Resettle some from refugee-affected community: Nepali locals

shame on you people who demanded resettlement….

Shit Nepali..they always try to lick the ash of Bhutanese refugees…

A baba! saram chhaina manchhelai! How dare these people demanded resettlement. Rather, being a host country they should have proposed a local assimilation for refugee people. This is nothing more than a joke.

“refugee-affected” areas? Disgusting approach, disgusting attitude.Anyone who’s been to Damak can see that the local economy is thriving on the presence of refugees. The trade near the camps would not be if there were no refugees there. Local communities faal back to inactivity when the camps are dismantled like the local aournd Goldhap and Timay can tell.
Anyone been to Damak can see that the place is – compared to other towns in the region – a very active place economically. Some people in the community have obviously benefitted greatly as UNHCR and affiliated organizations have been working there for almost 20 years and spending a lot of dollars.

The Nepal government, UNHCR and the US embassy is joinedly working on “compensation” programs for areas affected by the leaving of the refugees. The problem with refugee camps in poor economies is that these economies are trying ot gain from the presence in stead of help the refugees in their area. The word “host” in that case is a falsely used word because the communities are not hosting anyone, they simply try to gain economically over the backs of refugees.

The letter as mentioned is of course ludicrous and shows no respect for the refugees and unveils a selfish and deplorable attitude. Resettling of non refugees has another name: immigration. That ofcourse is not why UNHCR and western countries have invested millions of dollars for maintaining reugee camps and organizing mass resettlement.

Stating that the host community “suffered for 20 years” is nonsense. Interestingly enough a letter like this only surfaces when resettlement has progressed much and some camps are closed while without eception the local communities around the former camp locations are saddened because dismantled camps do not bring trade. So, where’s the “suffering” of those local communites? What kind of suffering and most of all: why was that local community silent for 20 years if they realle have been suffering?

Of course it is reasonable that Nepal government and UNHCR help local communities to overcome negative side effects of mass resettlement of refugees in the areas where camps are or have been located. And they are doing that. May be not enough ad maybe not fast enough. The discussion the local communities should have should about that, not about resettlement. The very same people who wrote this crazy letter will charge a western person double or triple for any service or goods like it happens everywhere else in Nepal and India. It is not a nice experience to find that a lot of Nepalis see a western person as an ATM where they can drag money for constantly. The idea that the west, in casu the UNHCR, is a big money machine that can be used and manipulated is not only crazy, it’s unethical. The idea that western people and governments are always ‘rich’ is just as crazy as it is untrue.

Local community leaders should feel very ashamed for people in their community writing letters like the one send by that local Damak youth club. It shows a terrible side of their community.

According to our evaluation,locals in the refugee sheltered area has been always blessed to have every facilities . Cheap labors had has helped tremendously for constructing buildings,cultivation of crops,in hotel business,in school business,transportation business,etc in the cheapest rate(i.e below average)due to compulsion or circumstances. Many locals are employed in the camp with high salary (i.e above govt.salary of Nepal govt.) English Boarding Schools are highly benefited due to large numbers of educated manpower in the camps compelled to work 10-4p.m in the lowest rate,starting Rs.1000/month which cannot fulfill our small household necessities. No one concerned the corruptions and advantages that everyone is taking but having lost our homeland,families,belongings,nationality and dignity,we are compelled to accept the third country resettlement and not by our own will. We have our spirit roaming in our own land or country of birth day or night even we got opportunity to resettle but not crazy for high standard of life or money. We always thank govt.of Nepal and the locals in the eastern part of Nepal but we were highly frustrated internally by taking advantage over others fate being a refugee. Even a dog has its address but we were beyond that and are still in the same condition. Why not our dear Nepalese friends feels sympathy upon us? If there would not be any UN agencies,we would be crushed and made life long bonded labours in Nepal in different business places and never get chance to enjoy our life in full because of deep rooted corruptions and hatred to our identity as refugee!

