COLUMN & OPINION

Big Brother’s Hegemonic Character
By Nira Giri (Tamang)
Bhutan’s democratic transition is just a collective political approach to overshadow demand for a real political transformation. The draft constitution rubberstamped by India is gradually inviting a good volume of criticism from western democratic institutions. Rather than enriching the draft constitution with true spirits of democratic elements, India has been continuously cherishing the act of diehard Bhutanese elitists.

In fact, Bhutan is rather isolating itself from clubs of democracies which may eventually invite national crisis. The voices of 20 percent of the total population who were forcibly evicted by the regime still remain unheard. Bhutan should not delay in addressing the refugee crisis. The big democracies of the world, India had geographical compulsion to intervene peacefully and it should never have had ignored refugee issue.

Ironically, during Indian Foreign Minister’s last visit to Jalpaigur, West Bengal on June 29, he denied having made public about India’s role and official stance in resolving the Bhutanese refugee issue. Nevertheless, those who had long-awaited for India’s role in the issue-resolving process turned ‘hopeless’ when the foreign minister termed the issue to be bilateral deal between Bhutan and Nepal.

India’s consistent refusal to engage herself as mediator in tripartite talks explicitly shows its diminishing role in south Asia region. India has already burnt its finger with its infamous foreign policy (IPKF) in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Not to an exception, it has high-handedness even in Nepal. India must understand that its imperialist hegemonic character of British tradition won’t be acceptable in modern era in the region where annexation is bygone phenomenon. States and people in the regions are sovereign; not states within Indian union!

So far India’s stance on Bhutanese refugee issue is concerned; it utters the same rhetoric as that of Bhutan-demographic imbalance. The best illustration for this can be the recent uncalled remark made by the same foreign minister during long march ‘Bhutanese of Nepali ethnicity has created demographic imbalance’. Why has he failed to understand that a state has to accommodate a homogenous character of all ethnic groups? Even today, none of the ethnic groups had vied for power. It is preemptive fear of the Bhutanese ruling elites to sow such communal discord. There are no any acceptable laws in the world that states a national surpassing the number of other ethnic group is virtually a non-citizen. India herself is a country with multi ethnic, multi culture, caste and creed.

Bhutan unleashed a salient apartheid against its innocent citizens. One must know that apartheid is a weird dictatorship of minority aimed at social and economic exploitation. It is designed to strengthen the privileged position of the ruling elites. Like some of the African states, Bhutan too forced school children to learn the language of the oppressor, but not their own.

If we are to believe India’s foreign minister’s portrayed demographic statement, then here arises a question - who is ruling Bhutan? Again, it is the king and his handpicked ministers. The present ministers are yesteryears minister. In the past, they were there without any parties. Today, they are there with formal parties. And, this exactly matches to a famous proverb- ‘old wine in a new bottle’. Where are the principles of democracy – opposition? The gist of democracy can be best enjoyed when there is strong opposition. Infact, we as oppositions are forced to flee from the hometown. Situation in Bhutan is no better than that of Zimbabwe. Doesn’t Lhotshampa (Bhutanese of Nepali ethnicity) reverberate in king’s mind when he used is exclusive prerogatives while nominating five members in national Council? This has vindicated true racial attitude of the Bhutan king. To refugees, the king is using dubious methods to terminate Lhotshampas, once considered the world’s most dedicated and decorated army from the so-called Royal Bhutan Army and Royal Bhutan Police.

Bhutan has been creating historical blunder. Bhutan was already small and has been cut short from 46,000sq km to 37 000sq km. Such an uncompromising compromise; issue of national sovereignty, have been made without people’s approval. States belong to the people. But king indicated as if he and his associates are the owners of Bhutan. Infact, Bhutan has been exposing to danger per se.

Bhutan’s win-win diplomacy to both gigantic China in the north and mighty India in the south; squeezing herself by compromising northern territory to China and providing unconditional access to India to exploit water and mineral resources is raising many eyebrows. Is this blind diplomacy a need to get favor to ruling elites to thwart democratic demand? This issue is being debated amongst educated lords in Bhutan. When entire conspiracy is unveiled, that will be the beginning of an end to present ruling class. Bhutan must understand that the legitimate right of the people to govern themselves can never be suppressed. It is just a matter of time.

