Sir, I Will Change…

Editor
-
26,644

It has been three and half months now, since I started teaching in one of the private schools in Paro; every time I went to class, I felt sad on seeing a particular student. I wanted to ask him, why? But my profession acted as a barrier (should I ever get involved in my student’s personal life? Will he not act wild after getting closer? Will he stand in the position to take my words positive?). These doubts in my mind stopped me from getting closer to him more than I usually do with rest of the students. I was feeling sorry on seeing a youth full of potential to succeed in life simply running away from the responsibilities. When I see in his eyes, I could understand myself that he has got many stories to tell, but neither somebody approached him nor did he confess to someone. He was getting weaker day by day and was missing his class very often that a student shouldn’t do. I was observing him for more than a month silently but I couldn’t wait further for him to come to me and share everything. (we should not let any student down by any sort of discrimination).A class of 50 minutes is too short for me to deliver a speech aiming to change his life. I should generalize and include everyone in the class as character in my story in order to reach the message to his heart without meaning any hurt. I requested their Dzongkha Lopen to sacrifice his class for me so that I will have two period with 100 minutes. I prayed in front of the Jampelyang statue before I got inside the class(God of wisdom, something is going to happen in next few seconds, don’t bless me with vocabulary but bless him and open his heart for once so that I can touch his innermost feelings).

As usual I entered the class, but before a warm greeting they notified me of having my class in second period. It was never tough for me to have convinced them of the engagement of their lopen in official work. The class was not very silent. I initially wavered as to how to begin my lecture. Looking at his face I found it true in what other teachers usually say about him (he starts his class by sleeping and ends in the same way).

Thinley, will you bear some of your time in listening to me? As I persuaded him, he woke up and nodded…

I was confused at the beginning as I didn’t know how good he will get the messages I prepared for him though everyone is included. I then started “unlike our regular classes, today I will teach you all about something called LIVING LIFE”. I could see eagerness in the face of many students except Thinley.

I wrote on the green board “1. Suicide. 2. Addiction, 3 Depression. As soon as he saw the words of habit he has been into for so long, he showed some interest( I believe the expression I saw on his face must be what I was then looking for).

It took me another 30 minutes to narrate a story; I am even lost in the words I spoke. I narrated all things happened in my life making them believe my life engulfed in sadness, talked about suicide and the reasons why people usually decide to quit their lives. On addiction, I begun quoting someone ” An addiction is a disease, everyone can be caught in the web of Addiction”. As I started, I brought up another story about my friend studying in Sherubtse College. I learned through him a bitter experience of being an addict. I was never an addict but  cannot say I will never be. I narrated his story as he got some strong reasons for himself to be an addict. I was trying my best to make the story as sad as in movies and as important as their lives to themselves. I took me another 40 minutes to reach to the conclusion before I talked about Depression. I saw some of them blush, some with tears but I couldn’t see the expression on Thinley’s face.  I heard someone sobbing louder and louder; the class pin drop silent, suddenly someone hugged me tight and confessed that it was his story. (“Sir, you need not have to tell many stories about Tom to reveal true character of Harry, I got you and I got myself).

I couldn’t stop my tears at the thought of being very selfish to my student like Thinley who was waiting for someone to listen to his stories. The entire class maintained silence like never before; few cried  and the rest melted down with Thinley’s submissive act.
Those 100 minutes never came too short for one to change someone’s life. I wrapped up the class with few words ” Get ready for your next class with happy faces, bring one essay about Life next morning. See you all tomorrow”.

After leaving the class with deep sense of satisfaction, I turned to the statue and thanked him for his blessing. I shared the story among my senior colleagues (Many taught me when I was in class 12). That day ended for me with pride, myself deriving satisfaction out of my profession. I was keen to see changes in Thinley’s life thereon, a brand new Thinley.

The next day, I asked one of his friends about him. He quickly responded before I could finish, “Sir, I have seen Thinley in his morning and evening studies since yesterday for the first time. I am sure he is getting better.”

But, instantaneously, somebody called me from behind; he was none other than Thinley with a piece of paper in his hand to give to me with exchange of smile with me( I saw him smiling for the first time in my three months as a teacher).

