Main News

SAARC summit to kick-off
A Bhutanese delegation led by Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley has left for Sri Lanka today to attend the 15th SAARC summit.
The summit scheduled from 2-3 August in Colombo, Sri Lanka, will be represented by PM-led delegation including foreign minister and other senior government officials.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Organization of Bhutan (HUROB) has appealed the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to raise exiled Bhutanese issue with Bhutanese prime minister during the 15th SAARC summit scheduled from 2-3 August in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

PM visits India, HUROB appeals New Delhi
The Bhutan Reporter
New Delhi, July 15
Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley has held meeting with India’s Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Tourism Minister Ambika Soni on July 15 to discuss issues related to the hydro power and tourism sectors.
Earlier, Thinley met with Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
Thinley also hold bilateral talks with India’s Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh, President Pratibha Patil, vice president Hamid Ansari, government coalition chairman Sonia Gandhi, opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani and senior government officials.
Thinely’s 42-member delegation includes Foreign Affairs Minister Ugyen Tshering, Economic Affairs Minister Khandu Wangchuk and Finance Minister Wangdi Norbu.
Thinley had discussed developing Tala Hydropower Project with Dr Singh. The Tala power project, which was commissioned on March 30, 2007, is expected to further boost the tapping of the estimated 30,000-megawatt of hydro-power resources that Bhutan possesses. All the power from the project will be sold to India.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Organization of Bhutan (HUROB) had appealed the prime minister of India Dr Man Mohan Singh to raise the issue of exiled Bhutanese during the visit of Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley.
“You are well aware that there are more than 110,000 exiled Bhutanese living in Nepal in a pathetic condition and longing to go back to own land in Bhutan any time if congenial situation prevails and Bhutan government demonstrate good will and political sincerity to resolve the problem. And it is the opinion of every exiled Bhutanese and the international community that India is the one which can play vital role in resolving the problem amicably,” reads the appeal dispatched by HUROB prior to Jigmi’s visit to India.
Stating that the resettlement is not the appropriate measure for permanent solution of the crisis, HUROB writes, it would remain issue of permanent international embarrassment to Bhutan and India as it will be attributed partly to India for being silent and siding the Bhutan regime in its ethnic cleansing policy.
HUROB had cautioned Dr Singh of increased violence among the young exiled Bhutanese that could turn into an armed rebellion against the Bhutanese regime as they see no other options after imploring peacefully to settle the problem for past 18 years.

One Held for Counterfeiting Nepalese Under TCR
Bhutan News Service
Kathmandu, July
Nepal police at Kakarvitta arrested Nabin Poudel (name changed), 30, of Beldangi-II who was involved in luring Nepali citizens for third country resettlement in America two weeks back.
According to sources at the security, five Nepali citizens from Pokhara and Solukhumbu have filed a case against Poudel for tugging 18, 00,000 Nepalese currencies.
Poudel, who was shifted to Hanuman Dhoka Kathmandu last week for further investigation confirmed Bhutan News Service that he has taken at least 3, 50,000 Nepalese currencies from them in different transactions within three months. Poudel denied that the money was transferred into his account not for luring them into resettlement process. “It was solely collected for business purpose”, he added.
"The have claimed many times more than the real transaction", Poudel said, adding that he had received heavy physical torture in the name of interrogation.
An ICRC certified victim of torture in Bhutan, Paudel showing his ICRC-btn-245 number urged for his safety in police custody.
"I make humble appeal to ICRC and UNHCR, through Bhutan News Service, that I should not be inhumanly tortured" he cried.
According to Paudel, he had also spent five years rigorous jail term while inside the country, before he moved to Nepal. He has wife and two children.

Exiled Bhutanese Delegates in Peoples’ SAARC
Bhutan News Service
Colombo (Srilanka), July 23
A three-member Bhutanese delegation led by Mohan Tamang, convener of Indo-Bhutan Friendship Society attended Peoples' SAARC in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the mid of the month.
The people of south Asian countries representing different cross-sections converged in huge number to press their demands for greater freedom, democracy and good governance, food sovereignty, gender rights, peace and justice.
Addressing the meet, Tamang stressed on the freedom of people and inclusive democracy in Bhutan. He reiterated that India has geographical compulsion to intervene in resolving the prolonged impasse.
“Bhutan must accommodate the voice of 20 percent of people if she wants to enter into the club of democracies” he said, adding- “Democracy is not a private property that king has to grant to the people and the sustained democracy has to develop within and from bottom up.”
Tamang also called upon international communities and the host countries to respect rights of exiled Bhutanese to return and simultaneously press Bhutan to expedite the repatriation process.
Tamang appealed the Bhutanese overseas to maintain their identity and keep their struggle immaterial wherever they stay.
Likewise, Radha Adhikari of Institute of Gender and Legal Equality stressed on the gender violence and continued denial of rights to women in Bhutan. She also suggested Bhutanese leaders to include women representatives in all decision making processes.
The program has garnered significant solidarity and interest in the struggle for democracy and human rights in Bhutan.
On behalf of the Bhutanese delegates, Tamang expressed gratitude to the host organizer and representatives from all other participating countries for their continuous support to raise Bhutanese apathy.
The Peoples SAARC is s regular annual event organized by the people of South Asian countries to voice peoples' concern just prior to official SAARC summit.

BNS Reviews Working Structure
The Bhutan Reporter
Kathmandu, July 26
A meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of Bhutan News Service (BNS) held today at its central office in Kathmandu has re-structured its central working committee.
After the adoption of Bylaws (constitution), the CWC meeting formed a four-member Board of Directors as the supreme body to govern the agency. Members of the Board include I. P. Adhikari, Vidhyapati Mishra, C. N. Timsina and Buddha Mani Dhakal.
Earlier, Adhikari and Mishra were the Chief Editor and Manger respectively. Timsina, president of Bhutan Press Union and Dhakal, vice-president of TWMN – Bhutan Chapter are new faces in the agency.
The meeting formed a Team of Editors that include T. P. Mishra, Ichha K. Poudel and Tej Kumar Chouhan. Earlier also Mishra was holding the same portfolio while Poudel and Chouhan served as Assistant Editors. The CWC meeting also nominated Tej Kumar Chouhan as Treasurer of the agency.
Stressing on the need of further commitment in safeguarding public’s right to information with guarantee of free press in Bhutan, the CWC meeting also finalized to run additional websites for wider advocacy of exiled Bhutanese issue.
The meeting decided to transform www.apfanews.com into freedom advocacy site and use www.bhutannewsservice.com as news portal. Similarly, the meeting also decided to launch separate online sites for The Bhutan Reporter, monthly and radio programs soon.
A press statement issued by the Board of Directors after the meeting said their fight for the establishment of free media in Bhutan continues. “We appeal exiled Bhutanese, aid-agencies, Bhutanese organizations and well-wishers to extend possible support for existence of free media in Bhutan”, reads the statement. BNS