How do you evaluate the Bhutanese refugee issue?

The Bhutanese refugee issue can be better understood if we analyse it from two view points: one is about the politicians or the political movement, and the other is about the Bhutanese refugees-their settlement, management and living. Although both seem political issues, conspicuously one is political movement and the other is the untold story of the refugees. I feel the condition has arrived that we take the issue on complete different ground. Owing to unsuccessful bilateral talks with Bhutan and fake support from international levels and the neighbouring countries, the Bhutanese movement and the refugee issue have become entirely two different things. It is on the same ground that a mass of Bhutanese people has been resettled in the USA, including other different countries. But it cannot be concluded that the Bhutanese political movement has ended only because the resettlement has occurred.

You had played a significant role from the Nepalese desk on the bilateral talks. Still, they ended up in vain.. Who do you blame for this?

It is not a question about who was not able to do something special. The only thing is the talks couldn’t be fruitful . No government can compel another government to act on the former’s will. Your concern on who had not been able to work specifically is meaningless here.

On which background was that made and how did it become unsuccessful?

It is not my part to comment on which background it was done; it has become more a subject of history. The verification occurred and more than 70% people were proved to be Bhutanese. And on this ground, I feel the verification process proved Bhutan wrong on its thought that the refugees are non Bhutanese. When this claim went wrong, Bhutan neglected to make the dialogues fruitful and conclusive. And not only this, on the pretext of the incident that occurred in the camp in Nepal, the Bhutanese verification team went back and the talks formally ended. After that Nepal could not revivify the talks.

When the verification concluded that a four or five year old born in the refugee camp was a national criminal, many analyses revealed that there were the weaknesses of Nepalese team also.

I have no knowledge about that.

What do you think-should the dead-lock be broken and the talks continue?

That should be the matter of the present government, and the present foreign ministry.

Foreign minister is from your party.

One will not be able to take all the responsibilities of foreign affairs only because he had once been foreign minister. He is not in charge of the past, present and the future. I said that the efforts from the government for further dialogues after the verification process were not carried out wisely. This issue has been certainly overshadowed. I would say that this grave issue should not have been neglected today despite several efforts made by the government in the past.

Often it comes to the media that the Nepalese team goes for the talks with good home works for putting an end to the long run refugee imbroglio but the Bhutanese team tries to get side-lined.

What will it do? Is there any significance if it is so?

How had Bhutanese team been in the talks with the Nepalese team?

When refugee issue is considered with respect to Bhutan, it is a highly placed national policy. They had done this with a view to balancing population. So they made this a national interest and they tried their level best to make their policy effective-may it be with being in bilateral talks, without speaking or keeping themselves away from the talks. With regard to this, there had been indifference on their part.

Not a single person has returned home till date and the third countries have been working for the resettlement of these people. More than 20000 people have already been resettled. How do you take this?

I have understood it quite well. I take it positively. They have gone there on their own will. They are not compelled. And obviously it is better to get resettled than living a life of refugee. Nepal was not able to solve this problem. Bhutan did not take interest. And the Bhutanese refugees and their leaders were not able to take strong initiatives for the same. Living a life of refugee for indefinite time is not appropriate from any sense. So at least being free from all sorts of circumstances, the Bhutanese refugees have reached to a place and situation to start a new life.

Being in Nepal seem more possible in launching democratic movement inside Bhutan. Will resettlement hinder this?

No. the movement is something different. It is more a logical thing and I don’t believe that geographical boundaries play any role for that. The movement inside Bhutan is inevitable.

It is heard that Non-Resident Nepali Organisations have been trying to get the Bhutanese accommodated on them. Is this attempt good? What do you think?

I said that the resettlement of the Bhutanese people in third countries is positive. The Bhutanese should remain as united refugees. Trying to bring them to the category of Non-Resident Nepali is absolutely wrong.

It is also learnt that the Bhutanese have been working towards forming NRB network. If they seek the support from the Nepalese political parties, what role will Nepali Congress play for this? 

There is the role of Bhutanese politicians more than Nepali Congress. I have been telling this to them for sometimes. It is the matter to be known to the political activists about their role, the directions they are walking to and the political ideologies. What I think is that they are living a new life and this is not the end of the situation. This is just an intermediate situation and they need to always make decisions keeping in mind the motherland and its future. If it happens they will be able to preserve their Bhutanese identity-may it be that they are not in Bhutan or in Nepal or not having direct influence in present Bhutanese politics. It will help strengthen the democratic future of Bhutan.

