutions to the plight of the refugees, including voluntary repatriation as and when return conditions permit,” the UNHCR release stated.

The United States has announced that it would resettle 60,000 refugees, and even more if required, while other members of the Core Group consisting of Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway have also expressed their desire to take in refugees. Canada has already announced its plan to resettle 5,000 refugees.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Government of USA and to all the other resettlement recipient countries as well as to the Government of Nepal for supporting third country resettlement as a humanitarian solution," said Abraham.

Resettlement to the USA is organised by the US government, through its Overseas Processing Entity (OPE), the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The IOM will process resettlement of refugees on the basis of referrals made by UNHCR, and only where expressions of interest for resettlement have been made known to UNHCR.

During her recent visit to Nepal, US Assistant Secretary of Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, Ellen Sauerbrey, had said that the first batch of Bhutanese refugees would land in the US by January 2008.

Sauerbrey hold closed door meetings, government and media mum

Source: Apfanews.com

Since her arrival in Thimphu on Sunday evening, US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Ellen Sauerbrey has busied herself in meeting leaders, government ministers, bureaucrats and policy makers.

However, the government has not given any details of her visit and the issues of discussion held with various persons.

During her five-day visit to this Himalayan country, she was scheduled to discuss the issues of Bhutanese citizens evicted by the Bhutanese regime some 18 years ago and other issues of bilateral interest.

While she left Kathmandu for Thimphu, Ellen had assured to put pressure on Bhutan and Indian government for respectful return of those who do not wish to resettle in foreign land as the offered made by the US and some European and American countries.

Like the government, media remain mum since publication of any materials related to exiled Bhutanese, even if it is discussed at the government level, will term the publications or the media house as anti-national leading to cancellation of the license.

The government strictly avoids giving details of the discussion. Media here expect nothing more than usual and redundant statement from both the sides that they were committed to end the two-decade long crisis.

What a shame on national media

I am surprised to see this news on kuenselonline.com, bhutan's national web news portal.
Today every media in the world is stating that Ms Eilen R Sauerbrey is in Bhutan to discuss the refugee issues.
But I see not a single information about this in the news.
Just fooling its people as it have been doing for long time.
What a shame on national media.

Here is the news
US Assistant Secretary of State visit
3 November, 2007 - The US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, Ms Eilen R Sauerbrey, will be in the kingdom on a four-day official visit from November 4 – 7.

Ms Sauerbrey will be accompanied by officials from the State Department and the U.S Embassy in New Delhi.

Ms Sauerbrey will call on the prime minister and other senior government officials to discuss matters on mutual interest during her stay in the country.

Ms Sauerbrey became Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration in January 2006, Ms Sauerbrey’s visit will further contribute towards strengthening of cordial and friendly relations between Bhutan and the United States, a foreign ministry official said.

Refugee resettlement starts next week (Kantipuronline.com)

The United States will start the resettlement process for Bhutanese refugees next week, according to visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Ellen Sauerbrey.

"Department of Homeland Security officers will come next week to take interviews," Sauerbrey said at a press meet organized Saturday at the American Embassy here. She had returned to the capital after visiting a couple of refugee camps.

Sauerbrey said that if everything moves ahead smoothly, the first plane load of Bhutanese refugees would land on American soil in January 2008.

"We have no limit on the number of refugees we will accept," she said. There are about 108,000 Bhutanese refugees in the seven camps in Nepal.

According to Sauerbrey, some 3,000 Bhutanese refugees have already expressed interest in resettlement. Once the US resettlement program begins, it will operate for at least five years, depending on how many Bhutanese refugees express interest.

'PM made strong request'

Sauerbrey said that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala made a "strong request" to pressure Bhutan to take her people back during their meeting Saturday morning.

She added that after reaching Bhutan on Sunday, she would talk to Bhutanese officials about the possibility of repatriation.

"The first goal of any refugee is to go home. However, after 17 years of effort, the US felt that the refugees should be given an alternative," she said.

But the US will continue to press Bhutan for repatriation, she said.

