Pressurize govt authority to start official registration

A group of women, who are without refugee status or official registration in refuge camps, submitted a memorandum to various local human rights groups, camp management committee and BRRRC (Bhutanese Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee) asking them to put pressure on the government authority to start official registration at the earliest possible time, Sunday.

According to Durga Devi Bista, Coordinator of the women group, the letter was submitted to those who had signed the “government commitment paper” in last November.

Fire continues range in forest.

Forest fire continues to rage in the four eastern dzongkhags of Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Lhuentse and Mongar .

Forest fire continues to rage in the four eastern dzongkhags of Trashigang, Trashiyangtse, Lhuentse and Mongarin Bhutan.

Light will glow in march

The remote nomadic community of Sakteng has something to look forward to after the daw dangpa losar (first day of the first month of the Bhutanese calendar).

Rural electrification project in Sakteng is nearing completion.

“Sakteng electrification will be completed by March,” Trashigang Bhutan Power Corporation chief manager Lobzang Dorji said. “We’re only left with the low voltage wiring distribution.”

Government offices in Sakteng including staff quarters, gewog headquarter and Sakteng Park Range office received electricity since February 8.

Sakteng electrification began in early 2010.

“Some government offices like gewog, dungkhag and staff quarters have been electrified temporarily,” Sakteng gewog administrative officer Pema Tenzin Dorji said.

Sakteng school, health unit and office of renewable natural resources will be receiving electricity after the internal wiring is complete.

Most heavy equipment like poles, cable wires and transformers have already reached the gewog.

Sakteng gup Tshewang Tshering said they had finished internal wiring of around 360 households.

“Those of the remaining 40 households is ongoing,” he said.

MNB commence creative classes in camps; Best photo awarded declared

The Media Network Bhutan(MNB) commenced formally creative classes for exiled youth with Funded by a British charity HWH (Home Is Where the Heart Is), the Media Network Bhutan (MNB) has officially announced the beginning of creative classes in camps.

Speaking at an inaugural program held in Beldangi-II on Saturday, General Executive of the Network, Mona Rath Pokhrel, said that the creative classes included vocal, guitar and dance classes for interested youths.

Jash Justin of the charity formally inaugurated the program by lighting a candle today.

According to Pokhrel, two separate centers from Beldangi and Sanischare camps will give creative classes free of costs to interested youths.

Meanwhile MNB’s Best Photo Award: January 2012 was declared to Lok Nath Subba from Beldangi II Extn. He was provided with an 8GB pendrive by HWH and an appreciation letter and a laminated photograph. The MNB’s Best photo award theme this time was “Pet Animal” and participants were said to email a potraied  photograph at medianetworkbhutan@gmail.com or give the memory card with photograph to MNB’s team so that it could be enrolled in the competition.

The Network has already hired some resource persons for effective operation of creative classes.

Even local youths from the host community will be participated during the classes, according to Pokhrel.

“This types of project is important and necessary for the youth in camps”, public said.

After boy friend’s bvetryal, Nursing studentys ends life

watch vedioOne 22-year-old resettled girl, Hari Thapa, who was a nursing student in Southern Tasmania, was said to have taken her own life in what her brother described as the most terrible tragedy to have occurred in his family, Friday. She was resettled in Australia some 17 months ago.

Hari Thapa updated this picture in her Facebook on Thursday

Dozens of her fans were shocked to watch the last 7-minute long video post  in the Facebook before she hanged herself early this morning.

पुस्तकालय स्थापनाका लागि बेरङ रङ

“जे नहोस भन्यो आखिर त्यही किन हुन्छ हामीमाथि
सिस्नुको झ्याङ किन उम्रन्छ हाम्रै छातीमाथि
यसरी आफन्तको लाशको पहाड चढेर कुन शिखर उक्लनु छ हामीले
आफु सारा हारेर के जित्छु छ हामीले”

