At some point, unfolding a long-concealed untold story might sound fictitious in nature to some of us, if not all. The fact, however, divulges one that the ‘injustice and truths can never be suppressed forever.’ The destinations of our ‘family air-plane’ have taken several twists-and-turns—obviously it might continue to take the similar pace even in future for the ‘pilot’ has lost his life at no fault.
Once on a chilly-cold Himalayan winter day at the Bhutan-China border in Haa, our father late Mr. Ichha Ram Koirala, the then Peljab (corporal) of the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) had to lead a team of the army personnel to assess the Chinese incursion of Bhutanese land. He met a battalion of the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) consisting two hundred men that was stationed right at the border following the Sino-Indian War of 1962. With at least 15 RBA personnel under his command, he managed to initiate a friendly dialogue with the PLA commanders, and returned to the RBA barrack in Haa to inform the top officials about the PLA’s presence and concerns at the border front.
Acting on the clues, the RBA higher authority immediately deployed a battalion of around 250 soldiers to maintain vigilance over the PLA’s activities at the border. Our late father was one of the soldiers who was then deployed to carry on the vigilance tasks. Fortunately, no any skirmishes occurred between the PLA and the RBA despite the fact that the relationship between India and China were highly stressed during the time.
- Medal offered by third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, to late Ichha Ram for his excellent service. Photo courtesy/Authors.
Later, our father’s faithfulness and excellence in his duties was honored with the promotion to the eluded position of Dimpon Gom (Warrant Officer). The third king, Jigme Dorjee Wangchuck adorned him with a prestigious medal during the coronation of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. He was then transferred to the Royal Bhutan Guards (RBG), an elite branch of the armed forces responsible for the security of the King, the Royal family and other VIPs. Thus, he started serving the royal government as a bodyguard of members of the royal family members including the fourth king himself.
Our father had joined the RBA in 1960, and retired at the age of 45 in 1980. He spent his post-job life as a farmer—involving with the cultivation of food and cash crops such as the orange and cardamom—at the Dhanesay village under Beteni block in Chirang Bhutan.
It was in the summer in 1990 that our father was coerced to an unknown destination by a group of four men who claimed to be the cadres of Bhutan Peoples’ Party (BPP). We were completely unaware whether he was actually being kidnapped. Our mother, looking deeply traumatized, told us that our father might not return from the BPP camp—as it was a common say that time.
Having lived in this ‘not-yet-known-location’ for almost 15 days, our father returned home with some ominous tales. He astonished us with his story that he could flee the BPP-run camp in Garganda, India. It was learnt that he was kidnapped probably because he did not pay any heed to the BPP’s demand to get involved in the going-to-be launched mass demonstrations.
He looked utterly dismayed and perplexed as he planned to get out of the tough situations. The lack of security and chaotic environment was escalating in our village during the time. He hesitantly decided to become a cattle herder, and spend secured life in the forests fostering a herd of cows and buffalos. He planned to switch to this life style solely to avoid abduction by the BPP activists and possible arrest by the government agents. He took eldest daughter Lila and the son Hari to assist him in goth (cattle herding). His strategy might have been also to protect his grown-up children from possible coercion both from the RBA and BPP sides.
In October 1990, the village Karbari (administrator) informed our mother that around 105 RBA-men were preparing to raid our village in order to arrest whoever in the village was suspected to have been sympathizing or supporting the BPP-led democratic movement. Since our father was an ex-military person, soon the soldiers thoroughly raided our house, doubting that he could have been a good fighter for the BPP.
RBA captain, Chimi Dorjee who appeared to be leading the search team, kick-opened the front door of our house, and commanded all of the occupants to step outside. Our mother rushed outside guiding four of her daughters: Hema (8), Dil (6), Pabi (4) and Nara (2) to move along with her. However, our grandmother who was then suffering with immobility due to paralysis got left inside. Captain Chimi was mad at her, thinking she was not paying heed to his command. He pounded upon her body and hit her on head with the butt of the rifle. She at once got unconscious and fell prey to the assault. We still have the fresh memory of our grandma bathing in blood due to hard-hit assault on her body.
Our mother was utterly nervous and frightened by the situation enveloping our house. Her sincere attempts to rescue our grandmother went on vain. Adding to her fears, Chimi came outside pointing a pistol at her.
“Where is your husband?”
She shrugged to show her ignorance about her husband’s whereabouts. She intentionally, as she reveals it now, didn’t want to disclose her husband’s whereabouts as she was aware of the facts that many male members of her village were arrested and severely tortured in the detention center simply for no reasons.
He then turned towards us and asked us at the top of his voice.
“Where is your father?”
When we expressed our ignorance about father’s whereabouts, he was severely dismayed. He held us by his arm, lifted us up and threw us to the floor. We cried and begged pardon as we repeatedly pleaded that we truly did not know where our father was. He mocked at our humble pleas for excuse and expressed absolute disbelief. He threatened to punish us further if we continue to cry or keep maintaining our ignorance about his whereabouts. All of us were in sheer dilemma. Our mother was in a sea-saw position—whether to disclose her husband’s location, or to continue facing the brutalities.
- A copy of the payroll book of late Ichha Ram. Photo Courtesy/Authors.
Chimi then turned back to our mother and slapped hard on her face. He grabbed her hair and kicked her on chest laying her down to the floor flat. He then repeatedly kicked her on head, chest, among other parts of the body. Later, when she had just regained consciousness, the soldiers handcuffed her and took her away from home.
She recalls that they marched her to Dhanesay School, which was then turned into a temporary prison. Our elder sister Lila said she saw mother being dragged by the soldiers and she ran away to escape fear, while she was on her way home from our goth.
The temporarily established prison, according to our mom, was full of male members of our village and she was the only female held captive. She had to not only share room with the male inmates, but also the open “bucket-toilet”. The descriptions of the prison—crowded rooms, unhygienic foods, male inmates crying, the inhumanely practiced different methods of mental and physical tortures, among others, now might sound more like untrue to most of us.
After hearing the news of mother’s arrest, our father, who turned lip-less headed straight to the army barrack from the forest and told them about his job life and service to the royal government of Bhutan for twenty years, shared feelings with the raged army officers, and also assured them that he was not in any way involved in the anti-government movement. To his sheer dismay, however, they arrested him and released mother consequently the same day.
Even her love towards her husband could not hold mother there any longer; she was terrified and felt helpless. The RBA officials were very rude to the captives, and turned down any pleas for help or consideration. She must have been preoccupied with tension worrying about conditions of children and mother-in-law at home. She came home distressed and confused. When she reached home she was taken aback by disappearance of her jewelry and money, and grandmother’s deteriorating health was an even bigger burden to her.
Grandma was completely bed-ridden with pain resulting from the army officer’s assault. Her face was badly swollen up, and she was still profusely bleeding from the wound. The mother had too many things to take care of. We, the children were left to helplessly cry and starve when mother was arrested. Our mother acted bold and tried to get over all the messes at home, and restore the normalcy. The situation was very challenging to all of us.
- Late Ichha Ram. Photo Courtesy/Authors.
It was not only our family that was suffering, but every family in our village was affected equally. Indeed, the atmosphere in the entire village was terrorized, at some point. All the adult male members of our village were either chased away, or arrested. Their spouses and other family members gossiped that their relatives were arrested without any warrants or justifiable reasons. They were arrested with the vague allegations that they were involved in the BPP programs.
The arrestees were released after few months, but a few weeks later all the families were summoned to a meeting and asked to sign a form and then they were instructed to move out of country within the given time frame. They were forced to sign what was called a Voluntary Migration Form (VMF). Our parents said the chief district administrator (Dzongda of Chirang) was himself involved all the time in making the people sign the VMF, and in opting necessary procedure to make eviction a grand success.
The people were not allowed to question the district administration on anything. They were compelled to do nothing but take the orders and pack up. Our family was not included in the first batch that was processed for the migration. At one point, at that time we were the only family in the middle of our large village with six small children and a seriously ailing elderly woman at home. By then our father had been incarcerated for about 16 months. Dasho Dzongda (district head) of Chirang informed us time and again that if we wished to migrate away from Bhutan, then we would soon see our father released from the prison.
Down and depressed, and anger and agony hitting our minds in turns, we left our village with no any idea as to where we would land up, and what our future would be like. Moreover, we had a sense of fear as to if our father would be released. Mother planned the departure with our uncle’s family, and we were to walk two entire days to make it to the Indo-Bhutan border. We bid goodbye to our beloved village in the middle of a night. Mother made this horrible choice for our family with the mere hope that our father would be released from the prison.
It was a very wearisome ‘adventure’ to the entire family, in particular to us (children) for we were too young to judge things from political aspects. Each one of us carried a bagful of clothes, and parents had some utensils as well. We did not stop on the way for cooking; we just depended upon some dry food that we had stuffed in our bags for the way. The biting sorrow coming from the pain of leaving home and birthplace was already making us feel sick. Above all, we suddenly discovered that our sister Pabi (4) was left behind in the middle of the forest. We did not know how that happened. We were emotionally paralyzed by the situation. We decided to hurry back the trail in search for her. Luckily, a neighbor that was walking behind us saw her and the parents were bringing her along carefully.
We consider ourselves lucky that we made to the border without facing casualties on the way. It was a terrible journey, but the physical stress was not bothering us any more. After we arrived at the Mudhey, a small Indian town at the border, the police helped us reserve a truck to travel to Nepal. We cried and cursed Bhutan government for being unkind to us. We sorrowfully looked at Bhutan as long as we could, as long as the hills were on our sight.
Our father joined us in the camps in Nepal immediately after we had reached there. It was later learnt that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Although he was undergoing medication for the PTSD at the Center for Victims of Torture (CIVICT)- Nepal, he was psychologically too weak and traumatized due to inhuman torture in Bhutanese jail. Eventually, he ended up taking his own life in 2007 at the Beldangi-II refugee camp.
We now only wish that many of such Ichha Ram (s), if were alive until today, would have made significant differences for the regime tortured, killed, or paralyzed them physically and mentally due to their potentialities—that now would certainly explore the government’s brutalities more evidently.
The physical absence of our ‘family airplane’s’ pilot, though mentally and emotionally would mean a lot to us (more to our mom), does not mean the call for true democracy in Bhutan ended-up.
Some aspects/analysis in the piece are touched-base on the real story narrated by our mother Dikura Koirala.
(The authors-brother and sister by relation- are the Bhutanese first year under graduate students at the Georgia Perimeter College. Opinion or facts & figures reflected in the piece are writers’ own, not of BNS).
This is exactly what has happened to our family as well in Damphu, Chirang. Well written article Dil Koirala Subedi and Hari Koirala. Keep it up! We should exposed all the cruel deeds of Royal Goverment of Bhutan
Deepak Sharma
What was the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck doing that time? Where was his Gross National Happiness (GNH)philosophy that time. Or, was it Gross Net Happiness of few elites in the Capital Thimphu? Very touching story indeed! Thanks authors for bringing such a horrendous act of Bhutan goverment!
DB Tamang
My conclusion after reading this article is that King Jigme Singye Wangchuck knowingly allowed rag-tag BPP activists to mobilize people in the south for thier mass demonstration. Mass demonstration of 1990 was a part of a conspiracy-theory of King Jigme singye wangchuck to de-populate ethnic Nepali Bhutanese. My question is that: was RK Bhudathoki, Rizal just became mere scapegoat of a conspiracy theory of King Jigme-Rajive Gandhi sinister designed to depopulate ethnic Nepali Bhutanese? Who instigate them to go for mass demonstration?
This is one of the better written and narated untold stories along with pics and evidences. The background of the writer’s father in Royal Bhutan Army/Royal Body Guard establishes well that they were true citizens of Bhutan. It is a harrowing story the the proponents of Gross national Happiness should know. Thank you for coming forward to let the world know what was being done to Lhotsampas and how they were evicted them. The worst human rights abuses in the country is hidden like the dust covering the mirror. The world does not know the other face of the Bhutanese government; the world does not know the other side of Bhutan; the world does not know the untold stories of Lhotsampas. It is only through such writings that we can get the words out. Truth must be told.
Thank you again
DBChhetri
Hats-off Bhutanesenewsservice for bringing this story.Media shouldnt be biased and you have proven it.Slowly you people will realized who the pioneer of problem-making
Sonam Tshering
This is an example of governmental injustice on its people, and a story of human tragedy. And today, Bhutan government under the leadership of PM Jigme Y Thinley labeled us as an Illegal immigrant in various media including Aljazeera news. His government advocates Bhutan a land of happiness (Gross National Happiness). What a lie and hypocrisy!
What a wonderful writing of the real history! Lets make this loud to the world to explain what lotsampas have come across through.
Very brutal story hidden and untold until now. The message is very powerful and it should answer those skeptics who still believe in the magnanimity of the regime. I salute Mr.Ichha Ram’s service and loyalty to our country. He is a suitable examples of what most southern Bhutanese are – loyal, dedicated and humble. I read his story in utter disbelief. But it is true – this regime (JSW) has done some strange things – it has killed an incarnate Shabdrung, it has exiled its own ‘second queen’ and the ‘step prince’ (Yanki and her son) while it contunued to have multiple queens and multiple princes and princesses on its own.
For sure, there are thousands of Iccha Rams still living in the camps and elsewhere. If only their sons and daughters (as in the case here) could help them bring up their stories in this forum; it will a big blow to the image of the ‘happiness; country. One story at a time is enough to get us going for several years, because we have so many untold stories like this.
Thanks to the authors duo for sharing the story.
All I can say is rekindle your hope and determination, educate your children’s and make them professionals (Doctors, Engineers, and Researchers) in the US. Prove the world that Lotshampa population believes in sincerity and hard work. It is a matter of time; Royal regime of future Bhutan will beg your support for various reasons! Don’t fight for minuscule issues. Identify your own Bhutanese DALAI LAMA!!!
I appreciate the authors of this article.
Pema Norbu
Tibetan Refugee
New York
Dear Norbu,
Tapai haru ko jasto vastabik dharma guru hamro ma chhainan. Yadi chhan bhane pani jati, Dharma ra sampradaya sita lapakka muchhie ka chhan. Uniharu bata Dalai Lama ko jasto chokho bhumika ko asha kahan garna sakinchha ra………..?
A HIDDEN TRUTH IN THE COUNTRY OF GNP!!!!STILL MANY MORE TO BE PUBLISHED….
This is a heart touching story. One of the authors Dil Koirala Subedi is my neighbour at K/bari camp. Good write-up and keep it up! In the mean time, frinds in the US should start advocating for human rights issue. Exposed unjustice perpetuated by KJSW regime in Bhutan to outside world!
Anand Khati
Siliguri, India
Such a well written article-must read.Thanks for sharing it to all and sundry. I did not know much about this Koirala family of Beldangi II. Now I feel profoundly pitiful for this family. But they are fighters and they have come across all the evils to share their story today. I wish more such articles will come in the days ahead and open the eyes of the international community which were otherwise hoodwinked by the lies of Royal Government of Bhutan.
Rabi Ghimire
St. Louis, MO
Real sorrowful story. I congratulate the authors. Netha Haruuu Ko Vhanai Keee chaaaa abaaaa. I dont see comments here from them. Why Silence? Feeling ashame?
