Koirala passed away in car accident

        Tika Ram koirala, resettled Bhutanese passed away at Vinderbille hospotial in Tennessee state of USA at 12 noon local time Tuesday.He was evicted from Lalai Bhutan and live 19 years exile life in Beldangi II Extension camp, Sector A/3.

                                         Koirala was hit by a speedy car while returning from work; immediately he was admitted in ICU section of hospital critical condition due to fracture of ribs and legs.

                                         Information provided by one of his relatives in Tennessee, resettled Bhutanese community members have gathered at koirala's house for funeral decision and to decide future of his children.

                                         he was survived with five children and wife.

Endless goodbyes

Here in Beldangi there are tearful scenes of farewell every day as fleets of white IOM (International Organization for Migration) buses taking Bhutanis for third country resettlement leave for Bhadrapur airport. Among those seeing off relatives and friends are those who have travelled clandestinely from Bhutan for poignant farewells before time and distance separate them from their relatives. Antari is 35 years old, and has come all the way from southern Bhutan, crossing two international borders, to say goodbye to her parents, and seven brothers and sisters and their children. She is the only member of her family still in Bhutan. "I don't know when I will see them again, they are going so far away," Antari sobbed, clutching a faded photograph of the family taken while they were still in Bhutan. Antari's elderly parents Krishna Prasad and Dhanmaya can't hide their tears. Hugging her parents, Antari tells them there is now no sign of their little ancestral home in Bhutan and even the tulasi plant in front of their house is gone. But Antari has brought a handful of soil from their  homeland to give to her parents in a little plastic pouch before they leave. Dhanmaya takes a pinch from the pouch and puts it on her daughter's forehead like tika as a final farewell. Like most Bhutanis here, Antari doesn't want to be named or her picture taken for fear of retribution back home in Bhutan. She says the repression of Nepali speakers continues. More than 80,000 Lhotsampa Nepali speakers were not allowed to vote in last year's elections. The signals of some Nepali FM stations reach southern Bhutan, but Antari says one has to be careful not to listen openly for fear of spies in the neighbourhood who have already labeled her 'ngolop' (anti-national) for having refugee relatives in Nepal. Saraswati Sharma is 83, but has travelled for three days to get to Beldangi to say goodbye to her second daughter, Shibamaya, who will soon be leaving to join her elder sister in the United States. For others, like 45-year-old Bhim, there was a different kind of farewell. Hearing his father was ill, he rushed to Nepal, arriving at the Sanishchare refugee camp only to hear that his father, whom he hadn't seen for ten years, had just died. Bhim went straight to the banks of the river to light his father's funeral pyre.

By Gopal Gortoula

Alive Christmas Tree

               It was 10 o'clock at night somebody knocked the door, I was supposed to fall asleep.My mind sketch few diagram why at night door knocks, surprisingly I myself remind conversation with Jeff Suik before to visit Saint Mary's Catholic Church at Richmond Virginia of United States. Sixteen days were already listed in my history of entrance to united states. Moment was really glorious and excited every where Christmas decorations were sparkling like a thunder in the sky.

               I stepped ahead, Jeff was outside reminding to go Church. Within no time I get ready along with my two nephew Rupa and  Bimala.Car started the destination, on the way every where something special and extra was found. Temperature was cool outside but number of cars were going in speed towards their destination,left turn from the existing road took us towards a artificial Christmas village where every animals and trees decorated for Christmas had eternal aliveness. Suddenly  our car drove by Jeff stopped a moment to glance it. Reality is always nice to hear, joyful to glance, likely my heart dreamed inexpressive happiness in my life where I firstly experienced it in twenty s. 

                                  Slowly stand by car got it's speed around on the most heartfelt house with Christmas glories directly reflected on my eye.It seemed a heaven every angles were happy enjoy blessings of god.

                                  

FOOTSTEPS IN VIRGINIA

Dadi Ram Antim(DEC 18, 2009) After all with long breath I meet my sister-in-law Narayani at Delta Airlines Airport in Virginia late 8.30 pm.Me and my family members accompanied by old mother,wife,and laps on. Eighteen years of refugee life in Nepal was really a extra story where what we didn't experience.Life under the supervision United Nation's High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)administrative care of Government of Nepal was very warm, protective with all kind of basic needs fulfilled in order to live a common life.

