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Refugees apply to exercise 3 options
The
Kathmandu Post May 23, 2005
BY SARASWATI KARKI
DAMAK, May 22 - Calling for a lasting solution to the festering
problem of statelessness, 8,350 Bhutanese refugee families have
filed applications with UNHCR and the government of Nepal, urging
the latter to open all three options, including local rehabilitation
in the country. UNHCR has been advocating repatriation, local
rehabilitation and third country resettlement as a way out to
resolve the protracted refugee stalemate. The application signed by
heads of households and submitted to the UNHCR office, Home
Ministry, Foreign Ministry and donor agencies, states that if the
first option - repatriation to Bhutan - was not materializing, the
two other alternatives - local integration and resettlement in
western countries - would be acceptable to them. However, refugees
have some reservations, including granting of citizenship, and
demand US $ 70,000 per head if they are to resettle permanently in
Nepal. With regard to the third option, resettlement in western
countries, they demanded exit permit, right to movement, work and
other facilities that are commensurate with the ones enjoyed by
citizens of those countries. "Our first option is repatriation to
Bhutan. If that is leading nowhere, then we must be allowed to opt
for any other options" said Ghanashyam Timsina of Beldangi-II camp,
one of the refugees, who had filed the application. Bhanu Adhikari
of Beldangi-III camp said it would be easier for them to decide once
the doors are opened. Refugees from Beldangi - I, II, III and
Goldhap camps have so far filed their applications. While in the
rest of the camps, self-made forms are being collected.
The repatriation of refugees from the
Khudunabari camp was to begin in February 15 last year, but the
Bhutanese government has been thwarting it, citing threat to
Bhutanese officials.
------------------
UNHCR to collect updated profiles of
Bhutanese refugees
The Rising Nepal May 17, 2005
By Our Correspondent, KATHMANDU, May 16: United Nation High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is going to collect updated profiles
of the Bhutanese refugees, start re-registration and distribution of
identity cards to the refugees, Abraham Abraham, the UNHCR
representative in Nepal, said.
“We have received a positive indication that His Majesty’s
Government to go ahead with re-registration and distribution of
cards,” he said in a face-to-face programme by Reporters’ Club
Monday. It will hardly take five months if permission is granted, he
said. He said the re-registration of refugees and distribution of
the ID cards or family card with valid UNHCR logo was urgently
needed to identify who is who among the refugees, and to provide
appropriate training to refugees and to engineer suitable programs
for them in the future. So far, the refugees have only mixed set of
documents with inadequate information and no UNHCR refugee
certificate, he said. He also said that the previous data were be
adequate and even incomplete as they have spent 15 years in Nepal
and there are so many changes in their family structure and others.
Abraham refused the statement made by the Bhutanese King a few
months ago that most of the people in the camps were involved in
Maoist activities, and said that there is no Maoist problem in the
camps. However, the Nepalese government is still saying that the
first and the only priority is repatriation of the refugees, a high
level official at the Foreign Ministry told this daily. Abraham also
said that UNHCR was also pushing for the resolving the problem
bilaterally. But he said the chances were remote, as the 15 rounds
of bilateral talks had remained fruitless. He also does not see the
possibility of immediate resumption of the bilateral process for
repatriation. The process was stalled the last year. He said it
would be unjust, unfair and even criminal negligence to keep the
refugees in the camps for years without finding a mean for their
resettlement.
He further said that the international community stands ready to
find a solution, including third country resettlement. He said many
Western countries have shown interest in settling Bhutanese refugees
in their countries, and more refugees are applying for the same.
“But there is lack of modality in those resettlement plans,” he
said. He said that three things are needed for materialization of
the third option resettlement in third countries. Firstly, countries
should be willing to resettle; second, refugees themselves should
show interest; and the third, modalities for resettlement have to be
developed. He said that the host country Nepal has a major role in
it, including the granting of “exit permit” to the refugees. Asked
if the UNHCR was downsizing its aid to the refugees, Abraham said,
“There is no effective reduction in the bottom-level of assistance.
Instead, the levels of assistance this year will be more.” UNHCR
has already spent about US$ 5 billion on the refugees. The USA is
the largest donor providing about 25 percent of the total cost.
Other donors include EU, JAPAN, Germany, UK and France. Currently,
there are 100,500 Bhutanese refugee living in the camps in eastern
Nepal.
Meanwhile, Abraham said that the UNHCR office in Nepal was getting
applications from people of other countries to be recognized as
refugees. “But we need formal authorization from the government to
grant them refugee status.” He said that Nepal could be a transit
point for people trying to go to other countries. An Iranian, who
had come to the interaction programme, said that he was living in
Nepal for the last 16 months. The man, Pezhman Shirani, who said he
is a journalist, told the daily he was here because the situation of
Iran was worse and he wanted to go another country. There are many
Iranians like him here, he said.
