‘Delay in justice might be devastating’
New Delhi, November 22: Indian, Nepalese and Bhutanese leaders have warned the concerned governments that delay in finding justifiable solution of the crisis created after the Bhutanese regime evicted its citizens in 1990 will have devastating results.
Speaking at a seminar organized by Bhutan Solidarity in International Club on Thursday, senior journalist of India Ananda Swaroop Verma said the issues could turn into violent struggle and will have the larger security ramification to Indian north east region.
He further said India, Bhutan and international community are keenly awaiting exiled Bhutanese to resort into violence so that they could be ruthlessly suppressed under the ‘terrorist’ tag.
Pramod Kafly of the Group for International Solidarity (GRINSO) said that it is astonishing to see the passionate and determined hope on the faces of exiled Bhutanese to return their homeland, in spite of tempting offer and destitute camps life. He urged Indians friends to pressurize their government on accountability of Indian Tax payer’s money being offered to Bhutanese despotic monarch.
Vice president of the Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP) Dr. D. N. S Dhakal said he was surprised to see the US initiative in Indian backyard adding the offer must have come after exhausting every possibility by Nepal government.
Dividing the Bhutanese community in exile into three categories – opting US offer, believing in national reconciliation and repatriation and resorting to violent means to seek their justice – Dr Dhakal said the believers of violent means are in minority at this time but warned that continuation of status quo would eventually make the present minority group into majority force.
“How can democratic election be held in Bhutan when absolute monarchy is still intact?” R. K. Dorji, president of Druk National Congress (DNC) asked. He said, the press freedom, freedom of expression and speech, peaceful assembly and independent judiciary are denied in Bhutan.
He informed that the democratic process underway in Bhutan could be Indian government’s pressure on Bhutan King for changes. Yet he expressed hope that Indian people and Indian government would support the Bhutanese people’s democratic aspirations and opportune time is only the question.
He urged Indians parliamentarians, civil society, journalist, intellectuals to support the Bhutanese‘s people’s aspiration for democratic changes in Bhutan.
Senior journalist, Kuldip Nayer said Bhutan must have constitutional monarchy with sovereign power belonging to people of Bhutan. He expressed that he has least expectations of help from the government of India for Bhutanese people if the spontaneous peaceful movement take place. Citing his consultation with the Indian policy makers and politicians, Nayer said there is China factor to consider in Bhutan issues.
Socialist leader Surendra Mohan warned the fellow Bhutanese democrats to understand the ‘Indian agenda’ and ‘Greater Nepal’ issues while stepping-up the movement in Bhutan. He cited his meeting with Kazi Lhendup Dorji, then president Sikkim National Congress in 1963 to caution Bhutanese democrats. However, he urged the Bhutanese democrats to take peaceful means to achieve their just ends and his solidarity is always with Bhutanese leaders.
Socialist MP Brabhushan Tiwari, poet Deo Rajan, Cooch Bihar MP Hiten Barman, MLA Dr. Sunil lam reiterated the House’s unanimous stand that the Bhutanese issues is tri-lateral amongst Indian, Bhutan and Nepal and vowed to support the Bhutanese democratic movement.
Despite plans, CPM MP Sitamram Yetchuri, CPI Secretary D. Raja, Abani Roy of Revolutionary Socialist Party and Debabrat Biswas, General Secretary of Forward Block failed to attend the functions citing important issues at the parliament. Bhutan News Service