Big welcome for refugees

Source: Manawatu Standard

BY: MERVYN DYKES

Their aircraft was late, the weather cold and wet, but the smiles were warm as three families of Bhutanese refugees arrived in Palmerston North yesterday to sample freedom, New Zealand-style.

They were greeted by a happy throng of earlier refugees now settled in the city and then introduced to volunteers who will help them get settled into their new lives during the next few weeks.

As with earlier arrivals they had spent years in refugee camps after conflict in their homeland and six weeks in an orientation centre in Auckland.

In all, the city gained 16 new residents - the Mohan Raut family (four members), the Tek Bir Rai family (seven) and the Nir Maya family (five).

There were several reunions at the welcome. For example, Beda Quirala now resident in the city, was reunited with Mr Rai, a friend whom he hadn't seen for 20 years and resident Bal Krishna Ghimire met Mr Raut with whom he had once played marbles.

Mr Ghimire, the secretary of the newly formed Bhutanese Nepali Society of New Zealand, arrived in Palmerston North with an earlier group three months ago.

"We are all doing well," he said. "I am learning computers at UCOL and others are learning English. Even those who were not literate are already starting to speak English.

"I would like to thank Heather Tanguay, the ex-mayor - she is the person who gave us a lot of inspiration..We should not forget the volunteers and friends who spent their time helping us to become settled in Palmerston North.

" I now want to go to teachers' college. I have filled out all the forms for a BA and hope that I will be able to do the work."

Over 3,000 Bhutanese resettled: IOM

Source: The Kathmandu Post

BY LILA BARAL

Over 3,000 Bhutanese refugees, who were languishing in sub-human conditions in UNHCR-administered camps in eastern Nepal, have been resettled in the US, Denmark, Australia and other countries under the third country resettlement program.

An official at the International Office for Migration (IOM), which is playing a key role in the resettlement process, said that the process is continuing smoothly and as planned.

"So far, altogether 3,247 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in various countries," he said. Among them, 3,034 were taken to the US, 102 went to New Zealand and 19 headed for Norway. Likewise, 13 and 62 others were taken to Denmark and Australia respectively, while 17 refugees were resettled in the Netherlands.

IOM plans to resettle over 8,500 refugees under the third country resettlement program, most of whom will go to the US.

"Although the resettlement process was objected to by a certain group of refugees in the beginning, the process is underway without any obstruction now," said Govinda Koirala, a staffer at IOM. "If everything goes as planned, all the refugees of one of the camps will be resettled in new countries by the end of December this year."

Many other refugees, who are waiting for their turn after already sending over some of their kin, said that they were now upbeat as those relatives were sending back positive messages from abroad.

"I was worried as my younger brother, who was not very experienced with the outside world, was chosen for the resettlement," said refugee Hari Dhakal. "But now he tells me over the telephone that he already has a mobile phone and computer facilities, and we are hopeful of a good life out there."

An IOM official also claimed that the resettlement process is becoming easier due to the positive messages from those already resettled abroad.

More than 108,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in seven camps in Jhapa and Morang districts since 1992 after the Druk regime launched its ethnic cleansing.

Second group arrives Australia under resettlement

Source: Apfanews.com

Some 38 exiled Bhutanese from eight families landed Australia on Friday as part of the resettlement program in which this country is also associated.

Of them three families landed in Lancheston, Tasmania and five families in Adelaide, South Australia. They were received at the airport by Immigration Officers, MRC Officers and Volunteers.

One of those, Purna Chhetr, on arrval at Lancheston told Bhutan News Service that he was very happy and set to being his new life in a new country.

"I even had not imagined in wild dream to arrive in such beautiful place," he exclaimed.

It was little cold outside as it is winter here but the houses are well insulated and warm inside home, that are prepared for the exiled Bhutanese who arrive here for resettlement.

"People here are good and we were welcomed with big heart," they said.

Birkha Samal, who landed at the Adelaide in South Australia, termed his new home to be a excellent place. Apartment allocated for his family is near the road and a shopping arcade, fully furnished with TV and all food stuff in refrigerator are ready.

Samal said journey was little stressed due to separation from the society in which he grew up but also said it was a good experience as he travelled in air this long distance for the first time.

The exiled Bhutanese expressed that their first priority in this new land would be the education for children. They hoped to being working shortly, after getting acquainted with the society.

Bhutan-Nepal talks to resume

Source: Kuenselonline

After meeting Nepal’s prime minister, Mr Girija Prasad Koirala, on the sidelines of the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that the two governments had agreed to continue the stalled talks on the people in the camps in Nepal.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that he had told the Nepalese prime minister that the Bhutanese government was looking forward to continue the discussion so that the problem could be resolved as quickly as possible.

“I’ve reminded the prime minister that we have been frustrated by the lack of a stable government in Nepal to continue the talks,” he said.

The talks between the two governments were stalled after the Bhutanese members of the joint verification team (JVT) were attacked and injured in Jhapa on December 22 2003.

Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley said that the bilateral meetings created opportunities for leaders to get together and promote regional understanding. “It creates an opportunity to clear misunderstandings and misperceptions, doubts and suspicions, both in the formal settings as well as informally on the margins of the SAARC summits,” he said.

After the summit, the Nepalese media suggested that the bilateral meeting between the two prime ministers was successful and that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala expected full cooperation from democratic Bhutan to discuss the issue.

It was also reported that the new government of Nepal would work closely with Bhutan to solve the refugee issue as soon as possible.

Refugees from Bhutan settle well in Chch

Source: Press.co.nz

Christchurch's growing Bhutanese population is settling in well despite more than 15 years of living in refugee camps.


The city welcomed its first intake of about 30 Bhutanese refugees in April, when New Zealand became the first country to offer a new home to the displaced people.

Another three families are due on August 15 and Refugee Services Aotearoa is looking for volunteers to help them adjust to life in Christchurch.

Southern regional manager Anne-Marie Reynolds said Christchurch would resettle more than 100 Bhutanese people.

They were placed around the city as housing became available, but so far no families had been left isolated, she said.

"They are very gentle, but strong people. I think they will have a great resettlement here," Reynolds said.

Some of the children had spent their whole lives in refugee camps in Nepal before getting the opportunity to be resettled in the West.

Reynolds said the camps were highly organised and many of the children and adults spoke good English.

"The children are settled into schools and parents are doing computer training classes and learning the language. They are hungry for education," she said.

"It's quite an adjustment with budgeting and climate and cultural changes. There's anxiety for any new group that comes in. Will they cope and be liked and be wanted?"

More than 100,000 Bhutanese people are in camps in Nepal. The mainly Hindu people were forced out of the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan in the early 1990s.

Rights group urges SAARC leaders to address Bhutanese refugee crisis

Source: Nepalnews.com

Human Rights Organization of Bhutan (HUROB) has called on all SAARC leaders to address the Bhutanese refugee crisis as one of the major problems of South Asia at the 15th SAARC Summit in Colombo, Sri Lanka and come up with a firm decision to resolve it.

On behalf of over 1,00,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal who have been languishing in sub-human condition in seven camps in eastern Nepal for the past 18 years, HUROB called upon all SAARC emissaries to take the refugee issues as a common problem of South Asia.

HUROB made the call in a letter sent to all SAARC leaders through Nepal's SAARC representative Girija Prasad Koirala.