Bhutan will host the 16th summit in Thimphu on April 28-29 for the first time since the inception of this regional organization some two and half decades ago.

Rizal, in his letter has brief the heads of state or governments attending the summit of the issues of unresolved human rights violation and eviction of over one-fifth of national population since 1990.

He further said, “Much to our chagrin, big powers, without looking at the ground reality, have indorsed this election. Keeping one third of the country’s population out and in exile, with a further eighty thousand people in side the country barred from implementing their basic voting rights, the apparatchiks of Druk regime branding the said election a democratic one is nothing but a bunkum and political flippancy.”

The letter has also been sent to observers of the summit — People’s Republic of China, Japan, Korea, United States of America, Islamic Republic of Iran, Mauritius, Australia, Myanmar and the European Union.

Read his complete letter here

Subash Nembang unveils book amidst a function in Kathmandu

The third book of human rights activist Tek Nath Rizal ‘Torture Killing Me Softly’ made public in Kathmandu on Tuesday speaks all these. It is a horrific story all about mind control device being used precisely in Bhutanese jail in an effort to change his mind and accept allegations clamp on him.

Chairman of the Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Subash Nembang unveiled the book amidst a function. Nembang, addressing the function, said this testimony would be an eye opener for everyone to know how people are being treated in the [Bhutanese] jails.

Nepal’s constituent assembly member Indrajit Rai, who is also a military expert, expressed astonishment how Rizal managed to live even under the mind control devices. He explained how such devices are used by the military rulers to extract or compel the prisoners to confess the allegations.

According to him, the devices produce waves that can be directed to a particular person even in a group. He said the device even can make people think of killing his/her own relatives, wish for suicide or make mentally unstable.

Writer Rizal expressed hope his book would reality of how prisoners are treated in Bhutanese jails. He recalled the days in jails when he was unable to tell details of his tortures to international visitors due to mind control devices.

Noted Indian journalist Ananda Swaroop Verma said it was shame for his country, which claims to be the largest democracy in world, to continue protecting a ruthless ruler ignoring the democratic fighters of Bhutan. He warned of dire consequences in the region if young Bhutanese refugees, who have been fade up seeking justice through peaceful means, turn violent and take up arms.

Academician Mohan Lohani and human rights activist, who was denied visa to Bhutan to attend democracy conference despite earlier invitation Subodh Pyakural, said the book would make those who have been praising Bhutanese ruler for his new theory Gross National Happiness realize existence of humanity in Bhutanese hearts.

Pyakurel said the book reveals a horrific story on the extent to which Bhutanese rulers have reached in treating a human being. “The tactics are beyond what human being can imagine,” he said.

Rizal is one of the leaders opposing resettlement process and still advocates for repatriation of all exiled Bhutanese to their homesteads.

Rizal family entered the IOM exit camp in Kathmandu on Sunday morning, 24 hours before flying. IOM allows such entry to families of political and human rights leaders and few facing threats.

Rizal, when asked, denied saying that his sons and daughter-in-law are flying under resettlement.

Details will follow.

Koirala releasing the book

“I have deeper sentiments with the Bhutanese issue”, said Koirala on Thursday in a program hosted by Oxford International Publication at Hotel Shangri-La in Kathmandu. “Until I live, I will have all forms of supports to the Bhutan’s democratic movement.”

He further said, he has talked with Bhutanese king and the prime minister several times for repatriation of exiled Bhutanese. “Though they responded positively, they never executed their words,” he said.

He highlighted the important role that India should play for repatriation of the exiled Bhutanese.

C. P. Gajurel, a central committee member of the ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists), who also heads the party’s foreign relation department, strongly criticized the resettlement process offered by the United States of America and other countries. “I have not understood how kind the Americans are to give citizenship to the Bhutanese who have never demanded for it”, said Gajurel.

Saying that India has role in solving this two decade long crisis, Gajurel said his party also failed to pick up the issue despite being in government leadership.

Participants at the function

However, Madav Kumar Nepal, the former general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist, Leninists) said that it makes no difference on the feeling towards democratization and human rights establishment in Bhutan even if all the exiled Bhutanese get relocated to third countries.

According to Nepal, no one can suppress the movement of the Bhutanese citizens, rather they become stronger and more potential in such countries.

This second book by Rizal features how the most trusted character of the fourth King Jigme Singye was forced to go to prison, where he received inhuman torture for a decade.

Speaking about the book, Rizal said that the book was a vivid example of how Nepali-speaking Bhutanese were treated by the regime in the past.

Leader Rizal denied speaking on what the meeting was based on. However, another leader Gazmere informed the Bhutan News Service (BNS) that he heard about European Union’s wish with Rizal to support exiled Bhutanese for only another three years.

“I also heard that Rizal was told by the EU members that it would see if no any progress was made on resettlement process of exiled Bhutanese within the next three years”, said Gazmere.

Leader Gazmere also informed the BNS that his meeting with the Sauerbrey was almost based on hi-hello.

Gazmere further informed that the US was committed to begin the process of at least 1000 exiled Bhutanese for resettlement from January until February and then increase the number up to 1500 from March.

“Since few days Rizal has been saying that an individual must be allowed for resettlement rather than the whole family. This is against human rights norms and is a total crime”, added Gazmere.

Sauerbrey, who arrive on Nepal Tuesday evening, will travel to Nepal, Bhutan and India from October 29 to November 9.

While in Nepal, Sauerbrey will meet United Nations and Nepalese government officials working in projects assisting the exiled Bhutanese. She also plans to travel to camps in Jhapa and the newly established resettlement processing center there.

After Nepal, Sauerbrey will travel to Bhutan and India, where she will seek assistance from the Bhutanese and Indian governments in promoting durable solutions, including voluntary repatriation, for the exiled Bhutanese. Bhutan News Service

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