Challenges for newer Bhutanese leadership
Seven years on the field, Bhutan’s top human rights activists Tek Nath Rizal dared to take up the overall leadership of Bhutan’s democratic movement. Alive hopes of refugees reactivated after the release from the Bhutan’s decade long jail term, Tek Nath Rizal energizes himself in launching decisive movement for repatriation of over 100,000 refugees in the UNHCR camps in eastern Nepal.
Last week major political parties and human rights groups formed in the refugee community have agreed to handover the overall leadership for repatriation to Rizal. Bhutanese Refugee Representatives Repatriation Committee (BRRRC), one of the organisations leading the movement for the last few years, has chosen Rizal as its new chairman and others cheered up the decision.
Rizal seemed more committed and says, “It may take time, but victory will always be on the part of people.” Rizal feels is early to announce their future strategies and says the agents of the Bhutanese government put obstacles upon that.
New Bhutanese leadership in exile has greater challenges ahead to fight for repatriation at the time world’s concentration has been drawn by fight against terrorism. Clear vision and far sighted leadership is the lack in one-and-half decade long Bhutan’s political and human rights movement. But their repeated attempts to form a coalition for stronger movements are praiseworthy; good of all is the latest.
The leadership by Rizal has been accepted by all Bhutanese in exile. President of Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP) R B Basnet says, “Bhutanese don’t have any differences in accepting leadership by Rizal.” But ideological differences among other leaders will be the major hindrance for Rizal about how he should select persons to decision making body.
The other big challenge for the new coalition is to gain confidence from the Indian government. Basnet says that the problem of Bhutan would get solved immediately if India speaks a sentence calling on the Bhutanese regime to end the problem. However, India has repeated its stance not to involve into it and that it should be solved through bilateral talks between Nepal and Bhutan governments.
“We have been trying to end differences prevailing since the last 15 years and consolidate the movement under the leadership of Rizal,” steering committee member of BRRRC Pratab Subba told Nepalnews over phone. This is the need of the hour, he added.
Refugee leadership and Nepalis foreign affairs expert expect support and solidarity from Nepalis government. Former foreign minister Prakash Chandra Lohani said that Nepal should have raised the issue of Bhutanese refugees during the South Asia visit of American President Bush. He said Nepal’s foreign policy is a failure in that sense.
Keeping aside the differences and resisting influences of Indian spies to divide them, Bhutanese leaders would receive support from regional and international allies for their early repatriation. Good days are ahead!