No free lunch to King Jigme

It is not for nothing that a personality of the stature of Partha S Gosh, the Director of the Indian Council of Social Science and Research had said in his article entitled "Thimpu Trends- Ethnicity Versus Nationalism" in the Times of India dated September 6, 1992, that his conclusion was "there appears to be a systemic move on the part of the Bhutan government to evict the Nepalese from the country".

In the same vein the then Director at the ICSS goes on to say in the same article that to make it a reality the Thimpu government has acquired a sort of three pronged policy which were firstly to project the Nepali question as a terroristic problem to draw the international sympathy; secondly, to play the Greater Nepal card to draw in India and keep New Delhi in good humor so that it does not encourage Nepalese political activists operating from border districts of West Bengal or pressurize Thimpu to accommodate Nepalese political demands.

Clearly, Partha Gosh is an Indian scholar of international standing who apparently did not write these lines to please Nepal and the Bhutanese refugees languishing in Nepali camps. He presented what he obtained from his detailed research works. His Majesty The Bhutanese King would do well if he goes through these statements.

Likewise, we wish to print a few lines what a Finnish scholar, Reijo Harkonen, has to say with regard to the Bhutanese refugee issue. It is to be noted here that Finland has neither any special reasons to take the side of Nepal or for that matter that of Bhutan- the one who is forced to take the burden of the refugees and the one which has forced the refugees to enter into Nepali territories. Albeit, the Finland as a member of the European Union has time and again reiterated that an amicable solution to the refugee issue have got to be arrived at that facilitates the smooth and the easy repatriation of the Bhutanese citizens back to their own land. Finland’s stance regarding this issue is no less no more than what the entire EU community wishes. The Finnish scholar in his article "Bhutanese Refugees: Victims of Ethnic Cleansing" printed in the Kathmandu Post dated September 22, 1994 wherein he says, "Fear of democracy rather than threat of of the loss of identity is the real reason behind the rigorous measures of the Bhutanese government with the arrival of democracy the influence of the large Nepalese minority would increase, and the present thousand strong power elite, which includes the royal family, would diminish in importance".

The fact is that the Finnish scholar’s observation is what is the real truth. Not only the Bhutani administration appears threatened of the impact of the possible democratic upsurge in Bhutan but what also becomes pretty evident is that the one who is scared most of such a democratic change in the Druk regime is its paramount ruler-the monarch himself.

Look what he had to say on the refugees some twelve years ago while talking to The Times of India’s Ramesh Chandran. His Majesty King Jigme says, " Their objective can be stated with precision. Organize as many Nepalis in the refugee camps—from India, from Nepal, from anywhere they can get—accumulate their numbers to a 100,000 and throw them back into Bhutan irrespective of their nationalities. This is clearly unacceptable to us".

Well after a span a good many years, the Bhutanese King appears not to have brought any change in his previous perception regarding the plight of his own subjects now languishing in Nepali camps.

Only the other day King Jigme told a group of select media men in Delhi that most of the men housed in the Nepali camps were not refugees and that if any, his country would take them back.

The fact is that most of the men lying in some of the camps in Nepal have been found genuine refugees by the joint verification team comprising of the Bhutanese members.

His Majesty the King of Bhutan appears determined not to accept his own nationals come what may. What is puzzling is which force on earth is backing the Bhutanese monarch to take such a firm stand? This is a stand, which goes out and out against the international norms and behaviors. Thanks Nepal’s lackluster diplomacy that has allowed Bhutan to maneuver.

Analysts are quick enough to ascertain the force on earth, which has been backing Bhutan. However, Bhutan must not forget that the country, which has come to its rescue, is (in) famous for squeezing the arms of the country to which it supports. There is no free lunch in the conduct of bilateral relations in the world of diplomacy. Until Bhutan is a milking cow for that particular country, Bhutan would enjoy the support perennially. The day the milk is over, disasters would surely follow. This has been Nepali experience- a very bitter knowledge. Who else better knows that particular country than Nepal?

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