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Bhutan News Service

Bhutan News Service

Scrutinizing Silent Sufferings

Posted: 03 Oct 2010 04:06 PM PDT

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

It's my pleasure to stand in front of you all this evening to share a story, a true story, in which I am one of the characters. This story has always given me pain, aggressiveness and a choke in my throat – no matter whether I have shared this with my dear and loving ones or strangers. I hope you'll not misunderstand to visualize the content of my speech, even though most of you know my background and therefore you can make a guess as to what I am going to speak today.

Before jumping into the subject, I express my heartfelt and sincere gratitude to "Welcome to America Project" for this great opportunity to share our stories. I am; indeed, out of words for those American hearts who have strong attachment with our hearts and understand the sufferings of thousands of Bhutanese refugees and refugees from around the globe. The events in this story may not necessarily say that, but that's how I felt the story would be complete and meaningful. This character, who was born in Bhutan, grown up in refugee camp in Nepal and now struggling for her future in America, is the most deprived one in the story. And, to make it clear, this story is about atrocities of the Bhutanese regime on its citizens and is a part of thousands of untold stories, which refugees like me carry in their hearts around the world.

Bhutan – a country sandwiched between two Asian giants India and China- is regarded as the last Shangri-La and equally well known for the state-promoted concept of Gross National Happiness. Bhutan remained almost unknown to the international community until Bhutan formally decided to join the United Nations Organizations in 1971.

There are many unique geo-politics and socio-cultural features that make Bhutan a unique country in the world. And, as a Bhutanese I am proud of it. Until 2008, Bhutan’s area was around 47,000 square kilometer, but sadly it was squeezed to 38,000 square kilometer as Bhutan lost its northern border in the same year I landed in America; after spending successive 16 years in the UN-administered refugee camp in Nepal.

Bhutan is a multilingual and multicultural country. Some analysts compare it with America in the sense that it is a land of immigrants. As a matter of fact, even those who are in power for over centuries, migrated there from outside. I am an ethnic Nepali-speaking Bhutanese whose official population is above 20 percent of the total. If we consider what history has depicted is  correct, it dates back to 1624 when the first group of Nepali-speaking people were accepted into Bhutan for construction of administrative buildings with a provision that they would enjoy equal rights as enjoyed by the ruling elites.

By culture, my forefathers were productive, hardworking, and sincere and dedicated to the land, law and the king. It is an undeniable fact that there was a time when all Bhutanese enjoyed harmony, cooperation, peace and everything as required by all beings for survival with dignity and honor. Importantly, when Nepali-speaking people entered into Bhutan, it was all covered by dense forest. There were no roads. The country lacked other infrastructural developments. So, my forefathers contributed selflessly and even sacrificed lives to make the present Bhutan. By law, Bhutan uses forced labor and these laws apply to Nepali-speaking southern-Bhutanese only.

Gradually, looking at the progress and success of my forefathers, the regime started becoming jealous, modified the existing laws to threaten, paralyze and victimize Nepali-speaking citizens and made many things unacceptable to southern Bhutanese, mandatory by law in an arbitrary manner.

When every government’s move crossed the limit, southern Bhutanese started demanding rights, justice and equality. But, this instead added fuel into the fire and the regime became more cruel and inhuman, which I can’t explain in detail. The unprecedented suppression includes but not limited to are the denial of the right to: language, religion, education, job and even personal matters.

The Bhutanese regime applied various unacceptable and arbitrary policies, revised the citizenship act to bar citizens from getting legal status, decided to implement green-belt policy in southern-Bhutan to uproot the settlement and made the dress code compulsory. Not only this, all schools, where children were studying, got  converted into military barracks to torture innocent and illiterate people. Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were unlawfully and without any compensation terminated from the civil service. Rape, arrest, kidnappings, killing and torture became rampant in all villages. Martial law was applied to create state-sponsored terrorism among the citizens. All documents and properties in possession were seized, citizenship declared invalid, houses were burnt down and people forced to leave the country.

