At least a few hundreds of exiled Bhutanese were present Saturday in Beldangi-II camp to mark the 104th National Day of Bhutan, recalling the installation of the monarchy in the country for the first time in December 17, 1907.
Interestingly, 108-year-old Indra Bahadur Subba, the eldest member from the Bhutanese community in exile, lighted six candles – each representing separate letters in ‘Bhutan’.
“I have come here to participate in a program that involves repatriation to my own kingdom,” Subba told Bhutan News Service after the completion of the event, where various persons including former members of the parliament expressed their views.
Sailendra Singh Arora of the Bhutan Solidary Group lauded the initiative to mark the National Day of Bhutan, forgetting the pain and suffering.
He also mentioned that the democratic struggle of the exiled Bhutan has been fading away as leaders lack a united stance for the cause, but said, “The government of Bhutan will accept you one day.”
Several those who presented their opinions said that celebration of the national events in Bhutan would at least mean that the camp residents are Bhutanese.
“Every person has well defined nationality. We are Bhutanese citizens, entitled to enjoy equal rights as the King does. This is why we are celebrating the National Day today,” said Dr Bhampa Rai, Chairperson of the Bhutanese Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee.
However, youth leader Chabi Kharel said celebrations of such a day would simply mean that the exiled community supports tyrannical monarchy in the country.
“It was the day when the first dictatorial king was institutionalized. Thus, observing the National Day means nothing for freedom fighters,” he said.
Former Caption of the Royal Bhutan Army N.B.Giri, former members of the parliaments Narad Moni Shanyashi, T.R. Regmi, Harka Jung Subba of the Senior Citizens’ Group, among others also presented their views.
It’s just wastage of time and precious time of the life.If cruel Bhutan ruler accept the refugees,they’d do that years before.Better find alternatives and get out of the hell(refugee camp).There’s no future there.Celebration of National day,wearing bakhu and speaking dzongkha can’t convince the brutal,dictatorial ruler……Please give the young generation a better future.Their lives will be spoiled in the camp.
What a joke…..The very people who revolted against wearing of National dress and brunt down national flag and national dress and killed innocent fellow citizens and destroyed community services like school/hospital/bridges etc, are celebrating Bhutan National Day after the gap of 20 years wearing the same national dress.
Such behaviour is the testmony of fact that,it was handfull of disgruntal nepali people who managed to brain wash innocent nepali in Bhutan to act against the royal Govt.
These clever people never live in refugee camps suffering all the odds.They live in towns and cities of nepal and India, enjoying luxury life.. their childern are getting good education in the good schools out side the refugee camps.
Finally, most of them left for foreign countries looking for comfortable life and poor and innocent people are suffering in the camps.
Therefore….celebrating of national day and wearing of national dress by the people of camps indicates that..they realized revolting against the Royal Government and trying to recall their comfortable peacefull life of bhutan.
i feel sucked by above comment ,because our history is from Bhutan and its cannot robe by gonging to any other country of world instated of tallying this,i am argue of that we all Bhutanese refugee cannot become united and lunched peaceful movement we can recognize our voice in all over world and we can get dignified repratation ,u should rise voice about cruel and inhuman government of bhutan in international society to show truth ,as well if we coming to international country and also we cannot rise voice then we are same full people of world soo al bhutanese should united and lunch peaceful movement by which we can take revenge of living misery life in refugee camp and get dignified repratatision.
We are true bhutanese. Is justice being done to us by the resettlement? is it a solution or are they crushing our freedom to breathe in our own land? Where is justice? where is freedom? US is making people slaves of their country out of our refugee brothers and sisters. Is that justice? It cant be for me. The king of Bhutan marking this great day should realize that the refugees have the caliber and support to take up arms in order to be allowed to live in their own land. This is my message to the king….Just because the refugees have become silent and just because they have opted for the non violent way of approaching for repatriation doesnt mean they are harmless….Dont wake up a sleeping lion or else be ready to bear the consequences.
monarchy in bhutan was installed by the wish of the people. king ugyen wangchuk did not lead any battle campaign to conquer the country he was chosen by the people.
dear editor,
I would like you to make clear that is this the way the people wore
the gho (bakhu)in refugee camp? Or it is printing mistake while devoloping the
photo? It looks converse with the gho worn back in bhutan.
its much Better to get outta of the hell(refugee camp).There’s no future there. wearing bakhu and speaking dzongkha can’t do anything ……dammmmmmmmmmmmmmm it
This is not a way to give political speech. but do by the heartly i want to suggest that never say wht you can’t do but say what yuh can do… but i want to encourage that no things is possible in united
I want to say that I M with you all the revolutionary …
It would be good if comments are made in readable sentences for readers like me. Its hard when we read comments which some time make no sense. But, i support Kumar’s opiinion regarding young people who are still in camps because of their parents’ unreaslistic opinion on repartriation. The fact is that those young people will be slumdogs if left in those camps.