India And USA Protecting Bhutan’s Feudal Monarchy
By Mohan Nepali
Indian government and the US Administration have been against the Bhutanese refugees’ return to their native land.
Because of this anti-human rights attitude of the Bhutanese feudal rulers, India and America, the refugees forcefully
expelled from Bhutan 17 years ago have been forced to live extremely miserable lives in refugee camps in Jhapa of
eastern Nepal.
The autocratic rulers of Bhutan selectively expelled the citizens of Nepali origin only. The people of Nepali origin,
according to world-recognized historical records, were the ones who substantially contributed to the formation of
Bhutan. As they have been expelled due to their Nepali origin by the low-minded royal rulers, the international
community should not have been apathetic to this racist behavior of autocrats. The Bhutanese refugees regret this fact
very much.
They have always struggled to return to their land and to exercise their democratic rights there; however, the major
power players in South Asia (namely, India and America) have obviously glossed over this humanitarian issue. In this
particular context, the US Administration has expressed its willingness to accept 60,000 Bhutanese refugees for their
resettlement in the USA. But nobody knows if even 60 Bhutanese will be taken. Both Nepalis and Bhutanese doubt there is
a diplomatic conspiracy in this announcement. They want to know why the US Administration does not pronounce a single
word in favor of the Bhutanese people’s right to return to their homeland or their right to human rights and democracy.
They seem to be very sad over this attitude of the world’s largest democracy. What is behind the announcement of taking
60,000 refugees instead of helping their repatriation process is the fundamental question being raised by the Bhutanese
refugees.
Instead of agreeing on the refugees’ genuine demand for their repatriation, the US Administration, at the advice of CIA,
has designed a divide-and-rule game plan that mainly focuses on the propaganda of resettling 60,000 Bhutanese refugees
in the USA. Intelligence sources claim that should the Bhutanese refugees be repatriated, they are most likely to launch
armed struggles against the Bhutanese monarchy that has become so loyal and useful for both India and America. The
beginning of any armed struggles against the Bhutanese monarchy will definitely mean much harm to both the power players
in South Asia. Besides, it is vital for both of them to keep their collaborated control in South Asia in order to
maintain their strategic exercises against China and Pakistan.
The same intelligence sources claim that America will begin to trouble Pakistan after their Afghanistan mission is over.
At present, America has been supporting and protecting military dictator Musarraf for his every undemocratic and
anti-human rights activity. For example, opposition political activists and democratic journalists have been suppressed
there. But neither America nor India speak a single word about it.
Equally noteworthy here is the fact that the Bhutanese have been struggling for democracy and human rights in Bhutan but
neither India nor America have spoken or done anything regarding that. Instead, they have worked to strengthen the
feudal monarchy. A current piece of evidence of this can be found in the way India dealt with the Bhutanese refugees’
efforts to return to their homeland. One of the refugees was shot dead while more than one hundred others were wounded.
They had no other way to use for returning to their nation. Seventeen years ago, they were expelled by the Bhutanese
security forces and they naturally appeared on the Indo-Bhutan border. They sought refuge in India. But surprisingly,
the Indian government forcefully picked them up and brought to Nepal. This shows how India strongly stood on the side of
the feudal monarchy and entirely against the expelled Bhutanese citizens.
Kathmandu-based analysts, familiar with the nature of US foreign policy, confidently calculate that the US
Administration is engaged in a long-term strategy in South Asia. If the political forces of South Asia cannot get rid of
puppetism and voluntary slavery, the countries in the region may become like Guatemala, Nicaragua, Grenada or other
nations where US military bases and operatives are active.
ENDS