BHUTAN ISSUE RAISED IN EUROPE

BAF-Europe raises Human Rights and refugee issues in Europe.

Kathmandu, 10 Dec.: The Bhutanese Advocacy Forum (BAF – Europe) on the occasion of 64th International Human Rights Day raised Bhutanese issues in the Dutch Parliament on 7 December and at the European Parliament on 8 December. Hague based Global Human Rights Defense (GHRD) together with Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) organized the program, an official announcement said.

On the first day, during the program held in the Dutch Parliament attended by the participants from south Asian countries the two members BAF –Europe delegation appraised on Bhutanese issues with Mr. Haary van Bommel, head of the Human Rights committee of the Dutch parliament. The delegation strongly raised the issues of human rights violations and the lack of inclusive and vibrant democracy in Bhutan. They also complained that the developmental activities in Bhutan are mostly concentrated in the east and west.

The delegation further raised that the southern Bhutanese are denied of equal opportunity to education and employment. They revealed even the southern Bhutanese students who secured the excellent marks in their final school examinations were deprived of getting enrolled in the government colleges. The Lhotsampas are not entitled for the services in departments like national airlines, post, the ministries of home and foreign affairs, police and army.

In both occasion the delegates appealed the EU to work towards bringing refugee leaders and Bhutan government together at one table for the permanent solution of the Bhutanese refugee and other related issues. European Union was requested to send an independent monitoring team to control the effective implementation of those recommendations accepted by Bhutan during the 6th Universal Periodic Reviews in March 2010 and such team should also be formed in Damak, Nepal to monitor the screening of the Bhutanese refugees’ resettlement process. That is needed to avoid unnecessary wastage of refugee time and massive corruption and harassment of the refugees in the whole process.

On the following day during the conference themed the “Rights of Minorities in South Asia”, held in the European parliament, the 6 member BAF –Europe delegation raised the similar issues and concerns as in the Dutch parliament. The conference session was chaired by Mrs. Cecilia Wikstroem, member of European parliament from Sweden and also the member of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, ALDE. Stakeholders like Mrs. Rensje Teerink the deputy head of Asia Department for India, Nepal and Bhutan at the European External Action Service were also present as observers. South Asia diplomatic missions based in Brussels and numerous other south Asian experts were present in large numbers in the conference.

6 member Bhutanese Advocacy Forum (BAF – Europe) delegations was led by its founding member and Coordinator for Germany Mr. Tejman Rayaka Monger.
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