We still feel proud of Nepal and Nepali but we ignore bad practices and bad characters . We do not blame all but generally we’re psychologically oppressed. We were highly given security but refugees too have lots of weakness,main is illiteracy. It is up to the will of international agencies on how they deal with the situation and solve it. We always respect laws and remain under it. We need to demand according to the boundary and limit.

Thanks

It’d be a great job if Nepal government and the local youths could help verify the non registered refugees who’ve been demanding refugee status for years and compelled to work for nepalis on the minimum wages for survival.They don’t have any identity or any refugee facility. Damak Youths!! You can’t exchange nepali currency with dollars for the same rate any more as you exchanged Nepali currency with Indian currency for the same rate when these refugees first came to Nepal.These refugees are no more stupid now so there is no reason to follow them to the west..All the best for your approach though.But the life in the west is not as easy as you have now.One has to work not bluff or cheat as in Nepal……

Editors are really bias in accepting such articles or letters and publish in such a reputed forum/site. I feel that there is scarcity of articles required to publish in the site,so they accept and publish whatever they receive or requested by others. The publisher is “Editor” here and he/she might be bribed to do so. If I’m mistaken,is there no one from the local community who knows English and send an article? Its really frustrating to read the article forgetting our bitterest experience in the camp we faced and still facing. There was a day-light murders in the camp where the local community or administration never paid serious concern for those lives. The refugee camps have become the place of prostitutes,gambler,murderers,black-mailers,drunkards,etc but UN agencies are still struggling to fight against them and find peaceful solution by resettling everyone. IOM,UNHCR and all other agencies are taking high risk of everything sacrificing for the cause of Bhutanese refugees as well as local community. Editors would not feel bad but study the matter and publish them. Journalism should not be so cheap but it has national and international values where the whole world go through it!

Thanks,
A victim of Violence.

It is a very shameful matter for the local from the refugee host to demand for third country settlement as refugees were settled.In the past days bhutanese refugees were actually treated as their slaves and were looked with their third eyes insulting,voiluting rights and giving much more tourture.There was no any kind of difficulties to those ill-hearted locals created by refugees.They were instead supported much and more in different areas.Actually the development in educational,social,economical,constructional sectors were coz of refugee from camps.It is a matter of gigantic misery to express about the discrimination,ill-behaviour of those .It is not wise to emphasise more.As they do not have capacity to undergo with different activities,they are skill less,so they faced a lots of problem with out refugees.So ,remembering the past days that they used refugees in a low wage rate they are demanding third country settlement as regugees.

I second Alice for what she says. To know how much the local areas have been affected, one only has to look backwards and see Damak, Birtamode or the adjacent areas in retrospect. In the early 1990s, when some of the Bhutanese people rode into these towns in their foreign cars, people swarmed to see the ‘smooth’ (chillo) cars. The areas where the camps now stand were forest lands or barren spots that stood on the flood banks of rivers. In the villages, that surround the camps now – there were hardly any economic activities, except when the people would sneak into the forests, dig a burrow into the ground, cut the roots of dead trees – just to carry on their backs and sell it for a paltry few rupees in Damak town. The area has a smooth black topped road now, funded by the UNHCR.

Thatched bamboo huts lined up along a trail that joins what is now Beldangi – III upto Beldangi – I. Sanitation absent, drinking water facilities were shabby. Today, it is bustling with vibrant economic activities and the area pretty much offers an urban look. In Damak, many new shopping complexes grow up each year. The insatiably dollar conscious Nepalese have made no mistake in making the best out of the presence of UNHCR and its various allied agencies. For twenty years, they have been renting houses at exorbitant rates. Locals have found employment in these offices that pays them a check, they have never seen before. Prices of supplies that go to the camps – bamboos, text books, copies, kerosene and groceries to mention a few have gone over the roof. Villagers have successfully bargained for their own share of dollar amenities; drinking water facilities, repairing dilapidated schools etc, construction of feeder roads etc – facilities their own government could never fulfill in centuries.

