January 2021 | The Bhutan Watch

Journal

The Bhutan Journal 2.1

by The Bhutan Watch January 16, 2021

Editorial This issue also carries many grievances of the past and the agony of unsolved issues. This journal like the first one also carries sentiments and contents of Bhutanese diaspora more than Bhutan. De-Suung: The Orange Army By Dr Govinda Rizal Formed on the principle of volunteerism, the Orange Army is dedicated to crowd control, rescue and operation during emergencies, takes up the role of alert citizens. The Orange Army is now running a parallel government and is growing incredibly popular among the citizens most of whom are not happy with the democratic parliamentary system in the country and victims of calamities. Citation: Rizal, G. (2021). De-Suung: The Orange Army. The Bhutan Journal, 2(1), pp 3-19. Bhutan Watch Democracy, Adult Franchise, and Public Participation By I P Adhikari Bhutan promotes adult franchise, conducts periodic elections and has elected parliament and government. It has political parties contesting elections. But it lacks accountability mechanisms, participatory channels, independent and active civil societies, democracy education, and monitoring system that are central to a functional democracy. Citation: Adhikari, I. (2021). Democracy, Adult Franchise and Public Participation. The Bhutan Journal, 2(1), pp 20-38. Bhutan Watch Integration and Satisfaction Among Resettled Bhutanese in Australia  By Prof Dr Manfred Ringhofer Forcefully evicted out of country, 20% of the Bhutan’s Lhotshampa population spent decades in refugee camps in eastern Nepal. Now they are resettled in developed countries and are starting a new life. They are happy. They have embraced their new country and connection with Bhutan is gradually eroding.  Citation: Ringhofer, M. (2021). Integration and Satisfaction Among Resettled Bhutanese in Australia. The Bhutan Journal, 2(1), pp 39-58. Bhutan Watch Bhutanese Settlement and Community Leadership  By Om Dhungel Refugee resettlement provides opportunities for key stakeholders to work more collaboratively by adopting strength-based approaches in driving positive settlement as well as successful integration outcomes. The focus of this article  is on learnings from the Bhutanese refugee settlement experiences in different settlement countries and the role community leaders can play.  Citation: Dhungel, O. (2021). Bhutanese Settlement and Community Leadership. The Bhutan Journal, 2(1), pp 59-72. Bhutan Watch Bhutanese Refugee Cultural Complex: An Outsider-Insider’s Perspective By Dr Susan Banki The proposed Bhutanese Refugee Cultural Complex in Jhapa in eastern Nepal is worth asking about its purpose(s). Such commemorative structures are used for documenting history, preventing future problem events, reconciliation, individual healing, and tourism. Citation: Banki, S. (2021). Bhutanese refugee Cultural Complex: An Outsider-Insider Perspective. The Bhutan Journal, 2(1), pp 73-83. Bhutan Watch Democracy and Political Prisoners in Bhutan By Ram Karki Everyone said Bhutan attained democracy in 2008. King agreed for…

Politics

Refugees Longing for Repatriation Anticipate Permanent Persuaders

by Taralal Shrestha and Bidhya Shrestha January 16, 2021

Repatriation is not just a physical return to ‘home’ but a complex political process. With the deadlock of repatriation, resettlement came to be the only practical solution to most of the Bhutanese refugees, which weakened the repatriation movement in the sense both local integration and third-country resettlement couldn’t be a durable solution. Bhutanese refugees faced severe pain in exile, got international attention when they began efforts of repatriation. After the peace marches to Bhutan failed in 1996 & 2007, repatriation voices got gradually muted an activist-less eloquent. The repatriation persuaders (the eloquent and visible leaders) excluding few exceptions chose the third-country resettlement and disappeared from the activism. A paucity of unified permanent persuaders weakened the vibrancy of the repatriation movement. For restoring the vitality of activism, the repatriation movement of Bhutanese refugees anticipates permanent persuaders as a historic necessity to a logical conclusion. Keywords: Hegemony, refugee, resistance, repatriation, resettlement Read Complete Article

