Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KATHMANDU1376
2007-07-18 12:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

BHUTANESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT STILL FACING

Tags:  PGOV PREF PREL BT NP 
pdf how-to read a cable
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OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKT #1376/01 1991232
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181232Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6593
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1719
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1786
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 6410
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5965
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0401
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 6266
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0364
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 1507
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4286
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 5560
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0299
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0219
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3686
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2862
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001376 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM AND SCA/INS, DHS FOR CIS, BANGKOK FOR DHS/CIS
DISTRICT DIRECTOR,

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL BT NP
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT STILL FACING
OBSTACLES

REF: A. KATHMANDU 1328

B. KATHMANDU 1320

C. KATHMANDU 1227

Sensitive but Unclassified - Please Handle Accordingly

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001376

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM AND SCA/INS, DHS FOR CIS, BANGKOK FOR DHS/CIS
DISTRICT DIRECTOR,

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL BT NP
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT STILL FACING
OBSTACLES

REF: A. KATHMANDU 1328

B. KATHMANDU 1320

C. KATHMANDU 1227

Sensitive but Unclassified - Please Handle Accordingly


1. (SBU) Summary. Although the Government of Nepal (GON) has
agreed to third-country resettlement as an option for the
Bhutanese refugees, bureaucratic and security obstacles
continue to delay the start of resettlement processing: IOM
still needs to conclude an MOU with the GON; the GON is
resisting location of the U.S. OPE in Damak, near the bulk of
the refugees, instead wanting it located 40 km away in the
district seat; the GON has not yet conveyed information on
its policy allowing third-country resettlement to the
refugees themselves; and, the GON has not taken adequate
steps to establish a secure environment in the camps that
would allow refugees to make decisions regarding resettlement
without threats or intimidation by a relatively small of
refugees who reject it as an option. The Prime Minister's
office still has not agreed to a meeting with members of the
Core Group to discuss camp security and dissemination of
information regarding resettlement. The UNHCR Representative
in Kathmandu has sent a letter to the GON warning that the
consequences of delaying the start of resettlement processing
could be that the resettlement and donor countries reconsider
their resettlement offers and food and humanitarian
assistance. UNHCR is cautiously optimistic that the GON is
fully committed now to its policy of permitting resettlement,
and that is now more a question of organizing scare
resources. In the meantime, Embassy and IOM have continued
with preparations to open the OPE, but little more can be
done before the obstacles are removed. As the November 22
Constituent Assembly polls draw nearer, restoring security in
the camps will only get harder.
End Summary.

Obstacles Remain To Bhutanese Refugee Processing
-------------- ---

2. (SBU) Preparation for U.S. resettlement processing for the
108,000 Bhutanese refugees in seven camps in southeastern
Nepal continues, albeit with a few wrinkles still to be
ironed out before processing can commence:


--IOM Still Needs MOU with GON: The International
Organization for Migration (IOM),the organization selected
by the Department to operate the Overseas Processing Entity
(OPE) for Bhutanese refugee processing, has not yet signed an
MOU with the Government of Nepal (GON) required by the GON
for this purpose. According to recently arrived IOM project
manager David Derthick, there is a dispute between the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which normally would be IOM,s
GON &sponsor,8 and the Ministry of Labor, which has
attempted to usurp this role. In fact, only the MFA would be
able to provide the sort of support that will be needed by
IOM as it ramps up resettlement operations. Until the MOU is
signed, however, IOM is unable to lease property, engage
local staff, or import equipment needed to establish the OPE.
According to Derthick, IOM is hopeful that the GON will
resolve this dispute between the two ministries in the coming
week. Embassy will weigh in on the issue with GON this week,
urging that MFA be designated to sign the MOU on behalf of
the GON.

--GON Resists Locating OPE in Damak: The U.S. has planned
all along to base the OPE in Damak, the town located nearest
the bulk of the refugees, where UNHCR and other organizations
in refugee relief are based. The Chief District Officer

KATHMANDU 00001376 002 OF 003


(CDO) of Jhapa District, however, has informed IOM that he
could not provide adequate security to an OPE in Damak and
that he prefers that it be based in Bhadrapur or
Chandragadhi, the district seat, about 45 km east of Damak.
Embassy and IOM still prefer, for logistical purposes, that
the OPE be located in Damak. Ambassador Moriary stated this
intention strongly during his farewell calls on the Foreign
and Home Ministers. IOM in its own discussions with the GON
is holding to this position, and Embassy will weigh in again
as necessary.

--GON Still Hasn,t Announced New Policy: Despite
acknowledgment by the Prime Minister, MFA, and Ministry of
Home Affairs that the GON now supports third-country
resettlement as an appropriate durable solution option for
the Bhutanese refugees, it still has not publicized this
policy in the camps. Nor has it permitted UNHCR to
disseminate information regarding the third-country
resettlement option. The lack of information in the camps
and the resultant confusion among the refugees regarding
options available to them continues to strengthen the hand of
those refugee factions opposed to resettlement as an option.

