KATHMANDU, July 20: The wounds of the Bhutanese refugee crisis, which began around 35 years ago, remain unhealed. The issue of prisoners of conscience, who were imprisoned in Bhutan for nearly three decades before being sent to Nepal, is emerging in new ways. Their fight for justice remains uncertain as more such prisoners are expected to be sent to Nepal from Bhutan via India in the coming years.
During a discussion program titled ‘Bhutan's Prisoners of Conscience Unseen by the World,’ organized by the Tanka Prasad Acharya Memorial Foundation in Kathmandu on Friday, attendees were moved to tears by the testimonies of three recently released Bhutanese prisoners of conscience. Despite their harrowing experiences, neither the United Nations Refugee Commission (UNHCR) nor the Government of Nepal has taken significant steps to alleviate their suffering.
Ram Bahadur Rai, imprisoned for 32 years, Madhukar Magar, who spent 30 years behind bars, and Man Bahadur Khaling Rai, who served 20 years, recounted the immense hardships they face as they attempt to rebuild their lives after their release from prison. These men, who were punished for seeking justice for forcibly evicted Bhutanese nationals, now lack basic necessities such as food and identity cards recognizing them as refugees. Their families have been torn apart, leaving them with no support system.
While most Bhutanese refugees have resettled in third countries, around 6,000 still reside in refugee camps in Nepal, receiving little to no international support. They are additionally frustrated as local authorities in Nepal give them a harsh reply that they have stopped all kinds of support to Bhutanese refugees when asked for assistance to ease their life.
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These tree men, who were recently deported from Bhutan, possess only the documents issued by Bhutanese police upon their release. Their extreme poverty and lack of legal recognition exacerbate their struggles. “I felt like a bird released from a cage after many years," said 63-year-old Ram Bahadur Rai. "But this freedom has brought further uncertainty." Ram Bahadur was fortunate to reunite with one of his daughters, but the whereabouts of his two sons, who are abroad, remain unknown. Another Bhutanese prisoner of conscience, Man Bahadur Khaling, who arrived in Nepal a few years ago, shared his plight as an unidentified refugee. "We have no legal documents allowing us to stay in the camp, We are suffering immensely, he said. The situation of Man Bahadur Khaling, another Bhutanese prisoner of conscience-- is similarly dire. After his wife and children resettled in the US, he is left alone, grappling with the harsh realties of post-prison life, Relationships can only survive with_ proximity," he lamented. "Sometimes, I feel it would have been better to remain in prison. Despite the pain, Madhukar found some solace on Friday, seeing people listen to his story. "I can't sleep at night due to the pain from the beatings by Bhutanese security officials, he said.
These prisoners of conscience, who endured decades in Bhutanese jails, were deported from Bhutan and reached Nepal through India with the help of well-wishers.
According to international humanitarian law, no one should be deported, yet their plight is dire. Similar routes were taken by Bhutanese refugees in the 1990s to reach Nepal after they were forcefully evicted from the country.
Although these individuals fought for their right to return home, not even a single Bhutanese refugee in eastern Nepal was allowed this right and instead resettled in third countries, "We are not Bhutanese, Indian, or Nepali. Where do we belong?" Madhukar asked. "No one çares about us, Today, when we talk about our medical treatment, it feels like we might live only a few more years
Activists in Nepal are trying to collect funds for the treatment of these prisoners of conscience they face multiple health as issues due to extreme torture by the Bhutanese authorities in the prisons that are not monitored by ICRC or by any rights bodies. Representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, human rights activists, and others present expressed their concern over the plights of Bhutanese refugees and the prisoners of conscience.
"As a Nepali, I feel ashamed," said human rights activist Charan Prasai. He criticized the Jhapa district offcer's decision to stop assisting refugees and called for accountability from the Home Minister. Bhutan is a terrifying, autocratic country, said activist Subodh Pyakurel, highlighting that international law prohibits deportation. Documents from Bhutanese authorities confirm the expulsion of these individuals.
Tika Dhakal, another activist, emphasized that shelter should not be an issue for these prisoners of conscience. Shobhakar Budhathoki noted that the international community failed to rehabilitate Bhutanese refugees even temporarily in the past. Sushil Pyakurel, president of the Tanka Prasad Acharya Memorial Foundation, urged that these individuals be recognized as prisoners of conscience. "Nepal remains helpless in this issue," journalist Kanak Mani Dixit remarked.
Journalist Devendra Bhattarai, who brought the issue of Bhutanese prisoners of conscience in the public notice, questioned the role of the government in Nepal, According to him, at least 34 prisoners are still languishing in various Bhutanese prisons for decades. Sancha Hang Subba, Secretary of the Refugee Management Committee in the Beldangi refugee camp, highlighted the refugees’ painful anonymity due to government policies, despite humanitarian support. The local government authorities have stopped issuing identity cards to now Bhutanese refugees such as those released from Bhutanese prisons alter decades of prison life.
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