I opened the piece and ran through it keenly and with some sense of guilt that I have to share. I feel everyone of us should know what he actually wrote in that piece he gave to me. Here it goes:

Dear Pema sir,

My name is Thinley Namgay and I am 20 years old. When I think about my past I feel ashamed for many reasons but I do not clearly remember. So, I would be stressing one topic, probably the one which the youths of world experience or tend to take it…..”ADDICTION”

“Thinley, you are an addict and you need treatment”, the principal of my former school said while the disciplinary committee decided to expel me from the school. That particular incident made me realize that I was in fact an addict. Yeah! I was an addict, I was severely into Marijuana.
To begin, I was grown up in middle class family but very strict. My schooling started much before I went to a primary school. I mean I was taught by my father at home along with my siblings. We were made to recite prayer every morning and evening and unlike other kids around, we were never given chance to explore the world, not even outside our residence. At any petty issue like failing to pronounce some Sanskrit words, sometimes we could face beating blue and black.

Substance abuse in action
Substance abuse in action

As I grew up and started to explore the world, I noticed that my friends and family were a small world where I was living very complicated. The real world seemed to be different than what my father used to tell us at home. Life seemed to be monotonous even, there was nothing like what my father told me inside closed door of our living room. I started to do things delayed– going to school and coming back late. At first giving justification was very difficult for me as my father couldn’t tolerate disappointments from us, but when I did it again and again telling lie was only means to escape scolding and beatings.I even started arguing with my parents, sometimes when I was normal and sometimes not perfectly normal. They lost hopes on me and in order to take me back to original normal life, my father resorted to beating me mercilessly. Soon afterward, I started another habit evading from my home for weeks and sometimes even months and my mother was one to suffer in the conflict with my father( mom, I am sorry, I do love you).I was depressed, anguished and grieving because I could differentiate between my life and life of some other friends. All in all, I was being very judgmental in the conflict between me and my thought, ending up abusing drugs. I was thinking the drugs could easily eradicate my problems ; instead the problems followed the substances I was into. I quickly picked fights with my friends; I went against my teachers and spent another time in taking my certificates and going from one school to another in search of admission. I thought “life was interesting this way” because I accumulated the entire universe within. “I” was the first world I preferred ‘ I am the boss, I don’t like this, I will kill you if you don’t etc.’

My daily routine changed too. I had no time for my breakfast and lunch as I had to smoke and dope in these times but dinner was compulsory as I had to survive.

I was popular for doing bad things in my community; my friends were restricted by their parents to befriend me any longer. But, that doesn’t mean that I had no friends. I had same category of friends and enemies in various corers of the same locality. Including in gang fights, doping and getting home drunk was my regular chores then.

My parents had no ways to stop me from doing those things, their strategies have failed and had already enough. They gave up on me and let me decide whatsoever. These things continued for two years until I was in verge from being expelled from that school. The situation worsened when one night I was caught up by teachers on duty smoking weeds. My expulsion had strongest reasons acceptable to both my parents and other elder members of my society.

I changed my school and came here but I couldn’t do away with my drug habits. I was unnoticed but still doing the same all nights and mornings. I was admonished, reprimanded and advised by different teachers in my life.I was even forced by some of them to quit, but they failed to stop my habit. I heard about you and your advices from my friends but I didn’t damn to care. I thought even you cannot bring changes in my life but I failed this time. You changed my thinking first, and entire my body and mind. Your words really touched my heart for the first time that I am even ready to sacrifice my habit and I am decided to go with your advice. I promise you like never before that I am ready to see change…

sir I will change…

Sir, I do not know you personally but your words have the power to change and motivate people like me. There are few more who are waiting for the change and I request you to change their lives as well. I wish you were here with us right from the beginning..

Your student
Thinley Namgay.
25.09.14

This self narration clearly introduced himself and his problem to me. Today he completes one month of being a clean and active student, a humble son and citizen. He came to me this morning and said, ” Sir, I am clean now for a month”.

These days Thinley is seen happy as he got back lost love from his parents. I talked to his parents over the telephone and conveyed the message of Thinley’s improvement. If you happen to come across a rough sketch of Paro Taktshang on a rock near our Multipurpose hall, it is the hidden talent of Thinley exhibited after long time. If you hear the melody voice from Arts faculty of grade 12, singing “Ama kadrin chey”, he is Thinley and if you see one smiling all the day, he is just Thinley again..

Note: This was originally posted in facebook wall of a youth in Bhutan. The content is edited for grammar and space only. 

Open Letter to SAARC Head of States

Editor
-
26,644

Honorable Heads of the States, observer representatives of the
South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

Subject: The issue of Bhutan

Dear Excellencies,
I would like to extend my best wishes for the success of forthcoming SAARC Summit in Kathmandu. On the one hand, we have experienced reforms in many sectors after the establishment of SAARC, but on the other we have been troubled due to the lack of uniformity among SAARC nations concerning the protection of human rights and democracy. We have been equally concerned that many ethnic minorities have been deprived of justice in the absence of an independent judiciary.