One only needs to look at the news papers how many times the locals have obstructed rations and other camps supplies from reaching the camps. Often, the locals who live in electrified houses would stop and return the tanker that brought kerosene to the camps; forcing the refugees to spend their evenings under darkness. Or, the vegetable supply would never reach the camps. Who did not benefit from these transactions – from the officers at Chardragadhi to the police men at the Birtamose and Damak Chowk; to the local business barons and the ordinary Nepalese village men?

Some Nepalese people spend unusual amounts of money to come to America, even if it means, coming illegally. Others are looking for resettled refugee girls – hoping that they will find a sponsorship to land in America one day. And still others are demanding that they be given a straight resettlement ticket at par with the refugees; insane – on what grounds? This is nothing but an extension of the dollar syndrome which the Nepalese take too close to their heart.

My dear Nepalese friends, we care less for what you have done to us in the past, but please stop using the refugees to achieve your personal goals.

Rp Subba

I feel pity for those stupid folks.

They have been heavily benefitted by the refugee communities living in the camps. Those towns nearby the refugee camp wouldn’t have been they way they are today if those refugees weren’t there.
These hard working refugees constructed all the buildings in those nearby towns with extremely cheap labor. UNHCR and all other partner organizations have been constructing roads, bridges, schools, water system and what not in those nearby areas. The economy is booming in those areas because of refugees. Take a look at Damak, how has it changed in recent years. How much revenue they create from the refugees alone in a year?

How have they treated refugees before the resettlement? Refugees weren’t treated humane creature by those people in the so called refugee affected areas. The other say I was helping translate a documentary made by an American Journalist in the refugee camps. They have interviewed local journalist about the refugee crisis. He said that the refugees were criminals. He added that the crime rate in Jhapa was SKYROCKETING because of these refugees. He further added if the refugees were to let stay in the camp for next five years there will be no household in Jhapa not burglarized by refugees. These local people accused refugees of so many things and now they are demanding for settlement in western world. They have no place in these advanced countries. Sorry!
I hope UNHCR will not make mistake in granting them settlement in the western world.
This is all for now.

These are the goons instigated by those Nepali citizens who are working as the UNHCR, IOM, and other agencies staff.In 2007,before the start of the refugees resettlement,the Nepali staff of those agencies who are paid very high have submitted an appeal to the UNHCR telling that they be resettled with the Bhutanese refugees, else they will go against the program.Now, when these youth say so,it is okay,they are just making theirs in out….That’s all.Instead of asking for their resettlement,why don’t they ask their govt.to give Nepali citizenship to those who would like to stay in Nepal if at all they have the human soul.

Sosak nepale kasari affected,leave them to hell.

Nepalis are opportunist. They are similar to earthworm. When time comes, they wont let to use either tail or mouth. So, it is natural.

6i 6i 6i… what a GREED! we’ve seen some LOCAL FOLKS doing very big business of making FAKE BHUTANESE documents for more than lakh rupees…now IOM & UNHCR got tighten they are making other way around to fly…Locals folks got to remember the days they have LOOTED RATIONS when taken for sale. Still asking for compensation??? if you’ve got brains anymore left, you all will not forget that we are BHUTANESE people of NEPALI origin…so, we seek refuge in NEPAL…that’s the mistake we did folks!!!

very same full and inhumanly claim. stupid fools. they forget that they build their nice shelter by selling gundruk and shinki, exchanging cow dong with dahal, sugar, oil and …….. so on. they don’t even used to think we bhutanese are human like them. i have a pity experience once i was going to urlabari morang on bycycle on the very hot summer. i fell so thirsty and i stop by one house to drink some water. there was a middle aged women sitting in the yard. i asked her, aunty can i have a glass of water? she looked at me with her red like tomato eyes and roared at me like a hungry lion. can’t you see a well there. what what type of people come here asking for somethings. i don’t have time to serve you. she mummer herself bhutanga haru, bhagara haru. i saw the well there. i was not blind and im not. but the thing was there was no baltin to pull the water up and a glass to drink. they might have hidden the batin somewhere else. i still have not forgotten that hell. this is only one real story happen to me and i have some more bitter experience in 17 yrs stay over there and all bhutanese have that too.
Now let me say one story of america. one day my friend and i was returning from job and waiting for city train to home. we were talking to eachother in Nepali language. there was one guy with small backpack standing beside us. he asked to us. you too are nepali? where are you from? i replied, we are from BHUTAN. and he was like AAAAAAAAAAA and turned his ugly face to other side and never talk back to us. common man, that is why India is building fake lumbani and claiming Buddha was born in India. now next year china will say sagarmatha the highest mountain Everest is theirs.

