A new forum to launch repatriation campaign

Though resettlement has almost emptied Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa, refugee leaders are still struggling and advocating in favour of repatriation and seeking justice for the injustice they endured for last two and half decades.

While many organisations formed since early 1990 remain dysfunctional, a new ‘social organisation’ has emerged with the mission to voice the concerns and protect the interests of all the Bhutanese living in any part of the world.

The mass gathering at Damak dated 18 March 2015 decided to name the new platform as “BHUTAN INDEPENDENT PEOPLES FORUM”. The gathering also mandated Mr. Tom Adhikari a Bhutanese lawyer in exile who is a registered solicitor (lawyer) in the United Kingdom and in India to lead the forum, a statement issued by Mr Adhikari reads.

The new initiative includes among other things, exploring various legal avenues available to the Bhutanese Community in exile so that ‘justice’ is done to all the victims of Royal Repression. The new initiative will endeavour to establish a New Bhutanese Culture and work for the preservation of the transcultural legacy and heritage so evolved.

The forum says it will organise Satyagaraha in Bhutanese refugee camps in Jhapa, Nepal to highlight the plight and demand of the refugees for early repatriation to Bhutan in dignity and honour.

It further says it will also co-ordinate and require the resettled Bhutanese to organise different type of protest programmes, bulk letter campaigns and congressional hearings in their respective countries against the Royal Government of Bhutan demanding repatriation and justice.

The forums keeps hope that resettled Bhutanese would be allowed to return to Bhutan, as per international conventions, when conditions become appropriate.