It was my last day to remain under the plastic and bamboo made hut, all the relatives were present to say Bye and pray for safe journey. A large number of huts arranged in a big area for forcefully evicted Bhutanese people compelled to be refugees called Camp was a home for us.

Bhutanese Refugee:Celebrating International Days

Dadi Ram Antim,Dec1,United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR) and Caritas Nepal has organized live concert on the eve of International Aids Day on Nov. 28 at Saraswati High School Damak six kilometer away from Beldangi refugee camp.It is reported  refugees celebrated the day organizing various awareness and rally in camp today.

            1974 A.D renounced musical band from Nepal Youth Friendly Center. show live on the occasion. Two other local bands actively supported the event. Refugee and locals one voice against HIV/AIDs was the theme of the celebration. It is our effort to bring locals and refugees working teogrther to fight against the HIV/AIDS, said Mona Rath Pokhrel Assistant Program Coordinator for

            UHNCR has started 16 Days Activism against women violence in refugee camps from 25 Nov which ends on 10 Dec. International day on violence against women, AIDS day, disability Day volunteer day and human rights day falls under it. Refugees celebrate these days by organizing different programs. Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Nepal and Association of Medical Doctors of Asia are implementing partner of UNHCR working in camps.

Bhutan to Attend GNH Conference in Brazil

Dadi Ram Antim(19 Nov)
Prime Minister of Bhutan Lyonchhoen Jigme Y.Thinley is scheduled to leave for Brazil to attend the 5th International conference on Gross National Happiness (GNH) tomorrow. Thinley is leading a 20 members Bhutanese delegation.


The Bhutanese Premier is expected to deliver the keynote address at the conference. The four-day conference going to be hosted for the first time by any South American nation will begin from November 20 to 24 in Itaipu city of Brazil. The conference is aimed to bring together actors and agents of the development- leaders,policy makers, intellectuals,and the like to explore and examine issues, problems, questions and topics of local, national and internatonal importance for a range of development issues.

The Future Vision Ecological Park, Brazil and the Itaipu Bi-national Hydroelectric Facility, co-owned by Brazil and Paraguay, are the co-hosts and organisers of this conference which basically facilitates exchanges, interaction, scientific debate and networking research on Gross National Happiness and other related issues among various nations.

The 4th International conference on GNH was held in Thimpu from Nov.24-27 , last year. More than 90 participants from 25 different nations had attended it.

A Single Bhutanese With too many Geniuses

Dadi Ram Antim (Nov. 15) There are rare cases that a single person is embeded with too many skills to display dexterity in the field of sports. Amid this rarity has evolved a young Bhutanese who has demonstrated enough to be the subject of discussions in press and media.


Ran Bahadur Yongyang Subba, son of Ranadhoj and Runchimaya and a resident of Bhutanese refugee camp, Beldangi, sector B/2-210 has a lot of skills to perform in football, volleyball, cricket, badminton, table tennis and martial arts with excellence. He has demonstrated exquisitely in varous camp-based and out-of the camp competitons and has bagged many shields, awards and badges of honors.

Living as a refugee is not an easy job but Ran Bahadur transcended all barriers and obstacles to achieve his childhood dreams. He has challenged the old saying, “If wishes were horses begger could ride them”. While as a student at camp he had times learning a lot about sports and arts from his seniors and peers. Along with his desires to excel in sport he also mettled his best and completed his high school from Tri-Ratna Secondary school located in Beldangi-2. He went to further his education in Kumudini Homes, Kalimpong (India) where he got opportunities to learn from his Indian counterparts and teachers. Next, he continued his study and got his bachelor’s (B.Com) from North Bengal University, Siliguri.
Fanatic of the sports from the very young age, Ran Bahadur choses to say cricket as his best game. He claims that he is an all-rounder in the game as he has helped his team win different camp-level and other matches played out side camps.


He equally performs in football (soccer) as a defence and half line player. He has played this game in different places including his school in Kalimpong and other district-level matches in India not only to participate but to help his team win awards and medals. Mr Subba is a good performer in martial arts too. He is a green-belt achiever in karate.
Besides, he is an excellent dancer, a social worker, and a teacher of English for adults in camp.

Despite having all this skills in him, he expresses his bitterness of having to live without citizenship. “If I were a citizen, I would have better opportunities” Subba regreted. His last words for those who fail in life goes like this, “Failure is not the end but just a bend on the way to success”.
source http://www.bhutanusa.com/ (for trail)