Bhutanese refugees tell dark side of Himalayan kingdom
If Canadians know anything about Bhutan, it likely revolves around the tiny Himalayan nation’s seemingly enlightened monarchs, often praised for ushering in democracy and championing a state-sponsored philosophy dubbed Gross National Happiness.
But this week, the first of 5,000 refugees from Bhutan arrived in Canada, offering a reminder of the dark side of the country’s recent history. The refugees — ethnic Nepalese and mostly Hindu — were effectively forced out of Bhutan by that same, Buddhist royal family almost 20 years ago and have been languishing in camps in Nepal ever since.