--------------
We want to see them ( Bhutanese refugees) go back:
Abraham Abraham
Nepal News May 16, 2005
A senior UN
official has expressed disappointment over lack of progress towards
resolving the 15-year-old Bhutanese refugee issue. Addressing a
‘Face to Face programme’ organised by the Reporters’ Club in
Kathmandu Monday, country director of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for Nepal, Abraham Abraham, said
in 1992, we never thought that it would be such a situation 15 years
down the road.
A total of 15 rounds
of bilateral Ministerial Joint Committee (MJC) meetings had been
concluded between Nepal and Bhutan, the last one being held in
October 2003. As agreed by the MJC, a joint verification team (JVT)
involving officials from Nepal and Bhutan completed verification of
refugees living at Khudunabari, one of the seven refugee camps in
eastern Nepal. The process, however, remains stalled after Bhutanese
members of the JVT returned to their home alleging misbehaviour by
some of the refugees in the camp. The JVT concluded that over 70
percent of the residents in the Khudunabari camp were non-Bhutanese
(category 2) while only 293 individuals were categorized as genuine
Bhutanese (category 1). The JVT even declared around 300 people,
including children who were born in the refugee camp itself, as
“criminals” (category 4). “Today we are in a situation that refugees
in Khudunabari camp are very anxious for repatriation. 94 percent of
the camp population appealed against the decision regarding their
individual cases. This struck us very much and we appealed HMG/Nepal
to consider their petition. But I don’t think there appeal has been
heard,” said Abraham. Abraham also recalled that his office had
presented a “comprehensive solution, a non-paper” to the Royal
Government of Bhutan and HMG/Nepal proposing a comprehensive
approach to resolve the refugee issue way back in April 2003.
“Today, even after more than two years, we are still waiting for the
bilateral process to open, waiting for repatriation of the
refugees,” he added. The senior UN official, however, insisted that
it was a bilateral process. “UNHCR and the international community,
we all respect the bilateral process. We are talking about two South
Asian neighbours, two mature governments. So, we don’t really
interfere in the process,” he said. While the Bhutanese refugee
community is calling for giving up the bilateral process and
internationalizing the refugee issue, the then minister of state for
foreign affairs, Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, had blamed the Bhutanese
side of dilly-dallying in re-starting the verification process.
Bhutan, on its part, blames frequent changes of governments in Nepal
for delay in the process. Refuting reports that the UNHCR was going
to close down refugee camps in east Nepal by the end of 2005,
Abraham said he had already finalized proposals for the year 2006.
“We are not here to abandon the refugees. Our assistance will
continue. As funds become more scarce, we have learnt how to better
manage (available) resources,” he added. Responding to a query by
Nepalnews, Mr. Abraham said there are also words of strong interest
from western countries to try and help to move forward with the
solution of the issue, largely with the spirit of burden sharing of
the problem. He, however, did not provide details on which
governments were interested in resettling how many of the Bhutanese
refugees in their countries. Abraham said as of March 31st this
year, a total of 105,232 refugees had been registered in seven
refugee camps in east Nepal.
When
asked about the closing down of Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office (TRWO)
in Kathmandu in late January this year, Abraham said, “We are in the
process of finding out what is the best mechanism we could have in
order to have substitute to continue our support in this area….. We
are looking forward to a new organisation that will register itself
with HMG/Nepal and will be able to provide the same support that was
provided before,” he added.
nepalnews.com by
May 16 05
---------
UNHCR seeks profile
of Bhutanese refugees
The Himalayan Times May 17, 2005
Himalayan News Service, Kathmandu, May 16: The United Nations High
Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has made a proposal to the
government to prepare a profile of the Bhutanese refugees
languishing in eastern Nepal to identify the most vulnerable ones
and assist them accordingly. “We are waiting for the government’s
response to our proposal regarding the preparation of a profile of
the refugees,” said Abraham Abraham, UNHCR Representative for Nepal,
at the Reporters’ Club today. All refugees are receiving the same
kind of assistance and on the same level, but UNHCR has plans of
specific and targeted assistance to the needy ones. “Handicapped,
children and senior citizens need specific and targeted assistance,”
Abraham said.
Regarding the closure of the Tibetan Refugee Welfare Organisation,
he said UNHCR will try to support the Tibetan refugees through a new
organisation to be registered here.