Referring to queries by refugees during her visit to the camps about the possibility of the US coercing Bhutan to take back the refugees, she said, "Bhutan is a sovereign country. We can't force them."

Responding to a query whether resettling the Bhutanese refugees would encourage the Druk regime to drive out more people, she said that since the Bhutanese have to travel through India to reach Nepal, India has to be very cognizant that such an incident does not take place.

Efforts on to resettle Tibetan refugees

Sauerbrey also said that the US would continue its effort to resettle 5,000 Tibetan refugees in the US. For resettling refugees, the host country, Nepal, has to cooperate, she said.

The issue of resettling Tibetan refugees was raised during her meeting with the prime minister. However, the prime minister said that since a major project is underway in the form of resettlement of Bhutanese refugees, the issue of Tibetan refugees could be discussed later, according to Sauerbrey.

After Bhutan, Sauerbrey will visit India. There she will pay a visit to Dharmashala to get in touch with the Tibetan community.

‘No political motives behind resettlement of Bhutanese, Tibetan refugees in America’ (Kantipuronline.com)

US Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration Ellen Sauerbrey Saturday dismissed speculations that there were political motives behind the resettlement of Bhutanese or Tibetan refugees in America.

Speaking at a press conference on the last day of her four-day stay in the country today, the US official stated that the Bhutanese refugees are being taken to American to give them new future than that of the environment of the camps and free life.

She also said that there were humanitarian reasons for trying to resettle Tibetans in America.

“We have already been cleared for the US resettlement. We hope that we might see the first plane load arriving around the later part of January if, again, all continuous to move along smoothly,” she said.

She also informed that an office set up for the purpose in Damak, Jhapa would begin taking interviews and carry other activities related to the resettlement of the refugees starting next week.

Although, the US is ready to resettle 60,000 refugees in the country, that was not the limit, the US official informed.

Admitting that the refugees from Bhutan to Nepal require traveling to India, she said, “India has to be very confident of the fact that they’ve the responsibility to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Replying to a question, she said that the US could only urge Bhutan to repatriate the refugees but not force it to do since Bhutan as an independent country.

Stating that she found the Bhutanese refugees still have respect for the Druk monarch, she said that she would inform the Bhutanese officials about this during her visit to the Himalayan kingdom.

Similarly, speaking on Tibetan refugees, she said that the US government was aware that it was a very sensitive matter to Nepal to allow Tibetan refugees to resettle in America.

The government is yet to grant permission to the US government regarding the resettlement of the Tibetan refugees in the US.

However, she said that the US would continue its efforts to convince Nepal to resettle 5,000 Tibetan refugees in America in future.

Sauerbrey, who is on a 12-day visit in the South Asia, is scheduled to go to Bhutan on Sunday and then to India, where she will seek assistance from the Bhutanese and Indian governments in promoting durable solutions, including voluntary repatriation, for the Bhutanese refugees.

3,000 Bhutan refugees accept US resettlement (Indiaenews.com)

About 3,000 Bhutanese, languishing in refugee camps in Nepal for nearly two decades, have become the first to accept the US government's offer to resettle in American cities and villages, defying pressure by a group that is seeking to return to Bhutan.

This was stated here Saturday by Ellen Sauerbrey, the US Assistant Secretary of State for population, refugees and migration, at the end of her four-day visit to Nepal to oversee the resettlement process that kicks off next week.

'About 3,000 Bhutanese refugees have already indicated their desire for resettlement,' Saurbrey said, adding that some applicants have already been cleared.

'We expect to see the first plane-load of refugees in the US by the latter part of Janaury,' she said.

The official said that in the next 12 months, Washington hopes to interview about 15,000 refugees willing to accept the resettlement offer, following which up to 20,000 people would be making their way to the US each year.

After being evicted by the Bhutan government, Bhutanese of Nepali origin began a frantic exodus to Nepal in the 70s.

Now there are almost 108,000 refugees living in misery in seven camps in eastern Nepal, under the supervision of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Though Nepal granted them asylum, they are not allowed to work or run businesses and remain abjectly dependant on donor countries.

