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Bhutanese Refugees Verification Update:
(Information posted as received from Jhapa, Nepal)
1. Verification of Bhutanese
started on March 26,2001
2. 2nd Day of verification exercise at JVT
office in Damak, Nepal.
3. 3rd Day of verification Exercise (March
28,2001).
4. 4th Day of Verification Exercise (March
29,2001).
5. 5th Day of Verification Exercise (March
30,2001).
6. 6th Verification Exercise (April 03,
2001).
7. 8th Verification Exercise ( April 08, 2001).
8. 9th Verification Exercise ( April 09, 2001).
9. 10th Verification Exercise ( April 10, 2001).
10. 11th Verification Exercise ( April 11, 2001).
11. 12th Verification Exercise ( April 12, 2001).
12. 17th Verification Exercise (April 20,2001).
13. 18th Verification Exercise (April 24,2001).
14. 21st Verification Exercise (April 26,2001).
15. Update on Verification Exercise (June
25,2001).
Verification of Bhutanese refugees started on March 26, 2001
The verification process of Bhutanese refugees started at 9.30 AM ( Nepal Time) on March 26, 2001. The first ten Bhutanese refugee families were brought to the Office of the Joint Verification Team office in a bus from Khudunabari refugee camp in eastern Nepal. There were three babies among the 53 refugees brought for verification. The refugees were brought to the JVT office under heavy armed police escort. The police have been deployed in the Khudunabari camps. The police are also deployed in the JVT office at
Damak.
The verification was done on two phases. Two separate Performa forms were given to the refugees in the JVT office. In the first Performa the refugees were asked to fill up information about individual refugees and their families. In the second Performa form the refugees were made to fill up the information about their address, land etc in Bhutan. The refugees were required to complete the Performa forms in side the office, they were not allowed to bring them out. It was disclosed that only Bhutanese team interviewed the refugees.
The verification exercise that started about 10.30 could cover nine members of two families by 6:30 pm. The JVT will interview the rest of the members of the eight families out of the first 10 families selected on Tuesday, the 27th March. The pace of the interview is too slow. At this pace it would take more than 10 years to complete the verification. There were 31 males, 22 females and 21 children (under eighteen) refugees in the 10 families. After the daylong interview, the JVT members did not speak to the press.
The Joint Verification process of Bhutanese refugees has raised many questions than it could answer. It is sure that the JVT is not going to solve the lingering problem of Bhutanese refugees. Bhutanese team interviewed the refugees in English as if they did not speak Nepali language. Dr. Sonam
Tenzing, Director of Bhutanese Home Ministry and the Bhutanese head of JVT ineterviewing the refugees was responsible for forceful eviction of a large number of Bhutanese refugees, while he was the District head of Sarbhang district in Southern Bhutan.
DRAFT PERFORMA
Performa for Verification of Bhutanese Refugees
PART A
1. 1. Full name of the person..
.
2. 2. Father's Name
.
3. 3. Mother's Name
4. 4. Age, date and place of
birth
.
5. 5.
Profession/Employment
6. 6. Present Address
[a] Camp and no
[b] ID Card/Registration no./Ration card number of the camp
...
[c] Date of admission to the camp
.
7. 7. List of Family Members [Details of each member attached]
1
.
2
.
3
..
4
.
5
.
Signature/Thumb impression of the head of Family/Individual
Attachment
1. 1. Name of the
Person
2. 2.
Sex
.
3. 3. Age, date and place of
birth
4. 4. Camp Identity
Document
5. 5. Marital
Status
..
6. 6.
Occupation
.
7. 7. Relation to Head of
family
8. 8. Proof of relation to head of
family
[relevant documents if any]
9. 9. Name of
Camp
10. 10. Date of admission to
camp
Signature/Thumb impression Signature/Thumb impression of head of family
DRAFT PERFORMA
PART B
1. 1. Details of last address before coming to camp
Village
Block
..
District
Mandal
Karbari
2. 2. Documents at hand
[a] Thram number
..
[b] House number
.
.
[c] Tax Receipts
.
[d] Citizenship/ID Card number
[e] Marriage Certificate
.
[f] Other documents
.
3. 3. Furnish the following details
[a] Date of departure, from where
.
