2010年7月31日土曜日

What kind of information does this website offer?

Dear Reader,

You are here because you either heard about Bhutan or the so-called Bhutanese Refugees. With the recent resettlement program offered by countries led by the USA, the so-called Bhutanese Refugees have reached many foreign lands from where they have sped up their smearing campaign against Bhutan using falsified information and lies. We, the people of Bhutan, no doubt sympathize with the plight of these people, but the lies and false information spread by these people may come to be believed as the 'truth' unless we offer the other side of the story too to the world. This website was born to meet this need and as such, we provide here links to many well-researched articles written by reliable scholars and journalists. In the end, truth must be told, and it must be the truth that should prevail.

While we the peace-loving people of Bhutan sit comfortably at home in the Himalayas, oblivious to what is happening around the world, the so-called Bhutanese refugees resettled in countries around the world are actively spreading false information about Bhutan. They continue telling the world media that Bhutan is a despotic kingdom which has committed "ethnic cleansing" and is continuing to discriminate ethnic Nepalese. And they write that they were in Bhutan from the time of the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594 - 1651) - the founder of the modern Bhutanese State.

These claims of Nepalese being in Bhutan at the time of Zhabdrung are far from the truth. Except for a few Newari craftsmen who came to build statues in some monasteries, no big group of Nepalese came to Bhutan during the time of Zhabdrung. These Newari craftsmen often left after the projects were completed, or even if they did, they did not settle in the south where most of the recent immigrants settled. Even if we were to agree that these craftsmen did settle in the south, how would a few Newari craftsmen multiply into so many Nepalese (over 150,000) in a few decades?

According to historical records left by British Officials Charles Bell and John Claude White, the first time Nepalese were spotted in Bhutan was around 1904 and 1905. Those few groups of Nepalese who were initially brought into southern Bhutan legally as labourers were known as 'Tangyas'. The 'Tangyas' and even those who followed them were granted citizenship by an Act of the National Assembly in 1958. So these people are genuine citizens of Bhutan. But the problem arose because many illegal immigrants seeped into Bhutan through the porous international border until as late as the early 1980s.

Having just started modern economic development in 1961, Bhutan lacked the resources as well as manpower to effectively administer, control and manage immigration across the porous border in the 1960s, 70s and early 80s. This was being taken full advantage of by the illegal immigrants. To take stock of this unchecked illegal iratmmigration going on in the south, the Citizenship Act of 1985 was passed. It granted Bhutanese citizenship to all Nepalese immigrants, resident in Bhutan before 31 December 1958 in keeping with the spirit of the resolution of 1958. Any immigrant who came after this date were to be considered illegal and sent back to their original place.

Following this, a census was carried out and when many illegal immigrants caught, some refugee-leaders-to-be made a big political agitation with their support base in the neighbouring Nepali dominated areas of Kalimpong and Darjeeling. And that is how the southern Bhutan problem of the 1990s started.

This coincided with the time when they had their own big plan too. According to a journalist, "Leaving Bhutan in droves was Stage I of the Plan. Coming back to Bhutan in force of numbers and on their terms was supposed to be Stage II.

Many of the refugees-to-be wholeheartedly supported this plan. The concept of a Greater Nepal featured prominently in the delusions of the Nepalese diaspora those days, encouraged no doubt by the successes of the Gorkhaland movement in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Many of them relished the idea of Bhutan going the Sikkim way. Kanak M. Dixit, a prominent editor from Nepal even wrote a cover page article on Bhutan revealingly titled “House of Cards” that seemed to foresee imminent collapse in Bhutan (Kanak Mani Dixit: House of cards: fearing for Bhutan. Himal Vol.7 No 4, July/August 1994.). Such sentiments had to be carefully hidden however, and not surprisingly were heatedly denounced as some Bhutan Government's bogey.

Despite the fact that their leaders had a big role to play in leading Nepalese out from Bhutan to Nepal for their 'big plan', the refugees keep claiming that they were forcefully evicted by the Bhutanese military. In this age of information, such lies can do great harm to Bhutan if we do not take measures to tell our side of the stories too. There is a risk that even our own people (especially the younger generation) would be misinformed.

