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Bhutan: Land of Happiness for the Selected ›› 2 Bhutan>Background NRCA thematic report from the Norwegian REPORTS Refugee Council, issue 1/2008 Bhutan BhuTaN: LaNd Of happiness for ThE selected ›› 2 BhuTaN>BaCkgrouNd Bhutan: Land of happiness for the selected This inaugural edition of NRC when Bhutan’s elite identified the tration amongst the refugees is Every sixth citizen Reports is the first in a series with Nepali-language minority as a mounting, and donors are becom- which the Norwegian Refugee political and cultural threat. New ing increasingly passive. The pro- Council, (NRC), aims to highlight laws and policies in line with the posal of voluntary resettlement for neglected conflicts. As an king’s command of “One Nation, the refugees in a third-country is is a refugee acclaimed expert on international One People”, consolidated the positive – especially for the most work with forced displacement, the power, values and identity of the vulnerable groups. However, the Richard Skretteberg Norwegian Refugee Council has a Buddhist elite. The polarisation of Norwegian Refugee Council Situated in the Himalayas between Tibet and India, Bhutan used to be a multi- Editor particular responsibility in bring- society was so dramatic because believes that the international ing long-running, neglected con- the state so obviously represented community must also defend the cultural and relatively harmonious society – a meeting point of Hindus and flicts onto the humanitarian and one ethnic group in a multi-ethnic refugees’ right to return, in coop- political agendas. Humanitarian society. Without access to demo- eration with the UN High Com- Buddhists and peoples of different languages and cultures. However, in the 1980s efforts and advocacy should not be cratic channels, minorities grew missioner for Refugees, and should the picture of a harmonious Shangri-la began to fall apart. determined by political agendas increasingly fearful. There were push for their citizenship to be that favour high-profile crises over harsh crackdowns on peaceful restored. Furthermore, the UN obtain nationality. In particular, the require- the suffering that takes place far demonstrations. As of 1993, one High Commissioner for Human The most influential group is the Ngalong to Wary of the possibility of their increased ment to read and write Dzongkha, the from the attention of media and sixth of the population had left the Rights should gain access to moni- which the King belongs. A people of Nepalese influence and power, the Ngalong elite started national language, was a challenge for many politicians. country due to threats, detentions, tor the human rights situation in origin, known as the Lhotshampas, constitute to view the Lhotshampa minority as a threat. Lhotshampas who could not read and write the confiscation of property and the country in order to prevent a large minority concentrated in the south of A series of measures was initiated that in at all – Dzongkha being, moreover, a com- Bhutan, a tiny isolated kingdom other measures which particularly new violations. As Bhutan’s closest the country. They were taught Nepali in many ways resemble a process of ethnic pletely foreign language to them. However, sandwiched between the giant states targeted the Nepali-language ally – and economic and military schools in the southern districts and had the cleansing. the 1985 Citizenship Act went even further of China and India, has a troubled minority. mainstay – India bears a signifi- possibility of a government career. Indeed, in its demands. Documentary evidence was recent history. Despite the extensive cant responsibility for finding a many became Bhutanese citizens under the ThE CiTizenshiP Act iS Tightened The required to prove that one had paid land tax, abuse of its own population, the Since 1993, the fate of the refugees solution for the Bhutanese refugees 1958 Nationality Law. Citizenship Act of 1977 introduced more and been registered in 1958, the year of the country has – to a large extent – has been the object of bilateral in accordance with international restrictive criteria that had to be met to first Nationality Law. In addition, one must managed to avoid criticism in the negotiations between the Bhuta- standards. But the greatest respon- international media. On the contra- nese government and the govern- sibility lies with Bhutan itself. The ry, the media has often helped per- ment of Nepal. There have been no refugees must have a voice in the petuate the myth of an exotic land concrete results: not even a single country’s first real parliamentary ›› of happiness in the majestic Hima- refugee has been allowed to return elections to be held in the spring layan mountains. However, what we home. of 2008. Exclusion of an ethnic have before us is a silent tragedy group before an election cannot be occurring in a media-created Moreover, according to many considered real democratization. Shangri-la. observers, the Government of It is, rather, an inclusive policy that Bhutan has been deliberately will best serve the long-term inter- The situation in the