------
UNHCR
plans to reregister Bhutanese refugees
Kantipuronline May 16, 2005
KOL Report, KATHMANDU, May 16 - The United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, the UNHCR, Monday said that it was planning to
reregister the Bhutanese refugees. The re-registration is aimed at
identifying the need for support to the refugees. Chief of UNHCR
office in Kathmandu, Abraham Abraham said that his office had
requested the government to allow it to carry out the
re-registration. He told journalist at the Reporters' Club today
that the UN refugee agency wants an early resolution to the crisis
through repatriation. He said, "Some western nations are willing to
resettle the refugees in the third countries due to inevitable delay
in the repatriation process." Abraham also showed continuity of
support to the refugees. He, however, said drawing fund for the
refugees was becoming more and more difficult every year. On the
issue of the Tibetan refugees, he said his office had planned to
make necessary arrangements in absence of a Tibetan refugees'
welfare office. Abraham outlined the need for making the refugees
self dependent rather than making them rely only on humanitarian
aid. (snn)
------
Western Countries for Resettlement (of
Bhutanese refugees)
Kathmandu Post May 14, 2005
By Nitya Nanda Timsina
KATHMANDU, May 13 - More western countries are showing interest in
resettling Bhutanese refugees in their countries, and more refugees
are applying for the same, but lack of modality for resettlement,
one of which includes issuing an "exit permit", is delaying the
process, said Abhraham Abraham, the UNHCR representative in Nepal.
"We have strong expression of support from western countries for
resettlement of Bhutanese refugees, but we are struck at the absence
of modalities for resettlement," he told the Post Friday.
"International communities stand ready to find a solution,
including third country resettlement. There is also a prospect that
some of them may be resettled in India," he said. He said that the
host country - Nepal - has the major role in it, including the
granting of "exit permit" to refugees. "We are getting more
applications from refugees but we still need formal authorization
from HMG Nepal," he said. When contacted, Foreign Secretary
Madhu Raman Acharya said no decision has been taken so far at the
government-level to allow resettlement. "Our first priority is
repatriation," he added, declining to comment further. Ruling out
immediate resumption of bilateral process for repatriation, the
first option, he said, "It is unjust, unfair and even criminal to go
on keeping refugees for years, thus, the resettlement." He said
that three things are needed for materialization of the third option
(resettlement in third countries). They are: Countries should be
willing to resettle; second, refugees themselves should show
interest; and the third, modalities for resettlement have to be
developed. Asked if the UNHCR was downsizing its aid to refugees,
Abraham said, "There is no effective reduction in the bottom-line
level of assistance. Instead, the levels of assistance this year
will be even more." UNHCR spends on an average $ 5 billion, out of
which the largest donor - USA-provides 25 percent annually to
refugees. Other donors include EU, JAPAN, Germany, UK and France. Meanwhile,
the UNHCR is collecting profiles of Bhutanese refugees, and starting
re-registration. It is also distributing ID cards to refugees. "We
have positive indication that the government will allow us to go
ahead with re-registration and distribution of ID cards. It will
barely take five months if permission is granted," Abraham said. He
said the re-registration of refugees and distribution of the ID
cards or family card bearing a valid UNHCR logo was urgently needed
to identify who is who among the refugees, so as to provide
appropriate training to refugees and to engineer suitable programs
them in the future. So far, refugees had a mixed set of documents
with inadequate information without any UNHCR refugee certificate,
he said
------
Bhutanese
refugees ( 1, 200) of Goldhap refugee camp appeals US Ambassador for
durable solution of refugee issue, May 08, 2005
May 08, 2005
His Excellency,
The Ambassador of the United States of America,
Kathmandu Nepal.
Subject: - Request for permanent solution to
the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal.
Your Excellency,
We the undersigned Bhutanese Refugee from
Bhutanese Refugee Camp, Jhapa, Nepal, would like to draw your
attention to the following for your kind action please:
-
That, we have been sustaining our livelihood
from the generous assistance of UNHCR and other international
agencies since 1992 when we were forced to leave our homes of
generations whose history dates well back before the advent of
hereditary monarchy in Bhutan. Since then we have been living in
the most meagre conditions with the hope of returning to our
homeland. There are at present 104000 Bhutanese refugees in the
UNHCR organized camps in eastern Nepal and reportedly about 30000
Bhutanese are eking out their living in different parts of India,
without proper identity since we left Bhutan in the 90s under the
pressure of the Bhutanese authorities. We are very much grateful
to all those generous souls, who all are behind our sustenance
till this date. We would like to take this opportunity to extend
our sincere and heart-felt gratitude to the Government and the
People of America through Your Excellency.
