The refugee uprising: solution sees more problems
The leaders get together only when Nepal government, the UNHCR or any other agencies supporting their livelihood try taking major decisions, while they remain silent in other times.
Of course, there were few uprising in the refugee community for repatriation but gained no results in the past. The cause of the failure rests on India’s obstruction, no less to democratic fighters living in third country.
The latest uprising in the refugee community is fueled by the announcement of vice commissioner of the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Judy Hopkins that 16 vulnerable refugees will be resettled in the third country, particularly in the US and Canada. Their prime demand is repatriation.
Categorically, Bhutan’s political movement has entered into third phase the phase of class struggle. The third phase of the movement has seen major diversion over the issue of repatriation among the refugee leaders engulfed by the UNHCR proposal for third country settlement of those who do not want to be repatriated. .
Tensions in the camp stepped up when a major faction of the community having different ideological thoughts, divulged for armed struggle. The one-and-half decade long frustrating life with uncertain future forced the young population chose arms as the only means to get justice.
Bhutan Communist Party (Marxist Leninist Maoists) has become the encouraging platform for these frustrated youths which is said to be working underground preparing for armed attack to the Bhutanese security posts. No access to higher education, lack of job opportunities, repeated hatred and mistreatment by the local people and lack of international attention in finding solution of the crisis are some of the causes that forced people join this growing force.
The group has strongly opposed the UNHCR proposal intended to take independent young population to a few western countries. It has been suspected that Indian interest has played vital role for the refugee agency to propose third country settlement. The Nepal government minister has given its node for it.
The issue has split the refugee leadership further. Hari Adhikari Bangale, who led the peaceful movement by Appeal Movement Coordination Committee (AMCC) in mid 1990s, now turned his position to advocate the UNHCR project. Majority of the refugees who live outside camps support him, not openly. On the other hand, majority of the leaders, who have not left their involvement in movement, oppose the idea and say this was an utter violation of their right to return. So, what may the cause and unseen force that is taking refugees in two directions? The question is unanswerable.
Refugees argue that the project is sponsored by Bhutan government using Indian influence. If the project succeeds, there are chances that Bhutan may evict more Bhutanese of Nepali origin from southern part. Informants from inside Bhutan say that the government has already begun the campaign to force some other Nepali out of country. According to sources, the local officers have been saying the villagers that they should grab the opportunity to live in Europe and America since people in the refugee camps are taken to this countries.
The circumstance is unavoidable. In late 80s, the Bhutan government has said there were over 100,000 illegal immigrants in the country. Of the people evicted in early 90, Bhutan king had admitted 33 percent to be real Bhutanese. The verification by Bhutan and Nepal in Khudunabari camp had revealed that 75 percent of the refugees have valid documents of Bhutanese citizenry. So, obviously, the Bhutanese government finalized that the illegal immigrants, that it had been saying since 80s are not flushed out. The second round of eviction campaign will force these, at least 50,000 southern Bhutanese, to leave the country.
There are other symptoms of suppression seen in Bhutan. Government employees of Nepalis origins will not get their pension after retirement from the government services any more. Similarly, their promotion has been withheld. Government has also decided that no more Nepalis will be recruited in the government services. Dashain and Tihar, the major festivals celebrated in southern Bhutan are no more national festivals. National holidays were declared in these festivals in the past, king himself celebrating the festivals. The draft constitution has scrapped the existence of Hinduism in the country. Other religion, especially, Christians have been facing severe threats, even of murder.
The eviction of southern Bhutanese will pose danger of repression to Nepalis in India. Already Nepalis from Arunchal Pradesh, Himanchal Pradesh, Utter Preadesh, Bihar and other states of India are facing trouble of livelihood. Nepalese newspapers have in the past reported that local community in these states have been forcing Nepalis to leave and the government has not given any attention.
But Nepal has no options than to accept the UNHCR proposal. The Bhutanese authority has played with the political stability. With possibility of political stability in Nepal, India and UN refugee agency is fast working for sending refugees out of Nepal. So, the agency should also hold responsibility for any more eviction from Bhutan after third country settlement, though project itself is not bad if the UN guarantees that Bhutan will not evict others from the country.
(Chief editor of www.apfanews.com, Adhiakri is the president of Association of Press Freedom Activists-Bhutan.)
Source: http://www.bangladesh-web.com