True! very true. Sombody had to unmask the the bitter realities of the BPP activities and their torture to innocent villagers. Bravo! you did it. This is such a balanced and unbiased true story. We must be able to tell the world that mistakes were from both sides. Initially there was more terror from the BPP cadres than from the RGOB. The RGOB added fuel to the fire when the BPP cowards flew to nighboring countries of Nepal(Birtamod)and India( Garganda). They neither had a plan, nor a vision other than torturing the innocent people. RGOB, on the otherside, looted the the same innocent people because they could not get hold of the cowards that flew the country. The RGOB should have protected these people.
There are hundreds and thousands of Ichha Rams, still not able to bring up their agony. Infact, a mojority of innocent villagers had to meet the same fate as described in the story. In the time when JYT is marketing his GNH(applied to a handful of his relatives in Thimphu), such unbiased stories should come up.
Ultimately the truth has to win.
Thank you for sharing your story. It is well written and powerful.
the writers of this article have shown great courage at coming forward with this information, i only hope that more and more people share these painful experiences in the future. the international community must be be brought to know about the painful truth of the real situation that has been endured for many unfortunate years in silence. rest assured that the truth will always come out in the end.
jash
bristol, england
This is a good story verifying the brutalities. It proves that Nepalis served the country, and not robbed it. Most Drukpas think that Nepalis have robbed the nation. It is actually some Drukpas that have brought very bad names to the country by trying to smuggle religious artefacts to highly paying destinations. But, what could we do? Bhutan is a Drukpa nation. The government tried to depopulate the south, for reasons that it alone knows for sure. Only those Nepalis that chose to adopt the Drukpa culture have remained inside. The exiles’ chances of return have gotton deeply blue.
The authors are courageous, and based on readers comments, they have touched on deep and enduring pain in the Nepali-origin Bhutanese exiled diaspora community. I urge the authors also to submit the article to media with broad readership such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and other outlets, especially where large numbers of the community live. In short: Share, discuss, and spread the facts and narratives widely — internally and everywhere else.
All good wishes,
Tamar Orvell
Atlanta, GA, and Tel Aviv, Israel
I’d like to share this story to my contacts around the world after editing little grey areas. This stroy tells the story of many Bhutanese. It must be spread. It is well written, narrated and articulated. However, I have few questions, besides seeking your permission.
Thank you for coming forward with such a powerful untold story that you kept in your heart for 20 years. Writer Dil Koirala and Hari, Plse contact me: [email protected].
DB Chhetri
The authors’ assertion has revealed the truth which has vividly exposed the rampant cruelty and brutality. I believe this pioneering work will be followed by others who experienced such savage acts by the tyrant. We hope for the continuation of the story relating to its impacts on the present generation.
Thank you every one for the support. We missed one important point in this article, and would like to thank Dick Pokwal-ji for the remainder in the group mail.
When we fled our village, our mother hired two men at Nultrum 1000 and carried our ailing and wounded grandmother in Dhoko (Big Bamboo Basket) to reach Indian border. She died within the very first month of our arrival in Maidhar temporary refugee camp, eastern-Nepal due to scorching heat, fragile health including her deep wound in her head from Captain Chimi’s beating!
Sincerely
Dil Koirala Subedi & Hari Koirala
Atlanta, GA
I would like to commend the authors Dil and Hari for writing the story of trauma faced by her family. So many families like the Koirala family have bravely faced the brutalities of the regime which need to be exposed for the world to know real face of the regime that talks of GNH. Of course the trauma will not be lessened and the tragedy faced cannot be reversed but the volatile matter put in GNH can be exposed. Such excellent write-ups should be published in international papers. Let more such tales of trauma come and the international media attention can be possible, I think.
If he had raised voice for democratic changes and died for motherland, then I think his name would have been written in the history with golden letters where we also would slaute him for his sacrifice. Like people, whosoever laid down their lives during the democratic struggle since the time of Masur Basnet till the democratic upraising of 1990 lead by BPP, either people killed OR imprisoned or tourtured by the government,OR if any became martys in name of democratic changes,names of all these MARTYS, will be added in the pages of Bhutanese History, one day in future, in a fully functional democratic BHUTAN. BUT who has the responsibility do it in a constructive way?
its pathetic…. tears rollin out of my eyes. cant imagine of such inhumane act. very proud of Mr Iccha Rama and his family. he did so much for the country but the nation did not understand him. its a big shame to the nation and the people over there. justice has to be done.
where is lotus?
The Hidden Side of Bhutan:
This is a story that many of the Bhutanese people in the refugee camps in eastern Nepal told me.
I spent 2 years there from 1995-7 as Field director of the Bhutanese Refugee Education Programme.
Expelled for being the wrong colour, the wrong religion, the wrong race, many are now resettled in third countries, other still languish in the camps of bamboo and thatch, not allowed to return hom
Fr David Townsend
Chiang Mai, Thailand
The very sad hidden or untold stories are being exposed as refugees for the last 20 yrs. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere” & “A justice delayed is justice denied.” What to hope more than being saved by UN agencies and resettled in most advanced nations. Far away valleys always looks green and who dare us to be back unless we respected as human beings by India and Bhutan? The most advances and democratic nations in the world has known us and accepted us as innocent and gave us opportunity to stand on their soil. Lets not throw stone in the beehives nor try to jump into lions mouth. No, no, no no one could do nothing due to lack of everything in terms of politics to economy and sacrificial and courageous souls. We are thankful that most of us are saved and pray for those who linger in the camps for their immediate release from hellish life!
New Immigrant,USA.
where is Tika Ram Adhikari,Parsu Sharma Lautel, Durga Giri here?
That is the real face of RGOB. That’s what they have been doing to the Southerners and to some Easterners. The cruelty has crossed the limit many fold times. But the international communities are hesitant to point the finger at the excess of the autocratic regime.
I am happy to see the comment made by Fr. David Townsend. I was the Headmaster of Druk Model School, Khudunabari when he was the Field Director of Bhutanese Refugee Education Program in Nepal.
I like to thank the duo for bringing this untold story for our consumption. As all pointed, there are many Bhutanese who suffered the same fate like Ichha Ram at the hands of the cruel regime and many more are silently suffering the pain inflicted by the regime inside Bhutan
I am happy to recognize Anand Kathi, the closest neighbor of one of the writer of this article. I like to say Anand a, hi and wanna ask him whether he is coming to the United States for resettlement? Give your e mail address la.
Thanks BNS for even giving place to private messages as well.
Thanks all
Dil and Hari Ji,
A very sad story,
An immaculate expression.
Brave people are selected through a test of hardship.
I am sure you have passed the test.
Keep up with your writings.
It is really a untold story out of many such stories.I remained with Iccha Ram being neighbor for around 20 years in the camp.He had a lot of untold stories for Bhutanese communities around the world and in fact the whole world.His demise was a great lost for us.After reading the article above i felt that still one important part of the story is yet to come.I think that is the very important part of his life.Life he (Iccha Ram) spent in the jail.
Thank You Dil And Hari.
Good job, Dil & Hari. Great to know that you’re survivors despite having to suffer as a collatoral damage. We must unleash justice on BPP, the source of it all. I’m angry that the RGoB did not take any chances by differentiating between BPP supporters and true citizens. I hope that Iccha Ram’s name will be restored someday in a way that is deserving of the honors bestowed upon him during his service to the country. That chimi dorji must have been a crazy sick bastard to hit an old paralyzed woman.
Hello ” Universal” Wait just a minute…stop! Who told you justice delayed is justice denied. This is yur persimistic mentality. Look at 40 years tyrany in Egypt, and its likes Tunesia. What happen to former Yogoslavia and its head Slobodan Melosovic? Look at Tyrant saddam ( was like Chhimi of the story here) and look at Killers Taleban of Afgasnisthan.
Read new york times and you will find President Obama meeting Dalai Lama? Where is your Bhutanee Dalai Lama? You can also take an example of Jews Community. so my friend…you no good…you pesimistic mentality. This is not your fault but conglomeration of all faults deposited in your mind perpituated by Jigme Singye Raja, BPP activism, Camps life, statelessness, Early challenging resettlement life struggle. But wake up man…if you are too shaky…just remain quite for the good
Dear Dil & Hari,
Hearty congrats for your great article. Really touched my heart and water gripped from my eyes after reading the whole story which is real incident in the journey of our life. No human being should face such challenges and tragedies in life. May your spirit and life be blessed with courage and wisdom and make you winner. Winner does not do different thing but does things differently. This has to be screened in the movies so that the true incidents never get vanished from history of refugees who flew tirelessly with piece of bread in hand through the forest at midnight aimlessly! What a horrible situation which no one can even imagine! We need Journalists,film maker and writer like Alice who has capacity to screen such situation in Movies/films so that it can touch millions of justice lovers and fighter for democracy and Human Rights around the globe
May God bless Dil & Hari to disclose more tragic untold stories and inspire each and every one of us around the world and make more meaningful endings!
Gurung,
USA
Hello Anti-Uni,
I am not to debate with you and support your optimism. Same were/are the words used by 99% leaders including T.N. who barked to hit nuts in Jigme Singye Wangchucks’ head during conference held in Beldangi-2,Jhapa, Nepal refugee camp infront of thousands of innocent refugees who doesn’t know A,B,C of politics.If true leadership would have lead the game,we wouldn’t have dumped in the hell or camp and innocent would not get hanged or jumped themselves onto the river due to lack of one time meal! Yeah, you have some knowledge of political history but need to use it in practical life instead of doing business with the innocent. Better late than never but generations passed, be not fool to make fool to others. You can fool some people some of the time but not all the people all the time! Jaisa guru aisa chela narak kuntha may thelam thela!
It is greatly appreciated both the dual writers of the untold story endured by the Bhutanese people in Bhutan. From the core points, it is probably the most difficult situation faced by the people in Bhutan. We need to explore more in details to the outside world. We need a strong plateofrm to hightlight the issue to the world.
The real suffering of the people are not brouht up because of the language problem.There are thousnad thousand such stories which are never brought up to the public notice. I think we need to assist our fellow men to bring up such stories so that people will know the actual causes of suffering
Hey Universal dude, you are such a cool guy, awesome. You know some proverbs huh! That is cool dude. I don’t buy your idea of considering me, we and us a FOOL. If we are fool then it is an obvious you being a COWARD who fears always. Keep your fears to yourself; share your courage with others. We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes. Fear is a darkroom where negatives develop, and the coward only threatens when he is safe. So don’t think of yourself dude, there are many people inside Bhutan and in the refugee camps who aren’t safe. We got to help them, support them and it is continuous process. It cannot be done overnight. It is not an hide and seek game, it is not an 90 minutes soccer game, it is not an 3-hours Rajesh Hamal or Rajanikanth movie, it is not a 3 hours ICSC exam, it is not a 7 hours drive from phuntsholing to thimphu………It is all like fertilization of egg, changing to embryo, new born, under six, adult, married, father and finally dealth…..again new born.
So the fact is…. struggle for human rights and democracy is a long process. The legacy has to pass generation after generation. If Rizal or Bhudathiki or Rongthong or Bhumpa rai fails…so what? It is you, me , we and us should continue until we get true human rights and democracy in Bhutan. You don’t have to return Bhutan and don’t fear dude for you are already a citizen of an advanced nation. But what you need to do is to help securing true democracy and human rights in Bhutan. Find your own DALAI LAMA and support him/them
Dude! hope this is a good breakfast for you, I will come up with different lunch and dinner for you next time ok. Looking forward your order!
It is indeed a good write up and interesting to read follow up comments but there are few snake heads who always spoil the forum by raising and commenting unnecessary attacks on personal levels which are uncalled for…Grow up guys this piece of writing by Dil & Hari Koirala deserve some respect !!!
Hello World,
See what type of inhumane brutality is going on with the discriminated people of F-5 in the home of GNH. They deserve to be saved before they extinct.
“To obtain the citizenship of Bhutan, the following three options are laid out;
i. Citizenship by birth
ii. Citizenship by registration
iii. Citizenship by naturalization.
Citizenship by birth takes into condition of both parents to be of Bhutanese origin and citizenship.
Citizenship by registration is for those who have an official record of them being present in Bhutan before 1958.
Citizenship by naturalization, article 6 of the constitution of the kingdom of Bhutan, from page 9, says a person who applies for citizenship by naturalization should satisfy the following:
i. Should have lived in Bhutan for more than 15 years
ii. Should read, write and speak Dzongkha proficiently.
iii. Should have no record of ever spoken against the tsa-wa-sum
iv. Should abide by the rules and regulations of the country
v. Should understand and follow the culture, history and tradition of the country etc.
The procedure for receiving the citizenship through naturalization follows the following:
i. First of all, after we apply for naturalization, the committee comprising of high level officers check on the documents and the whole family history.
ii. Only those who satisfy the conditions of the panel and the constitution are let to attend the interview.
iii. It is a wait of almost a year when we know we are selected for the interview, and a further wait till our date arrives.
iv. In the interview, the whole family needs to be present. In the interview, the whole family needs to be present including children of any age. Incase, if any one of the member is absent due to any reason including sudden unfortunate mishap, then this whole family is disqualified for the interview. However, they will be asked to attend next time with a reminder to make sure that every member is present.
v. We are asked question individually, asked to sing songs, hymns etc. in the national language.
vi. All are also asked to write some words or two in the national language too.
This is my story, of a typical person engulfed in census problems… There are many others like me who are drawn in just like me and we know all the census measures government has taken to regulate the problem. I have my friends who do not know which form they are in when I say I m f-5, they muse and ask “what form”? its typical of those who have no census problems and I don’t blame them too. The only problem arises when they look at us with shady eyes as if we have a dragger hidden beneath our dress. So my story, which tells the similar story of hundred others is to clear the minds that we are not in bad faith and we are stuck in this dilemma where we cant do anything to improve our lives.
The white patches of cloud shades the blue sky above the last Shangri-La and as well, the dark clouds hover over some of its residents, regarded only as the specially permitted.
It’s been almost two decades that my grandfather has been frequenting to the Tashichhoddzong to board on to the flight of citizenship ID but even the glimmer of hope seen in the first step fades away when the next step is too high to reach. This is my story, a self financed graduate of 24 years of age. I had my class XII marks to get in college for higher studies with royal government’s aid, but my special residential permit denied me that time. I did my graduation from India and now again, I seem to get nowhere. My census problem aroused when my grandfather could not produce an official record of his presence in the country before 1958. However, he produced village heads record and there statement to the census officers stating that if they are false the government may punish them according to the law of the land including life imprisonment showing he was present before 1958, but that was not entertained and it can clearly be understood, People may fake some records. My grandparents didn’t give up. Since then, from 1990, my grandpa has been visiting Tashichhoddzong and to some extent, he was successful to have been short listed and appeared interview. Photograph of whole family was taken in presence of the panel of judges signifying we are all qualified. But this interview bore no significance as he is still rounding up and visiting to the Dzong/ zimpons office hoping that some day his almost two decades of hard work may bear fruit for his offsprings. It should be noted that he served the armed force for 3 decades.
Five years thence……..
From the Far East like merak and sakten to the central north of Zhemgang, western tip of Haa and southern points like Dorokha, groups of people seem to share this common bond. According to the constitution of Bhutan to obtain the citizenship of naturalization, interviews were attended in front of a delegate of distinguished home ministry officials. This is not at all new, and in the previous years, after approximately about two years, the cases were settled, that is whoever passed through the interview, the citizenship was granted and those who didn’t, they were not.. For families whoever attended the interview after 2005 which also includes my family, they have not been clarified with the queries whether their pleas have been rejected or approved and are still waiting, save for those who seemed to have slipped through with some push and pull….!
