The Royal Government of Bhutan watched the mass uprising of September 1990 for about one and half month period without deputing the security apparatus to check and control the activities. The king-in-command knew the situational development of unrest and chances of more uprising in the southern population which began to surface in 1988 among a group of educated southern population showing dissatisfaction.
As a result of military crackdown on pro-democratic move in1990, whole of southern life was brought to standstill situation where schools were closed, all the government services were stopped, and business paralyzed. The government staffs from almost all villages in this part of the country were called to the capital either for permanent transfer or semi-paid vacations as per the individual choice. Ultimately, security force was commissioned to different parts of southern districts; wherever security personals were insufficient, the retired ones and ex-personnel were recalled who enjoyed both authorities and the position. Anticipating the further need, many of the high school students or those drop-outs in the north were voluntarily trained for militia, but they were never used for such services.
In Dagapela, a battalion under the command of ex-Major Chachu Drukpa was stationed at Goshi Junior High School premises supposedly for providing security to the residents of Dagapela. It was those local ex-army personals that acted as catalyst for the cause of unrest even before the actual September uprising. Once they got the command to serve again, they took full advantage of their rapport with villagers and took control of law and order by themselves with full retribution.
Accordingly, the security was tightened at the Indo-Bhutan border areas, security checks were initiated for the commuters at different locations, checking their identity, other related documents, body and luggage. As a result of such security checks, BPP cadres had reportedly shifted their camps in November 1990 from across the Indo-Bhutan border. One of the possible hideout for those party cadres was the dense forest stretching between Dorona and Chapsa (under Chukka district).
Goshi based barrack was responsible for the search operation of that area and it was initiated under the command of the officiating commander.
Without public notice a garrison of 40 military personnel came to Powang Primary School from Goshi base taking possibly six hours walk. They took rest for the first night and from the second day military activities began to influence the locality. People began to feel relief on security perspectives as it was a period of predicaments and preclusions. The local people as well as the village administrative staffs supported the security force wholeheartedly.
On the second day, four local cattle herders who were familiar with jungle tracts were summoned to army base camp in the early morning. The security- in-command and local administrative staffs of Dorona and Emiray blocks held a covert meeting on the same day. It was later learnt that they discussed the security personnel’s needs and expectations. As a tacit understanding, the four guides and two ‘magmis’ (assistant to Gup) reached the base camp. After a few sips of morning tea, they set forth to trace the hidden BPP camps in the deep forest.
The team walked uphill for an hour before entering the forest. The forest was having thick canopy and dense hedges undergrowth that makes one tough to move forward. Even after walking for about four hours there appeared no signs of the so called ‘militant’ camps and the team decided to return heading towards my village. It was almost 2.00 pm when they entered the village.
Kewal Ram’s Run
Every family in the village was having their normal chores and nothing was extraordinary.
A 13 year old boy named Kewal Ram whose house was located at the extreme edge of the village, was tending cattle in his own field. The very boy was studying at Grade 3 in Powgang Primary School before it was closed and I was a temporary teacher in the school after my ICSE exams in 1990. The boy was the first person to see the team of armed soldiers carrying automatic weapons and marching towards him. In the beginning he didn’t believe and lost his self-control but when they approached quite near, either out of fear or panic, he ran away. The boy ran down towards my house, he crossed our cornfield, reached another house and finally disappeared crossing a medium size hill which we used to call Muldaro. Probably, he ran for 12 or 15minutes.
When the military team saw a running boy, they got reason to doubt that he could be the suspected terrorist. Soon, the RBA commander ordered his men to get hold of the person. The soldiers quickly divided themselves into smaller denominations of either 4 or 5 persons in each subunit and surrounded the village from all the possible sides.
Incident of my House
My younger brother of 17 was seasoning the cardamom in a locally constructed fire kiln. Other siblings were combing out the cardamom pods from their cones in the courtyard. There came four soldiers running in haste. One of them asked my brother in broken Nepali language as who was that evading boy. My brother very politely replied that he didn’t see as he was busy at his work. Another man hold my brother’s arm and said ‘Jyaga (meaning Indian, but term used for scoffing), why do you lie?’ My brother again replied that he had no clues. Then, he hit my brother on his head with a stick without further words. He was ordered to run and catch hold of that running boy. As my brother didn’t see the running boy, he did not know where to run. Then all four men began to kick him everywhere till he profusely bled from his nose and mouth. When other siblings saw the incident, they all screamed in panic saying that the brother is killed and he is no more alive. They didn’t leave him there. Holding on his legs, they hauled him at his back for over 200 meters down the slope and across the steep slopes, thorny and rough terrain. Good clothing was thing of prize during that time for my village and the people were clad very lightly. By the time the men took my brother to the next house, he was virtually naked and bleeding from every parts of the body.
