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WHAT BHUTANESE EXPECT FROM INDIA
February 25, 1999
Published in Kathmandu Post (Article No 35)


After the arrest of T. N. Rizal in 1989, the Druk regime started cracking down on innocent Lhotshampa villagers. They fled their homes to evade state terrorism and torture and took shelter in the Garganda tea garden in West Bengal state on the Indo-Bhutan borders. It was from there that Bhutanese people organised the first ever peaceful demonstrations in all southern districts of Bhutan in 1991. India is both the first entry point and the territory of asylum for fleeing Bhutanese. India was fully aware of what is happening in its backyard, Bhutan. It is also aware that all Bhutanese refugees are genuine Bhutanese citizens. However, it is maintaining stoic silence over the issue of repatriation.

India's role

India maintains that Bhutanese refugee problems should be resolved through bilateral talk. Maintaining that posture, Jashwant Singh, the Indian Foreign Minister, the other day was quoted as having said that Nepal and Bhutan should solve the refugee problems bilaterally. However, all are aware that bilateral talk is not progressing. It is also true that India's support to Bhutanese regime is the main reason for Bhutanese intransigence in the bilateral talk. The eighth round of Nepal-Bhutan Ministerial Talk proposed to be held in January, 1999 was not held, as Bhutan did not respond to Nepal's request.

No one can underestimate the important role of India in solving Bhutanese political crisis and repatriation of refugees. Nepal and Bhutan are its friends and it enjoys respects in both countries. Even if India does not want to interfere in the internal affairs of Bhutan by supporting the democratic movement, it can use its 'good office' to persuade Bhutan to agree for repatriation of refugees. It will be an act of humanitarian effort and not an interference in Bhutan's internal affairs. International law, usage and conventions also offer provision of using the 'good office' of a country in "good faith" to help solve the problems of other countries. Various overt/covert instances of this sort are observed in the intricate politics of the Middle-east.

India does not need to be suspicious about the intentions of the leadership of democratic movement. Despite nearly a decade of exile, the democratic movement is far from linked with any anti-India group in the region. Refugee leaders are well aware of India's security concerns. Despite their India-friendly attitude, it is most unfortunate that they have not been heard in New Delhi and have not been given access to its Ministry of External Affairs.

Prospects

Bhutanese refugees will have to return home, as no country could solve its internal problems by driving away its agitating citizens to another country as refugees. The prospects of Bhutanese refugees going home is far better than the Tibetan or Burmese refugees living in various parts of the world.

Similarly, the prospect of the resolution of Bhutanese political crisis is far greater than the Tamil-Sinhala or Kashmir or North-east conflicts in Sri Lanka and India respectively - as they are explicitly a violent secessionist and pro-independence movement based on local or ethnic considerations. On the other hand, Bhutanese people have launched a peaceful movement for establishment of democracy in Bhutan. It is not a separatist, ethnic or a liberation movement.

Democracy is inevitable in Bhutan and cannot be stopped by the regime for long, since the idea of democracy has already been accepted by a large section of Bhutanese people including Sharchhops and ruling Ngalongs.

Expectation

Bhutanese people appeal India to quash extradition proceedings and the criminal cases against Rongthong Kuenley Dorji and allow him the freedom of movement. In April, 1997, Dorji, Chairman of Druk National Congress was arrested by Delhi Police on charges of violating the Indian Foreigners Act and later initiated extradition proceeding against him. Bhutanese and Indian citizens do not require passport or visa in each others country. Dorji is now released on conditional bail that he must not move out of Delhi. Bhutanese citizens are not under the purview of Indian Foreigners Act, while transiting through India. Therefore, India must allow Bhutanese refugees and the democratic activists to transit through its territories to Bhutan without hindrance, which is very much within the scope of the Bhutan-India Treaty of 1949. In the past Indian police arrested the Bhutanese activists. They also deported Bhutanese activists to Nepal borders. The activists should not be arrested by Indian police. Indian police should not accept the Bhutanese citizens forcefully thrown out and deported to India by the Bhutanese police. They should not deport the activists to Panitanki on the Indo-Nepal borders.

Bhutanese refugees also urge India to use its good office to persuade Bhutan to initiate steps for a realistic resolution of Bhutanese refugee issue through the Nepal-Bhutan bilateral talk, without it being directly involved in the bilateral talk on repatriation of Bhutanese refugees. Bhutanese people and the dissidents are also well aware that they require Indian assistance in establishing democratic institutions such as Parliament, independent judiciary, election commission etc., after the dawn of democracy in Bhutan.

Regime's stand

If the movement has done nothing to harm the Indian interest even at the cost of aggravating the sufferings of Bhutanese people for nearly a decade, the Druk regime on the other hand has shown scant respect to Indian sensitivity even under the treaty obligations. It continues to shelter the north-east ULFA/Bodo militants much to the resentment of India. These separatist groups are fighting for separate home lands. They are launching attacks on Indian army and security forces and destroying government properties from their hideouts in Bhutan.

King Jigme reshuffled his cabinet in June, 1998. He appointed Jigmi Thinlay as the head of the new cabinet. Thinlay belongs to the inner-most circle of King Jigme and is the most trusted official and relative of the king. He had been a Royal companion during the childhood of the king.

It is to all former Bhutanese civil servants' knowledge that Mr. Jigmi Thinlay, the new foreign minister and the head of the cabinet is a well known anti-Lhotshampa and belongs to anti-India camp. His appointment is understood by many Bhutanese as king's calculated step to move Bhutan closer to China ostensibly to act as a balancing factor to both political and economic influences from India. Recent China initiatives of Thinlay also validates this. It is now well known that Thinlay has been given a free hand by the king in the conduct of Bhutan's foreign policy.

As a Director of Education Department, Mr. Thinlay implemented a policy which converted the regular services of all Indian teachers on contract service, thus effecting their services. Later he headed the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC), which processes the recruitment, promotion, training and scholarship abroad for the Bhutanese civil servants and non-national staff. As head of the RCSC he influenced the government decision in abolishing important posts of Indian Advisors. Having the confidence of the king, he devised strategies to abolish the posts of Manpower Expert, Industrial Advisor, Financial Advisor and Development Advisor in the mid eighties. With the departure of the Indian Police Advisor in December, 1997, Bhutan has abolished practically all the post of Indian advisors. He reduced the number of Indians working in the civil service and converted the services of the regular Indian staff in the civil service on contract. He is also reported to be the most vocal proponent for the removal of the operations of the Indian Border Road Organisation (BRO) from Bhutan. BRO is a strategic outfit of Indian army that constructs border roads and its DANTAK project headed by a Brigadier constructs and maintains all roads in Bhutan. In 1998, Bhutan reportedly requested India to call back DANTAK by handing over the construction and maintenance of roads from DANTAK to its Public Works Department, which was not taken kindly by India. DANTAK is still working in Bhutan.