When all attempts to living and survival in the country failed, our parents and grandparents were finally made to agree that they would leave the country. It was not their choice, but a decision at gun-point where they were made to smile and all those actions had been digitalized for the regime’s proof.

The initial days in Nepal were without any hope of survival. There was no food to eat, no shelter, no education, no health care services and everything was a distant dream for me and all. But, there were people speaking the same language and having cultural ties with us who shared the survival kits. Slowly, the UN stepped in and we could get something to eat and a place to take rest. Then, we started getting the basic education, basic health services and a few more things, but all of them were ‘just basic’ especially meant for survival.

My heart cannot bear all those feelings if I recall my days back in Nepal. Sadly, thousands of my fellow countrymen are still there and I hope, I would be able to meet them physically one day here or hear about a change in their status and life style, be they anywhere, in homeland or in third country.

I have a faint memory of the day my family was forced to bid good-bye to the homeland, leaving behind every belonging. During my 16 years in the camp, I always had the desire to see my hometown with my parents and fellow countrymen in camps, but no refugees were accepted to enter Bhutan and were termed as terrorists. Repatriation has always been merely a speech and dream. Nepal tried a lot to convince Bhutan to accept its citizens and offer them equal rights, but Bhutan was not interested to listen to Nepal’s request. Even, powerful nations and international communities have so far failed to make Bhutan realize the illegal ethnic cleansing it promoted.

For me, the resettlement is a better choice than spending life in the tumbledown huts in Nepal. So, my friends in Nepal have no legal work permit. They are confined within the camp by the local authority. I have availed a privilege to earn my educational degree of my choice here, I have found a place called home and I can never imagine of dying without medical treatment in this land. Additionally, in a few years, I may wish to become an American citizen. However, nothing replaces my homeland, my village and everything that I had to leave behind, due to the autocratic regime of Bhutan.

I have a dream that my country will accept me one day as Bhutanese and I’ll be able to spend rest of my life in my own village.

My heartfelt thanks to the donor agencies for saving our lives for years and providing us basic necessities, to the international agencies and governments for giving new life with a new hope, to the "welcome to America project "for making an empty hall a  beautiful home.

I request all the leading organizations, international agencies and the Governments to help those lingering countrymen of mine to get out of hell and give them a new life. The gratefulness you receive from those needy souls will worth thousands of awards.

Please, "Welcome to America Project" accept my heartfelt gratitude for your outstanding and distinct role.

(Khanal, BNS correspondent in Phoenix, delivered this speech at ‘An Evening in Bhutan‘ of Welcome to America Project on October 2 in Arizona).

An update on resettlement to the Netherlands

Posted: 03 Oct 2010 05:35 AM PDT

So far, more than 200 Bhutanese refugees have been resettled in the Netherlands through the third country resettlement program, while another 50 or so have come to the country on their own initiative.

The first and second batches of Bhutanese refugees were resettled to the Netherlands in early 2009, before which some families were also resettled individually for reasons of vulnerability. Almost all those who came in 2009 are currently well settled in houses spread over various parts of the country. The Bhutanese refugees who arrived in 2009 celebrated their first year of their arrival on February 16 at a church hall in a town called Sneek. Various dignitaries including the mayor and city council officials of towns like Wommels, IJlst, Workum and Sneek were invited. Bhutanese dances, songs, storytelling, speeches and traditional Bhutanese dishes entertained the enthusiast guests and participants. A large numbers of Dutch people were also present to congratulate the Bhutanese on having completed first year of their new lives.

2010 batch of Bhutanese with Ruth, a volunteer Dutch teacher at their temporary transit center

Those who came during 2010, who number roughly 100, arrived in April, May, June and July of this year, and are now residing in the reception center for resettled refugees in Amersfoort. There, they receive courses on the Dutch language, computer classes and other types of lessons that help prepare them for life in the country. During this period, the COA (Centraal Orgaan Asielzoekers) matches them to permanent housing, a process that, on average, can take between four and six months. Some of those who arrived in April and May are preparing to move out into their own houses, while others who came later, such as in June and July, are still waiting. An NGO, the Dutch Council for Refugees (VVN), also has a presence in the center to help assist with questions relating to integration, or for example to assist refugees in requesting the resettlement of their family members who are still in the camps.

