Five exiled Bhutanese political parties and organizations have strongly condemned the Bhutanese government for re-expelling ten former Bhutanese refugees who were recently deported from the United States. The former refugees, handed over to Bhutanese authorities at Paro Airport, were initially accepted by Bhutan, only to be expelled again shortly after their arrival. This move has sparked outrage among exile groups, who argue that it exposes the emptiness of Bhutan’s claims to democracy and violates international human rights standards.
In a joint press statement issued on Tuesday, leaders of these organizations—Balaram Paudyal of the Bhutan People’s Party, Rinzin Dorji of the Druk National Congress-Democratic, acting president Tilak Rai of the Bhutanese Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee, D.B. Subba of the Bhutan Freedom Forum, and Krishna Bir Tamang of the National Reconciliation Committee Bhutan—expressed shock and dismay. They revealed that, of the ten individuals deported from the U.S., six have gone missing since their expulsion from Bhutan, while four were apprehended by police after entering Nepal from the Jhapa border. The groups described Bhutan’s actions as a direct breach of the 1958 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, accusing the government of undermining its own citizens’ basic protections.
The statement highlighted the refugees’ journey: after being resettled in the United States as part of a third-country resettlement program initiated nearly two decades ago, ten individuals were recently deported back to Bhutan. However, within hours of their arrival—reportedly after some U.S. officials had departed—Bhutanese authorities transported them in government vehicles to the Indian border under the cover of night, effectively re-expelling them. “This tragic event lays bare the reality of Bhutan’s so-called democracy,” the statement read, accusing the government of abandoning its responsibility to protect citizens it had agreed to accept.
The third-country resettlement process, supported by developed nations including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and the UK, was once touted as a long-term solution for Bhutanese refugees who had sought shelter in Nepal following their expulsion from Bhutan in the early 1990s. The majority of these refugees were resettled in the United States. However, the exiled groups have long maintained that this process fails to address the root of the Bhutanese refugee crisis. “The only sustainable solution is dignified repatriation to Bhutan,” they reiterated, pointing to the current situation as proof of their stance.
Expressing grave concern over the six missing individuals, the groups called on the international community—including human rights organizations, Amnesty International, the United Nations, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees—to condemn Bhutan’s actions and intervene. They urged a thorough investigation into the whereabouts of the missing refugees and measures to prevent them from becoming stateless. “We are stunned and deeply worried about the fate of these individuals,” the statement noted, appealing to the governments of Nepal and India, as well as U.S. embassies in both countries, to assist in locating them and ensuring their safety.
The exiled Bhutanese organizations outlined four key demands in their joint statement, reflecting their frustration and urgency in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis.
First, they called for a strong condemnation of Bhutan’s actions, labeling the re-expulsion of its citizens as “reprehensible and inhumane.” They urged global stakeholders to hold the Bhutanese government accountable and advocate for the victims’ fundamental right to live with dignity, emphasizing that such actions cannot be tolerated on the international stage.
Second, the groups criticized Bhutan’s ongoing repression, arguing that this incident starkly reveals the government’s failure to reform its practices of forced exile and disappearances. Despite Bhutan’s transition to a constitutional monarchy and its public embrace of democracy, the statement asserted that these persistent abuses expose the superficial nature of its democratic claims.
Third, they issued an urgent appeal for efforts to locate the six missing individuals who vanished after their re-expulsion from Bhutan. The organizations expressed deep concern over their fate, pressing the international community to take immediate steps to find them and protect them from the risks of statelessness and identity loss.
Finally, the groups pushed for multilateral talks as the only viable path to a lasting resolution. They emphasized that a dialogue led by Nepal, with robust support from the international community, is essential to address the root causes of the Bhutanese refugee crisis and secure a sustainable solution, rather than relying on temporary measures like third-country resettlement.
The statement concluded with a scathing critique of Bhutan’s government: “By accepting these individuals as citizens before the United States and then expelling them again, Bhutan has once more demonstrated its inhumanity. We strongly condemn this act and call on the world to support a permanent solution, ensuring all Bhutanese yearning to return home—whether recently expelled or displaced three decades ago—can live securely in their own country.”
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D. Dhungana
View More PostsDipendra Dhungana is a journalist based in Kathmandu with over a decade of experience in photojournalism. His work has been featured in numerous national and international outlets, showcasing the stories and resilience of the Nepali people. He is also a contributing journalist for NepYork.