I would think I am not the only one sharing this problem, there are many who face the same and this would calm me down to sleep, but recently some developments made it clear that I m lagging behind with the basic fundamental rights.
The wait can be understood, the government and the ministry has a lot of work to do. There are lots of families, lots of information, case histories to be dug out and not to forget the usual works to be done at the ministry which may slow down the progress. But what I don’t understand and what made me pour myself to the forum is the following, what about those wealthy and high official foreign citizens who are “gifted” citizenship of Bhutan without attending an interview, nor have they lived in the country for even a decade, nor do they know even half of what we know about Bhutan, nor can they speak in Dzongkha, leave alone singing prayers and songs. Is there any amendment which the public doesn’t know of it yet, or is it simply that they are above the law? Well you may say they must have done some good work, but I have read every nook of the constitution, and no article states the same. I can understand if Father McKay was given citizenship, he did a very great deal of service to the country. People like him deserve citizenship without any hindrance, but what great work has those people done who have married to wealthy people or high officials, or was that the great thing?? You need not crumble your forehead to dig out examples; it is laid out in open. These facts thus culminate into a major gap that has to be filled in this regard. The democratic public may not be able to digest such a major gap in the actual running of constitution, and this truly calls for a fast approached amends in this regard. Why Bhutanese are made non-Bhutanese and why are non-Bhutanese made Bhutanese with so much an ease?
I have a family of clean records, the only gap that of my grandfather who cannot prove “officially” that he was in the country prior to 1958 during 1990 national census, but my parents, I and my siblings were born on this soil. We really are indebted to the government for allowing the same, but what now?? We are stuck in between the pan and the fire. What is my fault here? I have adapted to the rules, regulations, culture, tradition all my life till now… why am I wronged to feel I am a Bhutanese citizen and why am I being segregated still, even after applying for citizenship by naturalization, which in itself is an irony as I and my parents were born in this very land of the thunderbolt.
Fact file:
It is really a very alarming word to speak out but I will convince you that “Bhutanese constitution infuses gender discrimination to the weaker sex”. In census, if a Bhutanese man marries a foreign lady, there is no citizenship problem for their offspring. But if a Bhutanese lady is married to a non Bhutanese man, then hell breaks loose. Their children are denied citizenship, and as is my topic, even if they apply for citizenship by naturalization, they have to sit an endless wait. So is this not gender discrimination??
Recent development is provision of the small green-ID card for the Special residential permit holders. But these too are given to only those whose parents have married before 1985 and I m clearly not in the league, hence I carry the paper form of special residential permit. Again, its an irony when the children of my fathers friends who were born after 1990 are carrying the SRP card !!!! and most shocking they have marriage certificate after 1985 only. Home ministry may not agree but it’s a fact n true!!!!!!
On in personal terms, a just passed graduate with an aggregate more than enough to land up a job in the government, I have been running from one government offices and corporations to another for the past one year. But I was returned back as my “special residential permit-in paper” did not comply with their needs. The next thing, a visit to the dzong is a default choice for families like ours though the visit every time yields the same answer of. “Your case is being forwarded”. And if this statement was not enough, scolding and humiliating statements like “who told your grandmother to marry a citizen of other country”, or “ask your parent why this, that” etc. are put on us. We don’t have anything to reply to this, nobody realizes that we are frequenting the administrative offices to mend or cover up for the mistakes/faults that anybody in the family has committed if any. Instead of helping us, they scold us for inheriting those faults and for being born in the family which we so treasure a lot.
But no, what we do is just inherit the accusations without a chance to mend it.
My parents are not residents of the capital and for me to search the job and to visit the Dzong requires me to stay at a relatives place. Now I m beginning to smell their frustration and irritation on me being in their house, not that they are wrong in it!! Who would want an unemployed adult at his house just eating away free cereal??
After so long a wait, an abrupt halt comes to our requisition, letters, visits to the dzong to ascertain our status when the head of the concerned department or ministry says, “Your case is being processed, you will get your results soon”, or “we have forwarded your requisition, we did the most we can do, we don’t know of any new developments yet, when we do, we will inform you, please wait..”. But how soon is the waiting of more than 20 years, how soon is the processing and how long is the forwarding when the wait exceeds four years, how soon is it?
We know the ministry officials /zimpoens too get an eye sore seeing us every other day, and we understand the difficulties for them, but the problem is no one has an exact and correct answer to our queries. If they give an exact solution or a fixed date, who would knock on their doors time and again? Like a very heavy bag between coolies, where every coolie refuses to carry it, we are forwarded from one department to another, one officer to another and after a full circle, we at last reach again to the very first official we met in the morning, and all the wait in the long queue, knocking on the doors, requests, pleas go in vain, and we return home dejected. We don’t even have a higher authority to go to. The highest ones are hard to meet, and when they do, they just give an encouraging but nonexistent statement and date.
While applying to the college after I was not eligible to royal government scholarships, my admission was halted for a while as I lacked proper citizenship identity. At those few moments, I was a citizen of no country. With persuasion and explanations, we were granted admission. Nobody else, other than the ones who carry the paper which declares us as citizen with residential permit know the embarrassment, humiliation, fright we feel when showing the paper in India, or in offices, checkpoints, institutions within Bhutan. A constant fear lingers in our mind when we cross into Bhutan from India through the border gates. On seeing a policeman. I sometimes just can’t stop thinking if the policeman may just lock me up while crossing the border, or even when roaming in town coz of my documents. Thank God and those policemen who have not inflicted me with those horrors.
Nobody, except the ones that carry the paper (The proof saying we are citizens with special residential permit), know the embarrassment, humiliation, fright one has to endure while showing the “virtual” citizenship document in gates, offices, institutions… only we know the pain….
I had lots of friends in college and usually used to return home with them in groups. There were lots of friends who had the citizenship card and some who didn’t. I used to carry a file as I feared the paper which was my only entry through gates of Bhutan may get damaged. Once after crossing the Kharbandi check point between Thimphu and Phuentsoling where we were asked to show id card and as I showed my paper from the file, my friend told me, “I feel something, something uncomfortable when I see u carrying the file and showing the paper while we show a small card”. It was a sympathetic comment. She didn’t notice but a small moisture enveloped my eyes, and I thought if only……………………..
Recent developments:
DPT government has it seems tried to come to a little rescue. From what I hear, some 3 member tshogpas have been appointed to probe the presence of residents prior to 1958. From what I have seen and heard, our village and the neighbouring villages have not a whiff of these developments . This can be due to LG elections but its been all over now and it has not been resumed yet but I m optimistic that it will soon continue and will be over by this year end.
In conclusion I would like to let u know that my grandfather now is 74yrs. My dad 48yrs. With SRP card n myself 24yrs. With SRP time bound paper. This is not an article showing sword to the governing body, but it’s an appeal to look through the procedure we have been through and do the needful. Its not that we are asking neither citizenship to be given automatically nor are we asking for any type of decree which will guarantee our citizenship. We have gone through a procedure which has taken a lot of not only our time and money, but also the governments, so what I, on behalf of all those who face the similar problem am asking is just to follow through on what was started legally, n issue us our identity constitutionally.”
I like the way the story is started and ended. Yes, it contains a lot of true information. This is the right time for those of you, who say BPP also carried out unruly activities in 1990s, to speak up boldly, as the authors did here.
It is also time for the sympathizers of BPP to clarify on writer’s comment, which says the cadres, claiming to be affiliated to the BPP, took away Ichha Ram. If those in powers at the BPP do not speak this time, react properly, whatever the truth is, we will continue to understand that ‘silence is acceptance’!
Good article but one thing the writers might have misunderstood the fact told to them by their Father regarding conferring of medal by the third king during the coronation of the fourth king.The coronation took place in 1974 where as the the third king died in 1972. As such there was no third king during the coronation of the fourth king.
this speaks in tself how much we can take and how good we are at moving ahead inspite of our difficult path
congratulations bhai bainee for bringing this up
thank you
This is good news and best example for gross national hapinese people.congratulations bhai bainee for bringing this up
thank you
Dear readers,
We were told by our father that his service was recognized, selected and nominated by the 3rd king before he died, and the medal was awarded at the time of coronation of the 4th king. We were also told by our father that in Bhutan, release of prisoners, award of medals, award of land Khasoo/seera etc were done in the auspicious occasion like Kings birthday , coronation etc. Perhaps this was the reasons!
Thanks Shiva-ji for catching this point. It is just the sentence framing error!
Dil Koirala Subedi & Hari Koirala
Good Luck to both the writers(brother and sister). I know your father very well.We were neighbor in Damphu,Chirang till your parents migrated to Dhanesay.Many people of Damphu,Mithun and Bokray knew your father as Koirala Peljab and your grand father as koirala maailaa(second in the birth line).
A riveting, thought-provoking and appalling story about the savagery of JSW and his henchman not only to those innocent children, the raddled elders but also equally to the hardworking servants of the dictator himself.
A real story undergone by many southern Bhutanese. I know such cases myself and there are no lies in it. This is the TRUE FACE of JSW the discoverer, the innovator and the champion of GNH. A devout follower of Lord Buddha, oh, there is surely non to stand by him as long as crimes are concerned.
I only wish some one wrote about BPP too who then were none but the most brutal competitors to the very JSW in cruxifying our innicent people. Please some one, come up with an article on the viciousness of the BPP.
Dear Friends,
This is neither a story nor an adventure. It is a True story. It is an untold story of atrocities against Lhotsampas that actually happened in Bhutan during 1990. It takes courage for the people to come up and say publicly about their personal sufferings. That is why I very much appreciate the writers Dil and Hari (brothers and sisters)
Therefore, instead of congratulating the writers using such words as well- composed story etc (because it is not a composed story), reframe your sentences to give real meaning to the incidence. What will be more helpful here is to come forward of your own or your neighbors’ untold stoties. I know this was a recurring happenings among a vast majority of Lhotsampas but many of them do not know how to write or who to tell, share their sufferings, rtaher they want to forget it. So listen to them and write for them so that the world knows actually what happened. This way we become a part of the history of Bhutan which will be a judge tomorrow as these true stories may become witness in the world.
Thank you
Dick Chhetri
Anti-Uni.
However you try to brainwash with unnecessary phrases,it makes no sense. Seems you were just born in the refugee camp where you got chance to polish some netas’ shoes,ha…You lack morality and the way how to demonstrate yourself in this highly respected blog. Its subjective whether to fight for democracy or human rights or serve the community with purity and respect for the welfare of the public. Its shame on you and where are you hidden with such curiousness and interest in politics. As being resettled in the highly advanced nation, we need to highly abide by the federal and state laws and not merely act self proclaimed leaders. We need to avoid the culture and concept of proclaiming leader by our selves but we can work directly or indirectly through community service and gain full maturity gradually in every field if interested, my boy. We need not bark ourselves for Human rights, human rights or democracy, democracy but do in practical life with great passion and generosity. Serve the needy ones, help in languages, be an example but not like a beast of burden having all the mixed ideologies without any use. It seems all refugees are cowards who chose for third country for resettlement which is like second birth in life and our younger generations.
“Too many cooks spoils the broth” we need to respect the correct ideology of human rights enacted by UN or international community and not go our own way where we are gone ashtray for the last twenty years. Before handling the situation or any mission we need to have strong determination, full knowledge and commitment but not just fool everyone with thousands of mixed political ideologies. I am neither hungry for your breakfast nor interested for your lunch or dinner but if you really share your original name or id, I would teach the lesson of anything including politics,human rights or internationally accepted norms and ideologies. So lets conclude with sharing and respecting rather than hitting each other unnecessarily but if you are so interested I am ready to debate with you personally.
BNS long live!
Thanks.
another false story again ..u dont believe me? dont worry, i will show you.
This is a line from your article “The third king, Jigme Dorjee Wangchuck adorned him with a prestigious medal during the coronation of the fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. He was then transferred to the Royal Bhutan Guards (RBG), an elite branch of the armed forces responsible for the security of the King, the Royal family and other VIPs.”
Third king had passed away and our 4th king was coronated 2 years after the passing of the third king.
You might tell this kind of lies to the foreigners who don’t know a thing and they will believe you..but not to us. ..the true Bhutanese, know the actual truth.
Hello Universal,
You and me are just jockers in this realy life based story. If you are Meri-Bassai, I am Jere-khurshanee.So shut your big MOUTH!
Hello “Ilovebhutan”
I
L=Looted innocent southern Bhutanese
O=Occupied land of innocent southern Bhutanese
V=Vacated houses of innocent southern Bhutanese
E=Eastern Bhutanese were equally victimized finally
BHUTAN
So I hate you “ilovebhutan”
Reads the clarification provided by the Authors above
The whole episode of the ‘refugee’ started from the violent activities initiated by the Bhutan Peoples’ Party, including, in your own words:
“It was in the summer in 1990 that our father was coerced to an unknown destination by a group of four men who claimed to be the cadres of Bhutan Peoples’ Party (BPP). We were completely unaware whether he was actually being kidnapped. Our mother, looking deeply traumatized, told us that our father might not return from the BPP camp—as it was a common say that time.”
When kidnapping and rampant abduction takes place in the country, it only becomes the responsibility of the government to provide security to the citizens with all measures, including deployment of armed forces. This is true in every country. Fortunately or unfortunately the situation escalated to an extend that innocent people were involved, mostly through the coercion by BPP’s famous Garganda cadres. Stories like this needs to be scrutinized for facts; writing is a skill and does not necessarily contain facts.
When the security of an independent country is threatened, it is justifiable to respond with all measures. When the USA was attacked in 2001, the US government responded with force because that is the only action that will justify to the attacked that the country had encountered. It was exactly the same what Bhutan did.
There are many appealing stories written in connection to the problem in Bhutan, stories from the family members whose husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather was beheaded, cut limbs into pieces and delivered just the head to the family by BPP cadres. As much as the story is nicely written with propaganda, to assume the international spectators are fools, is insane.
Anti-Uni,
Think twice before you speak. You are really interested in making a joke for the real tragedy occurred in our community members. Never try to misuse your talents nor misguide people like Dil and Hari who gave time to expose their talents with true stories.For everything good thing there is opposition but need to examine ourselves what are we doing or writing on what base. I advise you to have more training in writing or orientation to deal with the people through any medias!
Long live BNS!
I am truly feeling sorry to hear the experiences face by one of the commentators, who want to be known by File-5 name. Yes there are another 80,000 people whose fate is hanging at the mercy of the RGoB. The cruel regime has set the entire mood to trouble the southerners to force them out of the country.
File – 5 is an educated youth who can contribute for the progress of the nation by joining the needed workforce for the Government, if he is given an opportunity to serve.
What an irony the people who were born in the soil are denied their fundamental rights of citizenship and employment. Moreover, Bhutan is hiring other nationals to meet the increasing demand of manpower in the various sectors of development. But why the govt fails to hire its own product; is RGoB so prejudice to Lhotshampas? What advantages for the regime to single out the southerners?
I can only hope and pray that the RGoB stops such selective practice of discrimination for the future good of the Nation and its people.
Lotus, you can only pointing the finger at the BPP’s cadres, you better stops such thing and mind your own business, because you guys are mere spectator of the worsening situation inside Bhutan. Didn’t you feel ashamed and guilty when thousands of loyal citizens were forcefully evicted using the worst coercive method no lesser cruelty then Ichha Ram Koirala.
