"We tried all means and measures not to stop the publication for several months but finally we are doing this", said Khem Kafle, the editor of the paper.

According to Kafle, several organizations including the aid agencies working in the camps, exiled organizations and well-wishers have been reached for the support. But, none of them listened to the appeal to make the BJ printed.

Bhola Sapkota, who is an active member of the NSPB, said that when people were disorganized in the initial stage of camp set-up, the BJ played a crucial role to disseminate news on Bhutan, the Bhutanese citizens and related issues.

"Now we are losing the regular newspaper that has touched many readers in camps", Sapkota expressed.

The NSPB, issuing a circular yesterday, has appealed its well-wishers and aid agencies to help continue the paper.

"We appeal the Bhutanese friends abroad, especially in Europe and America, refugee aid agencies, Nepali well-wishers and other donors to extend possible support to print the hard copies of the Bhutan Jagaran", read the NSPB release. 

The NSPB said that four paged black and white the BJ, which started its publication from November 1, 2001, can continue the hard prints with financial assistance of Nepalese currency 6, 000 (85 US dollars) per month.

The Lutheran World Federation, which has been providing assistance to exiled Bhutanese in various sectors, stopped funding the BJ last year citing budget fatigue.

This is not a single case. There were more than half a dozen of newspapers which disappeared in camps citing similar fund exhaustions.

I P Adhikari, the president of Association of Press Freedom Activists Bhutan, said it is unfortunate but no alternative to heat such news unless fellow-countrymen who have reached western countries start supporting media and expresed sorry for discontinuity to right to information of exiled Bhutanese. 

Another exiled journalist, Indra Timsina who is associated at Bhutan Press Union, opined that even there are hundreds of Bhutanese seniors in various developed countries taking refuge in the name of democratic advocacy in Bhutan; it is hard to find a dozen among them who can support a penny for such causes. 

Buddha Mani Dhakal of Bhutan News Service expressed a different alternative. Dhakal said that the exiled Bhutanese need to develop a media culture among them. 

"Our democratic movement lands no where without the strong media backing", said he adding "We all criticize the Kuensel–owned by the regime– but never support the newspapers circulated in the camps". 

The NSPB has announced the closure of the BJ at the time when a large number of exiled Bhutanese are being resettled in the developed countries with an aim to improve their financial conditions. Bhutan News Service/Vidhyapati Mishra