[b] Reason for departure
4. 4. If forcefully evicted, specify the following
[a] Date of eviction
[b] Authority by whom eviction was done
i. i. Civil official
ii. ii. Military official/Police
iii. iii. Any other
[c] Any proof of eviction
[d] If appeal was made to higher authority and if so whom? If not, why?
[e] Please furnish any other
details
5. 5. Neighbours in
Bhutan
6. 6. The undersigned states that this Performa has been completed voluntarily after
having fully understood the question listed on the form and that all the information given above have been filled in correctly.
Signature/Thumb impression of head of family/Individual unit
The JVT members did not give any press briefings at the end of the day. A huge number of press and media persons awaited outside the office of
JVT, throughout the day. As stated earlier, the JVT did not disclose the result of the interview. On a question by the media, Bhutanese head of delegation Dr. Sonam Tenzin said that the JVT is a technical team and that the political decision, including the result of the interview will be taken at the political level., i.e. the Nepal Bhutan Joint Ministerial Level Team.
Brief about the Verification of Bhutanese refugees. March 26, 2001
The first ten Bhutanese refugee families arrived at the Joint
Verification Team office at 9300 hrs (NT) in a bus from Khudunabari refugee camp in eastern Nepal. Among the 50 something refugees at least three were babies/toddlers.
They were directed straight to a quarter (building) at the backside of Nepal's portion of JVT office where sitting arrangements has been made for the interviewees. The waiting media personnels were only allowed to speak to the JVT officials for a brief while before the commencement of the verification exercise and soon after the refugees were escorted into the waiting room.
Reports are sketchy. However the refugees were first briefed on the details of the performa (attached) and asked to fill the forms and those who were unable to do so were assisted by JVT officials. The first refugee family completed their interview with the joint team at around 1030 hrs. Incidentally the first family to be interviewed today happened to be a widely known case of forced eviction (at least in the refugee circle).
No provision for tea or snacks had been made by the JVT. The 10 families were allowed to leave the JVT office to go at mid day and pick their snacks etc. on their own if they wanted.
End.
2nd Day of Practical
Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak (March
27, 2001)
Out of ten families brought to the verification office in
Damak, yesterday the Joint Verification Team (JVT) could
finish interview of only two families covering total nine
members. The remaining eight families are again brought to
the verification office today. The camp secretary and the
women focal point were allowed to enter into the premises
with the group. However, they are restricted from entering
the interview hall. Comparatively work is in progress than
yesterday. Today they could finish the interview of --
families. The questionnaires are not so ambiguous except
the question like "appeal to the higher
authority" which was not possible at that time and
missing clause for "our details of properties left
behind". It is hoped that once they are used to the
process of work the number of family interview will be
increased to the maximum. Though Bhutanese team is tight
lipped with the press but the head of the Nepalese
delegation team Ms. Usha Nepal spoke to some of the media
persons present outside the JVT office premises and
briefed them about the ongoing work of interview. She also
informed them of the team review of work on
Wednesday.
Note: Please note the total figure of refugees brought for verification is 52 not 41 given yesterday.
3rd day of Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in
Damak( March 28, 2001).
Despite of disappointment expressed by some of the Bhutanese refugees on the slowness of verification exercise yet there is progress everyday. On the first day the interview of only 2 families could be completed. On the second day interview of 7 families were completed.. Today the interview of 10 families was completed. The system of transporting people to the JVT office also has changed for the convenience of the people especially to avoid waiting the whole day without food. The people are ferried in two shifts, morning and afternoon. Five families were brought in the morning and their interview was completed at 2 pm and were sent back at 2.30 pm. Immediately interview of other 5 families who were brought by another bus and waiting was started and completed at 6.30 pm and taken back to Kudunabari camp. When talked to Ms. Sumitra Khadka about her interview, she expressed her satisfaction and with the dealing of the JVT officials. She also is cleared off the rumour that many questions out of proforma would be asked. Nobody was asked the questions out of the proforma as she said. The interview of yesterday also concluded peacefully except one of the Bhutanese team members Mr. Sonam Dorji tore the chart proforma that hung on the wall for interviewees' information when one interviewee was found copying it.
The interview of 19 families covering 112 individuals altogether were completed till date. So far there is no any complication and lack of documents of evidence.
