He also said that Nepali people would always be ready to support such activities.

The Bhutanese delegation with UML Chairman Khanal

“UML has always been supporting democratic struggle in Bhutan and would remain so in the upcoming days,” Khanal told a delegation of Druk Nation Congress (DNC) at his residence this afternoon.

The grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction for the Upgrading Schools and Integrated Disaster Education Project will be used to reconstruct four primary schools which were severely damaged in a devastating earthquake that struck the country in September 2009. Funds will also be used to train district engineers in earthquake-resilient building design and construction quality management, and to teach disaster risk management skills to community members.

“By introducing a seismic resistant structural design into the Ministry of Education’s standard school design, the project will enable the Government to easily replicate it when building other schools,” said Makiko Watanabe, Rural Development Specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department

Bhutan lies in one of the most seismically active zones in the world and the 2009 earthquake was the most damaging natural disaster the country has experienced in recent times, with 12 people killed and thousands left without proper shelter. Among the worst hit areas were the districts of Mongar and Trashigang, two of the most remote and impoverished areas in the country. The Government of Bhutan and development partners provided swift assistance in the immediate aftermath of the calamity but without longer term support, including the rebuilding of damaged schools and other public facilities, there are concerns that already poor communities will be plunged even deeper into poverty.

The project is taking a ‘build back better’ approach which will see the four target schools restored using earthquake-resilient materials and design. Where possible, local materials will be sourced while private contractors doing the construction work will be encouraged to hire members of the affected communities, including women. Participating community members will also be taught earthquake resilient construction techniques that could potentially be applied to communal buildings or their own homes. Disaster risk management skills will be taught to district government officials and teachers and school administrators, who will in turn provide community training aimed at increasing awareness and ensuring effective responses to calamities.

“By providing disaster risk management training, communities will be prepared to proactively cope with future disasters,” Ms. Watanabe said.

The project is expected to benefit about 880 students and teachers at the affected schools and around 9,000 residents of neighboring communities.

Along with the ADB-administered grant, the Government of Bhutan will make an in-kind contribution of almost $824,000 with target communities providing $14,400 in-kind, for an overall investment cost of almost $3.84 million. The Ministry of Education is the executing agency for the project which is expected to be completed by August 2013.

]]> http://www.bhutannewsservice.com/main-news/adb-japan-extend-3-m-to-support-earthquake-resilient-schools/feed/ 0 http://www.bhutannewsservice.com/feature/bhutan-refugee-ram-rai-says-thanks-u-s-a/ http://www.bhutannewsservice.com/feature/bhutan-refugee-ram-rai-says-thanks-u-s-a/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:43:34 +0000 Editor http://www.bhutannewsservice.com/?p=4374

Ram/John Suchocki

After living for more than 20 years in a refugee camp in Nepal, Ram Rai is very happy to be settled here.

“We had nothing there. I want to thank America for giving us a chance to start a new life,” the 30-year-old man said during a recent interview at Lutheran Social Services of New England, where he is a caseworker. “We are struggling, but hopefully we can pass through this phase and make a contribution to America.”

Rai, whose family moved from Nepal to Bhutan four generations ago, was among the ethnic Nepali driven from Bhutan about 20 years ago. The government was bent on having a “one people, one nation policy,” he says.

Rai and his family were among about 120,000 ethnic Nepali living in seven refugee camps in Nepal. Rai was truly a man without a country as Nepal would not grant citizenship to the ethnic Nepali driven out of Bhutan.

Bhutan is a small, landlocked country wedged between India and China. It has a population of little more than a half million people.

The camp in which Rai lived had about 10,000 people living in huts. At first, the inhabitants used the jungle as bathrooms, but after people became ill and died, latrines screened by bamboo were provided. There was one water tap for 115 to 125 families. The wait in line for water could take as long as three hours. Sometimes the lines were too long to get any water at all, Rai said.

Despite the hardships he has endured, Rai, a slightly built, soft-spoken man with glasses, is quick to flash a wide smile.

He was educated at a school in the camp and went on to get a degree in English and sociology from Mahendra Morang College in Birathnagar, Nepal. Rai went on to teach English in Katmandu, all the while having to go back and spend weekends in the camp.

Since moving to West Springfield about a year-and-a-half ago, he has learned about such conveniences many Americans take for granted, like driving a car and using credit and ATM cards. “At first I was confused about how to use the cards,” Rai said.

His work at Lutheran Social Services of New England lets him help other refugees get resettled in the area.