Pressured by the west, Bhutan began reluctant repatriation talks with Nepal but abandoned them after 15 rounds.

With donors becoming weary and food and fuel supplies to the camps dwindling, the US, one of the major donors, stepped in with the resettlement offer.

Sauerbrey, who met about 5,000 refugees during her visit, said she was touched to see that many refugee children were still taught to offer a special prayer in the morning for the health of the king of Bhutan.

'The great majority (of refugees still) love their country and king and would go home and live happily and peacefully for the rest of their lives, given an opportunity,' the official said.

Sauerbrey said that she would take this message with her to Bhutan, where she begins her three-day visit from Sunday.

On Wednesday, she would head for New Delhi to hold discussions with officials from the ministry of external affairs.

Though India has refused to be drawn into the repatriation negotiations, saying it is a bilateral matter between Nepal and Bhutan, other governments, including Nepal, say that India has a very important role.

India is Bhutan's foreign affairs advisor and biggest trade partner.

Also, when the refugees fled their homes following an ethnic crackdown by the Druk government and crossed into India, Indian security forces herded them to Nepal.

However, when the refugees tried to return to Bhutan the same way, they were stopped.

Earlier this year, Indian border forces fired on unarmed refugees trying to return home, who included a large number of women. Two refugees were killed triggering international concern.

Sauerbrey emphasized that the international community was concerned that Bhutan could try to expel more Bhutanese of Nepali origin.

At a time Bhutan was trying to show the world that it was becoming democratic by holding the first general election, such a step, she said, would tarnish the government's image in the eyes of the world.

India also had a special responsibility to prevent that, Sauerbrey said.

'India has to be cognizant of the fact they have a responsibility that this doesn't happen again,' she said.

First planeload of Bhutanese refugees will travel to the US by January, 2008: US official (Nepalnews.com)

A senior US official has said that if all things proceed smoothly, the first planeload of Bhutanese refugees will reach the United States by late January.

Ellen Sauerbrey, the Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, told a news conference, Saturday, in Kathmandu, that officials of Overseas Processing Entity (the International Organisation of Migration in this case) will arrive in Nepal next week to start interviewing the willing refugees.

“At this point, we have around 3000 refugees who have shown interest for resettlement,” she said, adding that the US hopes to process 15,000 refugees for resettlement in the first year and around 20,000 each year from next year.

Although, the US government has said it will resettle around 60,000 Bhutanese refugees, Sauerbrey said there is no limit for the number of refugees who want to choose this option.

Stating that the US government recognises the desire of refugees for repatriation, she added that “the US government has, and will, continue to press the Bhutanese government to allow the repatriation of refugees.”

Sauerbrey who is traveling to Bhutan and India from Nepal said that the international community is keeping a close eye in terms of any efforts by Bhutan to expel any additional people. She said that as a democratising nation, the image of Bhutan will be tarnished if they attempt to expel any further people.

On the issue of security situation in the refugee camps, the US official, who also visited two camps in Beldangi and Goldhap said, “We are pleased to see the level of security in the camps.”

Terming the US initiative to resettle Bhutanese refugees as a humanitarian one, she said that since the problem had been protracted for too many years, the US concluded it was time to offer alternative of resettlement to willing refugees so that they can have educational opportunities, jobs and free life.

She also spoke about the Tibetan refugees. She said the US wants to resettle 5000 Tibetan refugees but understands the sensitivity of Nepal government, which has not agreed with this proposal. “We hope that the day will come when we are able to do that,” she said.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ellen Sauerbrey, US Ambassador Nancy Powell (extreme left) pose for a photograph after the meeting at the PMs residential office in Baluwatar, Saturday, Nov 03, 07. nepalnews.com/NPA
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, US Assistant Secretary of State for...

Sauerbrey met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, on Saturday morning to discuss about the refugee resettlement issue. “The Prime Minister made a strong request to the US to continue to press Bhutan for repatriation,” she said, adding that it was no accident that she would be traveling to Bhutan from Nepal.

She said she raised issues like camp security and issue of expediting exit permit for the refugees during her talks with the PM.