(Ramesh Gautam from Norway has transcribed the interview texts from Saranarthi Sarokar, where Bastala talked with Vidhyapati Mishra, the program presenter)

I could not visit all the places where Bhutanese are resettled but I contacted my friends over the phone. I met some resettled Bhutanese in Maryland, North Carolina, Atlanta, Jackson Ville (Florida) and Minnesota. They miss being together, they miss our culture, our society and they miss their country, Bhutan. The younger lots are trying hard in the schools, and that is the only consolation for the refugees since the school systems are good in the US, and success in education would be the only way to graduate from the sweat shops for the upcoming generations. There is a need to create interconnectivity among our people; there is a need to rekindle the hope of re-establishing our connection with Bhutan. 
 
What is the mechanism to make the scattered Bhutanese together?

Our people are scattered in North America, Europe and Australasia. Among the recipient countries US would be by far the largest host of Bhutanese. Even the remotest state like Alaska has resettled Bhutanese. It is a real challenge for us to reach out to these people. Fortunately, our people have started organizing themselves into community based organizations. There is lots of cooperation to help each other, and that itself is a good beginning.
 
Why do you think NRB is important for Diaspora?

Identity is important for our people. They are being resettled as Bhutanese. The word Bhutan would be attached in every document. The social security number, the green card, travel document, citizenship certificate or passport. Also, every immigrant has a county of origin. Our people’s belongings are in Bhutan. The resettling countries will not deny the rights of these people to return to Bhutan, and they would encourage the effort to bring inclusive democratic changes in that country. Bhutan National Democratic Party has always maintained that the third country resettlement is an interim solution, and it will continue to fight for the rights of the resettled Bhutanese to return to Bhutan. In that sense, BNDP believes that the resettled Bhutanese should declare themselves as non-resident Bhutanese, and the formation of non-resident Bhutanese (NRB) platform is a necessity. The NRB platform will enable them to participate in their own way in the struggle that they had been with for the last 18 years to reclaim their rightful place in Bhutan; the NRB will continue to provide them with Bhutanese identity; and the NRB could form as an important resource base for Bhutanese Diaspora in the years to come. NRB could do a lot in the long-run.
 
Who else will be under NRB according to you?

We should think in long-term basis. We should not create a difference between the people who have directly gone from Bhutan, or would go from Bhutan, and those people who are resettled under the third country resettlement program. Our meeting point is the country of origin. All those people whose country of origin is Bhutan should be given an opportunity to be part of the NRB platform.
 
What mechanism should you suggest to go ahead for forming this platform?

It is heartening to know that our people have not remained silent. Bhutanese community based organizations are formed wherever they are being resettled. There is a need to introduce the idea of NRB in such community based organizations. In addition, there is a need to form a “Consultation Group” to do ground work for launching the NRB with proper consultation with our fiends and sympathizers in Bhutan, Nepal, India and elsewhere.
 
What about its legitimacy in Nepal, Bhutan and India?

The legitimacy of NRB remains unchallenged from the fact that we are being resettled as Bhutanese with full protection of our rights to return to Bhutan by the recipient countries. Nepal as a host country for the last 18 years there is no question for it not supporting the effort of Bhutanese people to strengthen their identity. India knows well that we are Bhutanese and it would be morally wrong for it to object to the idea of creating a platform for our long-term identity.  Bhutan might ignore this concept for sometime, but it is bound to reach at NRB in future. For a country like Bhutan, having a powerful Diaspora in developed countries will always be an advantage.  
 
It’s likely that some of the resettled Bhutanese will be driven towards NRN or NRI in future. What are your comments?

We strongly advise our people against such ideas. First, it is morally wrong to give up the identity based on which we are being resettled in overseas countries. Our history of struggle for 18 years should not go as waste to the forgotten pages of history. Second, our loyalty towards our county Bhutan should not be diminished because a regime at particular period of time in history felt bad about us and expelled from the country on ethnic grounds. The situation would change over time, particularly when there would be a change of regime in Thimphu. Third, exiled Bhutanese will not qualify for NRN or NRI unless they had taken citizenship of those countries when they were in the camps. Even if some had obtained the citizenship certificate, they will face legal problem when they apply for NRN or NRI since all their documentation in recipient countries will have the word “people of Bhutanese origin”.
 
APFA/BNS started the discussions among the Bhutanese three months ago. Several have commented well regarding the formation of network. What should be the next step that we take?