Every country has its own immigration laws. Bhutan was only trying to implement its immigration laws. All countries deport illegal immigrants. Bhutan only wanted the illegal immigrants to go back to where they came from. In that respect, Bhutan did not do anything wrong. The need for Security Clearance also exists even in developed countries for the security of the country.

People are naturally attracted to peaceful places with economic opportunities. This is the reason why many people from poor and chaotic countries are trying to go to the US. In South Asia, without doubt, Bhutan is the best country to live in. So, it is only natural that it will attract illegal immigrants from the crowded surrounding areas. And it indeed did. And if we are not careful, more illegal immigrants will come in the future too.

To make the matter worse, Bhutan's population is too small to absorb any large number of immigrants. We have the real risk of becoming a minority in our own land. Remember that there are around 30 million Nepalese in Nepal and over 10 million ethnic Nepalese settled in Indian states bordering Bhutan. Compare this with just around 0.6 million of us in Bhutan. We are like just a drop in the ocean. For our culture's continuity and country's future survival, we have to understand this fact and never take things for granted. This does not mean that we have to discriminate against Bhutanese of Nepalese origin. Not at all. We have to respect them and treat them like you would treat any other Bhutanese (This is happening now as any visitor to Bhutan would testify), but we just have to be aware of our country's problems from a global perspective whether it is to find solutions to existing problems or to forge ahead with the vision of Gross National Happiness.

Please enjoy browsing through the articles and papers in the website from the menu on the right pane of this website.

Truly yours,

Pelden Drukpa.

15 件のコメント:

  1. need permission to reproduce this letter on Bhutanjournals.com or you can register and post...i think what you write is extremely important.

    thank you,
    admin,
    Bhutanjournals.com
    Bhutanblogs.com

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  2. Dear Bhutanblogs, please go ahead and reproduce my article. Just acknowledge this site as the source and writer as Pelden Drukpa.

    Thanks.

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  3. Bhutan and its privileges is not only for those who are close to king and his associates. It is a country of Diversity, people of different ethnic background are living in Bhutan. So, every Bhutanese whether he/she is Lotshangpas,or Sharshopas,or Khengpas, or Drukpas, or any other minorities living inside this
    country or outside should have equal right for expression about the situation of this country.

    I my self being a Bhutanese student would like to bring forward the conspiracy designed by our fourth king (JSW) and his associates over southern Bhutanese (Lhotshampas).

    First, these people (Lhotshampas) were compelled by the government to do woola (term, which means-unpaid work that need to be done for the development of the country), majority of these Lhotshampas had to serve for the highway project.) People did not go against the concept of government, and should not be also, because they had understood their service is necessary for the development of the nation.

    Second, the government introduced the concept of one nation one people, and the law was enforced by the bodies of the king with out the consent from fellow Bhutanese. Where whole country was required and compelled to follow the custom, tradition, culture, language, and dress code of Nalungs( The ruling dynasty of Bhutan).

    Third, the king and his diplomats suddenly sent the census team to the South (During 1980s). Members from the same family were put into different categories. Son was put into one categories of citizen, where father was in other. Sister is classified as illegal immigrant where brother as inborn citizen. The main cause of the difference is because overall census was conducted by agents of the king (not an independent body), so they recordd misleading information on their census data.

    After seeing all these types of political inequality, and the designed conspiracy of the fourth king (JSW), people in south started to show their disagreement, some groups started to campaign against these types of inappropriate government’s behaviour. Dissatisfaction started to emerge protest movement over the street.

    Finally, the king in the name of maintaining peace over the Southern Bhutan enforced his army.Hundreds of fellow Bhutanese were killed, many are still missing, thousands were tortured, young girls were rapped and killed, houses were burned. At last, more than hundred thousand of Bhutanese(1/6th of the population) were thrown out of the country.

    Now, you can say – Isn’t it called ethnic cleansing?

    Most of the evidences were hidden because there were no reach of outside world media at that time. All the news and publication were under the control of government. Just imagine, television was first broadcast-ed in my Himalayan country Bhutan in June 1999. How could the world know what had happened before 1990 in my nation?