Even while they wait in the refugee reception center in Amersfoort, the Bhutanese who arrived in 2010 have a lot of contact with their fellow countrymen who came to the Netherlands before them. When they first travelled from the airport to Amersfoort, the newcomers were accompanied by other Bhutanese who helped them to find the ingredients for and to prepare a Nepali-style daal bhat.

For the first time in the history of Bhutanese refugees in the Dutch land, Teej

Bhutanese women participate in puja ceremony

festival was organized on September 12, 2010 at the reception center. The Panchami puja was held in the morning followed by a delicious vegetarian meal, and Teej dances and songs were performed until late in the evening. Sanginee dances were also performed together with other traditional songs and dances by elderly women, who happily gathered for their festival.

Under Dutch law, all newcomers are required to participate in an integration course, where they learn about basic aspects of Dutch life, culture and language, after which they are provided with additional training of their choice and ultimately, are expected to work.

This process can take between three and five years, throughout which period the refugees receive enough financial assistance from the government to live a modest life. At present, nearly all the Bhutanese are busy with these integration courses, and some are already in the process of sitting for their examinations.

Youths who want to pursue their higher studies are required to complete state level Dutch language proficiency examinations, after which they can join various formal courses in colleges and universities. Resettled children are the quickest to benefit from resettlement in the Netherlands. Many have already mastered the Dutch language, and now are now attending regular schooling together with Dutch children.

Bhutanese students with Ruud Lubbers (middle)

Despite the popular rumor that the Dutch language is difficult and hard to master, Bhutanese students have already started gearing up for their further education. On September 25, 2010, six Bhutanese students were among 100 refugee students who attended a graduation celebration for refugees, held at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Speakers included noted Dutch personalities such as Ruud Lubbers, who served as prime minister for the Netherlands from 1982 until 1994 and as UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2001 until 2005, and Gerdi Verbeet, the President of the Dutch House of Representatives. The program, which was organized by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF), was organized to congratulate refugee graduates, and included workshops on issues such as improving Dutch language skills, and applying for jobs, and a job market to bring refugee graduates in touch with potential employers. The Bhutanese participants were Durga Prasad Mainali, formerly from Beldangi 2 and a fresh engineering graduate from the university, as well as Nawa Raj Gazmer, Manu Timisina, Tulsa Mainali, Jigme Gurung and Sukman Tamang, all of the latter being newly resettled Bhutanese refugees, who are currently in the process of pursuing their further studies in The Netherlands. This year, UAF supported 220 refugee students in graduating from universities around the country, while 3000 other refugee students are working hard to meet the same goal.

Cancer patient, Shyam Gurung, stands in front of the hospital for his treatment

Bhutanese refugees in The Netherlands are more or less happy till date. The Netherlands has a strong social security system, and no one has had any problems in obtaining health care, education, housing, food, or meeting other basic needs. Shyam Gurung, a young Bhutanese refugee youth who was suffering from cancer, was resettled to the Netherlands as an emergency case along with his whole family on May 11, 2010. They were warmly welcomed by the Bhutanese in the Schiphol airport. He and four members of his family are now ready to shift in a permanent house in Hardewijk. Shyam has been receiving medical treatment since his arrival in The Netherlands, and after several tests and surgeries in various Dutch hospitals his condition has dramatically improved.

The one main source of frustration among the Bhutanese has to do with the locations where they are settled. The Bhutanese are spread over the country rather than concentrated in one area, which means that some are allocated houses in the extreme north of the country, while others have been settled in the extreme south. Public transportation is expensive, which sometimes makes it hard for people to gather and attend joint events with the other Bhutanese. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is a small, flat country, covering a surface area of a mere 41,526 square km. This means that travel times are short, which makes it relatively easy to visit one's relatives in different parts of the country and return home on the same day. As people get settled and transportation costs become less of an obstacle, the days of feeling isolated and far from one another will soon end.