KATHMANDU, Feb 10: The third-country resettlement program for the Bhutanese refugees in the US that came to an abrupt halt after the executive order of President Donald Trump has yet to resume even after the federal court stayed the order that temporarily banned admission of refugees.
Officials at the Home Ministry said some 4,200 of the total over 10,000 Bhutanese refugees currently living in two refugee camps in eastern Nepal were already in the process to fly to the US to start a new life when the US president issued the executive order. "Officials coordinating the resettlement program have told us to wait for at least 120 days to see if the resettlement program will resume," said Under Secretary Kosh Hari Niraula, who heads Local Administration Section at Ministry of Home Affairs.
On January 27, President Trump signed the executive order that not only banned all people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia from entering the US for 90 days, but also suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days.
Although a federal court judge stayed part of the order the following day, the resumption of Bhutanese refugee resettlement program has remained uncertain till date.
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The prospect of the resumption of resettlment program in the US remains uncertain even after the 120 day executive order of January 27 expires, leaving many refugees disappointed with the unfolding events.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in coordination with the US Embassy in Kathmandu have been resettling the Bhutanese refugees, who expressed their desire to resettle in the US. Of the total 108,474 refugees resettled in various eight countries, the US alone offered to take in 92,290 as of January, 2017.
When inquired about the prospect of the resumption of the refugee resettlement program, spokesperson at the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Ineke Stoneham, said she does not have many details to share as "this is a rapidly changing situation dependent on court decisions."
"The Department of Justice informed us of the Washington state court ruling barring the US government from enforcing certain provisions of Executive Order 13769, including those related to refugee admissions. We are working closely with our legal teams as well as our inter-agency and overseas partners to comply with the order," she said, attributing to the spokesperson of the US State Department.
Of the total 119,214 Bhutanese registered with the UNCHR, 10,740 refugees are currently living in Beldangi and Shanischare refugee camps in eastern Nepal. Officials at the Home Ministry said over 4,200 of them were already in the process to fly to the US as part of the resettlement program came to an abrupt halt.
Various eight countries including the US had offered to resettle the Bhutanese refugees living in various camps in Eastern Nepal after their eviction from Bhutan in 1989. According to the details availed by the Home Ministry, a total of 6,773 refugees were resettled in Canada, 6,204 in Australia, 875 in Denmark, 1,075 in New Zealand, 329 in The Netherlands, 570 in Norway and 358 in the United Kingdom as of January end.
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