See how file – 5 is undergoing the trauma of being stateless and jobless. For some time, make a couple of deep breaths being File – 5 and feel the pain inflicted by other.
Thanks
@DB Adhikari- You think individuals are above the country? When you can bark like a street dog and try to bash the image of a country at any given opportunity, I should mind my business talking about BPP’s criminal cadres? What a nerve you have!
Lotus flower! Wait a second!
We are not against the King, country and the people of Bhutan. What we are against is its atrocities (of 1990s) to depopulate the southern Bhutanese. We are not against the GNH philosophy per se , what we are against is current government regular campaign trying to eye washing international community that all refugees are illegal immigrants (when we have land tax receipts of 1907 including 1958). We are not against current King Jigme Gaser Namgyal Wangchuck ( as we have hope on him), what we are against is the 4th king tacit approval to depulate Lotshampa population of southern Bhutan even though he was supreme commander of all security forces , and supreme authority of Bhutan. Being a King he could have prevented refugee situation ( by being a Bishnu Bhagawan ko Autaar).
All these years we all are shouting for change; and here I mean only the changes of governance systems, certain policy issues changes, certain census policies issues changes so that all the diverse population of Bhutan ( Ngalongs, scharchops, Lotshampa, Kheng, and others) be well adjusted without compromising the national interest and cultural sensitivity issues. We know very well that Bhutan needs special recognition from internal communities including UN system given the sensitivity enveloping Tibet/Sikkim episode.
Therefore, Lotus we all are brothers and sisters from the same country! No gossiping and negativity. All we need to do is to support changes in Bhutan so that we all can live together as a single family in the land of thunder dragon.
Lotus, we can always debate on the pertinent issues, with dignified language. I can cajole any body and use the filthiest words ever. But as a proud individual, it will always be good to use the proper words and phrases which show compassion and love against the person you are criticizing.
However, you know how a nation is formed, simple – from individual, family, community and finally the nation. If the authority fails to care an individual, then one cannot expect to form and consolidate the versatile community. The individual will play its part to be a national player in his own capacity. If we go on singling out an individual like the form – v, then a day will come that you will not be spared from this vicious circle. Therefore, a nation should always give top priority to its citizens, nation exist as long as the individual continue to exist.
Bhutan is undergoing deep crisis due to its own making and is a national headache now, therefore, the conciliatory approach of problem solving is the only viable option.
Regarding the BPP’s activities what I assumed is that they were trying to tell JSW that enough is enough and were asking the dictator to listen the people’s aspiration. I think BPP was trying to do the same thing but in a very small way.
Geographically, religiously,politically,socially,culturally,economically,historically, scientifically spiritually,etc,etc,the world has been divided and subdivided into very tiny parts and never try to be unified citizens of this world. In any angle human being tries to expose its selfishness and never have the culture to appreciate and bring compromise and make one concrete goal. “For every action there is equal and opposite reaction,” one or the other way we are attached with some philosophies or elements for our likelihoods. As lotus is attached with the philosophy of Buddhism,he never supports the sentiments of the fact but attached with the same elements or philosophy for his livelihood if it even brings positive results. We are being brainwashed by our old faiths and beliefs where it never get updated with the modern sentiments of the modern world!
Both of you antis and original commentators. Speak the truth and the reality. You will get good support and even Bhutanese Dalai Lama can be born if you talk sense and universal truth. Both sides are rowing the boat of imagination and dreams, most of which are untrue. I wish my suffering people in diaspora, who are the victims of political interests of the regime, to understand the reality and speak the truth and the reality. Same thing goes to my friends from Bhutan and else where speaking in support of the regime. You speak about the stories your parents might have told you on the basis of what their bosses were overheard talking as they served them. But the reality is different. I have my independent experience of both Lhotshampas as well as the regimes. My justice would be that Bhutan requires a change to accommodate all the communities of diverse ethnicity, religion, language and culture for a peaceful Bhutan. Future of our motherland is bright if both sides come to an understanding because Bhutan has no potential for civil war or arms struggle. Geographical aspects, historical coexistence and demographic limitations do not give any one any chance to take up arms. So, think well and talk sense. Unity and alliance of all ideologies will only pave way for promoting a unique leadership in the Bhutanese struggle. There is time and opportunity if we patiently concentrate into our presence. I have always supported people in the movement and I still wish to continue. But all must be sincere. I sympathise and wish all the best to every one.
DB Adhikari ji, agreed that we should critisize others diplomatically. Agreed that a country is representd by its people – sometimes even by a single person. Agreed that charity should begin at home – GNH is not all about rendering thousands of citizens refugees. NOT AGREED however is that BPP had to hack our own people to deaths, kidnap and torture them. Not agreed that they had to bring damages to the RGOB in the forms of deaths and destructions – ALL THESE TO SENDING a message to JSW
Further, on one hand you say ‘ conciliatory approach’ and on the other you support BPP’s murderous activities. A reconcialatory approach is one where the facts and contentions of conflicts are unbiasedly brought out and a path of reconciliation is found.( though at this moment and even in the near future I dont see any VIABILITY)
Nilik
DB, what crisis are you talking about? Have you read a news from the UN that all 193 member countries have unanimously agreed to adopt Bhutan’s happiness proposal as the 9th millennium goal. What this means to you is an eye soaring envy but what this means to Bhutanese and the world is a pride.
I don’t care whether you use filthy or descent language. It is your choice. But in the eye of Bhutanese and the Bhutanese law you are still an anti-national unless you prove before the court of justice.
The Bhutanese don’t care how much bad you can write or talk about Bhutan. It is always there to see for all, except you Bhutan bash-er.
Hi Lotus, Happiness is not your private property and every individual have their own rights to exercise his/her happiness within the jurisdiction. Don’t even be so excited, I don’t think you are in the nearest position to celebrate this adaption. The country’s system is such that you fail to reap the benefits of the modern civilization and technologies when the system in place is faulty. That is what is exactly happening in Bhutan. Only the handful of ruling elites and selected people are enjoying the life at the expenses of the poor people.
It is an irony that more than half of the Bhutan’s population is still reeling under abject poverty, unemployment and mal-nourishment. But the regime is one step ahead in trumpeting its hornet. The Bhutanese people who are leading the life in the far flung villages in the country side never ever have an opportunity to experience the pursuit of happiness. But the RGoB is talking like rationing the happiness to all its citizens.
It is a big joke that Bhutan is coming forth to table the happiness proposal when it is miserably failing on its own front to dispense happiness to its own people through balance development and failing to repatriate single refugee from the camps, despite, discovering 75% or more refugees as the genuine Bhutanese citizens.
When the motion was adapted unanimously, Mr.Jigme Y Thenley was panic and was telling that Bhutan do not have sufficient infrastructures and capacity to content the world body when it comes to GNH, what a shame!
Lotus don’t ever even contemplate that the Bhutanese people are happy and content by simply floating the idea of GNH until and unless the full fledge democracy takes firm shape in Bhutan.
Nilik ji I am neither supporting BPP nor opposing their past activities. But we all should reckon that it was BPP who engineered the mass peaceful protest of 1990; I think it was tit for tat diplomacy when it comes to regime’s brutalities that surfaced after the mass protest of 1990.
Conciliatory, in my understanding is forgive and forget approach, and only good understanding prevails under this kind of circumstances. However, this was what echoed in the mind of the Bhutanese political or apolitical groups.
@Nilik, for once I strongly agree with you. For all I know, JSW always had a soft corner for lhotshampas & was very careful not to let them be misled by external factors as this would be a serious threat to the nationhood. He has been carefully demonized by the likes of BPP whose roots I believe extend to the likes of BP koirala. I & many close to me have suffered the consequences of the mess-up that was the 90s. But reconciliation is not something that can be achieved by playing the blame-game. For those who have been comfortably resettled elsewhere my find it cathartic to do it, but this is not something that will help the cause in the long run. Let us also face it that many countries have come forward to take in people not just on humanitarian grounds but also because they see Bhutan on its way to a very positive transition. This I think will be very good for all of us. There is still hope.
Dear Hair Ji and Dil,
I read your untold story in utter disbelief! How could this happen to the family of man who even risked his own life for the sake of country’s sovereignity? As school and class mates in PES and TRSS, I never thought you be having such traumatizing story!
Above all, the time is a healing factor that has the power to normalize stressed and victimized minds and souls. Let us only wait for the perpetrators to be brought before justice. Powerful paper works like yours can shorten the reign of autocratic regime by garnering the global support and solidarity.
With sincere thanks,
Tejman Rayaka
Munich, Germany
I do not agree some comments that probably seem to come from pro regime and perpetrators. About what someone above say that Jigme Senge had a soft heart for Lhotshampas. I totally disagree because, the nature and the Kings can not be trusted. There is a living experience of a common family member who appealed the King with his memorandum for justice at a time when the king’s entourage passed by the village. The complain was against the regime’s atrocities. Accepting the memo and passing over to his henchmen in the convoy, King demonstrated his fatherly love and embraced the applicant as onlookers observed the scene. But to the ears of the appellant, King JSW whispered his warning, “keep silent and forget what has happened, else you will face the atrocious action, which you have never expected”. Such are the stories we hear from our poor village seniors who live under fear and threat. So, don’t just believe what you see with your eyes.
@DB Adhikari, well, in my understanding conciliatory means ‘to win over or gain’ or may be ‘reconcile’. For a reconciliation there should be a participatory approach where all the actors are brought on the table. The two main actors to have caused the initial problem are the RGOB and the BPP, RGOB being the starter. As you might have also seen that the biggest pretext of non-viability of reconciliation put forward by the RGOB is the activities of the BPP. And many of us also know and accept that BPP has done more damage than good to the whole cause and approach. So, if we want a reconciliatory approach, educated people like you should be able to say What is what sincerely and not bring out excuses.
@ jedah; No. One thing is for sure JSW had never had a soft corner for the SB. If he ever had, he would have in the first place, never caused this problem. He could have done any thing as the King of Bhutan , an absolute head, the incarnation of God, to solve the problem even before it actually started. Sure is that he had cooked up a plan least for 10 years to drive the Nepali-speaking Bhutanese until he relinquished it 1989 -90.
Whatever he did – quite late – to ask people not to leave the country was a show and not a soft corner. On one hand he loosened his chamchas to threaten and hound out the people, on the other he pretended to be a good king. You would not realize all this for JSW had never treated you badly. We realize because we are the victims.
Looks like Nilik has good political knowledge. What is your openion regarding GNH acceptance as developing index in the UN?
Dear Friends, as I skimmed over all the comments commented above have found that very few have expressed their tone of sympathy, inspiration and some kind of counselling to the authors which they really deserved through this artical.But most of us are still criticizing and satirizing on personal basis.Authenticity of the story above condemns that type of attitude.If I’m not mistaken , this story is a real proof of Bhutan’s cruelty to its subjects and there are so many stories yet to come.Let’s pave the way for them and try to draw international attention towards Bhutan.Let’s stop writing such comments that scandal ownself.
@Sharma -The international attention is already drawn when the 193 UN member countries unanimously accepted Bhutan’s leadership role in making ‘HAPPINESS’ as the 9th millennium goal.
Talking of cruelty, you did not mention about the cruel act of those BPP cadres who went on beheading spree, which was the main cause of the refugee creation.
Guys… what Happiness people like Lotus Flower are talking about??? Isn’t this a mockery to the whole world?? How long the Bhutan Government is going to fool the International Community with its concept of Gross National Happiness, when its own citizen is desperately seeking reunion with his family for the last decades or so.
I was forced to leave Bhutan when I was 14 years old in the late 1990s. Guess what my crime was?? I did not have No Objection Certificate (NOC) from police at that time as I was going home from school for a long winter vacation. I did try my best to knock every god damns office to help me issue so called “route permit “ just to go home but none of the fools helped me. Every retarded police personnel stationed in the check post knew from where I was coming from but still why I was debarred to home???? Now I don’t want to speculate and go into details because I do not want to jeopardize the future of my parents, relatives, and friends & loved ones who are still back in Bhutan!!
So people what have you got to say to this tragic incident which changed my whole life upside down….
As matter of fact,Unplanned and spontenous political intiatives have had made many such kind of horrific situation in the history of mankind and prosecution against such stupid players is still in the process.I am confident and hopeful that your family would get justice in the days to come.
Bhutan and the Royal Government of Bhutan are bad; and you ngolops are all good people, not a bit less than that you claim to be. So, you stay where you are and be happy to your content, and for God’s sake. You all now have a better GNH. Your good fate got you out of here, and sent you there. “only the wise can know the whole worth of what he has in possession.”- Lam Sangay.
AGAY!, UR comments no good.UR thinking that you more Bhutanese and exile Bhutanese population less Bhutanese also no good.UR 1990s regime commited mass genocide and now you bandwagon GNH…this also no good. UR 1990s regime systematically uprooted lotshampa population and now you are teaching/making youth of Bhutan racists…this too no good. U think Bhutan is yur private properties and exile Bhutanese are trespasser…this also no good. UR previous regime kill Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel…no good. UR previous regime evicted Ashi Yanki and step king Jurmey wangchuck…no good. Your previous regime kill Jigme palden dorjee…no good. UR previous regime kill Chabda namgyal bahadur…no good. UR prvious regime kill Mahasur chhetri and Gargaman Gurung….no good. UR previous regime evicted Rongthong Kenley Dorjee, Thenley Penjor, Rinzin Dorjee etc….no good. Your previous regime handover Jumallahari mountain to china…no good. UR regime put under age monk to three years prison simply because he chewed tobacaco…this is no good. UR regime banned Christianity and imprisoned Christain man from Suray block simply becuase he showed Jesus Movie to the Villagers…this is no good. Now tell me where is yur GNH fit here?
Dear all,
Maybe some people should record these untold stories, narrate them an re-tell them on a testimonial website. Just the stories with photo’s of the victims. No comments, no other information.
These stories on their own are the strongest advocacy to end the demonic Bhutan regime as soon as possible. After South Africa and Cambodja it might well be time for the Bhutanese to accept their recent history and honor the victims and restore the rights of their fellow countrymen and women.
Especially with the third country resettlement going at its current pace it is a real danger that these stories will get lost in the mists of history. We should not let that happen!
If people are interested I am prepared to assist in building a digital memorial website for the ones who lost their lives and the ones who were (and still are) so brutally hurt by the Bhutanese oppressive regime.
Namaste,
Alice Verheij
writer, filmmaker
The Netherlands
1.@Lam Dorjee; To know this simple facts does any body have to have good political knowledge. Does not one see clear and through that JSW drove mercilessly 1000s of Bhutanese out of their country on ground of ethnicity and religion. Have we not seen for ourselves that his henchmen cruelly killed and tortured 1000s of Bhutanese for they spoke against his slanted plans.And, do we also not know personally that BPP was formed by his likes to retaliate against dis misdeeds but on the process brutally beheaded more Bhutanese and hounded them out of the country?
2. GNH is a good concept if it can be made applicable in real life.
The concept should make people happier – more that the happiness they would otherwise acquire gaining additional GDP. It is said that this theory is innovated by JSW and Bhutan as such is the founder. Good. Do we also not know how happy are the Bhutanese people!. You need not have to do a research with all the so -called funny indicators and the pillars. Go through once the BT and the BNS forums. You will see the happiness prevailed in this land of happiness not only in the people but in the animals -where the pigs fly and the dogs smile!There is no reason to start bragging off now.
