April 16, 2009: Human rights leader Tek Nath Rizal has appealed the SAARC member countries to take up the issue of exiled Bhutanese during the upcoming SAARC summit in Thimphu.
Bhutan will host the 16th summit in Thimphu on April 28-29 for the first time since the inception of this regional organization some two and half decades ago.
Rizal, in his letter has brief the heads of state or governments attending the summit of the issues of unresolved human rights violation and eviction of over one-fifth of national population since 1990.
He further said, “Much to our chagrin, big powers, without looking at the ground reality, have indorsed this election. Keeping one third of the country’s population out and in exile, with a further eighty thousand people in side the country barred from implementing their basic voting rights, the apparatchiks of Druk regime branding the said election a democratic one is nothing but a bunkum and political flippancy.”
The letter has also been sent to observers of the summit — People’s Republic of China, Japan, Korea, United States of America, Islamic Republic of Iran, Mauritius, Australia, Myanmar and the European Union.
Read his complete letter here
Dear Rizalji,
Its a very good attempt once more and you deserve to be congratulated.
But can we find a country in southasia where elections are fair and democratic ? These are wishes only in whole of south asia and is fast becoming contagious to other countries too.This is the ground reality.
As far as the refugees are concerned,when would you be able to understand that we have to tell,ask,plead and do whatever necessary to presurise Govt.of India and not Bhutan, as Bhutan is almost Sikkimised and has no power to do on its own ? The regular apppeals and prayers to Govt.of Bhutan is the HISTORIC BLUNDER made by the political forces working for democracy in Bhutan and if continued further ,it will see no Bhutanese refugees left to go back to Bhutan by then.
I wish Rizalji would be awake together with other political forces from this mad slumber and the days ahead will be very promising.Focus Delhi,not Thimphu.
Rizal . I think u should forget about ur love letters. Don’t even think of disrupting the peace and happiness. Concentrate on ur home work. We heard u r not even welcomed in the camp. SAARC diplomats and high officials will be arriving soon and they can go around n ask the people here if they are not happy. They will know for themselves first hand. So many write on so many things which are all false and overly exaggerated. Wish u luck.
Mr.Tek Nath Rizal should wake up from his deep kumbakarna slumber and study the reality.Don’t waste writing appeals.Analysis and analysis will bring paralysis for the refugees.If you are a true leader from the core of your heart ,then start to pressurise Govt.of India and stop it from sikkimisation of Bhutan.Tell GOI the thoughts of the Bhutanese people ,and all things like democracy and repatriation will follow automatically.
Rizalji,you are still under the spell !
Mr. Rizal yours love letter may not valluable in this presant situation, please you need to understant in humantarian ledership.
because you are only a collecter, to making yours furture
Rizal appeared to be the only patriotic leader so far who outcried for dignified repartriation of Bhutanese from Bhutanese refugee camp.No doubt that he was the central cause of the mass exodus,however,I deeply respect for his jingoistic patriotism. He might recall his bygone days working as a counterpart of king Jigme singye Wangchuck and hopes to be the same one more time in his life. Don’t day dream RIZAL. Our beloved king is not as fool as you are.
Mr. Rizal please do not try to fool the people as catching the fishes in dirty water.You will never and ever resettled those innocent Bhutanese people back to the country but better insist them to come the third country.
Because they are very innocent and let them live with freedom .