28 April, 2010 – Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and his Bhutanese counterpart Jigmi Y Thinley during their bilateral talks held yesterday afternoon agreed that the bilateral discussions on the issue of the “people in the camps” in Nepal must be kept going.
Thinley (left) shakes hand with Nepalese PM. Photo/Kuensel
At yesterday’s brief meeting the two leaders also discussed a range of issues from playing a tremendous role in mitigating climate change effect by harnessing and exporting their huge hydropower potential and providing clean and green energy to the region to renewing air services and bilateral trade agreements besides the issue of the people in the camps.
Responding to a question from an American journalist on the people in the camps, at a press conference yesterday the minister in charge of foreign affairs, Khandu Wangchuk, said that since the issue was not of a typical refugee issue, the two governments would be in the best position to find a lasting solution. “Regular dialogues and interactions are being held and we have agreed to pave a way forward for lasting solution,” said the minister in charge. He said the two governments are using every opportunity to interact and discuss the issue to find a solution based on the understanding the two governments had reached.
Thimphu, April 28: With just half-a-day left for the 16th SAARC summit to commence in the National Assembly hall, six out of seven leaders have reached the capital.
The first one to arrive in Thimphu was Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapakse. Rajapakse, who reached here this Monday, remained busy like other leaders in bilateral meetings yesterday.
Except the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, PMs of all other SAARC nations flew in Tuesday morning, while their Bhutanese counterpart Jigmi Y Thinley received them at Paro airport.
Indian PM is hoped to arrive today before the formal opening of the SAARC summit at 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the fifth regional meet of South Asia Free Media Association ended in Paro yesterday. Altogether 174 journalists from SAARC countries took part in the regional gathering.
Organizers responsible to provide logistics to media persons are finding tough to allocate seats for some 300 journalists since the media gallery in NA hall just contains 106 seats.
When no seats are available, journalists will be allowed to enter the hall only when their leaders address the summit.
The preparation for the upcoming SAARC summit is almost over. More than 450 delegates are expected to visit Bhutan for the 16th SAARC summit to be held in Thimphu, the capital city, from April 28 to 29. The capacity of the summit hall is 597 seats including 106 for media personnel, though 300-plus journalists are expected to reach the venue. Most of the delegates are ready, if not they have reached the venue already.
The two-day summit will be held in the summit hall while the rest of the meetings will take place in the conference hall (Banquet hall). Besides the key delegates like heads of states, foreign ministers, foreign secretaries, programme directors, SAARC directors and media personnel from the member countries, observers and media personnel from nine non-member countries will be in the capital for the summit. About 40 delegates are expected from each of the member countries.
Foreign media is already playing up a possibility of India and Pakistan dominating the summit, especially on cross border terrorism, but there are gossips in the air that the cross cutting problem of climate change, which is the theme of the 16th SAARC summit, would overshadow politics.
As the conference is supposed to be held in Bhutan, the suppressed ethnic groups, including its “refugees” in Nepal and in the Diaspora, are expecting an otherwise help from journalists attending the summit. The free and fair access to foreign journalists has been, and remains intimidated from the regime’s side in Bhutan. At a time when the government is claiming the fostering of “true” democracy in the country, this opportunity on hand, might turn as an issue of research for journalists attending the summit.
Hardly, there have been the cases of the other side of Bhutan in media light. It is truly difficult for a foreign journalist to carry on independent reporting in the country. In many of the cases, foreign journalists who are given permission for the reporting purpose, are misguided or manipulated by the government officials. Only a handful of foreign correspondents are given permission to continue their reporting by basing Bhutanese soil.
The journalists attending the summit should be already well-aware to the fact that Bhutan has been gaining popularity at the international arena with its fabricated gossip of Gross National Happiness (GNH). Nepalese journalists, in particular, attending the Summit are equally sentient to the stories of Bhutanese refugees camped in Nepal for the last two decades.
An extra one hour in-depth reporting, besides reporting the summit events, might be enough for a foreign journalist to well-tell about the other-side of the last Shangri-La. Field studies have become must for any foreigners to explain about fostering of democracy in the country. Nepali journalists, being more aware to such an issue, can play a “role model” here to bring unheard voices to media light. The government is likely to bring various “attractive” packages to journalists—could be manipulating them to visit scenic places, take them to some tourists’ areas, among others. This is a way to execute journalists’ precious time, thus, a journalist wishing to report on some ground realities might want to take the opportunity to focus on meeting public or various sources that can explain about the other side.
The state-run Kuensel has been a straightforward mouthpiece of the government for years and it continues to run on the same platform. However, some of the private publications and journalists have stood as great critics to the government’s wrong deeds. In case of the journalists wish to report on some extra issues, besides the event in the summit, these sources might turn very resourceful.