-
That, despite the visit of Madam Sadako Ogata,
the then high commissioner in 2000 to our home country and to the
refugee camps who announced us that our home country is "welcoming
us for our return", the numerous rounds of bilateral talks between
our host country and home country and the subsequent verification
exercise in one of the camps and several attempts from the
refugees to return to our homeland, our issue remains in limbo.
-
That, since 1994, the UNHCR and the
International/national agencies involved in the Bhutanese refugee
relief assistance programme have been systematically reducing the
already meagre assistance and we are being pushed to the extreme
point of desperation. The results of a prolonged refugee life are
already vivid in our society: depression, increased sexual and
gender based violence, suicide cases and the like are ever
increasing.
-
That, it is our opinion that before cutting
down the much required assistance, international community should
give us justice by forcing the RGOB to accept its citizens and
help rehabilitate those who choose not to return Bhutan by opening
avenues for local integration and international settlement. In
this regard, we would like to remind Your Excellency that His
Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuk has unveiled the Draft
Constitution for the Kingdom of Bhutan, which has multi-lingual,
multi-religious and multi-ethnic groups, seeking public opinions.
As refugees we will not be able to participate at least officially
in that process although we believe the Constitution should be
such that it is a guarantor for the long-term stability of Bhutan
and peace and prosperity of the Bhutanese people. The
implementation of the Constitution will have no meaningful impacts
in the life of Bhutanese people unless genuine Bhutanese are
permitted to return to Bhutan in their own place with honour and
dignity and given space for participation in the social and
political process.
-
Your Excellency, the Constitution now being
made makes end 1958 as the cut off date and the Bhutan Government
maintains Citizenship Registers for all the districts meticulously
and the names of those registered as citizens on or before 31st
December 1958 figure in those registers. As almost every one of us
in Bhutan had a place of our own, with house number and land
registration number there does not arise a prospect of any major
problem. Therefore, to expedite the process, the RGOB may kindly
come to the camps with the list of persons from those very
citizenship registers, which would greatly expedite the process of
repatriation. In the event of competing claims the verification
team could see the documents refugees possess or take the views of
the former Gups, Chimis and village elders.
-
That, we the Bhutanese refugees who have been the
victims of a racist policy would like to plead Your Excellency that
we do not want to live as refugees forever and that we have the
instinct and urge to live as honourable and productive citizens as
the other more fortunate members of this world do. In this regard,
we would like to request Your Excellency to help us find durable
solution to our plight.
We beg to remain ever humble for your kind
consideration.
Yours Sincerely,
Bhutanese refugees,
Goldhap Bhutanese Refugee Camp,
Jhapa, Nepal.
Signed by 1, 200 refugees
|
SN |
Name |
Sec/Hut |
Signature |
|
1.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------
US Ambassador
James F. Moriarty inspects refugee camp
The Rising Nepal May 10, 2005
RSS, BIRTAMOD, May 9: US ambassador to Nepal James F.
Moriarty inspected the Bhutanese Refugee Camp in Goldhap of Jhapa
district yesterday and gave assurances that special initiative will
be made for the cause of the refugees. Assuring the Bhutanese
refugees, ambassador Moriarty said effort will be made to resolve
the problem by holding talks with India, Nepal and if possible with
Bhutan for a stable future of the refugees. It may be noted that
1,200 refugees of the camp had posted a memorandum to ambassador
Moriarty urging him to take the initiative for their return back
home.
------
Efforts underway to resolve Bhutanese
refugee crisis: US envoy
Xinhua May 09, 2005
KATHMANDU, May 9 (Xinhuanet) -- US Ambassador to Nepal James F.
Moriarty has said that efforts are being made to resolve the
prolonged Bhutanese refugee problem. "We are well informed about the
protracted problem. We will try to find a solution by holding talks
with Nepal, India and Bhutan (if possible)," the US envoy said
Monday after inspecting a refugee camp at Goldhap of Jhapa district
in eastern Nepal. The ambassador, accompanied by United Nations
High Commissionerfor Refugees (UNHCR) Representative to Nepal Abhram
Abhram, made a surprise visit to the refugee camps in Jhapa district
on Sunday. Moriarty also urged the refugees to be hopeful about
early solution to the problem. Earlier, refugees of Goldhap camp
had submitted a collection of signatures to the US ambassador,
urging him for help to settle the deadlock. Several rounds of
ministerial-level talks between Nepal and Bhutan have ended in
deadlock. The refugee community, which has been demanding respectful
repatriation to Bhutan, has become ready to consider two other
options that of localization in Nepal or a third-country settlement.
About 100,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in eastern Nepal
for more than 10 years after they were evicted from Bhutan in early
1990s. Enditem
---------
Bhutanese
refugees have called for seriousness for resolution of over a decade
and half old refugee crisis and offered three options
May 01/05 ( Original Appeal)
From:
Bhutanese Refugees
Bhutanese Refugee Camps
Beldangi-II and Beldangi-II Extension
Jhapa, Nepal.
