We completed three hours walk that day and decided to make a night halt. Sheltering was little tough but the way we selected the spot and met our needs are worth mentioning. We prepared huge bonfire, used three ‘ghos’ as the substitute for blanket and collected wild ferns and mosses for the cushioning of the beds as well as preventing ourselves from the dampness of the ground. Understanding the situation, we slept in turns and I came last in the priority list.
The next morning we had hot black tea with ginger and salt in it. We had some arguments whether to add butter (to make taste like Suza) in it or not but a majority decided otherwise. Within a while we began our destined trip in a long linear procession. Each of us held a wild bamboo walking stick that served as a walking tool. We had to climb up the hill from one side of a mountain, go downhill from the other side; cross the rivulets and continue the ranges one after the other. Keeping in mind the condition of the detainees, we did not cover too much distance in a day. We took rest, sang melodies, whistled beautiful tunes and enjoyed the serene beauty of the gorges. By the dusk, we could feel the pain in the calves and decided to halt for another night.
After having carried out the normal routine, intuitively, yet logically a bad weather forecast was made; that would have adversely affected our journey, had we slept there that night. So the group decided to continue walking at night, with the help of a double cell torch light that only one of us had. Apparently, there was a dense snow fall the previous day. The path was not easily traceable. The sky was clear, so we could at least trace the foot prints of yaks. Without much delay we packed up everything again and started our journey. Initially, I felt little scared but got used to it as we carried on. There were challenges, both in terms of meeting the deadline to meet our dear ones before they got evacuated as well as the fear of diminishing provisions that they wouldn’t last longer than we wished for. The more experienced ones predicted that it would at least be two to three hours before we crossed the peak.
Dhakal Maldai was always the end follower on the line. Gradually there appeared some complexity that we could trace by the way he was walking. To our despair, we found out that he had a very fatal accident some six months before his arrest. He had fallen down from a tree and fractured his two ribs, dislocated his left pelvic girdle and had other bodily injuries. He underwent some traditional healing and never used the modern medical treatment. With just the partial recovery he was arrested with no cause. In the captivity, he suffered the most due to physical torture and the cumulative impact of accident. Prisoners were not having warm clothes on their body and not all were having the sleepers at their feet, forget about the boots. There was no head covering and the mountain storms were very strong as if the blowing wind could fly us away. The top of the peak was a special ecological zone with typical dried grasses, mostly solid barren cliff clad with white snow and there was some cyclonic effect of the wind in the pass.
Frostbite/ Acute mountain sickness
We felt as if it had been hours we had started walking but we were yet quite far away from the peak. Dhakal Dai really found it tough to cope up and when we were almost at the top, he got sick. All we saw was that he shivered a bit, stretched his arms and fell down on the snowy ground. His hands were frozen, jaws tight and body was cold. He became senseless. He had almost stopped breathing and we all were too scared of the situation. I don’t know what others thought on that occasion but I began praying and begging the almighty to spare our Dai and let him be not denied of the chance to meet his beloved ones back home. My Kaka used to be a spiritual healer which he used to practice at times by doing some ‘jhar-phuk’. He caught hold of his hands, chanted some spiritual mantras blew some air that smoothly ran through the victims palm.
Kaka knew it was the altitude problem and tried to protect him from cold but there was no chance to make the fire and warm him. He took out a thin bed-sheet from his basket and wrapped him up. No difference. The one and only alternative we had, was to carry him on our back and continue to cross the peak at the earliest. Kaka handed his basket to me, took out his ‘kera’ and tied Dhakal Dai to his back. He carried him for half an hour, then came the turn of my cousin for almost the same duration and finally I did for last half an hour. By then we reached at a place which had some bushy vegetation. We ignited the fire with great care, collected some ice, melted it and boiled it. We warmed our sick Dai, gave him a glass of ginger hot water and finally he sense came back. It took almost an hour for him to come to the speech. By the time he started to talk he totally broke down and began to cry. We tried to console him, but it wasn’t easy to make him listen. He spoke out all his frustrations, wanted further to end his life there, but we all encouraged him and made him realize that he did not live just for himself. We couldn’t make a complete halt there and so we decided to move further. We entered a very thick wild bamboo forest and visibility was diminishing due to canopy.
Monster Attack
My cousin was leading the line, then me and then the rest. We were walking very slowly, hardly being able to trace the footsteps left behind by previous travelers. It had been probably another half an hour walk when we reached a sunken hump area that was very steep. All of a sudden, a huge black creature jumped and attacked us in the mid night. It was four footed, hairy monster about four feet tall but too sturdy. All shouted together ‘it finished us’. My cousin faced it directly as he was in front. The monster pushed him aside so strongly that he went rolling for quite a distance and then it was my turn. I do not know where I got that courage and energy from, but in a fraction of a second, I decided to hit the monster with my walking stick. I first hit it on the nose, and others behind me followed me. May be 10 to 12 sticks in its body everywhere, the monster turned away and ran away. Everyone sat there, lips dried, sweating in the snow. Then we pulled the cousin up and found out that he had some cuts here and there but not very deep and serious ones.
We sat there for 10 minutes, unable to decide what to do next, either to move ahead or take a halt. Both were equally risky options. Kaka lighted the match and smoked a ‘bidi’. He was holding a touch light and began observing the spot where I hit that monster. He collected some long black hairs and began to check the footprint. He went some 15 feet ahead watching the marks as the prints were very distinct in the wet path, and came back saying, “Oh! That was a yak”. Until then we all thought we fought a bear, but we actually fought a yak. We continued further and finally reached a big cave which had been a shelter spot for most travelers who used that route (once in a blue moon) and we slept there for the rest of the night.
