JRS/USA The Refugee Voice May 2008 — Vol 2, Issue 2 Jesuit Refugee Service/USA

“We have waited to go home for so long. Why doesn’t the United Nations force Bhutan to respect the rights of our people? Why do you talk of resettlement before

repatriation? Why shouldn’t we have both choices open to us?” – Manoj

“We have been told that if we go to the United States we will be separated from our children, and that husbands and wives will be settled in different places. Some believe

we will never see our friends and families again. Could these things be true?” – Bibash

“If I accept resettlement, can I ever return to Bhutan? Will I cease to be Bhutanese? I cannot give up my beloved country!” – Lakendra

“We have been doing well so far, enjoying the different taste of life. It seems overwhelming, with lots of changes; in every corner we turn and see something new. But I feel it is an accomplishment… after so much suffering and struggle in Nepal.”

– Kalpana, a resettled refugee

In a dramatic reversal of fortune, Bhutanese refugees who have been exiled in camps in eastern Nepal for seventeen years have been offered the chance of a new life through resettlement. These refugees were expelled from Bhutan in 1992 in a move intended

A Note from the National DirectorDear Friends of JRS/USA:

After years of exile in Nepal, this year’s offer of resettlement to the United States has been greeted by the Bhutanese with both joy at the opportunity that it represents and fear of the challenges entailed in building a new life in a strange land. In an effort to respond to the refugees’ concerns, JRS East Asia recently invited our staff to visit Ne-pal for a series of open meetings with the Bhutanese community where we listened to their concerns and discussed the choice before them.

In this issue of The Refugee Voice we bring you a sampling of the questions the refu-gees posed to us during these meetings that summarizes their hopes and fears about resettlement. We also offer several recommendations to those working with this com-munity in Nepal and the United States that we hope will make the resettlement deci-sion easier and smooth the refugees’ transition to their new life. While the transition from the simple and austere living conditions of the camps to life in modern America may be a challenging one, we feel that the virtues of self reliance, hard work and dedi-cation to education that characterize this community will, with a little help, ultimately lead to their successful and welcome integration.

Fr. Ken Gavin, S.J.

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Old Hopes and New Dreams: Bhutanese Refugees Ponder the Challenge of Resettlement

Key StatisticsBeginning in 1990, over 100,000 Bhutanese citizens of Nepalese origin were expelled from Bhutan after the government stripped them of citizenship and civil rights.

This population is con-sidered ‘stateless’, as no country recognizes them as its citizens.

Nearly 107,000 Bhuta-nese refugees have lived the last 17 years in seven UN refugee camps in southeast Nepal.

The US has agreed to accept 60,000 Bhutanese refugees for resettle-ment. Others may be accepted into Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zea-land and Norway.

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to rid Bhutan of an ethnic minority whom the government viewed as a threat to na-tional unity.

Although Nepal initially blocked the resettlement of these refugees, it has now cleared the way for their departure. It is likely that at least half of the population, some 60,000 or more, will accept resettle-ment to the United States. For those Bhu-tanese considering resettlement, the choice to begin a new life in a country half way around the world about which they know little represents a great leap of faith.

Throughout their long stay in Nepal, the Bhutanese refugee community has looked to the outside world for support for their hope of repatriation. Many have eagerly accepted the recent offers of resettlement by the US and other nations.

Those who yet cling to the hope of return-ing to their homeland, however, believe that too little has been done. A few activ-ists, fearing that resettlement will weaken their cause, have circulated false informa-

tion about resettlement. For example, they have insisted that acceptance of resettle-ment requires the repudiation of the right to return home, an assertion that is untrue. Some have even resorted to threats and vi-olence against those who wish to resettle.

Few of the refugees are aware of the con-siderable efforts made by the United Na-tions and individual governments on their behalf – efforts that have utterly failed to move the government of Bhutan to allow the refugees to return home.

This controversy has rocked the previ-ously peaceful camps and created great

anxiety in the community. While many have already opted for resettlement, oth-ers are holding back out of confusion and fear of reprisal.

It is vital that the UN High Commis-• sioner for Refugees and the resettle-ment countries redouble efforts to provide clear and accurate informa-tion on resettlement and that UNH-CR provide protection to those who have been threatened, so that each refugee family will be able make a free and informed decision about their future.

With resettlement now underway, ef-• forts should be made to foster com-munication between resettled refu-gees and those in the camps, so that an accurate picture of resettlement can be provided.

The Desire for Independence

“We were farmers in our old life. Are there jobs for people like me? Could I have a farm

or keep cows? I have such a large family! How will I support them?” – Ram

“I have a university degree and have been a teacher in the camp for many years. As you hear, I can speak Eng-lish well. What jobs are available

for me?” – Bibash

“Our education…is really a great [asset] and everyone in the USA definitely

appreciates Bhutanese refugee education. Our education is our only real property!”

