New Zealand Grants PR to Earthquake Refugees on Humanitarian Grounds

March 09, 2018

In 2015, Nepal was high by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that injured around 22,000 people and killed almost 9,000. For those who claimed refugee status were welcomed in New Zealand. Some were even told to stay in the country forever as they were suffering from the chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.

There was this one elderly couple who were refused refugee status because of their old age, but their humanitarian work in the community got them New Zealand permanent residency. The retired couple lived in a little house in Kathmandu, and when the earthquake hit, they had to struggle a lot to come out of the house. For the following almost 3 months, they lived in a tent in front of their house. Even though they suffered from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, they continued helping people around them. When they applied for refugee status, the tribunal said that they were eligible but weren’t well-founded as international refugees.

However, in the following statement, the tribunal clearly announced that considering their humanitarian work before and after the earthquake got them the New Zealand permanent residency. Also, their children and grandchildren who live in foreign countries can visit them easily in New Zealand. The couple now lives with one of their sons, who is already a New Zealand resident. The husband said that his wife sleeps better in New Zealand and doesn’t run out of the house in panic in the night anymore. She feels more secure in the Oceania country and is sure that the house won’t fall and kill all of them.

Giving up on life

After the earthquake, the wife suffered from an extreme post-traumatic stress disorder, and nothing calmed her. At the same time, she had to take her husband’s care who was bedridden because of a severe leg injury that took place during the earthquake. The elderly couple had given up on their lives and didn’t think it was worth carrying on with it.

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