Those community were not affected by the bhutanese refugees. Instead they were being benifited by the people living in refugee areas. I was too little when i used to see the suffered people near my locality. Since we were being restttled near by the locality..they were cnanged overnight. And the changes can be seen by looking at birtamod and Damak..Dhulabari..and the people near refugee camps who were being benifited. They don’t understand the sorrow of other…they are just jealous of bhutanese.

Gopal, As an American, I am so sorry that a fellow American would treat you and your friend so badly. I have many Bhutanese/Nepali friends and I cherish them as I would my own family. We in America are fortunate that you have come here to be with us and teach us many valuable lessons such as hospitality from your culture. I hope this not make you think bad about Americans as we are not all like that.

It would be far the best if this article wasn’t brought up to the vision of atleast Bhutanese people resettled in different countries. I wonder how they dare think of it let alone speak such greedy voices! Common Nepali folks! Try to evaluate your history of bravery, think of your national image in the world and think of your fellow citizens who are selfless. Don’t ruin the fames of those diminishing number of good fellow citizens.

Luteraharu k bhandai chan suna hai UNHCR.

k k kura ma che afftceted vaye chan ne haw hamro nepali baju vai haru hami bhutansese refuree jhapa m r mornag ma basa r yar.yaho kura ma ta chal pal ne garnu paro ab.baru sidai resettlement vaye ko manche heru lae sidai magnu ne compensation deya vana r yar.kina UNHCR ,IOM saga ab daga dharnu.bashn khana ta hami ho nje afecet deyu vana hamiu ale deya ko cha tara kithan gara r vanu paro k k kura ma affcet gara ko cha r k k kura ma phaida vako cha.jar pat,dekhe leye r nepal ko jhapa r morang ko vel pani sanat milk bika ko cha yar.bhutanbese refugee auda jhapa r morong bhutansese refuge basa ko area kasto thayu r aile kasto vako cha vane kura che auta ramro researcha gara r matr yahoo kura garnu paRCHA LA.AFFECTED AREA HAMI LAE BHUTANESE HARU ALE 20 BASHA SAMBA ASHAR GARA KO THAYU R GARDAI CHAN VANA R AB SAYOG MANGN CHE NEPALI DAJU HERU LAI AFU LAE HAGA R AFAI KHAGNU HO LA

Nancy is right, lets not talk more about the above topic, we everybody makes mistake in life and we should lern to accept and forgive mistakes, thats why we are humans, lets not act like animals and put blames after blame so the things get worsen, this article need to be removed from the site…

Having read all the reactions on this article and as I wrote earlier strongly condeming te selfish and greedy if not completely out of place and crazy claim from ‘a Damak youth group’ I have one question and two remarks.

Question: Why not scan that letter and publish it here? For proof!

Remark 1: When fools do something it is evenly foolish to blame the whole people for what these fools did (or wrote). The Bhutanese especially should understand that. So, please, please, do not say ‘the Nepali people’ because there are many good Nepali people out there who would detest what that one crazy group of youngsters wrote.

After all, having to flee your country on the allegations of being terrorist was quite the same. A few might have done bad things many years ago and now a whole lot of people suffer in exile. So, please do not put an equal sign between Nepalis and selfish Nepali youth because then you would all do the same as what was done to you.

Remark 2: I have given heart and soul to the cause of the Bhutanese in the past years and will continue to do so but I could never have done so without the help of some great Nepali people! I like Nepal and I like most of its people. Nepal is a country with many troubles and many people live in dire straits. We should not set ourselves against each other. Just condem the crazy ones but embrace the good ones!

Dear guys,

Come on friends,stop your comments here. if you do not like certain thing,just ignore it, bother your business. your negative comments harm you first and than who inflicted you.We inculcate negativism in our personality.