In a way, it is reported by media in Bhutan that the participants of the summit will be introduced to the country’s guiding philosophy of gross national happiness (GNH). The government has been trying to inspire the visiting heads of member states to embrace this philosophy that Bhutan intends to submit as a possible development model for the region.
SAARC Logo. Bhutan is hosting the 16th SAARC summit.
Foreign ministry’s Thinley Dorji, who is also a public communications team member for the SAARC summit, said the country participated in numerous international events and conferences to discuss GNH, but none within the region. “Since they’re coming to Bhutan, we’d like to share the GNH feeling,” Thinley Dorji said. “We can’t guarantee they’ll all be willing to adopt our guiding philosophy.”
Above all, the role of journalists attending the summit is significant, in a sense that they can carry on research about the fabricated philosophy of GNH. A lie never becomes a truth and journalists, for sure, are strictly guided by the standard set-norms of playing with “facts and truths.” Hopes for suppressed ethnic communities, including the camped people, have once again revived. Let the journalists tell the truth to the world after studying ground realities in Bhutan, provided that the summit is not politicized. Happy reporting, friends!
(Associated with Bhutan News Service, Mishra, who currently lives in New York, blogs at: www.tpmishra.com. He can be commented at: [email protected])
April 26, 2010: Indo-Bhutan Friendship Society has expressed deep satisfaction about the end of an unfortunately long trial against RK Dorji, the President of Delhi-based Druk National Congress.
Logo of IBFS
In a press statement sent to Bhutan News Service, the Society also congratulated Dorji and his supporters for their courage of conviction, as well as success in their resistance to injustice by patiently cooperating with the Indian courts for 13 long years.
“The decision to withdraw the case against Dorji will prove to be a great step forward for creating a stronger bond of friendship between the people of India and Bhutan,” reads the statement, adding- “But it has to be furthered by complementary steps so that there is a strengthening of democracy in Bhutan and the return of several thousands refugees to their mother land.”
April 25, 2010: The Bhutanese Advocacy Forum (BAF-Europe) has pointed out the need to terminate the bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan should the ongoing SAARC summit fails to resolve the Bhutanese refugees crisis.
“The government of Nepal should formally terminate the bilateral talk with the Bhutanese government and internationalize the issue,” reads the statement issued by Durga Giri, the Chief co-ordinator for BAF-Europe.
The Forum also congratulated and extended its best wishes to the 16th SAARC Summit hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan. “It is an important event in the history of political transition in Bhutan.”
The Forum extended its message to the Summit that the fight for right to return and establishment of inclusive democracy continues from exiled Bhutanese.
“The Bhutanese Diaspora that is expanding alarmingly is no more confined to the bamboo huts of Refugee camps in eastern Nepal. Third country resettlement is a blessing in disguise that every single refugee is exposed to opportunities to brief the international community on how Bhutan has treated its citizens. Testimonies of torture victims in Bhutan are relocated in different parts of the world,” reads the statement.
The Forum also called upon the attention of the Summit that more than fifty countries, United States of America taking the lead role along with all the donor countries of Europe have expressed their official position to support repartition, inclusive Democracy and Human Rights in Bhutan in the last Universal Periodic review meeting in Geneva. Of the 99 recommendations made by the member states of the United Nations, Bhutan has accepted almost all of them.
Prior to the beginning of 16th SAARC summit, the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) has expressed concern about what has been happening in Bhutan. Below is the appeal the IUSY sent to the Secretary General of the SAARC.
His Excellency Krishna Kant
Secretary General
South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
Kathmandu, Nepal
Dear Your Excellency;
Greetings of solidarity and peace! The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) is a global non-government organization comprised of 149 socialist, social democratic, and labor youth organizations from 100 countries all over the world. It recently held its World Congress in Stockholm, Sweden on 26-28 March 2010. Member organizations from Bhutan, Nepal, India, Tibet, Mongolia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Burma, Australia, and New Zealand comprised the Asia Pacific region.
We are writing to express our solidarity with the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in its efforts to promote a platform for the people of South Asia based on a spirit of friendship, trust, and understanding. We congratulate you for the upcoming SAARC summit to be held on 28-29 April 2010, which will be hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan.
In affirming our solidarity with the peoples of South Asia, we express our concern about what has been happening in Bhutan. Over the past years, the world has witnessed the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Bhutanese expelled from their country due to population-scaping policies of the government. In Nepal, thousands live in camps monitored by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), while at home, thousands more live in fear of expulsion. This sad reality has been taken notice by independent agencies such as the Human Rights Watch, the Lutheran World Federation and Amnesty International. Unfortunately no political commitment has been made as to the cease of the government policies, and as to the repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees from other countries. Furthermore, the recent failure on 22 December 2003 of the fifteenth round of bilateral talks between the governments of Nepal and Bhutan has even made the situation bleaker.