माथिका हरफ नाटक बेरङ रङहरुको एउटा अंश हो। झापाको दमकमा रहेर पछिल्लो डेढ दशक देखि विभिन्न नाटकहरु प्रदर्शन गरिरहने गन्तव्य थिएटरले आफ्नो नयाँ प्रस्तुती नाटक बेरङ रङहरु दमकमा पुस्तकालय स्थापना सहयोगार्थ यहि फाल्गुन 28 र 29 गते प्रदर्शन गर्ने भएको छ। यस अघि दार्जेलिङ, भोजपूर र इलाममा राम्रो प्रतिक्रिया पाएको नाटक बेरङ रङहरु दमकमा इ–पुस्तकालय स्थापनार्थ प्रदर्शन हुने भएको हो। यो नाटक दर्जेलिङमा भोलियन्टर युथ एक्सन (भिवाइए) संस्थाले सामाजिक कामका लागि सहयोगार्थ र भोजपुरमा गजल प्रतिष्ठाज भोजपुरले साहित्यीक महोत्सव सहयोगार्थ मञ्चन गरिसकेको छ।
जाती, धर्म, सम्प्रदाय तथा अन्य कुरा भन्दा पनि पहिलो कुरा भनेको मानवता नै हो, भन्ने सन्देश बोकेको नाटक दमकमा मात्र नभएर निकट भविष्यमा नै काठमा48डौँ, भुटानी शरणर्थी शिविर र भारतको सिक्किम साथै सिलगुढीमा पनि प्रदर्शन हुने कुरा नाटकका व्यवस्थापक सुर्य लिम्बूले बताउनुभयो। साथमा उहाँ भन्नु हुन्छ, “दर्शकले अत्यान्तै माग गरेको र दमकमा सिर्जनशिल युवाहरुले इ–पुस्तकालयको बिचार उठाइरहेको बेला यो नाटक प्रदर्शन गर्न लागेका हौँ।” परिकल्पना तथा निर्देशक प्रकाश आङ्देम्वे भन्नुहुन्छ, “सिर्जनशिलल युवाहरुको राम्रो अभियानमा यो नाटक हाम्रो सहयोग हो।” साथमा उहाँ थप्नुहुन्छ, अहिले विश्वमा नाटक लेखिदैन नाटक खेलिन्छ, प्रयोग हुन्छ। त्यस्तै कम संवाद रहेको यो नाटकमा पनि हामीले सकेसम्म म्युजिक र लाइटको राम्रो प्रयोग गरेका छौँ। यस नाटक हामीले सिच्वेसन क्रिएट गर्दै त्यसलाई अभिनय गरेका छौँ, भन्नुहुन्छ नाटकका कलाकार भुटानी शरणार्थी दिलन समाल। पुर्णतः प्रयोगमा रहेको नाटकका कलाकारहरु मध्ये ४ जना भुटानी शरणार्थी शिविरबाट रहेका छन।

Birth day of His Majesty the king

« Their Majesties in Gelephu with the people of Sarpang

« His Majesty the King celebrated His 32nd birth anniversary in Gelephu with the people of Sarpang
Thousands of people from Sarpang  gathered in Gelephu to celebrate His Majesty’s 32nd birth anniversary. His Majesty joined the people for the festive games to mark the joyous occasion.

source: kuensel

Friendly football match end in Beldangi

With the main motto to keep the friendly relation ship between the exiled youth football match was organizes with the co-ordination with the Bhutanese refugee in camps.

According the organizer group, different club of the camps participated in the gme and successfully ended.

In the final game between the Beldangi ii and Beldangi iii, Beldangi-ii wins scouring the one goal in penalty shoot out.

This type of the game should organize for the youth in camps, camp secretary.” Dhan Bir  Subba said.

Exiled Refugee Youths set world record in longest handshaking

Completing a continuous handshaking program of 36 hours 12 minutes, two exiled youths from Bhutanese refugee camps have expressed their determination to set a Guinness World Record, Monday.

Dik Man Gurung (left) shakes his hand with Neel Hari Upreti (Picture : Hari Kumar Dahal)

Neel Hari Upreti of Khudunabari (Sector B-2, Hut No 84) and Dik Man Gurung from Beldangi-II (Sector A-1, 61-62) expressed such determination this morning, ending the event at 12:12 a.m.

Bhutanese Community in Nebraska (BCN) elected its executives

The Bhutanese Community in Nebraska (BCN) elected its executives on Saturday.

