UN & Bhutan&#039s ethnic cleansing

Bhutan is the 128th member-country of the United Nation (UN). By virtue of its commitment to the objectives of the UN charter, it is imperative for Bhutan to honor the human rights declaration of 1948. However, the blatant human rights violations, racialism, mono religionist, ethnic cleansing and linguistic prejudice against other groups the fundamental ideology of Bhutan's government. The state authority of Bhutan has managed to plunder 10 thousand hectares of land owned by its citizens. It revoked 130 thousand genuine citizenship identity cards only because the people of eastern and southern Bhutan participated in the peaceful demonstration against the racist and autocratic reign of Wangchucks demanding right to property, culture and religion, and freedom of expression in 1990.

Instead of listening to the people's voice, the tin-pot dictator adopted the path of brutality and evicted predominant dwellers of southern Bhutan. Their legally owned private properties are confiscated and distributed to other northern and eastern Bhutanese in the name of national security. It burnt and dismantled thousands of houses of civilians and killed at least 49 innocent Nepalese Bhutanese in extra judiciary, imprisoned more than 2500 reformists out of seven hundred thousand total population of the country. Religious leaders and monks were imprisoned and killed. Such perpetrators of crimes were honored instead of being brought to justice.

Unfortunately, those tyrannical civil authorities, militia, police, and armed forces were under the direct command of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Not only this, the authorities did not hesitate to rape eight women to death. (The details of these extra judiciary killings and raped women are published in a booklet called A Shangrila without human rights published by AHURA Bhutan on page number 47 and 51). However, the administration of Bhutan is still not formally booked as a violator of human rights by any designated authority. Unluckily, the offices of the United Nation High Commissioner of Human Rights remains silent even after receiving individual applications from Bhutanese refugees in Jhapa and Morang districts describing in detail the perpetration of such heinous crimes.

Ignoring such grave violations of human rights, the ministers and close relatives of King Wangchuck participate with carefree abandon in the UN related conferences. They are treated at par with other democratic countries whose human rights record is genuinely excellent. Furthermore, the racist regime is completely absolved from all forms of accountability with regard to its ethnic cleansing policy before providing any technological, political and diplomatic support by the international community. What is indeed surprising is the fact that these same member-countries, donor organizations, nations and UN bodies are involved in providing relief materials to the Bhutanese refugees in Jhapa and Morang for the last 13 years.

Between 1985 and 1990, the ethnic cleansing agenda was disguisedly implemented in Bhutan to provoke and harass the Nepalese Bhutanese. The regime's motive was to subject the Nepali subjects to continuous mental pressure so that they would leave the country quietly. When the Druk regime failed to do so, then it started classification of citizens, imposed sanction on land sales and purchase, revoked the citizenship of those married to a girl from outside Bhutan. In spite of these deeds, when the people did not want to leave the country, the regime asked everyone to produce the individual evidence of 1958 whether s/he was a 16 year old youth or 80 year old person. They all produced the certificate of origin (CO) conforming their dwelling before December 31, 1958. Thereafter, the frustrated government restricted cultural functions and made it compulsory to get permission for religious performances and construction of temples in southern Bhutan through dzongdags (district administrative heads).

For further harassment, it implemented compulsory dress and language code even to the priest (Pundit) of the Nepalese Bhutanese asking them to abandon their traditional dresses. In case of violation of dress code regulation, the administrative mechanism tightened its iron hand and punished them cruelly. Consequently, the brutality of the government resulted in the peaceful demonstration of 1990 that occurred in entire southern Bhutan demanding the end of racialism.

However, the Druk regime decided to suppress it through inhuman practices thereby declaring to cancel the citizenship (through home ministry) of all those found to be involved in demonstration and those who supported the demonstration. More than 2000 participants, including Rongthong Kuenley Dorji and Ap Chheku from eastern Bhutan were arrested and tortured. The news of atrocities spread all over south and eastern Bhutan. This intensified the exodus of the Bhutanese refugees to India and Nepal in their effort to escape from torture.

The National Assembly members raises no issue except those that comply with the proposal of ministers and passing the plans tabled by ministers, who are appointed directly by the king. The 85th session of the only house in Bhutan is in progress

The Druk regime basking on its dubious achievements, summoned all the people who had participated or supported the demonstration to the office of the administration, and forced them to leave the country signing on the so-called voluntary migration form (vmf) at gun-point. After evicting more than 19% of Bhutanese Nepalese, it legislated several laws with a motive to prohibit them to return to Bhutan. Simultaneously, it started to remove persons from government services, including security personnel and ministers of cabinets.

Today, inside Bhutan the people of ethnicity are treated in the same way the colored of South Africa were treated before 1990. Similarly, the people in exile placed in category two by the joint verification team of Nepal and Bhutan has become a blessing in disguise to the Druk regime to prolong the repatriation of Bhutanese refugee branding them as non-Bhutanese. The chief justice of Bhutan has declared that the people of category two as non citizen of Bhutan and said "the refugees in the camps will not be recognized by the draft constitution in future too. Because the laws of the land and the National Assembly of Bhutan already passed the legislation declaring them as non Bhutanese". On top of this, the understanding between Nepal and Bhutan, not to interfere in each other's laws helps to bolster its discriminatory position.

Under such paradigm, it is indeed difficult to come to any sort of negotiation without decisive intervention from outside. The discriminatory laws of Druk regime are not going to be changed which would always be a barrier to repatriation. Therefore, genuine effort from India must be explored. In case of its refusal, the UN should come forward to inspect the entire episode of Bhutanese Nepalese who are living inside Bhutan as well in seven refugee camps in Nepal and resolve the crises.
(General Secretary of Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), Adhikari is former member of the only National Assembly of Bhutan)