To me, Nepali youths felt it so did it.Just finished here. All depends on resettling countries and govt. of nepal who decide the matter. BIG issue.(resettlement or immigration) as Alice said.probably not resettlement theoritically. UNHCR for data record and camp management and IOM for processing only it could be either for resettlement or manpower supplies. ITS a shit they demanded to UNHCR.

if you keep eyeing on these sorts of issues,days are not far for unique demands.
We know few women were nepali citizens i nthe last hunger ANDOLAN. Did you see nepal govt taking side of that women? OBLIGATION? NO NO, not posssible.So no tauko dukhai. my advice

It is sad to note that the local people wanted to grab the opportunity of the refugees. Third country resettlement offer was exclusively for the refugees, not for the host community.
Shame! to those people who are demanding for the resettlement, in the pretext of being exonerated by the swarm of the refugees. I am confident that the local people got their fair shares by the services of refugees for more than 20 years unhindered and the aids by the UNHCR and it implementing partners.
I think people by nature are selfish and the local community has distinctly shown that mentality by offering themselves as the likely people for the resettlement.
I was going through the comments of the earlier commentators that the view expressed by overwhelming people say “NO” to the consideration of resettlement to the host community. Everybody expressed their bitterness over the treatment they met while in the camps. I had the same bitter experiences from the local people. They were making all the excuse to block the rations and other basic commodities for the camp populace. They even blocked the water supply to the camp and locked their horns with the refugee who were so vulnerable in itself. We were soured and sad over the treatment the host community exemplified.

I second the ideas of Mr. RP Subba, Alice and the rest of the commentators. The in depth pain and anguish over the lack of fair treatment was fully reflected by the readers.

Guys FYI..There is a provision in the UNHCR that and I quote “UNHCR provides protection and assistance not only to refugees, but also to other categories of displaced or needy people. These include asylum seekers, refugees who have returned home but still need help in rebuilding their lives, local civilian communities directly affected by the movements of refugees, stateless people and so-called internally displaced people (IDPs)”
Iam curious why Bhutanese refugees are taking all non-sense! They are talking right and left. They hate Bhutan, they hate Nepal and they hate India. In contrary, they were educated utilizing government coiffeur in Bhutan and have their kiths and kins doing well in Bhutan today too; they were hosted by Nepal and provided travel documents for their resettlement and still large number of their country men are living proudly in Nepa today too; they were provided employment opportunity in India and given free access to travel without visa today too!
No tell me why do you hate so much? I think you Bhutanese refugees have serious attitude problem with full of jealousy and egoism!!! You need to be changed!

Genuine Bhutanese
Tashi Delek-DhanyaBaad

Tashi…I dont think you are one of the victims. You should be going through that misery for 20 years and watch all those povery through your eyes being a Bhutanese refugee.By that way iam sure you will find yourself a fool blaming them as non-sense.None of the Bhutanese refugee hate Bhutan, Nepal or India.They love all those countries accept for the people and the rule who mistreted and caused them to lead a difficult life. When i come to the poind going through the paragraph above, i am with you when you talk about the UNHCR. Its all upto the wish of local people to go any places they want but the thing is that they are making only the reason that they are affected by Bhutanese refugee.now, How can you say that bhutanese refugee have a attitude problem when local people are always having benifits insted of affects? Hope you dont blame bhutanese refugee once you dont like them.

Nepalis are big headed. They cant judge what is supposed to be right.

