I joined the Bhutan National Democratic Party in early 1993 and commenced party works. I interviewed the new arrivals regarding the cause of their exodus from the country. As more refugees came into the Nepal camps, they started facing security problems. The refugees and the local people had serious social problems. So the Operations Management and Implementation Unit (OMIU), now the Refugee Co-ordination Unit (RCU), and the UNHCR had to be briefed and consulted with on security and protection issues. I made requests for the posting of police to maintain law and order in and around the camps, and to protect the refugees from the anger of the local community. I visited the camps for data collection on protection issues, and reported on this information to the OMIU (now RCU) and the UNHCR, to further justify the case for security and protection.
As a party member, I started providing the required advice to the refugees managing the camps. They needed consultations regarding the schooling of the refugee children in the camps, and finding teachers to work on a voluntary basis for the benefit of the refugee community.
I helped advise the Bhutanese Refugees Education Committee that was started by the Student Union of Bhutan on how the schools were to be opened and managed. Data collection was done with regard to the available manpower to prepare and motivate possible teachers who would help the children out. Open-air schools were started in some of the camps for refugee children. Educated people provided support for the programme. I was involved in this campaign, which included motivating the voluntary teachers. Caritas Nepal stepped in as a partner in the Refugee Education Programme, the teachers began to receive some incentives, and the schools were established properly.
The refugee food basket did not include cooking fuel, so the refugees were collecting firewood from the forest. They started getting arrested, so this problem had to be addressed. I initiated discussions with the refugee organisations on how this problem could be solved. I submitted three options to the HMGN and UNHCR: (i) provide kerosene and stoves for cooking purposes; (ii) provide firewood through relief agencies, and (iii) allow the refugees to collect firewood.
The Bhutan National Democratic Party appointed me the Joint Secretary for Youth Welfare and Development. The party had launched its youth wing in May 1993. I visited camps with the President of the Democratic Youth of Bhutan to identify potential youths for membership. Group meetings were conducted to convince the young men and women to join the party or the youth wing.
Preparations were made for orientation workshops for these identified youths in consideration of their exposure to this new situation. The youths also needed guidance so that the vested interest groups were not misguiding them. The youths has been expressing their frustration due to lack of opportunities and despondency. The preparation of workshop materials had to be based on needs and the situation. We were also learning in the process.
The topics covered in the workshops were: the purpose of human life; youth and their responsibilities; human rights violation in Bhutan; geopolitics and historical background; political thoughts; forms of government; Himalayan culture; party ideology and the organizational structure; the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the rights and duties of citizens; Bhutanese citizenship laws; Census enumeration during 1988; democracy and the written constitution; system and organs of government; election commission; political parties and their role in democracy. Basic knowledge about these topics was included, translated in Nepali, and printed. I facilitated and deliberated on some of the presentations and topics. We contacted the facilitators for the topics selected, giving them sufficient time to prepare.
I conducted workshops in 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997 for youth and party workers.
A lot of refugees, especially the activists of different parties and organisations, were living outside the camps. They had to be registered with either the UNHCR or His Majesty’s Government of Nepal. I took up the case for registration of refugees living outside the camps with the RCU.
I established the Central Executive Committee, designated the Camp Focal Points, and entrusted the responsibilities of motivating youths for membership to the organisation. I took the organisation to the grassroots level.
I established a skeleton dungkhag and block level committees.
I held discussions with the Camp Management Committees to initiate the adult education programme for possible continuation of their education on a formal basis. Their inclusion in the camp based schools was not possible, so alternatives were explored. I visited Bhasa Samity in Siliguri in West Bengal for possible enrolment of our students. I approached OXFAM through the Refugee Women Forum to buy books for these students and maintain a library in each camp. Our members were requested to provide maximum possible assistance in the matter.
I published an article in Himal Magazine titled "A Hostage in Thimphu" about Tek Nath Rizal who was sentenced to life imprisonment, with the king declaring that he would be released when the southern problem was solved.
The DYB established relations with Democratic Youth Federation of India in Siliguri.
I undertook a field level survey, data collection and processing with Christopher Strawn and Dr. DNS Dhakal for their book Bhutan: A Movement in Exile.
I contacted Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch (a human rights group) in Kalimpong for a human rights seminar in Siliguri, India to create media awareness in India about the Bhutanese Movement. Other human rights groups, social organisations, political parties and legal firms were also contacted for their support and solidarity. I visited the identified speakers in Siliguri, Sikkim and Kalimpong to confirm their participation, and I undertook the publicity work for the seminar. I also co-ordinated the entire seminar organised by the Manav Adhikar Surakshya Manch.
I mobilised support for the Bhutan National Democratic Party for a rally to be held in August 1995. I contacted different political leaders, academics, and social and human rights activists to participate in the rally. I visited camps and refugee organisations to request their participation in the rally, staying in Siliguri to mobilise the media persons and social and political organisations.