I am proud to be a Bhutanese and am exhilarated to know that GNH has seen a way to the UN. Like me and many, the people in the UN have liked the concept. But just tell me if the UN accepts that JSW has not tortured and persecuted its own citizens. Tell me if the UN accepts that HE did not ethnically cleanse almost half of its population out of the country and rendered refugees all over the world!
It does not mean that cruel people are not intelligent and can not conceptualize good ideas. Human beings either a criminal, a king or a lay has also the same brain functioning. Some criminals have wonderful ideas which could benefit the larger community and reap for him bigger returns. I hope I answered your question!, Lam.
East or West, BPP is best..what we are!! OR where we are …. becoz” of them….otherwise, we were became Kuwa ko Bhegota.thanks BPP.
Rain or frost, BPP is the worst..for RGOB had mission but BPP jumped in with directionless vision….for BPP leaderships became movement eddicted but fellow countrymen were ruthlessly evicted
@Alice Verheij -Although I understand that your venomous expression of anti-Bhutan is to promote your vested interest, I am saddened by your interference in the matter that concerns the Bhutanese. I wish, you could have mastered in the political affairs of your country and try to change, before blindly entering into the bandwagon of a Nepali politics of leg pulling culture. However, it is not surprising that your living in Nepal for two years is enough of a time to inherit that dirty politics being practiced in Nepal. If you a proud citizen of the Netherlands, whose constitution and the general political setting have many similarities with that of Bhutan, and if that systems work for the people of the Netherlands, including you, why do you think the system in Bhutan will not work for the Bhutanese people? Your argument doesn’t any water. You are instigating innocent minds who are finding healing to the wounds that their so called leaders left with false promise of giving them better future but ended up in the refugee camp. You are in fact in the process of creating terrorism by asking the people to initiate new revolution.
As you wrote in one of your articles about the politics in Nepal, people of all Nepali origins have to bring inner transformation -a transformation in their heart -a first step to change the condition in the country.
Hi Alice,
The way Lotus hit you with leg-pulling culture in Nepali seems so ironic. ItS the Drukpas from Bhutan who started the lesson of leg-pulling and taught us all innocents. We were and are so advanced and well-cultured in front of them till today but they never considered our progress instead they evicted us from our dear Motherland. We never even forget in the next THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS generations till the end of this whole Universe, our motherland where our blood,sweat,tears and lives are always attached. We are in abroad for our security and and according to the God’ plan. Its not unwise to save ourselves from such danger but play very safe and secured role through latest technologies and wisdom! Never ever get discouraged with such Lotus who are the shoe-polisher of this regime and wants all human beings being dungeon and lead hellish lives. We pray for your great mission and encourage from all corners of the world and help in every aspects what we know and can be able to do. Those are the real symptoms(virus) of democracy not only in Bhutan but abroad too who tries to advocate themselves as True Democratic externally. The whole world is watching and our God is giving us every wisdom,power,courage,help,good relations,etc to unfold every secrets of devilish activities and help protect this earth from sufferings and any epidemics like such Lotus. “All that glitters are not gold” (not a real lotus but covering only!!)
INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE!
Thanks,
Namaste,
(KUJUJANGPO),
New Immigrant,USA.
Hello lotus flower,
I still live in bhutan and have witnessed the era(1990-2011).
1990-1992: Rapes,tortures,expulsion of students from the schools,expulsions of nepali populations from the southern belt,closure of schools under the pretext of security season.
1993-1995:More lhotsampas children were expelled from the school in northern,central and easten region.
1995-2000:Many lhotsampas were expelled from the government jobs relating them to anyone who were in the camps of nepal.
:RGOB denied Identity card,NOC(police clearance),business license and etc.
:RGOB surveyed our land in southern bhutan and under the pretext of excess land,they made us homeless and the offered the same to ngalongs,sharchop and khengpa.
:when RGOB gave our land to the people, we were forced to help them in every aspects(something like in zimbabwe,grab the land from southerners and give it the northerners).
2001-2004:Just for the country revenues,RGOB gave ID card for Bhutanese(form 1 and 4) only.
2005-2007:New id cards were distributed in southern bhutan but many are homeless/stateless and jobless as they fall under form -5)
2008-2011:Democracy is in the lips of Drukpas but for lhotsampa,it is FAKE democracy.
Southern Bhutanese – No, you do not live in southern Bhutan now. If you did, you would not have the courage to write what you just wrote, and rightly so. They would track you down and teach you a lesson. What you wrote above still goes on in Bhutan but in a more sophisticated way.
[PS: Editors – my posts seem to not appear anymore here even though I post them, the loyal contributor that I am. Did I somehow offend the code of conduct here? May be it is just a tech glitch.]
—-
Dear Bhotangey,
As far the comment is unoffensive in nature, we never reject it, no matter who posts it. BNS has not rejected your comments so far. If some did not appear online, we believe that it is due to technical problem, in particular from your side, that sometime includes not posting/sending the comments although you would write it online. Please feel free to post it again.
Sincerely,
Editorial Team, BNS
Dear friend Bhotangey,
I have been reading and analyzing comments from you and many other friends in this page, and have been wondering what the fact is. After I read your (July 28th, 2011 at 2:16 pm) post, I came to the conclusion with my understanding that Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Press and Publicity is totally controlled by the Government in Bhutan since today.
As you have mentioned above to Southern Bhutanese- “If you did, you would not have the courage to write what you just wrote, and rightly so. They would track you down and teach you a lesson.”
I personally do not think that people should have courage to express their problems and situation, their sorrows and pain from their own country. Why are people not allowed to express their sentiments and pain? Why people need to be tracked down for a minor comments and information? Is it just because to make the country of Gross National Happiness(GNH) or for what?
As you and many other have been advocating for your government and the king, and contradicting Bhutanese Refugee in camp and around the globe, so you are allowed to comment. You won’t be track down, you won’t be punished, Is that right? Yes, I agree with you , because government of Bhutan already have analyze and understand the revolution’s storm brought by Facebook and Twitter in the middle East to demolish the autocratic and dictatorial government. Probably, your government does not like those thing to be happened in your country.
I always encourage friends like “Southern Bhutanese” and many more those who are living inside Bhutan and around the globe to advocate for freedom of speech and Freedom of expression through the social networking sites.
Wish you all the Best!
Dil and Hari,
Two of you narrated a very vivid account of the life of innocent Southern Bhutanese common people at the time and many stories like this represent the cases of the life of people in the isolated mountain Kingdom of Bhutan shunted out from the outside world with limited media and international attention. People who lived inside at that time know very well the situation and it is important to document such incidences. Time will come when international community might realize if they would like to know this true side or listen to one sided stories narrated by the Government at that time and now only. Like in other parts of developing countries such incidences and atrocities are part of people’s life and that is the way marginalized people were suffering and continue to suffer even now. It is a bold narration and I would like to salute the writers for thinking of their parents and the traumatic situation they had to face.
We must appreciate the commentators for their opinions and sharing their thoughts. To see who is commenting it is important to be bold and identify yourself. Otherwise the value of what you are saying might not mean much.
@ Freedom of Speech – My post up there says two things:
1. That ‘southern Bhutanese’ does not currently live in Southern Bhutan, as s/he says s/he does. S/he pretends to do so. Why do I say that? Because, if s/he did live in southern bhutan, then s/he could not possibly even write what s/he wrote up there. Why? Because the government forces would hound him/her out and punish.
2. That there is no freedom of speech ( or any other real freedom for that matter) for one kind of people in Bhutan.
Nowhere did I mention that I live in Bhutan. I am a rebel, a refugee and I live in the United States. Hence I can write whatIi write without fear. If I lived in Bhutan, I would not be able to do that. Does that somehow respond to your concerns?
Nowhere in my post or earlier posts do I condone or support the policies of the Buhtanese government.
It is a story filled with horror. I deeply sympathise Dil,Hari and the Koirala family members for the circumstances that they have undergone.
Back then in 1990, it was a situation that the civilians were trapped between the king’s forces and the rebels. After the demonstration took place in southern districs,instead of addressing the aspiration of people, armies were let loose by the regime to torture, harash and evict the Southern Bhutanese, resulting to the mass eviction of one sixth of its population.
The genisis of the crisis rocks down to the biased Citizenship Act of 1985 and the introduction of ethnic cleanching policies of JSW.
The Bhutanese laws and bilaws enacted in the past to protect the interest of the regime should be reviewed and reconstituted in consistent to international norms and practices.It is time that International Tribunals intervine and verify the legacy of Bhutanese laws.
@Durga Giri -Exactly, innocent people were trapped between the government and the rebel, the Bhutan peoples’ Party cadres, which from the record show that you are one of the general secretaries of the BPP who ordered to perpetrate the crime.
You need to set the record straight. Not everyone is evicted or left the country by their own. Take an example of your own sister. She continues to work and make progress in life in Bhutan. Your accusation that armies were let loose to torture, harass and evict southern Bhutanese people, is lame. When your party went on the six inch (decapitation) rampage, it became necessary for the government to provide security to the citizens who felt threatened by such crime in the country. It is the responsibility of the government to secure law and order in the country, sometimes a use of force is the only means to bring the situation into control.
As far as your call for international tribunal’s intervention to verify and enact Bhutan’s law, I don’t think they will have such a power to do. You are forgetting that Bhutan is an independent country who has the right to have laws that befits the country and the people of Bhutan. However, you have the right to bark at the bay. You have the right to dream landing on the moon but when the sun rises and it’s rays peep through the windows to wake you up to realise that you are still in the same bed.
This is exactly where the point lies. The innocent people were dying and being killed. The coward and cunning SBs were licking the ashes of both JSW and BPP for their vested interests. The brutal and powerful dzongdas and drungpas were relinquishing JSWs plans into hounding the innocents out of the country and usurping their land and properties as reward in return. The army and police were torturing, shooting and gang-raping at randoms causing terror everywhere. The BBP was busy beheading people to scare them from being neutral or going to JSW for that matter. And, Lotus flower, you say, JSW was securing the law! Had he no any other ways of securing the laws and protecting at least these innocent people? Was he so desperate and weak? Do you mean ethnically cleansing more than one fourth of the people was nothing but securing the country.Do you mean Hitler and Saddam were securing the laws by gassing their own citizens?
The international tribunal may not have the power to enact laws for Bhutan, but it has the principal right to review the laws and ask it to correct. It has the full right to bring any criminal leader to book.
Rest, I totally support your opinion on BPP.
Lotus flower,Let me make you clear that I joined the movement as majority of Southern Bhutanese did to participate in September 1990 demonstation.The basis of our joining BPPs call was to support its 13 points demand to king Jigme Singey Wangchuck for establishment of constitutional monarchy with multiparty parliamentary democracy.
I condemn your statement saying ”you are one of the general secretaries of BPP who ordered to perpetrate crime”. Indeed, with time,after I joined the movement,I was mandated to the responsibility of GS International Affairs in BPP and with various responsibilities in different platforms in the movement . I have made no orders what so ever to perpetrate crime, or got physically involved in such activities, rather I always took it as my moral responsibility to contribute my inputs to improve the situation and address the multiple problems that the exiled Bhutanese were faced with.
From the day one of my joining the movement I have done my duty as a responsible citizen. I am clear in my conscience about my activities and I do not really bother to what others say.
Durga Giri is the only responsible BPP excutive members. He is far shighted and intelectual. so Lotusflower dont think that all five fingers are equall.
GS
I believe that Lotus flower in this forum is one of the criminals sponsored by JSW and up to some extent guided by BPP to murder,loot and rape in southern Bhutan in 1990-1994.I am the victim of JSW and BPP. My land,cattle,house that was built in 1915 by my great grand parents where my father was born in 1918 in Chirang has been looted by the criminal gang of JSW and I was forced to donate some hundred ngultrums to BPP at the edge of khukuri.And I am sure Lotus flower is the one who broke my granaries, looted all the grains,jersy cows and destroyed bamboo groves and attacked my 72 years old father with patang when he requested not to act like demon.How can this shameless creature called Lotus flower say that armies were mobilized to protect the people when the very people were looted,killed,tortured raped and made to leave the country by the armies under the command of JSW.Lotus, it is high time for you to start conducting prayers to cleans your sin for the betterment of your next life rather than still telling lies to the world.
Hello All Readers!
I am also so tiered and fired to read the baseless and senseless comments posted by the Hitler Hearted creature so called Lotus Flower. How dare can he claim that the Cruel JSW and his brutal armies safeguard and secure hundreds of thousand of lhotsampas? Does not he hear the utter and cry of Dil,Hari and the Koirala family. Does not he see the cry of hundreds of Southern Bhutanese in the world wide web? Does not he check the you-tube videos based on the pain and tragedy of thousands of Bhutanese? Why is he ignoring all those transparent and Cristal clear evidences? I think this type of fraudulent and bias commenter should be restricted from using the media like BNS which hold the pure spirit to carry the message and information about unserved and helpless Bhutanese in exile and inside Bhutan. BNS should be cautious to allow people of this nature to put comment in this precious media.
Thanks!
Umesh
Dear All Bhutanese …..If you really love beautiful Druk youl(BHUTAN),why don’t you speak about the sovereignty and the border of Bhutan?
.Do you know that? after 50 years there will be no more Bhutan in the world map.
And the Bhutanese people are gonna to be a tribal of the state.If you don’t know about it ask with your immature king.He knows everything even than he can do no thing becoz he is in the diplomatic prison of India.If you need supportive documents of my view go and ask with the severely extinct IndoBhutan border pillars.Since 1990′s there is no more border between Bhutan and India from Singhee to Kalikhola.Before 1987 sano Pinkhuwa was under(sarpang) Bhutan. Now 90% of sano pinkhuwa falls under (assam-bodoland)India.One day Dzonkha will become a tribal language of India like Uhkhumiya of assam, Nagamise of Nagaland and Manipuri of Manipur.So don’t be too late to protect your sovereignty and Kingdom. It is not a time to speak about democracy and Gross National Happynese for Bhutanese people becoz your nationality’s and sovereignty’s death is very near
Tashidele
Dear Writters of this article:
You are in the land of opportunity.Do hardwork and achieve ecademic excellence. Do not write bad comments on Bhutan if you are loving your country.
Karma Choda
Thimphu, Bhutan
Truth can be hidden but never be buried forever; one day it will come and talk to you. Such untold stories are just the beginning. Many more to come. That’s the only way the world will take a note of the true history of Bhutan. Until then the wrongdoers will try to cover it up by hook or crook.
Therefore, my request to the victims is to come forwrad and tell your stories based on truth and nothing else.
Dick Chhetri
This is to all the resettled people and Dick Chhetri:
Do not write bad comments on Bhutan. Try to find out why Bhutan was compelled to excercise 1958 citizenship act in late 80s. If you are really sincere towards Bhutan, help Bhutan establishing net work in your country of resettlement. It could be in Universities or foundations. Help Bhutan promoting tourism. Your approach should be conciliatory and not a hardliner one.
Karma Choda
Guys!
Needs of the hour is that people like Dick Chhetri and others should support RK Dorji and Thenley penjor for real democratic changes in Bhutan. Only one person in Bhutanese diaspora (imply to dick chhetri) showing deep interest for human rights and democratic changes in Bhutan will not impact much. He needs to join hands with people like RK Dorjee, Thenley Penjor, DNS Dhakal, TN Rizal, Bhumpa Rai. The bottomline is unless these people are united through active pressure from Bhutanese Diaspora nothing is going to work. So Dick Chhetri please start thinking in this line. My support is always with you.
