We favor repatriation: Joshi
Many organizations formed by well-wishers of Bhutanese refugees, established with the aims of extending moral support to them, are now-a-days getting dissolved. Some of those organizations simply worked for their own benefits. ‘Friends of Bhutan’ is yet an organization formed by a small circle of Nepalese well-wishers. Standing on the favor of ‘repatriation’ to refugee’s homeland, it has been seen as one of the active circles for extending possible moral support to refugee’s fight for establishing democracy in Bhutan.
T. P. Mishra of Bhutan News Service (BNS) talked with Dhruva Joshi of ‘Friends of Bhutan’ on contemporary issues. Excerpts:
What do you mean by ‘Friends of Bhutan’? What does it do particularly for Bhutanese refugees?
Joshi: When refugees arrived in Jhapa, a small circle of Nepalese friends, with motives of extending possible support, established a circle namely ‘Friends of Bhutan’. We began the formal works of this circle from some two years prior to human rights leader Tek Nath Rizal came to Nepal.
This is simply a pressure group formed to extend moral and other possible support to refugees. For instance, we usually work as a pressure group; we try to create a platform for refugees to raise their own issue. We make frequent press releases among other programs. However, we ourselves are not pro-activists. We have been advocating for the repatriation process of these refugees to their original homeland. We will continue advocating on the same. Our circle is of the opinion that even these refugees should not be locally assimilated by government of Nepal.
Bhutanese refugee issue is getting more complicated now-a-days. How do you evaluate?
Joshi: It should not have happened that way. This is unfortunate as well. But, I think the solution of this issue should be sorted out through different means. Moreover, this issue is getting complicated following vested interest of different countries.
How do you react to the point that the Bhutanese refugee issue has enrolled in hot debates after US offered the option of third country resettlement?
Joshi: We have also heard the same thing. On the other side, the US is claiming that it coined the offer of third country resettlement on the basis of humanitarian ground. It should have been easily taken by people had this been only a humanitarian problem- Bhutanese refugee issue is a political problem so it is not adequate if viewed only from humanitarian perspective. In one hand, the resettlement offer could be a temporary solution to refugees in camps who are spending most vulnerable lives. But, this cannot accommodate all Bhutanese problems and a question of establishing democracy in the country would be a farce. This issue should not be looked in isolation.
Government of Nepal has already approved for the resettlement offer. What is your reaction?
Joshi: This is very difficult for us to say as I am also a Nepalese citizen. The government hasn’t yet informed anything in a formal way. Government of Nepal could have taken consensus from Nepalese people as all were equally were concern on this stalemate. Nepal could have received pressure from different countries to approve for unlocking resettlement offer. However, Nepal is still prioritizing the option of dignified return of the refugees to their homeland.
How have you taken the offer of third country resettlement?
Joshi: There is no doubt that the offer of third country resettlement has divided refugees into several groups. It is not yet made public in which procedures these refugees would be taken to the US. It’s unclear whether or not they would be taken as Bhutanese citizens in those countries which are resettling them.
On the other side, I have very recently heard that Bhutanese refugees who are already resettled in the western countries are charged with the expenses that they do until they get a job. This doesn’t signify that it’s a help to refugees. Actually, third country resettlement should it be done in the condition mentioned as above then it’s something like giving a contract to some company.
Can it be traced out that Nepal’s diplomatic eligibility has failed to sort out possible solution?
Joshi: I do strongly agree that Nepal’s diplomatic eligibility has failed. Nepal should admit that it could not tackle the issue well. This is not the problem of Nepal. It should not have put its hands in resolving the protracted issue. Nepal should have worked in bringing India in resolving the problem as these refugees came to Nepal via Indian soil. How these refugees could come to Nepal when there was no involvement of India in the crisis? Nepal failed in raising the concern of India’s involvement in the issue at the international arena. Nepal should be able to take this issue strongly at the international arena thereby attempting to involve India in the issue.
Due to long term stay inside the unimproved camps youths are already aggravated towards revolt in Bhutan. What do you remark on this?
Joshi: We will never support to any sorts of violent movement. And, we do not believe that violence would pave a way to this solution. The outlet to this problem should be sorted out through peaceful means.
Escalating violence is taking place one after the other inside refugee camps in Jhapa and Morang districts of Nepal. What can be the possible solution that safe lands the crisis at this juncture?
Joshi: People who stayed together in a single department in different jails of Bhutanese regime finally divided into various groups with the US offer of third country resettlement. This is unfortunate. We will also back up the offer of third country resettlement if anyone can convince us that it is the best solution. But, this seems impossible as Bhutanese issue is a political problem.
As far the question is concerned on safe landing of the crisis, I think, firstly the government of Nepal should not take side on any of the options. It should be able to help furnish amicable solution by bringing all groups together to a dialogue. Bhutanese refugees should press concerned organizations that the decision taken by their representative body of Bhutanese refugees namely Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee (BMSC) would be final.
(Reproduced from Nirvashan bimonthly Magazine)