Bhutan Watch

ABSTRACT

Bhutan is no exception when it comes to effect of globalisation and its tight measures to avoid the wind of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation will bound to fail sooner if not later. Internet and social media have already been playing their influential role in connecting both former and present Bhutanese citizens. Thus, it is best the Royal Government of Bhutan initiates a friendly policy towards its evicted former citizens whose citizenship of developed countries together with their growing economic prosperity could play a vital role towards promoting Bhutan’s economy and image worldwide. This article will try to help open the eyes of Royal Government of Bhutan and its policy makers on issues affecting the country and their possible solution.

Keywords: Bhutanese Diaspora, democracy, human rights, Lhotsampa, refugees, southern Bhutan, statelessness,

Introduction

The change in monarch has brought some relief to southern Bhutan that has remained on security radar of the government ever since they staged for democratic change in the country in early 1990s. Stories of those evicted were horrible but those who remained in service of the nation did not have good days either.

Southern Bhutanese have started seeking some fundamental changes in the way they are being treated since the reign was taken over by new king in 2008.  ‘The present King of Bhutan His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has been doing wonderfully well for the welfare of southern Bhutanese community in every field,’ said one of my Facebook friends from Thimphu on condition of anonymity. He cited the instance of Devi Panchayan Mandir at Kuenselphodrang – built and inaugurated 1 October 2019 under the direct purview of the king on . Hindu Dharma Samudhaya of Bhutan (HDSB), a religious body formed to promote and preserve Hindu Dharma in Bhutan, had proposed construction of the temple that resembled a Buddhist monastery. HSBD’s intention to please the king was turned down and an Indian company was hired to build the temple in current form (Kuensel, 30 June 2017).  This recently inaugurated temple has appearance and resemblance of peculiar Hindu shrines.

My other acquaintance mentioned the new king as a great healer of southern Bhutanese pain. He said the king is making every effort to resolve the long pending issues affecting southern Bhutanese. One such example is providing citizenship to hundreds of Lhotsampas whose citizenship was snatched during 1990s crisis.

King’s engagement with southern Bhutanese festival is ever growing reflecting his genuine efforts to get closer to Lhotsampa population. Kuensel reported that His Majesty celebrated Hindu Festival Dasain together with the common people from southern Bhutan in the recently inaugurated temple (Kuensel, 8 October 2019). Traditionally, Kings had invited selected influential individuals from southern Bhutan to receive Tika and blessings in palace during Dasain and Tihar. His latest gestures demonstrates his benevolence specially looking into the fact that even Hindu Kings in Nepal had never travelled to villages to celebrate festival and offer Tika to their citizens.

Democracy in south

The 21 April 2007 is a day to remember in the Bhutanese political history – when a mock election was held in the country to help citizens understand and get accustomed to democratic culture and processes. Despite democratic elections held since December 2007, the political parties and their candidates had many restrictions on what they can do and cannot. Restrictions were either due to lack of adequate legal instruments, same bureaucracy that ran an undemocratic country and self-inflicted fear of being targeted. In the first two elections, candidates were not allowed to campaign in languages other than Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan which is not understood by majority of southern Bhutanese villagers. Since the general election of 2018 we could clearly see perceptible changes in pattern of campaigning and local languages were used during campaigns. Local issues were discussed with the villagers in their own languages and opinion were sought to resolve long standing issues. President of DNT Dr Lotay Tshering gave several public speeches in Nepali language (NewsClick, 2018) that ultimately turned out to be successful in garnering votes from Nepali speaking population.

While the language in campaign trail has obviously changed, politics of Bhutan and legal provisions have a long way to go before we see changes in what languages can be used in the parliament. If other than Dzongkha languages are allowed for MPs while speaking in parliamentary sessions, Bhutan will a better democracy.

Elected government in Bhutan has been doing better in fulfilling its election promises, though it has to do much more to build the credibility of a vibrant democratic government.

Resolving outstanding issues

There are multiple issues posing challenges for Bhutan to evolve into a real democratic government. Genuinity of democracy in Bhutan rests with the players of Bhutanese politics in readiness to address these challenges and seek practical solutions. Some of these pertaining issues are discussed here.

Bhutanese refugee issue

Bhutanese refugee issue plaguing Bhutan’s reputation in the world has gained another dimension after 2008, when the resettlement of refugees in eight developed countries began. More than a hundred thousand refugees have been resettled now and at the moment only around 6,500 are left behind in Nepal. The remaining refugees’ only demand is to return to their home country Bhutan with honour and dignity.

