Leaders in exile met US Ambassador
Full text of the memorandum given to the US Ambassador.
June 15, 2007
His Excellency Mr. James F. Moriarty,
Ambassador,
Embassy of the United States of America,
Kathmandu.
Your Excellency,
On behalf of the Bhutanese refugee community, we would like to humbly express our gratitude to your Excellency for giving us this rare opportunity to express genuine expectations of the Bhutanese refugee community. In this connection, taking advantage of this precious occasion, we honestly make the following submissions for consideration of the US government.
The Bhutanese refugee making is deeply rooted to political interest of the government. The book titled "Unveiling Bhutan" published this year by the Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee unfolds true picture of the Bhutanese political system that victimized large section of the population who became refugees since 1990. While absolute and feudal regimes all over the world are at the diminishing point with living example of Nepal, we wish to see that our problem is resolved politically with the establishment of vibrant, functional and inclusive democracy with repatriation as priority agenda. We believe that sincere political change with the establishment of democracy of peoples' choice will only give the people adequate opportunity to exercise their voting rights and help us to participate in the process of democratization in Bhutan.
We have submitted following demands to the Bhutanese government with no response:
1. Grant General Amnesty to all the political prisoners and allow all the political parties in exile to participate in the election respecting voting franchise of all the Bhutanese citizens;
2. Expedite early repatriation of genuine Bhutanese citizens back to their original homesteads with full justice and dignity;
3. Quash all the discriminatory policies that has affected the lives of both minorities and refugee relatives;
4. Nullify the resettlement of people in the refugee lands in the south;
5. Demilitarization of Lhotsham and affected region.
Bhutan as one of the members of the United Nations with its permanent office established in New York, we appeal the US government to levy check and balance on Bhutan in view of massive humanitarian injustice. In a nutshell, Bhutan cannot complete democratization without including refugee community into the mainstream of the election process.
Your Excellency, the utter confusion created in the refugee camps is due to lack of adequate awareness about UNHCR advocated program of the third country resettlement using camp bearers as its mouthpiece. It created differences in the refugee camps unfortunately ending up with two deaths. These incidents could have been avoided had there been clarity in the UNHCR's advocacy for inviting durable solution to the refugee problem. We appreciate US government's noble gesture and the offer of the third country resettlement scheme that has come to the people after fifteen years of protraction when hope for repatriation remained under shadow following deadlock in 2003.
In this connection, recent peace March program initiated by the NFD-Bhutan under the banner of "National Political Harmonization" has confirmed peoples' desire for repatriation. Tens of thousands of refugees irrespective of age and sex converged on the Mechi Bridge, Indo-Nepal border despite of baton charges, tear gas shelling and gunfire from India's SSB (Seema Suraksha Bal) forces that killed one and four seriously wounded while hundreds were injured from baton charge and tear gas shelling.
Your Excellency, the US advocates global democracy, justice, development and peace. It is also the leading donor nation to the humanitarian needs of the Bhutanese refugees. India's recent statement, "it is an international problem and the government of India is trying to work out a solution" is convincing and sees light at the end of the tunnel. India being world's largest multiparty democracy has adequate knowledge about Bhutan and its polity. We urge the US government to coordinate with India to support our struggle for the establishment of vibrant, functional and inclusive democracy and help bring about lasting solution to the seventeen year-old refugee stalemate.
The Bhutanese refugees believe repatriation to their original homesteads as the only means to give comprehensive solution to the problem. Therefore, options other than repatriation should be considered only after achievement of the first target. We appeal to the citizens of America and the US government to support us for the establishment of democracy where the rights of the Bhutanese refugees shall be guaranteed. At the same time we also appeal America to continue humanitarian support to the refugees in the camps.
Your Excellency, political prisoners continue in jails with no independent court of justice for trial. Regulating and implementing "NOC" (No Objection Certificate) system has also affected politically conscious refugee relatives inside Bhutan. At the same time Bhutan's process of democratization is gimmick and invites attention of the world community for justice. Supporting guided process of democratization leaving humanitarian problem unresolved is but encouraging absolutism and strengthening its feudalistic system of law. Early repatriation and establishment of democracy respecting international norms and standards would only safeguard interest and welfare of the refugees in the ongoing process of democratization in Bhutan.
In consideration of the above justifications, we urge Your Excellency to help bring about comprehensive solution to the refugee crisis with establishment of vibrant, functional and inclusive democracy in Bhutan as the entire process of democratization without including large chunk of the population will not only be incomplete but also project hollow and farce democracy.
We humbly remain,
Yours sincerely,
1. Teknath Rizal
Chairman, BMSC
2. Thinley Penjore
President, DNC
3. Balaram Poudyal
President, BPP
4. D.B. Rana Sampang
President, BGNLF
5. D.P. Kafley
General Secretary, PFHRB
Bhutan News Service