Bhutan is a case in point. The minority community there has been victimized on account of religion, culture and language. The world is a witness to this gross violation of the basic human right of citizenship. I myself have been tortured, incarcerated and exiled whilst striving for the welfare of whole Bhutanese tribal and ethnic peoples, and carrying out my struggle for justice for the last 26 years.

More than 100,000 people were driven out from Bhutan, their lands confiscated by a regime that had adopted a racist policy towards its minority. While some of my inmates are still languishing in jails under false allegations, many others have now taken refuge in the US and Europe after being resettled from refugee camps in Nepal.

It is a matter of concern and great shame to the people of this region that the Bhutanese refugee problem of the last 24 years has not been resolved and we haven’t got closer. The relevance of SAARC would be justified had the commitment been made that the structure of our ruling system would respect human rights and democracy.

I would like to urge you and your government to strive for a just and complete solution to the Bhutanese refugee’s problem by including it in your agenda for comprehensive deliberations at the forthcoming SAARC Summit.

Bhutan has been crippled by a tyrannical and autocratic monarchy for decades. Under international pressure, it was forced to present a façade of semi-democracy to the world, and promoting a highly ironical policy of “Gross National Happiness”. But it is clear that the regime has never had to atone for its racist policy of ethnic cleansing. The Bhutan regime has never been held accountable for evicting up to one-sixth of its population.

This SAARC Summit is the third to be held in Nepal where the Bhutanese refugees have been living in camps, waiting for justice. It has been our misfortune that our problems neither got space for discussion at SAARC in the past, nor were any resolutions passed to this effect.

In the absence of bilateral negotiations between Nepal and Bhutan, on the other hand, the Bhutan regime has not only enslaved its own citizens but also incarcerated and detained them for the past 30 years, and has excluded them from the electoral rolls.

SAARC needs to be aware of the stateless people chased out from one member state and living in another. The Lhotshampas have been living peacefully in Bhutan for generations and contributed immensely for the infrastructural development of Bhutan by providing free labor in addition to paying hefty taxes. The National Assembly of Bhutan in 1958 had entrusted the responsibility of border security in the South to the Lhotshampas themselves and had also approved the provision of rendering them civil rights equally as other Bhutanese people. However, in 1988 the reclusive state deliberately adopted a policy of systematically evicting the Lhotshampas through harassment, detention, torture, rape, destruction and confiscation of their properties.

I would like to draw your attention to the gross violation of human rights that occurred and is still occurring in one of your member states. Bhutan’s Lhotshampa and Sarchopa Community have faced injustice, exploitation, and the sabotage of civil rights. I would also like to seek your assistance in ensuring democracy, independent judiciary and protection of human rights in Bhutan. It is shameful that the so-called representative of a country that does not believe in inclusive democracy and minority rights and thrives by continuously deceiving the international community share dais with modern democratic leaders of other nations.

If we continue to ignore this injustice under the pretext of not interfering in the internal affairs of a member state, I am afraid it will have a detrimental impact on the shared goal of democracy of the South Asian collective.

Finally, I would like to once more wish that the Summit would succeed in fostering South Asian solidarity and take steps in uplifting the living standards of its citizens through the protection of human rights and democracy.
Sincerely Yours

Tek Nath Rizal
Kathmandu
[email protected]

Indian Prez Mukherjee to visit Bhutan

Editor
-
26,644

President Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to visit tiny northern neighbor and India’s special ally, Kingdom of Bhutan, November 7-9 on the invitation of HM King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk.

Pranav Mukherjee shakes hand with King Khesar of Bhutan
File Photo: Pranav Mukherjee shaking hand with King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck (Courtesy: Hindustan Times)

This state visit by the Indian head of state in 26 years aims to boost the “unique” and “special” relations with Bhutan, according the Economic Times.

The 13th President of India’s visit came nearly five months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bhutan soon after assuming the office.

During the visit, the President will meet with Prime Miniter Tshering Tobgay, receive audience with the fourth king and hold talks with HM King Jigme Khesar. President Mukherjee also will inaugurate some projects funded by Indian government like Jigme Wangchuk power training institute in Sarpang(Sarbhang) and Yelchen Central School in Pemagatshel, with launching of double lane construction of east-west road.

