Bhutanese Refugees in New Zealand
March 2008, Auckland.
New Zealand has taken forty Bhutanese refugees from Nepal who arrived to
Auckland in March 2008. At the moment, they are under six weeks orientation
program for primary, tertiary and adult learning education including New Zealand
culture and society at RMS Refugee Resettlement, Mangere East, Auckland. RMS is
helping them for resettlement and coping with the barriers. Out of 10 families
(40 individuals), four and six families are going to settle in Christchurch and
Palmerston North respectively in late April. All refugees are under 50 years
old except Krishna Maya Ghimirey who is 77 years old. There are eight children
under the age of ten.
Majority of the refugees expressed that they felt lonely and desperate
immediately after arrival. They are now well accommodated. Lal Man Rai, 36, said
that he was desperate to meet Nepalis living in New Zealand. Bedamani Koirala,
50, is “happy to be in the land of opportunity”. Indira Bhandari, 30, wants to
practice Adhyatmic work as she has Acharya qualification.
There are also Burmese refugees of Nepali origin.
NZNS member Reenu Koirala is the Cross Cultural Worker at RMS. Number of NZNS
members visited to meet newly arrived Bhutanese refugees.