Human Rights

Bhutanese Refugees: Past, Present and Future

by Govinda Rizal January 16, 2021

Professor Dr. Michael Hutt, who was until recently Professor of Nepali and Himalayan Studies, at the School of Oriental and Africa Studies (SOAS), University of London, is a renowned scholar on Bhutan studies. He has visited Bhutan, the Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal, and Bhutanese resettled in developed countries. He has closely studied the refugee saga from the beginning till date. He has authored books and articles in peer-reviewed journals on Bhutanese issues. I P Adhikari and Dr. Govinda Rizal of Bhutan Watch Team approached Dr. Hutt for a conversation on past, present and future of the former and current Bhutanese refugees. Read Complete Interview

Human Rights, Politics

Democracy and Political Prisoners in Bhutan

by Ram Karki January 16, 2021

ABSTRACT The uprising of 1990 in Bhutan was a wake-up call for the Bhutanese monarchy to reform. The King announced in 2005 that the country will have a ‘democratic’ government. He handed over his authority to his son to govern. The King and the country received a massive appreciation for initiating democracy. By nature, democracy should primarily benefit those who demanded it. Instead, Bhutan is the only democracy in the world where pro-democracy activists are still serving jail sentences. The international community remains a mute spectator to the sugar-coated Bhutanese democracy. Bhutan fooled them by taking advantage of their interest in geopolitics. This paper shall look at the story of dissidents behind bars, their families and response from the international community – including governments, human rights groups and the United Nations. Additionally, the major highlights of this paper will be to examine the implementation of fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution of Bhutan and to see if such fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution are real or a toothless instrument. Keywords: political prisoners, democracy, human rights, politics, justice, Read Complete Article

Civics

Bhutanese Refugee Cultural Complex: An Outsider-Insider’s Perspective

by Susan Banki January 16, 2021

ABSTRACT The Bhutanese Refugee Cultural Complex (BRCC), housed in Jhapa in eastern Nepal, is a centre devoted to the memory and study of Bhutanese refugees. As the BRCC develops into a fully functioning centre, it is worth asking about its purpose(s). Building on research conducted on other memorialisation initiatives, in this article I suggest five possible purposes for what I called commemorative structures: documenting history; preventing future problem events; reconciliation; individual healing; and tourism. I analyse the potential for the BRCC to fulfill these roles, and suggest the questions that might need to be answered to make this a reality. Keywords: Bhutanese refugees, history, memory, memorialization, persecution, reconciliation, culture Read Complete Article

Civics

Bhutanese Settlement and Community Leadership

by Om Dhungel January 16, 2021

ABSTRACT Traditionally, three possible solutions are pursued to address refugee problems globally. These include repatriation of refugees to their country of origin; local integration or third-country resettlement. This article explores further the resettlement option, how it is currently approached by different resettlement countries, and opportunities for key stakeholders to work more collaboratively by adopting strength-based approaches. Role of service providers as well as communities and community leaders are explored in driving positive settlement as well as successful integration outcomes. The focus of this article is on learnings from the Bhutanese refugee settlement experiences in different settlement countries and the role community leaders can play in driving successful settlement outcomes. Keywords: Bhutanese refugees, capacity building community, leadership, resettlement, strength-based approach, Read Complete Article

