I have my sentimental and emotional attachment with Bhutan. The reason behind this is I was there in Bhutan long time ago to set the foundation of democratic movement in the country. I am not yet able to forget that history. That has left a set back on me. Like Tek Nath Rizal, even BP was forced to accept solitary confinement with chain on hands; I visited him in his jail. This similarity has connection in having sentimental attachment with Bhutan.
Right after restoration of democracy in Nepal in 1952, I traveled to Bhutan on bus through jungle and reached Kokrajha, a Bhutan’s border with India, where exiled Bhutanese were living. I was there with a feeling that there should also be democracy in Bhutan. Some Bhutanese friends in exile came to take me from Nepal; they said they had arranged everything for the travel. I stayed there for some months. There were protests. The misfortune was that several people were killed. The next misfortune was Bhutanese government expelled me from Bhutan when India alerted Bhutan that Girija Prasad Koirala was advocating for Greater Nepal’s concept inside Bhutan. There is a long history on this which I don’t want to elaborate. The only thing that I want to repeat is that I have sentimental and emotional attachment with Bhutan.
And, everywhere, like for Aung San Suu ki in Burma, I am raising my voice against human rights violations. Regarding support from government, there are two contexts which everybody must understand. Government carries its deals one way, while the party does other. Rizal might have thought that my government didn’t do anything. The party has done everything for him. For any government issues of diplomacy and bilateral relations are important. Bhutanese refugee issue is not just a problem between Nepal and Bhutan, but is a tripartite issue between Nepal, Bhutan and India, and must be resolved accordingly. I stressed on this since refugees first crossed India and reached Nepal, where we accepted them on humanitarian ground. I made such proposals many times, but nothing could be achieved.
Many times in the past, I met the soft-spoken King of Bhutan, who was extra cautious while talking. I asked him to resolve the issue of Bhutanese refugee, which would even harm Bhutan in long run. He agreed to find a solution many times. But, finally he abdicated the throne to his son. When Bhutan was making its new constitution and taking about general election, I met Bhutanese Prime Minister during the SAARC summit in Srilanka. For materializing voluntary abdication of throne, he was told to give voting franchise to all Bhutanese citizens including refugees. That time also he assured, but nothing happened.
Regarding the third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees, I have been telling with foreigners that Bhutan has not given citizenship status to refugees who have been living in Nepal. They have no country. But, they have come from Bhutan. There are Nepali citizens living in America. When they grow old they like to come to Nepal and die in Nepali soil. Similarly, Bhutanese refugees also have these sorts of sentiments. I asked people of international community why they don’t try to repatriate these refugees. I put pressure on those visiting officials of international communities.
I have seen Bhutanese refugees closely and am rendering all sorts of supports. And, I’ll continue supporting their mission, be possible or impossible. I have been raising voices against suppression on democracy and human rights. I have been to Bhutan and seen those scenes; when Bhutanese army chased me several locals stopped me on the way saying not to return from Bhutan. My support and solidarity is there for you until your mission succeeds. I feel that there is a global scenario which may lead to a solution one day; it’s my personal perception. If people like Tek Nath Rizal have contributed and sacrificed for human rights and democracy, I feel that such contributions never go unrewarded. So, there will be a solution of Bhutanese issue one day.
Jai Nepal!
(These unedited texts have been transcribed from an audio of Late Koirala recorded during a book release program, From Palace to Prison by Tek Nath Rizal on April 16, 2009 in Kathmandu, and photographs by Vidhyapati Mishra)
Wow! what a bunch of journalist we have in the making. They work so hard to bash the image of the country they call home in the name of free media and use this kind of platform to hour a person, who literally put the future of thousands of people at risk.
Thank God that Giri did not claim he was also a Bhutanese but he claimed all the credits for initiating a movement that virtually made innocent Bhutanese live in sub human conditions for many years.
Bogus, and I don’t give a crap to this Koirala story. I do not even think it is true. Koirala never used his stature and influece to support the Bhutanese movement genuinely, though he claims he did. What he did is no different than what any normal politician would have done. These are all political languages/rhetorics, bereft of any substance in them.
Any how he passed away ,he did lots of good thing in his life regardless of nepal and he had strong and good relationship in international communities.
I pray for that his depature soul will remain on peace and god will give strong power to overcome such brief to the koirala families.
Rp sir
It requires stature to see and appreciate the good received. “Bogus” is thus the sincere offerings of people of low stature that fail to see the root or the fruit of any plant that nourishes. If late GP Koirala had not stood behind the Bhutanese in distress, almost all would perish by now, perhaps including the ingrates like you turning into addressless rubbish!
I used to enjoy your posts with appreciation but this one….. ???….
Shangrilaman,
Thanks for your appreciation.
