Bhutanese refugees share their stories
From left: Nanda Dangal, Keshar Khatiwada and Durga Dhungana, refugees from Bhutan, spoke to a crowded classroom of mostly Amnesty International members Monday at East Lansing High School, 509 Burcham Drive The three men, all Lansing residents, spoke of their experience spending 18 years in Nepalese refugee camps.
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In 2006, Business Week rated the country of Bhutan in southern Asia as the happiest country on the continent.
But for Keshar Khatiwada it was anything but, as he and other endured torture and numerous hardships.
Khatiwada and two other Bhutanese refugees — Durga Dhungana and Nanda Dangal — spoke at an Amnesty International Club meeting Monday night at East Lansing High School. The men talked about their life in Bhutan and their journey to the Lansing area.
They are three of about 400 Bhutanese refugees that live in the East Lansing and Lansing area. The federal government places them in new communities and St. Vincent Catholic Charities — one of many resettlement organizations within the United States — assists families and single adults who are placed in mid-Michigan.
“When the refugees come through we are under federal grant,” said Julie Reynolds Picot, the community relations and marketing director for St. Vincent. “We come in and we greet them at the Lansing airport.”
The group helps the refugees with affordable housing, food and basic household needs for up to two years.
Khatiwada arrived in Michigan 10 months ago.
About 20 high school students and several adults listened as Khatiwada, Dhungana and Dangal told their stories about life in Bhutan and the hardships they faced. In one of many examples, Khatiwada said he was once forced to grow his fingernails out to a length where he could no longer eat with his hands, but had to use his mouth to pick up the food.
“We were given no good job(s) because we (did) not speak the language,” he said, “(Our) frustration went higher and higher. Every day it increased.”
Khatiwada and part of his family left the country when he was 15 years old, traveling first to India and then to Nepal. Once in Nepal, they were placed in a refugee camp. Unfortunately, the situation there was no better.
“It was … horrible,” Khatiwada said.
The camp was overcrowded and the refugees were forced to work in the camp for 40 cents per month, a rate that never changed the 18 years Khatiwada spent in the camp.
Help came in the form of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, who visited the camp and gave multiple refugees, including Khatiwada, the option of several countries they could choose for their new homes.
“I found (the United States) was the best country compared to any of them,” he said. “I want to upgrade my education and to become a strong citizen.”
Last year, 270 Bhutanese were relocated to the East Lansing area, and St. Vincent Catholic Charities reached out to local churches for help.
Mark Cody is a member of Trinity Church in Lansing. He has been helping the refugees out by offering transportation and getting to know refugees who come to his church. He said there have been some barriers for the Bhutanese to overcome but they have acclimated well.
“(The Bhutanese) have a very tight-knit community and we’ve really enjoyed getting to know them as members of the Lansing community,” Cody said.
Commentary
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Jim
(01/12/10 10:22pm)Report
Hmm.. funny, anyone who has been to Bhutan can clearly tell that these people don’t look Bhutanese at all. Bhutanese poeple look like Chinese and Thai people. The people pictured above look like Pakistani muslims
Bernard Wicher
(01/12/10 10:59pm)Report
Mr. Jim
Try to learn the history of this country and then you will find how many people of Nepali ethnicity used to live there. You just managed to visit there but didnt look at its history. Never try to judge the book looking at its content.
dorji
(01/13/10 12:20am)Report
These people are illegal immigrants from Nepal who tried to settle in Bhutan and were never a Bhutanese citizen and never will be even if they want to.
Wangdi
(01/13/10 1:18am)Report
by Mr. Casella (who worked with the UNHCR for refugees from 75-96) will provide you with a clearer picture of what actually happened. There are no “Bhutanese” refugees as these individuals were never citizens of Bhutan to begin with.
blech
(01/13/10 10:54am)Report
Wow, great job showing compassion for people who’ve gone through incredible hardship.
I suppose the ultra-anti-immigration yokels aren’t limited to the US, are they?
Gopal
(01/13/10 3:22pm)Report
Hey,i am in response to Dorji comment above would like to ask one question to him.
My great grandfather was born in Bhutan, grandfather was born in Bhutan,my father was born in Bhutan and me too born in Bhutan,then can u tell me i was an illgal immigrant from Nepal to Bhutan.In my concern,u r the one illegal immigrant from Tibet or China so u r accusing for native citizen of the country.Hey man think twice than u speak or write and give me the answer of my question soon.
