Bhutan bulldozes UNHCR
The latest revelation from UNHCR reads news about resettlement of Bhutanese refugees in seven western countries to have reached almost 49,000. For UNHCR this seems to be a glory, great achievement.
Out of 48,763 resettled so far, 40,971 Bhutanese have chosen United States as their new home followed by Canada which has observed 3,215 Bhutanese so far. Australia has welcomes 2,720, New Zealand 563, Denmark 483, Norway 372, Netherlands 228 and United Kingdom 111.
Bhutan News Service quotes special source at UNHCR saying Denmark, which earlier accepted 500 Bhutanese for resettlement, expressed readiness another 500. My email to Danish embassy in Kathmandu seeking verification of this fact did receive no response. The joint effort of UNHCR and the seven core group countries will leave just 10,000 refugees in Nepal by 2015.
The history says, UNHCR has always failed to advocate in favour of refugees anywhere in the world. This is due to limited authority given to the agency. There hasn’t been any records where in UNHCR was able to send back one or two refugees back to their countries. Rather, in many situations where UNHCR was not present, people returned to their country after regime change like in Afghanistan.
Today, UNHCR appreciates itself and claims to have achieved a lot by decreasing refugee population in Nepal. Probably, it lessened burden for Nepal. UNHCR has been given humanitarian mandate, though this is the biggest politicised forum under UN system, while refugee problem is always of political nature. To be straight, UNHCR has been mandated to find budget and feed the victims of political oppression. One of the UNHCR country representatives in Kathmandu in an informal talk with me some years back had said, UNHCR is incapable of sending single refugees back to Bhutan. That’s true just because of its poor mandate that does not match with the nature of creating refugees.
There are fewer reasons to glorify the achievements of UNHCR with regard to resettlement of Bhutanese refugees. No matter, UNHCR and the resettling countries have given Bhutanese refugees better life than they would have on repatriation. Bhutanese Diaspora is always grateful for this offer. However, resettlement of Bhutanese refugees adds another milestone on the history of ‘FAILURE’ of the UNHCR, indirectly the UN.
I do remember what Parshu Luitel in Melbourne told me upon his return from Geneva conference recently. I am not cent percent sure but he quoted some of the high level UNHCR officials he met during the sideline meeting that they have failed to put enough pressure on Bhutan to take even four most legitimate Bhutanese back to their country. It is open secret.
As an agency of the world forum UN, UNHCR’s failure is part of the failure of the UN. The failure is shared among the member nations including those who are absorbing Bhutanese refugees now. For me, former UNHCR chief Sadako Ogata said this in exhaustion:
‘Resettlement can no longer be seen as the least-preferred durable solution; in many cases it is the only solution for refugees’. (Understanding Resettlement to the UK: A Guide to the Gateway Protection Programme. Refugee Council on behalf of the Resettlement Inter-Agency Partnership. June 2004.)
UNHCR was mute spectator when millions of refugees killed in Rwanda. UNHCR did not send one Tibetan back to his country rather increased their number. Today over 12 million people are displaced from their country and another 21 million from their land. The population is increasing.
The UN and its members lack political commitments. The conventions and covenants they signed under the UN umbrella are made the most foolish instruments by those countries creating refugees. Equality, justice, right to return, right to protection, right to live….. the endless list is just the collection of fools – the self proclaimed intellectuals.
UNHCR, UN and the resettling countries have given pardon for the act of inhumanity by Bhutan. They have given excuse to gross human rights violations and unprecedented atrocities. Bhutan has been given clean chit for its barbarism. UNHCR the resettling countries are mere spectators to the mayhem of Bhutanese tyranny.
Superficial observations says problem of Bhutanese refugees have been resolved. In fact, it has not. Bhutan is preparing to face more stronger, financially able and intellectual community. Bhutan is preparing for the worst. The resettled Bhutanese are not certainly forgetting the tortures, inhumanity, atrocities and brutalities of the regime while living in western countries.
Bhutan has two scenarios to accept. If things are handled, accepted that 1990 eviction was a mistake, things will change to good for Bhutan and will benefit financially through the Diaspora. The Bhutanese Diaspora has a lot of relatives and family members still in Bhutan. If not, Bhutan will surely face the worst situation of turmoil. The second scenario is likely owing to the recent informal warnings from King Jigme Khesar to public. According to some sources inside Bhutan, the king during his tour to districts has already warned the public to repeat the 1990 episode if any traces of smallest support by Bhutanese to those in exile are discovered.
As such, Bhutan must not boast itself for being able to make UNHCR a failed UN agency yet another time. Resettlement has not given a permanent solution of the southern Bhutan issue – the voice for equality, justice and fair treatment.
Indra Bhai,
Very true and very strong.
Yes, UN is only very good in producing paper works. By nature, it is very weak in dealing with any kinds of problems effectively. Resettlement too is not a UN solution. It was the decision of the individual countries. If it was not for their money, they woud’t even be able to absorb a single refugee. Every action, they take legitimises suppression in some parts of the world.
Your Journalistic efforts are really appreciative man ! Go ahead with such findings in future too. Not the god, I bless you…!