The Bhutan Peoples’ Party (BPP) has condemned the statement of Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley who claimed that refugees of UN-monitored camps of Jhapa and Morang districts are socio-economic and environmental refugees requiring proper verification.
Issuing a press statement on Sunday, BPP President Balaram Paudyal said that such a statement from Thinley, who played a crucial role in evicting thousands of Bhutanese citizens 20 years ago, was a straight forward challenge to the host country Nepal and the UN aid agencies feeding the Bhutanese refugees for years.
“The controversial statement raising question on the nationality of the genuine Bhutanese in exile speaks of the nature of democracy of Bhutan as it has come from the head of the government that serves the autocratic king and the crown” said Paudyal.
The party also said that not a single person taking refuge in the eastern Nepal is a non-Bhutanese.
“The BPP asks Thinley and the Bhutanese regime to prove them as non-Bhutan,” said Paudyal adding, “Such an irresponsible statement from him shows that Bhutan is never sincere in resolving the long standing refugee issue, thereby clarifying the fact that India’s involvement is a must in the issue.”
The party also requested Nepal to initiate talks involving Bhutan, India, Nepal and Bhutanese refugee leaders for repatriating the refugees to their hometowns with dignity and honour.
“We also ask the Government of Nepal to assist the Bhutanese refugees in their democratic struggle and form a permanent taskforce to handle the refugee issue in Nepal,” added he.
The BPP said it is of the opinion that refugee issue is not only related to those dwelling in camps, but also encompasses internal democratic struggle and call for human rights in Bhutan.
“We ask the king of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, to learn lesson from other nations ruled by similar dictators and become ready to resolve the Bhutanese refugee issue within this year.”
