Our Members: Stateless Refugees Seeking Danish Citizenship

We at the Association of Bhutanese Communities in Denmark (ABC Danmark) represent a unique group of refugees who have found sanctuary in Denmark but continue to face significant challenges. Our members, originally from Bhutan, have a complex history of displacement and are now confronting the issue of statelessness in our adopted home.

Our Story

In the early 1990s, over 100,000 of our people, ethnic Nepali individuals, were expelled from Bhutan for demanding human rights and democracy. We spent nearly two decades in UNHCR-aided refugee camps in eastern Nepal before being resettled in various countries, including Denmark.

Who We Are

As of 2023, our community in Denmark consists of 1,045 members:

  • 820 of us (79%) came directly through the UNHCR resettlement program
  • 35 (3%) arrived through family reunification
  • 190 (18%) were born here in Denmark

We are spread across all five regions of Denmark, with the largest concentrations in the Central Denmark Region (350 of us) and the Region of Northern Denmark (336).

Our Citizenship Status

Despite having lived in Denmark for over a decade, the vast majority of us still lack Danish citizenship:

  • Only 17 of our initially resettled members (2%) have obtained citizenship
  • 45 (5%) have acquired permanent residency
  • 758 (92%) still have only temporary residency status

Challenges We Face

The low rate of citizenship acquisition among our members is due to several factors:

  1. Strict immigration and naturalization laws
  2. High levels of illiteracy, especially among our older members
  3. Difficulties in learning the Danish language
  4. Health issues among some of our community members

The situation is particularly challenging for two groups within our community:

  • 201 of our members over 50 years old, of whom only one has obtained citizenship
  • 99 of our young members under 18 who were born outside Denmark and must wait until adulthood to apply for permanent residency and citizenship

Our Integration Efforts

Our community faces significant hurdles in meeting job requirements for citizenship:

  • Only 309 of us (31%) are employed full-time
  • Many of us struggle to find employment due to language barriers and illiteracy
  • We have a high number of early retirees (81) and jobless individuals (82), which further complicates our situation

Our Appeal

We at ABC Danmark, on behalf of our members, appeal to the Danish government to address our issue of statelessness. We argue that:

  1. We were brought to Denmark under the UN quota to live permanently
  2. Many of us are UNHCR-verified vulnerable individuals
  3. Bhutan has refused to take us back, leaving us without a country

We seek either direct granting of citizenship or special dispensation for easier access to citizenship, recognizing our unique circumstances as invited refugees rather than general immigrants.

Our Hope for the Future

We, the members of ABC Danmark, represent a community caught between cultures and nations. While we are deeply grateful for the sanctuary provided by Denmark, we continue to face the significant challenge of statelessness. Our story is one of resilience and hope. We are working tirelessly towards full integration and recognition as Danish citizens while preserving our cultural heritage.

We appeal to the Danish government and people to understand our unique situation and help us find a path to full citizenship. We want to contribute fully to Danish society, not just as residents, but as citizens with all the rights and responsibilities that entails. With your support, we hope to finally find a place we can truly call home, ending our decades-long journey as stateless people.

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