Call to help former political prisoner
Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has launched a fundraiser to help Madhukar Magar who was released from Bhutanese prison and currently seeking residence in Eastern Nepal.
On 9 August 2023, one of the 38 Bhutanese political prisoners, Madhukar Magar, was released after 30 years and four months of rigorous prison sentence at Chemgang Central Prison in Thimphu. He wanted to remain inside Bhutan for at least 3-to-4 days to meet his friends and relatives. Still, his request was outrightly rejected by the Royal Bhutan Police, and he was inhumanly dumped into Jaigoan, India, leaving him alone in a nervous position in a crowded town.
Magar arrived at the Indo-Nepal border town of Panitanki on 11 August 2023 to head towards the Beldangi refugee camp. He was denied entry into Nepal due to insufficient documents to prove his identity. A former political prisoner, Dil Kumar Rai, who currently resides in Beldangi, and a few others from the camp reached Panitanki to help him enter Nepal. He reached Beldangi on 11 August to find that his wife, parents and children had all gone to the USA under resettlement. Luckily, he traced his brother’s family in the camp and is taking emergency shelter.
He has been allocated a place to build a hut, but he has no money to buy materials to build. Additional, his health is not in good shape following the 30-plus years of rigorous physical and mental torture in Bhutan’s prison. Magar is looking for support to have his health check-up.
GCRBPPB has appealed its friends, well-wishers and justice-loving people to contribute whatever amount they can and show love and affection towards this fellow countryman who suffered more than three deaths for a common cause.
“Though we cannot compensate for his sufferings and precious years, we can at least show our love, respect and appreciation for his sacrifice by contributing our little financial support to help him start his new life in the Bhutanese refugee camp Beldangi, Nepal,” it said.