By  Bishnu luitel – Harrisburg, Pa. 

 Bhutan faces no external or internal threats from invasions or counterattacks. If there is any real danger, it comes from Bhutan’s current ruler, and even more so from the ruthless monarchy. This statement might sound absurd to many, but the truth is often bitter.

The Bhutanese monarchy sustains its rule by first using its close allies and loyalists. When that fails, it resorts to making deals with foreign powers. If those alliances do not provide the expected support, it ultimately submits to external forces. When the people demand development, progress, and good governance, the ruler brands them as traitors trying to overthrow the throne and aligns with those same foreign forces against his own citizens. Bhutan has repeatedly suppressed democratic and human rights movements with gunfire. Innocent people are alleged to have been brutally killed—some skinned alive and thrown into rivers, while thousands have been imprisoned and left to rot.

The cruelty and inhuman barbarism of the Bhutanese monarchy are not difficult to understand. One only needs to look at the horrific events of 1990 to grasp the extent of these atrocities. At that time, the state used various means of discrimination, conspiracies, and atrocities against the Sharshop and Lhotshampa Bhutanese citizens, ultimately forcing more than a hundred thousand of its own people into exile. These heart-wrenching events make it clear that the Bhutanese regime has no need for hardworking citizens. Instead, it only seeks the corrupt, criminals, and self-serving individuals who exploit the sentiments of the people for their own gain.

A government that bows before foreign powers against its own innocent citizens and begs for its survival is the real threat to the nation—no one else. Even in the 21st century, if a ruler must prostrate before donors or power centers to beg, it means they are losing something significant. In this world, no one gives anything for free—every giver has an interest. In today’s reality, no one even urinates on someone’s foot without expecting something in return. And if someone does give anything, the recipient must pay a heavy price for it. Even a small favor comes with the expectation of double repayment. That is how people amass wealth—not by accident, but by exploiting rulers like those in Bhutan. The ultimate goal of these foreign forces is to nurture deceitful rulers like those in Bhutan, using the pretense of aid and cooperation until the country itself is surrendered entirely.

For the so-called “Gelephu Mindfulness City” project, the Bhutanese king is now actively seeking wealthy elites, businessmen, and middlemen, bowing before them in desperation. This act of surrender raises serious concerns about the country’s stability and security. Gelephu, located in southern Bhutan, is the country’s most expansive and flat region. In the 1990s, nearly 40,000 Lhotshampas were forcibly expelled from this very area by the Bhutanese king. Now, the ruler is moving forward with the “Gelephu Mindfulness City” project by offering loose investment terms to attract capital from neighboring countries and global elites. Reports suggest that India, the world’s second-most populous country, is set to take on the primary financial responsibility for this “mega-city” project. Given that southern Bhutan, which borders India’s Assam state, consists of fertile land spanning 1,000 square kilometers, analysts predict that India will gradually bring the area under its control.

Observers claim that while India may provide financial aid with one hand, it will use the other to secure long-term dominance over the territory, potentially gaining de facto control of it for the next hundred years under the pretext of development. In 1865, Bhutan lost a significant portion of its territory due to the unequal Sinchula Treaty between the British East India Company and the Bhutanese government—an event that has become history but still deeply wounds patriotic citizens. As a result of this treaty, Bhutan permanently lost 17 Duars, a vast expanse of flatlands bordering Assam and West Bengal. Even after the East India Company was forced to leave, the newly formed Indian government never returned the land it had seized from its small and impoverished neighbors. Now, under the pretext of the Gelephu Mega City project, India appears to be eyeing another 1,000 square kilometers of Bhutanese land, much like a big fish swallowing a smaller one.

In 1990, the Bhutanese government confiscated all properties from over 100,000 of its own citizens and forcibly expelled them from the country. Instead of providing shelter, India treated the displaced Lhotshampas like criminals, using police force to push them into Nepal. Assam’s authorities packed them into trucks and handed them over to Bengal’s administration, which then forced them across Nepal’s border. The world has not forgotten this brutal episode. Despite witnessing this inhumane treatment, the Indian government in Delhi remained silent, choosing instead to observe passively. Rather than speaking out against the injustice, Delhi’s acceptance of these atrocities signaled its silent approval. India, which calls itself the world’s largest democracy and the land of Mahatma Gandhi, did nothing to support the rights of the Bhutanese people. When Bhutanese leaders went to Delhi seeking support for human rights and democracy, they were arrested like criminals and imprisoned. Now, India’s dual policy and ill intentions are fully exposed as it takes on the role of a major investor in Bhutan’s so-called Gelephu Mindfulness City project.

Experts warn that this project, being pursued against the will of patriotic Bhutanese citizens, is pushing the nation toward grave danger and insecurity. Bhutan’s northern neighbor, China, is the most populous country in the world and is widely regarded as a rising global power. It is often described as a nation that moves forward without interference from others. However, in the 1960s, China annexed the independent nation of Tibet, bringing it under its control. Now, it is not only attempting to sink its claws into the Kulagangri mountain range and the surrounding valleys along Bhutan’s northern border, but it has also successfully encroached upon and integrated several of these valleys into its own territory. The Doklam region serves as a prime example of this aggression. Despite already occupying large portions of Bhutanese land, China remains unsatisfied. Its predatory ambitions are now directed toward Bhutan’s scenic Doklam Valley.