    Thanks!

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  4. We would be shame to claim the follower of Buddha, while 1/6 of our population forced to be refugee.

    Let us be a real follower of Buddha!

    Thanks to all!

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  5. http://footballminor.blogspot.com/2011/10/bhutan-football.html

    greetings

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  6. Change your name first, peldon drukpa is always happy where you seems unhappy. It is useless cravings, only Bhutanese knows the truth. Don't try to blind the truth for money or some kind of fame. Bhutan has know place for reconciliation. Bhutan is land of Buddhist not Hindus. Bhutan has only one ethnic.Newers returned to their their own country. Nepalese origin belongs to Nepal..and and you can welcome your people with your hands wide open. Don't try to be Bhutanese Historian while you know nothing, even a single truth. Don't use the term Bhutanese refugee , rather you can call yourself outcast by your mother-land. Be happy where you are, you are now at your grandfather's house..this is what we should call ....a home!....stop fucking around the truth...Bhutan has credits about Nepalese ethnics rather than causing trouble by look uniquely different and by by being in a WRONG PLACE that is they they are HOME NOW. I feel ashame trying to fake Pelden Drukpa...know thois..pelden drukpa is the name of all BHutanese people who follow buddhism not the homeless nepalese being unhappy when they are at their HOME.

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  7. My first travel outside my hometown was Thimphu.....in 1979 after completion of my 12th (HSC). Passioned with dragon country,its charmness, beautiful landscopes....and its people..my choice was to go to Bhutan first and do something special. I stayed there for about 6 monhts doing a small job hoping to take up bigger assingment and greater opportunity.

    Later, I realised that this country was not giving any scope of development to outsider, I immediately left Bhutan and came to Mumbai...where my greater life started and achieved lot in my life....

    I still miss Bhutan..wanted to explore lot which I can't think of in terms of those fascinations, dreams and challenges! wish, I would have done something great differently!!

    Thanks Bhutan for a little time given to me but I am not yet fulfilled...wish coming there again!!!

    Wishing Bhutan a great success
    Naren Pradhan

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  8. Palden Drukpa,

    You are a great bureaucrat of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, I know that from your bias and one sided story.

    Remember- We the people from East do not like your king and your king's move on "One nation one people". This good sounding idea of "One nation one people" is used by your ethnic king to enforced his power, dialect, dress code, and culture to other ethnics like Sharchop, Lhotshampas, Bumthangpas, Khengpas.

    FYI- We (Sharchops) being the largest ethnic group in Bhutan have been marginalized by your Dzongkha Speaking king.

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  9. Oie sonam..im a sharshop but im a drukpa..i dont feel any discriminations..who says people of east doesnt like our king....we wud die in his name...my dad is from pemagatsel ..he fought as a militia in 2003. We are happy .but why not you? I have neva discriminatef my nepali frnz instead we hang out in gangs and have fun. This is a new generations

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  10. People who left ..they left but da one who remained back are very happy .. And about the sharshops plz dont say that ...im a sharshop and i love my country and the king ...

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  11. Oie sonam..im a sharshop but im a drukpa..i dont feel any discriminations..who says people of east doesnt like our king....we wud die in his name...my dad is from pemagatsel ..he fought as a militia in 2003. We are happy .but why not you? I have neva discriminatef my nepali frnz instead we hang out in gangs and have fun. This is a new generations

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  12. And lastly . We younger generations are more stronger Bhutanese than before ..u anti oned may b able to destroy our peace and our nation but remember u all can neva break our spirit ...we are our kings children and we will alys be ...why do u guys shout internationally for ur fundamental rights? Be reminded fundamentals rights are backed by the fundamental dutuies dat u unfortunates failed to do. remember not every lhotsampas are the followers of da sick headed Rizal and not all the sharshops are da follwers of the ngolop rongthong......fine if u say dat u r a sharshop or nepali ? Then tell me wad contributions did u all make in da unification of Bhutan as a nationhood ? Did u guys shed blood for it? ....u will burn in hell...Our kings saved us ...

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  13. Hello Everybody,
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