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Bhutan News Service

Bhutan News Service

Your struggle inspired us, URFB tells Nepali PM; support urged for Bhutan freedom

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 05:43 AM PDT

Extending the Front's congratulations and best wishes to the newly elected Prime Minister of Nepal, Dr. Baburam Bhattrai, the United Revolutionary Front of Bhutan (URFB), stated that the undergoing 'armed-revolt' in Bhutan was an inspiration from the Nepalese Maoists that waged decade-long armed struggle in the country.

A media statement sent to BNS via email by Front's Commander-In-Chief, 'Karma', has further sought support and solidarity from Bhattarai-led government for armed struggle in Bhutan.

A little-known URFB, which placed itself behind the explosions in Bhutan quite sometimes in the past, is one of the self-declared underground revolutionary outfits.

Bhutanese in UK announce association

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:53 AM PDT

After a series of meetings, resettled Bhutanese in the UK have reached to a decision and declare the launching of Bhutanese Welfare Association in the UK.

Refugee Action, the resettling agency and the Gateway Programme helped the Bhutanese refugees in the UK to facilitate meetings and streamline the need of a community organization.

After several rounds of meetings, objectives have been set and a constitution is adopted.

An interim committee of eight members from the resettled Bhutanese is constituted headed by Prem Giri as its Chairperson, KN Pokhrel as treasurer and Amit Budathoki as its Secretary. A student of Charter Accountancy (ACCA) in the Manchester Metropolitian University, UK, Giri is a resettled refugee from Beldangi II Extension.

As informed by the committee, the Association is entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the forthcoming Dasai festival and conduct General Election in the nearest possible time frame.

"It took us months together to reach to this stage. We thank the Refugee Action and Gateway Programme for their continuous support and guidance in streamlining our community organization,” said Giri.

It is also informed that Refugee Action has expressed its willingness to work in partnership with the Association in resettling new Bhutanese refugees in the UK and in meeting the service needs of the resettled Bhutanese in this country.

With inputs from Durga Giri from UK.

The devotion towards culture

Posted: 29 Aug 2011 03:37 AM PDT

It was perhaps a strong symbol, which clearly reflects our devotion towards long-practiced culture & tradition.

"I am so joyous," says one of the senior Bhutanese citizens, who almost could not wait to drop tears that scroll down when one is over-excited. She further adds that she longed to see similar event until it really happened after three years she had wished it.

Like this senior citizen, hundreds in Lansing, MI, were thrilled to see what many say first-of-its-kind 'four-day Shreemad Bhagawat Puran,' which completed on August 23.

Devotees listen to the pundit's prawachan. Photo courtesy/Author.

The Puran, according to the organizers, started with the community folks participating in a Kalash Yatra (pitcher-tour) that stepped into a community hall, where pundits and purohits (Hindu priests) chanted vedantic mantras (hymns) together in a rhythmical scale.

Additionally, Shreemad Bhagawat, Vedh, Gita, Bishnushasranam, Rudri, Chandi were among some of the treatises recited during the four-day program.

According to Shekhar Chapagain, Chairman of the Puran organizing committee, all Bhutanese pundits and purohits of Lansing were invited to the program. "It is in fact a social program and we want impartiality and transparency of the work we do," adds Chapagain.

The hall was filled with enthusiastic devotees dressed in traditional outfits. The smell of scent sticks, beautifully adorned mandap (altar), offerings of fruits and ambrosia by the devotees, tinkle of bells, conch sound, fresh rosaries in hands waiting eagerly to be offered were some of heart touching scenes that bewildered everyone first and rejoiced them later that being in this unknown land they saw what they had seen and done back in the country and the refugee camps time and again.

Most of the devotees said 'no' to work for these four days and attended the extreme bliss of the program. Devotees from Grand Rapids, a city in environs, made their way to Lansing for these four days and decided to stay back till the last day of the program. Prawachan from different Swamijis, which was once befriended to every life in the refugee camps, came in line and mingled everyone within its vast immeasurable and intrinsic doctrine.

The other specialty of the program was Bhajan-Kirtin. The two Bhajan teams each from Lansing and Grand Rapids added a beauteous charm and pleasurable nourishment to the program. "I sing Bhajans at home but was looking for a platform to sing them openly with all my energy and make devotees dance to its rhythm," said one of the Bhajan singers.

The devotees were, indeed, looking for an opportunity to be a part of social program since they left refugee camps. Bhajans singers finally made everyone dance to their last. Elderlies in their 90s and juvenile together set their foot at the verse of Bhajans and gave the spectators compassionate ecstasy.

