A court in predominantly Buddhist Bhutan has sentenced a Christian to three years in prison for “attempting to promote civil unrest” by screening films on Christianity. A local court in Gelephu convicted Prem Singh Gurung, a 40-year-old ethnic Nepalese citizen from Sarpang district in south Bhutan, on Oct. 6, according to the government-run daily Kuensel. […]
The relation of happiness with democracy is one of the most confronting questions today. As happiness is inherently subjected to the state of natural rights and exercise of freedom, it is clear that democracy without happiness is almost dysfunctional. After the end of Hitler and Stalin rule, the world acknowledged the cohesive need of happiness […]
October 18, 2010: One of the major festivals of Hindus, Vijaya Dashami, was celebrated with festivities by Hindus Bhutanese all around the world. News from Bhutan states that Durga Puja was being observed in a Hindu temple in Thimphu, coordinated by Hindu Dharma Samudaya of Bhutan. Bhutan has opened up for Hindu festivities since last […]
Dear T Penjore I am delighted to read your book Quest for Democracy – against all odds, the first book on Bhutan I read after migrating to Australia early last month. It helped me a lot to revive my passion for democracy and rather worked as a refresher in an alien land where I am […]
BY DR. BHAMPA RAI: Instead of hearing to their appeal, the Royal government chose to militarize the region launching brutal method of crackdown, following intimidation, arbitrary arrest, torture and killing in makeshift detention cells. Schools were converted into interrogation centers, while women were raped, houses were zeroed to ashes and valuable documents confiscated alongside the militarization of villages and towns. In such dreaded state of affairs, those affected Bhutanese people had to flee the country for their lives. Their relatives and others, who decided to remain behind too were coerced into signing voluntary migration forms at the gun point and finally evicted from their homeland.
A three-day shrimad bhagawat purana recitation has begun at a 43 Moheke Avenue, Palmerston North, New Zealand at the initiation of Bhutanese community. The function runs through October 2 to October 10. Hindu priests Yadhav Bhandari (of Christchurch), Bishnu Bhakta Adhikari (of Nelson) and Shastri Indira Bhandari (of Christchurch) had been entrusted with the religious […]
The second anniversary function of the Bhutanese community in Sydney-ABA was celebrated at Masonic Hall, Blacktown, on October 2 with cultural program, attended by over 300 Bhutanese and 40 guests from various communities and organisations. With the formal inauguration of function lighting oil lamp by MP David Bradbury, simultaneously chanting of holy verses by priests, […]
Before jumping into the subject, I express my heartfelt and sincere gratitude to “Welcome to America Project” for this great opportunity to share our stories. I am; indeed, out of words for those American hearts who have strong attachment with our hearts and understand the sufferings of thousands of Bhutanese refugees and refugees from around the globe. The events in the story may not necessarily say that, but that’s how I felt the story would be complete and meaningful. This character, who was born in Bhutan, grown up in refugee camp in Nepal and now struggling for her future in America, is the most deprived one in the story.
BY DHRUVA MISHRA: It is debatable as to whether we lost the culture of appreciation- or did we not possess it at all. Collect a set of five fellow Bhutanese, and perhaps you hear them say “leaders did not do any good for nearly two decades and as a result we continue to suffer”. This might, to some extent, appears as a bitter truth; yet this is unreal. Everyone—leaders, public, intellectuals, academicians, experts, civil society members, writers, journalists, among others, have sacrificed their tireless contributions profoundly, at least for the sake of “real democracy” in Bhutan. The priceless efforts made by some of our fore leaders to resolve this issue are crystal clear in our minds.
October 01, 2010: Bhutan has expressed its willingness to be elected as the member of UN Security Council for the period 2013-14 term. In a statement issued Wednesday, Bhutan sought support from member states for the seat of temporary member of the highest agency of UN system. The statement came as foreign secretary Daw Penjo […]