BRRRC is incomplete
Born in 1975 in Kalikhola Maurey of Sarbang District in Bhutan, Manoj Rai is presently Camp Secretary of Khudanabari camp, the only verified camp by Joint Verification Team. He arrived in Maidhar in 1990 from where he was sifted to Khudunabari. He worked as a teacher in Sun Rise Academy and Druk Model School for ten years before he joined Camp Management Committee in 2005 in Administration Section. When he came to Kathmandu after Rizal called off the dharna, he talked to Bhutan News Service in various relevant issues.
BNS: Camp Secretaries are elected by people in camps to look after their needs and issues. But they are alleged to be actively involved in politics instead of camp management. What is the reality?
Manoj: In fact Camp Secretaries are people's representatives in camps and are responsible for coordinating the needs and issues of these exiled Bhutanese with government of Nepal and UNHCR. But unfortunately they are forced to be involved in politics by BRRRC, as they are the central committee (CC) members of the body. In spite of this, they must be answerable to all issues including political.
BNS: BRRRC is to work for repatriation. As is CC member you have been advocating for comprehensive solution including third country settlement. Why?
Manoj: I say that BRRRC is incomplete and undemocratic. There is no democratic voting system in it. Dr. Bhumpa, the former Chairman made Tek Nath Rizal its chairman. All its CC members did not support that decision. Further, I have not seen any transparency in BRRRC. It must be a common platform for all exiled Bhutanese with transparency and accountability.
I want to elaborate that I represent people of three opinions. There are people who like all doors to be open for solving the crisis. That is why we Camp Secretaries are advocating for comprehensive solution. I am not optimistic about repatriation. But I have been receiving the allegation that I am a cadre of Hari Bangaley group, which I strongly oppose. I respect his opinion of comprehensive solution but I have no affiliation with Bhutanese Refugee Durable Solution Committee.
BNS: What created misunderstanding between Rizal and Camp Secretaries?
Manoj: Rizal is not an elected chairperson of BRRRC. The misunderstanding started from dharna. I was the first among secretaries to promise Rizal with full physical participation with maximum number of participants. But Rizal did monopoly by withdrawing the sit-in programme after three months despite the will of the participants. If Rizal regards himself above all in our movement then I have nothing to comment. I just want to tell that he must try to accommodate all. I will try to coordinate a meet of BRRRC members to avoid all confusions created so far. Rizal must be answerable to that.
BNS: Rizal has blamed that Camp Secretaries did not support Rizal during dharna. Was that true?
Manoj: That was not true. Camp Secretaries supported Rizal with all possible means. All exiled Bhutanese have good faith in Rizal and I am not an exception. Khudunabari was the only camp having maximum number of participants in the sit-in.
BNS: You are an executive member of Bhutan People's Party (BPP). Don't you think that your campaign is against the party's stand to repatriation?
Manoj: I have seen that works of BPP are passive and slow. That is why I am not active with the party activities. I too have my parents in Bhutan. So I cannot keep myself politically active and strong. Although I am affiliated to BPP, I am compelled to speak the voice of voiceless in camps. Verified people of Khudunabari want comprehensive solution. So I must say what my people like and want. The party may take action on me. But I am representing Khudunabari but not BPP in my campaign.
BNS: What is your opinion to growing communalism in Bhutan?
Manoj: Inception of Communism in Bhutan in Bhutan is not bad. I have deep respect for such feelings. But I request not to promote camp-based activities to threaten people here. This will affect the smooth functioning of camps. I am against physical harassment of students in camps who study outside. Students inside Bhutan are highly competitive and potential. So we must prepare our students to compete with them.