“For me, it is OK, but I worry about my people who have no English at all,” he said. “Some refugees don’t even know how to write their name.”

Lutheran Social Services, a nonprofit group loosely affiliated with the Lutheran Church, works with about 300 refugees a year to get them settled in this country. It helps with everything from learning English to filling out employment applications. It is now working mainly with refugees from Bhutan, Iraq, Nepal, Somalia and Burma, the country now known as Myanmar.

Despite all the challenges of adopting a new country, Rai said the refugees have been wise to come to the United States.

“They made the right decision to come here,” he said.

(The writer can be reached at sconstantine@repub.com.)
Courtesy : Masslive, USA

According to its newly elected President, Bal Ghimire, the first AGM elected the new executive board of five members.

Lucky Rai and Dilli Neupane were elected as the society’s Vice Chair and General Secretary respectively. Likewise, Suryaman Ria seized the opportunity to serve the Bhutanese community as the Spokesperson while Pampha Gautam became its Treasurer.

According to Ghimire, an independent election body comprising of Tek Bir Rai, Indra Dulal and Goma Dangal conducted the election.BNS

Koirala requested a joint team of camp secretaries and the struggle committee that has been demanding registration and refugee status of all pending cases.

Agitating Bhutanese asylum seekers in Bel-I/Arjun Pradhan

The delegation that reached Chandragadi, Jhapa this morning also submitted a 10-point demand paper to the CDO. Their demands included registration of non-registered Bhutanese, settling all pending cases for refugee status, issuance of photo identity cards to those whose registration was over, and facilitate local women married to Bhutanese for an aid basket, among others. With a 15 day ultimatum, the struggling committee and camp secretaries decided to withdraw their all protest programs.

CDO Koirala assured to resume the installed verification process. “I have notified the government regarding your concerns,” he told the delegation, “We are trying to verify the pending cases immediately.”

Meanwhile, the Country Representative of the United Nations High commissioner for Refugees, made it clear that UNHCR has formally asked the government of Nepal to resume the office of Joint Verification Team (JVT) as early as possible.

The Bhutanese delegation with CDO Jhapa, Yadav Prasad Koirala/Arjun Pradhan

He said so in an exclusive interview with Saranarthi Sarokar, weekly radio magazine from Nepal FM, Kathmandu yesterday.

“It is not good to keep these people unregistered,” Stephane Jaquemet said, “We are equally concerned regarding their demands.”

He told that the UNHCR had sent a formal proposal to the government. “We were responded to make some amendments in our proposal, which we did,” he explained.

He also said that it was not good to keep unregistered people for another month.” The process must start in few weeks,” he added.

According to UNHCR, it is ridiculous to assume the non-registered cases as high as 40,000. The highest figure in our record is 3,000, Jaquemet elaborated.

“Until we register Nepali, we can never achieve such a large figure.”

Bhutan News Service and Radio Bhutan Online will publish an interview Jaquemet the coming week. BNS: Inputs from Jhapa by Arjun Pradhan in Chandragadi.Please comment us at editor [at] bhutannewsservice.com

The first annual report produced by the commission since its inception in 2006 reveals that the highest complaints received this year are against the local government.

“With greater decentralisation in the 10th plan, the risk correspondingly will be greater if timely administrative interventions, like monitoring, are not made,” says the report.

About 34 percent of the complaints are from Thimphu followed by Chukha (11.5 percent). Paro and Wangdue both have 5.7 percent and Trashigang at 5.3 percent complaints registered with ACC.

The commission received 418 complaints between October 2008 and September 2009, of which 77 qualified for investigation.

The procurement of medical equipment in the health ministry was one of the big cases ACC has been handling during this period. Basic skill education program under the Ministry of Labor and Human Resources (MoLHR), Singye sand and stone quarry case, Samtse mines case, Phobjika case of Wangdue are some of the prominent corruption cases being tackled by the commission.

Balaram Poudel, chairperson of a political coalition of three parties National Front for Democracy in Bhutan (NFD) has shown serious concern about fragile security system in camps. NFD’s concern follows the brutal murder of one KB Khadka recently.

General Secretary of People’s Forum for Human Rights in Bhutan DP Kafle has stated that there have been rise in the unruly activities inside refugee camps. Kafle has further appealed the authorities concerned for the management of security to refugees in camps.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Organisation of Bhutan (HUROB) has shown serious concern over the brutal killing of social activist Khadka on September 8 near Beldangi refugee camp in Jhapa Nepal.

“The ghastly murder of Khadka has shocked everyone in the Bhutanese community. The motive behind the cowardly murder is not known as he had good rapport with everyone in the camps and also with the people outside,” reads the press statement.

