Indo-Bhutan friendship, which is portrayed as unique in the world is in reality limited to hi-fi policy level of statesmanshi
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Tek Nath Rijal & Thinley Penjore*
When Bhutan evicted the Lhotshampa community, the parliamentarians, senior citizens, farmers, women, children, handicaps, aged people, pundits and all those helpless people, unable to resist the torture entered Assam and Bengal to save their lives. The neighboring people, who were well known to the evictees due to their past relationship from the times of their fore fathers having depended on India for salt, matches, clothes and basic needs of livelihood, including those of the Nepali speaking community of the neighboring villages of Indian citizens came forward to sympathize and help the Lhotshampas in plight.
The relationship between the escapees and the neighboring people prevailed not only because of racial and cultural linkage like marriage but also because the relatives residing at the other side of the border were none other than those who were separated at the time of border demarcation. The suffering escapees had entered into the bordering villages looking for their ancestral relatives for protection from the Bhutanese army. Although, relief was forthcoming at the initial stage, owing to government’s vigilance the host supporters, both non Nepali speakers and those of the same race and culture withdrew from providing humanitarian relief.
The distant relatives in Assam and Bengal who had extended their sympathy and made arrangements for the escapees to take shelter in their villages and vacant forest land had to flee to save their lives. Bhutan security forces collaborated with the Indian Border Security forces and picked up the escapees and dumped them in the Lorries bound for the west. The vehicles, irrespective of whether they carried goods or animals were used for loading Bhutanese evictees and dispatched them to the Indo-Nepal border. Consequently, youths and men who were out of camp looking for food were left behind. They are missing to this day. Little valuables saved from the looting armies inside Bhutan were either snatched by Indian security forces or lost in the process as people were dumped into vehicles like cats and dogs. The women and children, particularly pregnant women suffered bleeding and miscarriages due to the barbaric Indian security forces while handling the escapees. Many died on transit while those who could make it to Nepal continue under medication till today due to traumatic inhuman torture in the hands of both the Bhutan army and the Indian security forces.
After arrival in Nepal, due to non availability of immediate humanitarian relief, both old and children succumbed to hunger and multiple epidemics. The cremation and burial of those who died were highly emotional and a terrifying sight. The local supplies made available through alms were hardly sufficient to survive as distributions were meager about ascoop full of grain weighing approximately fifty grams. The support and solidarity of the local people of Nepal reached its government who approached the United Nations for humanitarian support in order to save Bhutanese refugees dying every day along the Sacred Mai River. In 1991 UNHCR, at the request of Nepal government, appeared on the scene to coordinate emergency relief assistance for the Bhutanese refugees.
As the news media began covering the incident, the world community became aware about the existence of Bhutan ruled by an absolute monarch. All these activities were witnessed by the Central Government of India very closely, yet it remained a mere spectator. The media exposed Bhutan as one of the SAARC member nations, which has no Human Rights or such provisions and organizations that could either advocate or protect the innocent people from the claws of brutal rule.
Looking back to the past from the time of British rule and the subsequent independent India, Bhutanese people have played their own role in the Indian struggle for independence while British India has also been responsible in the emergence of hereditary Monarchy in Bhutan. The Indo-Bhutan friendship, which is portrayed as model and unique in the world podium is in reality limited to hi-fi policy level of statesmanship. Taking into consideration the overall aspects of the growing historic relationship between the two countries, India can not be irresponsible as it is the largest multiparty democracy. India has played a vital role in guiding Bhutan on several specific areas of diplomatic relationship; it assisted Bhutan in the management of its defense and security. The industrial, trade and commercial collaboration of the Bhutanese products, all of which account for Bhutanese national economy, are controlled by India.
In consideration of the aforementioned realities, as India had guided Bhutan in all the development, political, diplomatic, defense and economic welfare, it is unfair of India to be a silent observer to the phenomenal aspects of Bhutan’s refugee making using its brutal army. While Bhutan is responsible for its wrongdoing to its own people with torture, cruel and degrading treatment extending to eviction and land grabbing, being a silent observer, India is equally responsible for the injustice being meted to the people.
