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A massive fire broke out at the Bhutanese Refugee camp at Beldangi-1 of Damak, Jhapa on Tuesday.
Over 110 huts have been reduced to cinders, according to Kantipur, a national online in Nepal. According to our Jhapa based correspondent, the fire broke out from sector B/4.
A few injured persons are rushed to AMDA Hospital, Damak, our correspondent says.
Meanwhile, fire brigades, security personnel, locals have been trying to douse the fire .
Details to follow.
MANCHESTER— Over the past three years, Tika Acharya has led a nonprofit refugee organization, worked for the state as a contract administrator, interned at a major insurance company and, along the way, raised a newborn son.
It’s a busy life, considering that prior to his arrival in the United States three years ago, Acharya and his family spent much of their lives in refugee camps in Nepal. Acharya is a refugee from Bhutan, a small country in the mountains between India and the Tibetan region of China.
Acharya is among the hundreds of Bhutanese refugees who have settled in Manchester in recent years, and he has emerged as a leader of the community not only here, but across the state.
He’s the executive director of the Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire, an organization that aims to unite and assist the more than 2,000 refugees from the country that have been resettled in New Hampshire over the past few years.
Acharya said the Bhutanese face many challenges, given the slow economy and the language barrier, which can be especially daunting for members of the older generation.
The youth, however, are learning fast, Acharya said. “We’re optimistic and hopeful we’ll be able to overcome these challenges and make a productive contribution to the U.S.,” he said.
Acharya is part of a four-generation family in Manchester; his parents and grandparents have joined him and his wife and 3-year-old son, who was born shortly after they arrived in the country.
Having graduated from college in India with degrees in business administration, Acharya has used his language skills and training to help the wider community, which is generally less educated.
He is organizing after-school tutoring for Bhutanese youth and other training programs. “We want our kids to get into top colleges like MIT,” he said. “We also want our people to get involved in entrepreneurship, so they are not only employees but employers and can help the economy to grow.”
Acharya is also involved in plans to open Manchester’s first Bhutanese grocery store, which is planned for a site across from the Market Basket on Elm Street. The store will specialize in products from India, with which the Bhutanese have cultural affinity.
The celebration of 64th republic day of India has special friend as chief guest, King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk for this year.
King Khesar was escorted to the R-day parade by president of India, Pranav Mukherjee who was very close to Bhutan during his tenure as Foreign Minister of India. The young king of Bhutan was received in the parade by vice-president Mohammad Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chair Sonia Gandhi, leadersof opposition party, military officials, ministers and media professionals.
The full color of the parade glowed to mighty Indian prowess on military, science, astronomy and nuclear energy with the 21 gun salute thundered in honor of the Dragon King as Chief guest.
Later in the evening, their majesties graced the reception hosted by president Pranav Mukherjee along with other officials at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
His Majesty also met with Shivshankar Menon, the national security advisor, Gen. Bikram Singh, chief of army staff and Bhutanese Student Association in Delhi.
Minister in-charge of foreign affairs, Khandu Wangchuk who accompanied the royal entourage remarked the visit as “bolstering of Indo-Bhutan relations.”
His Majesty expressed his gratitude to the President of India for the honor owed to him and the country by inviting as the chief guest of R-day parade.
“The journey to modern Bhutan is not walked by Bhutan alone but India and Bhutan walked together to make it success”, said the king.
A special squad of Nepal Police from Damak arrested over a dozen of Bhutanese asylum seekers, who were staging a peaceful protest, from Beldangi-II refugee camp this afternoon.
“We are being detained at Damak Police Station,” the group’s Coordinator, Purna Gautam, told Bhutan News Service, from the detention center.
According to Gautam, police intervened into their peaceful protest and seized banners and placards before arresting and loading them in a police van.
“No means will stop our protest for refugee identity,” added Gautam, who also accused the police authority of seizing their mobile phones.
Repeated attempts from the BNS failed to reach out to Inspector Hari Khatiwada for his comments on the arrest.
Some 174 asylum seekers have been demanding recognition of their refugee status, as enjoyed by their fellow countrymen.
At least three members of the first batch of resettled Bhutanese in Melbourne have obtained Australian citizenship certificates on January 26. There were resettled in early 2008 through the third country resettlement program overseen by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The new Bhutanese-Australian included Ghana Shyam Luitel, his wife Randata and son Preson. They received the citizenship papers at the function in Kensington, Melbourne from Adam Bandt, Federal Member of Parliament (MP) from the City of Melbourne.
Expressing her joys, Randata said, “It is a relief to have received the citizenship which is a everlasting identity. Now, we never have to worry about the identity and status, as the citizenship of Australia is answer to all our past.”
While her husband Ghana Shyam said, “It was emotional moment to be taking the oath of citizenship and changing our status from nowhere to a proud Australian citizen.”
Meanwhile, the second lot from the first batch of resettled Bhutanese in Albury of New South Wales also obtained their citizenships. The first lot had obtained their citizenship certificates in last November.