country employing delaying tactics to drag ests of Bhutan There can be no serious ly deteriorated in the 1980s out these negotiations. The frus- Shangri-la without human rights. Contents EdiTORiaL: Land of ThE REgiON: uNiTEd NaTiONS: ThE way fORwaRd: happiness for the selected 2 Living between giants 8 Sidelined 12 Stateless refugees 16 BhuTaN: Every sixth diSPLaCEmENT: Life in BhuTaN TOday: RecommendaTions citizen is a refugee 3 the refugee camps 9 Democratization, Of ThE NorwEgiaN but not for all 14 REfugEE COuNCiL 18 POPuLaTiON: A multiethnic society 6 Photo: Scanpix/REUTERS/Desmond Boylan Editor: Richard Skretteberg Editorial TEAM: Ronny Hansen, Vikram Odedra Kollmanskog, Eli Wærum Rognerud TRANSLATION: Simon Burgess ADDRESS: Norwegian Refugee Council, P.O.box 6758, St. Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Norway DESIGN & LAYOUT: Cox Front page: A group of Bhutanese refugees attempted to march from the refugee camps in Nepal to Bhutan in May 2007. At the Indian border post Mechi River Bridge they were halted by Indian forces who opened fire on the crowd. Photo: Scanpix/AFP/Diptendu Dutta PRINTING: Gamlebyen Grafiske EDITION: 3000 ISBN: 978-82-7411-176-1 NRC REPORTS Bhutan 3 BhuTaN>BaCkgrouNd BhuTaN>BaCkgrouNd Photo: Norwegian Hansen Council/Ronny Refugee not have spoken or acted against the King, the Bhutan for more than 20 years. Some could country and the people. In order to implement even prove that they lived in Bhutan in 1957 the law, the Bhutanese government organised and 1959, but this was of no use if they did IRAN NEPAL Thimphu a census in 1988. It was clearly aimed at identi- not have a tax receipt from 1958. The 1958 fying non-Bhutanese citizens, rather than at PAKISTAN CHINA Nationality Law stated that a Bhutanese citi- producing statistical data about the popula- zen who abandons his agricultural land to live BHUTAN tion, the survey only being carried out in the outside the country loses his citizenship, and southern districts, where most Lhotshampas this was never changed in the subsequent INDIA lived. When it became clear how stringent TAIWAN and unreasonable the requirements were with Citizenship Acts. Thus the Lhotshampas who BURMA regard to documentation, people grew wor- could prove residence in ‘57 and ‘59 but not ried. Providing thirty-year-old agricultural tax in ‘58 were defined as returned migrants (F2). receipts would be difficult enough in the West, Citizenship cards that had been issued before and was even more challenging in the largely 1988 were no longer valid and were, in a facts abouT BhuTaN: paperless and illiterate society of Bhutan. number of cases, confiscated by the census ■ Area: 47.000 Km² LAOS Based on the documents each person could officials. In general there was much confusion ■ Inhabitants: 635.000 (2005 census3) present, the Lhotshampas were divided into as to the interpretation of the Citizenship Act, ■ Refugees: Approximately 108.000 in camps in Nepal, 10.000 to the following seven categories: because everything ultimately depended on 15.000 outside the camps. Between 15.000 and 30.000 in India ■ Genuine Bhutanese citizens the census officials. As a result, similar cases ■ Currency: Ngultrum (one ngultrum equals one Indian rupee) ■ Returned migrants, i.e. people who left were classified differently, in different districts. ■ Capital: Thimphu FILIPINENE Bhutan and then returned ■ Geography: High mountains in the north, hills in the centre and ■ People who were not around at the time “ONE NaTion, ONE People” The nationality tropical in the southern belt THAILAND of the census legislation was not the only measure from the ■ Governance: Monarchy since 1907. King Jigme Khesar Namgyal ■ Non-national women married to Bhutanese Bhutanese authorities which directly discrimi- Wangchuck ascended the throne in 2006 as the world’s youngest head of state men, and their children nated against the Lhotshampas. In 1987 the KAMBODJA ■ Languages: 24 languages spoken4. Most important languages ■ Non-national men married to Bhutanese sixth Five Year Plan was introduced. One of spoken are Dzongkha (national language), nepali, sharchopkha, women, and their children the main aims of the plan was the preserva- bumthangkha ■ Legally adopted children tion and promotion of the national identity. ■ Economy: Mainly agriculture, tourism and hydropower VIETNAM ■ Non-nationals It stated that maintaining and strengthening a ■ Main religions: Buddhism and Hinduism distinct national identity was a vital factor for ■ Literacy rate: 54 or 60 % (UNICEF Bhutan and the Government According to the authorities, the 1988 census Bhutan’s well-being and security, and was later Paro Dzong, Bhutan. Buddhism and its rituals dominate politics of Bhutan respectively) revealed large numbers of illegal immigrants. epitomized in the slogan “One Nation, One ■ Main ethnic groups: Ngalong, Sharchop and Lhotshampa Only those who could provide a tax receipt People”. As a part of this policy, in 1989 and culture in Bhutan. dated 1958 were classified as F1, genuine Bhu- the King issued a royal decree to promote tanese citizens.
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