According to BBS, the President will also sign four MoU: between the Royal University of Bhutan and English and Foreign Language university, Hyderabad and National Innovation Foundation and between Royal Civil Service Commission and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Indian assistance to Bhutan for the 11the Five year plan amounts to IRs 4500 crore in the areas like infrastructure and information communications technology, health, human resource development and tourism.

The delegation includes other Indian officials like Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, four Mps, secretary to the president Omita Paul and joint secretary Abhay Thakur.

Women empowerment training concludes in Seattle

Editor
-
26,644

Four women participants of city of Seattle representing the Bhutanese community went through an empowerment training and mentoring facilitated by the metro police of Seattle city on Saturdays September 4 through November 1. The empowerment program was run by City of Seattle under Refugee and Immigrant affairs with an aim to better prepare the refugee and immigrant women for taking up jobs in various sector as the women in American society do.

Refugee women participants
Refugee women participants listening to lecture, Photo: Laura Ohata (NWAW)

The training program involving police officers as the mentors will help Bhutanese women too to come forward in terms of taking equal opportunity jobs in the government with men and be bold enough to put their concerns and issues without any hesitation.
“Our women who normally shy away taking up bold steps of empowerment are expected to bring positive changes in the community after this training”, said Hari Nirola who actually recommended four women participants.

The training conducted on Saturdays also paid daily allowance as incentive to the attendees with buffet lunch, training materials, child care and transportation fare.

Four women leaders Kunti Timsina, Hem Adhikari, Sushila Adhikari, and Saraswati Banstola attended the training. They all have high school education back in refugee camps.
On the final day, November 1, Mayor of Seattle, Ed Murray and police chief gave their perspectives on the training and encouraged women participants to take up jobs in police, fire and other departments of metro government.

WFP to stay for three more years

Editor
-
26,644

World Food Program that began supporting the school feeding in Bhutan sometime in 1974 will ultimately phase out the entire program from the country in 2018. This came as an extension of the program for three more years, which initially planned to phase out completely by 2015.

school children queue for the food
school children queue for the food. Photo WFP/Bhutan

According to a kuensel report, WFP agreed to stay on until a hydropower is commissioned, the revenue of which will be dedicated to school feeding, as per the request of former DPT government.

The WFP project began in 1974 in nine schools with little over thousand students then. Since then, total of USD 67 million is spent until 2005.
According to Dungkar Drukpa, the officer-in-charge of WFP program in Bhutan, the phasing out of the feeding is based on the considerations of increased GNI($730 to $2,070 in 2011) and per capita income of average Bhutanese.

At present WFP is supporting the feeding of 30,345 students in 212 schools across the country, including the two meal support to some 27 schools.

Sitting on the floor for lunch
Sitting on the floor for lunch Photo WFP/Bhutan

WFP’s school feeding project has helped many parents of rural poor to share their burden of feeding children. It also helped in encouraging children who walked long distance to school to be regular in the school and subsequently increased the performance of children. Malnutrition is significantly reduced due to school feeding.

WFP activities in Bhutan mentions a statement: Improving Rural Children’s Access to Education with a focus on primary education (2008-2012) aims to assist the government in its school feeding activities by addressing short-term hunger faced by children living far away from schools and by reducing the financial burden on poor parents; it also assists in alleviating certain micronutrient deficiencies while contributing to overall improvement of school enrolment rates and attendance.

आर्थिक वर्ष २०१३/१४ सम्म अमेरिकामा ७८ हजार ७७२ भूटानी

Editor
-
26,644

 राजेश कोइराला:

न्यु ह्याम्सर । आर्थिक वर्ष २०१३/१४ को अन्त्यसम्म अमेरिकामा ७८ हजार ७७२ भूटानी पुनर्स्थापित हुनुभएको छ । अमेरिकाको आ.व. अक्टोबर १ मा शुरु भएर अर्को वर्षको सेप्टेम्बर ३१ मा सकिन्छ ।

सन् २०१३ अक्टोबर १ मा शुरु भएर सन् २०१४ सेप्टेम्बर ३० मा सकिएको आर्थिक वर्ष (आ.व.) मा ८ हजार ४ सय ३४ जना पुनर्स्थापित हुनुभएको छ । अघिल्लो आ.व. (सन् २०१२/०१३) मा अमेरिकामा मात्र ९ हजार १ सय ३४ जना पुनर्स्थापित हुनुभएको थियो । अघिल्लो आ.व. (सन् २०१२/०१३) भन्दा यस आ.व. (सन् २०१३/०१४) मा ७ सय कम पुनर्स्थापित हुनुभएको छ ।