Monday, April 25, 2005.
To,
The Head of Sub Office
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Damak, Jhapa, Nepal.
Subject: Appeal for Durable Solution of the
Bhutanese Refugee Problem.
Dear Madame,
Since the late
eighties and early nineties the royal government of Bhutan, in its
calculated campaign, has revoked the citizenship and evicted more
than one hundred thousand Bhutanese citizens. These citizens being
driven from Bhutan through the Indian soil entered Nepal and it's
been almost fifteen years since they have been living a refugee life
in the seven camps in eastern Nepal.
Despite the fifteen rounds of
bilateral talks between the governments of Bhutan and Nepal; efforts
from the refugees' side for repatriation and pressure from various
international levels for the repatriation of Bhutanese refugees, the
Bhutanese refugee problem is gearing towards even more grave
situation.
The donor agencies who have been
providing assistance for food and shelter to the Bhutanese refugees
have been systematically cutting down on the relief assistance.
Given this situation, any layperson can assume that owing to the
lack of vital essentials of life namely food, cloth and shelter, the
refugees in the near future might have to become victims of such
extreme sufferings as to malnourishment and even death.
Drawing your good self's kind
attention to the fact that - the Bhutanese government has denied any
solution to the refugee problem despite long years of life as
stateless persons; owing to the uncertainty of future life there has
been degradation in social life which is apparent in our youths and
increasing mental tensions amongst the common refugees, increase in
suicides in the refugee camps; and such other issues as the
increasing terrorism in South Asia, we earnestly appeal to your good
self to mould the possible obstacles in the future to a positive and
easy road by finding a durable solution to the problem.
UNHCR has been providing the relief
assistance seeing the difficult state of affairs of the Bhutanese
refugees. It is a fact that even a meager reduction in the relief
assistance makes life difficult for the refugees. Therefore, before
any reduction is made on any areas of the UNHCR relief, the
refugees' stable and a durable solution has to be sought for. The
reductions in the relief assistance being brought by UNHCR during
this difficult phase of our life has rendered the refugees extremely
worried, sad and are filled with fear.
The donor agencies must realize
that the relief assistance being supplied presently is in the first
place insufficient and hence any reduction in the relief assistance
will make it extremely difficult to survive.
We, the refugees born out of Bhutan
government's discriminatory polices seeking a humane attitude and a
life worth a human being, earnestly appeal to the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees to look for a solution to our problem
adopting the suitable options for durable solution given below:
Option One:
Repatriation back to Bhutan.
Option Two:
Local Integration in the host country.
Option Three: Third
Country settlement.
We urge the UNHCR and the
international community to take a serious note of the fruitless
dialogues between the governments of Bhutan and Nepal which has only
served to dilly dally the entire process the consequence of which
has been that the refugees are far from being repatriated back to
their homes in Bhutan, they are having to depend on the donor
agencies and have to bear the brunt of budget cuts etc.
Madame, are we Bhutanese have been
born with a precondition that we remain as refugees in this world?
Has the nature itself forbidden us the right to share the resources
of this world as other human beings? If this is our bitter reality,
we urge the international community to stand on the plane of
humanity and make public its position in clear and strong terms.
It is anticipated that these
options for durable solution that has come out from inside the
plastic hutments of the Bhutanese refugee camps carry the general
feelings and aspirations of all the refugees. Through these
documents signed by heads of the family of all the refugees, we
appeal for the support and serious consideration from all our
well-wishers.
Thanking you.
Yours Sincerely,
SD
Unit Representative
OPTION ONE :
REPATRIATION BACK TO BHUTAN
We the Bhutanese refugees must be
repatriated back to our original homesteads in Bhutan in dignity
following international norms and conditions as the first priority.
OPTION TWO:
LOCAL INTEGRATION IN THE HOST
COUNTRY
In the event
of permanent local integration in Nepal, the following conditions
must be fulfilled:
-
The government of
Nepal should guarantee the grant of citizenship
-
Resettlement of the refugees
should be done in groups.
-
Nepal government should provide
guarantee of security and basic facilities like free education and
health
-
Documents obtained during the
period of refugee life like educational qualifications,
testimonials obtained after providing social services must be
given due recognition and validity without any discrimination with
other general citizens.
-
Equal rights and dignity must be
given to the resettled refugees for undertaking business or any
other occupation.
-
Provision should be made to grant
USD 70,000 per refugee in order to facilitate a full and fair
resettlement in Nepal.
