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.