After quite a long gap I am writing about the situation and the details of how the resettlement process is going ahead .We believe all of us are very much aware about the situation prevailing in the camps. Every time every where we go and sit for the discussion we have to start about the security situation and the imminent disturbances which could be the hurdles for the process to go forth. It’s nevertheless, fairly hopeful. On 25th July, we were called in Australian Embassy to inform us some of the plans of the core groups and what the Australian Government (AG) is planning further for resettling the Bhutanese refugees.
About Australia, it has got 21 million aborigines since 4000 years ago. It has the history of migration for about 200 years. After the 2nd world war circumstances led to the larger refugee’s settlement in Australia.
Two immigration officers had come who informed the following to us:
More than 675,000 refugees have been resettled in Australia till now.
Geographically Australia is 2 times larger than India which has a diverse condition of environment and people from all over the world.Australia has come forward to resettle Bhutanese refugees taking at around 5000 refugees around Canadian number. As Canada has decided to resettle 5000 refugees and Australia aims to resettle around the same number. The process to start is tentatively by the next month or two following to US process. Regarding the process of settlement of Bhutanese Refugees in Australia they try to establish the community keeping about 100 people in a place. To keep all the refugees at a place is not practically possible due to the lack of space available in a place.
Refugees in Australia will be taken as permanent settlers however those who wish to return will have their rights to do so. They said Australian Government needed to make sure that Bhutanese may one day go back to Bhutan.
Once the refugees are resettled they will have their rights to citizenship, rights to vote, rights to Australian Passport and in general one will have full rights as the original Australian citizens. I apologize for one thing to be corrected as in the previous mail I had mentioned that to be the Australian citizen one has to be two years in the country as per ambassador but the version is changed as the immigration officers told that one needs to be there for four years.
We had another appointment with the political and economic officers Dewey R. Pendergrass on 10th of August who is looking for refugee affairs in Nepal. He said US is not saying resettlement would be the best solution but the best option at the present situation. They don’t care what the refugees do, if they wait for repatriation that’s fine. But he said at last “I don’t think it’s going to be successful”. About the process to begin, the CDO of Jhapa Mr. Khanal has assured to set up the police post by the next week or two latest by September. Nepal Government will declare the process when the security personal arrive in the camp. After then, UNHCR is holding a mass meeting in the camp to distribute the “declaration of interest” form. The accumulation of the forms will be done which will be verified and will be passed to OPE/IOM for further process. Immigration officers will approve the case and the refugees have to go for medical checkup in lifeline hospital in Damak. There will be some 2/3 doctors and some nurses for the clearance. Refugees having contagious disease like TB are to be undergone treatment for six months to one year and then s/he can go for the process ahead. It is known that US has got 20 cases with 61 individuals as EVI (extremely vulnerable individuals) who perhaps, within this month will be resettled as they are undergoing the process.
On 4th of July a principle has been established by the US (may be core countries, not clear) with ministry of home affairs, ministry of foreign affairs and CDO at the field. A team of Nepal television is going to the US to make documentaries of resettlement process with the resettled refugees in the US including the Bhutanese refugees.
Thus, the resettlement process is going on in the rapid rate. Dashain is nearing, while going in the camps on the occasion, we hope all of us become more informative to our innocent and illiterate people .May our role is very crucial at this critical moment. Let’s be in touch with our senior persons who are better experienced in the field. Let’s be informed and inform others so that our resettlement process be free and fare.
Posted by: Ashok Gurung
E-mail:asokgurung@gmail.com