Resettled Bhutanese Lalit Bhujel, his wife Brinda and daughter Laxma who had arrived in the remote town of Albury in state of New South Wales in Australia in 2008, received Australian citizenship on Australia Day, 26th January 2013.
Receiving citizenship on this historical day has high significance to recipients as well Australia, as on this day in 1901 Australia had become the Federation with its own constitution.
Lalit said, “Becoming citizen is a commitment to the country, a commitment to the way of life and a sense of belonging and as Australian citizen we feel now as a part of this country. It is a proud moment, a significant moment that we shall remember the rest of our lives.”
“We got back our lost identity for the one we had lost some twenty three years ago,” added he emotionally.
Councillor Alice Glachan, the Mayor of Albury City Council, granted the citizenship among hundreds of gathering at the Noreuil Park in Albury.
Delivering her speech, she said, “Being Australian is something to be proud of and we look forward to welcoming our new residents and being able to share the day with them”.
History of Citizenship
There has been a tradition to offer citizenships to migrants since 26 January 1949 after the Nationality and Citizenship Act came into effect creating the new status of Australian citizen. This important piece of legislation meant that for the first time migrants could truly call Australia home. Prior to this, most people living in Australia were known as British subjects. The first ever ceremony was held on 3 February 1949, seven men, one to represent each state of Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Spain and Yugoslavia became citizens in Australia’s first-ever citizenship ceremony held at Albert Hall.
On 26th January 2013, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, welcomed a record 17 059 people from 145 countries who are becoming Australian citizens as part of Australia Day celebrations, with 430 special ceremonies being staged across the nation.
Since the first citizenship ceremony in 1949, over four and half million people from over 200 countries has chosen to become Australian citizens, said Mr Bowen.
Contributed by Parsuram Sharma – Luitel from Melbourne for BNS
The Takin Association UK, community organizations run by a group of Bhutanese in the United Kingdom, has lauded achievements of youths in the community.
According to its Secretary, Kashi Nath Pokharel, the Association is proud of a 12-weeklong ‘Step up – women empowerment training course’ attended by Maya Bajgai, Gaura Bajgai and Kamala Adhikari.
Provided by the Gender and Participation Unit and funded jointly by the European Social Fund and Skills Funding Agency, the training was aimed at confidence building and job haunt skills for new immigrants in the country, Pokharel said.
The recipients were awarded with the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) certificates.
“We at the Association would like to express our sincere gratitude to the organisations hosting and sponsoring this training, and we aim to participate in more courses in the future,” said Secretary Pokharel. “The Organization is very proud of the three participants and would like to congratulate them for the successful completion of this course.”
The fifth King, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, and her majesty the Gyaltsuen arrived in the Indian capital of New Delhi on a weeklong state visit, Wednesday.
While in India, Khesar is scheduled to grace the Indian Republic Day celebrations as Chief Guest.
Besides calling on the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the monarch is also scheduled sign a few deals on hydropower, reported various Indian media.
His father, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade in 2005.
The Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire (BCNH) honored 104 seniors from three different cities-Concord, Manchester and Laconia amidst a special function in New Hampshire Technical Institute in Concord, NH, Tuesday.
The high school going student volunteers from the BCNH honored the seniors with Khada (a traditional ceremonial scarf which symbolizes purity and compassion) and ceramic cup with the logo of BCNH inscribed in it. The audience was graced with the documentary film, Pathetic Exile including other dances and songs.
Speaking in the program, the Board Chair of the BCNH expressed that the event of honoring senior citizens was organized to acknowledge the life-long contributions of the Bhutanese seniors to their community and country.
He further said that it was paramount for the younger generations to demonstrate their gratitude by making sure that their communities are better places to live in where the senior citizens could participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives with independence and dignity.
The BCNH also formally launched its website: www.bhutanesecommunitynh.org and requested the readers to offer genuine feedback for further improvement.
The website was launched by Doug Hall, who served four terms in the NH House of Representatives. Long-time volunteer to the Bhutanese community, Doug Hall thanked the senior citizens for their presence in the event and encouraged them to live a healthy life.
Meanwhile, BCNH Executive Director, Tika Acharya, while introducing the newly appointed staff, thanked the recipients of the awards for their life-long support, hard work, guidance and love and requested them to bear zero tolerance to domestic violence if any.
Raffle was also drawn in the event to raise fund for the high school students who would be going to Washington DC for their educational tour in upcoming summer.
Over three hundred resettled Bhutanese, some American guests including schoolteachers, social workers, volunteers and friends from Nepal attended the program.
The program which was undoubtedly the first of its kind in the city and the state was facilitated in anchoring by Mr Rohit Subedi, Shyam Gautam and Bikash Bhattari who are the emerging youth leaders and future torch bearers for the community.
Rudra Timsina, the Secretary of BCNH, who despite his tender age wasted no opportunity to show his true mettle reaching his moving words to one and all involved in making the program a grand success, delivered vote of thanks.