4th Day of Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in
Damak( March
29, 2001)
Like yesterday five families were brought to the JVT office in Damak in
the morning. After completing their interview they were taken back to
the camps and another five families were brought. In total there were 62
individuals comprising 28 Male and 34 Female including one six months
old child,one paralysis patient and one old blind man who faced the
interview. The interview of second group ended at 5:30 PM. A total of
174 individuals have been interviewd till today. Out of 174 individual
89 are males and 85 are females. One child and one female got fever and
were taken to AMDA (Asian Medical Doctors Association) hospital in Damak
after the interview. Some people are not used to travelling in the heat
are getting journey sickness. The distance from Khudunabari to JVT
office, Damak is about 50 KMs.
5th Day of Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak
(March 30, 2001)
Today the JVT could interview only five families in the morning shift. The other five families in the afternoon could not be brought to the JVT office because of the disturbance of strike called by the Transport Association of Nepal at Birtamode and
Maidhar, Jhapa. There were 13 male and 15 females who have faced the interview. The interview was completed at 12:30 PM. The JVT completed the total interview of 35 families, 202 individuals which comprises 102 males and 100 females.
6th Day of Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak
(April 03, 2001)
Though 5 families were brought to verification office at Damak at 10.00
AM and kept waiting till 2.PM the interview could not be done because of
internal meeting within the JVT because of change of Nepali team leader.
The team sat for meeting from 8.30.AM till 2.PM and finally concluded to
start the interview from tommorow if there won't be strike. The earlier
report was sent in my absence and on the confirmation of the duty police
guard of the JVT office. It is very difficulty to get information from
the JVT and have to depend on different sources.
8th Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak (April 08, 2001)
A total of 12 families altogether consisting 86 individuals out of which 42 are male and 44 are female. The youngest to face is 1 year old and oldest is 64 years male. There was no any complication. As routine the 6 families were brought in the morning shift and another in the afternoon. The interview of the first shift was completed at 2 PM and the second group was completed at 6.15 PM. After the start of the verification today there is increase of 2 more families and also the individuals. Uptodate the interview of total of 408 individuals covering 70 families out of 12500 individuals and 1957 families in the Khudunabari camp in 8 days have been completed. And also completed Sector A/1 and started A/2.
9th Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak
(April 09, 2001)
10 families were brought for verification and interviewed in JVT office,
Damak in two shifts as usual. However, two families lesser than
yesterday. One head of the family Mr. Nar Bahadur Gurung of Bara of
Samchi District in Bhutan, 65 years old of sector A/2, Hut No. 02 is a
paralytic patient and was brought in the ambulance. His photograph was
taken in the ambulance itself and was sent back without keeping him
waiting. Priority of interview were given to other sick people. A total
of 51 individuals were interviewed. However the reasons for decrease in
number of family for interview is not known.
10th Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak (April 10, 2001)
Though the JVT targeted to complete 4 more families than yesterday which could complete only 10 families but could not achieve the target. Out of 14 families only the interview of 11 families consisting of 72 individuals has been completed. However the formalities of filling up of proforma of other remaning 3 families consisting 19 individuals have been completed and only the head of the families are called for interview tomorrow. 6 families were brought in the morning and 8 families were brought in the afternoon. If the steady progress everyday contineous than there is no any skepticism and feeling of despondent for the refugees. With this a total of 499 individuals and 84 families have completed the formality of verification. But their status is unknown. It is kept guarded secret.
11th Practical
Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak(April 11,
2001)
As usual, the refugees were brought to the JVT office in
Damak in two shifts. In the morning shift the people were
brought to the JVT office at 8:30 AM. Their verification was
completed at 3:35PM. In the afternoon shift the refugees
were brought to the office at 1:20PM and their interview was
completed at about 5:30 PM. Today the verification interview
of 13 families consisting 94 individuals is completed by the
JVT. Till today the verification of 97 families
covering 593 individuals is completed.
12th Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak
(April 12,2001)
Today 12 number of families were brought for verification and
interviewed in JVT office, Damak in two shifts as usual. In the morning
shift the people were brought at the JVT Office at about 9:30
AM and
their verification was completed at 3:05 PM. The people for afternoon
shift were brought at about 1:15 PM. and verification was completed at
about 6.15 PM.(Nepal Time). A total of 72 individuals were interviewed
today. With this a total numnber of 109 families covering 665
individuals have completed the verification.