In fact the program became paragon to every devotee who was lost among themselves from their identities and cultural values.

Hundreds of Bhutanese in MI attended the function. Photo courtesy/Author.

The Bhutanese Hindu of Lansing, accustomed to rich Prawachan of Khemraj Keshav Saran, decided to invite Swami Damodarachrya for Prawachan. Khemraj Keshav saran visited Lansing in the past two years and elucidated a short Prawachan. Upon inquiry, the devotees replied Swami Damodaracharya is from Bhutan and would like to benefit from social manpower. Swami Damodracharya, a lanky elite educated in Vanarasi, India gave marvelous and divine Prawachan on Shreemad Bhagawat. Every devotee has a surge of pride that they had person like Swami Damodracharya in their own society.

The last day, August 23, was even gorgeous. There were lots of cheers and happiness when a baby adorned as Krishna sway gentle out from a cradle. Devotees exchanged best wishes among themselves and prayed for world peace.

There was management of food for every devotee for all four days. Devotees would just rise up and declared,” Food for today is from my side, water from me and so on”.   Help from every community member and assigned volunteer was unquestionable.

The Bhutanese Hindu Community honored three elder members of the society out of which one was from Nepal. A small token of love was given to all honored elderly, pandits and purohits and volunteers from the hands of Swami Damodracharya.

Teej observed in MN

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:17 PM PDT

The Bhutanese Community Organization of Minnesota (BCOM) observed the Haritalika Teej today in Lauradaul City wall amidst a special function .

According to the organizer, the program was attended by more than 150 people. Participants danced to the rhythm of teej songs played on a CD player.

Two Bhutanese women, who posed to camera, smiles while other community folks rocked the floor in MN in background. Photo courtesy/Sila Dahal's facebook page.

One of the board members highlighted on the importance of the cultural and tradition aspect of teej celebration with a view to inform and keep the children and youths in contact with the culture. The community also recognized five high school graduates out of 10 graduates who completed their high school degree this year with khada.
Chairman of the BCOM also congratulated the graduates for their accomplishment and wished them the very best on their future endeavors.
Meanwhile, other founder members and well wishers were remembered and thanked even though they could not make it to the program. The founding members of Nirvana Center, who were present in the meeting: Dr Chabilal Sharma, Mangala Sharma and David Stamp were recognized for their tremendous contribution in bring the organization to the present stage. They were honored with khada.

Finally, the 501(c)3 status of the Nirvana Center was announced by the board members. They also reiterated the promise that they would do whatever was possible in their power to help the community grow as a vibrant community in the area.

Reported by Arjun Pradhan for BNS.

Census team in southern districts

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:08 PM PDT

Home Minister Minjur Dorji has indicated that people would raise census and citizenship related issues by the end of this year.

With the intention of digging out the reasons behind why many people were not included in the census earlier, three teams from the Home Ministry have been talking to the people of five southern districts since March.

The team was supposed to conduct the verification work sometimes ago. However, it was deferred due to recent recent local government elections.

The team of officials committed to bring out the truth will be assisted by the village leaders and census officials. The result will be submitted to the Ministry’s census committed members that will do the final review before it will be handed over to the government.

The director for civil registration and census, Sonam Topgay highlighted that the verification is expected to focus on census drop-out cases. The people who have all required documents but were not included in the previous census will be included this time without a fail. Although the department has all required information, the team has been exercised to go to the field to make sure there do not remain any people behind.

The Home Ministry officials stated that people have a false notion that by categorizing them into different categories, they're put into different boxes, where they are meted with different treatment and opportunities.

According to Sonam Tobgay, there are only three broad categories of people living in the country, Bhutanese citizens, special resident permit holders (SRP) and non-citizens.

SPR holders have two distinct categories. One who got married before June 10, 1985 – if the husband is Bhutanese and the wife is foreigner, the children get citizenship, whereas the wife would be SRP holder. But if the wife is Bhutanese and husband is a foreigner, the husband and children would hold a SRP.

Second case is that of people who got married after June 10, 1985. This case will be dealt with by the department of immigration.

However, the hot topic of discussed form of citizenship in online forums is F5, which basically means SRP holders, and marriage cases after June 10, 1985.

A person who is a SRP holder but not a Bhutanese citizen enjoys the right as any citizens since one of the parents is a Bhutanese citizen. However, he would not have the right to vote.

The SRP holder can be a Bhutanese citizen if they apply for naturalization with the department of immigration.

The census department functions according to the Citizenship Act of 1958, 1977 and 1985, national assembly resolutions, national census records and the constitution.