A gathering of resettled Bhutanese at Omaha Public School in Omaha of Nebraska elected Durga Biswa as BCN President.

Newly elected President being honored

Other executives included Chandra Kala Rai (Vice-President, Gopal Thapa (Secretary) and Shanti Gurung (Treasurer). Similarly, Yogen Bhujel, Amir Gurung, Sancha Gurung, Sova Biswa, Karna Gurung and Krishna Subba were also elected to 11-member executive board.

Ann Mary, Director of Southern Sudan Community Association led the election team that involved three Bhutanese and one Christine Ross, refugee medical specialist.

Meanwhile, a five-member advisory board under the chairmanship of Kumar Gurung was also formed.

The newly elected President vowed to address the community issues and assured to continue the Literary and Employment Training Center, established two years back.

bns

Second issue of “THE REFUGEE HERALD” published

Since January 14 a group of students fro various refugee camps commence a monthly newspaper – The Refugee Herald (TRH) since January 14.

With the  main motto to  “inform uneducated parents through their students,” the TRH was published in camps which cover the camps news ,resettled news , Bhutan news and tragedy feeling and opinion of the all Bhutanese Refugees.

“We printed 500 copies in our first edition. We have double the number this month following encouraging supports from school teachers and students,” .

We are glad to to achieve  our senior media persons, Manager of Bhutan Media Society Vidhyapati Mishra and Chief Executive of Media Network Bhutan Mona Rath Pokhrel, for our news paper to be in the editorial team.

Bhutan to barter with West Bengal

Bhutan and the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal are working out an arrangement where power will be bartered during the winter and summer seasons starting in the winter of 2012 until 2016.

The energy department had initially requested its Indian counterpart to look at the possibility where Bhutan could import power in winter from the India’s eastern grid which covers five states.

The eastern grid constituent initially rejected the proposal but West Bengal expressed they would be willing to supply power to Bhutan provided Bhutan supply the same amount of power to them during their peak season with an additional premium.

Bhutan show a significant increase in the number of UK visitors

Latest yearly tourism figures for Bhutan show a significant increase in the number of UK visitors to the country in 2011 compared to those of 2010.

According to a report, 37,481 international visitors entered Bhutan in 2011 representing a 38% increase from the 27,196 in 2010. Of those 2,795 were British compared to1,772 from the previous year – an increase of 1,023.

COMO Hotels and Resorts, which owns Uma Paro, the first luxury hotel to open in the country in 2004, also saw an increase in UK and international visitors with many staying at the property for a longer length of time than before.  Of the back of this increased demand, COMO will be opening a sister lodge, Uma Punakha in September 2012, to enable guests to enjoy greater cultural and physical adventure within the country, reported online portal of Incentive Travel.

MNB best photo award declared

Media Network Bhutan(MNB) has declared the best photo award November and December in camps.

According to the General Executive of MNB, Mona Rath Pokhrel, for November month Dilan Samal was declared as the winner on theme, “God’s village”. Likewise, for the month of December 2011 Shanti Sunuwar was awarded as winner on the theme “Beauty of God in flower” a portrait photograph.

The theme for January 2012 is shared that is “Motion of Human Being”, a landscape photo and the last date for the submission of photograph is 15^th February 2012; it is to be sent to medianetworkbhutan@gmail.com.

Photo Exhibition started by MNB reaches seventh place including three places of host community. The exhibited photographs are taken by the participants of the training organized by MNB in September first week at Beldangi and the photographs come from the Best Photo Award said Pokhrel the GE of MNB.

bhutan telecom commence 3G network

Bhutan will have access to 3G or third generation high speed Internet connectivity, which is today available only in the core areas of Thimphu city, by the end of this year at least 40 locations in western and central

According to the source, starting next month Bhutan Telecom will start work to expand its 3G network in Thimphu, Phuentsholing, Paro and Gelephu.

3G is the ‘3rd Generation’ technology for mobiles which enhances internet speed and enables features like video calling, faster audio and video streaming and quicker downloads.

NTP conduct Taekwondo for Exile bhutanesse

12

By: Narad Pokhrel

Nepal Taekwondo Association conducted four days world peace taekwondo training to five exiled Bhutanese and other Nepalese taekwondo players at Dharan on 1^st-4^th February.