She also met with Home Minister, Foreign Minister, government officials and refugee representatives during her stay in Nepal.

Repatriation and resettlement should begin together: PM (Nepalnews.com)

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has urged the US government to ensure that resettlement and repatriation of the Bhutanese refugee begin at a time.

Koirala told visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration Ellen Saurbrey, during a meeting Saturday morning at Balutwar, that third-country resettlement was not a permanent solution of the refugee crisis.

According to a Baluwatar source, PM Koirala informed the US minister that Nepal was not, however, against the resettlement process but expressed concern regarding the future of those who do not want to go to the US.

Koirala also urged the US official to put pressure on Indian and Bhutanese governments for repatriation of Bhutanese refugees.

In response, Saurbrey assured to raise the issue with Bhutanese and Indian governments. She said her government would officially ask the two governments to take initiative for a solution of the protracted refugee crisis. Saurbrey had visited Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa.

She will fly to Thimphu on Sunday to discuss the refugee issue with the Bhutanese government. After that she will visit Delhi seeking India's role in solving the refugee crisis.

During her interaction with refugees in Jhapa camps on Friday, Saurbrey had assured to put pressure on Bhutan and Indian for early solution of the issue.

US official officially seeks application for resettlement

Source: Apfanews.com

The US assistant secretary Ellen Sauerbrey in her visit to camps in Jhapa, where the exiled Bhutanese have been living for the last 17 years, has officially urged the exiled Bhutanese to apply for resettlement in the US.

BNS manager Vidhyapati Mishra, who reached Beldangi and Goldhap camp along with the team of UNHCR and the US official team quoted US official as saying that the process for resettlement would begin in the next two weeks.

Stressing that the resettlement was a temporary measure of finding a lasting solution of the two-decade long crisis, Ellen assured the right to return to homeland one the situation normalizes.

Allen further told the exiled Bhutanese would not have to live as refugee in the US rather can enjoy all facilities that US citizens have been. She urged the exiled Bhutanese to tap this opportunity since it will end their hard life in Nepal camps.

She also informed that at least 15,000 exiled Bhutanese will be flown to the US within next one year and the process would further accelerate in coming years.

Ellen also mentioned that the US government would continue putting pressures on the Bhutanese and Indian governments for guaranteeing the repatriation of those not willing to resettle or those who want to return Bhutan even after resettlement.

In his last visit to camps before leaving Nepal completing his tenure here, country representative of the UNHCR for Nepal Abraham Abraham urged the exiled Bhutanese to file application at the office of the International Organization of Migration (IOM) established at Damak.

Chief of the IOM for Nepal David has also reached the camps and was answering the questions raised by the exiled Bhutanese regarding resettlement while this report was filed.

Chief district officer of Jhapa said the Nepal government has formally decided to allow the resettlement of the exiled Bhutanese to western countries.

Ellen and the team also visited the Beldangi camp earlier where she received appeal from the camp secretaries who requested the US official to seek early solution of the crisis.

Sauerbrey is in 12-day tour to Nepal, India and Bhutan in an effort to begin the resettlement of over 60,000 exiled Bhutanese in the US over the next few years.

Sauerbrey visits Jhapa to assess preparation for resettlement of Bhutanese refugees

Source: Nepalnews.com

The US Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, Ellen Sauerbrey, who is currently on her 12-day visit to Nepal, Bhutan and India, visited Jhapa district on Thursday.

During her visit, she held meetings with security officers and chief district officer of Jhapa to assess arrangement made for security in the Bhutanese refugee camps before the third country settlement of the refugees could begin.

She also visited the resettlement processing center in Damak where the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), chosen as Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) by the US government to facilitate the settlement of Bhutanese refugee, will be selecting the refugees for resettlement. She is scheduled to visit the refugee camps as well.

She said the resettlement would begin after her return to US. The US government plans to begin the resettlement process by early next year.

The US has expressed its willingness to resettle at least 60,000 Bhutanese refugees in America over the next few years.
After Nepal she will travel to India and Bhutan to talk with Bhutanese and Indian governments, seeking their support for the resettlement process.