A shocking conversation
The journey for the third day was mainly a steep downhill slope, and with a significantly heavy bag-pack, it wasn’t easy to balance ourselves. We knew we were closer to our destination comparatively, but because we were from different villages, quite far apart, our route had to bifurcate at some point. The point, still at a distant, we were convinced that we would not reach there in the day light. From the day we penetrated into the forest, we never encountered a human being, but at least now, we started seeing some cattle graze in the pastures. This actually made us feel closer to home and the fear and pain converted to excitement and positive energy. We began to hear the ‘Hoowee’ sound from the cattle herders and we too replied in a similar way. Finally, the time did not wait. We had to separate. We decided to sit there for a while and exchange conversation. This moment has been remembered by me as one of my most emotional moments in life, as we started to predict that this could be our last meeting for ever. We did not know what fate had in store for us. Our emotional exchange of words was distracted by the appearance of an elderly man, in a light dress, who was recognized by everybody accept me. He began to tell the incidents that occurred in the village like a narrator in TV channel. That man was the neighbor of our Rai Dai. Raidai was in mid 40s that time. He had a happy family with his wife, two sons and two daughters and the eldest of all was a daughter of sixteen years old. His house was just 15 minutes walk from the then existing school. That very school was used as a secondary army cantonment during the search operations. When the battalion made the night halts, the local government staffs had to find girls from the villages to serve the personnel. If samajpati, karbari or block members failed to provide them, then they had to face the consequence. While sharing all these updates, the strange person very innocently and lightly told ‘your Thuli is raped by army’.
This was a horror shock to him. He must have felt as if the whole mountain fell on him. Not able to withstand the shock, he turned pale, eyes wet and mouth foaming. He took a deep breathe with a whistle sound, sat down on the ground. He began weeping but he couldn’t produce the sound. He stood up and fainted. I caught hold of Raidai and lifted his head on my lap. Cousin began to give some fresh air by waving his sweated cap and kaka rushed to fetch some water. Some of us shouted at the man, accusing him of the guilt that this was not the right time to say all these things. We also warned of the danger of any consequences that may have arisen, but Rai Dai would have known this any way at a later stage. I leave it up to the readers to figure out who was right, and not make the story too long by explaining how Rai Dai got up to his sense. But what he told us after he got up is worth mentioning here. A part of the school building was ablaze by some miscreants and army asked Raidai to explain who, how and why the school was ablaze. Raidai never knew the answers as he always lived at forest shifting his cattle. He never knew local incidences also. When he couldn’t give the statements, he was detained and forwarded to the central jail. His only guilt was to have his house close to the school.
Click here to read the first series of ‘The Struggling Journey-I’
Santi sir,
Very finely knit story. You have transformed into a great writer. Now i am sure, there are many good stuff in the store.
Please don’t wait, keep writing.
Dear sir,
It is amazing story which depict hardship scene of struggle that Nepali origin Bhutanese faced during the time of movement in Bhutan.This could be one of memorise to our future generation ..This represent an entire scenario that was faced by overall people in Bhutan.
Thanks for prsiseworthy work and contribution to the community.
well many have been writing many things in this not much popular site, going to be popular in the days to come, but i do not understand if this two letters “Er” has meaning being in America. It would have been better if Shanti were in Bhutan with this”Er”, but here i see not much meaningful as this “Er” has not been doing any thing. Well, even than this is just my view, if writer likes to paste in the front of his name, we have nothing much to say. one has to understand what the time and work is related to time and work of the time and work for the reason and “Er”
thanks,
From the way this story is told the whole purpose is to serve your own purpose of coming to limelight. There are many inconsistencies in the story itself, if read by someone who has deeper knowledge of geographic locations of the journey you said you walked through. And, in many instances you praised yourself, including chasing away the monster.
In Bhutan, there are no monsters as such. People know that because of Bhutan’s pristine forests it is home for many endangered animals, some of which people may have not seen at all. If at all, if your claim of seeing a monster is true, it could have been the soul of your deceased father (or uncle -i am not sure) who came to stop your wrong move: revolution against the government.
In a story like this, there are always two sides. Educated people who don’t have preconceived opinion (mostly international observers), will read both sides of the story, analyze and come to conclusion. Nonetheless, it is a good fictional story.
Peace out!
Dear Mr. Lotus Flower,
[From the way this story is told the whole purpose is to serve your own purpose of coming to limelight] – That is your way of taking this story. There is nothing as such that hinted for me to come to limelight. You people have exploited us, took out everything that you wanted and threw us as a living corpse. As per time, through life support alternative, we could manage to show our mere existence but people like you cannot digest.
[There are many inconsistencies in the story itself, if read by someone who has deeper knowledge of geographic locations of the journey you said you walked through]-For the deeper knowledge of geographical knowhow, you can refer googlemap and find out the relief from Chimmakoti to Mamaythang (Dagapela) and interpret the digital map if you are enriched. So there shouldn’t be any unnecessary arguments. What kind of inconsistencies are you talking about if you do not explain what is what and from which point to which point there seems the discrepancies.
[And, in many instances you praised yourself, including chasing away the monster] – what is praise? I mention the unknown creature- monster – attacked us. First person in the queue was other than me, I was the 2nd and we all hit that creature, instead of running away with panic. If you feel this as personification, it is up to you.
[In Bhutan, there are no monsters as such. People know that because of Bhutan’s pristine forests it is home for many endangered animals, some of which people may have not seen at all]- if you read this story once again, everything is clear. The black creature that attacked us in the complete darkness was a yak calf. Yes forest is a home of complete eco-system whether the endangered or other species. To remain pristine as per your adjective to describe Bhutan’s forest is it a means or ends? Is it the choice or obligation? It is good to exaggerate but to what extent and where may not hit your target and propagate your mission. I visited all the 18 districts (till 1992) and I understand the urban and rural settings.