-
In order to
allow free movement around the world, for at least 5 years, a
special legal provision has to be made.
OPTION THREE:
THIRD
COUNTRY SETTLEMENT
In the event
of resettlement in a third country, the following conditions have to
be met:
-
The refugee
accepting country has to provide guarantee of first class
Citizenship of that particular country.
-
The refugees must be settled in
groups of at least 1500 families and in an environment similar to
their experience.
-
Until the time the settled
refugees attain a living standard to that of the general citizens
of that country, provision has to be made for food, cloth,
shelter, education and health facilities.
-
The refugee accepting country
must ensure a life worth an average economic standard of living of
that country.
-
Thee has to be freedom to
practice traditions, religion and culture, language and social
values and to protect and promote them.
-
Educational documents must be
given full recognition and efforts have to be made for bringing
the settled refugees' educational standard at par with what is
locally prevalent.
-
Provision has to be there for
providing trainings, bank loans etc for those seeking to undertake
business, agriculture or other occupations.
-
Compensation has to be made for
the property left in Bhutan and the 15 years of life as a refugee.
-
Provision
has to be made for providing old age pensions to those above 60
years of age.
Copies for
information and necessary action:
-
Country Representative, UNHCR,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
-
Secretary, National Unit for
Coordination of Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, His
Majesty's Government of Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal.
-
Diplomatic Missions based in
Nepal. British Embassy, Consulate of Belgium, Consulate of Canada,
Consulate of Italy, Consulate of the Netherlands, Consulate of
Sweden, Consulate of Switzerland, Embassy of Australia, Embassy of
Finland, Embassy of Japan, Embassy of Germany, Embassy of France,
Embassy of India, Embassy of the United States of America, Royal
Danish Embassy, SAARC Secretariat, European Commission.
-
International Organizations:
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Jesuit Refugee Service,
Lutheran World Federation, World Food Programme, South Asia Forum
for Human Rights, Habitat International Coalition, International
Committee of the Red Cross, Bhutanese Refugee Support Groups.
-
Director, Refugee Coordination
Unit [RCU], HMG Nepal, Chandragarhi, Jhapa.
-
The Camp Supervisors [Jhapa and
Morang] RCU, HMG Nepal.
-
Program Manager, Lutheran World
Federation, Branch office, Damak, Jhapa, Nepal.
-
Field Director, CARITAS Nepal,
Bhutanese Refugee Education Programme, Damak, Jhapa.
-
Camp Secretaries, Bhutanese
refugee camps, Jhapa/Morang.
-
HRCB,
Kathmandu/BRRRC, Damak.
-
Bhutanese
refugee human rights organizations : AHURA Bhutan, HUROB, PFHR,
CEMARD
Sd/
Sd/
Sd/
1. Mr. Hom Nath
Baral 2. Mr. P. S. Gurung 3. Mr. Tanka
Timshina
ADHOC COMMITTEE
SAMPLE OF THE SIGNED DOCUMENT
I have signed
the document on my own free will accepting any one of the three
options applicable on the basis of international norms and
conditions as outlined above.
|
Camp Address |
Address in Bhutan |
|
SN |
Name of Family
Head |
No. of people in
family |
Sector/Hut no. |
District |
Block |
Thram no. |
House no. |
Signature |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SUMMARY OF
SIGNATORIES AND REPRESENTED PEOPLE
|
|
Beldangi II |
Beldangi II Extn. |
Total |
|
Total Number of Family Heads [signatories]: |
3200 |
1546 |
4,746 |
|
Total Population in the Camp : |
22225 |
10,721 |
32,945 |
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Refugees give three options to solve
crisis
The Rising Nepal, April 29, 2005
RSS, DAMAK, April 28: Bhutanese refugees have called for
seriousness as 15 rounds of talks between Nepal and Bhutan have not
yielded satisfactory result. They have called on HMG and donor
organisations after launching a signature campaign in the refugee
camps after coming up with three alternatives. The alternatives
forwarded are absorption of the refugees permanently in the host
country and translocation to third countries, apart from their
repatriation.
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The U.S. human
rights and democracy strategy for Bhutan is still largely focused on
finding durable solutions for the Bhutanese refugees of ethnic
Nepali descent. who were compelled to leave Bhutan for
Nepal in the early 1990s,
Supporting Human
Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004 – 2005 Released by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Released
March 28, 2005
The "Supporting
Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2004 - 2005" report is
submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance
with Section 665 of P.L. 107-228, the FY 03 Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, which requires the Department to report on
actions taken by the U.S. Government to encourage respect for human
rights. This third annual submission complements the longstanding
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004, and takes the
next step, moving from highlighting abuses to publicizing the
actions and programs the United States has employed to end those
abuses.