We therefore view the upcoming SAARC summit as an opportune venue in which this serious issue could be raised. On the basis of SAARC’s desire to support progress and protect the people and communities whereby every individual is enabled to satisfy basic human needs and to realize his or her personal dignity, safety and creativity as stated in the Social Charter, the SAARC conference could provide a platform within which the following issues can be included:
The repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees to their homes
The adoption of a reconciliatory approach and the creation of political space for human rights organizations and other political organizations to participate in talks related to the issue.
The assurance of women’s equal participation and rights in all respects of socio-economic life including proportional representation.
The release of those imprisoned due to their struggle to rectify the population-scaping policies of the government.
As IUSY and SAARC both share the vision of a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous South Asia, we trust that these points will be given consideration in the upcoming summit.
April 21, 2010: The two-day Bhutanese conference focused on ‘empowerment of resettled people’ concluded in Atlanta, Georgia on April 18.
At least 25 Bhutanese delegates from different States within the USA participated in the conference organized by Sewa Internatioanl USA.
Participants of the conference. Photo/BNS
The conference broadly discussed about the post-resettlement situation of Bhutanese.
Professor Dr.Lopita Nath had presented the report on the situation of Bhutanese in San Antonio in Texas and Professor Dr. Sree Sreenath presented the report on ‘Project Krishi (agriculture)’ in Cleveland, Ohio.
Among others, the conference delegates extensively discussed about the ‘empowerment of resettled Bhutanese’ in the USA.
The program was jointly inaugurated by Anju Bhargava, the White House Commission on Interfaith Partnerships, Dr. Ravi Sharma and Professor Sreenath.
April 21, 2010: The extradition proceedings against R.K. Dorji, the President of the Druk National Congress, finally ended today, with the withdrawal of the case by the Government of India.
According to a press statement, the counsel of the Union of India submitted in the Delhi High Court that the Royal Government of Bhutan preferred not to pursue the extradition of Rongthong Kunley and withdrew its extradition request.
Dorji was arrested on April 18, 1997, by the Government of India at the behest of Royal Government of Bhutan to have him extradited to Bhutan, when he arrived in Delhi to garner support from the Government and the people of India for the Bhutanese peoples’ struggle for the establishment of democracy and human rights in Bhutan. He was imprisoned for 14 months at Tihar jail and released on bail on July 12, 1998. However, his bail condition prevented him from leaving Delhi without permission, and he had to report to the local police station twice a week.
Back in Bhutan, on May 18, 1991, Dorji had been arrested and tortured for fifty days on charges of treason for being involved in the pro-democracy movement. After his release, he fled to Nepal for the fear of re-arrest, torture and elimination. In August 1991, the Government of Nepal granted him political asylum. On June 16, 1994, at Kathmandu, Nepal, he formed the Druk National Congress, a political party, to demand the establishment of democracy human rights in Bhutan under Constitutional Monarchy.
His extradition case in India, which began on July 1, 1997, at the Patiala House Court and shifted later to Tis Hazari Court, had been proceeding at a snail’s pace, with the Union of India unable, apart from its first witness, to produce any of its other designated witnesses even after 11 years. To thus expedite his case, Dorji had submitted a petition in the Delhi High Court on October 22, 2008, requesting the Hon’ble Court to quash the extradition proceedings. On April 9, 2009, the counsel of the Union of India submitted to the Tis Hazari Court that they were no longer able to produce its second witness. After the 13th adjournment/hearing on R.K. Dorji’s petition at the Delhi High Court, the extradition proceedings finally came to an end today with the Delhi High Court’s order.
After the Delhi High Court’s judgment, Dorji expressed his satisfaction at the outcome. He said this judgment was a victory not only for himself but also for the people of the Bhutan and India, and democrats the world over.
The statement further quoted Dorji as saying that this conclusively proved the politically motivated allegations against him were false, and that his faith in the Indian Judiciary was finally vindicated.
Beldangi-I, April 14 : A monokranti follower alias Glim completed his 7 days of worship in a nine feet chamber beneath soil, amidst a special function this morning.
The event organizer, Bhutan Manokranti Samiti, appreciated his initiave -to change the world, you need to change yourself.
Hundreds of exiled Bhutanese gathered to witness the event. There has been increasing trends in camps in manokranti that focusses on super learning, reki, yoga and other forms of meditations.
Participants on the training/Photo by Rohit Pokhrel
Beldangi-II, April 14 :A three-day journalism training of Bhutanese Refugee Children Forum (BRCF) ended here today .
According to the resource person, Jeetan Subba from Association of Press Freedom Activists Bhutan, the training focussed on publication of wall bulletion by children.
14 participants, two from each of the seven camps, attended the training funded by the Lutheran World Federation.