17th Practical Verification Exercise in JVT Office in Damak
(April 20,2001)
With 10 refugee families interviewed on 28th April, a total of 180 families covering 1108
individuals completed the formality of verification process so far. It
is the out come of the 18 man day works.
JVT does not have any discretionary power to increase the man power
to speed up the work of verification. Except Bhutan,
there is visible frustration about the agonizingly slow
pace of verification. This is going to be an
unending process towards uncertainty, the refugees
complain. Uncertainty, because, no one is sure what the
fate of the family verified today would be until all the
people in the camps are interviewed.
There is an urgent need for the Joint
Ministerial Level Committee (JMLC) to meet and decide on
these issues. There seems to be a discrepancy on how Bhutan
and Nepal understand the ongoing exercise. Going by the
statement the King of Bhutan that appeared on the April 14th
issue of Kuensel, Bhutan's only news bulletin, Bhutan
believes that the verification work is being carried out as
per the agreement between two governments that took place in
1993 to categorize the people into four groups viz. 1.Bhutanese
who may have been forcibly. 2. Bhutanese who have emigrated. 3.Non-Bhutanese and 4.Bhutanese who have committed criminal
acts. The agreement that received criticism an rejection
from all quarters except Bhutan.
Bhutanese Refugees Verification in JVT Office in Damak (April 24,2001)
Out of the 13 families brought to the JVT Office the verification of 2
families consisting 14 members could not be completed because of the
time constraint. It was already 5.30 PM when 11th families Performa
was completed. One of the interviewees happened to be ex-army lieutenant
who was incarcerated for three years in jail for supporting the southern
Bhutanese cause. Up-to-date a total of 205 families and 1246 individuals
have completed the verification formalities.
Bhutanese Refugees Verification in JVT Office in Damak (April 26,2001)
The Bhutanese refugees verification from Khudunabari camp started on
26th march 2001 exactly 30 days ago in the JVT office in Damak. But the
team could work only for 21 days. In 21 days verification of 233
families covering 1380 individuals have been completed. There are 1957
families and 12500 individuals. According to our calculation the
completion of verification of Khudunabari camp will take minimum of 163
days at the average rate of 12 families per day if the same team has to
continue the work without other reinforcement of manpower. It is now
being felt that the team is well acquainted with the procedures and have
reached the maximum capacity to interview 12 families in average in a
day. Therefore there is no other means to increase the capacity of
number of families to interview by the same team other than reinforce
manpower or the team split into groups. To do this the Joint Ministerial
level committee (JMLC) meeting has to be called according to terms of
reference. We call the attention of all our well wishers to take note of
the situation and urge both the Government to review the strategy to
expedite the exercise.
Update on Verification - 25th June 2001
As of 22nd June 2001 a cumulative of 3,575 individuals of 571 families from Khudunabari camp are verified. Meanwhile, Ms. Hiro Mistu Morry, UNHCR South Asia Desk Officer recently paid a visit to Bhutanese refugee camps at Khudunabari and Goldhap. BRRRC Acting Chairman, Dr. Bhampa Rai, in absence of the Chairman, Mr. S.B. Subba, signed the memorandum and submitted it to Ms. Morry on behalf of the Bhutanese refugees during her visit. Copy of the same is appended hereunder..
As released to the Nepali media, Mr. Chakra Prasad Bastola, Foreign Minister of Nepal is quoted saying that a positive response is received from the Government of Bhutan with regard to another round of ministerial level talk between the two Governments. It is slated towards the middle of July, by then the forth coming Bhutanese National Assembly session would have concluded, (perhaps connoting that something might crop up during the session from Bhutanese side with regard to the ongoing verification exercise at Jhapa). However, the exact date for the meeting is yet to be fixed, which is said to be confirmed through diplomatic channel later on. The likely issues to be discussed during the meeting are - increasing the pace of verification and other pertinent matters.
----
S.B. Subba
Chairman
BRRRC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ref.No. BRRRC/Memo/2001/32 Date: June 23, 2001
To
Her Excellency Hiro Mistu Morry
UNHCR South Asia Desk Officer,
Camp: Jhapa.
