Budathoki: Thank You, Feltes, NH for SCR 1

By Suraj Budathoki

Bhutanese residents of New Hampshire would like to thank the United States of America and the Granite State for accepting us, giving us a home, and providing us the hope to live with dignity and freedom. There are no words to fully express our gratitude and appreciation.

June 3, 2015, was a historic day for us.

By passing SCR 1, the NH General Court gave highest honor and recognition to the contribution of the newly resettled Bhutanese communities in New Hampshire and in the whole of the United States. The resolution has requested the government of the United States to work diligently on resolving the Bhutanese refugee crisis, reaching an agreement to allow the option of repatriation, and promoting human rights and democracy in Bhutan.

This historical accomplishment would not have possible without the support and solidarity of NH Senators and Representatives. Therefore, we would like to thank state Sen. Dan Feltes, the primary sponsor, and all other sponsors and testifiers of this resolution. Throughout this process, we also received relentless support from Bhutanese and non-Bhutanese inside and outside Bhutan.

We have come through a long typical journey and today this resolution has added a stronger foundation to the continuation of our long journey to justice, which is to accomplish freedom and justice to our fellow Bhutanese who have been suffering since early 1990. As the human rights situation in Bhutan remain as worrying as in 1990s, and as thousands of Bhutanese refugees still waiting in refugee camps in Nepal for their rightful repatriation to their homeland, and some waiting for resettlement, today’s resolution has given them all a highest hope and aspiration that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

This is only the beginning of our journey. We will not stop, we will never quit, until justice prevails. The story of our plight cannot be hidden or dismissed. We are here. We have a voice. And now, we are no longer alone. The General Court of New Hampshire has proved what is special about America -- that in a democracy everyone has a voice. Thank you all.

Suraj Budathoki, a former refugee from Bhutan, is the founder and Executive Director of International Campaign for Human Rights in Bhutan. As an organization, they campaign to raise an awareness on the human rights in Bhutan and Bhutanese refugee issue in Nepal and seek for peaceful, amicable, and sustainable resolution of these problems.