अमेरिकाले भूटानी मात्र होइन, विभिन्न देशबाट शरणार्थी पुनर्स्थापना गर्छ । सन् १९७५ अमेरिकाले औपचारिक रूपमा शरणार्थी पुनर्स्थापना थालेको हो । सन् २०१४ सम्म अमेरिकाले करिब ३३ लाख शरणार्थी बसोबास गराइसकेको छ ।

अमेरिकाको कुन राज्य र त्यसका कुन शहरमा कति जना भूटानी पुनर्स्थापित हुनुभएको हो भन्ने पूर्ण विवरण ज्ञानज्योति केन्द्रको प्रकाशन ‘अक्षरिका मासिक’ मा हेर्न सकिनेछ ।

यो सङ्ख्या अमेरिकी सरकारले ल्याएर पुनर्स्थापना गराएको ठाउँअनुसारको सङ्ख्या हो । अमेरिकामा एक राज्यबाट अर्को राज्य वा ठाउँबाट अर्को ठाउँमा बसाई सर्न पाइने भएकाले अहिले यही सङ्ख्यामा भूटानीहरुको त्यहीँ बसोबास नभएको हुनसक्छ ।

 

Immigrant keeps suicide watch over fellow refugees from Bhutan

Editor
-
26,644

Som Subedi is stuck in traffic. He’s running late to check on one of his flock: a 37-year-old woman who’s among scores of newly arrived Bhutanese immigrants he watches over like a worried parent.

Ran Gurung is on Subedi’s watch list. A refugee advocate, he fears Gurung is not adjusting well since arriving in June from a camp in Nepal, where her husband mysteriously vanished. She came to the U.S. alone, with only a few relatives already here for support.A pedestrian accident near Gurung’s apartment has created the gridlock. Subedi nervously consults his watch twice within a minute. Finally, the traffic eases and he finds a parking spot. He races into the Rose Manor apartments, rushing past a woman speaking Spanish to her infant. He knocks at Gurung’s unit, but there’s no answer.

Som Subedi, left, asks fellow Bhutanese immigrant Ash Monger about a car accident Monger witnessed in Portland, Ore., involving another refugee from the mountain nation. (Picture courtesy: John M. Glionna / Los Angeles Times)
Som Subedi, left, asks fellow Bhutanese immigrant Ash Monger about a car accident Monger witnessed in Portland, Ore., involving another refugee from the mountain nation. (Picture courtesy: John M. Glionna / Los Angeles Times)

His cellphone rings: Gurung was the one hit by the car; she was walking to buy milk to serve him tea.

Subedi’s eyes grow large. Since he joined Lutheran Community Services in 2010, the 33-year-old has attended to Portland’s Bhutanese immigrants. He meets them at the airport, giving them a $100 bill, telling them: “Here, this is to get you started. But remember, money doesn’t grow on trees.” He helps them find shelter and introduces them to other Bhutanese to alleviate the shock of a new homeland.

Subedi and other members of the Hindu minority in Bhutan were banished by the king of their Himalayan mountain kingdom in an ethnic cleansing that began a quarter-century ago. Since then, tens of thousands of Bhutanese have moved to refugee camps across neighboring Nepal. Subedi spent two decades there. His father harvested rice for 30 cents a day, and the family lived in a thatched-roof bamboo hut with mud beds, before the U.S. agreed in 2008 to accept 60,000 Bhutanese immigrants.

Read full texts from LA Times

(The following story originally appeared in LA Times, which is partly reproduced here with due permission from the reporter John M Glionna and also from Erica Varela of LA Times -Ed)

 

Petition and Politics vis-a-vis the Roar of Thunder Dragon

Editor
-
26,644

On some individuals of interest
Interestingly and coincidentally, both writers have mentioned names of senior civil servants, some ‘dashos’ and ‘lyonpos’ who played roles in the state of affairs. Some names appear just for personal matters, while others are mentioned to value their contribution to nation building. Notable are Dasho Lam Penjor, Lyonpo Sangay Penjor, Lyonpo Dawa Tshering, Lyonpo Dr. T Tobgyel and Dasho Benji(Paljor) Dorji.

