BHUTANESE REFUGEES: MILITANCY IN CAMPS GROWS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000594

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/INS, PRM/ANE; LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY; NSC FOR
MILLARD; GENEVA FOR PLYNCH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2014
TAGS: PREF, PTER, NP, BH, Bhutanese Refugees
SUBJECT: BHUTANESE REFUGEES: MILITANCY IN CAMPS GROWS

Classified By: DCM Robert K. Boggs for reasons 1.5 (b,d).

1. (S) Summary. According to Bhutanese refugee human rights
leader, Ratan Gazmere (please protect),the newly-elected
camp secretaries and many refugee youth are now advocating
taking up arms against the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB)
and are requesting financial "donations" to purchase arms and
ammunition for the movement. The relationship between the
camp secretaries, political parties, and radical
organizations remains unclear, although some connections
apparently exist. The growth of militancy in the refugee
camps, a dangerous response to years of frustration and
repeated disappointments, will seriously hurt the refugees'
chances at repatriation. At the same time, nascent militancy
increases the urgency of resolving this long-standing issue.
End Summary.

(S) On March 31, UNHCR Protection Officer Giulia Ricciarelli
(please protect) expressed "extreme concern" over reports
that newly-elected leaders in all seven Bhutanese refugee
camps in eastern Nepal are advocating a militant solution to
the refugee problem. On March 29, Ricciarelli met with
refugee leader Ratan Gazmere (please protect),who had just
returned from Jhapa District in eastern Nepal where he had
attended a meeting on March 27 called by the seven camp
secretaries. (Note. In late February, Camp Management

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Committee elections were held in each of the 7 camps. End
Note.) According to Ricciarelli, Gazmere indicated that, at
the meeting, the camp secretaries and unidentified refugee
youths threatened him and other leaders of refugee-run NGOs
with a 7-day ultimatum for providing financial support to the
Bhutanese Democratic Liberation Force (BDLF) for the purchase
of arms and ammunition to be used against the Bhutanese
government. After ascertaining its purpose, Gazmere
reportedly attempted to walk out of the meeting, but was
prevented from doing so. He is now "in hiding," Ricciarelli
said. On March 31, PolOff spoke by telephone with Gazmere
and received a similar account.

2. (S) On April 1, PolOff obtained a copy of the letter given
to Gazmere by a group of five young men who followed him home
from the March 27 meeting. The letterhead reads "Bhutan
Democratic Liberation Front" and "Sarpang, Bhutan." The
poorly-worded letter, signed by Bishal Rana, President of the
BDLF, contains the following excerpts.

BEGIN EXCERPTS

"The BDLF in the form of political organization was put
forward by the handful of cadres, very much exploited,
patriotic and sacrificing with the view of establishing
democracy in Bhutan. We believe that success comes after
action. We believe in deeds than in words. Therefore, we
spent our precious four years of time in providing training
to our 35 cadres.

Now the crucial hour has come for steps. The already set 200
cadres on training need to be facilitated with provisions and
arms and ammunitions until the completion of their training.

As such, I would cordially like to request you to extend the
support of NRs (handwritten) 50,000 (Fifty Thousand only) to
enhance our program."

END EXCERPTS

3. (S) On March 29, PolOff received an email, which was also
addressed to UNHCR, from an anonymous individual reporting on
the March 27 meeting in Jhapa. Similar to Gazmere's account,
the author complained that at least two of the camp
secretaries, who are prohibited from political affiliation,

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are in fact active members of the Bhutan People's Party
(BPP). (Note. The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB)
reportedly branded the BPP as a "terrorist" organization
after the party led mass demonstrations against the
government in 1989-1990. End Note.) The author noted that
the camp secretaries are "overlooking the problems of the
camps" and "holding meetings camp by camp to incite people,
especially the youth, for armed struggle inside Bhutan."

4. (S) Ricciarelli has tasked the senior protection officer
in UNHCR's field office in Jhapa District with corroborating
Gazmere's account. She added that UNHCR Country Director
Abraham Abraham was currently in Jhapa and would discuss this
issue with Government of Nepal officials and the refugees.
Fearing the repercussions of increased militancy in the camps
on UNHCR and the bilateral process, Ricciarelli noted that
many refugees have expressed dissatisfaction with UNHCR's
plans to phase-out care and maintenance in the camps and have
suggested that, as a result, they may have to "take their
lives into their own hands."

5. (S) Connections between the camp secretaries and the
Bhutanese Democratic Liberation Front (BDLF) remain unclear.
The BDLF has in the past year distributed flyers in the camps
and, according to the letter, claims to have been training
militant cadre over the past four years. Connections between
BDLF and the Bhutanese Communist Party (BCP) -- a group that
allegedly has ties with Nepal's Maoists -- are also unknown.
In an earlier meeting with refugee leader S.B. Subba, PolOff
learned that the BCP has been recruiting and now allegedly
has 2,000 - 4,000 supporters in the refugee camps. Although
neither of these organizations is based in the camps,
Ricciarelli suspects that many refugee youths who are absent
from the camps have joined one of the two movements. Both
Gazmere and the anonymous author indicated that some of the
camp secretaries have ties with the Bhutan People's Party
(BPP). Ricciarelli has also heard allegations that the BPP
has ties to the BDLF, although she has also heard that the
BDLF has threatened and attempted to extort money from BPP
leaders.

6. (S) Comment. The rise of militancy within the ranks of
democratically-elected leaders -- who in theory have
broad-based support -- in the Bhutanese refugee camps, if
true, could have grave repercussions on finding a durable
solution for this refugee problem. We give credence to
Gazmere's assertion that the secretaries do not have wide
support among the refugees, but were elected through bribery,
intimidation and political machinations.) Although this is
the first time that open advocacy of armed struggle has
arisen in the camps, we have witnessed growing discontent and
radicalization over the past 9 months -- since the May 2003
announcement of Khundunabari Camp's verification results,
followed by the rejection of appeals and repeated delays in
repatriation, and finally the harsh conditions described by
Bhutanese officials in December 2003.

7. (S) Comment Continued. The degree and level of support in
the camps for an armed struggle against Bhutan remains
unclear. The possible connection between UNHCR's
announcement of phased withdrawal from the camps to growing
discontent and increased activism is further reason for UNHCR
to amend its position and reassure the refugees that they
will not be abandoned. The specter of radicalism in the
camps will have a very negative impact on the RGOB's
willingness to repatriate a significant number of refugees.
However, the prospect also increases the necessity for
Bhutan's friends, but especially India, to urge Bhutan to
move quickly to begin repatriation and resolve this
potentially explosive issue. End Comment.
MALINOWSKI