Deepak Sharma
Good Job(writers), this piece of your untold reality will help the international community to know the true faces of the RGOB in the wake of Gross National Happiness quickly spreading it’s wings in most of the European countries and Bhutan trying to become the examplenary country. Every bhutanese should get the insperation from this and share the reality with the world which will be a milestone to reach our destiny. Cheers…BNS
Karma Choda,
The comments on this victims’ stories is not the place to give psychotheraphy or political counseling. Put yourself in the shoes of these two children and think in a Buddhist way. My goal is not to demonize my country or people but to safeguard the Truth and tell the world the true history of Bhutan as it happened in 1990s, before and beyond, I believe, “today’s history is tomorrow’s judge”.
“You want to get away by committing the crimes and acting innocent”. But I want to uncover those dark hearts, iron hands and sweet talks like yours.
Karma, good to see your humble request for the support of Bhutan and its government. I totally agree with you that every citizen should promote its country and the government from inside as well from outside.
But do you by any means and your government ever support those hundreds of thousand Souther Bhutanese who refugee in easter Nepal and some other part of India? Do JSW and his advisers ever put the eye of sympathy to those innocent and vulnerable Bhutanese Refugee in those horrible situation in eastern Nepal? The government of Bhutan considered those innocent people as the terrorist and illegal immigrants, having the intension to wash out Nepali speaking and freedom seeking fellow Bhutanese.
It would be wise to seek the help and support only if these people were treated like people in the past. If you do not believe me, read the story at the top once more.
Thanks!
This is the reality of what is so called the by the Bhutan Government. congratulation for bringing this. keep it up. This kind of articles might be a big bullet for Bhutanese government. Well done Dil and Hariji.
This is so called the Gross national Happiness by the government of Bhutan to the Outside world. Congratulation for bringing this out. This kind of articles might be a source for the outside world and a weapon for us to prove that Bhutanese government is not speaking true.
Challenge of Gorkhaland
August 11, 2011 10:59:49 PM
SUNANDA K DATTA-RAY
The possibility of new Nepalese-majority States doesn’t concern West Bengal alone. It concerns India from Assam to Uttarakhand.
Bounded by Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and China, Gorkhaland will be India’s second Nepalese-majority State. If migration across the 500-mile open border — which the 1950 India-Nepal Treaty permits and even encourages — continues, it may not be the last. The prospect explains Rajiv Gandhi’s refusal in 1986 to countenance citizenship for post-1950 immigrants.
Even Darjeeling’s sitting MP tempers pleasure over the recent tripartite agreement with circumspection. “The challenge is to understand: ‘what hereafter’ and to address that,” Mr Jaswant Singh warns. Since Ms Mamata Banerjee denies that the tripartite agreement will lead to Statehood, she may not realise there is a challenge to understand and address.
It may soon become mandatory to speak only of ‘Gorkha’, so let me be ethnically accurate rather than politically correct while it is still possible and say that the challenge is of appreciating Nepalese history and ethnography and its impact on India all along the Himalayas, not just in West Bengal. Some Nepalese readers have taken umbrage at my article “Step towards Gorkhaland” published in these columns on July 29. They probably feel the economic implications of migration are demeaning. Hence they insist they didn’t come from anywhere but have always been Indian.
Always is a big word and a huge concept. How long does one have to live in a terrain to be regarded as indigenous, a reader asked. The answer can’t be measured in years or even generations. The Burdwan zamindari family have lived in Bengal for 500 years and don’t speak a word of Punjabi. But apart from exceptional love matches, all their spouses come from Punjab. In the US, Ralph Ellison, the Black American author of Invisible Man, nursed no memory, individual or folk, of his African forebears. His consciousness had been shaped in the crucible of the American Dream.
As the Rastafarian movement or the Black American girl flirting with Nigerian attire in A Raisin in the Sun demonstrated, belonging is a state of mind. I have seen German-origin Soviet families squatting for days on airport floors with their boxes and bedding like refugees at Sealdah station waiting for flights to “return” to a Germany some had never seen. I also know ethnic Germans who despite Germanic names and appearance, regard themselves and are regarded by others as entirely Russian.
With passports of convenience readily available, legal citizenship is only a small part of identity. Nor is identity constricted by boundaries which is why many Nagas seek union with their fellow tribesmen in Myanmar. Friends of Dorjee Khandu, the late Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, say he was loyally Indian to the core but completely Tibetan in lifestyle. A Malaysian bumiputera (son of the soil) is born Malay and Muslim, but Malayali settlers in dhoti and angavastram are also accorded bumiputera status. The Burdwans suggest that choice takes precedence over history and ethnicity.
Readers who deny that the British brought in Nepalese labour are right only to the extent that migration existed before Sikkim ceded Darjeeling to the East India Company. But it’s fanciful to claim (as one reader did) that the Nepalese came in the 1600s. Many of Darjeeling’s 1,900 inhabitants in 1850 (2,200 in 1869) were the original Lepchas and Bhutiyas.
Leo Rose, Lopita Nath and other scholars regard the Treaty of Sugauli and establishment of recruitment centres at Ghoom and Gorakhpur as the start. The 1950 Treaty additionally encouraged immigration. The Nepalese share of Darjeeling’s population rose from 54 per cent in 1901 to 58.4 per cent in 1971. Reportedly, it increased by 700 per cent during 1951-2001.
A vigorous community’s eastward push reduced Lepchas and Bhutiyas to minorities in their own homeland. Ethnic strife erupted throughout the North-East but especially in Meghalaya. Darjeeling suffered grievously. The most dramatic impact was in Sikkim which had only 2,500 Lepchas, 1,500 Bhutiyas and 1,000 Tsongs in 1873. A century later, the Nepalese, then three-quarters of the population, played a decisive part in changing the status of a Tibetan-Buddhist kingdom with which they could not relate. A Sikkim-Nepalese politician even demanded a Nepalese Hindu king to balance the Bhutiya Buddhist Chogyal! Bhutan began to be wary of non-Drukpa settlers after the Sikkim agitation in which many Darjeeling Nepalese participated. There were also allegations of Darjeeling Nepalese agitators in Bhutan.
Bhutan began recruiting Nepalese labourers (tangyas) in 1900, allowing them to stay on as tenant farmers with Bhutanese nationality. This changed when Bhutan’s planned growth, empty land and porous borders attracted waves of illegal migrants. The evictions, refugee camps in Nepal, militant organisations, terrorist activity and assisted migration to North America and Europe are another story.
Just as Drukpa officials felt absorption would be easier if the Nepalese were called Southern Bhutanese or Lhotshampas, Subhas Ghising dubbed them Gorkha. Prem Poddar claims in Gorkhas Imagined that “the word ‘Gorkha’ (or the neologism ‘Gorkhaness’) as a self-descriptive term … has gained currency as a marker of difference for Nepalis living in India … While this counters the irredentism of a Greater Nepal thesis, it cannot completely exorcise the spectres or temptations of an ethnic absolutism for diasporic subjects.” Ghising’s overtures to Nepal’s King Birendra and Prince Gyanendra and periodic unpublicised trips to Nepal may have aggravated those fears. It was recalled then that the All-India Gurkha League’s founding constitution referred to Nepal as the “motherland”.
Several readers argue that Bengalis are equally foreign because they are really Bangladeshis. True, many people in Calcutta and West Bengal have roots in East Bengal (there was no Bangladesh then) just as many Tamils in Chennai come from villages in Tanjore and other districts. The metropole always attracts manpower, and internal migration in undivided Bengal followed this pattern. The movement since 1947 falls into two categories. The first is a staggered and delayed (because of political factors including the 1950 Nehru-Liaquat Ali Pact) counterpart of the exchange of population that happened all at once in Punjab. The second is the illegal influx of Muslims from East Pakistan and later Bangladesh, often abetted by elements in West Bengal. Undeniably, they should be tracked down and deported but neither group can be compared to the millions of Nepalese who have over the decades migrated to and made India their home.
The possibility of new Nepalese-majority States doesn’t concern West Bengal alone. It concerns India from Assam to Uttarakhand. The situation is without global parallel.
Greater Nepal issue and sikkim episode is just a ploy to justify expulson of Lotshampa population out from Bhutan. I completly disagree with Sudananda Datta Ray article posted by Lotus flower.
Parangkush
Nice to go through your arguments. Yes, it is true that this earth is round, and people could travel around it. It is not a big surprise. You can see millions of Chinese, Russians, Mexican, Somalian and so on in the land of USA. Millions of Indian are there in Canada and UK.I think you understand what I am saying.
So, what make you more concern is about only those Nepali ethics people around in India and Bhutan. But have you ever concern about the Drukpas in Bhutan? No you won’t because you are one of the Drukpas (Not all) who want to impose and obligate Drukpa- language, religion, culture,traditions, and values to other minorities.
Just remember original inhabitants of Bhutan are the Brokpas, Bumthangpa, Khengpa, Kurtokpa; whereas Drukpas and Lhotshampa are the immigrants from Tibet and Nepal respectively. So, if I argue in your behalf those tribes (inhabitants) need to be concern with the growing power of Drukpa.
What do you think? As you mentioned in your post above, should this Drukpas should be tracked down and deported to Tibet?
Dear Friends,
These children’s untold story is not the place to play cheap politics like Sundana K Datta-Ray’s article designed to confuse the researchers and distract the readers. There is a different time and place to take care of such propaganda. Just ignore him. As Bhutanese, why should we be concerned of such barking dogs that baks on a shinning penny?
Do not get distracted. When thousands of victims come forward to tell their stories, one Sundana K Datta-Ray cane be put in one of their shoes and questioned as to why the great grandchildren of a Lhotsampas citizen in 1910 became stateless in 1990?
.
Barking dogs Seldom bite…..so lets not bark always….All the Bhutanese in exile, please be concentrated and move forward for doing something concrete. Otherwise writers “chained” by Thimpu, like K Datta will be evolving time and again and keep confusing the world about us…
The country and the world outside are told that Government took action to free Bhutan only of the “ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS”. The story above proves the claims as a BIG LIE. What is there behind the acts of cruelty perpetrated against the loyal citizens of our dear country sandwiched between the two forces perpetrating their share of evil, victimizing the innocent citizens as reported in the above treatise? Is Tsa-Wa-Sum of our nation dismembered against each other? This should worry all the Bhutanese at home today to think seriously as the machinery in motion can treat the rest in similar fashion when the period arrives…
Lotus flower’s sweet discourses do not cover the STENCH on which it feeds and blooms! Aware is he of the art of writing that may accomplish feats but the story about late Mr. Ichha Ram Koirala does not look like framed tale of curious artist that he seeks to hint but only fraction of the truth from the suffocating hearts of the deprived citizens of Bhutan…
ITS TOO OLD…YOU GUYS CAN PULL THIS PIECE AND REPLACE WITH THE NEW ONES..SEE JULY 14 AND NOW SEPT 01..
This is a part of history, not like a current news or hot update which would expire within time. It would be ok to pull this article out from the front page, but must be documented and placed in a separate link tab or level in BNS page.
Because, this is one of the bold and lively story representing thousands of Bhutanese in the course of history.
kjh, your views only favor statistics. This is perpetual pain that grows with time unless solved at the root. As such, removing it may entertain your wish but the “new balm” that you suggest in its place may prove more expensive and less effective for cure than this treatise by the orphaned Bhutanese Children pointing to the source of COMMON problem encountered by the Bhutanese from the hands of the DRUKPA elites…
Surely, Bhutan is in the state of crack between the Bhutanese and the Drukpa, the latter playing to obliterate the former for perpetual monopoly over Bhutan!
Yishai,
An article is worthy that doesnt always mean that it has to appear in the front page for Months and months.I NEVER intent to undermine the messages carried by such pieces…There could be more such HOT topics with BNS.So I jus said Its now time to bring them out…However this piiece is certain to appear on the front page as MOST COMMENTED OR POPULAR TOPIC…
Thanks
Dear All,
As usual there is a debate of the pro Bhutan regime and the victims of the acts of the same regime.
Col. Muammar I am sure had never thought a day would come when he had to loose all his comfort girls as special body guards, had never thought that he would loose all the luxuries that he enjoyed as the dictator of Libya for more than 40 years and all power, prestige and prosperity for himself and his progeny in the oil-rich north eastern african nation. Similarly other deposed african dictators had never even had the slightest of thought that they would one day explain the people’s court of justice for their anti national activities.
Unfortunately, when our immatured leaders inaugurated the resistance to the brutality of the the tiny Himalayan nation to us- the southerneres, we lacked political awareness at all levels, we could not cultivate a political culture even until now, at large we were only jack of every trade and master of none.The state of Bhutan however small used all its state machineries to crush the movement and propagate false and fabricated stories against us to the world though its state mechanisms. Until now, more than 20 years, we could not find a true and a capable leader under whom we could chanellize all our activities to bring the reality open to all and faciltate the court of international justice to issue a warrant against the culprits to be there for explanations. Hundreds of Dils and Haris are still in and out of Bhutan who can not express to any one either out of fear or due to limitations of expressions. Also to a large extent, the innocent people blindly rested their faith on those people who had knowledge other than the required one for our cause.
Many in the long run are sure to vanish from this scene. So,the only option we have in our disposal is keep the new generations afreshed about the realities that occured in 1990s in Bhutan and the need to keep them ways to bring the culprit to dooor that speaks of Justice to us. We do not have a Dalai Lama but unfortunately there are many who want to be our Dalai Lama. This is also a reason why many capable people are closing their eye out of this scene and minding his own business.
This has given the Bhutan regime a good opportunity to fabricate new stories and win more support from the international community even citing this cause. Therefore, as a Bhutanese, one should not support the germination of any new organisations but should uphold the mission that prompted us to loose everything as a normal human being.
Lastly as DB Chhetri has said that we should bring more hidden facts that many of us had to face in our life. Those who can write should try to describe the atrocities of the Bhutan regime faced by the fellow Bhutanese who can not write for himself or herself.
The person who calims to love Bhutan should think safe and a prosperous Bhutan for ever and should not safeguard only through words. These are the people who write as long as they get the incentives.
The possibility of new Nepalese-majority States doesn’t concern West Bengal alone. It concerns India from Assam to Uttarakhand. The situation is without global parallel. SUNANDA K DATTA-RAY.
By the above statement, the author SUNANDA K DATTA-RAY acknowledges the gravity of the situation the people of Nepalese ethnicity suffer in the hands of India in states/areas that are traditionally the homeland of the Gorkhali people they seek to displace by forcing in other people of the plains. The treatise of the author does mention about the treaty of Sagauli that ceded the territories of Nepal to British India as the start of the spread of people of Nepalese ethnicity throughout their homeland. This is historically correct! But, is it wrong to inhabit ones’ own homeland adopting nationality of the nation that acquired their homeland by some treaty fair or unfair? Why is dispute/division created between the people and their homeland, regarding acquired parts as India and the people of those places/territories as Nepalese? This does no justice to the cause of the natural inhabitants of the Himalayan belt.
How does it find a place in parallel with the Bhutanese problem to be mentioned here? Simply confused!!!