The Royal Government of Bhutan has no option other than to accept them – today or in future. Unless these refugees are repatriated with honour and dignity, reputation of Bhutanese government will always be questioned in international forums.

Bhutan has now a democratic government and Nepal has political stability. It’s time the two countries must sit on a bilateral talk to resume repatriation process. Nepal has raised this issue several times. It has been learnt that following his visit to Nepal in August 2018 for BIMSTEC summit, then Chief Advisor/Chief Justice Tshering Wangchuk had advised his monarch to resolve refugee imbroglio at the earliest possible to build relation with Nepal. During his recent visit to Kathmandu, opposition leader Pema Gyamtsho had informally conveyed Bhutan government’s intention to sit for resolving the crisis at the earliest possible that would help build Nepal-Bhutan relations. (Read Jumpstarting Nepal-Bhutan Relations by John Narayan Parajuli for more on future of Bhutan-Nepal relations)

Nepalese government may not have political will or diplomatic weightage to put pressure on Bhutan to take back its remaining refugees, but the country will continue to hunt Bhutan for its inhumane action against southern Bhutanese of Nepali origin.

Political prisoners

Since the beginning of democratic movement in 1990, the Bhutan government arrested hundreds of human rights and political activists. The exact numbers, status and whereabouts of those arrested activists has always remained unknown as the government has neither allowed international rights groups to visit prisons nor published their details. Many of these inmates have never seen their families for decades.

In recent years, thanks to social media, families of political prisoners resettled in developed countries could be contacted and credible information about the political prisoners could be assembled. At the moment we could collect details of 40 political prisoners. Many of them are languishing in Chemgang Central Jail serving life sentences for violating country’s most notorious element called Tsa Wa Sum under a law ‘Thrimsung Chenmo’ and for demanding democratic changes in the country. Under this law anyone who speaks against the King, the country and the government are liable to receive a death sentence. Thus, anyone demanding human rights and democracy were put under this category.

Bhutan could win if such political prisoners are released and allowed them to decide their own fate, because the very basic reasons for their arrest are non-existent now. Their basic demand of multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy has already been met. Moreover, such people are no more threat to the country because once they are released most of them may stay in the country but may prefer to go for family reunion in the resettled countries. ICRC and UNHCR have responsibility to ensure that these prisoners when released would not go stateless and are reunited with their families.

Creating a Diaspora

Many resettled Bhutanese have been generously donating to numerous charities in Nepal. Bhutanese Diaspora has been running their own charities helping Nepal’s needy population. One of such prominent charities helping young Nepalese children attend school is Punya Foundation.  Krishna Kandel, the CEO of a popular Nepalese TV in several occasions appraised former Bhutanese refugees for their donations to his charities. Be it during Nepal’s disastrous earthquake of 2015 or sick individuals, hundreds of thousands of dollars were sent to Nepal by the resettled Bhutanese. Everyday hundreds of resettled Bhutanese travel as tourists to Nepal and spend tens of thousands of dollars. Resettled Bhutanese have already acquired citizenship of the country they are resettled and many have established their businesses, they have prospered and settled well.

Bhutan has the opportunity to tap their financial potential and earn foreign income in the form of tourism and family support. The only way for Bhutan to reap this benefit is by allowing these resettled Bhutanese to travel Bhutan on tourist visa – be it for adventure or seeing family members.

As the naturalised citizens of new countries, the resettled Bhutanese can play a fruitful role of bridging Bhutan and the developed western world. Bhutan could gain tremendously from its former citizens as its goodwill ambassadors. Post settlement, they have taken every opportunity to portray the negative image of Bhutan in the international forums. If their concerns and grievances are addressed, these resettled Bhutanese would turn jewels for Bhutan to propagate the message of peaceful, just and colourful Bhutan. They are very likely to turn into great propagator of Bhutan’s national philosophy of Gross National Happiness.

All people love their country of origin and such love can be further cultivated if resettled Bhutanese are allowed to visit Bhutan, where they could visit their family, friends, former schools and birthplaces. This will help boost Bhutan’s rural economy substantially. Not to limit the potential of these resettled Bhutanese to pour in dollars into Bhutanese villages in the form of charities to support development activities, social needs and disaster relief management. This in turn will quickly address the growing unemployment. One vivid example is Nepal, that hosted the evicted Bhutanese for 30 years, which received millions from these resettled Bhutanese post 2015 earthquake disaster. Not only dollars but these resettled Bhutanese can contribute their expertise they acquired if given the opportunities to serve their country of origin.