The program was coordinated by Rohit Subedi, Rudra Timsina, Bikash Bhattarai, Shyam Gautam, Bishnu Niroula including other selfless volunteers from the community.
Bhagirath Khatiwada, one of the BNS contributing editors, contributed this report for BNS from NH
न्यु ह्याम्सर – भूट्निज कम्युनिटी अफ न्यु ह्याम्सर (बिसिएनएच) ले जनवरी २१ मा राज्यमा बसोबास गर्ने ६५ वर्षभन्दा बढी उमेरका भूटानी वृद्धवृद्धाहरूलाई सम्मान गर्यो ।
मार्टिन लुथर किङ डेको उपलक्ष्यमा गरिएको उक्त कार्यक्रमलाई न्यु इंगल्याण्ड फार्म वर्कर्स काउन्सिलले सह-प्रायोजन गरेको थियो । कार्यक्रममा न्यु ह्याम्सर राज्यका भूटानी बसोबास गराइएका लकोनिया ५, कंकर्ड ५२ र ‘म्यानचेस्टर’ का ४८ जना गरी कूल १ सय ५ जना पाकाहरू सम्मानित हुनुभएको थियो ।
कार्यक्रमको सुरूमा ‘प्याथेटिक एक्जाइल’ नामक वृतचित्र देखाइएको थियो । भूटानी शरणार्थीको अमेरिकामा बसोबास थालिएयता यस समुदायलाई सहयोग गर्दै आएका डग हलले नेपालीमा स्वागत मन्तव्य दिनुभएको थियो । हलले सन् १९६० को दशकमा आधा दशकभन्दा बढी समय नेपालमा पिसकोर स्वयंसेवकका रूपमा बिताउनुभएको हो ।
भूटानी पाकाहरूको सम्मान कार्यक्रम यस वर्ष गत तिहारमा खेलिएको देउसीबाट उठेको २ हजार ४ सय डलरले संभव भएको बिसिएनएचका तर्फबाट भगिरथ खतिवडाले प्रष्ट पार्नु भयो । कार्यक्रममा बोल्दै उहाँले भन्नुभयो, ‘ठूलो इच्छा हुँदाहुँदै पनि गर्न सकिएको थियो । परिस्थिति त्यस्तै भयो । आज ठूलो काम गरेको महसुस भएको छ ।’
सन् २००८ यता यो राज्यमा आइबसेपछि निधन भएका ६ जना पाकाहरूको सम्मान भने एक मिनट मौनधारण गरेर गरिएको थियो ।
‘पानी मीठो’, ‘चोरी भो चोरी भो’, ‘आकाशैको कालो बादल’, ‘कहाँ होला, कस्तो होला’ जस्ता गीतमा स्कूले भाई-बहिनीहरूले आकर्षक नृत्य देखाएका थिए । युवा गायक विधान कालिकोटेले दुइटा गीत गाएर सानादेखि ठूला सबैलाई नचाउन सफल हुनु भएको थियो । रवि मिश्रले गीत र प्रजा गौतमलले श्लोक सुनाउनु भयो । एसबी गुरूङले गीत गाउनुभएको थियो ।
कार्यक्रमको सबभन्दा लोभलाग्दो पक्ष भने तेस्रो पुस्ताले पहिलो पुस्तालाई सम्मान गरेको रह्यो । सम्मानित पाकाहरू सक्ने मञ्चमा पुग्नु हुन्थ्यो भने नसक्नेलाई बसेकै ठाउँमा पुगेर हाइस्कूल पढ्दै गरेका नाति-नातीनाले सम्मान गरेका थिए ।
कार्यक्रममा समाजसेवी डग हलले बिसिएनएचको आधिकारिक वेबसाइट ‘www.bhutanesecommunitynh.org‘ को सुरुवात गर्नु भयो । वेबसाइट सुरुवात गर्दै बिसिएनएचका टिका आचार्य र अन्य पदाधिकारी तथा बिसिएनएचको कार्यालयका कर्मचारीको परिचय गराइएको थियो ।
अन्त्यमा आउँदो गर्मीमा वासिङ्टन डिसी भ्रमणमा जाने योजना बनाएका १० जना हाइस्कूलका छात्र-छात्राले बेचेका राफल चिट्ठा खेलाइएको र त्यसको पुरस्कार वितरण गरिएको थियो। सन् २०१२ डिसेम्बरसम्म ६३ हजार ५ सय २४ जना भूटानीहरु अमेरिका आइसक्नु भएको छ भने न्यु ह्याम्सर राज्यमा करिब २ हजारको बसोबास छ ।
राजेश कोइराला
The Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) said it granted official registration to the country’s fifth party – Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa.
The party received received registration on Friday, stated the Commission.
It is said that DNT is formed by a group of 135 registered voters from all the 20 districts. However, the party hasn’t submitted its Charter yet.
