(RESTRICTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY)
January-March 2004
PRESS RELEASE
An emergent meeting of executive committee of Indo-Bhutan
Friendship Society was held on 30 December 31,2003 commencing at 4 P.M at its office and
presided over by president of the society, Satya Prakash Malaviya, a former Union
Minister.
Amongst those who attended the
meeting were Sarv Shri Prof. Balraj Kumar, R.K.Dorji, Ramesh Sharma,Smt Renu Ghambhir,
Vijay Gupta, Rajiv Aggarwal, and Tom Adhikari .
The Committee adopted unanimously a
resolution welcoming the military action by the Royal Government of Bhutan to flush out
the militants of the United Liberation Front of Assam, The National Democratic Front of
Bodoland, the Kamptapur Liberation Organization
and other such forces settled in jungles of southern Bhutan bordering India allowed
shelter there more than a decade back by the King of Bhutan. The resolutions added that
the militants were acting against the interest of India, operating from the soil of Bhutan
and were and are a threat to the sovereignty, security and unity of both India and Bhutan.
The resolution viewed that the action is in the common interest of both the countries and
steps initiated will further strengthen the bond of friendship between the people of two
countries.
The resolution also called upon the
aforesaid militant organizations to shun their violent activities as violence can never
lead to the solution of any problem and join in the mainstream of their motherland.
By another resolution also adopted
unanimously the King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck was called upon to address himself
immediately to the problems of more than a lakh Bhutanese refugees living in refugee camps
in Nepal and also outside in Nepal and India constituting about 20% of the Bhutan’s
total population and take effective speedy steps to repatriate them to Bhutan with safety,
honour and dignity to rehabilitate them as citizens.
Pointing out that there is no
constitution or political parties in Bhutan and the legislature, judiciary, executive and
the media functions under the whims and command of a hereditary monarch the King, the
resolutions called upon the King to release the draft constitution prepared by 39 member
constitution drafting committee headed by Chief justice of Bhutan’s High Court
Mr.Sonam Tobgay for public debate and suggestions.
Urging the King to enter into
dialogue without pre-conditions with Bhutan’s pro-democracy leaders to arrive at a
peaceful and lasting solution of the problems being faced by the Bhutanese people, the
resolutions impressed that any friendly advice by the Government of India world’s
largest democratically elected Government to the Royal Government of Bhutan towards the
above goal will really be a welcome step.
Resolution No.1 adopted unanimously at
the emergent Executive Committee Meeting held on 30th December 2003
“This emergent executive committee meeting of Indo Bhutan
Friendship Society welcomes the launching of Military action by the Royal Government of
Bhutan (RGOB) to flush out the militants of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA),
the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), the Kamptapur Liberation Organization
(KLO), and other such forces set up in jungles of Southern Bhutan, bordering India
knowingly allowed shelter there more than a decade back by the RGOB.
They were and are a threat to the sovereignty, security and
unity of both Bhutan and India. India and Indians have been constantly urging the RGOB to
take decisive action against the militants acting against the interest of India and
operating from the soil of Bhutan.
The executive committee is of the view that the action is in
the common interest of both the countries. The steps initiated by RGOB will further
strengthen the bond of friendship between the people of the two countries.
This meeting also calls upon the aforesaid militant
organizations and other such forces to shun this violent activities as resorting to
violence can never lead to solution of any problem and join in mainstream of the
motherland”
Resolution
No- 2 adopted unanimously at the emergent
Executive Committee Meeting held on 30th December 2003
This emergent executive committee meeting of Indo Bhutan Friendship
Society is seriously concerned with the plight of more than a lakh Bhutanese refugees
which constitute about 20% of the total population of Bhutan, forced to live in several
refugee camps in eastern Nepal and also outside the camps in India, Nepal and other
countries.
Another area of concern for the society is that there is no
constitution or political parties in Bhutan and every wing of the government there i.e the
legislature, judiciary, executive and the media functions under the whims and command of a
hereditary Monarch-the King.
As the New Year 2004 approaches, the committee urges His
Majesty the King of Bhutan Mr.Jigme Singye Wangchuck to immediately address himself to the
problems of the Bhutanese refugees and take effective speedy steps to repatriate them to
Bhutan with all required safety, honour, dignity and rehabilitate them as citizens.
The King of Bhutan had constituted a 39 member constitution
drafting committee headed by the Chief Justice of Bhutan’s High Court Mr. Sonam
Tobgay about 3 years back but the draft constitution continues to be a secret document.
The committee urges the King to release the draft constitution for public debate and
suggestions.
It is time for the King to enter into dialogue with Bhutan
pro-democracy leaders, without pre-conditions to arrive at a peaceful and lasting solution
of the problems being faced by the Bhutanese people.
Any friendly advice by the government of India, world’s
largest democratically elected Government to the Royal Government of Bhutan towards the
above goal will really be a welcome step”
Copy of letter responded to Shri SatyaPrakash Malaviya,
President of Indo-Bhutan Friendship society by His Majesty, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King
of Bhutan
Letter
Sent to Indian President by IBFS president Shri Satya Prakash Malaviya
31st December,2003
Respected Rashtrapati j
I am enclosing copies of two resolutions, which were adopted
unanimously at an emergent meeting of the executive committee of indo-Bhutan Friendship
Society, held at New Delhi on 30th December 2003.
It is expected that both the resolutions will receive due attention
of the government of India and the government may also take proper action as
suggested.
With regards and best wishes for a very very happy new
year.
Yours Sincerely,
(Satya Prakash Malaviya)
President
Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New
Delhi-110001
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