The Bhutanese refugees are caught in discord. On the one hand, Bhutan is constantly downplaying refugee’s claim for repatriation and citizenship. On the other hand, Nepal still unsure what diplomacy is to be pursued. Refugee must explore alternate strategies in the changing political scenario. India has shown shifting attitude towards the Tibetan and Burmese refugees as well. India has recently made an agreement to train Yangoon Airforce (Tamdawley) at Indian Naval Service at Garida in Kuch. Also, India has agreed to provide Islander aircraft; despite United kingdoms (original manufacturer) opposed the deal. The Indian government has supplied 105mm field guns, T-55 tanks, and rocket and rifle grenade launcher with ammunition last year.

If we analyze properly, India has dim record supporting for democracy and human rights in the region. Immediate reasons cannot be easy sorted out as to why the states in the region support India for permanent seat in the Security Council. Growing military power should not be criterion for any states to claim a regional or global power. It makes no sense to vive for global or regional power without setting its own house (neighbors) right. International security must rest on a mutual commitment to joint survival rather than on a threat of mutual destruction. In this context, apro pos to US secretary for State Gondileza Rice for her statement that India vis-à-vis Non Alignment Movement (NAM) has lost its meaning. India’s growing alliances with the west on economic, military and nuclear fronts can be felt.

Bhutanese Human rights and democratic activists must stop lobbying for India’s intervention once and for all. One of the veteran right activists of India as saying ‘it is useless to draw India’s intervention’ is enough to mean it. Thus, Bhutanese leaders must build up confidence for final reconciliation with Bhutan with support of other international communities. Prudent Bhutan will come forward for talks, or this may inexorably result in the whole thing ending in a fearfully violent and bloody conflict in long run.
(The writer is associated with Youth Organization of Bhutan)

Bhutan’s Perception Towards Resettlement
By Vidhyapati Mishra

Now-a-days Bhutan’s despotic regime sees greater and intensive challenges to hide its inhuman and barbaric activities which resulted in expelling its more than 1, 00, 000 citizens during late 80s and early 90s. The acceleration of Third Country Resettlement Program (TCRP) has been undeniably impacting on Bhutanese authority to institutionalize a national trepidation on the long-run effects of the TCRP.

The government-censored newspaper Kuensel in its special editorial on June 28 exposed in black-and-white the confusion of Bhutanese authority. The statement, ‘We know that some of the refugees- we do not know how many- came from Bhutan, but refugees from Bhutan and Bhutanese refugees are two entirely different concepts’ simply shows that Bhutan is busy preparing to blindfold international communities simply telling that those refugees being resettled in various western countries from UNHCR-administered camps in Nepal are refugees from Bhutan but not Bhutanese refugees. Bhutan still hopes that it can create propaganda blowing a drum that those refugees flying to America and other countries are illegal immigrants who sheltered in Bhutan before they flee to Nepal.

Such a remark from state-owned media, which is just creeping towards professionalism, seems to a suggesting media-tip for American press having professionalism since centuries. However, Bhutan is yet to make such comments to media owned by other refugee resettling countries.

Bhutanese regime has already cultured a belief that outsiders do not know about Bhutan. The Kuensel’s version, ‘What do American people know about Bhutan? Not much. But that is not a problem since most people around the world do not know much about Bhutan. Neither does that worry us because Bhutan has always been happy being left alone’, speaks the bitter realities. This misconception assisted Bhutan at least for two decades until its genuine citizens remained dumped in camps in Nepal. Now the reality is different as more than 1300 Bhutanese refugees are already resettled in various seven countries. And what happens to that ‘fear’ when 60, 000 or more Bhutanese refugees from Nepal fly abroad?

Resettled Bhutanese will be never away from their country. Instead, they search for alternate means to collapse absolute regime from Bhutan. Unrest in Srilanka mostly funded by resettled Srilankans, and demonstrations by Tibetan refugees worldwide against China are living examples of rebound of unjustness from regimes to citizens.
(The writer is manager of Bhutan News Service)