(*The authors are respectively the chairman and vice chairman of BMSC -Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee)
Tek Nath Rijal & Thinley Penjore*
When Bhutan evicted the Lhotshampa community, the parliamentarians, senior citizens, farmers, women, children, handicaps, aged people, pundits and all those helpless people, unable to resist the torture entered Assam and Bengal to save their lives. The neighboring people, who were well known to the evictees due to their past relationship from the times of their fore fathers having depended on India for salt, matches, clothes and basic needs of livelihood, including those of the Nepali speaking community of the neighboring villages of Indian citizens came forward to sympathize and help the Lhotshampas in plight.
The relationship between the escapees and the neighboring people prevailed not only because of racial and cultural linkage like marriage but also because the relatives residing at the other side of the border were none other than those who were separated at the time of border demarcation. The suffering escapees had entered into the bordering villages looking for their ancestral relatives for protection from the Bhutanese army. Although, relief was forthcoming at the initial stage, owing to government’s vigilance the host supporters, both non Nepali speakers and those of the same race and culture withdrew from providing humanitarian relief.
The distant relatives in Assam and Bengal who had extended their sympathy and made arrangements for the escapees to take shelter in their villages and vacant forest land had to flee to save their lives. Bhutan security forces collaborated with the Indian Border Security forces and picked up the escapees and dumped them in the Lorries bound for the west. The vehicles, irrespective of whether they carried goods or animals were used for loading Bhutanese evictees and dispatched them to the Indo-Nepal border. Consequently, youths and men who were out of camp looking for food were left behind. They are missing to this day. Little valuables saved from the looting armies inside Bhutan were either snatched by Indian security forces or lost in the process as people were dumped into vehicles like cats and dogs. The women and children, particularly pregnant women suffered bleeding and miscarriages due to the barbaric Indian security forces while handling the escapees. Many died on transit while those who could make it to Nepal continue under medication till today due to traumatic inhuman torture in the hands of both the Bhutan army and the Indian security forces.
After arrival in Nepal, due to non availability of immediate humanitarian relief, both old and children succumbed to hunger and multiple epidemics. The cremation and burial of those who died were highly emotional and a terrifying sight. The local supplies made available through alms were hardly sufficient to survive as distributions were meager about ascoop full of grain weighing approximately fifty grams. The support and solidarity of the local people of Nepal reached its government who approached the United Nations for humanitarian support in order to save Bhutanese refugees dying every day along the Sacred Mai River. In 1991 UNHCR, at the request of Nepal government, appeared on the scene to coordinate emergency relief assistance for the Bhutanese refugees.
As the news media began covering the incident, the world community became aware about the existence of Bhutan ruled by an absolute monarch. All these activities were witnessed by the Central Government of India very closely, yet it remained a mere spectator. The media exposed Bhutan as one of the SAARC member nations, which has no Human Rights or such provisions and organizations that could either advocate or protect the innocent people from the claws of brutal rule.
Looking back to the past from the time of British rule and the subsequent independent India, Bhutanese people have played their own role in the Indian struggle for independence while British India has also been responsible in the emergence of hereditary Monarchy in Bhutan. The Indo-Bhutan friendship, which is portrayed as model and unique in the world podium is in reality limited to hi-fi policy level of statesmanship. Taking into consideration the overall aspects of the growing historic relationship between the two countries, India can not be irresponsible as it is the largest multiparty democracy. India has played a vital role in guiding Bhutan on several specific areas of diplomatic relationship; it assisted Bhutan in the management of its defense and security. The industrial, trade and commercial collaboration of the Bhutanese products, all of which account for Bhutanese national economy, are controlled by India.
In consideration of the aforementioned realities, as India had guided Bhutan in all the development, political, diplomatic, defense and economic welfare, it is unfair of India to be a silent observer to the phenomenal aspects of Bhutan’s refugee making using its brutal army. While Bhutan is responsible for its wrongdoing to its own people with torture, cruel and degrading treatment extending to eviction and land grabbing, being a silent observer, India is equally responsible for the injustice being meted to the people.
(*The authors are respectively the chairman and vice chairman of BMSC -Bhutanese Movement Steering Committee)
posted by Oh My GOD | 6:59 PM
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