Four police injured in NDFB ambush in Sarpang

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At least four Bhutan police personnel were injured when suspected National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants ambushed a police party on Friday night.

The Bhutanese media did not disclose reports on such an attack before the Time of India (ToI) confirmed of the militant attack.

On Saturday morning, the online edition of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service reported that four members of Bhutanese police were injured during the attack. The BBS report said, “Miscreants consist of 15-20 people who were in camouflage dress and said they shot from the bushes, below the road- at a distance of two metres from the road.”

The police vehicle in ambush/courtesy : BBS

“Though Bhutanese officials chose to remain tight-lipped on the matter, on Friday night, at least four Bhutanese personnel were injured when suspected NDFB militants ambushed a between Sarpang and Gelephu road in Bhutan’s Sarpang district bordering Kokrajhar district of Assam,” ToI report said.

According to the report, Kokrajhar police sources said the militants used sophisticated weapons like AK-47s when they ambushed a Bhutan police party.

“At least four Bhutanese police personnel were injured in the ambush. We suspect it’s the handiwork of the anti-talks NDFB militants,” ToI wrote quoting a police official as saying.

In such a situation, Bhutan has emerged once again as the preferred place for the NDFB to carry out its activities,” the intelligence official said, adding that Sarpang district is the place where most of the activities of NDFB (anti-talk) were concentrated, the officer added.

“In 2003, all NDFB camps along with Ulfa and KLO were dismantled during the operation All Clear’ by the Royal Bhutan Army.”

Thunder Dragon Football Club bags fair play award in Melbourne

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The newly formed Thunder Dragon Football Club of the Bhutanese Community in Australia, Melbourne received a fair play team award in its debut match on February 20.

The TWGG Cup 9-A-Side Interstate Tournament was organized Yeti Soccer Club where 10 teams participated from Queensland, Sydney, Darwin and Melbourne.

Thunder Dragon Team

The BCA Thunder Dragon Football Club was awarded the fair play team award by the independent decision of three Australian Umpiring officials who are involved with Football Federation Victoria. The young guns of BCA had to face the Yeti Blue football team that even owns players from the national football team of Nepal.

Going as underdog in the tournament, the smooth play and fairness not only surprised many and won the hearts of spectators but also sustained the giants to Yeti Blue until the last minutes of the game and fell victim of one goal avoiding embarrassment to the Yeti Blue.

The Bhutanese team was coordinated and prepared under the guidance of BCA Sports Coordinator Devi Ghimirey and supported by Bhuwani Rai as captain. The team uniform was sponsored with the funding from AMES, a statutory arm of the Victorian government responsible for resettling newly arrived refugees, and football and other logistics from Football Federation of Victoria.

Khem Dahal from the Bhutanese community won the straight kicking award and was awarded a tea-shirt signed by the artists of Cobweb Bands- a rock band of Nepal and currently in Melbourne.

Contributed by Parsuram Sharma Luital from Melbourne for BNS

Bhutanese in Friesland mark 2nd anniversary of resettlement in Netherlands

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The first batch of Bhutanese refugees resettled in the Netherlands marked their second anniversary of successful life in their new home amidst a great fanfare on Feb 16 at a local church hall in a town of Ijlst, Friesland.

The celebration was organised to mark the first entry of 33 invited exiled Bhutanese from different six families into the Dutch soil in 2009. Of this, five families were resettled in Friesland Province while the next had received a house elsewhere due to medical reason.

The event managed by Nawaraj Gazmere, Prahlad Chhetri, Arjun Chhetri, Birkha Bahadur Majhi and Mon Bahadur Gazmere was financially supported by Littenseradiel and Southwest Friesland Municipality, Dutch Organization for Refugees and Nepal Development Academy, among others.

Senior Bhutanese Chakra Bahadur Gazmere delivered inaugural speech in Dutch language. He even spoke about his new life in the Netherlands during the function moderated by Prahlad Chhetri.

Bhutanese with Dutch guests during the anniversary program/Ram Karki

Around 150 local Dutch people were also present during the event that featured various cultural programs in Bhutanese, Nepali and Dutch. The main highlight of the event was a dance in Dutch song by four-year-old Prajita Karki.

Speaking on the occasion, Johanneke Liemburg, Mayor of Littenseradiel Municipality congratulated the resettled Bhutanese for successfully completing the first two years in the Netherlands.

“We need you all for our nation building more than you need us,” She said. She also informed the audience how the Bhutanese families were able to complete their integration course to obtain their diplomas.

