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.

 

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.