Devi Charan House Incident
The time when army reached Devi Charan’s house, he was weaving a loom, deeply engaged at the pattern he was working with. He was a man in mid-sixties. The loom was positioned at a semi-covered entrance porch which was opened to one side. Three of the men were still holding my brother and one man came little early from the side, but Devi didn’t noticed their arrival. Quickly, the man asked him as who the running boy was?
Devi was a little better-off than others and used to lend money to other poorer villagers at higher interest rate. In relation, he was our second generation grandfather. He had a habit of speaking louder than normal, may be owing to a kind of natural adaptation in the rural area for contacting the sparsely spaced neighbors. When he heard the question, without looking at the person, in little harsh tone and loud volume as if he was in temper, replied that he didn’t know. Suddenly the infuriated soldier threw a harsh punch at his forehead. The man fell down with that force and there was a sudden swelling at his forehead. With difficulty he stood up but still staggering, faced away from that devil. Same army then gave a heavy kick from the back of his shoulder and with that kick he was thrown forward and finally hit his forehead at the rectangular sharp edge post. He fell down and couldn’t stand up further as he was unconscious. The other persons joined from behind and pulling up Devi by his arms began to blow kicks on his chest and abdomen. The army kept on kicking him with their boots 15 to 20 times till he stopped breathing and his mouth began foaming. They then threw him from the high wall of the courtyard. There was a high retaining wall at Devi’s courtyard constructed from rubble stone masonry. There was no mercy at all.
Dhan Bahadur’s Misery
Krishna, a ten year old daughter of Dhan Bahadur was at her neighbor (Chauhan’s) house and she was taking sips of milk tea served as a courtesy by her neighbor. She was there to fetch burning firewood as her house ran out of fire. We had a system and understanding that when the fire was off at one’s house we used to bring the fire from neighbor’s house. We did not have match boxes or lighters to start fire. When fire extinguished, it was a common practice to produce by striking an iron rod and a white shale stone. The sparks are then collected at inflammable material like wool or fur that can ignite easily. Krishna and saw the gunmen arriving. So, instantly leaving her tea aside, hurried back home holding a glowing wood in her hand.
Another cohort of army followed her until she reached her home but they couldn’t catch her. She directly went inside of her house and hid herself at rice granary which was located at the second floor. Her mom was looking after a physically challenged younger brother, a boy of roughly six years old. The boy was dumb and hardly could stand on his feet and used to stagger around if he could. The second brother of Krishna was weaving a basket out of cane at his own front yard.
One military man hit her brother with a bayonet on his head. There was a deep cut and he fell down on the ground. Other two men joined the scene, tied his hands to the back and began kicking him mercilessly. Three men entered the house and began to inquire the mother about the girl and asked to take her out. While they were interrogating the mother, the disabled boy began to clap his hands and while doing so made some disturbances. One of the army kicked him with his boots and the boy flew like a soccer ball. From the door he tumbled upon the frame support of twigs used for zucchini and other gourds. Having seen the pitiful disposition of her disabled son, the mother was infuriated. She yelled at the camouflaged men calling them devils. Not long after she could finish her first sentence, one of the armies punched her on the side belly.
The village women used to tie a band of long scarf around the waist, covering part of abdomen as a substitute for belt serving dual functions; to tie their loin clothes as well as to protect them from the abdominal cramps. But the punch she received was just above that band and she couldn’t resist the severe pain. Other two men climbed up and found the timidly hiding girl, Krishna. They caught hold of her long hair and drag her down. Her hands were tied and she began to cry louder and louder. One of the army men took her head scarf and tried to cover her mouth. But when she saw her mother on the floor and disabled brother crying in the kitchen garden, she got the valor. Overcoming all senses of fear and despair, she began questioning as what mistakes their family made. When she threw a volley of questions to those gunmen appearing devilish, they began calling her as ‘butterfly’ but they asked her to keep shut. When the extremism crosses the limit, the astral power will protect the human being and prevent from disaster. Very ordinary girl who had never seen a school till that age appeared very boldly. The armies were preparing to set fire to their house but she kept on begging, throwing her everywhere on the ground. Had anyone eye-witnessed the incident, it would have been the most unforgettable scene ever under that setting.
To be continued …