[If at all, if your claim of seeing a monster is true, it could have been the soul of your deceased father (or uncle -i am not sure) who came to stop your wrong move: revolution against the government] – your allegation to us – illegal immigration, am I right? You gave the answer which is crystal clear. Soul is immortal to yours and ours belief systems. The soul of deceased persons will move to the place that they have travelled or used that space. If the souls of my ancestors as per your ethics were travelling in that ecological zone, then they should be there for centuries. So something licked while trying to be smart. Revolution against the government- how? It is the government who revolted- changed the existing orientation of the society. Think, is it the people revolted first and government implemented the law or other way. So clarify your stand. Be rational.
In a story like this, there are always two sides. Educated people who don’t have preconceived opinion (mostly international observers), will read both sides of the story, analyze and come to conclusion.- yes, you are 100% right here. International community is neutral. They take what we give to them. The way you guys smeared the black soot and the missionary’s activities is hard to be washed by the mere detergent. They (international community) too shall look deeper than your claim. To you, the television interview at Aljajera channel by Jigme Thinley is unbias and truth, am I right? This is how you wanted to show your charge.
Amidst the explanation, thank you so much for your comment and the time. This gave me the opportunities to clarify.
To me if Mr. Poudel owes the engineering degree, it is ok to use the title. I think Er is the qualification not the post. Dr. is the qualification, not the post. I understand he did MSc. in his subject.
How comfortable are you if someone uses like the writer is ex-member of parliament, acting president of organization, lecturer in the x,y,z discipline, etc, etc? How are they in the qualitative aspects?
It will be better if we focus things on subjective coverage, the depth and quality in the writing. Just a thought.
Mr. Poudel,
Now you are saying that the news your ‘kaka’ brought to Yangchenphu in December 1991 was actually false and your walking from Chimakoti was unnecessary. In your story you claimed that there were suspicions and all Nepalese were observed very closely, that Nepalese movement were restricted and you and your family members were forced to sign voluntary migration form and actually left the country. Responding to my post above you are now saying that there was no problem traveling through out the country, and your claim in two phases of your story are just propagation. In your own post above you said, and I quote: “I visited all 18 districts (till 1992) and I understand the urban and rural settings”. unquote.
If you were subjected to close monitoring of your movement and you feared arrest, and if the government enforced crackdown on Nepalese in 1991, how where you able to travel through out 18 district in 1992? Do you think your argument have any rational?
I could not stop laughing when I read your post to find out that the monster was actually a yak’s calf. That’s a good joke! First of all, yaks are herded in a highland -around 4000 meters above sea level. Specifically, Yaks in Bhutan can be found in Laya, Lingshi, Bumthang, Merak and Sakteng, and some part of Gasa in the north bordering with Tibet. I lived whole my life in Bhutan and never heard that people in Chirang reared Yak. Next, Yaks are domesticated animal and they are very friendly with people.
I appreciate though the way you chose to write this story. Had you taken a short cut road to Chirang from Wangdiphodrang, the amount of money you spent on renting taxi until Chimakoti would have reached you home. At least in your story you chose long way to make your story look incredible, not realizing that your lies exposed along.
Peace out!
It is good to hear from you again. You responded less important things but feared to justify the main thing. Anyway chicken hearted ones fear to show their identity and keeps on poking the nose.
By the way the place that I described in my journey was Dorona and I bet you till day that this place lies at Dagana. Sorry, you need to update your IQ and be updated that whole Dagapela Dungkhag is under Dagana, not in Chirang. You people changed the original names of many places having Nepali nomenclature to fulfill your interest but so far Dorona could keep its virginity.
Please be advised that I reached all 18 districts but I didn’t mention you that I travelled during your monopoly period. I said there were 18 districts during 1992 and if this is wrong challenge me. Yes people like you suspected all the Nepali speaking folks during 90s and till now you haven’t changed from that set orientation. Your approach proves that and I don’t need your recorded explanation.
To your evaluation, there were no restriction of people movement, this is what you wanted to highlight, no? Do you know how many check posts were there from Dagana to Wangdi (I’m using the old version)? You were not checking the cards; there were no police and army; you didn’t open the people’s luggage, right? Is this the free movement as per your classification of open travel?
Don’t teach me about the behavior of cattle. There were and are shifting of yak herds from snow clad to lower foothills during the change of seasons in that territory and to be more specific the peak name is JUTHAY. These animals as you said are domesticated but if they see strangers, they go wild and attack. When my cows find people in Gho, they become wild and attack. They will recognize the owner. May be your everything are friendly, you all are very friendly people, your street dogs are happy and never bark, your archery is very friendly, your pathang is very friendly and what not.
If you pretend to be someone things will remain as before, but if you are a man of yourself, this will be more than optimum.
Good luck for your mission.
As much as you have mission to bash the image of Bhutan, I have a mission to protect my country.
In your story you wrote all the bad things about Bhutan and all good things about yourself and Nepalese people. You failed to accept the fact that it was too complex for a 10th grader (I think you were in 10th grade in 1991)during that time, to understand the cause of the problem. In fact, the real cause of the problem in Bhutan is not known, until now. There are a few people, including your idol Tek Nath Rizal who know the cause. But he won’t tell you because he need to save his face!
Tek Nath Rizal, who had access to internal information of the palace as an adviser to the king and the royal council misused the power and authority entrusted upon him and in an attempt to advance his political ambition, exaggerated the facts of royal initiatives, misinformed Nepalese people and instigated to up rise against the government.