GNH

Integration and Satisfaction Among Resettled Bhutanese in Australia

by Manfred Ringhofer January 16, 2021

ABSTRACT Bhutan’s population design out of unfounded fears led to the eviction of over 20% of the country’s population, mostly Nepali speakers. It was not ethnic cleansing. It was Bhutan’s best effort to avoid democracy and respect human rights. The efforts to return to Bhutan failed. Most of them are now resettled in developed countries. The data included in this article were driven from primary research conducted by the author in August 2018. It was found that the lives of the resettled Bhutanese people have germinated with new hopes and a new vision for the future. They have embraced their new country and their connection with Bhutan is gradually eroding. The connection would have benefited both resettled Bhutanese and Bhutan. This paper provides a basic background of the Bhutanese refugee issue but focuses primarily on the integration of resettled Bhutanese in South Australia, their psychological attachments with Bhutan and Australia, and the way they are coping up with language challenges, cultural shocks, and identity issues. Keywords: Discrimination, equality, happiness, immigration, integration, refugees Read Complete Article

Civics

Democracy, Adult Franchise and Public Participation

by I P Adhikari January 16, 2021

A Bhutanese guard frisks voters at a polling station in Phuentisiling constituency, some 45 Kms from the Indo-Bhutan border, 31 December 2007. The isolated Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan held its first parliamentary elections aimed at transforming the country from absolute monarchy to constitutional democracy. "Polling has begun in 15 districts with the response quite enthusiastic. This is a historic moment for all of us," Bhutan's chief election commissioner, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, said by telephone from the capital Thimphu. AFP PHOTO/Diptendu DUTTA (Photo credit should read DIPTENDU DUTTA/AFP/Getty Images)

ABSTRACT Bhutan is now a democracy. This new democracy promotes adult franchise. It conducts periodic elections and has elected members in parliament and government. It has political parties contesting elections. Despite these basics of democracy, the country lacks accountability mechanisms, participatory channels, independent and active civil societies, education about democracy, and a monitoring system that are central to a functional democracy. Citizen-government continues to remain concerning factors in institutionalising democracy in Bhutan. Drawing from regional experiences, Bhutan poised to have a bumpy ride on democracy. The issue of human rights and social justice would be a far cry. This paper discusses the parameters of democracy and public participation in Bhutan and the future of Bhutanese democracy. Keywords: Democracy, election, participation, people, political parties, adult franchise, human rights Read Complete Article

Politics

De-Suung: The Orange Army

by Govinda Rizal January 16, 2021

ABSTRACT What was the need of the Orange Army with strength more than that of the Royal Bhutan Army or the Royal Bhutan Police? The Orange Army called De-Suung (Organisation) and Desuup (members) established in 2010 on the auspicious of the King’s thirtieth birthday is now the largest force in the country with more than 18,000 permanent members from all walks of life and all corners of the country. Formed on the principle of volunteerism, the Orange Army is dedicated to crowd control, rescue and operation during emergencies, takes up the role of alert citizens. Now, it is the fastest-growing organisation in the country. Its formation and functioning are outside the expectation of the constitution. However, the King who is the guardian of the constitution and the supreme commander in chief of armed forces and militia is also the supreme commander of this extra-constitutional Orange Army. While the King needs a recommendation from the Prime Minister to command the army and police, the government has no control over the Orange Army, formed and run by the King who commands it directly. The Orange Army is now running a parallel government and is growing incredibly popular among the citizens most of whom are not happy with the democratic parliamentary system in the country and victims of calamities. There is no mechanism to check the cankerous Orange Army if it walks the way of SAVAK, Gestapo, Ku Klux Klan, or the Yakuza except the formation of another extra-constitutional institution to counter it. Keywords: calamities, secret agency, totalitarian, volunteerism, militia, security Read Complete Article

Journal

Editorial

by The Bhutan Watch January 16, 2021

We offer TBJ Second Issue of BW to readers. It gives us an immense pleasure and satisfaction to some extent. It is the unofficial link between the Bhutanese Diaspora and Bhutan. This issue also carries many grievances of the past and the agony of unsolved issues. This journal like the first one also carries sentiments and contents of Bhutanese diaspora more than Bhutan. The political prisoners detained on charges of demanding democracy in the country are still in prisons even after 12 years of democracy. The king who is above the law is raising an army and is in an early phase of running a parallel government. Read full here