The Statesman
NEW DELHI, 26 Oct. 1998 – A report on the situation in Bhutan has warned of a possible conflagration if the root causes of the unrest are not addressed.
The situation there, with the presence of the Indian insurgent groups, the unrest amongst the Lhotsampas of south Bhutan and the Sharchop community of eastern Bhutan and the presence of a large number of small arms in the region has been described by the South Asian Human Rights Documentation Centre as a powder keg.
Releasing a report on the Bhutanese Political Crisis and Refugee Problem here today, the SAHRDC said while the democratic changes were welcome, they were inadequate.
The SAHRDC Executive Director, Mr Ravi Nair, said King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, had introduced the changes to create some space for himself since he was facing pressures not only domestically, but also from India, which was seeking hot pursuit in order to tackle the Ulfa and Bodo militant groups there.
While welcoming the fact that the U human rights machinery was starting to address the problem, the SAHRDC said the policies of the UHCR were discriminatory and divisive and had shown a preference for the Buddhist refugees.
The SAHRDC report also details the arrest and detention of a list of 140 people detained by the Bhutanese police in their clampdown on the unrest of the ethnic Sharchop community of eastern Bhutan. A number of Sharchops, it was stated, were taking refuge in Arunachal Pradesh as a result of the crackdown.
Mr Nair also criticised the Indian government saying its attempt to extradite Mr Dorji to face trial under a judicial system which does not meet the minimum international standards was deplorable.