Was it not the unpopular political demonstration of the Nepalese people in 1990, where they burnt the National Flag, National Dress, destructed government and private infrastructures like schools, hospitals and bridges and murdered many government law enforcement officials and innocent people, there won’t be any fighting and therefore no people in the refugee camps. You have to take Tek Nath Rizal accountable for you and your peoples’ suffering in the camps.
It is understandable that during the conflict, innocent people becomes the victims. However, Bhutan’s situation was unique. Unique in a sense that people were threatened of decapitation by the leaders who organized protest if people don’t leave the country to support them. And yes, some of them were asked to leave the country because they were never a citizen of Bhutan.
In your story you failed to mention the facts about what Nepalese did in 1990 and what they did was wrong. Now that you are resettled in USA where there are strict laws, you must have learned what it means to be a citizen of a country. If not, try doing things that you and your people did in Bhutan in 1990 and see where you will land. Even drunk driving is a felony!
Peace out!
What has it effected to Mr. Hari by writing Er. by Santi Sir?
Santi sir has his degree, so he writes?
Who are you to judge where it is applicable in US or any part of the world?
Has it harmed to your personality or qualification?
Dear Mr. Lotus Flower,
At the end, may be it is an unexpected series of discussions which are to be addressed. I narrated my four days unusual travel which is a real one but you try to back-bite again and again. This is up to you to digest or not but take it for granted that I didn’t exaggerate any part. And also I didn’t take the soft corner of either the ruling side or the opposition side. I do not agree with you in the first sentence of your above comment. It’s not that the things spread by the government agents are the real image and the things we speak and share are the virtual one. Do you think that the crocodilic version of your tone is truth, masking the true face and hiding from preview? Why can’t we have the courage to accept the mistakes that each stakeholder committed?
And I agree that the Southern Bhutan problem is too complex or wicked type. This could have been resolved with multiple efforts and coming closer when there seems a contradictions and changing requirements. But see what actually happened, some misused the power/authority which was beyond their capacity, some over-use without finding the facts and figures, some took the situational advantage, some got promoted, some were sacked from their rank, some section became the first class Bhutanese, a specific section devalued to second order citizen. This drama resulted in the eviction of 100,000 + citizen and who should be credited and who should be accountable for such disaster? Is this not a calamity?
I was amateur to understand the indepth of the undertakings during that time but as per time and age I upgrade myself to understand the ‘abc’ of the forces and rethink and revisit the issues. And it isn’t illegal to undertake my educational needs. But through your writings and comments, I come to know that you were very insightful and knowledgeable of the occurrences but people like you didn’t contribute positively for the nation building process instead played a catalyst role; helped to pour more petrol in the fire. You too might have got some ‘ism’ from the government through your background.
Bhutan had tough time to sustain itself as a nation. Modernism had hit very badly to make a facelift. It was oscillating to and fro to make a choice. It was hard to balance between the traditional conservationist and progressive modernist, and both the approaches carry weight. With snail pace, with whatever resources it could save, it began investing on goods and services.
Let me not explain each detail, but the ‘conscious’ plan was too sensitive for the people of different culture and its intention either purposefully or not was fishy. ‘Abolition’ was not required and such move heated the environment. Enforcement by the bunch of hardcore extremism resulted to show the differences. Many attempts were made to make the enforcement little loose but the accountable dignitaries least bothered about the voices of the people. Government wanted to keep the situation under their fist and resolve by torture and intimidation, and I think this is what they knew by your able and experienced bureaucrats. We still need to index the fairness and will happen as the bird in the cage has been out.
Thanks for your opinion.
Whether you like it or not Bhutan is emerging as an exemplary nation that inspires happiness as an ultimate goal of human desire. GHN, also known as Gross National Happiness, has become a paradigm of developmental philosophy that many nations through out the world have appreciated and are studying with more interests to incorporate GNH in their national policies.
You can keep on looking at Bhutan through your prejudiced set of eyes and keep on ranting but it won’t make any difference to reputation that Bhutan had built in the international forum -a peaceful nation on earth.
Peace out!
Sushil jio,
i see no reason for him to write Er, or Dr, i only meant to say that it would be better and the best if he just goes with with shanti ram poudel.. it raises question in minds of many.
And i know he has not done anything to paste in such word in the front of his name.
Hari
Yes, Bhutan is emerging as an exemplary nation. Some describe it as last Shangri-La, some know by a nation to generate the highest refugee ratio(1:6) ratio to entire population, and to some you began to matrix happiness and began to sell it. When doing the business at times we need to highlight the products and this is what the latest trend is. From Japan to Brazil, Qatar to USA you are doing advertisement. A product manufactured by 17 years lad without higher secondary school diploma. And I understand that in Indian schooling systems, the development studies and concept of GDP were not taught in the school level curriculum. Without theoretical background may be it is impossible to analyze and understand the limitations of GDP and other related indexes. This is why we have enough spaces to raise our finger that this concept is not the idea from the person that you claim to be. And the person is not the enlightened one as you claim to be the super human.
We have a big question regarding the purpose of marketing strategy of GNH. Are you guys selling the GNH commodity or cleaning the dirt from your soul to the international community? Or is it like ‘going to the pilgrim as well as selling the fish’ when there is the chance.
Which one is severe, action or reaction? Government implemented ethnic law which is an action and southern people dislike and revolted which is reaction. The action comes and the reaction follows. But through you value judgment; the mistake is only the reaction side. If you’re unclear so far, educate your mighty heads with the fundamentals. Till now, you are advocating that whatever the government side did was right and whatever the southern people did was all wrong. Is this what you wanted to spread around the globe?