Meanwhile, another speaker Tinneke Veldman appreciated enthusiasm of the resettled Bhutanese to learn the Dutch language, considered to be one of the most difficult languages for new learners.

Senior Bhutanese Ram Bahadur Karki Chhetri also congratulated his fellow-countrymen on the occasion.

Speaking on behalf of the Bhutanese Community in the Netherlands (BCN), Karki urged all Bhutanese citizens there to explain crux of the long-standing Bhutanese refugee issue to Dutch people in all such occasions.

Likewise, Durga Prasad Mainali spoke on various opportunities and difficulties of being new immigrants. He also thanked the local government and communities for their assistance to the fellow folks on behalf of the BCN.

The program ended with a group dance in Dzongkha song as Arjun Chhetri extended the vote of thanks.

Contributed by Ram Bahadur Karki Chhetri from the Haugue for BNS

SA Bhutanese donate AU$ 1925 for QLD victims

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The Bhutanese Community in South Australia , the newest community to resettle in Australia, contributed AU$ 1925 to flood victims of Queensland.

According to community worker Sushil Niraula, who coordinated the donation drive, the money has been sent to the government thrust for flood victims through Bendigo Bank on Friday. He said, “I donated myself and carried out the drive because flood swept away everything that people have.”

In a statement issued by the Bhutanese Association In South Australia(BASA) said, “We the members of Bhutanese Community in South Australia are deeply moved by the tragedy that has been brought about by the flood and cyclone in your beautiful state of Queensland.”

It also said the community was immensely saddened by lose of human life and properties caused by the disaster.

“We have been observing your able and wise leadership in this most telling hour of tragedy. With your time tasted stewardship, the people of Queensland will confidently march on the path of rebuilding and recovery,” it added.

BNS talked to some of the top contributors on what moved them most for the generosity.

Beni Maya Rai commented that her livelihood is being supported by Australians. She said, “It is more than being generous to support them with whatever amount we have saved at this time of urgent need. We owe them.”

For RK Ghaley, 65, everyone needs support during emergencies caused by natural disaster. He said, “This is humanitarian support. I wish to support anyone, anywhere, even in Bhutan, when one is in need.”

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Jenesa Gazmere expressed, “So much of properties these people owned were washed by the flood. Seeing their pathetic condition, I internally felt  need to help them.”

Resettlement resumes after ‘brief pause’; IOM schedules four flights today

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In a surprising tone, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) scheduled four flights to the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA), Kathamndu from Bhadrapur, Saturday, unlike what the US Embassy in Kathmandu reported about “temporary hold” yesterday.

According to reports, IOM made urgent calls to all returnees on Friday evening to get ready for Saturday morning and accordingly they were flown to TIA.

“Refugees of the first two flights have reached the here,” a resettling refugee from the IOM transit camp in Kathmandu told Bhutan News Service. “According to them, other two flights have been scheduled for this afternoon.”

Meanwhile, it is learnt that even refugees at the IOM transit at Bansbari of Kathmandu were informed of their probable return to camps yesterday.

“I cried so much when we were told that we’ll be taken back to camps,” a mother of two children told BNS.

According to this lady, she was brought to Kathmandu only nine months after she completed her orientation class. “Today, again we were informed that our flight schedule to America remains intact.”

Our camp correspondents reported that most of the cyber cafes remained occupied until late evening yesterday. There were huge crowds in cyber cafes and telephone booths Saturday morning.

“I thought that I would remain forever in the camp. I also saw several people crying over the shocking news in cyber cafes this morning,” Radhikar Sharma of Beldangi-II told BNS.

Citing “revision in the screening procedures”, the US Government on Friday instructed the IOM to cancel scheduled flights to Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, BNS was unable to reach for official comment from the Embassy or UN officials regarding the resumption of the process as today happened to be Saturday.

आइओएमद्वारा उड़ान रद्दः पुनर्वाशप्रकृयामा पुनरावलोकन गर्ने अमेरिकाको भनाइ

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शुक्रबार बिहान एकाएक पुनर्वाशयात्राको लागि हुने काठमाडौं उड़ान रद्द गरी आइओएमले दमक कार्यालयबाटै केही दर्जन शरणार्थीलाई शिविर फिर्ता गरेपछि पुनर्वाशका लागि प्रतीक्षारत रहेका शरणार्थीहरूमा खिन्नता छायो । तर नेपालस्थित अमेरिकी राजदूतावासले विश्वव्यापी रूपमा अमेरिका भित्र्याइने शरणार्थीहरूको छानबिन विधिमा पुनर्विचार गर्नलाई अमेरिकी सरकारले समय लिएको भन्दै यो स्थगन भूटानीका निम्तिमात्र नभएको जनाएको छ ।

