In last November, the local authority of Jhapa district assured asylum seekers and non-registered Bhutanese that it would resume registration process within the next five months. However, no progress has been made so far regarding resumption of the registration process to address demands of over 3,000 asylum seekers. In this regard, Vidhyapati Mishra of the Bhutan News Service talked to Durga Devi Bista, who led a 12-member women group and fasted-to-death for 12 days last year. Excerpts:
The government’s commitment to address the demands of non-registered asylum seekers within five months starting from last November has already crossed four months. Do you know about its progress?
We are uninformed of any progress from the government authority as of now. Download the commitment paper here.
Do you think that the Government of Nepal has neglected your demands?
Yes, I think the government has ignored our demands. Even, we made several attempts to seek an appointment with the former Chief District Officer to know what was going on regarding our demands. We feel that we have been ignored to some extent.
There were reports in media stating that the Chief District Officer rejected your calls in the past. How true were those reports?
Certainly, those reports were true. Despite attempting to make direct calls to the Chief District Officer, we even tried seeking appointments through his personal secretary, and the Refugee Coordination Unit. However, we landed nowhere as all of our attempts to reach the chief of district administration failed.
What might be the reason of not granting you an appointment?
We feel that the local authority has to some extent failed to incorporate order from the ministry. We were denied timing for appointment even after registering a requesting letter from us at his office.
It is said that prior to the agreement, the local authority was saying that it would listen at your problems and grant appointments whenever needed. Was that true?
They did make such assurances in the past. They expressed that they would never go reluctant in meeting us anytime. At present, they are ignoring our repeated calls for appointments.
How hopeful are you to see the government addressing your demands within the deadline of five months?
We are less optimistic to see this within the deadline. Since, we have not been updated of any progress regarding the commitment, we are less hopeful to see the government address our demands.
Suppose that the government fails to address your demands within the deadline. What would happen after that?
We will come up with various protest programs if the government fails to address our demands within the deadline.
Will you again organize fasting-unto-death?
Similar situation might come. However, our protests depend on the situation that we come across when the deadline ceases.
How is the condition of asylum seekers?
Their situations have not improved yet. Majority of them are leading critical lives. Even those who fasted to death for 12 days are leading painful lives. They are unable to work to earn their breads.
It is said that they even didn’t receive proper treatment?
Definitely, they were not treated as assured at the time of breaking the fasting-to-death. We were told that the authority would treat us to the best level, including referrals to Kathmandu for better treatment. However, we were just admitted to the AMDA Hospital and released in a couple of days with minor check-up and treatment.
What would be the role of resettled community in addressing your demands?
They can write letters to various organizations asking them to press the Government of Nepal and the UNHCR to address our demands at the earliest. That will definitely put more pressures to listen at our problems.
There are accusations that asylum seekers are lured of the ongoing resettlement program. What do you comment?
It is never true for me. Prior to the resettlement, the community was together. The resettlement has separated the family ties. And, I think that it is natural for everyone to exercise his or her right to enjoy the refugee status.
If you have to compare yourself with other registered refugees, how do you feel?
We really feel sad. When majority of our people are enjoying their refugee status, some 3,749 individuals are longing for registration. Some of them missed the registration due to their own and compelling situations since they were outside the camps. Some of them have arrived late from Bhutan. Some of them are suffering since they have married non-Bhutanese. We are even not treated as human beings.
Why is Government of Nepal hesitating to grant you the refugee status?
Some of Nepalese people are reportedly resettled. A few of them were even arrested. I felt hat it is not the government but its officials are betraying us in this regard.
Is UNHCR positive on your part?
The UNHCR has been stating that it is waiting for green signal from the government regarding the registration of all pending cases. We have been told that the UNHCR is always ready to address our demands.
What kinds of protests are in your plan in case the government fails to address your demands within the deadline?
If the government fails, we’ll organize peace protests to pressurize the authority. Even if we fail that way, we’ll launch demonstrations. I expect a lot from the resettled community. Resettled fellow-countrymen should accept that they have their friends and relatives who have been denied of registration and refugee status in Nepal.