@ Genuine Bhutanese is not a genuine one but a great catalyst trying to bring complete fractions and misunderstandings among all the Nepali Speaking communities residing anywhere in the world. You may not succeed in your goal but you fall in that category. Its completely a matter relating to the policy of UNHCR whether to implement or not but not just a matter of hate and love!! If we had have a heart of hatred we would not be sponsored by any great nations! Who are you to underestimate whole Bhutanese or Nepali speaking community? You need to closely study the real cause and affect by experiencing as a refugee by yourself or at least visit the camps or the local area and discover the facts by spending at least a couple of years! We not only have love but we do posses patience, respect,understanding, good attitudes,etc.for all humanities. We never blamed all and blame anyone but the main cause in Nepal is “scarcity” within the local community or greed and zealous on others progress. We would not be alive without the proper security and help of Nepal govt,UNHCR,Luthern Social Services and all other great agencies’ aid and care. We are really grateful for all the agencies but we do not hate people,we hate the bad attitudes and bad culture or practices. We love Nepal,Bhutan,India,US and all the sponsoring nations who are helping for resettlement and we are paying our debt like IOM loans in return.We never forget the help and deeds done to us. Genuine Bhutanese seems really childish and immature and just vomiting whatever it comes from his mind! Needless to comment without understanding the fact but to learn more about the facts!

Thanks!
Genuine Bhutanese,Nepalese,Americans – World Citizen!
God bless All!

Dear Everybody,
If a handful of mud is thrown in the vast ocean, then the entire ocean will not be dirty, same is the case here. Some of the crazy youths (as Alice said) have done attitude less effort for resettlement. I personally believe that there are two types of people in the world; good people and bad people. Good people believe in faith and good deeds and bad people always try to cheat and over rule others.

Here, the comments of aggression and rigidity are being poured on entire Nepalese people for what has been done by a few DAMAKEEE yOUTHS. This is absolutely not a good ideas. We need to focus on our comments to those who did the same so that the rest will not be in the snare of our fierce aggression.

As a reader, I would like to request all to be specific and comment rather than targeting all Nepali people in common.
Regards,
Chirang

Yes there were good vs. bad experiences, some were sweet and some may be sour ones. At times local also behaved in a heinous manner and our refugee folks also showed their characters. Overall we have to say that we had very cordial relationship.
There was a tremendous growth in the local areas in the vicinity of refugee mass and growth means there was economy boom resulting in a ripple effect. Jhapa has become second commercial hub at Nepal, and these are all the +ve impacts. Likewise when there is a shift in the source of livelihood, it is obvious to search for the alternative and it’s the human tendency.
I think the forum argument is very sensitive in terms of building the long term relationship among the local people and the refugee mass. And popularity votes as per comments may not be accounted so let’s give the role of referee to UNHCR.

Nepali People should change their attitudes. Youths are from Damak. Damak is a town of Jhapa in Mechi. Mechi is one of the zones of Nepal. Since Damak is a part of Jhapa and Mechi is a subset of Nepal, therefore all people from the club belongs to Nepal. Thus, they are Nepali People. So why is it not possible to call them Nepali?

It is sad to note that people are trying to take advantage of the situation. That is always the case and will continue unless our folks including local Nepalese like the youth groups get educated in the true sense and think of living a life with values. I wonder if that time will ever come but that is my dream.

Alice said things very well and correctly that we should not blame all Nepalese because of some people who are trying to take advantage of the situation. When you are so hard pressed with the difficult reality of life people would use all means. Imagine the attitude of our people when they were back in the camps. They were thinking that life in the west is all Heaven, not realizing that the Heaven is created with lot of hard work. So we should be human in our comments and thinking.

I would also like to suggest that we think about what we write. I have said it earlier that people judge us from what we say and what we do. Cheap comments like these are not going to lead us anywhere and it is better to refrain from doing so then cause harm to all Bhutanese because we had not thought of what we are writing. Be positive and look at things from broader angle and others would see that quality in us. I urge our folks to restrain from meaningless negative comments please. We do not necessarily have to comment if we do not have good contributions to make.

Ya, i too support mr. T.R.Adhikari.There’s a saying in nepali,’ KUKUR LE KHUTTA TOKYO BHADAIMA, KUKUR KO KHUTTA TOKNU BHAYENA,’ ni friends.I think all nepali are same.Human beings endure different kinds of problems for living , as we did in different placess according to the nature.It’s not good to generalize too.There were/are our people too who acted/act unlikely.we shouldn’t take everything negatively.America can easily handle the total population of nepal if they come even.Hopefully, I suggest everyone to remould our views broadly, please!