Resettled Bhutanese if allowed to visit their places of birth will strengthen social harmony and mutual trust between southern and northern Bhutanese within the country and in Diaspora.

Southern Bhutan, that has remained in shadow for decades, will reap the most benefits from these liberal policies. Bhutan will likely see business investments from its former citizens. The proposed Special Economic Zones of Phuentsholing, Samtse (Samchi) and Gelephu will tremendously foster for greater national benefit.

The present Bhutanese leadership have to realise that resettled Bhutanese and a small number of refugees looking for repatriation are not threat to national security – as wrongly perceived by the Thimphu elites. They certainly can be national assets. Resettled Bhutanese are additionally bound by legal provisions of their new countries in terms of their behaviour and activities while travelling overseas on tourist visa.

Bhutan in action

The new Bhutanese leadership must take action to accomplish these targets and ensure Bhutan’s future is shaped in a way that would help everyone to forget the past. Let the past not hinder future prosperity of Bhutan.

Bhutan has now onus to resume talks with respective stakeholders to repatriate those Bhutanese refugees in Nepal who are willing to return. It is not a big number yet Bhutan’s open heart to welcome this small number will reflect its genuineness towards resolving the crisis.

Bhutan must be ready to open dialogue with the community leaders of those resettled Bhutanese and initiate a communication channel to work towards the formation of a possible Non-Residential Bhutanese Association. Bhutan has by now amply observed the role played by Diaspora in fostering economy in neighbouring countries. Non-resident status will be a one step forward in diversifying Bhutanese economy – which had been the primary objective of DNT election campaign in 2018.

Bhutan must immediately lift visa restrictions imposed on resettled Bhutanese who want to visit their places of birth and see their friends and families. They may be treated as tourists at this stage until such time when it adopts legal instruments to recognise non-resident status and determines the travel criteria. Alternatively, families in southern Bhutan willing to travel to western countries to see their families must be given passports and be allowed to travel freely.

Bhutan and its Diaspora currently lack confidence and mutual trust. It is the onus of the state to initiate confidence building measures that will bring two parties into table to discuss current issues and to plan for future.

Problems in the South

In the aftermath of 1990s crisis, southern Bhutan has been facing series of problems. Despite changes in government and political system, many of these issues are not addressed. They are either not heard of or purposely ignored.

Demographic crisis: Despite resettling people from north and east in the land of southern Bhutanese that were vacant after the eviction of 1990s[2], majority of such newly resettled people never stayed in the allotted places[3]. Able bodied southern Bhutanese youths moved to the cities and towns leaving the sparse populations with only the elderly people. Once a very fertile land, it’s now left barren for years due to lack of working population in the region. Now, we find only disabled and elderly people living in the villages of southern Bhutan. Such population who were once wealthy and well off are now left with nothing, but only their barren lands and Areca nut orchards as the means of survival. Post 1990s, Indian are forbidden to cultivate lands inside Bhutan otherwise at least such fertile lands could be used.

Environmental crisis: Almost all forests that existed in southern belt pre-1990 were cleared citing security reasons. One such example is the forest that existed between Nainital and Chengmari in Samtse (Samchi) district, which was once proudly known among villagers as Gokul Tar – it has been completely cleared during early 1990s by Royal Bhutan Army. River Chungpatang flows between these villages. The lands on both side of the river was very fertile for villagers to harvest significant rice and other cash crops annually. Due to government’s deforestation initiative, once fertile topsoil has been completely washed away by landslides and change of courses by River Chungpatang. A visitor to this place today will see no bamboo field, or rice field, but only the scars of landslides and soil erosions. Inhabitants of those nearby blocks fear landslides could also wash away their homes in not distant future.

Statelessness crisis: Though the present King in recent years initiated a liberal policy of re-issuing citizenship to some of the people are stateless. A very large number of people who were rendered stateless post 1990 crisis are yet to benefit from the royal mercy. It is estimated some 30,000 to 80,000 (Himal South Asian, 2013) are still living without citizenship in the country. There is every possibility that these stateless people could be evicted from the country.

