Persecution by the Pro-Bhutanese Government Supporters

While searching through PhotoVoice’s extensive web site, “Bhutanese Refugees: The Story of a Forgotten People,” I stumbled upon a section that includes testimonies from Bhutanese refugees about the persecution they experienced in Bhutan by the pro-Bhutanese government supporters. Prior to reading through this section, I had not heard or read about any of the various forms of persecution that the refugees endured prior to leaving Bhutan. There are nine testimonies from refugees of all different ages that document the persecution. I have included a testimony below from the web site. This particular account was written by a Bhutanese teacher. I would encourage all to check out this section of the web site, as it is particularly informative and sheds light on some of the human rights violations committed in Bhutan that have not been publicized by the media.

A teacher from Thimpu
"There was a pro-government rally in my area, but I did not attend so I was fired from my job. I was afraid to go home to southern Bhutan because all educated people were being arrested. But without my job, I had to leave.
I was arrested in July 1992. I was tied up and beaten by police all day. My mother came to the police station and appealed for me. They said they would release me if I signed a statement (Voluntary Migration Certificate). I signed in order to escape from prison. Then I had to flee.

This testimony was taken from PhotoVoice’s web site, “Bhutanese Refugees: The Story of a Forgotten People.”