Dear Lotus,
I very much appreciated your view. You know what i never understand why this BNS gives space and priority to only people who mostly were Rautyes in Refugee camps. You might know what Rautey means, in our community
well, i am little confused about one thing…that you had mentioned above about not know the facts about the real cause which created everything bad/political things in Bhutan.
It was just the so called leaders namely Raj Kumar Budathoki, Tek Nath Rizal and so on. Actually never feel like pronouncing these names. They looted us so much so much that we never live our life as a real human anymore. They did all foolish and stupid things for their own fellowmen in the name of movement. They killed, raped, made innocent villagers a rebel. Result nothing, just refugee. And the so called leader on the other hand were/are having life as a minister. They even don’t walk for the distance of half a kilometer. Rikshaw of taxi should appear to be drop off.
They misused innocent people for their interests for years. Still some are running behind them thinking they may be able to go to back to homeland.
I, being Acharya, like to curse those so called leader who were mostly Bahuns, for ruining our beautiful life. I am not going against caste or anything but just trying to explore some of the facts which has never been seen in any kind of media.
I will be writing more, i have to go restroom now.
Nabin,
Kathmandu, New Baneswor
ha ha ha ..
Mr. Poudel,
You are any an egoist guy; anybody can tell from the way you want to paste that Er. title in front of your name. No one will give damn even if you are conferred Sir title.
Bhutan did not create high ratio refugees. Your leaders invited more non Bhutanese people from Assam, West Bengal and Nepal to make up the number so that they can ask for international aid and therefore serve their political purposes. Except for the UNHCR and some other agencies coming to provide basic humanitarian assistance, nothing has happened. The dreams of many pseudo leaders of becoming ministers in Bhutan have vanished. The camps will be slowly dismantled. Many who gave up their Bhutanese citizenship and joined the revolutionary movement have left to the west. Many people who don’t to go the west are either people belonging to Assam, West Bengal and Nepal and a very few are real Bhutanese with strong attachment to Bhutan. If they are not Bhutanese, they know where to go in the event the camps are dismantled. If they are real Bhutanese who are victims of political parties and if they can prove, may eventually be considered for repatriation.
Bhutan is govern by some of the refined human minds and they know what is good or bad for the country.
Peace out!
Respected Lotus,
You are such a great person… i respect you and your views. you are absolutely correct.
Khathaas were all the people who created problem in Bhutan.
Dear Lotus,
You are adding insult to the injuries to us, who were forced to flee Bhutan due to suppression and systematic torture by the regime. You are parroting the same old things like fourth king Jigme Singey Wangchuk, former home Minister Dago, present PM Jigme Y. Thinley and rest of the masterminds who used to hoodwink the international community. It is not at all true that people from India or Nepal joined the camps to get a dole. How can one comprehend that people come to lead the pathetic life in the refugee camps when they have at least place to call home.
The Joint Verification Team (JVT) of Bhutan and Nepal found more than 98% of people are genuine Bhutanese, so how can you claim that many are from India and Nepal. Please talk with facts and figure so that your argument can be substantiated.
Now, there are likely chances that people look for avenues to get register in the camps because to take the undue chances to sneak in the developed world through the process of resettlement. But to entertain such thing by UNHCR is next to impossible.
I know Bhutan is undergoing regret and guilt because of torture inflicted to its loyal citizens. That is why there is a crunch for human resources where it has to hire other nationals to maintain the workforce. The western countries are encouraging couples to bear the child and are offered incentives to such act. In contrary, Bhutan is going reverse side of the trend by expelling the tax payers and the needed human resources.
Thanks
Mr. Lotus Flower,
Stop your personal judgement about refugee composition. Look at the results of Khudunabari verification done by Bhutan-Nepal joint verification team where most of the camp residents were found to be Bhutanese. Only a handful that also subject to further verification who could not produce their Bhutanese documentation apparently either the RGOB confiscated them or they left behind at the time of fleeing army atrocities in Bhutan. You think you are too smart and you know everything about the Bhutanese crisis. But you know nothing. Basically you seem to be a chamcha of Bhutanese regime since your statement above supports the Bhutanese governemnt propaganda that refugees are from Assam, West Bengal and Nepal. Bhutanese regime has been using this propaganda at UN and international forums to cut off aid to refugees and divert the real attention of racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing in Bhutan. So donot resort to propaganda without valid proof.
i fully support the views and judgement of Mr. Lotus. he is very correct.
please Lotus ji keep on writing your views and judgement.
Dear Mr. Lotus Flower,
I acquired the qualification and understand that it is not heredity that I transfer from my ancestors. Why are you burning with my education and my expansion of vision? I’m mentioning all my details but you’re gutless, hiding your mere name also but never hesitated in criticizing other prefix. Is this not cowardice on your side?
However you want to defend the image of your idols, the truth is they intentionally attacked our intangible properties in the name of nation policy termed as BHUTANIZATION – NGALUISM. With an assumption that the ‘value’ of such aspect cannot be quantified, RGOB was too confident that they won’t be charged for such destruction. They even understood the sensitivity of such aspects otherwise seeking of consultation was not required. It is very easy to travel on someone’s shoulders and while doing so possesses higher potential energy through their position attribute, but if somehow gravity is distorted, how will be the stability, losing self weight.
