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.