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

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Editor
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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.

26644 COMMENTS

  1. It is a great relief to read the news of resettlement resumption. Bhutan News Service has done and is doing a great work by informing us about such vital news as soon as it happens. Without BNS we could have remained in dark over the happenings in our communities around the world.

    Great work and kudos to BNS team for your promt action. I wish BNS good luck for your noble work.

  3. I am glad that resettlement process has resumed. Bhutan News Service was very quick to inform its readers of latest developments, and it deserves appreciation and admiration from its readers. I can tell Bhutan News Service never sleeps, and works hard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to keep its readers informed of all the latest news.

    Mr. Shahid M. Pasha, Massachusetts, USA

  9. It is great to hear about the resumption of Bhutanese Refugees Resettlement Process in the U.A.S .Now people feel like they are reliefed from a serious disaster.Their fear of getting a part from each other has just disappeared.We can now see smile on their face which was once lost.

  10. iam glad to hear the resumption of resettlement process. It is only the Bhutan News Service devoted in informing the news related to our cause to us. Salute! to BNS for its endevour. Meanwhile ,iam happy to know that BNS is searching the declaration made by the concerned ones regarding the resumption of the resettlement process. Go ahead it will help every Bhutanese to know the reason of such hault

  11. Mr. Tulshi Ram Adhikari,
    First of all write the official letter to UNHCR office requesting for the explanation regarding your query. And none of the concerns will response in the media which you should learn.
    To me mixed marriage and their off-springs is adulterate and not 100% refugee, only a partial. Such category has double advantage and they had been utilizing the host privileges. When the refugee mass was suffering, the mixed group were enjoying with sophistication. They had condemnation for the people living at camps with no alternatives.
    The non-Bhutanese part was not authorized to utilize the refugee benefits which itself have become illegal. It is like committing crime which needs to be death judicially. What is there to give soft corners for the non-Bhutanese ones? If either of the parents are Nepalese, by law they are Nepalese citizens.
    Again for the mix one, only the Bhutanese part should get the chance which is fair also. For non- Bhutanese part, they need to try their legal approach, apply the visa not the refugee card. If they are successful in acquiring their destination, it is well and good, we have nothing to say in that regards.
    Even during 1992 – 1993 time, many of the people couldn’t get the status when they couldn’t give the expected explanation at the screening post at Kakarvitta and till date lived in mercy but how can the same system recognize the non-Bhutanese part and certify them.
    So if there exist some spaces also we should discourage such undertakings for non Bhutanese part.
    This may pinch you but this is what I support.

  14. I’m a refugee currently living in Turkey. Bhutannews is the only place that I could find some information about this incident. thanks for your great work. I am also waiting for my travel date to the US. this news is somehow relieving.

    by the way has the process started again or still on halt?

  16. Thanks!!BNS for your quick reporting.It would also b better if you ask all the details and let us know how the process is going on regarding the resettlement.If so, we all your readers will be very much greatful to you.Anyway wish you all the best in your forth coming day.