Conclusion

King’s religious initiative to heal the scars of southern Bhutanese, that remained painful for over three decades, could become a step further for national reconciliation and unity. He is the centrifugal force in Bhutan despite political changes. His actions and initiatives will determine if his generosity to help build Devi Pachayan Mandir and celebrate Dasain with southern Bhutanese were genuine kindness or influence of India’s Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Bhutan now has an elected government that has responsibility to address the concerns of its voters. Voters in southern Bhutan have repeatedly raised their voices on why their concerns are not addressed in a democratic Bhutan. At present, the elected government in Thimphu should identify these and many other burning problems of southern Bhutan and should work through its concerned elected representatives for a just resolution. Democracy can only be vibrant and inclusive if it reaches to each citizens and its fruits could be enjoyed by everybody irrespective of their caste, creed, races, colour, sex, region and religion.

References

Andre, A. (28 October 2013). Waiting for the king. Himal South Asian. Retrieved from https://himalmag.com/waiting-for-the-king/

His Majesty grants Dashain Tika at the Devi Panchayan Mandir in Thimphu (8 October 2019). Kuensel. Retrieved from http://www.kuenselonline.com/his-majesty-grants-dashain-tika-at-the-devi-panchayan-mandir-in-thimphu/

Rinzin, Y. (30 June 2017). Jaiprakash takes over construction of Hindu temple. Kuensel. Retrieved from http://www.kuenselonline.com/jaiprakash-takes-over-construction-of-hindu-temple

Halpern, S. & McKibben, B. (April 2014). How Manchester’s burgeoning Bhutanese population is pursuing the American dream. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-manchesters-burgeoning-bhutanese-population-pursuing-american-dream-180950187/

Eyben, V. (20 October 2018). Bhutan elections: Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa wins, Druk Phuensum Tshogpa as opposition again. NewsClick. Retrieved from https://www.newsclick.in/bhutan-elections-druk-nyamrup-tshogpa-wins-druk-phuensum-tshogpa-opposition-again

Uraguchi, ZB., Rosenberg, K., Majanovic, D. and Kadic, A. (2 April 2018). Diaspora Communities as a Driving Force for Development: Is There a “Business Case”?. Helvatas. Retrieved from https://www.helvetas.org/en/switzerland/how-you-can-help/follow-us/blog/inclusive-systems/Diaspora-communities-as-a-driving-force-for-development

Rastriya Samachar Samiti (4 December 2019). Bhutanese refugee stage rally. The Himalayan Times. retrieved from https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/bhutanese-refugees-stage-rally/?fbclid=IwAR32Z4NLYCm1JjUSj2iR0TGxIX9ikOAxNp2y53Fysf7QxBoUFI9oEo-zE6Y

His Majesty grants kidu to 215 individuals (18 November 2012). Bhutan Broadcasting Service Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.bbs.bt/news/?p=19651 Wangchuk, R. (17 February 2018). His Majesty grants land Kidu to 11,118 beneficiaries. Kuensel. Retrieved from http://www.kuenselonline.com/his-majesty-grants-land-kidu-to-11118-beneficiaries/

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[1] Ram Karki is a human rights activist based in The Hague

[2] Notice published on Kuensel date 27 March 1999

 Sarpang Dzongkhag

Sardzong/Re-settlement- 9/98-99/2630

ANNOUNCEMENT

All the Shi-Sarps (Re-Settlers) of phase one and two from different Dzongkhags should report to their respective areas under Sarpang Dzongkhag within April 1999. Failure to report within the above dateline, this Dzongkhag Administration would consider the lands to have been surrendered by the Shi- sarps ( Re-settlers) to the Government. The concerned Dzongkhags are also requested to kindly inform their respective Shi- sarps (Re-rettlers), to report within the above dateline.  For convenience of the Dzongkhag the list of Shi-sarps will be faxed to the individual Dzongkhag within the week.

[3] Notice published on Kuensel, 20 March 1999.

 DZONGKHAG ADMINISTRATION

Tsirang DAT/ADM-27/98-99/

Announcement

Landless people from other Dzongkhag who got land allotment in Tsirang Dzongkhag under resettlement programme have failed to report despite repeated request of the Dzongkhag. Therefore, Tsirang Dzongkhag Administration, once again requests them to report immediately as the cultivation season is already set in. Non-compliance shall be viewed very seriously and Dzongkhag administration shall not be held responsible if any complication arises in future on the matter.