Your Excellency,
Subject: Memorandum
I, on behalf of 100,000 plus Bhutanese refugees express our heartfelt gratitude to your esteemed organization's continued humanitarian support and solidarity during our extremely difficult time of our lives in exile. UNHCR's quest for durable solution for the long drawn Bhutanese refugee problem is of no less importance. It was due to this drive that led to the visit of UNHCR's highest dignitary to the Bhutanese refugee camps in the beginning of May 2000. On this account, we still remember the visit, assurance and of concern raised by Madam Sadako Ogata, the then UN High Commissioner for the Refugees. Further, Your Excellency's present visit to our camps has provided us yet another rare opportunity to reiterate our gratefulness to the UNHCR through you and at the same time apprise our concerns.
Your Excellency may be quite aware of the Bhutanese refugee problem - that a decade has passed since more than 1/6 or 100,000 plus Southern and some Eastern Bhutanese refugees have been forcefully evicted from Bhutan. Of which, as of now some 98,000 are housed in seven UNHCR supported camps in Jhapa and Morang districts of eastern Nepal. Another 25-30 thousands are outside camps in Nepal and adjoining areas of India. We are waiting for the day when we can repatriate to our original homesteads in dignity and safety.
At last, after a decade, it was only in tenth round of bilateral talk between the Governments of Nepal and Bhutan on 25 December 2000 at Kathmandu that both the Governments agreed on verification of refugees in the camps. At this juncture, we would very much appreciate the positive gesture of the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB). However, the roles played particularly by UNHCR, His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the international community at large for their unceasing efforts to bring the RGOB on the negotiation term, are noteworthy.
Accordingly, Joint Verification Team (JVT) consisting of five members from each side, headed by a team leader from respective side was formed. JVT started its work on verification since 26 March 2001. As of 22 June 2001, a cumulative of 3575 individuals of 571 families from Khudunabari camp, has been verified.
There is a single team, which has been verifying at the rate of 10-11 families per day. It works 5 days a week and 22 days a month. If this mode and pace continue, let alone repatriation, it would take more than 5 years to complete 15,500 or so families in all the camps.
In view of slow pace of verification, Bhutanese Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee (BRRRC), being the representative organization of the Bhutanese refugees, had been trying its best that the final outcome of the verification exercise and follow up actions would be fair and just for the refugee community. For rendering so, apart from others, BRRRC has been appealing all the concerned to accelerate the pace of verification. In this respect, BRRRC officials had handed over a formal letter to Mr. Chakra Prasad Bastola, Foreign Minister of Nepal, appealing him to look into the ongoing verification and do all the needful so as to increase the pace of the verification exercise. Similarly, copy of the letter is also sent to Lyonpo Jigme Y. Thinley, Foreign Minister of Bhutan and response is yet awaited.
At this juncture, BRRRC would appeal Your Excellency to kindly take up the following concerns into consideration so as to redress the larger interest of the Bhutanese refugee community.
1. The pace of verification should be increased so that the whole exercise could be completed
within shortest time possible;
2. UNHCR should be included in the verification exercise without much delay;
3. Ensure repatriation of Bhutanese refugees to their original homesteads in dignity and security.
Repatriation should take place under the aegis of the UNHCR. Humanitarian assistance should
be continued to the returnees until such time that the returnees could stand on their own. UNHCR
including UNHCHR should also monitor safety, security including humanitarian assistance and
human rights situation in the country;
4. In order to facilitate just solution for the problem, the following should be fulfilled prior to
repatriation:
i. RGOB should ensure the citizenship right, for that matter basic rights and fundamental
freedom to the Bhutanese people;
ii. RGOB should grant general amnesty to all the returnees;
iii. Establish National Human Rights Commission to oversee all human rights related
issues in the country;
iv. RGOB should with immediate effect stop the ongoing resettlement of people from
other parts of the country on the lands left by the refugees in southern Bhutan;
v. People already resettled should be relocated on alternate locations other than the
refugees' land.
We remain
Yours sincerely,
-----
Dr. Bhampa Rai
Acting Chairman
BRRRC on Behalf of all the Bhutanese Refugees.
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