Formation of conspiracies and forceful implementation of racist regulations compelled the southerners to show the differences. And there were some physical destruction of some of the public properties but such activities didn’t harm the social harmony and cultural significance at any cost. And the material loss can be well compensated had the intent was for general good. A country considering GDP as the incomplete tool to index the standard and searching for alternative tool to measure the well-being of the citizen allege its own people as ‘anti-nationals’ and ‘illegal immigrant’. If the GROB is sincere, can they produce all the documents showing the legality of the people with property records and status so that one can cross-check what is what? Because RGOB have documented and maintained all the data, they’re manipulating and playing foul. If somehow we find a good umpire, it’ll be difficult to save the face from shamelessness. If illegal immigrants were to be driven out of the country, what is the meaning of maintaining those folders and preserving them? How long these un-decisive games will last? How long will your GNH ‘burka’ cover the true morphology of Bhutanese identity? Understand the impact of criticism and hardness to digest showing the whiny smile and changing the color of face.
GROB is successful in doing three things – first, spreading the wrong information of Bhutan and Bhutanese people, second – attacking on cultural artifacts from place to all the way to dress and third one- marginalizing the southern people by freezing every things so that they can dominate them longer.
Bhutan was not the cradle of human civilizations. All the Bhutanese ancestors moved from other places and settled there. Later or earlier, they all are emigrants and it’s only the matter of time factors. Everyone moved in search of better opportunities within their pretext and found conducive for the fittest in those settings. Everyone adopted as per the natural settings contributed in forward movement may be friendly too.
But to come across the present situation is just the immaturity of JSW in decision making, giving weight to his clan and clergy only. The way he looked the southern people and his suspicious mind is wrong in creating the human disaster.
If there are any non Bhutanese in the refugee camp, it is you and your agents who sent them to claim you statements. You had been buying peoples to turn the things in your favor and this can never be exception if you say there are people from Assam, Bengal and Nepal. So speak what is genuine, do not utter things that your stingy tongue moves and control it as the tongue motion is voluntary – controllable.
Who the hack is this Dilli Prashed Acharya. I guess he is the chamcha of Lotus.Dilli give your opinion and your stand on the issue, not just second Lotus when he is making baseless allegation against the Lhotshampas.
as usaual there are two sides and we have to keep on fighting for our cause till our motherland is free from the grip of few people who think they can do anything they want .
Mr Lotus flower is trying to tell that we were people from assam or somewhere in india living in the refugee camp.If that is true why are we called Bhutanese ?
He also mentioned about law of the country .That is waht we want bhutan to have – String legal system, so that there is no difference between the high class people and a simple villager .
I do not think we have problem with an individual or race we want a transparent and fair society .
Regarding GNH -please play with the word .That is th thing that is bound to fall with time as more and more common bhutanese understand what is it in first place.
At the same time i do support your opinion begarding burning of national dress and other national properties was wrong if it was done .I was not in the southern bhutan at that point so did not have and proof of it .But when i wore Gho on 17th december 1992 in one of the refugee camps I was summoned in the public place and was asked to make a public apology.I strongly support the national dress and it is a must i govermental places.But i bhutan to wear a Gho going to town is a wrong thing to do.
I believe and strongly do so that we have failed in terms of leadership issues .Some of the high profile bhutanese leaders do not appreciate the fact bhutan is a country of multi ethnicity and culture .I think the bhutanese goverment has now realised this fact and there was Shiva Puran in chirang recently .
the bottom line is mistakes were mde from both sides and innocent people suffered .Lets not be involved in racial or ethnic agendas .Bhutan is our mother land and we will be loving and working for hr betterment whereever we are .
Regarding Santi Using Er.title .I am not sure where he got the idea .It would be more appropriate to use in the professional line .I am not sure whether it has anymeaning in the forum like BNS.Nothing against Santi but just my opinion .
Dear Laxmi ji,
I have a proof if you want. Why are you hiding your real views and behaviours of 90s. It was all due to we people due to which all innocents suffered a lot lot. Still those who are living in Bhutan are suffering due to our behaviors.
Could you like to name the so called leaders of 90s by your mouth once again please?
Those were all our kathaas. i can say that it was we who ruined our own life and others as well…
Bye.
Bhutan is the land that educated you, the land that let your greatgrand parents live and die, that fed you and helped you grow and educate yourself. That’s your land. But the government woke up from the lazy slumber, it found that the best/productive part of the country-the southern foothills had been converted from the malaria infested jungles of 1800/1900s into an economic hub of 20th century that enhanced Lhotsampas’ prosperity contributing to the national GDP. Along with it came the confidence, enthusiasm and democratic values in Lhotsampa people that threatened the foundation of Monarchy even though, the Lhotsampas Hindus worshipped the king as the God.
The regime, started thinking drawing examples from such dictators in Russia, Germany and carefully planned in a Bhutanese-Buddhist way how to transfer those lucrative business, properties into the hands of the king’s favorite ethnic groups, and how to reduce the Lhotsampa population and stop them from overtaking them in terms of economic wellbeing, democratic values, education and work ethics. It is purely the envy of these things compounded with sensationalized fear of overtaking, the RGOB cracked down on Lhotsampas in an uncharacteristic way or opposite of Buddhist principles. The emerging government continues to teach the theoretical values of Buddhist nation with democracy and GNH, but actions of the past decades remains as a permanent guilt in this great nation, though there are remarkable changes now in comparison to the past yet not enough to match their propaganda campaign, because in Bhutan history can be erased or written fresh with dictation; truth can be hidden but I believe it can never be buried forever. Imagine where will we will be in 20, 50 or hundred years from now! Lotus flower may be born as Santi Ram Poudel or vice versa but the Truth remains! Therefore, we have the obligations to tell the Truth and the world has the obligation to know the Truth about our great country, Bhutan the land of Shangri La and Gross national Happiness.
