Help a Bhutanese democratic hero to begin his new life

Mr Ram Bahadur Rai, aged 66, one of the Bhutanese political prisoners out of 35 officially verified by Human Rights Watch, who had been serving a lengthy prison term in Chemgang Central Prison since his arrest in 1994, was released on 5 July 2024. 

Despite his repeated requests to be allowed to stay in Bhutan for at least a week to meet his relatives and friends, he was forcefully deported into the Indo-Bhutan border town of Jaigaon at midnight on the same day. After two days, with the help of an Indian friend, Raju Magar, he reached Panitanki. He safely arrived in the Bhutanese refugee camp in Beldangi on the evening of 7 July 2024 and is now living with his daughter and her family. 

During our several talks with Mr Rai, we found him exhausted, tired, sick and hopeless due to years of inhuman torture and starvation in the notorious prison of Bhutan. He said he was beaten for several years, leading to his ribs being broken, and his foot was painful where he used to be beaten and tortured. He wished to see a doctor as soon as possible if he had some money for that. 

"I have nothing with me to restart my new life in the camp. I am staying with my daughter now, but I do not want to stay with her for long because her situation is also not good, and I want to restart my life separately," said Rai. He appealed to all the Bhutanese and other wellwishers worldwide to provide him with some financial assistance to buy food, medical treatment, clothes, and other necessities to restart his day-to-day life in the camp, including buying bamboo and other construction materials to build a hut.

Mr Rai further said that his wife, the late Laxi Maya Rai, died in 2009 in her hut in the Beldangi refugee camp. "My daughter said that she was curiously looking forward to meeting me, but unfortunately, she died, and her wish remained unfulfilled forever but atleast I hope I can soon connect with my two sons who I heard are resettled in Australia and USA, respectively", said Rai.

Mr Ram Bahadur Rai is a hero to our community, and he needs to be honoured for his sacrifice for the country and the people. It is our turn to support him now. Our support cannot compensate for his decades of suffering, but at least our little financial support can help him restart his life, ultimately feel that he has the community behind him, and feel confident about continuing his life ahead freely and happily.

Therefore, on behalf of Mr Ram Bahadur Rai, we appeal to every Bhutanese community member, our wellwishers, and those who know and love Mr Rai to kindly contribute a small donation so that he can restart his basic life in the camp and get a basic health check-up.