Hari applauds contribution of late Lam Penjor in bridging the north and south with inclusive approach. According to him, had Lam Penjor lived, the events in the 1990s would not have taken such ugly turn, or so many people would not have to leave the country.
Om Pradhan also mentions him for his contribution in having inclusive national view,but does not count on that. In place of seeing Lam Penjor in such a position, Om has Rinzin Dorji who could speak, read and write, in his words, Nepali, English, Hindi and was acumen in cross-cultural knowledge. Rinzin Dorji was the secretary of special commission of cultural affairs, with his wife from Kalimpong, so spoke Nepali at home.

Mention of Sangay Penjor by Om Pradhan is not for any significant milestones, except his deputation to New York as first permanent representative of Bhutan to UN. But for Hari Chhetri, Lyonpo Sangay was someone whom he could talk very frank, since knowing him first in New Delhi, and then again in Kuwait. Hari writes that he shared all matters with Lyonpo Sangay, even the personal and family affairs and that his two sons were very fond of ‘aunty’, wife of Lyonpo Sangay.

With Dawa Tshering, the longest serving foreign minister, Om Pradhan does not seem happy about his statement in a newspaper(not mentioned) which supported lhotshampas’ contribution in the building of Bhutan and protecting the southern border. In the same writing which he contributed after his retirement, Dawa Tshering, according to Om, had pointed to a contentious historical event that Kazi Ugyen Dorji (in Kalimpong) sent written recommendation for establishing monarchy in Bhutan. Yes, of course, Dawa Tshering had played double standard in dealing with the ethnic politics, concerning southern Bhutanese, one time favoring them to be loyal citizens, while other time alleging them to be Nepalese seeking to create a“hypothetical” Greater Nepal.

Quite contrarily, Hari mentions Dawa Tshering of good virtue, with integrity and a caring boss. He particularly mentions Lyonpo Dawa’s good faith showered on him, clearing all his papers for his posting to Bhutan’s permanent mission in New York. There is no hint in Hari’s writing of Dawa Tshering having misinformed the National Assembly about the threat of Greater Nepal, that led to very callous debate in the NA in 1990s condemning southern Bhutanese all and sundry. However, Dawa Tshering’s private meeting with Hari in New York on October 7,1992 in the mission’s office did not carry any good message. Dawa was just to remind Hari of the charges against Bhim Subba and R.B Basnet after their defection to Nepal, possibly putting Hari in the same ambit of distrust.
Another personality mentioned by Hari in his book is Benji Dorji, or Dasho Benji. Despite bearing the legacy of powerful Dorji family that commissioned to settle Nepali subjects in the south, Benji Dorji expressed his reluctance to intervene in the southern affairs when they were going through difficult times. Hari recalls his appeal to Benji Dorji for reaching out to the King that Dorji turned down. Very recently, Benji Dorji received a gift from the fourth King, and later to that, Dasho Benji was sued by the DPT for a libel against the party.

Aftermaths of petitioning..
The result of petitioning to the King as per the established norm of Bhutan’s judicial practice came rather unexpected, at least for those who were directly or indirectly involved with the petitioning. The most dramatic and dangerous fell upon Tek Nath Rizal. In the book, Hari Chhetri vividly explains how the group members, barring a few, were summoned by Dago Tshering, the deputy home minister for answering questions. The clarification was sought from all senior officials including Lok Bahadur Gurung and Megh Raj Gurung. The author assumes that those who presented vociferously against government’s ongoing policy on that May afternoon at Tek Nath Rizal’s when Om Pradhan was also present, were called for explanation. Within a few weeks time, lhotshampa officials in Thimphu began to feel the troubled waters. It can be gleaned from the book that Hari Chhetri and other group members were being hunted for or at least being intimidated by active presence of security forces. Meantime, TN Rizal was nabbed and manhandled, banished from talking to others and compelling him to leave Thimphu for unknown destination. Evidently, Dago and other racist chauvinist, as the cronies are often referred to by the dissidents, were fishing in  muddy waters preventing the King to read the petition in good intention. As indicated in the book, Dago Tshering had entered into personal vengeance for putting his brother in jail by TN Rizal and the audit team while inquiry was made to abuse of authority.

This environment of dark clouds hovering above Thimphu is not accounted for by Om Pradhan, although he fully understood what was going on. Though he claims to have written the book to present his neutral position and set the record straight, Pradhan has not shown sincerity to relate events on how such a visionary King could be grossly misinformed, prompting rapid action against the loyal officials, he fully trusted. Om Pradhan seems to be convinced of how Dago Tshering maneuvered the process of victimizing the lhotshampa people tarnishing their sincere but bold actions to be anti-national. He might have deliberately missed the Dago Tshering’s empowered machinations to demand written explanation, calling to his office one by one.