The attack on someone’s personal story comes from absence of jewel in the lotus of the heart of Buddhist Bhutanese individuals blinded by nationalism, not the fear of sins of karma or reincarnation. We have to see the overall picture as Bhutanese, accept the misdeeds on both sides and just tell the Truth which is the tenet of Buddhist religion. Let us not disgrace it.
DC
While I agree with some of the views expressed by Dick Chhetri especially in regard to Bhutan as a great nation I donot agree with him that “both sides should accept the misdeeds” for current miseries of Lhotshampa population. No one should blame the Lhotshampas because they are the losers, they lost their citizenship, homes, land, properties and evreything that belonged to them and forced to become refugees. They were victimised and it was planned and intentional. RGOB lost nothing. They simply changed the colour and put up a new mask in the name of democracy and GNH. You cannot compare a people with the government. People never make mistakes, government always does because they have a political agenda. People are always right anywhere in the world. They rise up only when their rights are violated or they are denied their rights and freedoms. In Bhutan Lhotshampas were systematically denied all their rights from right to learn their mother tongue to dress and culture, from their citizenship rights to their fundamental rights as Bhutanese citizens. Do you expect them to keep quiet and donot raise their voice?
i strongly do not agree with laxmi poudel.
just remember what had you done when you were in bhutan…you should not forget that you simply carried bombs and khaduwa bandukhs man. gov too had done some thing wrong but it did so only because of our bad behaviors.
we pissed on the plate where is ate food…i regret much.
sorry bhutan. never mind.
Acharya, that is your thinking and live with that. You fail to realize how many people were arrested, kidnapped from Nepal, Assam and West Bengal, put behind bars, tortured and murdered by Bhutanese regime well before any demonstration took place in Bhutan. First victim was M.B.Chhetri who was muedered at NIE. Don’t you forget it is not Lhotshampas who started all this but JSW, DT and their henchmen. I donot agree “we pissed on the plate” we simply challenged the dictatorial and absolute rule of JSW who had the guts to conspire against his own citizens who he thought posed serious threat to his rule, a wrong perception and misguided politics.
Hi there,
Since you are trying to post several comments with different names, we were unable to approve any one of your comments.
-Editorial Team
ya i know you guys can’t tolerate the trouth bcoz you have habbit to enjoy in false path. thanks for earasing my comments
I m not in support of 1990’s movement of bhutan coz it’s look like racist movent.I know the activities of 1990’s were really emotional and redical.They spoke fathless words and made the innocent people emonational.They burned the national flaf.They were in agganist of bhutanese people and nation.They did’nt speake about doya, brokpa, mangpa, kurtopa, tsersopa and lothsanpa.They sopported T.N Rizal who was the citizen of nepal and had porperty in Birtamod jhapa.Most of them were illigel immegrent in bhutan but some them r bonafite citizen too. we the people of bhutan r waitiog for our bonafite citizen return to back to country.we hope our people can come out from the world of demon.They kidnife lots of lothsampa and killed in Garganda (india).Many children in the southernfoothills became parentless during that time.One of them is me. Now i can speak nepali in fornt young king of bhutan.I don’t accept daura sural daka topi as my dress coz it entered in nepali communiti during the time of kulamandan khan.Remember…. Kumandan khan was ancester of shaha dinesty of nepal. later on they got shaha title from india.same like that ugen wankchuk got sir title fome india. SO Dear Santi ram, whatever happened on u during that time was for the safe of country.Now see our country is safe from different kinds of tension like nepal. Santi Ram sorry for that okey.Enjoy your newlife in U.S.A. GOOD LUCK…..TASHIDILE
I feared that most of the readers won’t like this kind of story but I’m surprised to see many comments, some are my clarifications of the challenges put forward by some valued commenter. This shows many of the friends had gone through the story either superficially or in-depth. Everyone owes special thanks and I personally name BNS friends for giving the space in the site.
The main theme of the story got diverted while commenting but had hit many pertinent areas. We got the opportunity to read the feelings and attitude of some part of whole. At times when we have unexpressed emotions, dissatisfaction or sufferings one gets relief by pouring somewhere which is humane. I didn’t hint anywhere in the story as which side is right or wrong but I got a blame that I incline to a side. Even then this is ok.
Some of the friends are not happy at writing Er prefix in front of the name which is logical too. For clarification, academically I graduated with distinction in MSc.(Urban Planning and Development Studies) from Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, TU. Almost for six years I practiced my field there at Nepal and I’m legally authorized to write since the degree is not time framed and granted by the university after successfully completing the course. But I’m not sure whether I’m permitted to write in media or not. Anyhow it would have been uncontroversial if I had not used the prefix but using it also nothing wrong has occurred. I do hope that this thing will not bring any misunderstanding or negative feeling.
Criticism is expected and I value all your comments. Thanks.
This comment is directed to Er Santi and Lotus Flower. First of all i worked in a Bhutan Government mission until i retired in 1994. Im neutral to both of you. First of all Engineering title is not like the ones professor and Doctors have. None of the Engineers write Er in front, this is the fist time im seeing it.Let me suggest ER santi not to write it again, this will be an insult to the whole engineering society. Secondly Mr Lotus mentioned some important aspects of Bhutanese prosperity. It is very interesting to see how Bhutan is growing up with GNH. Its a unique approach and we Americans apppreciate it. Let me talk abt the revolution. Yes the Genuine Bhutanese of Nepali origin were punished in a real bad way. so i look at both sides. The problem with Nepalis was they had no educated leaderes. Mr Rizal was a clumsy fellow who barely knew what to do in politics. So the abd thing they had wrong leaders. On Government side they were compelled to evict a lot of nepalese to save the their face. The main Player was India and you people never realise it. so instead of pointing finger at each other evaluate what India did to both of you guys.
