Repression continues in Bhutan

At least four Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were reportedly killed and eight more have been arrested so far this month by the Bhutanese security forces in operations unleashed against the Bhutan Communist Party Marxist Leninist and Maoist (BCP-MLM) since the latter launched its armed struggle against the Druk regime in Bhutan, say reports.

According to Human Rights Organization of Bhutan (HUROB), four cadres of BCP (MLM) were brutally killed by the Royal Bhutan Police since the start of the operations and eight arrested from places called Nunai, Daifaim and Sampdrupzongkhar district.

Their identities so far are not known and Bhutan government has not reported their status.

"It is our earnest appeal that once who ever may be in the captivity of the security forces, they should be treated as a prisoner of war according to the international norms and conditions. Nobody should be tortured and killed inhumanely," said Chairman of HUROB S.B.Subba.

"We request all the concerned to raise the issue with the Royal Government of Bhutan immediately to prevent prisoners from being tortured or forcefully disappeared."

In another report, Druk regime-backed majority Drukpas have unleashed a wave of terror and violence against the largely Nepali-speaking Bhutanese in the tiny Himalayan.

The Kathmandu Post reported that Drukpa employers, following the decalaration of armed struggle by BCP-MLM, are denying the Nepali speaking Bhutanese salary for the work they do, while local administrators, almost all of whom are Drukpas, are beating them for no obvious reasons, with some even threatening to force them into exile.

It may be mentioned here that more than 1,00,000 Nepali-speaking Bhutanese citizens are languishing in refugees camps in eastern Nepal from the past one and half decade after they were forcefully driven out from their own country by the Druk regime, in a worst act of ethnic cleansing the region has seen.

Meanwhile, the daily quoted Bhutanese refugee leader Tek Nath Rizal as saying that as many as 80,000 Bhutanese of Nepal origin were preparing to leave for Nepal due to the local government's harsh treatment in recent days. nepalnews.com ag Feb 20 08