South Asia
Bhutan
Bhutan is in the
process of a fundamental governance shift, from a hereditary
monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The King has stated that he
intends to create a constitutional monarchy operating under a
parliamentary system amalgamating ideas from many democratic
systems. Until the Constitution takes effect, however, civil
liberties remain limited. The Government restricts freedom of
speech, press, assembly and association and prohibits the formation
of human rights organizations and political parties. The Government
also restricts freedom of religion. The ban on political parties
allowed the Government a large degree of control over the expression
of dissent. The Government has not confirmed whether the new
Constitution will allow political parties, or the extent to which it
will guarantee fundamental human rights.
As the
Government’s transformation progresses, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck
will join a select group of leaders who have voluntarily
relinquished absolute power and embraced a representative system of
government. In preparation for the transformation, the King began
devolving authority in recent years to a National Assembly and
Council of Ministers. The Royal Government of Bhutan has stated that
a new Constitution will go into effect after National Assembly
approval, planned for 2005.
In 2004, the
National Assembly passed legislation on a broad variety of topics,
including a nationwide ban on the sale of tobacco products,
improving the environment and changing the penal code. It also
vigorously debated topics such as refugee return, expatriate
workers, regulation of the media and a national land policy, while
passing the national budget and electing new committee members.
A significant
Bhutanese refugee problem persisted in Nepal. The Government refused
to restart the Bhutan-Nepal Joint Verification Team process while
the security situation in Nepal remained unsettled, but indicated a
willingness to allow a pilot group of all Category 1 refugees in
Khudunabari Camp to repatriate to Bhutan. The Government of Bhutan
reaffirmed that offer in January, but did not reach a final
agreement with the Government of Nepal.
The United States
and Bhutan do not have formal diplomatic relations; the U.S. Embassy
in New Delhi is responsible for following Bhutan issues and
communicates frequently and effectively with the Government. The
U.S. human rights and democracy strategy for Bhutan is still largely
focused on finding durable solutions for the Bhutanese refugees of
ethnic Nepali descent who were compelled to leave Bhutan for Nepal
in the early 1990s.
The United States
actively pursued a solution to this problem during the past year
with a delegation visiting the Kingdom in January, the U.S.
Ambassador’s visit to India in March and the Assistant Secretary of
the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Arthur E. Dewey’s
visit to the region in October. Embassy staff used these visits to
highlight the plight of the approximately 100,000 refugees currently
living in Nepal. The United States also discussed religious freedom
issues during these visits.
Embassy officers
also engaged the Government and other interested parties, including
donor countries, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations,
regarding the refugee situation. The Embassy used active discussions
with Bhutanese government officials to highlight U.S. concerns
related to internally displaced persons languishing in refugee camps
and encouraged the Government of Bhutan to resolve this problem.
Senior State
Department and Embassy officials also discussed the issue of
democratic reform with King Wangchuck and other high-ranking members
of the Government. During these discussions, the King was frank
about the need for democratic reform and reiterated his commitment
to the process. The King is the driving force behind democratic
reforms, while government sources reported that much of the
population is wary of change. There is a widespread concern that
democracy in neighboring states has contributed to the
destabilization of those Governments. The Government stated that it
is taking the transformation process slowly to allay people’s fears.
However, the King’s commitment has been firm; he has said that
Bhutan’s future cannot rest solely on one man and that power should
not be transferred through bloodlines.
During the year,
the Embassy sent six Bhutanese nationals to the United States on the
International Visitors Leadership Program, focusing on areas such as
local government, television broadcasting, human resources and
transportation. A Bhutanese human rights activist resident in India
traveled to the United States on an International Visitors Program,
and one Fulbright Scholarship was awarded to a Bhutanese academic.
--------------------------------------
UNHCR moots
resettling refugees abroad
The Rising Nepal August 18, 2003
By Govinda Bhattarai
KATHMANDU, Aug. 17: In an attempt to explore “durable solutions” to
the protracted problem of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal, the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kathmandu
has proposed that the refugees who are denied repatriation be either
allowed to stay in Nepal or resettled in a third country. The
problem could be resolved through a burden sharing mechanism:
voluntary repatriation, local integration and third country
resettlement of the refugees, UNHCR Nepal Representative Abraham
Abraham said at a talk programme in the capital Tuesday. “It
is already clear that not all of the refugees will be allowed to go
back or will opt for return. Other durable solutions have to be
explored for them. The international community has already expressed
its readiness to consider sharing the burden through third country
resettlement for some of the refugees,” he said at the talk on
‘Challenges and prospects for the resolution of the Bhutanese
Refugee situation’ jointly organised by UNHCR-Nepal and Nepal
Council of World Affairs.