Falsified assumptions
Another conflicting point we find on what Om Pradhan suggested in the book is how people simply opted to leave the country following the call of those dissident leaders rallying from across the border. What Om Pradhan could not frankly accept to write is the ‘state of denial’ that authorities imposed on lhotshampas for putting up any genuine grievances to higher court of appeal, let alone complaining to the HM. And, the deputation of high-court Judge D N Katwal with royal kasho for the purpose of finding truth was nowhere to listen to the general people. Mr. Pradhan is too presumptuous to say that people should have stayed put in groups in Gelephu, even if their life was jeopardized instead of crossing to India. Going by the story of Hari Chhetri’s father taken to jail in order to destabilize his firm conviction of not leaving his home, it was absolutely impossible for any layman to show that strength who is already rounded up, coerced and threatened not to show up in groups anywhere.

Stories are alive in the memory of those who listened to the King of his request not to leave the country during the day, but faced battalions of militia in the spell of night that threatened them to leave the country within three days.

The assumption that camp should have been established just across the border and seek aid assistance from India is a fallacy of intellectual perception. Soon after leaving the homesteads, cohorts of people had tried to stay in temporary shelters provided by the Nepali speaking Indians of Assam and West Bengal. Om Pradhan suggesting this to happen is simply under-estimating the security policy of police force of India; that the Indian police sufficiently bribed or taken in confidence by the army of Bhutan was rounding up people and handing over to Bhutan army. Om Pradhan probably had no chance to realize how threatening was the situation just across the border, already rendered volatile due to armed struggle of Bodo and ULFA militants.

This is ironically interesting to note the antagonism of intellectual perception and moral understanding of these two ‘high-ranking officials and one-time diplomats’ for the very unfortunate exodus rendition prompted by vengeful bias of home ministry. While Hari’s psychological self was undergoing a tormented affinity and resentful allegiance for the government he represented, Om Pradhan ventured himself a sadistic personality free of any blames and blemishes churned out by under-current of ethnic hegemony designed by the state.

…Continued of  Petition and Politics vis-a-vis the Roar of Thunder Dragon

Omnath Pokharel’s ‘Silhouette of Truth’ published posthumously

Editor
-
26,644

A book titled “The Silhouette of Truth”, the first collection of short stories by Omnath Pokharel, was posthumously published and released last week in Kent, Ohio.

The author expired untimely on Nov. 1, 2012 in Phuntsholing, Bhutan, before he could see his works published.

According to the author’s brother, Rup Pokharel, the book carries twelve short stories.

“The stories movingly narrate the traumatic condition of Lhotstsampa after the government of Bhutan ordered forceful eviction that brought them to the shanties of the refugee camps in Eastern Nepal,” said Dr Amma Raj Joshi, one of editors of the books.

“Stories such as ‘morbid reminiscences’, ‘deep-seated patriotism’ and ‘sustainable journey’ meticulously depict the pathetic condition of individuals, who are uprooted from the soil,” added he.

According to him, the ‘sustainable odyssey’, is a story of a Pagal Karma, a character, who sees problems in social set-up of Bhutan. He carries a mop in his hand symbolically to mop out all evils that have caused discrimination and invited suffering to the common people.

Prof. Dr. Abi Subedi of Tribhuvan Unversity, Kathmandu, Nepal, has illustrated in his blurb write-up: ” The ‘silhouette of truth’, presents multiple pictures of what may be called ‘truth’ through a dozen short stories written by the late Bhutanese Nepali writer Omnath Pokharel, in which pictures emerge out as silhouettes of people who suffer as exiled, evicted and ignored. Most important of all, they present a dramatic relationship between history and suffering, humanity and unsettling conditions of existence.”The Silhouette

Prof. Dr. Terry Lee Kuhn from Kent, OH, foreword writer and first draft reader of the book mentioned that the forced exodus and exile of the Lhotshampas is the foundation upon which these stories are built.

“They are based on real-life events in the lives of real people. The author has turned his personal disappointment and frustration into eloquent and moving short stories that reflected his humanitarian concerns for the poor and downtrodden, patriotism for the mother country Bhutan and what it means to be good and virtuous,” said Prof. Terry.

Late Omnath Pokharel was a representative victim of political upheaval that clouded Bhutan’s progress and prosperity in 1990s. Yet, he played no role in the politics, merited with a tag as a person not qualifying for so-call No Objection Certificate (NOC).