‘‘अमेरिका प्रवेश गर्नचाहने संसारभरिका शरणार्थीका लागि यो अस्थायी रोक (केही दिनका लागि स्थगित भएको) हो ।’’ दूतावासको यो सन्देश सार्वजनिक भएपछि भने वातावरण केही शान्त बनेको छ । यद्धपि भूटानी शरणार्थीहरू पूर्ण आश्वस्त भने छैनन् ।

‘‘छानबिनमा पुनर्मूल्याङ्कन गर्नुपर्ने भएकोले अमेरिकी सरकारले संसारभरि धेरै मान्छेलाई पुनर्वाश प्रकृयामा सामेल हुन केही दिनलाई रोकेको छ ’’, काठमाडौंस्थि अमेरिकी दूतावासबाट जारी सन्देशमा भनिएको छ । यो स्थगन प्रकृयामा कुनै समस्या अथवा त्रुटी भेटेर भएको नभई सामान्य समयतालिकाअनुसार भएकोले यस स्थगनलाई चाँड़ै खोलिने पनि दूतावासले बताएको   छ ।

अमेरिकी सरकारको नीति तथा योजना जेसुकै भएपनि भूटानी शरणार्थीलाई भने यस्तो अपर्झट खुल्दुलीपूर्ण निर्णयले मर्का परेको गुनासो झापाका शिविरहरूबाट सुन्न थालिएको छ । पुनर्वाशमा अमेरिका जान शुक्रबार बिहान आइओएमको गाड़ी चढ़ेर हिँड़ेका शरणार्थीलाई दमकबाट कुनै ठोस कारण र सूचनाबिना शिविरतिर फर्काइनुले शिविरहरूमा अन्योल छाएको पनि बताइन्छ । ‘‘मान्छे निस्किएपछि शिविरका छाप्राहरू तत्काल लडाइने हुँदा सशस्त्र नेपाल प्रहरीको गश्तीमा फिर्ता ल्याइएका ती शरणार्थीहरू छिमेकी र आफन्तका छाप्रामा अलपत्र छन् । उनीहरूका छाप्राहरू आज बिहनमात्र उनीहरू निस्किएपछि भत्काइएको थियो । कुनै जानकारी-सूचनाबिना यस्तो काम भएपछि पुनर्वाश प्रकृया यतिमै सकिएछ वा रोकिएछ भन्ने आशंकाले शरणार्थीहरू बिलखबन्द परेका छन् ’’, आफ्नो परिचय खुलाउन नचाहने बेल्डाँगी २ का एक शरणार्थीले भने ।

शिविर फर्काइएकाहरूलाई राशन र अन्य राहत सामग्रीहरू तत्काल वितरण गरिने यूएनएचसीआरका अधिकारीहरूले जनाएका छन् ।

IOM cancels flights; US govt cites ‘revision in screening procs’ as reason

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The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has cancelled regular flights of resettling refugees to Kathmandu from Friday as it returned dozens of refugees from its Damak office this morning.

The US Government has said, the decision was taken since it is revising screening procedures. Its Embassy in Kathmandu confirmed of “temporary hold” on resettlement worldwide.

“Due to a revision of screening procedures the U.S. government has placed many cases worldwide on hold,” Nepalnews.com reported quoting the embassy officials today.

According to the Embassy, the policy applies globally and not just to “Bhutanese refugees”. However, it also mentioned that “this is not an indication of any problem with the case and we hope to resolve the holds as quickly as possible so that refugees can travel to the U.S.”

Our correspondents from camps reported that refugees were taken back immediately after they reached IOM office Damak. However, they were not informed of the clear reason about return to camps.

Three stars of resettlement : From left, chief of IOM at Damak David Derthick, US Envoy to Nepal Scott H DeLisi and UNHCR Nepal's representative Stephane Jaquemet/Vidhyapati Mishra

Escorted by Armed Police Force, those who had to return to camps looked very sad to opt such a decision at the eleventh hour as most of their huts were dismantled as soon as they left the camps early this morning.

“The camp has become panic since people fear that the resettlement has come to a complete halt,” a refugee from Beldani-II, who requested not to be named, told Bhutan News Service over telephone.

According to him, the returnees were forced to take shelter in their friends and relatives.

Meanwhile, officials of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in camps have assured resumption of ration and other facilities to the returnees through emergency measures.