– Devi, a newly resettled refugee

By far, the question most frequently asked by the Bhutanese is about the op-portunity to work. The refugees are eager to work but extremely fearful that they will not be able to support their families.

Because the Bhutanese have been con-fined to camps for so long it might seem that they have lived in idleness. This is not so. In contrast to many refugee camps, the

“If I accept resettlement, can I ever return to Bhutan? Will I cease to be Bhutanese? I cannot give up my beloved country!” — Lakendra

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JRS education programs have pro-vided the Bhutanese with valuble skills and hope for a better future.

Resettling refugees are eager to adapt their skills in order to pro-

vide for their families.

The Bhutanese refugees seek answers to questions about

resettlement so that they can make an informed decision about their

future.

B h u tan e s e R e f u g e e s Po n d e r t h e C h alle n g e o f R e s e t t le m e n t

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camps in Nepal are striking for the extent to which camp operations, from food dis-tribution to teaching and camp adminis-tration, are organized and operated by the refugees themselves. A high proportion of camp managers are women, who play an active role in many areas.

The refugees also place high value on education. JRS, working with Caritas Ne-pal, has provided children with schooling in English and Nepali through the tenth grade, and in many cases through high school. A strong work ethic and a working knowledge of English should be great as-sets in building new lives.

The valuable • work experience gained through camp employ-ment and the educational qual-ifications of indi-vidual refugees should be recognized for job placement purposes.

Respecting Bhutanese Identity

“Will we be able to practice our religion when we resettle? Will there be places

where we can worship? Can we cremate our dead as is our custom?” – Devi

“We have formed a political committee to work for human rights in Bhutan. Will we be permitted to continue this work in the United States if we are resettled?” – Usha

“If we resettle in the United States, will we lose our right to ever return

to Bhutan?” - Chandra

Perhaps the most emotional questions the Bhutanese ask relate to their ability to maintain their religious and cultural iden-tity after resettlement. Political identity is also important, as some refugees fear that by leaving Nepal they may lose the right to claim Bhutanese nationality.

Seventy-five percent of the refugees are

Hindu; most of the remainder are Bud-dhist. The public practice of Hinduism was suppressed in Bhutan prior to their expulsion, and freedom to practice their faith openly and to have access to temples is a major concern. Certain cultural norms and practices, such as the significance of caste and the tradition of riverside crema-tions, will be unfamiliar to most Ameri-cans and could be a source of anxiety and misunderstanding.

Efforts should be made to reassure • those refugees considering resettle-ment that they need not give up their legal, religious or cultural identity to do so. Those making placement deci-

sions for these refugees should make every effort to consider the need to maintain cultural continuity and to ensure access to religious services.

Supporting Vulnerable Populations

“My wife and I are old and I have lost my hearing. I can no longer work. I don’t know how I will survive in America. I do

not want to be a burden on my family. Should I stay here in Nepal?” – Ashok

“What will my elderly mother do all day if the family has to work? She is

afraid to be alone.” – Usha

“I do not know if I can get a job that will let me support both my parents and children. Is there help for a large

family like mine?” – Ram

In contrast to other refugee populations, the Bhutanese community contains a high proportion of older members. Fear of how older people will fare is one factor caus-

“Will we be able to practice our religion when we resettle? Will there be places where we can worship? Can we cremate our dead as is our custom?” — Devi

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Maintaining their cultural and religious identity is a priority for

the Bhutanese refugees.

Fr. Varkey, JRS Nepal Director, discusses resettlement with camp

residents.

A refugee woman oversees food distribution. Many refugees man-

age essential camp operations.

The Refugee Voice - May 2008

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ing some families to hesitate to choose resettlement.

Better orientation is needed to • help the refugees understand the kind of assistance that may be avail-able to the elderly and other vulner-able people. After resettlement, com-munities can help by reaching out to older refugees with social support.

“I was tortured in Bhutan, and kept in an unheated cell through the winter. Now, when it is cold I feel the pain. Can I be resettled somewhere where

I can be warm?” – Chakra

Many Bhutanese who were politically active in Bhutan report being imprisoned and mistreated. Torture survivors may need special assistance for their successful transition to a new life. It should also be noted that because medical facilities in the camps are very limited, serious physical conditions such as cancer and heart condi-tions often go completely untreated.

Access to medical treatment for ref-• ugees in the camps should be im-proved.

It should be a priority to identify • torture survivors and other vulner-able individuals at an early point in resettlement processing. This in-formation should be used to ensure that they are placed in appropriate locations where support services are available.

Despite – or perhaps as a result of – the many challenges they have faced during their long exile, the Bhutanese refugees are a resilient community that has main-tained its sense of pride and indepen-dence in a remarkable fashion. They have used their time well, educating their chil-dren and maintaining their cultural tradi-tions and values. They join the long line of immigrants who have traveled to the United States not to abandon their hopes and dreams but to fulfill them.

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Bhutanese refugees have lived the last 17 years in the southeast

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