Resettlement to begin by January, Denmark, Australia extend hands

Beldangi/Kathmandu, April 25: The resettlement of exiled Bhutanese in the United States would begin by early next year.

The two US officials, Deputy director at the US foreign ministry Lawrence Wartlet and registration assistant Janice S. Belz, visiting the camps in Jhapa and Morang districts in Nepal said on Wednesday that the resettlement process would begin from January 2008.

Addressing a function organized in Beldangi II camp, Belz said offices to being the resettlement process would be set up in Damak and Kathmandu within the next three months. Earlier, the US government said such office will start functioning from July this year.

The US officials also visited Goldhap camp to inform the exiled Bhutanese about the resettlement process.

According to her, the exiled Bhutanese will be given training in language and vocational skills once the offices are established.

The officials also informed that the process will end by 2011.

"Those willing to resettle in the US will be taken there in phases," Belz said where they will be provided with jobs as per their qualifications and skills.

Those, who resettle in the US, will be able to apply for permanent residency after three years and will also be allowed to go to other countries if they so desire.

Bartlett said that the number of exiled Bhutanese willing for third country resettlement is higher than expected. The officials however disagreed that US would resettle exactly 60,000. The official said the number would be smaller or bigger as well. 

The official also informed that after five years of resettlement in the US, the exiled Bhutanese can either receive US citizenship and live a life like Americans or return to their own country if amicable environment is created then. 

However, many exiled Bhutanese on the occasion urged the US officials to help them get back to their country.

In the mean time, the Nepalese Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan said Nepal government would work for resettlement and repatriation of the exiled Bhutanese simultaneously.

Talking to media person in Kathmandu on Wednesday, she said that the government has already permitted for third country settlement of the exiled Bhutanese. "We shall work for repatriation of those who could not resettle in the US and other countries," she said.

Pradhan said Denmark and Australia have expressed willingness to resettle some exiled Bhutanese. Denmark has stated is willingness to take around 200 but the Australian government has not mentioned the number it was willing to resettle. Bhutan News Service