Kesang Lhendup, who has been leading the Druk National Congress (DNC) since last December, has said that the Bhutanese community has lost a towering personality, late R.K.Dorji. 48-year-old Lhendup was born in Mongar district and joined the party in 1994, serving as party in the posts of General Secretary and Vice-President before he was unanimously elected as Party President in December. In a written interview with Bhutan News Service, 48-old Lhedup has presented the party’s position on various issues including the third country resettlement and new changes inside Bhutan.
How have you evaluated the dynamic leadership of late RK Dorji towards the democratic struggle of Bhutanese citizens?
Late Rongthong Kunley Dorji was single-mindedly committed to establishing genuine democracy in Bhutan. He was always focused on the objectives of true democracy taking deep roots in Bhutan. He twice turned down the fourth King’s offer to return Bhutan. He foresaw the design of the King and never desired to compromise on the issue of democracy. In exile, he was a unifying force. Before his arrest in India in 1997, he unified the political and human rights organizations under the aegis of the United Front for Democracy (UFD).
Likewise, after his release in 2010, he came to Nepal and unified the different political forces in exile to struggle for common goal. He used to say his arrest in India and 13 years long confinement in Delhi was a blessing in disguise for the Bhutanese democratic movement. Though he had to endure hardship for 13 years, he considered his sacrifices contributed in hastening the democratic process in Bhutan.
What is the set back to the party for losing late Dorji?
The set back is huge for losing a towering personality like late Dorji. He was a prominent citizen in Bhutan before he was forced into exile. He was in good relation with members of the Royal Family and had many friends in the bureaucracy, army, police and business community. He knew the overt and covert operations of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The whole country knew of late Dorji, and they had immense respect and trust on his dynamic leadership.
Whereas, I have to earn the respect, trust and faith from the fellow Bhutanese citizen and this is certainly going to take some time. In view of dynamic political transformation undergoing in Bhutan, which he essentially catalyzed, late Dorji would have been perfect person to carry forward the Bhutanese democratic movement to its logical conclusion by integrating all Bhutanese, including the exiled Bhutanese into the Bhutanese political process. We immensely miss the towering and fatherly figure of Bhutanese democracy.
How do you plan to take the Druk National Congress ahead?
DNC had always stood for democracy, freedom, human rights and justice. I will continue to take forward the unfinished works of our late President for the establishment of inclusive democracy in Bhutan. I consider that DNC and I are not alone in pursuit of aforementioned points. I am working towards consolidating the democratic forces and organizations in exiles in achieving this goal.
Some say that your party didn’t receive expected support from other political parties in exile when the entire party members were undergoing through difficult situation. How true is this?
It is entirely untrue. The other two parties, namely Bhutan People’s Party and Bhutan National Democratic Party were and are with us since the formation of the UFD. They had offered us all possible support they could give us, and I hope they will continue with that.
What are your programs ahead?
The DNC has always given priority to the democracy education at grassroots level inside Bhutan. This was a very important part of our political activities in the past. At the moment, my program is revolved around democracy education and awareness regarding fundamental rights of citizens in the context of the new political situation in Bhutan. I don’t want to divulge how I am going to do it. I want donor countries to invest more in strengthening the democratic institutions inside Bhutan. We aspire to participate in forthcoming election if the situation becomes conducive.
The resettlement has been accused of creating a strong set back on the ongoing democratic struggle in Bhutan. Though your party has been supporting the move from the very start of the third country resettlement process, what is your current position?
As you know, the repatriation process was not forthcoming even after two decades of stay at refugee camps. What is there for future of children born in the camps? Resettlement process was a best deal in the prevailing situation for the future of these children. Some say, resettlement process was the case of people losing their home twice under duress. They lost their first home in Bhutan when they were evicted and they had to leave behind their second home at Jhapa when they made the tough choice for resettlement. Life is cruel but we have to survive, and without losing our vision of our future.
The democratic movement isn’t confined to the Bhutanese exiles. The democratic movement is national and whole of Bhutan has shared our cause. They are silent because of strong repression in place. We are used to witnessing the people in exile being more vocal in expressing their views on democracy because they don’t have a fear of arbitrary arrest or torture unlike their fellow citizens inside the country.
The resettlement has in fact granted us an opportunity to share our cause beyond Nepal and India. People in countries where our people are being resettled now know more about our struggle. The Druk National Congress considers this issue as individual’s choice, as one of the democratic rights is that each refugee gets the opportunity to make his or her choice on resettlement and we abide by those individual choices. We want to reiterate our same earlier stand of welcoming the resettlement process.
Refugees have been accusing the Government of Nepal of failing to convince Bhutan to accept them back home. Is it the GoN or the Bhutanese side that is trying to keep doors of repatriation always closed?
In first place, we are grateful to Government for Nepal for granting us refuge and looking after our security. The Bhutanese authority always asserts that the political instability in Nepal as a main cause for delay in initiating the repatriation process. In truth, the RGoB wanted to dismantle the camps at Jhapa by either prolonging the repatriation process or letting donor fatigue and frustration to seep through the refugee community. By doing so, the refugees would leave the camps eventually in search of better future elsewhere. What Government of Bhutan had expected was exactly taking place right in front of our eyes before the resettlement offer.
If you have to comment on role of resettled Bhutanese towards the democratic movement in Bhutan, what do you say?
Bhutanese by nature wherever they are, have a strong sense of belonging and patriotic feeling for their motherland. Our democratic movement is universal, and it is just and non-violent in approach. I think the resettled Bhutanese have to share the burden of appraising their respective host countries and the people to contribute towards the institution of genuine democracy in Bhutan. Our future is tied to strong-functioning inclusive democracy taking deep roots in Bhutan and I am sure resettled Bhutanese are aware of their responsibilities.
How have you seen changes after 2010 in Bhutan? Is your party satisfied with those changes?
We are witnessing some changes like slight relaxation in the media and political party formations. I think lots of things are still desired. There is no question of satisfaction from such changes that are inevitable. We are disappointed our colleagues are still incarcerated and the regime is shying away from the settlement of the democracy and refugee question.
Your last message to the community.
Democracy in whatever its current form, has finally come to Bhutan and it is the sum-total fruits of our blood, sacrifices, alienation, imprisonment, and martyrdom of the brave sons and daughters of the Bhutanese soil. The chief credit goes to late Rongthong Kunley Dorji, Teknath Rizal and the fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who also recognized the wisdom of democracy and paved the way for it’s establishment. Democracy instituted being exclusive is another the point however. I will work for the institution of inclusive democracy in Bhutan. This work is not confined to me alone. I expect each individual, irrespective of his or her domicile, to contribute towards the achievement of inclusive democracy in Bhutan.
I want to remind all that there is a danger that whatever gains we have made thus far, vis-à-vis democracy, could easily be lost if democratic institutions and a democratic tradition is not strengthened and cultivated. I urge democrats inside and outside Bhutan to continue to work hard and contribute towards strengthening the democratic institutions in Bhutan. We share a common vision to see our country in peace, and as a sovereign and prosperous nation where all citizens, and that includes us currently in exile, are free and happy.
