Bhutanese Refugees in Omaha

Katie Davis

Intro to the Conflict

• Bhutan • Ethnic groups:– Lhotshampa–Ngalong

• “Bhutanization”–One nation, One

People• 100,000 displaced

http://www.photovoice.org/bhutan/index.php?id=1

TimelineLate 19th – early 20th century: Organized settlement of south Bhutan for cultivation. Many ethnic Nepalese arrived as agricultural laborers. 1958- Bhutan passed its first citizenship act1960s-1970s- Southern Bhutan continues to grow in economic prominence 1980s- “One nation, one People” policies promote northern Bhutanese culture 1985- A new citizenship act passed- repressive actions1991-1992 refugees flow into Nepal 1990s-2006-all bilateral negotiations between Nepal and Bhutan fail.2006- the U.S., Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway offer to resettle refugees. 2008- third country resettlement begins. (57,000 refugees resettled in U.S. 2013)2012- consolidation of the camps today: In Nepal, more than 69,000 of an original total of 108,000 refugees from Bhutan have been resettled.

(http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e487646.html)

Bhutanese in Omaha• 2008• 2,000• Midtown/Benson• Lutheran Family Services• Omaha Together One Community (OTOC) • Yates Community Center (32nd davenport)

KVNOnews.com

Teaching Context• Culturally:

– Strong family ties/Patriarchal– Taught to respect authority– Education is very important

• Traumatic stressors:– Pre-arrival stressors:

• Lack of nationality or citizenship• Having to flee their homes suddenly• Lack of freedom of movement

– Post-arrival stressors:• Worries about family back home• Language barriers• Lack of choice• Increased family conflict• Poverty/employment issues• Acculteration issues

(Cochran et al, 2013)(Benson et al, 2011)

Strategies:1. Family involvement2. SIOP language supports3. Help from counselor/social worker

(Haynes, 2013)

CRT Strategies• Focus on helping learn school rules and procedures-

explicitly explain to them and demonstrate!• Usually will not volunteer in giving answers/sharing

feelings/or debate. Give them time to adjust. • Don’t single them out in front of the class. Conference with

them one on one. • Often look for direct instruction because that is the way

most families communicate with their children. Don’t be passive with instructions.

(Chiang, 2000)

Culture:Banki, Susan (2008) “Chapter 2 Resettlement of the Bhutanese from Nepal: The Durable Solution

Discourse.” Protracted Displacement in Asia: No Place to Call Home. Ashgate Publishing. Benson et al (2011) “Religious coping and acculturation stress among Hindu Bhutanese.” International

Social Work. 55(4) 538-553. Carter, Leslie and Bhim Gurung (2011) Now We Will. Omaha Public Schools English as a Second

Language Migrant and Refugee Education. Cochran et al (2013) “Suicide and Suicidal Ideation Among Bhutanese Refugees- United States, 2009-

2012.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. July 5 2013. Vol. 62, No. 26. Quigley, John (2004) “Bhutanese refugees in Nepal: What role nor for the European Union and the

United Nations High Commission for Refugees?” Contemporary South Asia. 13(2) 187-200.

http://www.photovoice.org/bhutan/index.php?id=1http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49e487646.htmlhttp://www.kvnonews.com/2013/11/hey/

CRT Strategies:“Welcoming Refugee Students: Strategies for Classroom Teachers.” Bureau of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (BRIA) New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. http://otda.ny.gov/programs/bria/documents/WtOS-Strategies-for-Teachers-Brochure.pdf Chiang, Linda H.(2000) 'Teaching Asian American students', The Teacher Educator, 36: 1, 58 — 69. http://edt2.educ.msu.edu/DWong/te150s11/CourseReader/Chiang-TeachingAsianAmerStudents.pdf Haynes, Judie. (2013) “SIOP: Making Content Comprehensible for ELLs.” http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/using_siop_model_08621.php.php