--Camps Still Lack Security: The GON still has not
established the level of security in the camps that will
allow refugees to make well-informed decisions regarding
resettlement in an environment free of violent intimidation
by factions opposed to resettlement. Until adequate security
is restored to the camps, UNHCR will not be able to
disseminate resettlement information or elicit from refugees
their consent to be referred to the U.S. or other
resettlement countries, or carry out other activities related
to resettlement. Ambassador Moriarty again stressed to the
Foreign and Home Ministers during his farewell calls (refs A
and B) that it was essential that the GON establish security
in the camps for resettlement to proceed.

Core Group Still Seeking Meeting with PM
--------------

3. (SBU) Ref (C) noted steps that might be taken by the
Kathmandu-based Core Group to urge the GON to establish
conditions in the camps conducive to resettlement processing.
Australian Ambassador and Core Group Chair Graeme Lade
subsequently requested a meeting for the Core Group with the
Prime Minister to explain why the lack of security in the
camps was obstructing resettlement processing and to urge the
GON to action. The Prime Minister,s office, however, has
not yet scheduled a meeting, likely because of the PM,s poor
health.

UNHCR Waves a Stick
--------------

4. (SBU) UNHCR Representative Abraham Abraham wrote to
Foreign and Home Ministries July 11, emphasizing the urgent
need for the government to convey to the camp populations its
new policy on resettlement and to restore security in the
camps. He warned that further delays in doing this could
&lead to more violent clashes and unnecessary loss of
lives.8 In his letter, Abraham went on to suggest more
serious ramifications of a failure by the GON to ending
violence in the camps. These included:

--that violence and militancy in the camps could lead to the
withdrawal of resettlement offers by some third countries; and

--that countries that have been providing basic food and
humanitarian assistance to Bhutanese refugees for the past 16
years &may risk suffering from further donor fatigue.8

KATHMANDU 00001376 003 OF 003



The message was clear: that if the GON does not move quickly
to facilitate the resettlement process, it could conceivably
lose the support of the international community in resolving
the situation or even in maintaining the status quo.


5. (SBU) UNHCR has not yet received a formal response to
Abraham,s letter. However, UNHCR advises that during a July
18 meeting with officals from the MFA and Ministry of Home
Affairs and the Jhapa District CDO, the officials commented
that they did not have to be pushed on the resettlement
issue, as offering the resettlement option for Bhutanese
refugees is GON policy. It is essential, however, to restore
security in the camps before the new policy is announed
formally announced to the refugees. Otherwise, a premature
announcement could provoke serious unrest. The Ministry of
Home Affairs is committed to increasing the number of police
in the camps from the current six officers to 25 (20 armed
and 5 unarmed),but this will take time, according to
Ministry officials. UNHCR is cautiously optimistic that
security will be sufficiently enhanced relatively soon to
allow durable solutions staff to begin their information
campaign.

OPE Preparations Continue
--------------

6. (un) Despite the obstacles still delaying resettlement
processing, Embassy and IOM have proceeded with planning for
the OPE. IOM has tentatively identified a building compound
in Damak, located very near the UNHCR sub-office, in which to
locate the OPE. The compound, formally an elementary
boarding school called &Little Angels,8 contains a large
residential-style house, a two-story classroom building, and
two smaller structures. While neither the size nor
configuration of the compound is ideal, the Little Angels
compound is the most suitable space found in Damak. IOM has
also identified two clinics in which space can be leased by
IOM for medical exams, and is surveying the local market for
suitable lodging for international staff. During the week of
July 23-27, IOM IT staff from Kathmandu will conduct a survey
of the Little Angels compound. July 24-25, a DHS/CIS
delegation including Bangkok District Director Robert Looney
and Ross Anderson from DHS/CIS Refugee Corps HQ will visit
Kathmandu and Damak for briefings by Embassy, IOM, and UNHCR
on the Bhutanese situation and planning for the OPE.

Comment
--------------

7. (SBU) Several GON officials have commented that it is
difficult for them to focus attention and resources on the
Bhutanese refugee situation during the run-up to the
Constituent Assembly polls scheduled for November 22. In
fact, as UNHCR and the Core Group members clamor for better
security inside the camps, the Nepal Police are scarcely
effective in providing security to the populace outside the
camps. Pressure on the public security infrastructure in the
camps (and, indeed, throughout Nepal) will only mount as the
election draws near. If the elections for some reason are
not held, the security situation could prove even more
problematic. At the same time, continued failure by the GON
to restore security to the camps will tend to further
heighten confusion among the refugees and reinforce the
confidence and tenacity of the anti-resettlement factions.
In short, it is becoming increasingly critical that the
impasse over access to the camps be resolved quickly.


HUGINS