Is this second phase of eviction?

There was excitement for all when King Jigme Singye Wangchuk announced that he would abdicate the throne by 2008 for which he said the country would by then be a democratic.

The campaign has begun for first historic election as part of his mission for democratization of the country. Some democratic institutions are underway.

For the first election, the government has dispatched several teams for preparation of electoral roll for the polls and referendum. However, frauds and partiality among the citizens have already begun. It has revealed that the government has been trying to bar the southern Bhutanese to use their right to adult franchise.

A team led by the Bhutan People's Party (BPP) found out the facts after an investigation mission in some southern districts recently. For instance, out of 3,200 population of above 16 years in Sibsoo block in Samtse district only 1,700 have been included in the electoral list.

At the initial phase the government officers had distributed the form to be compulsorily filled in by those crossed 16 years. However, those who were out of house for employment or other businesses at the time when the team made visits to home were not enlisted.

President of BPP, Balaram Poudel says, "Process of collecting voter's list is being done secretly, in conspiring manner with intention to exclude Lhotshampas from voting." He claimed that in other 14 northern districts, electoral lists have been prepared on the basis of information given by family head even though all members of family were not present absent. In these 14 districts, the people are told to register their names compulsorily. In the south, the people are told that the collection of the names was a sampling and that a second team would arrive for final assessment of the voter's population. The forms distributed state 'for secure, independent and fair democratic election and referendum'.

This was meant to create, as the party says, more Lhotshampas stateless and 'illegal immigrants' having no voting rights and citizenry.

Majority of Bhutan's foreign friends have formally welcomed the election process. They, including the largest democratic country, India have claimed Bhutan is stepping towards complete democratization. Now, the questions arises, "Will that be fare and democratic if large number of people are excluded from voting?"

It would be translucent if any of the international human rights body or electoral experts make a visit to Bhutan to assess the real current situation inside Bhutan. It should not go deceiving any more. Bhutan News Service