Dear Karma Chhoda,
Nice and valuable suggestion you have given to the writers and the commentors. I do not think most of the evicted people think anything anti national to the Bhutanese territorial integrity, sovereignty and Bhutanese nationalism. We are concerned of why the shape of Bhutan changed in the northern part and the deduction of its area from 46,500 sq.km to 38000sqkms, of the stupid laws that put people to jail for several years and such primitive thoughts that bar the advancements of the Bhutanese in general. We are not against the Bhutanese people. But the arbitrary laws that have been cooked up overnight with malicious aims against a whole nation of people can never be accepted. Our aim is to convey the world community of the crimes done by the Bhutanese state machineries against the south Bhutanese in 1990s and the Sarchhokp community little later. In our advocacy for democracy in Bhutan, we will always be careful not to jeorpadise the independence and sovereignty of Bhutan. All the north Bhutanese also should start thinking about the need of a free Bhutanese society in the third millenium. Anything that should not be out of control of the Bhutanese people.
1. When did the people of Nepalese origin come to Bhutan?
The two sides tell quite different stories. Nepalese are all out to rewrite the history of Bhutan to show that their ancestors settled in Bhutan much earlier than they actually did. But historical facts, recorded much earlier than the current regime in Bhutan came into being, do not lie.
According to the paper “Bhutan: A kingdom besieged”, “The first sightings of Nepalese in the southern foothills are reported by Charles Bell in 1904 followed closely by John Claude White in 1905. All Bhutanese records confirm that no Nepalese settled in any part of Bhutan until then.
…The claim that the Nepalese had a role in safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, is clearly baseless since they did not enter southern Bhutan or any part of the duars area of West Bengal or Assam until long after the Sinchula Treaty with the British was signed. This is corroborated by Eden’s report which states that his Nepalese porters, “were unwilling to enter Bhutan, the inhabitants of which were not looked upon with favour … there the coolies left in considerable numbers being afraid to cross the frontier” (Teesta Bridge). Arthur Foning, a Kalimpong Lepcha, writes that this bore testimony to how effectively the Bhutanese territorial interests were guarded.”
However, most of the Nepalese came much later after the first five year plan of Bhutan was initiated in 1961. “Once the 5-year development programmes began to yield results, government effort to control immigration was thwarted by the earlier settlers who colluded with their ethnic kith and kin to prevent detection, falsify records and facilitate infiltration. Free education, free health services, employment opportunities, highly subsidized agriculture inputs, generous rural credit schemes, the security of a politically stable country were the main inducements that led to the influx of Nepalese immigrants in the 1960’s and 1970’s. In addition to the new arrivals, those who had come in legally as labourers for the many development schemes also began to infiltrate into the villages.”
2. Is Bhutan really a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country as the Nepalese claim?
Nepal Govt. and Bhutanese refugees assert that Bhutan is a “multi-cultural and multi-ethnic” country. And they try to play the old colonists’ trick of “divide-and-rule” by trying to play Sharchops against the Ngalungs.
But so far it has failed. Why?
Because Bhutan really isn’t multicultural or multi-ethnic per se, though we do have different linguistic groups. Bhutanese people in different regions speak different languages (or sometimes closely related dialects), but they look physically quite the same, and their beliefs, customs, festivals, and religious faiths are almost same and uniform throughout. So, excluding the Nepalese, Bhutanese form a cohesive homogenous society.
Now, since we have Lhotshampas who are genuine Bhutanese, Bhutan may be said to be bi-cultural or bi-ethnic country, but not really multi-cultural or multi-ethnic as the Nepali Govt. and the Bhutanese refugees like to believe.
The following is an official statement found on the website of the Foreign Ministry of Nepal:
“Bhutan is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. Sarchops, Ngalumgs and Lhostsampas are the three main ethnic groups. Bhutan has a significant number of people of Nepalese origin, particularly in the southern part of the country. The Nepalese of southern Bhutan are called Lhotshampas.”
Yet, we are not against multiculturalism per se. What we are against is how it is interpreted as Ruth Lea, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies in the UK says:
“ There are two ways in which people interpret multiculturalism.
The first one is the more common way and that is every culture has the right to exist and there is no over-arching thread that holds them together.
That is the multiculturalism we think is so destructive because there’s no thread to hold society together. It is that multiculturalism that Trevor Phillips has condemned and, of course, we are totally supportive.
There is another way to define multiculturalism which I would call diversity where people have their own cultural beliefs and they happily coexist – but there is a common thread of Britishness or whatever you want to call it to hold society together.” (Source: http://www.bbc.com/)
3. How many people in the refugee camps are actually genuine Bhutanese?
UNHCR confirms around 100,000 refugees in the camps. While the refugee leaders and Nepali Govt. assert that all of them are Bhutanese, Bhutanese in Bhutan believe that many of them are not really refugees from Bhutan.
The Joint Verification Team (JVT) of Bhutan and Nepal presented the following results to the fourteenth meeting of the Ministerial Joint Committee (MJC) in Kathmandu in May 2003 on the verification of the residents of Khudunabari camp:
——————————————————————
Category ———–No. of people ——Percentage
——————————————————————–
(1) Bonafide Bhutanese —-293—— ——-2.5 %
(2) Emigrants ————-8,595————70.5%
(3) Non-Bhutanese ——–2,948————24.2%
(4) Criminals—————347————–2.8%
——————————————————————–
Total ———————12,183 ————100
———————————————————————
(Note: Emigrants, the largest group, are those Bhutanese nationals who had signed forms for voluntary emigration despite Bhutan Govt. and the King’s advice to stay back. Most of them did so either due to fear of terrorizing members from groups like Bhutan People’s Party, or for the hope of promised triumphant return to take over of Bhutan – that was an unhidden political agenda of the refugee leaders and it is still is their hope.)
The figures above may be taken only as an indicative figure and not as representative of the whole refugee population. This is because Khudunabari camp is one of the smaller camps established much later.
According the foreign minister’s report to the 82nd National Assembly in 2004, “It was only in July, 1993, that proper screening procedures for people claiming to be Bhutanese refugees were introduced. Until then the screening of such people were given to the people in the camps who were themselves claiming to be refugees. Once proper screening procedures were introduced there was a dramatic drop in the entry of people into the camps.”
Courtesy:bhutanstory.blogspot.com
please someone(Bhutanese Refugee) let me know if there were presence of illigal immrigants in Southern Bhutan during the late 80’s cesus conducted by RGOB.
1. When did the people of Nepalese origin come to Bhutan?
The two sides tell quite different stories. Nepalese are all out to rewrite the history of Bhutan to show that their ancestors settled in Bhutan much earlier than they actually did. But historical facts, recorded much earlier than the current regime in Bhutan came into being, do not lie.
According to the paper “Bhutan: A kingdom besieged”, “The first sightings of Nepalese in the southern foothills are reported by Charles Bell in 1904 followed closely by John Claude White in 1905. All Bhutanese records confirm that no Nepalese settled in any part of Bhutan until then.
…The claim that the Nepalese had a role in safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, is clearly baseless since they did not enter southern Bhutan or any part of the duars area of West Bengal or Assam until long after the Sinchula Treaty with the British was signed. This is corroborated by Eden’s report which states that his Nepalese porters, “were unwilling to enter Bhutan, the inhabitants of which were not looked upon with favour … there the coolies left in considerable numbers being afraid to cross the frontier” (Teesta Bridge). Arthur Foning, a Kalimpong Lepcha, writes that this bore testimony to how effectively the Bhutanese territorial interests were guarded.”
However, most of the Nepalese came much later after the first five year plan of Bhutan was initiated in 1961. “Once the 5-year development programmes began to yield results, government effort to control immigration was thwarted by the earlier settlers who colluded with their ethnic kith and kin to prevent detection, falsify records and facilitate infiltration. Free education, free health services, employment opportunities, highly subsidized agriculture inputs, generous rural credit schemes, the security of a politically stable country were the main inducements that led to the influx of Nepalese immigrants in the 1960’s and 1970’s. In addition to the new arrivals, those who had come in legally as labourers for the many development schemes also began to infiltrate into the villages.”
2. Is Bhutan really a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country as the Nepalese claim?
Nepal Govt. and Bhutanese refugees assert that Bhutan is a “multi-cultural and multi-ethnic” country. And they try to play the old colonists’ trick of “divide-and-rule” by trying to play Sharchops against the Ngalungs.
But so far it has failed. Why?
Because Bhutan really isn’t multicultural or multi-ethnic per se, though we do have different linguistic groups. Bhutanese people in different regions speak different languages (or sometimes closely related dialects), but they look physically quite the same, and their beliefs, customs, festivals, and religious faiths are almost same and uniform throughout. So, excluding the Nepalese, Bhutanese form a cohesive homogenous society.
Now, since we have Lhotshampas who are genuine Bhutanese, Bhutan may be said to be bi-cultural or bi-ethnic country, but not really multi-cultural or multi-ethnic as the Nepali Govt. and the Bhutanese refugees like to believe.
The following is an official statement found on the website of the Foreign Ministry of Nepal:
“Bhutan is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. Sarchops, Ngalumgs and Lhostsampas are the three main ethnic groups. Bhutan has a significant number of people of Nepalese origin, particularly in the southern part of the country. The Nepalese of southern Bhutan are called Lhotshampas.”
Yet, we are not against multiculturalism per se. What we are against is how it is interpreted as Ruth Lea, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies in the UK says:
“ There are two ways in which people interpret multiculturalism.
The first one is the more common way and that is every culture has the right to exist and there is no over-arching thread that holds them together.
That is the multiculturalism we think is so destructive because there’s no thread to hold society together. It is that multiculturalism that Trevor Phillips has condemned and, of course, we are totally supportive.
There is another way to define multiculturalism which I would call diversity where people have their own cultural beliefs and they happily coexist – but there is a common thread of Britishness or whatever you want to call it to hold society together.” (Source: http://www.bbc.com/)
3. How many people in the refugee camps are actually genuine Bhutanese?
UNHCR confirms around 100,000 refugees in the camps. While the refugee leaders and Nepali Govt. assert that all of them are Bhutanese, Bhutanese in Bhutan believe that many of them are not really refugees from Bhutan.
The Joint Verification Team (JVT) of Bhutan and Nepal presented the following results to the fourteenth meeting of the Ministerial Joint Committee (MJC) in Kathmandu in May 2003 on the verification of the residents of Khudunabari camp:
——————————————————————
Category ———–No. of people ——Percentage
——————————————————————–
(1) Bonafide Bhutanese —-293—— ——-2.5 %
(2) Emigrants ————-8,595————70.5%
(3) Non-Bhutanese ——–2,948————24.2%
(4) Criminals—————347————–2.8%
——————————————————————–
Total ———————12,183 ————100
———————————————————————
(Note: Emigrants, the largest group, are those Bhutanese nationals who had signed forms for voluntary emigration despite Bhutan Govt. and the King’s advice to stay back. Most of them did so either due to fear of terrorizing members from groups like Bhutan People’s Party, or for the hope of promised triumphant return to take over of Bhutan – that was an unhidden political agenda of the refugee leaders and it is still is their hope.)
The figures above may be taken only as an indicative figure and not as representative of the whole refugee population. This is because Khudunabari camp is one of the smaller camps established much later.
According the foreign minister’s report to the 82nd National Assembly in 2004, “It was only in July, 1993, that proper screening procedures for people claiming to be Bhutanese refugees were introduced. Until then the screening of such people were given to the people in the camps who were themselves claiming to be refugees. Once proper screening procedures were introduced there was a dramatic drop in the entry of people into the camps.”
Courtesy:bhutanstory.blogspot.com
please someone(Bhutanese Refugee) let me know if there were presence of illigal immrigants in Southern Bhutan during the late 80’s cesus conducted by RGOB.
1. When did the people of Nepalese origin come to Bhutan?
The two sides tell quite different stories. Nepalese are all out to rewrite the history of Bhutan to show that their ancestors settled in Bhutan much earlier than they actually did. But historical facts, recorded much earlier than the current regime in Bhutan came into being, do not lie.
According to the paper “Bhutan: A kingdom besieged”, “The first sightings of Nepalese in the southern foothills are reported by Charles Bell in 1904 followed closely by John Claude White in 1905. All Bhutanese records confirm that no Nepalese settled in any part of Bhutan until then.
…The claim that the Nepalese had a role in safeguarding the sovereignty of the country, is clearly baseless since they did not enter southern Bhutan or any part of the duars area of West Bengal or Assam until long after the Sinchula Treaty with the British was signed. This is corroborated by Eden’s report which states that his Nepalese porters, “were unwilling to enter Bhutan, the inhabitants of which were not looked upon with favour … there the coolies left in considerable numbers being afraid to cross the frontier” (Teesta Bridge). Arthur Foning, a Kalimpong Lepcha, writes that this bore testimony to how effectively the Bhutanese territorial interests were guarded.”
However, most of the Nepalese came much later after the first five year plan of Bhutan was initiated in 1961. “Once the 5-year development programmes began to yield results, government effort to control immigration was thwarted by the earlier settlers who colluded with their ethnic kith and kin to prevent detection, falsify records and facilitate infiltration. Free education, free health services, employment opportunities, highly subsidized agriculture inputs, generous rural credit schemes, the security of a politically stable country were the main inducements that led to the influx of Nepalese immigrants in the 1960’s and 1970’s. In addition to the new arrivals, those who had come in legally as labourers for the many development schemes also began to infiltrate into the villages.”
2. Is Bhutan really a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country as the Nepalese claim?
Nepal Govt. and Bhutanese refugees assert that Bhutan is a “multi-cultural and multi-ethnic” country. And they try to play the old colonists’ trick of “divide-and-rule” by trying to play Sharchops against the Ngalungs.
But so far it has failed. Why?
Because Bhutan really isn’t multicultural or multi-ethnic per se, though we do have different linguistic groups. Bhutanese people in different regions speak different languages (or sometimes closely related dialects), but they look physically quite the same, and their beliefs, customs, festivals, and religious faiths are almost same and uniform throughout. So, excluding the Nepalese, Bhutanese form a cohesive homogenous society.
Now, since we have Lhotshampas who are genuine Bhutanese, Bhutan may be said to be bi-cultural or bi-ethnic country, but not really multi-cultural or multi-ethnic as the Nepali Govt. and the Bhutanese refugees like to believe.
The following is an official statement found on the website of the Foreign Ministry of Nepal:
“Bhutan is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic country. Sarchops, Ngalumgs and Lhostsampas are the three main ethnic groups. Bhutan has a significant number of people of Nepalese origin, particularly in the southern part of the country. The Nepalese of southern Bhutan are called Lhotshampas.”
Yet, we are not against multiculturalism per se. What we are against is how it is interpreted as Ruth Lea, Director of the Centre for Policy Studies in the UK says:
“ There are two ways in which people interpret multiculturalism.
The first one is the more common way and that is every culture has the right to exist and there is no over-arching thread that holds them together.
That is the multiculturalism we think is so destructive because there’s no thread to hold society together. It is that multiculturalism that Trevor Phillips has condemned and, of course, we are totally supportive.
There is another way to define multiculturalism which I would call diversity where people have their own cultural beliefs and they happily coexist – but there is a common thread of Britishness or whatever you want to call it to hold society together.” (Source: http://www.bbc.com
According the foreign minister’s report to the 82nd National Assembly in 2004, “It was only in July, 1993, that proper screening procedures for people claiming to be Bhutanese refugees were introduced. Until then the screening of such people were given to the people in the camps who were themselves claiming to be refugees. Once proper screening procedures were introduced there was a dramatic drop in the entry of people into the camps.”
