New Leaders in YFC

31^st Jan. Youth Friendly Centers (YFC) now have new leaders.Election scheduled for seven centers of Bhutanese Refugee camp for 29^th and 30^th January this month elected new coordinators  and core committee for one year.

  First phase election conducted in Eastern camps elected ,in, Khudunabari :Kharga Gurung and Bishnu Maya Gurung, Timai:Hem Raj Gurung and Tika Maya Gurung ,Goldhap: Sagar Humagain and Sunita Rai as coordinators respectively.

Similarly, election conducted for second phase in Sanischare elected Yogen Bhujel and Ambika Rai as coordinator.Where as election result of three Beldangi camps are still not known.

One male and female are elected by youths of age group 18-25 of respective camps as coordinator, who is entire responsible of administrative function of center.A core committee compromising 14 youths is elected to run the center.

Fr.Peter Jong Lepcha, program coordinator for YFC, talking with our correspondent said,”a new policy nominating two people with disabilities in each core committee will be implemented by this year in order to guarantee the involvement of disables in YFC”.

YFC is a program funded by United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refuges (UNHCR) and implemented by Caritas-Nepal,which looks over entire education system in camps.

YFC was eastablished in 2006.

EU to talk on repartition

Dadi Ram Antim,mnbnews(www.mnbconnection.com)
During a talk with delegation of  Bhutanese Advocacy Forum (BAF)-Europe,Mr.Jean Christian Remond Head of  Unit for India,Nepal and Bhutan at the European Commission assured EU will talk on regards of repartition with Bhutan scheduled for April this year.

The   five-member delegation of Bhutanese Advocacy Forum – Europe (BAF-Europe) headed by its coordinator Durga Giri held meetings with high level European Union officials at Brussels on January 25.
The delegates met with Jean-Christian Remond and Rensje Teerind, Head and deputy Head of Unit for India and Bhutan and Nepal at the European Commission respectively.

The meeting lasted for one hour during which detail issues concerning 1985 Citizenship Act, right to equal protection of culture, custom and tradition, language and script, religion, establishment of national human rights commission, ratification of UN conventions, inclusive democracy and governance, release of political prisoners, political dialogue for lasting peace, repatriation of Bhutanese in exile, EU Aid and human rights situation in Bhutan were discussed in detail with the EU leaders.
Submitting a memorandum to the officials, the forum delegates also appealed them to pressurize Bhutan to initiate repatriation of thousands of its citizens languishing in Nepalese camps,with full dignity.
According to Forum’s press statement, they discussed issues concerning 1985 Citizenship Act, Right to Equal protection of Culture,Costume and Tradition, Language and Script, Religion, Establishment of Human Rights Commission, Ratification of the UN Convention, Inclusive democracy and Governance, release of political prisoners,  dialogue and repatriation,EU Aid and Human Rights in Bhutan with the officials in the meeting.
On the occasion the delegates appealed the European commission to pressurize The Bhutan government to initiate the repartition of those exiled Bhutanese willing to get back to homeland with dignity and honor at the earliest.
The commission officials expressed their happiness on the formation of first ever advocacy forum of Bhutanese in Europe and assured possible assistance to help institutionalize the advocacy forum. It has also assured the delegates that the advocacy forum can act as a bridge between the Bhutanese human rights movement and European commission and its door will always be opened for future meetings.
Similarly another meeting was held at the European Parliament with Jean Lambert, Head of delegation for South Asia cum member of European parliament from London’s green party. Besides the issues raised with European commission the delegate also appraised that the crux of the problem is the implementation of ethnic cleansing policies like “one nation one people”, Citizenship Act of 1985  and other discriminatory policies in the late eighties.
During the meeting, the delegates appealed the EU to see the possibility of mediation with the RGOB for initiating political dialogue with the dissident groups to achieve the lasting solution to the crisis.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Nepal’s Embassy in Brussels and held talks with Ambassador Pramesh Kumar Hamal and Minister counselor Mr. Deepak Dhital. The issues of Bhutanese refugees and their resettlement issues were discussed on the occasion.

fire in Beldangi-I:600 people dispalced,relief package roaring

DR Antim,Jan 21:A fire started from candle light destroyed 100 huts displacing more than 600 people in Beldangi-I camp yesterday.Immediate relief package is coming from various group for fire victims.

World Food Program has provided 300 kilograms of bitten rice and instant noodles.Relief materials has been collected from various sectors to provide victims.Similarly,teaching staffs of Tri-Ratna Secondary School, Beldangi II provided 1081 Nepali rupee for fire victims. Our correspondent informed that a fire relief committee has been set up headed by Harka Subba ,Camp Supervisor compromising various representatives for effective relief management.

27 huts turned into ashes while more than 35 has been vandalized to bring fire under control.Displaced people are temporarily taking shelter in Green Vale Academy,the camp school."We appeal every one to support fire victims",said T.B Gurung Camp Secretary talking to our correspondent.

Fire started from sector A/3 hut number 473 of Lal Bahadur Lamgade was taken under control after several hours by local people, Armed Police Force and fire fighters from Ithari,Dharan and Biratnagar.

Series of fire accidents has been occurred in Beldangi-I camp since its establishment 1991 A.D.

Stephane new UNHCR Nepal chief

Kathmandu Jan 13, Newly appionted United Nation's High Commissoiner for Refugees Representatives in Nepal, Stephane Jaquemet, assum his office yesterday.

               He  presented the Letter of Credentials to the Nepali Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister of Nepal, Sujata Koirala yesterday.Jaquemet, upon assuming office said,"l am haappy to be in Nepal , beautiful country,  UNHCR's largest operation in the world.

“We will continue working with the international community and the Governments of Nepal and Bhutan to find solutions for these refugees, including repatriation to Bhutan and resettlement to third countries,” said Jaquemet wrote the statement.

 According to a statement issued by the UNHCR, before coming to Nepal, he served as the UNHCR Representative in Lebanon, Beirut. Having spent 17 years with UNHCR, Jaquemet has held a number of senior positions both at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva and in other UNHCR offices, including Indonesia, Togo and Croatia.

UNHCR has said, the Swiss national Jaquemet has a strong legal background, and served as Chief of Protection Capacity Section, Department of International Protection, at UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva from 1997 to 2002.

Besides Bhutanese and Tibetans, UNHCR’s work in Nepal also includes providing protection and assistance to around 300 individuals from some 10 countries who have sought asylum in, helping find solutions for stateless people, and facilitating the safe transit of Tibetan new arrivals to a third country.

Since late 2007, UNHCR has helped more than 25,600 refugees from Bhutan to start new lives in the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and New Zealand.

Jaquemet has taken his position when the former UHCR Chief in Nepal, Daisy Dell, completed her tenure from July last year. She had served the UNHCR Nepal starting from January 2007.

China invited Bhutanese PM for visit

Dadi Ram Antim,Jan 12,

                         Hu Zhengye Assistant Foreign Minister of China invited Bhutanese Primeminister Jigmi Y Thinely as the first Primeminister of democratic Bhutan to visit China yesterday.Zhengye was in Bhutan to attend 19th round of Bhutan-China Boundary talks.

                       Zhengye said,"a mojority of work is compeleted, what's left is minor". He said that tremendous efforts have been made and the two countries should engage each other more frequently on broder discussions.Jigmi Y Thinely, Bhutanese PM said that the previous talks have been most meaningful,productive and had have a "special significance" in Bhutan-China relations, kuenselonline wrote.

                     China is soon hosting the World Expo in Shanghai and the Asain Games in Ghangzhou.A senoir Chinese delegation will be attending the SARRAC submit  in Bhutan in April as an observer.