Jim
(01/13/10 5:22pm)Report
Bernard Wicher,
I know all about the history of Bhutan. In fact I have been to quite a few historic places in Bhutan. I also have been to Nepal and seen how people who look like the individuals pictured, have managed to bring their country down to it’s knees.
traveler
(01/14/10 11:25am)Report
I am glad to read piece about this subject that is not slanted one way or the other. As a person who visited the camps in 2000 and frequently travels to Bhutan, Nepal, and Sikkim I can emphatically state that the population pressures in the region are immense. I am also glad to read that Nanda, Keshar and Durga are finding a better life in the US. The UN and all countries involved inclusive of Nepal and Bhutan should be applauded for finding a middle ground solution that will allow individuals caught in the middle to flourish. Regarding the camps, yes they are bad and are surpassed only by the corruption of the so called ‘camp leaders’ who were in my experience were primarily interested in self gain and/or any kind of political disruption. Regarding the overall issue, this is a difficult problem with valid points on both sides. Yes there are people from Bhutan in the camps but from my eyes were dwarfed by many others who gravitated to this region over the years. Yelling, screaming, hurling insults or violence towards one another will not solve the issue. Only contiinued dialogue by learned people with an interest in finding a solution that will be acceptible to all parties is the true solution.
$.02 deposited
Sangay
(01/15/10 12:58pm)Report
These people have gone through incredible hardship only in the sense that anyone who lives in Nepal goes through incredible hardship on a daily basis. Good for them, finding a way to escape and move to America by blackmailing the international community and lying about Bhutan. Why not, if I were a poor desperate Nepali farmer I would probably have done the same.
Just don’t pretend that what hardship these people have experienced is the fault of the government of Bhutan.
Bhutan (a country of less than a million people) protected its people and its country against an organised attempt to swamp it and overthrow its government by illegal immigrants. They had every right to do so and they were right to do so. And just because some people suffered “hardships” in being denied the right to illegally immigrate to a country and try to take it over by force, does not mean those “hardships” were the fault of the country they attacked.
Som
(01/16/10 8:58pm)Report
In response to Sanjay,Jim and Dorji.You guys may have your own points of view but reality is tens of thousands have suffered from Bhutanese government atrocities especially in 1988-1993 and many Bhutanese were uprooted.Even today no independent news paper are allowed to visit southern Bhutan being scared of exposing the facts.People are force to believe government mouth piece(such as ‘Kuensel’) as even one independent new paper now struggling for its existence inside Bhutan.Sanjay and Jim I wish you guys would think before commenting this issues because you are really judging the book at its content.Dorji!I feel shame on you,being a Bhutanese you haven’t have fair knowledge of issues in southern Bhutan.
dorji
(01/22/10 12:08am)Report
Poor Som, I understand your sympathy to be one of the Bhutanese citizenship wannabees. But sadly the Bhutanese Government was not dumb enough to accept illegal immigrants like yourself and many more. Get updated yourself and know that there are now 6 independent newspapers. Guess that shows your genuine patriotism.
Gopal, your grand grand father was a nepali, grandpa and grand ma also nepali. father, mother also nepali. u also nepali. how come u were born in bhutan. hahaha. stupid nepali. And yes, find some smarter ways to fool us alright
som
(01/23/10 11:39am)Report
Here come the truth of yours dealing to the people who born and live in Bhutan calling them Nepali.You really are the part of ethnic cleansing propaganda founded by Bhutan and India.You are also Tibetan decedent“voote” so why shouldn’t I call you “voote” and truth is that neither “Drupa” nor “Lotshampa” are originally from Bhutan,they are all immigrants from outside.
Yours 6 so called independent newspaper are either co-owner by government or owned by its employees and don’t try to fool the world they already know your shadow.If your government is fair enough than why shouldn’t the international newspaper( Eg.BBC) aren’t allowed in southern Bhutan.Don’t panic and use our nonsense words to comment other; you don’t have fair knowledge for this crises so I would suggest you to do research before commenting.I think this link would help your blatant mind to elaborate, www.bhutaneserefugees.com.