“His university degree as a good nation builder got no meaning in the nation,” his brother, Rup, clarified.

He is quoted in the book as saying, “I have done nothing wrong. I haven’t played any role in politics during or before 1990. The NOC is killing me softly. Let no individual be punished so badly on the Earth like me.”

The posthumous publication team members present during the book release were Prof. Terry Lee Kuhn, Tribhuwan University lecturer Dr. Taralal Shrestha, Chairperson of Literature Council of Bhutan Bhakta Ghimere and Rup Pokharel.

The 260 page book is priced at US $15 including shipping. According to Rup, it is available for the readers in Pittsburgh (PA), Phoenix (AZ), Salt Lake City(UT) Louisville (KY), Atlanta (GA), Grand Forks and Fargo (ND), Fort Worth (TX) in the US, and Adelaide, South Australia.

Readers can also purchase a copy of this book from BMS online store.







Melbourne community celebrates 6th anniversary of resettlement

Editor
-
26,644

The Bhutanese Community in Australia celebrated the Dashian-Tihar festival cum sixth anniversary of settlement on Oct. 18 at the Bethal Primary School in Meadow Heights in Melbourne.

Guests and community representatives after the event
Guests and community representatives stand together for group photograph after the completion of the event (Picture courtesy: BCA)

The program has also seen the unification of Bhutanese Organisation in Australia and Bhutanese Association in Victoria to Bhutanese Community in Australia (BCA).

The program started with singing of Bhutanese and Australian National Anthem followed by spiritual blessing from Hindu priests and Buddhist monks from the community.

The Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission Mr Chin Tan said that Bhutanese community is the newest and smallest community and the government would support in all ways possible to as they resettle in Victoria.

He said, “It is very important that other Australian community know about the Bhutanese community which has not been known to many wider society as they have been only for less than six years in the country.”

“We are all Australian but keeping Bhutanese identity and preserving your own cultural and tradition should not be forgotten.”

While Frank McGuire, State Member of Parliament for Broadmeadows, said that the Australia he wanted to see is that equally belongs to all.

He came by boat to Australia as a young kid and grew up in the working class suburb of Broadmeadows and understands the difficulties faced my refugees when they are new to the country.

Audience of the event
Audience of the event

He said that Bhutanese community needed to be exposed to the wider society as a small but very progressive one and provide support they need.

He also expressed keen interest to develop a leadership program from the young Bhutanese leaders to see them taking main stage in the Australian society.

Inspector Lisa Herdsman Victoria Police mentioned that she only found of the Bhutanese community recently though they have been here for six years. “This means because they are not law violating community and are less visible in the eyes of police, and they are peaceful and progressive law-abiding community,” Lisa told.

Unlike in the previous years, the programs featured many innovative performances with much professional approach: first rap singer in with English and Nepali mix, variety of ethnic Nepali dances, Gajal and siloks, singers, Sanghini and Balan which are very unique and in the verge of left over by our younger generations.

The Kirat Society of Victoria from the Nepalese community also performed Chandi Nach with entertainment to young and old.

Jumping castle and face paint were organised for kids. Varieties of ethnic Bhutanese cuisine were cooked by the volunteers and catered for to all attendees and guests.

Meanwhile, the White Lady Funeral Company has made a surprise donation of $1,000 to the Bhutanese community.

White Lady Funeral Company's representatives handover cash donation to BCA
White Lady Funeral Company’s representatives handover cash donation to BCA

When asked Tia Worrell why this donation was made, she said her company was surprised by seeing the unity of the Bhutanese community at difficult times.

According to her, there were many things Australian can learn from the Bhutanese, particularly their bond, friendship and support to the family when someone lost their member.

As a gratitude to the community’s strong bond her company has organised the fundraiser to support Bhutanese community.

Dhan Siwakoti coordinated the program with the support of army of young volunteers since last couple of months.

Ms Roshi Chhetri and Khem Khanal performed as MC of the program while Nanda Chhetri provided overview and achievement of the community in last six years where over 10 percent bought homes in Melbourne suburbs of Glenroy, Broadmeadows, Craigburn, Meadow heights, Dallas and Melton.

Geeta Bhattarai, a young girl resettled four years ago, delivered the welcome speech thanking the Australian government for resettling the Bhutanese refugees.

Some 500 people attended the program from Bhutanese, Nepalese communities, government agencies, and service provider and community organisations.

1...575859...271Page 58 of 271