Lastly Mr ER if you really think you are a liberal writer stick to your writing and stop commenting aggresively to the critics. Mr Lotus is a reader and he had all right to comment on it. If you really have a degree , which i suppose you have, hope its not imported from Siliguri, then you talk like a mature educated ER..you seem very arrogant and hypocrite..Pls dont jump on me.
Mr Lotus you know the truth and i hope your army is not raping innocent Nepalis any more
Amen
no matter what you say shanti ram bhai ji, but will be a full fledged debate regarding 90s movement in the days to come. and for your information i will be from bhutan’s side.
i could not piss on the plate where i ate.
Hey… knaglop, keymachap….. why r u again fighting overthere?.physically u r resettled in third country but mentally u r still in the rufugee camp. u guys r ill minded and don’t know how to remain in the peace.making lots of unnecesery noice and creating problem in the comuniti where u lived.spease speak trouth,think positive, do good,and do your work. thanks
In a place like Dagana Bhutan anyone can claim he/she is an Engineer. I bet the writer is working some entry level job in US. My professor is a senior design Engineer but i never saw that prefix infront of him.Btw according to him if you are writting something professionally you cannot use that prefix. There is no such term called ER in the whole Professional sector. Come on you are no more in Dagana Bhutan. Plus i wouldn’t be surprised if you say the greatest problem in Dagana by then was traffic jam. Keep fooling people with all the monster jokes.
this is really interesting place to be .With comments on both side .After such a long time i found someone who shares my view .He is Mr Smith above .Our cause had leadership failure and we lost the battle because we faught with northerners in bhutan rather than fighting with the goverment.
now we need to regroup and find our mission back -to get a fair society in bhutan
I have had an excellent opportunity learning about the Bhutanese refugees here in Austin TX these past few months.
Two Bhutanese students who got admitted here at the college of engineering gave me this site, when I asked I wanted to learn about Bhutanese refugees. ..Happened to step onto this article by Mr. Poudel.
Well, looking at the narration of these comments, it looks like whether Mr. Poudel was unable/able to cater to facts on the struggle of Bhutanese people but one common point of arugement clusters around the fact that he has attempted to write using socially constructed awards ( eg: using Er. infront of the name) which is popularly not used.
I do not care about who is engineer or not engineer or doctor or a simple street walker, if the ideas are genuine.
some 20 years ago, when I made to America I had a situation. I was an engineer from the same school where Mr. Poudel Graduated from. But the Cockrell school of engineering at Univeristy of TX in Austin kind of put me on the academic dishonesty list while I was at masters program, because in one of the publication paper that I had written had a bottom note ” saying Updhaya …blah blah blha engineer from nepal……” So I had to bear consequnences.
….And it is not legally allowable to write Engineer infront of your name if you cannot sign designs and have an accredation from the U.S Universities. You need to have license to say that.
In all honesty, I am not attacking Mr. Poudel, But my humble request to you:” please remove the Er. title at this time”.
And also as your countrymen said, it now becomes a moral obligation for you to be honest and remove the title. There is no doubt that you are not an engineer, but technically it seems you cannot officially document your title.
MR. POUDEL PLEASE CONSIDER IT. IT’S MY HUMBLE REQUEST AGAIN!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
512 483 6969
Prof. Dr. Updahay
Cockrell Engineering school
Chair communication engineering.
i believe there are still..many Nepali living in bhutan.
if the RGOB really wanted to send the nepalese away, why is there still Nepali living in the southern district of Bhutan?
i think those refugee, who claims that they ve been evicted , misjudged and tortured, themselves must be responsible. From what i have heard, the RGOB wanted to grant citizenship to these unfaithful people, and wanted them to wear bhutanese national dress and claim themself as Bhutanese. But instead they started burning the national dress and flags. closing down schools in chirang( now Damphu High school) striping the dress of the principal . These were the kind of things done by the so called bhutanese-refugee.
I think the govt has done the right thing of evicting them.. !!! :P.
however the Nepalese who wanted to live in harmony and to be called as Bhutanese still lives here in southern bhutan.
peace up for them….
I WONDER WHAT (MR/MRS) LOTUS,YUE GI BUM AND JIGME SINGAY WANGCHUCK COULD HAVE WRITTEN IF THEY WERE IN PLACE OF SANTI RAM POUDEL……………..????????????
Well! Kancha,
Keep on wondering…… Lol
Kancha i guess I would ve written the true story without exaggeration.
Inna……yue gi bum?
yue gi bum
Let me see how long your hip hop son and slimy hot daughter would wear bhutanese national dress?
Wearing national dress does not mean that you love your nation! What do you think
? Our US army’s dudes wear what ever they like when they are back home, do you mean they don’t have love over our nation?
By the way I am planning to visit your country next Summer, to see how many of you have been wearing your so called national dress.
Thanks!
James Brown.
John Smith is the fake name of jealous Bhutanese individual who is unable to tolerate the Er prefix in front of an individual. If one wills and if he deserves, what is the harm for you stupid arrogant to make a big topic? Some country use suffix like -Eng, German use Ing , some other would use Engr, and many does not like to use.
If you have eared those entitlement hang around you, if not, do not consider as sour grapes of others.
Santi Sir, do not lose your spirit and hope. I know the truth is some time bitter for other, but it does not mean that you need to stop telling the truth to the world. Hope to see your strong and effective article in New York Times, Washington Post, BBC world service, Aljazeera and many more.
Keep writing, Keep shining!
Regards!
Your JSW
Bhutan