The Bodo & Ulfa Problem

Bhutan Bodo & Ulfa Conflict Bhutan is running out of options on militant problem

If Bhutan takes military action against the ULFA and NDFB militants who are camped illegally in the country, the people will face serious problems. If not, the security and the sovereignty of the nation will be seriously threatened with the militants remaining indefinitely on Bhutanese soil.

During the mid-term review meeting in Kurtoe, held on February 10, the government and the people agreed that, with the militants not responding to the government's earnest efforts at resolving the problem through peaceful means Bhutan was running out of options. During the prolonged discussions, His Majesty the King reminded the people that the ULFA and NDFB were not new militant groups. The ULFA was formed in 1979 to fight for the independence of Assam from India. The NDFB was established about 15 years ago and was fighting for an independent Bodo land.

The militants had infiltrated into Bhutan after military operations were launched against them in Assam in 1991 and 1992. His Majesty said that Bhutan was not aware of their presence until 1994. While some officials and people questioned why the government did not remove the militants then, His Majesty said that it would have been a serious mistake to have used the Bhutanese security force against them at that time. There were no army camps along the Assam-Bhutan border and there were only a few hundred soldiers, spread out between Kalikhola and Diafam, who were deployed because of the ngolop problem. Since then, the royal government has spent a lot of money to strengthen security along the Assam-Bhutan border. Army camps had been established, the strength of the troops deployed increased, and the quality of their weapons and equipment had been improved.

His Majesty pointed out that the militants had illegally entered Bhutan and established camps because it offered more advantages to them than places in Myanmar and Bangladesh. The thick jungles and rugged terrain across the porous border with Bhutan were in close proximity to their homes in Assam. His Majesty expressed his regret that the militants had so far not responded positively to the royal government's efforts to make them leave Bhutan through peaceful means. If they prolonged their stay inside Bhutan, the number of their cadres and camps would increase and there was every possibility of Bhutanese territory becoming a war zone with armed conflict breaking out with the militants.

In some dzongkhags the people had suggested that Bhutan seek international help including regional bodies like SAARC but that would be futile, said His Majesty. In the region an organisation like SAARC is not allowed to discuss bilateral and contentious issues according to its Charter while the United Nations was dominated by the five permanent members of the Security Council which only help countries that were of economic, political and security concern to them.

Ultimately, the responsibility of protecting Bhutan lies fully with the Bhutanese people. His Majesty emphasised the importance of completing the Eighth Plan and successfully implementing the Ninth Five-Year Plan. His Majesty also assured the people that in case of an emergency the government would do everything in its power to take care of their kidus and problems. The government had estimated that, according to the FCB records, the shopkeepers of Kurtoe imported food items worth Nu. 60 million from Assam every year. The government also estimated that agricultural products worth Nu. 40 million were sold to India. In case Bhutanese vehicles and people were not able to travel between Assam and Bhutan and trade comes to a halt the government would buy all the agricultural products from the people. His Majesty also informed the people that for the six districts of eastern Bhutan warehouses with capacities up to 1,500 metric tonnes would be built in Samdrup Jongkhar and Trashigang and a godown with a storage capacity of 800-metric tonne would be built in Mongar which would also supply Kurtoe with essential food supplies.

Addressing the Kurtoe meeting the home minister, Lyonpo Thinley Gyamtsho, said that the security threat posed by the ULFA and Bodo militants was particularly grave for a small country like Bhutan. He reminded the people of Kurtoe that, if an armed conflict arose, the people in all the 20 dzongkhags would be seriously affected. The people of Bhutan had been deeply affected when 15 people were killed and 19 injured while traveling through Assam in December. But the repercussions of an armed conflict with the ULFA and NDFB militants would be far more serious.

The ULFA and NDFB cadres who had established camps in Bhutan were not refugees or asylum seekers but well armed militants. Bhutan was on the brink of an armed conflict and its security and sovereignty was seriously threatened. "If this problem is not resolved there is a danger that the Bhutanese people will be deprived of the peace and prosperity that we are enjoying today," he said. The home minister said he was aware that the people of Kurtoe were deeply concerned about this serious threat. The government was making every attempt to remove the militants peacefully from Bhutan but they were not responding to these efforts. "Since Bhutan had not taken any firm action so far this may be one of the reasons why they were not responding to our efforts to peacefully resolve the problem," he said. "If we do not protect the security and sovereignty of our own country others will not do it for us," said the home minister. "Our forefathers protected this nation for us and we must safeguard it for the future generations even if we have to sacrifice our own lives."

Lyonpo Thinley Gyamtsho also advised the people to avoid the Assam highway. He informed them that there had been overnight shelters and facilities established along the lateral highway.

Chimi Pema Wangchuk of Gangzur geog said that the people were aware of the National Assembly decisions and deeply appreciated the efforts made by His Majesty and the government to solve the problem peacefully. But since the peaceful measures were unsuccessful, there was no choice but to resort to military action. "We have never thought that Kurtoe is far away and will not be affected," he said. "If the disease enters the foot it will affect the head. We have been discussing the problem in the GYTs and DYT. The people, once again, offer their services to whatever His Majesty the King and the government decides to do."

Yeshey Dorji, a village elder from Gangzur, said that the problem affected the people as much as the government so it was the people's responsibility, as much as the government's, to solve it. "We must increase the strength of our army and each one of us must share the responsibility of safeguarding the security of our country."

Tashi Penjor of Minji informed the meeting that the people could not understand the attacks on the Bhutanese people and vehicles in Assam in December. It made no sense that the militants who were hiding in Bhutan would attack Bhutanese people traveling through Assam. He said the people felt that other parties could be responsible for the attacks. He said that Bhutan must be extremely cautious because, just as an axe and a spade were both made of the same metal, the militants and people of Assam were all citizens of India so the issue might have far reaching implications for Bhutan.

Tobgay, of Phaling village, said that since peaceful means to make the militants leave Bhutan did not seem to be working, it was time for military action and the Bhutanese people from all corners of the kingdom must be ready to defend their country.

The meeting in Kurtoe concluded with the DYT and GYT members and the village elders pledging the full support and willingness of the people to take whatever action was called for and to make whatever sacrifice was necessary to defend their country against all external threats.