US to expedite resettling of Bhutanese refugees (in US)

Hindustan Times ^ | 4/26/07

[mylife]

US to expedite resettling of Bhutanese refugees

United States is set to expedite the processes of resettling the Bhutanese refugees in America with its plan to establish offices in Nepal for the purpose soon, State Department officials have said.

Lawrence Bartlett and Janice S Belz, two US State Department officials on a visit to Nepal, said Washington is planning to set up offices in Kathmandu and Jhapa district in July in order to expedite the processes of resettling Bhutanese refugees in the US.

"There is no limit to the number of the refugees willing to go to the US," Bartlett said during an interaction with the refugees at Goldhap camp yesterday. "It can be 30,000 or more than 60,000 as well," said Bartlett, Assistant Director of the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration.

"After five years of resettlement in the US, you can either receive US citizenship and live a life like Americans there or return to your own country if amicable environment is created then," said Belz.

The US would begin taking Bhutanese refugees from January 2008. "We will begin taking 60,000 of them (refugees) from January," said Hari Bangale, secretary of Beldangi-2 camp, quoting Bartlett as having said.

According to him, the visiting US officials said that the 60,000 refugees would be taken phase-wise which might continue till 2011.

The State Department officials will meet government representatives and UN officials to discuss the resettlement programme, the Kantipur Online said on Thursday.

Over 107,000 Bhutanese refugees have been staying in seven camps in eastern Nepal since early 1990s and 16 rounds of talks between Nepal and Bhutan governments have failed to make any progress over their repatriation. Nepal has also given green signal to the re-settlement programme.

[mylife]

Yet in a poll Here

64% say the US is an irresponsible actor on the world stage.

Freep away

[Rodney King]

The US has a self-hatred problem whereby we think if we do something in our own interest, that its bad.

Thus, we go out of our way to take in poor refugees, when we could be taking in Rhodesian and South African farmers.

[ikka]

WHY is this our problem, exactly? Reason that other countries are not taking at least some of the refugees is... ?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Are we the refugee refuse of the world ?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

60,000 ??? WTF ? What for ? What difference is it going to make ? What exactly are these 60,000 going to do except drain our resources ?

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Follow the money.

State Dept = career bureacrats = liberals.

Importing victims from outside when there aren't enough at home = new dependents = more social programs/resettling schemes = bigger govt = higher taxes ; new dependents = bigger democrat base = democrats win elections = import/create even more victims,....vicious circle continues...

[BurbankKarl]

Because if they send them to China they will end up in our dog food.

[Let's Roll]

Anyone know what the religious persuasion of these “refugees” is?

[BullDog108]

Because if they send them to China they will end up in our dog food.

I would LOL if it weren't so true (and tragic). I nominate this the QUOTE OF THE DAY.

[mylife]

Probably bhuddist

[BullDog108]

Probably Buddhist.

[BullDog108]

Yowser, beat me by 23 seconds....

GMTA! ;^)

[mylife]

neener neener neener ;0)

[LibLieSlayer]

I know something about this country through Ham Radio. I have several friends that have visited Bhutan many times. Some were going to operate Amateur Radio from this rare country and others were Doctors setting up Medical Facilities. To the man, they have been treated as royalty and with humbling honor. This is not what it appears to be. Our government is WRONG to take in the Nepalese refugees... as they are NOT Bhutanese refugees. This is BS to the tenth power.

Bhutan has been closed to much of the world for decades. It is a small and I mean SMALL country, nestled in a steep mountainous valley. The KING (the son of past King) King Jigme Wangchuck, has been trying to Westernize his kingdom with technology and updated medical services... while trying to maintain the simple and traditional ways of the Bhutanese.
>BR> Most are Buddhists, pacifists, and simply want to live in their traditional way. They have embraced all of the Americans that I know as their own kin. Even the King has embraced visitors with opening his home and (to their economic system) very prestigious gifts.

The valley is rippling with colorful prayer flags, temples, small shops, schools and medical clinics. They are a beautiful and peaceful people... people who want to maintain their heritage and way of life. Here is something I found in a story on this situation. Sounds much like the mexican invasion of our own country. Tell me, can any one of you see a problem with not wanting to allow foreign hired help to just move in and change THE way of life of an entire people... people that have just recently allowed “outsiders” to even see Bhutan?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.tibet.ca/en/wtnarchive/1996/1/13_4.html

“The refugees are ethnic Nepalese whose families have immigrated to Bhutan to find work and fields to farm. They are mostly Hindu, and they wear different clothes and speak a different language from the Drukpa majority.

When Bhutan tried to force them to adopt the ways of the majority, they resisted and were driven out, fleeing to eastern Nepal.

Dali Ram Kharel, 22, was a student in Bhutan in 1992 when his father sent a message to his dormitory saying his family was being forced out of the country.

"I was left alone there, so I decided to leave," he said.

Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries, wants the refugees to leave. Bhutan, calling them agitators who want to overthrow the monarchy, doesn't want them back.

So for now the refugees are stuck in eight isolated U.N.-run camps amid mustard fields and mango groves.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See what I mean?!

LLS

[mylife]

I new about Bhutan but youre kidding me about King Jigme Wangchuck. Arent you? what a lamentable name

[LibLieSlayer]

That is the name in the article that I linked to. My friends always call him “The King”. I was waiting to see if anyone would mention it! ;-)

LLS

[mylife]

I bet no one dares razz the King!

[Maven]

I know something about this country through Ham Radio.

I know about Bhutan from my father being a stamp dealer. Bhutan used to put out the weirdest stamps you could imagine - 3D astronaut stamps, textured stamps, even stamps you could put on a record player:



I remember Dad at a stamp show, playing those stamps over and over until another dealer came by and bought them just get some peace and quiet. LOL! HG