"Unbecoming Citizens" must be read with one thing in mind - it is written by someone the government of Bhutan has labeled a criminal who has betrayed the trust of the king, country and government. This blemish might not matter much in any case, however, because the book would have already failed the regime’s tests of loyalty and truth, even from a foreigner. By repeatedly refusing to grant a visa to the author once he had made clear his intentions to hear out the refugees (other academics/journalists who have committed the same mistake have faced a similar fate) the government made known its own position: you are now against ‘us’ because you have chosen to listen to ‘them’. For the regime in Bhutan there are clearly no two sides to a coin - anyone trying to attempt a balanced analysis by listening to both sides is totally shut out. Sadly, it is this attitude which stands in the way of more inclusive policies in the kingdom and the resolution of the refugee problem.
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Un Bhutan di plastica, copertine patinate per presentare l'ennesimo Shangrila, dal film di Bertolucci ai depliant turistici. Un paese razzista dove la difesa dell'identità nazionale va di pari passo con la soppressione dei diritti civili. Il trattamento riservato alla popolazione di origine nepalese è stato definito "una delle maggiori espulsioni etniche del mondo". |