HUROB has also said that Khadka was one of the responsible persons to play crucial role as Camp Secretary in early 90s to establish the camp and rehabilitate the refugees.

Terming Khadka as a strong justice, the human rights body also said that the death of Khadka is a great loss to entire Bhutanese community.

HUROB has concluded that the incident has instilled fear in the mind of the refugees and insecurity of life.

“Every refugee comprehends that the murder is a well planned action by some ruthless murderer. The whole refugee community is mentally disturbed and anguished. The Nepal government should take note of the increasing trend of murder in the camps and accordingly strengthen the security measures for other refugees,” added the statement.

Condemning the murder, HUROB has urged the Nepal Government and UNHCR to take appropriate steps to find the culprits and bring before the law.

HUROB has also extended its heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family and relatives of late Khadka.

Executive Chief of the Bhutanese Refugee Durable Solution Coordination Council Hari Bangaley, who is now in New York in USA, commenting on the incident upon the request of BNS demanded that the murderers should be fallen in police net.

“The nature of the incident is very sad and condemning,” said Bangaley over telephone, adding that the culprit should be given strong punishment.

Bangaley, a close friend of late Khadka during the activities and various technical programs launched by the Bhutanese Refugee Technical Education Centre (1998-2003) for refugees in camps, said that killing human being is entirely against norms of human rights.

“I have been hinting on the fragile security system in camps for the last few years and not to an exception now the situation in camps is as it was before,” added Bangaley.

According to Bangaley, the UNHCR has to come up with additional programs for the protection to refugees in camps, in his own words, he has raised this issue for quite sometimes. “The government of Nepal should come forth with strong measures to stop unruly activities prevailing inside camps,” said Bangaley, who termed late Khadka as one of the good leaders for social justice within Bhutanese refugee community.

He also stated that it is the right of refugees to exercise their right to live in fearless atmosphere in the host country.

“Anyone who are in such wrong steps should be given good lessons by the authority that they are not comfortable in doing so anymore and for others it should be a guideline to get to respect human being and their right to live as the first and the most important among all”, added Bangaley.

Demanding security for Khadka’s relatives in camps, Bangaley also extended his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.

An estimated 214 participants from 30 countries are attending the seventh international congress on traditional Asian medicine (ICTAM VII).

According to the organizer of the conference, experts, academicians, private entrepreneurs and practitioners, including 30 Bhutanese, are expected to present their work and discuss Asian and biomedical practices and sciences during the four-day conference.

The conference with the theme “Asian medicines: Cultivating traditions and the challenges of globalization” will also deliberate on anthropology and material culture and law to globalization, feminist and modernization studies concerning traditional Asian medicines.

The first international conference was held in Canberra, Australia in 1979.

His Majesty King Jigme Khesar issued a royal kasho (decree) on August 28, commanding both houses to convene an “extraordinary sitting of Parliament” after the parliament could not pass two urgent bills, local government and civil service, during the third session in July.

Forty-four parliamentarians voted to pass the bill, while 23 voted against its passing. The LG Bill could not pass after the joint session failed to secure two-thirds majority by a single vote.

Instead of every Dzongkhag having an elected municipality, the committee has proposed that Dzongkhags with a significantly sized town have a class ‘A’ thromde.

The parliament had “unconstitutionally” appealed to the King to convene a special session to pass the two urgent bills, according to Constitution experts.

“We were invited to give a small presentation by Catholic Charities and we shared our stories and experiences”, said Khagendra.

Ganga said that though she got only five minutes to speak, it was really an inspiring moment where even the Chief of the UNHCR, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Gutterres was present.

There were representatives from State government, UNHCR’s good-will ambassador Angelina Jolie and Rose Mapendo, the recipient of humanitarian year award in the occasion. Mapenda is a refugee woman from Congo.

An American website wrote that they spoke movingly of their desperation in the camps and their gratitude to America for giving them a home.

“But that was not the end of their struggle, they said, as they described how they had to look for jobs, a home, and medical coverage,” carried the news portal. 

The UNHCR’s ambassador said, “Refugees are the most vulnerable people on Earth. Every day, they are fighting to survive. They deserve our respect.”

The connection and referral were made by Catholic Charities while the UNHCR sponsored their to and fro transportation and other itineraries.

Khagendra and Ganga, who were resettled in America under third country resettlement program in 2008, have been assisting the Bhutanese and other nationals for building news life in Arizona.

By Kazi Gautam, New York