DNC-D remembers Rongthong on founding day
Druk National Congress (Democratic) remembers Rongthonk Kunley Dorji on its founding day – 16 June – saying, ‘due to unavoidable domestic circumstances, the integration of DNC could not continue’.
DNC formed on this day in 1994 split into two following a sudden withdrawal of the political demonstrations in eastern Bhutan, which resulted into arrest and imprisonment of many who supported the party.
“Every bloodshed moment of 1997 is still clearly wedged in our mind-screens, even though it happened 20 years ago,” a statement issued by the party reads.
The party sent a letter to Amnesty International in UK seeking support for its members inside Bhutan who have been denied ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) by the government.
Despite election pledges, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) did not issue NOC to those alleged to have involved in 1990 and 1997 demonstrations rather passed on the responsibility to the palace.
“I earnestly appeal Amnesty International, other concern Organizations, Land bordering neighboring Countries, South Asian Countries, and International Community to extent helps to press the government of Bhutan to bring a pure democratic systems and human rights in the country,” the letter signed by party president Rinzin Dorji says.
Date: 16 June 2014
Press Release
It is indeed a sorrowful moment to recollect our beginning day and year. After the formation of political party DNC under late Rongthung Kuenley Dorji on 16 June 1994, most of the Bhutanese people enthusiastically took part in politics all in their hustle and bustle. Initially, nobody among us knew or thought of the consequences that would come to us the next day but all were excited and in rushes to learn political activities and to see a prominent leader. Unluckily, when unexpected consequences plunged on us, it had even cost the lives of our colleagues, some thrown in jail, and some driven out in exile in Nepal. Every bloodshed moment of 1997 is still clearly wedged in our mind-screens, even though it happened 20 years ago.
Under the President of R. K. Dorji and Vice President Thinley Penjore, DNC functioned very smooth and cohesively at the satisfaction of the Bhutanese people and even to the international community. Through which situation had made the Bhutanese feel democracy was not far. However, as saying goes: – Where strong religious preaching prevails, there is also strong hold of demons. Due to unavoidable domestic circumstances, the integration of DNC could not continue and was forced to split into two faction, this has back-warded the movement and caused great lost to the democracy aspiring people of Bhutan.
One of the factions of the DNC party was led by R. K. Dorji and another faction which had maximum founding members and the majority members were led by his vice president Thinley Penjore with the additional word “Democratic” at the end of DNC with “Hyphen“, as DNC-Democratic, presently leading by Mr. Rinzin Dorji as President.
As the DNC and DNC-D, party has split from the same root both the parties celebrate founding day on same date and will be continue celebrating on same day until and unless auspicious event would come up in future.
June 16th is unforgettable day for DNC-D and today we mark 20th founding day.
At the onset of celebration, our president Rinzin Dorji gave terse welcome-speech to the members. After that, we prayed for our scarified colleagues by keeping 5 minutes of mournful silence. “May their soul be rest on salvation”? We also sent a letter to the Amnesty International corresponding to the founding day, regarding the human rights violations are still prevailing in Bhutan. DNC-D President Rinzin Dorji gave an annual party activities report and commitments for the future. Finally, we accomplished our ceremony after the lamas recited prayers for the wellbeing of sentient beings and wishes for the good progress of our movement in the near future.
Karma Chhoejay
Vice President/spokesperson
Date: 16 June 2014
To,
The Director,
Asian Pacific Amnesty International, UK
Human Rights Action Centre 17-25 New Inn Yard
London, Ec 2A 3EA
Sub: – Appealing for Immediate Action
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to appeal for your magnanimous consideration.
Despondently, I will go back to late 20th century of Bhutan. After the discrepancy of Nepali origin southern Bhutanese, in the year 1997 the Sharchhogpas (easterners); ethnically called Tshangla accompanied by diverse ethnicity marched the street demanding for Democracy and Human Rights, when hundreds of activists put in jail and hundreds were fled to Nepal escaping vicious hands of arm force of the regime and joined the Bhutanese refugee camp. This has indeed hatched this pseudo democracy in Bhutan.
