Beneath the veneer of peace and tranquility of an idyllic Himalayan nation lies a dark underbelly of gross human rights violations and ethnic expulsion. Known for its consistently high ranking on the annual Gross National Happiness Index, Bhutan has an unsavory aspect of governance that goes unnoticed by the rest of the world because of scarce media coverage. 

Since the late 1980s, tens of thousands of Bhutanese citizens, primarily of Nepali origin, have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution and discrimination by the Bhutanese government. Many of these refugees have spent decades living in refugee camps in neighbouring countries without any hopes of resettlement and citizenship. As of 2021, approximately 6300 Bhutanese refugees are living in Nepal. The government of Bhutan currently denies visas to the Nepalis-Bhutanese diaspora. There is no approximate data on how many minority Nepali-Bhutanese are living in Bhutan now as the government of Bhutan does not allow collection of such data.

History of persecution of Lhotshampas 

Bhutan’s Nepali-speaking community, the Lhotshampas, has faced decades of prejudice, bias and maltreatment following unfair trials and even alleged torture. Since the late 1980s, tensions had developed between the Ngalop Bhutanese majority and the minority Lhotshampa, ethnic Nepali migrants. Confronted with a growing Nepali population, the Bhutanese government undertook a series of measures aimed at forcing them to assimilate into Bhutanese society. Tek Nath Rijal, a human rights activist and a democratic leader of Bhutanese refugees, and Nepal Haj Committee chairperson Shamsher Miya were arrested from Kathmandu on 18 May 2023 in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

The ’One Nation, One People’ - or ‘Bhutanisation’ cultural movement - was launched to establish a Bhutanese national identity. The Lhotshampa community was estranged. Many were doomed by uncertainties and many committed suicide. The Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners says that more than 50 Bhutanese citizens have been languishing in various Bhutanese prisons for the last several decades. (‘Bhutanese monarch urged to release political prisoners’ 17 February, 2023. Source: https://www.southasiatime.com/2023/02/17/bhutanese-monarch-urged-to-release-political-prisoners/)

While the total number of political prisoners in Bhutan remains unknown, Human Rights Watch (HRW) gathered information about the current 37 prisoners who were detained between 1990 and 2010 and are yet to be released. Amongst the 37 prisoners, 32 belonging to the Lhotshampa have faced discrimination and abuse. This group includes eight Royal Bhutan Army soldiers who were accused of treason in participating in protests. A prisoner convicted of treason and terrorism said, “The physical torture [in custody] was merciless Some were arrested for being considered “anti-national” at a time prior to the introduction of democratic elections, when criticism of the country was unheard of.  Many are suffering from physical and mental health problems and are denied regular communication with families. Both food and clothing provided are inappropriate. On November 27, 2022, HRW wrote to the Government of Bhutan regarding the allegations found in the report but received no response.

Bhutanese activists have appealed to King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk to grant amnesty to these prisoners. In 2022, the king granted amnesty to a political prisoner serving a life term. Madhukar Monger, who was released on August 9, 2023 after serving 30 years in Chemgang Central Prison.  (‘Bhutan: Free Long-Term Political Prisoners---Held for Decades after Torture, Unfair Trials. Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/13/bhutan-free-long-term-political-prisoners#:~:text=Of%20the%2032%20Lhotshampa%20political,allegedly%20participating%20in%20those%20protests)

Lhotshampa refugees' lament

Like many Lhotshampa, Sanmaya Gurung, 82, has been living in the refugee camp in Nepal since 1990. She said, “I want to go back to Bhutan but Bhutan doesn’t let us. I don’t know how much longer I will live, but I want to die in my motherland.” She was evicted for being ethnic Nepali but her children live overseas.

Dal Bahadur Karki has a similar story to share. He was born and raised on a farm in Gelephu in Bhutan. but was thrown out in 1992. He is still in exile in the Goldhap refugee camp of Jhapa district in Nepal. His sons and daughters have resettled in the US. He lamented his wife’s death saying, “When my time comes, I hope my sons come to Nepal to remember me. But I also want to see the country where I was born and touch its soil one last time.”  

Nilamaya Rai, 72, who waits by her mobile phone to talk to her two sons in the US, but they rarely call. She explained, “Ever since I refused to be resettled overseas, and said I wanted to go back to Bhutan, my sons refused to talk to me. When I die, neither of my sons will be with me, nor will it be in my own country.”

UNHCR which had been operating in Jhapa for 28 years shut down its camps in in 2020. T.B. Rai, secretary at the Beldangi Refugee Camp, was quoted as saying, “For the remaining refugees to have proper food, they either need to receive money from abroad or break rocks in the Ratua River. Most do not have enough to eat.” The Beldangi camp in Jhapa still houses 4966 Bhutanese refugees, 2688 men and 2278 women. (‘Real refugees want to go back to Bhutan’, Dhungana, S., 31 May 2023. Source: https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/real-refugees-want-to-go-back-to-bhutan) 

Blight on Bhutan's reputation

The United Nations, donors, and concerned governments should urge Bhutan’s authorities to unconditionally release political prisoners and others who are being incarcerated for exercising their fundamental human rights or as a result of trials that violated due process. The Bhutanese diaspora can pitch in efforts for peacebuilding and reconciliation. The government should undertake major reforms of the legal system to bring it into acquiescence with international human rights law, adopt measures to end torture and provide remedies for victims, and allow independent monitoring of prison conditions. 

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, said, “The long-term imprisonment and mistreatment of political prisoners remains a blight on Bhutan’s human rights record. Bhutanese authorities should release these prisoners and embark on reforms to end torture in custody, unfair trials and poor prison conditions.” (‘Bhutan: Free Long-Term Political Prisoners---Held for Decades after Torture, Unfair Trials. Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/13/bhutan-free-long-term-political-prisoners#:~:text=Of%20the%2032%20Lhotshampa%20political,allegedly%20participating%20in%20those%20protests)

(The writer, whose research interests include human rights and gender inequity, particularly in South Asia, is  Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Jangipur College, Kalyani University, West Bengal. Views are personal. She can be reached at koyelbasu1979@gmail.com.)