I do not take GP as our savior in toto. He played his part, lets say positively, again as a politician and with a lot of support from other political parties. He does not get all the credit. But again ther are flaws we think, he could have avoided if he were a better well wisher of the Bhutanese refugees.
By the way are you the same Shangrilaman that used to write in the Bhutan Times?
way to go Rp sir!!! i think you are one straight forward Bhutanese.we need people like you to be our leader
Dear all,
Its good you all are enjoying your rights.
Both positive and negative minded people are equally needed by the society.
But I don’t support to the one : who throws the ENGINE when there is a problem at the brake.
Atleast repair the brake and keep moving.
keep it up.This freedom is not there in Bhutan.
SAARC is heading towards so called last shangrila…lets do something smart.
Tashi Delek.
Some people who claim themsleves as the Bhutanese think-tank and sort some marphological research is a big racist. I observe that this person never appreciates others write up n contibutions. Other things remaining the same at the background the person has a very selfish approach that seems too bias and never favors for public good.Be it the comments of TN Rizal or article by Koirala, he has this attitude issue. Ofcourse one can bent little bit in the opinion but one cannot oppose in all the aspects. This is a kind of complexity and has hatrage syndrone.
The person has some political color and smells some bad. He couldn’t keep himself neutral at any instance.
What we need to take for guaranted is that it is through the contribution of SUB under his leadership that Bhutanese got recognized as per his conclusion n we all need to claim as GURKHALIS as epical identity.
[….deleted……..]
Maritnas,
Your opinion is personally biased. You are smart in throwing your criticisms at me without actually pointing my name. You could tell why my opinion on Rizal is wrong and possibly correct me if I am wrong. Provide substance to your argument. And there was no article by Koirala. I am commenting on his statements which to me seems to be overly exaggerated.
Regarding my neutrality, I believe a neutral person goes nowhere. One has to be upright and straight, be it even at the risk of collecting personal attacks from others.
The issue of SUB and the Gorkhalis came out of your own mind. I have never claimed what you say.
You are wrong on charges about my personality and attitude. But you can hold on to what you like believing. I have no problems with that. ‘Racist’ is a big charge. I urge you to reflect on yourself before making such a statement.
It makes a difference here in what I and you express here. I write in my original name whereas you have to use a pseudo name to hide your identity to write what you want. That itself lets people to reflect on who says what.
But it is not so hard to guess who you are, Maritnas (your nick name)if read backwards is Santiram, and I believe my assumption is fairly correct. If so, Santiram Bhai, I thank you for your comments.
Rp Subba.
Dear Matrinas,
seems like you have personal differences with Mr.R.P.If I am you I will call him and do the debet/discussion and end such ugly relationship.R.P is a good guy coz he often writes sensible notes.Its ok to have some differences but this is a plateform for the news,views and reviews.I will advice you to be fair.
Remember!!!!! we are in the same boat.
I sometimes dont like someone view it dosent mean that the individual is bad.
I have clear picture of the GURKHAS and its movement for the liberty.
I totally support that coz..that was one way out of many…to fight for the freedom in Bhutan.
Still they have to continue.I wish them a best.
Anyone can argue and this debet will never end on this topics.
Finally…………………
We are Bhutanese
We are Nepali
We are Gorkhas
We are Lotshampas
what about Ngolops and cha-khar-pa.(Let me know)
We the Bhutanese are fortunate to have G P Koirala as the PM of Nepal at the time we entered Nepal in large number in 1991.His Government with his support kindly welcomed and sheltered us at the time his country was in the intial stage of establishing democracy. He definately had a soft corner for us. Now how much he could have done for us is a different story when his country itself has been in a mess. I can say that Deuba as then Home Minister messed up our case during his visit to Bhutan for talks. He is the one who agreed to categorise us which has been the biggest setback to our cause.Anyways, may GP Koirala’s soul rest in peace.
Maya,
let me give you 100 upon 100.
This is what it is.
thx.
Nepali should not interfere in the internal affairs of the Bhutanese people.The Bhutanese refugees did not interfere in the internal affairs of Nepal. We are Bhutanese not the Nepalis.There is nothing positive to learn out of the Nepali politics.At the most the political professionalism,corruption and the gun battles are in the priority.If there were Nepalis living in the Bhutanese refugee camps,they merely troubled the Bhutanese and have been delaying the repatriation.I dont like Koirala”s and Tek Nath Rizals intervention in Bhutan.Both of them are Nepalis.Koirala became successful politician in Nepal whereas Tek Nath Rizal has been looking for the lost pasture.Koirala was from Biratnagar and Tek Nath is from AnarmaniVDC Jhapa.The Bhutanese do not accept Nepali Brahimin cotorie in Bhutan and corrupt the system,misguide the king,develop political professionalism,eradicate Buddhism and other religious e groups and upset the harmony with casteism.It is a good idea if TN Rizal joins the Nepali congress and stop permanently crowing about Bhutan.Tashi Delek