However, during that period Royal Government of Bhutan enforced a new system that every Bhutanese employ for new job or already employed and students going into higher secondary school after class X needed to produce “No Objection Certificate (NOC)” from the police mandatorily.
In other hand, all the blood relatives of the people who participated in pro-democracy activities were withheld the entitlement of NOC, recording pro-democracy activists into police’s criminal record categories by the government in order to ceasing opportunities of government jobs and higher qualifications for our relatives/ children. Thus, all our relatives terminated from their jobs and our children had to drop after 10th standard.
In 2008, when Druk Phuen-Sum Tshogpa (DPT) came in power, our advocates in Bhutan had pleaded the new government regarding the NOC denied to our relatives, which have destabilized our younger ones. Coincidentally, DPT government has at least loosen the previous tighten NOC system and issued NOCs to our relatives by police. That has ensured our relatives working in government departments and in institutes, and our children in the colleges.
Nevertheless, after the Royal backed People’s Democratic Party (PDP) (as remorse during election of 2013) came into power. The government stopped issuing of NOC to our relatives again; also, declared NOC previously issued will be invalid. However, there is no news of termination from the government jobs alike of 1997. Now the PDP government has ordered the Departments, institutes and Private Sectors to make compulsory for every citizen to produce NOC from police anybody seeking jobs or for applying trade license and even for a driving learner license.
Ironically, the issuing of NOC is now been draped within the royal prerogatives. The question here is how a common people could approach the golden throne, crossing several layers of royal bodyguards. This has directly hampered people’s livelihood those who are living in urban.
At the very outset, PDP Government has stopped the delegates from International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who used to come in Bhutan from early 90s to examine the welfare and treatment of political prisoners in Jails. This way our King’s government is suppressing the people paralyzing some in jail, some in exile and some are in open jail in Bhutan without entitlement of so-called NOC.
Therefore, I earnestly appeal Amnesty International, other concern Organizations, Land bordering neighboring Countries, South Asian Countries, and International Community to extent helps to press the government of Bhutan to bring a pure democratic systems and human rights in the country. This is the only way to save the sovereignty of our country in the future.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours Sincerely
Rinzin Dorji
President
Copy to:-
1. The honorable Prime Minister, Government of India, New Delhi for kind intercession as being land bordering neighboring country and mentor of Bhutan (Through Indian embassy office in Kathmandu Nepal)
2. The honorable President, People’s Republic of China, Beijing for kind support as being land bordering neighboring country of Bhutan. (Through Chinese Embassy office in Kathmandu, Nepal)
3. The honorable President, Government of Afghanistan, Kabul for kind help as being a same member of SAARC
4. The honorable Prime Minister, Government of Pakistan, Karachi for kind help as being a same member of SAARC (Through Pakistani Embassy Office in Kathmandu, Nepal)
5. The honorable Prime Minister, Government of Nepal, Kathmandu for kind help as being a hoist country of Bhutanese refugees
6. The honorable Prime Minister, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka for kind help as being a same member of SAARC (Through Bangladeshi Embassy office in Kathmandu, Nepal)
7. The honorable President, Government of Sri Lanka, Colombo for kind help as being a same member of SAARC (Through Lankan Embassy office in Kathmandu, Nepal)
8. The honorable President, Government of Maldives, Male for kind help as being a same member of SAARC (Through Maldivian Consulate office in Kathmandu, Nepal)
9. The Regional Director, International Committee of the Red Cross regional office, New Delhi for kind consideration (Through Eastern Regional ICRC office in Birtamod, Nepal)
10. The Secretary General, Human Rights Defend International (HRDI), New Delhi for kind help.
11. The office of the Amnesty International in Kathmandu, Nepal for kind information
12. The Ambassador, Bhutan to India, New Delhi for kind information.