I appreciate the effort of APFA/BNS to reach this idea to our people. I have been reading the comments and I could see plurality in the opinions. It is heartening to know that our people have started challenging the idea before accepting it. The democratic process should be encouraged. However, we have to move on with the work, and the NRB platform will have to get materialized sooner than later. The next step would be networking, and the networking base should be established in Kathmandu until NRB is allowed to operate from Bhutan. I would think that we should start contacting Bhutanese organizations and individuals and get their ideas on how we should go about the modus operandi and on how we work about the logistic and increasing the connectivity. The role of APFA/BNS is important since you are based in Kathmandu.
 
Only BNDP and DNC supported the concept. Rest parties and organisations in exile are silent. What do you say?

Probably, other organizations are examining the development and would support the idea at their convenient time. I believe that there is no alternative to this idea, and we should all support it. It is a question of our collective identity, salvaging the suffering and struggle of our people for more than 18 years in the camps, and intrinsic value of this platform for our country in the long-run. We should make it a win-win situation for the resettled Bhutanese, the country and those who supported us in difficult times. That is the sole reason why BNDP and DNC felt the need of NRB so strongly.
 
DNC has even hinted that you are one of the capable leaders for leading the network. Are you ready?

I appreciate the proposal of the DNC President R.K. Dorji. It is natural for him to think in this line since I have some flexibility to travel around the world. As executive chief of BNDP I do not qualify for non-resident Bhutanese. I am a Bhutanese political activist; officially my party’s headquarter is in Thimphu. I am willing to provide the necessary support whenever needed, and I have been doing that during my visits abroad, during my meetings with concerned people in Nepal and India. As executive chief of BNDP I am going to do more for recognition of NRB in Bhutan when we are allowed to participate in the democratic process.  We will have to create its leadership through democratic process. The formation of NRB will have to have wider consultation and democratic process, for that the need of an hour is formation of “Consultation Group” with establishment of the networking base in Kathmandu.

 
Your message to the Bhutanese citizens

The third county resettlement is a painful decision. This is for the fist time in the history of South Asia people had been moved en-masse in overseas countries for political reason. We have become the victims of geo-politics and we cannot do anything about it at least for time being. Those of us who have chosen the option for third county resettlement let us focus our effort on children’s education. Children are our hope; we have to do what we can to give them the best education, appreciation to our cultural heritage and inculcate in them the spirit of being Bhutanese. Our identity should not be lost at any cost and there are lessons to learn from the Jews, Armenians, and from many other communities who have suffered in the process of history. We will continue to work for dignified repatriation of Bhutanese people who have been unjustly expelled at different period of time for political reasons. The struggle to give justice should continue from one generation to another until it is given to everyone. The immediate task at the moment is to create a space for our collective identity. Let us create NRB, which is our legitimate right, and continue to nurture it. If NRB becomes strong, our identity would consolidate, our sufferings and pains of the refugee camps will not be lost in the forgotten pages of history, and we will have an opportunity to contribute towards growth and development of our beloved county, Bhutan. Let us start the process, and the process will take us to the logical end.

To answer few of the serious questions raised on NRB during the discussions, we have presented R. K. Dorji, chairman of Druk National Congress who was the first to support this idea, to answer our readers. Here it is:

1. Why do you feel the need of a Non Resident Bhutanese network?

R.K.Dorji: It’s not a question of whether I feel the need or not. It is the people who will have to decide whether they feel the need or not. Our people, both from within Bhutan as well as from the Bhutanese refugee community, are going to foreign countries in large numbers and many more could be them joining in the future. When such a large number of citizens begin to reside in foreign countries, the Diaspora coming together to establish an association to further their common interests is but a natural step. So when the idea came forth, we saw all logic in supporting the establishment of such an association.

2. What contribution should it make for strengthening democracy and national unity?

R.K Dorji: The NRB Association is conceived as a welfare organization for non-resident Bhutanese, and not as a political organization. It objectives should be to work for the common good of its members according to their wishes. But I think taking up rights issues is acceptable, because “rights” encompasses a wider field, from human rights to civil liberties and citizens’ privileges and facilities.

3. What are your bases of hopes that northern and eastern Bhutanese living abroad would embrace to this global network?

R.K Dorji: The NRB Association is for all the citizens of Bhutan residing abroad, and not a sectarian organization for northern, eastern or southern Bhutanese. Membership of NRB Association should be open to every Bhutanese residing abroad who wishes to and sees the need and the benefit to be a part of the organization. Membership should be, as with all welfare organizations, by choice and not mandatory.

