People's SAARC express solidarity to Bhutanese struggle
Kathmandu, March 26: The leaders from SAARC nations have expressed solidarity to the struggle of the exiled Bhutanese for establishment democracy and human rights in Bhutan.
In their Kathmandu Declaration announced in the Nepalese capital on March 25 stated that south Asia would extent their support to the struggle of the exiled Bhutanese for justice, peace and equality.
The three-day conference called People's SAARC also called on the governments of the region to address the needs of the people and bring programs to suit the needs.
Addressing the declaration announcement function, general secretary of Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP) Dr D. N. S. Dhakal said the upcoming SAARC summit must include the issue of exiled Bhutanese in its agenda for discussion.
Pakistani MP Manjur Ahmad asked the governments to divert their expenditure on military activities to the welfare and benefits of the poor and hungry people of South Asia.
Indian leader Dr Uma Kanta stressed that people's SAARC was the need of the time to raise the voice of suppressed, marginalised and disadvantaged people of the region.
The demands resolved by the conference were to strengthen and institutionalise democracy, combat religious, ethnic and gender based violence, guarantee sovereign rights of the people for food, solve issue of refugees and internally displaced people, extend support to the struggle of the exiled Bhutanese, promote media, downsize the defence budget, declare 2007-2017 as SAARC Dalit decade, make reservation of 50 percent for women in all aspects of governance and end of all forms of bonded labour system in the region.
Current MPs, former MPs, social activists and political leaders from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Srilanka and Pakistan participated the conference. Bhutan News Service