राजदूत ग्रेस पुनर्स्थापित भूटानीहरूसँग

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नेपालका लागि अष्ट्रेलियाली राजदूत सुशान ग्रेसद्वारा फेब्रुवरी १२ का दिन अष्ट्रेलियाको तासमेनियास्थित होबार्टमा पुर्स्थापित भूटानीहरूलाई भेटेर उनीहरूको अवस्था बुझ्ने काम भएको छ । करिब दुई घण्टासम्म चलेको सो भेटघाट क्रममा भूटानीहरूले आफू नयाँ मुलुकमा हुँदाका अनुभवहरू बाँड़े । उनीहरूले पुनर्वाश कार्यक्रमअन्तर्गत आफूहरूलाई सहज प्रवेश तथा व्यवस्थापनको जिम्मा लिएकोमा अष्ट्रेलिया सरकारलाई धन्यवाद पनि दिए । यसै क्रममा बेल्डाँगी २ शिविरबाट पुनर्स्थापित कृष्ण थापाले अष्ट्रेलिया प्रवेशपश्चात भूटानीहरूलाई उपलब्ध हुने अंग्रेजी भाषा अध्ययनको ५१० घण्टा समय पर्याप्त नभएको बताउँदै सो सम्बन्धमा पुनर्विचार गर्न राजदूत ग्रेसमार्फत सरकारसित माग गरे । राजदूत ग्रेसले सो सम्बन्धमा आफूभन्दा माथिल्लो निकायमा कुरा राख्ने आश्वासन दिएकी छन् । होबार्टमा सर्वप्रथम पुनर्स्थापित भूटानी भीम खतिवड़ाले पनि अष्ट्रेलियामा आफ्नो प्रवेशपछिका तमाम अनुभवहरू क्रमशः बताउँदै रोजगारीको प्रबन्ध मिलाउन निकै कठिन भएकोसमेत जनाए । प्राप्त जानकारीअनुसार हाल खतिवड़ा होबार्टकै एउटा नर्सिङ होममा काम गरिरहेका छन् । छलफलमा सहभागी भूटानीहरूले आफूहरूलाई पुनर्वाशको व्यवस्था मिलाएकोमा अष्ट्रेलियाकै अध्यागमन विभाग, यूएनएचसीआर र आओएमलाई राजदूत ग्रेसमार्फत धन्यवाद दिए ।  

नेपाली प्रम-अमेरिकी विदेशमन्त्रिबीच शरणार्थीबारे चर्चा

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प्रजातन्त्र तथा विश्वमामिलासम्बन्धी अमेरिकी उप-विदेशमन्त्रि मारिया ओटेरोले गत सोमबार नेपालका नवनिर्वाचित प्रधानमन्त्रि झलनाथ खनाललाई बालुटारमा भेटी शरणार्थी समस्याबारे चर्चा गरिन् । ओटेरोले प्रम खनालसित नेपालको जारी शान्तिप्रक्रिया र शरणार्थी समस्याबारे चासो दर्शाउँदै समस्या समाधानका लागि पहल गर्न नेपालले भूटानसितको अवरुद्ध द्विपक्षीय वार्ता पुनः शुरु गर्नुपर्ने जिकिर गरेकी छन् ।  प्रम खनालले पनि शरणार्थी समस्या सकेसम्म चाँड़ै समाधान गर्नेतर्फ नेपालको पहल हुने आश्वासन दिएका नेपाल सरकारका प्रवक्ता गंगालाल तुलाधरले जनाएका छन् ।  

Australian Envoy to Nepal Grace meets resettled folks in Tasmani

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Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace met the resettled Bhutanese in Hobart of Tasmania, Australia on February 12.

Resettled Bhutanese join the Envoy for a group picture after the meeting/Khadga Thapa

During the meeting that lasted almost for two hours, resettled folks shared their experiences of being in the new land. They expressed their joys for availing the resettlement in Australia.

Krishna Thapa, who reached here from Beldangi-II, communicated to the Envoy that a period of 510 hours of English classes for resettling Bhutanese is not sufficient for them and requested to press the government for review in this regard. She assured them that she would discuss the matter with the higher authority.

Bhim Khatiwoda, the first one to get resettled in Hobart shared his experience from the time he reached there and his long struggle to find a job in Australia. Currently, he works in a Nursing Home as a carer.

During the meeting, the resettled folks thanked the immigration department, the UNHCR and IOM for their help through her.

Reported by Khadga Thapa for BNS from Tasmania

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