Historical records indicate that until 1990, Bhutan’s total land area was 47,000 square kilometers. However, recent figures show that it has shrunk to just 38,000 square kilometers—meaning Bhutan has lost approximately 9,000 square kilometers of its territory, which has even been erased from Bhutanese maps. The missing land corresponds to the Kulagangri mountain region and its surrounding areas. Although Indian troops are stationed along Bhutan’s northern border for security, they seemingly failed to notice China’s encroachment on 9,000 square kilometers of land. Perhaps this is because India does not consider the Kulagangri region to be of strategic interest. However, India has shown significant concern over the Doklam region, as it is a strategically sensitive area connected to the Siliguri Corridor, also known as the “Chicken’s Neck.” This corridor is of vital strategic importance to India, as it links mainland India to its seven northeastern states. If an attack were to come from Bhutan’s northern neighbor, not only would the territory between Bhutan and Bangladesh be in jeopardy, but all seven northeastern Indian states—Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, and Tripura—would also face a serious threat of being cut off from the rest of India. This explains why the Indian army was deployed to Doklam, as evidenced by the past events.

Between June 16 and August 28 of 2017, a standoff between Chinese and Indian forces over Doklam lasted for 73 days, with both sides engaging in aggressive maneuvers. However, reports from the BBC indicated that Bhutan had agreed to China’s proposal to exchange the Kulagangri region for Doklam. The Bhutanese people were never informed of such a critical and treacherous agreement, highlighting how their rulers treat them as mere showpieces for the world—without value or voice, just pawns in a game of chess. Bhutan has no press freedom, no independent media advocating for citizens’ rights, and no modern social media platforms free from government control. With two predatory neighbors constantly eyeing its land, Bhutan is never truly independent or secure. No one knows when or from where the next encroachment will come or how much more of its territory will be lost. The root cause of this serious crisis is Bhutan’s own rulers and their submissive foreign policies. It is said that Bhutan’s fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, envisioned the Gelephu Mindfulness City project years ago. To bring this vision to life, he orchestrated the expulsion of nearly 40,000 Lhotshampas from the Gelephu region in the 1990s, stripping them of everything and leaving the land vacant for development. Now, to secure funding for this mega-city, the current king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, has been traveling abroad to court wealthy global investors.

In October 2024, he visited Australia, and in February 2025, he traveled to New Delhi. Similarly, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has also been on a diplomatic tour. Since the last week of January and into early February, he has been visiting various European countries seeking financial backing for the mega-city project. Currently, approximately 10,000 people reside in Gelephu. Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has assured the Bhutanese king that Assam will provide the necessary workforce for the Gelephu Megacity project. In exchange, there are widespread discussions that Bhutan has given a verbal agreement to lease 100 square kilometers of land within the Gelephu Mindfulness City to an Indian contractor company for 100 years. Unfortunately, when King Jigme Khesar visited Australia a few months ago, he refused to meet former Bhutanese refugees who had been expelled from Bhutan, lived in Nepalese refugee camps, and were later resettled in Australia. Instead, he only met Bhutanese nationals who had voluntarily emigrated to Australia in pursuit of higher education and better opportunities. During these meetings, Khesar encouraged well-settled Bhutanese to return home and contribute their skills and labor to their own country. However, 14% of Bhutan’s intellectual population is scattered across the world due to a lack of sufficient employment and opportunities within the country. The same nation that loudly promotes the concept of “Gross National Happiness” is witnessing its educated population being forced into exile due to unemployment. This is not a matter of choice but compulsion. It is crucial for stakeholders to seriously reflect on who is responsible for creating a situation where citizens cannot make a living in their own homeland.

The government forcibly expelled its own citizens from the country without reason, turning them into refugees. Despite the various hardships and challenges faced in refugee status, if the government ensures the guarantee of human rights, most of these problems will naturally be resolved. This requires proactive efforts from relevant organizations that prioritize human rights. However, Bhutanese government representatives are not only failing to respect democracy and human rights but are actively engaged in violating and disregarding them. The international community must exert pressure on Bhutan to ensure the protection of democracy and human rights and put a complete stop to ongoing human rights violations. Additionally, travel bans should be imposed on Bhutan’s oppressive ruling class, and the practice of welcoming them with red carpet treatment must come to an end. The Bhutanese state must formally apologize for the brutal expulsion of its citizens in the 1990s. The looted properties must be fairly assessed and compensated.

Furthermore, immediate measures should be taken to facilitate the return of refugees who have been waiting in Nepal for 35 years, hoping to go back home. Similarly, efforts must be made to reunite families separated for over three decades, and all political prisoners must be released without delay. Humanitarian organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) must continue to play a crucial role in ensuring the rights of Bhutanese refugees. Bhutan has not only expelled its own citizens, forcing them into refugee status, but has also stripped them of their citizenship, completely mocking the principles of humanity. It has deprived them of their social, economic, and political rights. Until a permanent solution is found for the Bhutanese refugees living in camps in Jhapa and Morang in eastern Nepal, their struggle for justice will persist.

However, resettlement alone cannot fully address the plight of these displaced people. To achieve lasting peace, security, and prosperity, the Bhutanese state must immediately apologize for the various forms of oppression, mistreatment, and displacement it has inflicted upon its citizens. Recognizing refugees not as a burden but as valuable contributors can help foster a more just and inclusive society. Additionally, the preservation of cultural heritage is vital for the empowerment of displaced communities. Nepali-speaking Bhutanese have a rich cultural heritage, and the state has a responsibility to protect and promote their traditions, language, and history. Northern and Southern Bhutanese cultures must be equally recognized by the government. Including such aspects of identity in the national education curriculum is essential to ending the ongoing cultural discrimination and division. Only then can future generations be inspired to appreciate and uphold their culture, traditions, and values.

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