Attention! Western democracies!

Our attention has been drawn towards the ongoing Relay Hunger Strike being waged by the Bhutanese of the Nepalese origin languishing in the Nepali refugee camps in the eastern Nepal since a couple of days. The fact is that the refugees who are in Nepali camps hoping against hopes that one fine morning they would be allowed to return to their my-dear motherland with dignity and honor. However, this is not forthcoming. In effect, these wretched ones who cross the tune of one lakh have been demanding their safe and sound return to their own soil from day one they were forced by the Indian authorities in part and some on their own preferred to live a secured life in Nepal until an amicable settlement to their problem emerged through bilateral talks between Bhutan and the country that was forced to house the swelling number of the refugees in the latter’s soil. Though the bilateral talks were held but the other side always gave an impression to the outside world that those who were in the Nepali camps were not their nationals and also maintained that some of them possessed bad credentials and hence had been kicked out of the dragon Kingdom.

In the process, various countries including the United States and the European Union used their good offices in order to send back the refugees to their country but all miserably failed. On top of that, and most surprising of it all, the country which facilitated the refugees to enter into this country never realised the gravity of the issue and wished to keep a comfortable distance in the said issue caring little that in one way or the other she was also a party to the issue.

Only recently, a powerful delegation of the residential Ambassadors from the EU based in Kathmandu traveled to the refugee camps and issued a strong statement urging all concerned to sort out the issue at the earliest. However, the other camp brushed aside the matter and some how or the other challenged the authority of the European Union itself.

More recently, a group of Nepali enthusiasts visited New Delhi and reportedly convinced those powerful countries who fall in the category of the nations supporting Bhutan financially and urged those nations to intervene into the refugee issue. Fortunately, the nations supporting Bhutan assured the group to look into the matter seriously.

The fact is that Nepal, the country which is facing the music of the refugee issue, has miserably failed to convince Bhutan. In this failure, Nepal’s poor diplomacy also has its due share which has got to be admitted.

The powerful countries, for example, the United States to name a few, too have failed in building a sort of pressure on Bhutan to take back her genuine citizens. In th same process, the all mighty and powerful European Union too has summarily failed despite its genuine efforts aimed at easing the crisis lingering for well over twelve years or so.

The Himalayan failure of it all could be described as to be the inability of Nepal in sending at least those Bhutanese refugees back who have been already accepted by the other camp as to be their certified nationals. If Nepal has failed here in sending the Khudnabari refugees back to their own soil, then equally true is the fact that Bhutan by not accepting her own citizens after the completion of the joint verification process wishes to hint Nepal and the rest of the world that it were up to them, read the Bhutanese, to take their citizens back or not. They could accept them as their nationals or even brush aside the outcome of the joint verification team come what may. This is a fact. One is tempted to ask as to which force on earth provides such courage to a tiny Bhutan that she has been affording to withstand continued international pressures? The moment Nepal and her duffer diplomats understand this half exposed and half-hidden fact, the problem would be over.

The fact is that we have failed to convince Bhutan; the fact is also that we have failed in building up enough pressure on Bhutan in this regard; the fact is also that we have miserably failed in bringing in the good offices of India in order to sort out this overly stretched issue; the tragedy is also that neither we could internationalize this issue nor could bring in the needed support of the international community.

The net result of our dismal performance or say failed diplomacy is that the Bhutanese refugees have concluded that unless they took certain strong decision, the issue would neither draw the attention of the country that is housing them for all along these thirteen years, that is Nepal, nor could sensitize the international community. It is apparently this that has made them restless and forced them to go in on for a relay hunger strike which, we are told, could take yet another frightening dimension and that being the observance of full scale Hunger Strike. What would happen if some of the strikers sacrifice their precious lives is any body’s guess. It’s spillover effect will definitely go beyond our borders.

Achtung the European Union members! Achtung the rest of the international community. It is time that you all act in a well coordinated manner so that the refugees could return to their motherland. Act fast or else it would be too late. Let it not be a case: after death, the doctor!

Finally, the move taken up by a few noted Nepali civil society members of late in sorting out the refugee crisis is highly commendable. Their meetings with the Ambassadors of the developed West who also have been supporting Bhutan is meaningful and a significant move in the sense that if the countries supporting Bhutan wish to press Bhutan can easily do so. Let’s hope they will exert due pressure on Bhutan.

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