NFD Bhutan revitalized

Birthamod, March 23: A meeting held on March 21 at Bhutan People's Party office revitalized National Front for Democracy (NFD), Bhutan.

NFD Bhutan has 16 committee members from Bhutan People's Party (BPP), Thinley led Druck National Congress (DNC) and Bhutan Gorkha National Liberation Front (BGNLF).

The committee elected Balaram Poudel as its president and Thiney Penjore of DNC, DB Rana Sampang of BGNLF and Jagirman Lama of BPP as vice-presidents.

The committee also selected Narad Adhikari as front's spokesperson.

NFD Bhutan, formed in 2003, consists of only three political parties in exile.  NFD Bhutan also appealed the king to repatriate exiled Bhutanese immediately and declare true democracy. Bhutan News Service

His Majesty,
The King of Bhutan,
Royal Secretariat,
Tashichho Dzong, Thimphu,
BHUTAN

Sub: An appeal for early repatriation with declaration of true democracy.

May it please Your Majesty,

On behalf of the loyal citizens of Bhutan in exile, we would like to draw Your Majesty's kind attention for a benevolent consideration on the following concerns.

1. The NFD-Bhutan (National Front for Democracy in Bhutan), a coalition of three major political parties (Bhutan Peoples’ Party, Druk National Congress (Democratic) and Bhutan Gorkha National Liberation Front), admires and appreciates the noble decision of Your Majesty for initiating the process of democratisation in the Kingdom of Bhutan. As a universally accepted principle, the values of democracy are to ensure and safeguard equal rights, freedom and justice to the people of all sections of society and individuals. It is also to ensure peace and development in a country, where every citizen have the defined role and responsibility to play in the nation building task. 

2. Your Majesty, the democratic processes initiated in our Kingdom unfortunately have failed to appreciate and uphold the democratic principles as practised by the global democracies of twenty first century. If democracy is to guarantee the social justice and political rights to every citizen of the country, favourable political environment has to be created where every citizen can participate in the process in a free and fair atmosphere. How can there be a true, functional, vibrant and inclusive democracy when over one hundred thousand Bhutanese citizens are excluded from the process? Similarly, over eighty thousand citizens are deprived from their adult franchise on the pretext of not having so-called security clearance, which is mandatory to obtain from Police Authority under the National Security Act 92.

3. Your Majesty, denial of repatriation of over one hundred thousand Bhutanese citizens in exile and deprivation of adult franchise to over eighty thousand citizens within the country shows that the current situation is not favourable in the country for establishing sustainable democracy. It may also be noted that a large number of political prisoners are languishing in the Bhutanese prisons without fair trials, who should also be released enabling them to take part in the democratic process. Negligence to address these vital issues can never be in the interest of ushering in sustainable democracy but can invite serious problem in the nation which could be costlier for the country. We do not believe in the democracy of Bhutan without including the people who demanded democracy in Bhutan in 1990 and 1997 through peaceful demonstrations and while many pro-democracy activists continue to languish both in exile and in Bhutan’s prisons.     

At this juncture, Your Majesty, the NFD-Bhutan makes this sincere appeal to create a favourable atmosphere for democratisation by considering the following points: 

1. Dissolve the present government, declare democracy and form an interim government with the mandate to write true democratic constitution and hold the general election within a stipulated period of time,
2. Grant general amnesty to all the political prisoners unconditionally and give recognition to all the political parties in exile to pave way for participation in the election and enable to exercise adult franchise,
3. Accept early repatriation of genuine Bhutanese citizens back to their original homesteads with justice and dignity,
4. Remove discriminatory policies that has affected the lives of both minorities and refugee relatives,
5. Nullify the resettlement of people in the refugee lands in the south,
6. Resettle the internally displaced people in a land appropriate for them, &
7. Demilitarize Lhotsham region occupied since 1990.

Your Majesty, the above appeals, if not addressed before holding the election for ushering in parliamentary democracy in the country, the NFD-Bhutan fears catastrophic landing which could be unhealthy not only for Bhutan but also for the Asian sub-continent. We look forward to Your Majesty's kind response with magnanimous consideration and to create conducive atmosphere so as to open healthy dialogue with the NFD-Bhutan as a process of national reconciliation latest by April 21, 2008 thereby to ensure sustainable democracy, peace and development in Bhutan. 

We remain,

Yours loyal subject,
Balaram Paudyal
CHAIRMAN

Copies forwarded to:
1. H. E. The Ambassador, Embassy of the United States, Kathmandu
2. H.E. The Ambassador, Australian Embassy, Kathmandu
3. H. E. The High Commissioner, Canadian High Commission, New Delhi
4. H. E. The Ambassador, Royal Danish Embassy, Kathmandu
5. H. E. The Ambassador, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Kathmandu
6. H. E. The High Commissioner, New Zealand High Commission, New Delhi
7. H. E. The Ambassador, Royal Netherlands Embassy, New Delhi