Stating that most of the refugees have developed skills and have the
potential to positively contribute to Nepal’s development, Abraham
asked the concerned parties to gather necessary political will and
think of ways to support those who wish to stay in Nepal. He said
that the issue of the Bhutanese refugees has posed a “major
humanitarian crisis” in Nepal. More than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees
have been lingering in seven UNHCR-monitored camps in Jhapa and
Morang districts in southeastern Nepal for over 13 years. They came
to Nepal via Indian territory after the Bhutanese government evicted
them under what critics call “ethnic cleansing.” The refugees
have not been able to return home even after several rounds of
Nepal-Bhutan bilateral talks to categorise and verify them. The 1993
ministerial level meeting had decided on four categories of the
refugees: bona fide Bhutanese who have been evicted forcefully,
Bhutanese who voluntarily left Bhutan, non-Bhutanese and Bhutanese
with criminal records. In 2001, a joint verification team carried
out verification of 12,500 refugees in Khudunabari camp and found
only 293 of them belonging to the first category, meaning they could
go back to Bhutan if they liked.
The categorisation has resulted in family disintegration and led the
frustrated youths to adhere to militancy, alcoholism and suicide.
Studies show that up to 75 per cent of the refugees in Khudunabari
camp are eligible to return. The situation worsened in
December 2003 when some of the refugees reacted violently to the
“harsh conditions and modalities of return,” provoking the Bhutanese
side to halt the repatriation process. The UNHCR, which though is
not directly involved in the process, has also stated that the
conditions of return “fall short” of international standards. “They
deprive the refugees of some of their basic human rights such as
freedom of movement.” Though Bhutan has now agreed to resume the
process, Nepal is yet to make public its official response.
Abraham also said that new hopes were emerging for the prospect of
resuming bilateral talks between the two countries. “Nepal and
Bhutan have decided to set the bilateral process back on track.”
He expressed concern over the verification results that placed over
70 per cent of the Khudunabari refugees in the second category, i.e.
Bhutanese who voluntarily left Bhutan and thus set to lose
citizenship as per Bhutan’s Nationality Act. More stunningly, some
85 families, including the children born in the camps, were
categorised as criminals. Those who have lost their citizenship run
the risk of being stateless citizens as they have to reapply for it
and chances are they might be denied even after two years’ of
probation. Informing that the UNHCR would gradually phase out its
direct involvement in the camps by the end of next year, Abraham
urged both the governments to show “political will and magnanimity”
to expedite the solution: voluntary repatriation of the refugees. As
for the role of India, the first country of asylum, he said the
UNHCR had received assurances from the Indian government of their
co-operation in the process. While reiterating that voluntary
repatriation was the preferred solution, he said the UNHCR would
remain committed to assisting both the countries in finding a
permanent way out.
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UNHCR call to resolve refugee crisis
Himalayan Times August 18, 2003
Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, August 17
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
representative in Nepal, Abraham Abraham today urged both Nepal and
Bhutan to demonstrate “political will” and “magnanimity” for a
durable solution to the protracted refugee imbroglio. Affirming that
since not all refugees will be allowed to go back or opt for return,
Abraham suggested the both governments to take take steps for those
who wish to remain in Nepal. He added that the international
community was ready to offer its support in this regard. He,
however, was quick to concede the international community’s
readiness to consider “sharing the burden through third country
resettlement” for some refugees. “Refugees themselves have started
realising that for some of them, this may be one of their options
for a sustainable solution,” he said at a programme on “Challenges
and prospects for the resolution of the Bhutanese refugee situation”
organised by Nepal Council of World Affairs (NCWA) here today.
The UNHCR representative said, “We are not trying to force
integration via the back door but it is time to better target
assistance in ensuring that vulnerable refugees are given what they
need.” Emphasising that voluntary repatriation was the preferred
solution, he said efforts should be concentrating on creating the
conditions for these refugees to avail of their basic human right,
which is the right to return to one’s country of origin. “UNHCR can
be helpful in improving the conditions of return in Bhutan if
permitted to do so,” he said. He clarified that UNHCR was not
abdicating its mandated protective role towards Bhutanese refugees
in Nepal but intended to “reinforce this role and concentrate
efforts and expertise in protecting these people in Nepal.”
Referring to the “phasing out” from UNHCR’s direct involvement of
relief assistance, he said the intent was to encourage refugees to
become self-sufficient and thus live with dignity. The challenges
that UNHCR sees ahead is how to restore the dignity of the refugees
and address the issue of their dependency, how to make better use of
financial resources available for the assistance of refugees and how
to improve relations between the local population and the refugees.
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