By Ichha Poudyel, Australia
June 2: Parsuram Sharma Luitel, a Bhutanese Australian and Project Co-ordinator from Adult Multicultural Education Services (AMES), will participate in the UNHCR Standing Committee and NGO Consultations in Geneva from 18th June to 2nd July 2010.
During two weeks in Geneva, the team from Australia will advocate on number refugees issues, including protracted refugees issues of Burmese refugees in Thai-Burma Border, Rohingya refugees from Burma in Bangladesh, and Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. The advocacy will seek support from UN refugee convention signatory countries to continue supporting the refugee camps in Asia, and increase the facilities for security and safety.
- Parsuram Sharma Luitel
According to Luitel, the issues of displaced people from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and other Asian countries will be discussed. The main issues in the discussion will include the reunion of family members who are separated for long periods of time from their relatives in the resettled countries and to effectively improve the process and procedure to prioritize resettlement of widows, single mother and women at risk. Although there are already the provisions to address such issues but they are not practiced effectively.
Luitel has been selected by the Refugee Council of Australia to advocate in Geneva on behalf of the refugees from Asia. He has an extensive experience of working with refugees from Asia, Africa and Middle Eastern countries through a number of refugee programs including mushroom production and setting social enterprise in Melbourne.
He is also a volunteer community worker in the not-for- profit Bhutanese Community in Australia Inc. for the people resettled in Victoria and Albury in NSW.
(If you wish to send inputs or suggestions on the issues to be raised in Geneva, please send us email at [email protected])
