Bhutanese may take up arms to evict ULFA, NDFB

GUWAHATI, February 11: The people of Bhutan have expressed their willingness to take up arms, if necessary, to evict the ULFA and Bodo militants from Bhutan, said a report in the Himalayan Kingdom's state run weekly Kuensel. Pressure is mounting on the Government of Bhutan to evict the ULFA and NDFB militants from the territory of Bhutan as the Bhutanese people have expressed concern over the presence of the militants. The continued presence of the ULFA and Bodo militants has become an increasingly serious threat to the security and sovereignty of the country and could take away the peace and happiness that the Bhutanese people always enjoyed, this was the view expressed by the people of Trashiyangtse during the Eighth plan review meeting recently. In that meeting, the people of Trashiyangtse pledged to take up arms, if necessary, to evict the militants from the country. Addressing the meeting, the King of Bhutan expressed concern at the lack of progress in the peaceful methods to persuade the ultras to leave the Bhutanese territory. "The militants stated that it was not possible for them to leave Bhutan until they achieve their goal of gaining independence from Assam. As it would not be possible for them to achieve their goal, their stay in Bhutan can become indefinite, "the King pointed out. He further said that the Government of Bhutan would make all out efforts to persuade the militants to leave through peaceful dialogue. The Bhutan King said that if Bhutan was left with no other option but to send its armed forces to remove the militants, it would mean fighting a war against them. This would result in grave consequences including loss of life and the Bhutanese people and vehicles passing through Assam would not be safe, he said. He informed the meeting that the Government was making all arrangements to ensure supply of essential food items to the people by building adequate food reserve if an emergency situation emerged. Referring to the views expressed by the representatives of people to seek international assistance to resolve the problem, the King reminded the plan review meeting that safeguarding the security and sovereignty of the country is the sacred responsibility of the Bhutanese people. "In the past our forefathers sought assistance from the British to repulse the invasions by the Tibetans from the North and then approached the Tibetans to help fight the British in South Bhutan," he added. sAddressing the meeting Bhutan Home Minister Lyonpo Thinley Ayamtsho briefed the people about the steps taken by the Government to solve the problem. He informed the meeting that the militants have not only refused to come for talks but were becoming "more blatant" about their presence in Bhutan. The militants have started to move around frequently in towns and villages in the border areas with arms. They are mistaking Bhutan's peaceful approach to resolve the problem as weakness and are becoming more aggressive and blatant in their activities, the Bhutan Home Minister said. He also appealed to the people to refrain from helping the militants.