I participated in the Asia and Pacific Regional Seminar on civil rights and liberties organised by World Federation of Democratic Youth in Calcutta, and I attended the 5th National Convention of the Democratic Youth Federation of India in Calcutta.
The Youth Organisation of Bhutan and Students Union of Bhutan was contacted to undertake a joint action. We developed and organised an action plan for a Mass Cycle Rally from the Indo-Nepal border to the Indo-Bhutan border to promote student and youth solidarity, and to create mass awareness in India, especially in the area bordering Bhutann.
We mobilised cyclists for the event, requesting the Bhutanese Coalition for Democratic Movement to help raise funds for the event. 96 cyclists were arrested at the Indo-Nepal border, 6 at Siliguri, 10 at Birpara and 150 at Manglabare near the Indo-Bhutan border. I worked with the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (a lawyers' association) for the release of the arrested cyclists. The event was covered widely by the Indian media. This was our objective as Indian Government was acting in an ignorant way, presenting the Bhutanese refugee crisis as a bilateral issue between Bhutan and Nepal only.
A silent procession in Damak was organised for the occasion of a visit by the Nepalese Prime Minister to India. The demands - (i) HMGN officially requested India to help in the resolution of the crisis, and (ii) that the four categories agreed upon by the two governments were abrogated.
The UNHCR was reducing scholarships to the students towards higher studies. A proposal was taken up with Caritas Nepal to fund higher education for high school graduates.
The organisation was restructured to work more effectively in the camps and within Bhutan.
We organised pamphleteering, wall-writing, and postering activities inside Bhutan to protest against the undemocratic National Assembly’s 74th Session and to mobilise support within Bhutan. The organisation lost one of the most trusted cadres during the postering work in Bhutan. I took over as President of the Democratic Youth of Bhutan when the President resigned.
A petition was prepared for the British Refugee Council team who visited the camps on the refugee issue.
An audio-cassette production was proposed. Singers, lyric writers and musicians were identified for the audiocassette. We undertook voice testing, and selected the artists. We mobilised support from the recording houses in Kathmandu for cassette production, and sent the artists to practice and record their songs. The cassettes were released. Meetings were organised with the executives at different times as different issues came up and had to be addressed.
I initiated the restructuring of United Front for Democracy in Bhutan on an organisational basis and participated in its activities as a constituent member. I helped the Camp Secretaries organise a hunger strike in the camps protesting the arrest of Rongthong Kuenley Dorji, the Chairman of the UFD by the Indian authorities.
I was elected as the President of the Democratic Youth of Bhutan in May 1997.
A petition was submitted to the Nepalese Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand and diplomatic circles in Katmandu on the refugee issue. A rally was organised in Damak demanding the release of Teknath Rizal, Col. Tandin Dorji and Rongthong Kuenley Dorji. I participated in the BCDM planning and programming activities.
Applied for Membership to the World Federation of Democratic Youths for DYB. Participated in the Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting of the World Federation of Democratic Youths in Katmandu.
I expressed protest in writing to the Bhutanese Refugee Advocacy Group for supporting only a single organisation.
I initiated a Group of Eight. A series of meetings was conducted the Group of Eight to initiate a process of solidarity among youths and students. I drew up and finalised the program proposal for the Group of Eight. Group of Eight decided to draw up a Memorandum of Understanding among the members to protect the common interest.
I participated in the 11th National Convention of the All India Youth Federation in Calcutta, supported the National Movement inside Bhutan under the United Forum for Democracy umbrella.
The Youth Co-ordination Council was formed. I worked on the MOU for the youth solidarity, but I could not sign the MOU due to distrust among them.
I attended a leadership workshop organised by the Jesuit Refugee Service. I also worked on the review and planning for the future, and participated in the activities of Bhutanese Refugees Representative Repatriation Committee. I also attended a four-day seminar organised by Calcutta University on cross border terrorism, drug abuse, human rights, cross border girl trafficking, and ethnic intolerance.
I reviewed the organisational performance and drew up a plan for the future. A proposal was put to the party for reactivating the DYB along with a proposal prepared by the Group of Eight.
I attended the Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting organised by the WFDY in Katmandu, and I visited Calcutta to revive the organisation relation with youth and student organisations. I met the leaders of the political parties. I participated in one-day conference organised by the Indo-Bhutan Friendship Society. I led a three-member delegation to the International Youth Conference held in Chitwan Nepal, organised by the International Youth Co-ordination Council, Nepal.
I established the Amnesty International Bhutan Chapter with a membership of 25 persons.
2)
July 1997- April 2000: taught Distribution Management (a Marketing Houours Paper for a third year Bachelor of Business Studies course) at Damak Multiple Campus.
3)
January 1997-present: teaching Business Management, Marketing, and Accounting at Damak Model Higher Secondary School and Global Higher Secondary School.
1. I have written a book (not yet published) titled Bhutan: Human Rights and Inhuman Wrongs.
2. I published an article in Himal Magazine, "A Hostage in Thimphu" in the March-April 1994 issue.
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