4. How can we Bhutanese living abroad be able to stay outside NRN and NRI networks?

R.K Dorji: If you are neither a Nepali citizen nor an Indian citizen, I don’t see how you can qualify for the membership of the NRN or NRI. Even as far as the NRB Association is concerned, it’s an individual’s choice to want to be associated or not. One must find benefit in becoming a part of the Association to want to be a member, if one doesn’t, then I don’t see why one should.

5. One of the primary functions of the NRB would be to end bitter relations that exist between Bhutanese inside and in exile. What strategies, do you think, we need to rebuild this relation?

R.K Dorji: It is too premature to delve into this. It is up to the members to decide its mandate and strategies. But if and once people from both sides of the divide start becoming members after they find that it benefits them to do so, and thus come together for their common welfare, the likelihood of relations improving is but logical.

6. To what extent you party offers support for this network? How do you assure that it won’t be politicized?

R.K Dorji: My party has supported this idea of the formation of the NRB Association.  It is for the members of the proposed NRB Association to strengthen it according to its mandate.

Dear readers,

Bhutan News Service and Association of Press Freedom Activists (APFA) – Bhutan take initiative for building network among the Bhutanese living in different parts of the world with the aim to finally transforming it into a Non Resident Bhutanese platform.

We wish to create environment for building such network through our sites and currently it has no such committee formed and we don’t intend to form ourselves. In the longer run, when people feel the need and have enough discussion and framework prepared, we will work for a bigger gathering to announce its formation with representatives from all continents where Bhutanese live.

Editors and Managers

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22nd April, 2009

Dear Friend,

DNC Supports the Call for the formation of a Non-Resident Bhutanese (NRB) platform

Druk National Congress supports the idea mooted by Dr D.N.S.Dhakal, Executive Chief of Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), to constitute a non-resident Bhutanese (NRB) platform. DNC suggests that membership to this platform should be open to all Bhutanese individuals who have been residing outside Bhutan, including those who have been living outside Bhutan for business or employment. All of us should be in dialogue on the process of writing the constitution of NRB platform and its long-term goal for the welfare of non resident Bhutanese, Bhutan and the Bhutanese community at large.

This platform will have to emerge as the ambassador of Bhutan and Bhutanese people in foreign countries, to transfer educational, technological and business knowhow to and from Bhutan.

The membership to the NRB platform should be open to all Bhutanese nationals living abroad. We can refer to the kind of arrangement Non-Resident Indian, Non-Resident Nepalese or the kind of linkages the non-resident nationals of other communities have with their mother countries. DNC as a founding member of this NRB platform will work towards a mutually beneficial arrangement for Bhutan and its diaspora living outside its boundaries.

As many Bhutanese are all dispersed around the world, and many more could be joining in the future, we need someone to establish inter-connectivity of our people who are living abroad. DNC proposes that Dr D.N.S.Dhakal, take the responsibility of laying the foundation of the NRB platform. He is one of the best educated persons in our country and he has his own mechanism to travel around the world.

Once we complete the necessary groundwork, delegates from each county can meet either in India, Nepal or any other convenient country to finalize the process of managing the NRB platform. DNC will do the necessary groundwork to complete the formalities required in India.

DNC believes that the third country resettlement program for Bhutanese refugees has opened-up challenges and opportunities for the Bhutanese. Our people are being placed in far-away lands where they have little access to culture, religion and value system that we have been used to thus far.

This is a stressful situation. But, it is also true that after being caged in the refugee camps for the last 17 years, our people are given an opportunity to earn a living and compete for excellence in educational and business opportunities. Our small country that was largely isolated thus far is now being opened to the outside world at an unprecedented pace through the third-country resettlement process.

I wish all success to the endeavor of Dr D.N.S.Dhakal, and DNC would engage actively with Dr Dhakal in the process of forming the NRB platform and I urge all individuals, groups and parties to lend him the required support and cooperation.

Rongthong Kuenly Dorji
President

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Ref. No/BNDP/Press Release#2

Date: 16/05/2009

Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP) considers the resettled refugees in overseas countries as non-resident Bhutanese. It considers the third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees an interim solution. The Party is committed to continue with the struggle to usher inclusive democratic changes in Bhutan. It will support the formation of Non-Resident Bhutanese (NRB) platform in order to enable the Bhutanese people to keep interconnected with the community and the country.

The Party will work actively to make this initiative a reality and calls upon its members settled in different counties to participate in the consolidation of Bhutanese Diaspora.

Dr D. N. S. Dhakal
Executive Chief