Courtesy:bhutanstory.blogspot.com
True Bhutanese! In-fact, you are not a true Bhutanese. You are promoting the idea of absolute power and control of Nalungs over the general population of this country.
Do not keep on promoting and defending the philosophy and ideology of your king and his advocate-rs. Try to bring the facts about the domination and control that has been enforced by Nalungs(King dynasty) over other minorities like Dramtops and the Lhops (generally both known as Doyas), Khangpas, Merak and Sakteng people are known as the Brokpa, and Bumthangpa (also called Bhotia, who are only around 18000 over the globe).
When you are hardly collecting most of this misleading statistics of southern Bhutanese(lhotshampas), did you ever look at the records of Nalungs( The ruling dynasty of Bhutan)? When did they migrated to Bhutan, what gives them the power to control over the inhabitants(native) of this nation?
We all are aware about the fact why you, your king and his fellow advocates are trying to erase the concept of Multiculturalism. As you have stated above-“That is the multiculturalism we think is so destructive because there’s no thread to hold society together. It is that multiculturalism that Trevor Phillips has condemned and, of course, we are totally supportive.”
It is all purposeful in the hope to keep on dominating and suppressing the tradition, culture, values, religion, costumes, and language of all minorities and two other populated ethnicity sharshops and Lhotshampas.
If these people understand the monopoly and the hidden interest behind the deny on multiculturalism, they will wash you out!
Thanks!
Better read this article
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ip-adhikari/aggregating-identity-in-bhutan
True Bhutanese …hats off for ur comments…well said..well i believe most of the the people dont know that – bhutan as drukyul, land of drukpas…the religion as drukpa kagyud…the people with same culture and tradition wearing gho n kira. havent heard bout people wearing saries and topees a….blabla…so gone means gone, wat u talked bout brutality is false and made up story… coz it needs two hands to clap…
Palden drukpa Gyelooo !!!!
Long live the king, people and the country……
yue gi bum, “drukyul” does not mean “land of the drukpas” as you suggest. It does mean “land of the dragon”, spiritually speaking. So, you are a stranger and vagabond in the territory dedicating it to the dragon by saying “Drukyul, Drukyul, Drukyul…” The real/true Bhutanese do not like to surrender their beautiful homeland to the “mystic creature” that the Holy Bible describes as “Murderer from the beginning, a liar and its father, one that abode not with the truth…” and to the Bhutanese the dragon is “one that uses the sober, noble Buddha to advance his cruel causes”.
You will know this only if you are inside Bhutan, a genuine Bhutanese loving your beautiful country. The country belonged to our fore-fathers, now belongs to us and should belong to our offspring after us. Discussing politics brings no outcome to our unity and peace. Let us rather discuss unity and peace and leave aside the treacherous politics that blisters and burns every one taking on it! May those seeking to take away our country with politics dedicating it to the dragon be blistered and burnt by the fire they play against us. Tashi delek.
well Yishai…i dont know what a Bible says cos im a Buddhist. and i have nothing to do with it….well i been living here in Bhutan before you fled…so i guess i know my country better than what you so called Bhutanese know.
The earliest surviving records of Bhutan’s history show that Tibetan influence already existed from the 6th century. King Songtsen Gampo who ruled Tibet from 627-649AD was responsible for the construction of Bhutan’s oldest surviving Buddhist temples, the Kyichhu Lhakhang in Paro and the Jambay Lhakhang in Bumthang . Settlement in Bhutan by people of Tibetan origin happened by this time.
The first reports of people of Nepalese origin in Bhutan was around 1620, when Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal commissioned a few Newari craftsmen from the Kathmandu valley in Nepal to make a silver stupa to contain the ashes of his father Tempa Nima. There are no references of any further movement of people from Nepal to Bhutan until the beginning of the 20th century.
Settlement in Bhutan of people from Nepal happened for the first time in the early 20th century encouraged by Bhutan House in Kalimpong for the purpose of collecting taxes for Bhutan House. In the 1930s, Bhutan House settled 5000 families of Nepali workers in Tsirang alone. In the 1940s, the British Political Officer Sir Basil Gould, was quoted as saying that when he warned Sir Raja Sonam Tobgye Dorji of Bhutan House of the potential danger of allowing so many ethnic Nepalese to settle in southern Bhutan, he replied that “since they were not registered subjects they could be evicted whenever the need arose”Ray, Sunanda Datta: “Smash and Grab: The Annexation of Sikkim”, page 51. Vikas publishing, 1980.
Towards the end of the reign of the second King Jigme Wangchuck, in the 1950s, the numbers of new immigrants had swelled causing tension between the King and the Dorji family in Bhutan House. In 1950, when some recent migrants had illegally cleared some forest land and the government moved to enforce government regulations, a confrontation occurred and some of the Nepali settlers fled to India. Encouraged by the nationalistic rhetoric for democracy from newly independent India, these people organized themselves as the Bhutan State Congress in 1952 under the leadership of D.B. Gurung, D.B. Chhetri and G.P. Sharma. A major confrontation occurred in 22 March 1954 when 100 ‘volunteers’ marched into Bhutan in Sarpang. The government mobilized its national militia and when their orders to disperse were not obeyed, the ‘volunteers’ were attacked resulting in most of them fleeing across the border.
Amnesty was given in 1958 through a new citizenship act for all those who could prove their presence in Bhutan for at least 10 years prior to 1958.
From 1961 onward however, with Indian support, the government began planned developmental activities consisting of significant infrastructure development works. Not comfortable with India’s desire to bring in workers in large numbers from India, the government initially tried to prove its own capacity by insisting that the planned Thimphu-Phuntsholing highway be done with its own workforce. While it did succeed in this, completing the 182 km highway in just two years, the import of workers from India was inevitable. With most Bhutanese working self-employed as farmers, Bhutan lacked a ready supply of workers willing to take up the major infrastructure projects. This led eventually to the large-scale import of skilled and unskilled construction workers from India. These people were most of Nepali origin who were able to slowly settle down under the guise of the naturalized immigrants. With the pressures of the developmental activities, this trend remained unchecked or inadequately checked for many years. Immigration check posts and immigration offices were in fact established for the first time only after the 1990 problem.
By the 1980s, the government had become acutely conscious not just of widespread illegal immigration of people of Nepali origin into Bhutan, but also of the total lack of integration even of long-term immigrants into the political and cultural mainstream of the country. Most of the immigrants knew very little of the culture of Bhutan and most could not understand any one of the local languages including Dzongkha. In the rural areas they remained so ‘Nepalese’ in their culture they were indistinguishable from the Nepalese in Nepal itself. For its part, government officials had long ignored the situation assuming that most of these people who were most often observed in non-Bhutanese clothes were in fact non-Bhutanese visitors or residents.
Perceiving this growing dichotomy as a threat to national unity, the Government promulgated directives in the 1980s that sought to preserve Bhutan’s cultural identity as well as to formally embrace the citizens of other ethnic groups in a “One Nation One People” policy. While the intent of the policy was benign and inclusive, the government not totally unreasonably, implied that the ‘culture’ to be preserved would be that of the various northern Bhutanese groups. This policy therefore required citizens to wear the attire of the northern Bhutanese in public places and reinforced the status of Dzongkha as the national language. Nepali was discontinued as a subject in the schools thus bringing it at par with the status of the other languages of Bhutan, none of which are taught. Such policies were criticized at first by human rights groups as well as Bhutan’s Nepalese economic migrant community, who perceived the policy to be directed against them.
In 1985, the government passed a new citizenship act which clarified and attempted to enforce the 1958 Citizenship Act to control the flood of illegal immigration. From 1988 the government conducted its first real census exercise. The basis for the census findings was the 1958 ‘cut off’ year, the year that the Nepali population had first received Bhutanese citizenship. Those individuals who could not provide proof of residency prior to 1958 were adjudged to be illegal immigrants. There was a perception of a Greater Nepal movement emerging from the nepali-dominated areas in Nepal, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and West Bengal which the Bhutanese feared as Nepali chauvinism.
The government however failed to properly train the census officials and this led to some tension among the public. The government also attempted to enforce the dress code and language code all at the same time. These measures combined to alienate even bonafide citizens of Nepali descent.
Matters reached a climax in September 1990 after organized groups comprised of 10,000 or more ethnic Nepalis from the Indian side of the border, organized protest marches in different districts, burned down schools, stripped local government officials of their national attire which they burned publicly, carried out kidnappings and murders of other ethnic Nepalis who did not join their protests. Some of the organizers of the marches were arrested and detained. They were led by the Bhutan People’s Party, a militant group. However the Bhutanese government later released most of them. Those with ties to the groups responsible for the murders and kidnappings were forced to leave, but many other innocent ethnic-Nepali citizens were coerced to leave by the angry ethnic-Nepali dissidents.
The Kyodo News Agency reported the ‘massacre’ of the demonstrators at the hands of the Bhutanese army. This report was reportedly submitted by a Nepali reporter based in Siliguri and passed on to the headquarters in Kathmandu. The report was later dismissed as inaccurate but it damaged Bhutan’s international image. The Kyodo News Agency reportedly apologized to the government of Bhutan for the incorrect report but the government of Bhutan did not demand the apology in writing thus leaving Bhutan’s tarnished image uncleared.
The erroneous Kyodo report
The census exercise thus came to an end and the southern border of Bhutan became a hotbed of militancy for several years.
The refugee leaders believed that for them to receive UN assistance and recognition of their sought-after ‘refugee’ status, their numbers should not be less than 100,000. To achieve this end, the insurgents primarily targeted the homes of Nepalese in southern Bhutan. Through persuasion as well as through coercion, more of them were persuaded to leave Bhutan and join the others at the camps that had slowly been established in eastern Nepal.
Thus a group of several thousand left and settled in refugee camps set up by UNHCR. The Bhutanese refugee issue was thus born and remains unresolved.
Notes
Ray, Sunanda Datta: “Smash and Grab: The Annexation of Sikkim”, page 51. Vikas publishing, 1980
References
Thinley, Jigmi Y., Bhutan: A Kingdom Besieged, 1993
Dorji, Kinley, BHUTAN’S CURRENT CRISIS – A VIEW FROM THIMPHU, 1993
Michael Aris, Bhutan: The Early History of a Himalayan Kingdom, Vikas, 1980, ISBN 0-7069-1029-X
Leo E. Rose, The Politics of Bhutan, Cornell University Press, 1977, ISBN 0-8014-0909-8
Sunanda K. Datta-Ray, Smash and Grab: The Annexation of Sikkim.Vikas, 1980. ISBN 0-7069-2509-2.
“327 Killed in Bhutan Last Week”, 12–27. Japan Times, 1990-09-28
Anti-nationals in open revolt, Kuensel (p.1), 29 September 1990
Leo E., Rose, “The Nepali Ethnic Community in the Northeast of the Subcontinent”, Conference on “Democratization, Ethnicity and Development in South & Southeast Asia, p.11-12, 1993
eagle eye- you are another paid agents of JSW. You Nalungs also need to be evicted whenever the need arose because you Nalungs came from Tibet. You guys go back to Tibet, we Sharshop need our land and we want our own governance.
Very sorry to know people of this mentality like JSW and eagle eye are still in our country. This people want to clean one ethics by antoher bymplemet their monopoly. We young generation need freedom. This king and some Nalops are controlling every thing. From clothes I wear to cigerate I smoke. From Language I spoke to openion that I have.
What is this crap?
Sangae, there is no need to evict each other to claim the whole country for one community. Fair division existed three decades ago that contained each of the different communities of Bhutan amicably. None claimed to be part of another nationality but were all proud Bhutanese and Loyal Subjects of the Druk Gyalpo. The same pattern can be recognised to get three states in Bhutan with the Central Government in Thimphu.
1. Lhuntse, Trashi Yangytse, Trashigang, Mongar and Pemagatsel for Sarchops
2. Haa, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangduephodrang for Ngalongs and
3. Samtse, Dagana, Tsirang, Gelephu and Samgrup Jongkhar for Lhotsamps
Rest 3 Dzongkhags of Bumthang, Trongsa and Zhemgang can decide to join their neighbourhood to strengthen their cause. Gasa can forfeit the status of a districthood and join Punakha as a Dungkhag. Chhukha joins Thimphu and Phuentsholing Dungkhag joins Samtse. Will this settle the matter fairly for all?
Debates to the extent of claiming all have emboldened many greedy lords to ruthlessly rout out the rest claiming all country as theirs. This is simply unjust and barbaric that has potential to invite foreign forces to intervene in our internal matters.
Friends, our SITA has been abducted by RAVAN in 1990 or even before that,but no worries, well equipped RAM has already started his way towards LANKA to get her back with the help of HANUMAN.
Bumthang can join the Eastern state, Trongsa joins West and Zhemgang takes part with the Southern block, each for the convenience of vicinity.
That makes the deal just and fair,
For all parties with their share.
Ending griefs and grumbling from here.
And to sharma: your Sita is taken by Dhoti Ram, not the righteous Ravan from the far country! She is defiled already and stranged from her home… What can poor Hanuman do except to exploit Rama instead of helping him in his criminal activities…?
To sharma: your Sita is taken by Dhoti Ram, not the righteous Ravan from the far country that never defiled Sita’s chastity! Bhutanese Sita is defiled already and stranged from her home… What can poor Hanuman do except to turn against and exploit Rama instead of helping him in his criminal activities…? Our national security has been the affairs of Dhoti Ram to manage. If that meant security from other threats, the Bhutanese would feel comfortable. To the awe and wonder of any sensible person, Dhoti Ram handles our country’s security against us. Think about it if the Ram you worship still exists…
I would like to make it clear that even though I have sympathies towards the people who suffered during the crisis, it must be kept in mind the idea of what and how the govt. copes with problems like those. During the crisis the govt. would have been in the state of extreme paranoia that cannot with overcome easily. It would have been in the state of ‘trust no-one’. History is filled with states committing mistakes in the state of war due to this paranoia. And King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was in the state of developing the country with his ideas that included the ‘One Nation, One people’ theory. And to those who haven’t reached for their history books before turning to comment here, please be reminded that KJSW visited these camps a number of times before the operation took place. In fact KJSW rejected the idea of the Indian Govt. which asked the bhutanese govt. to use physical pressure directly. Its not that the govt. is completely true but we have to agree that the ‘Immigrants’ no. had increased drastically which affected the services to the existing population. And the Bhutanese govt. was facing increased pressure from India as these groups were Indian Separatists. So I would like to remind all those reading this that the actions taken were completely justifiable
SajanSubba, how long will you remain drunken continuing to expose your bluntness and evidences of bullies used against the victims of the state crimes? How can you campare the Bhutanese citizes to the Indian millitants and justify the action against the Bhutanese populace as if it was done to the foreign millitants under foreign pressure….??? …
I know how the people from southern Bhutan suffered and still are suffering under the Buddhistic gentle suppression of Bhutanese Government.This kind of racism had been continuing in Bhutan for the last 400 years.
I know how the people from southern Bhutan suffered and still are suffering under the Buddhistic gentle suppression of Bhutanese Government.This kind of racism had been continuing in Bhutan for the last 400 years.
Lets hope this absolute Monarchic-democracy in sham will change one day and the people of this tiny nation will have freedom forever.Lets wait and pray!