Refugees from Bhutan poised for new start
The first groups of refugees from Bhutan could be resettled within months, thanks to Nepal's decision to grant them exit permits.
DAMAK, Nepal, February 1 (UNHCR) - A new lease on life is within reach for thousands of refugees from Bhutan who have been living in Nepal's camps for nearly two decades. Within months, the first groups could start their lives in other countries, thanks to a recent decision enabling them to leave for resettlement.
The breakthrough occurred in mid-January, when the Nepalese government agreed to issue exit permits to refugees accepted for group resettlement to third countries. This decision paves the way for the large-scale movement of refugees who decide voluntarily to be resettled after spending up to 17 years in Nepal's camps.
The refugees first arrived in Nepal after fleeing ethnic tensions in Bhutan in the early 1990s. There are more than 107,000 refugees living in seven camps in eastern Nepal today.
Recognizing their desperate situation, the US has said it will consider at least 60,000 refugees for resettlement and Canada has indicated it will accept up to 5,000. Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway have indicated their willingness to accept refugees from Bhutan for resettlement.
"We are very thankful to the Nepalese government for the exit permits," said Daisy Dell, the UN refugee agency's representative in Kathmandu. "Resettlement offers a way out for thousands of refugees who see no future in the camps. At the same time, we continue to advocate for voluntary repatriation for those who wish to do so."
The resettlement process is a long one. Last November, UNHCR started a mass information campaign on durable solutions throughout the camps. Since then, it has interviewed thousands of interested refugees and submitted the names of nearly 10,000 individuals to several countries.
Further interviews are being conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and officials from the resettlement countries. Once accepted, the refugees undergo extensive medical screenings and cultural orientation to prepare them for their new life abroad.
The first refugee families are scheduled to leave in March, and numbers are expected to increase by July.
In the meantime, the camps are buzzing with discussions. "Resettlement is a very hot topic now. Everyone is talking about it - in school, in the markets," said Ganga,* a 21-year-old refugee in Goldhap camp. "We are in a dilemma. Our future here is uncertain. If there are good conditions in Bhutan, we will go back. But time is not favouring us."
Ganga is the eldest of seven children. Her father died a few years ago and her mother works on tea estates outside the camp for 70 rupees (US$1.10) a day. All the children are well educated and eager to help ease the family burden.
"If there is somewhere better than here, we will go," said Ganga. "I hope we can get some skills training in tailoring or [beauty] parlour before we go to a third country. If we have the opportunity, I believe we'll do well."
The older generation, however, feels differently. "At this moment, we are not thinking about resettlement at all. We're only thinking of going back to our land in Bhutan," said Birkabahadul Gurung, 72, who heads a family of 26 refugees in Goldhap camp. "The discussion inside our family is very friendly - I make the decisions and they accept."
Tensions have increased over opposing views in the camps, with unknown groups threatening some refugees in favour of resettlement. The local authorities have boosted security by deploying 25 police officers in each camp, creating an environment where the refugees can be free to make informed decisions.
For Ganga and her family, the waiting game continues. What's a few more months of caution compared to the 17 years in exile, she seemed to say as she shrugged: "Let the others go first, then we'll see."
* Name changed for protection reasons
By Vivian Tan in Damak, Nepal
Related news and stories
Nepal becomes first country in Asia Pacific to vaccinate refugees against COVID-19
Hardships multiply for older refugees amid COVID-19 pandemic
A year after Nepal quake, villagers rebuild from the ruins
UNHCR and World Taekwondo Federation partner on training in camps
UNHCR calls for safer alternatives to deadly Bay of Bengal voyages
Resettlement of Bhutanese refugees surpasses 100,000 mark
Your search for « bhutan » matched 978 results. Displaying page 6 of 109 pages.
-
Nepal: Start of resettlement process for Bhutanese refugees
6 Nov 2007 ... the large-scale resettlement of refugees from Bhutan living in Nepal's camps by kicking off a mass ... In addition, Canada has announced its plan to resettle 5,000 refugees from Bhutan currently living ...... -
Nepal: Resettlement opportunities could help resolve plight of Bhutanese
13 Jan 2006 ... that resettlement opportunities for some Bhutanese refugees who have been in the country for the last 15 years, should now be seized. Some 105,000 Bhutanese refugees have been living in seven camps ...... -
Nepal: Generous US resettlement offer may help break Bhutanese deadlock
6 Oct 2006 ... up to 60,000 refugees from Bhutan who have been living in camps in eastern Nepal for 16 years. ... In one of Asia's most protracted refugee situations, more than 106,000 refugees from Bhutan have ...... -
UNHCR Global Report 2001 - Nepal
1 Jun 2002 ... Impact • After a decade of bilateral negotiations, the Bhutanese and Nepalese Governments finally undertook a joint verification exercise, whereby Bhutanese refugees were assessed for their eligi- ...... -
The State of the World's Refugees 2006 - Human displacement in the new millennium - Chapter 5: Protracted refugee situations: the search for practical solutions
19 Apr 2006 ... ... Kenya Somalia 154,000 Kenya Sudan 68,000 Nepal Bhutan 105,000 Pakistan Afghanistan* 960,000 Rwanda ... Political and security implications The State of the World's Refugees Bhutanese refugees in Nepal ...... -
UNHCR Global Appeal 2009 (update) - Nepal
1 Dec 2008 ... The Maoist leaders have repeatedly declared their intention to resume bilateral talks with Bhutan ... are in place for the voluntary repatriation to Bhutan of a first group of refugees. • All refugees ...... -
Refugees from Bhutan help Nepalese rise from the ruins
11 Jun 2015 ... Along with 14 fellow refugees from Bhutan who live in camps in eastern Nepal, Subba travelled to ... "I am grateful to the Bhutanese refugees for helping to build my bamboo hut," said 73-year-old ...... -
Donate to UNHCR
... Azerbaijan Azores Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory ...... -
Nepal issues exit permits for refugees from Bhutan
1 Feb 2008 ... UNHCR welcomes Nepal's recent decision to issue exit permits to refugees from Bhutan who voluntarily ... The United States has offered to consider for resettlement at least 60,000 refugees from Bhutan, and ......