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UK door opens for refugees
KATHMANDU, AUG 09 -
Unwanted by Bhutan for nearly two decades, over 100,000 Bhutanese were rendered stateless for as many years. But things are changing fast.
With the departure of 37 individuals from 10 families to Bolton, Manchester, in England on Monday, the United Kingdom became the eighth country to offer hope and home to Bhutanese refugees languishing in seven camps in Eastern Nepal. A total of hundred refugees would be received by the UK this year, according to British embassy officials.
“It’s heartening to see you about to leave for the UK to start new lives after so many years of uncertainty,” Sophia Willitts-King, Chargé D’Affairs at the British embassy told the first batch of refugees destined to leave for the UK.
Chargé D’Affairs Willitts-King said the UK Home Office has made arrangements to receive the refugees and that they would be supported in every way to facilitate their integration into British society. “The UK has a long history of welcoming people from other countries — we know that the diversity it brings makes our country stronger,” she said.
“We don’t expect it to be easy for us, but we hope that our children will have a better future,” said Damanta Thapa, who along with her husband and three young kids are leaving Nepal after living 18 years in Beldangi II refugee camp in Damak. “Obviously our kids are excited,” said Dharmaraj Thapa, her husband, pointing to their three children.
There is a sense of uncertainty and even sadness among some refugees. Kashi Nath Pokhrel, of Khudunabari camp has more than one reason to be upset. He and his extended family of 16 were categorised as bonafide refugees in 2003 by the Nepal-Bhutan Joint Verification Team (JVT). He was looking forward to honourable repatriation and eventual reunion with his brother and aunt who were left behind in Denchuka of Samche in Southern Bhutan. His hopes were shattered when Bhutan pulled its team out of the refugee camps in December 2003 citing security concerns. The bilateral process is stalled since
“Were it not for the sake of my kids, I would have been happy to live in the camp my whole life rather than migrate to an unfamiliar place,” said Pokhrel who will join 34,500 other refugees who have already been resettled in seven countries.
Stéphane Jaquemet, UNHCR Representative in Nepal, expressed the hope that other countries would also consider sharing the burden. “We hope that other countries would also consider resettling refugees from Bhutan,” he said.
UNHCR says some 77,616 refugees from Bhutan remain in seven camps in eastern Nepal.
Posted on: 2010-08-10 08:51
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