According to the representative from camp Bal Bahadur Basnet, eight Korean players from World Taekwondo Association trained them with the main aim to uplift Nepalese and Bhutanese taekwondo in front of world.

Since Bhutanese players won national games too but in absence of citizenship, they are not getting chance to participant in international, told Basnet.

Last lap of lighting Bhutan, the main hurdle

The project, hereon, entails penetrating into some of the remotest areas without access roads   
Electricity “Electricity for all” is what the government hopes to achieve by 2013 and having lit up more than 40,000 homes so far, it has achieved 80 percent of that target.

Power officials, however, fear the real hurdles to achieving its target has now just begun.

“So far we’ve only covered areas which have access road,” a power official said, adding what was left now were the far-flung rural areas like Laya in Gasa, Shingkhar Lauri in Samdrupjongkhar, Doban in Sarpang and Denchukha in Samtse.

“Transporting equipment and materials over hostile terrain is our concern,” he said.

Most remote areas require at least a day’s walk from the nearest road and the project involves carrying heavy equipment and material such as electric poles, transformers and construction materials.

longing to repatriate or resettle? Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal

By Mishra Vidhyapati, Manager of Bhutan Media Society in Nepal and General Secretary of Association of Press Freedom Activists Bhutan.

The third country resettlement programme of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal is ongoing, and over 80 percent of these refugees should depart within a few years. By 15 December 2011 the refugees had already witnessed the resettlement of over 58,000 fellow countrymen. UNHCR is processing another 41,300 camp residents, who were forcefully evicted from Bhutan in late 1980s and early 1990s. The current population in the five remaining refugee camps is 54,900, with around 1,500 refugees departing for various third countries under the resettlement programme every month. Although it has been advocated as a humanitarian solution, resettlement has sharply divided refugees into two groups: those for and those against.

10 percent likely to remain in camps

 

If everything goes as projected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and resettling countries, at least 10.37 percent of exiled Bhutanese are likely to remain in the camps when the ongoing resettlement program ceases by 2015.

Bhutanese refugee camp (Picture courtesy : Prakash Angdambe)

The initial camp population of 113, 486 has come down to 54,652 as 58,834 individuals have left for various western countries by January 19 this year, according to the UNHCR.

United States receives 50,000 exiled Bhutanese

At a time when one of the world’s largest resettlement programs has attained its climax, the United States of America said it received the 50,000^th exiled Bhutanese from Nepal on Monday.

The number of Bhutanese refugees leaving for the United States as part of the ongoing third country resettlement reached 50,000 on Monday, said a statement issued by the US embassy from Kathmandu.

Together with 9,000 others already relocated to various Core Group countries, the number of Bhutanese refugees resettled has reached 59,000, according to the statement.

“We are grateful to our international partners, most notably the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), for their ongoing protection of this vulnerable population, whether they resettle or not,” said the embassy.

Meanwhile, the statement further said that the US is committed to accepting as many of the Bhutanese refugees whom UNHCR refers to for consideration in Nepal and who meet the requirements of US law for refugee admission.

The Bhutanese resettlement program is currently the second-largest resettlement program for the United States.

Bhutanese refugees, who have resettled in nearly all 50 States, receive employment and educational support from the US federal and state governments as well as non-governmental organizations to begin anew as productive, engaged residents, it added.

Source:BNS

Ganesh pooja in Beldangi for secure of wild elephant

On Tuesday, the camp management committee of Bhutanese refugee camp Beldangi conducted Ganesh  Pooja based on the Hindu religion to be away from wild elephants’ problems .

According to the source, representatives from various aid agencies, Armed Police Force and UNHCR, among others were present during the puja.

Nepali locals demands resettlement

 

Resettlement satire ! /BNS

Host community of Bhutanese refugee camp affected area amazingly demanded the relocation of some members to those Bhutanese refugee resettled countries.

According to the source, a local youth club from Damak submitted the demand paper to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), its implementing partners and the Refugee Coordination Unit, even demanding the resettlement.

The demand paper signed by the club’s chairperson Subash Bhandari included that “The host community who are also suffering from 20 years. Thus, we recommend the connected authority to grant resettlement offer to our people as well.”