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  1. Ghanshyam Luitel
    November 24, 2024 @ 7:18 pm

    The forced eviction of hundreds of thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese stands as a dark chapter in the history of Bhutan, overshadowing any claims of progress, compassion, or mindfulness. The displacement of these families, the confiscation of their lands and properties, and the enforced separations that prevent them from reconnecting with their loved ones in Bhutan reveal a deep failure to uphold fundamental human rights. These actions are not merely policies; they are lived tragedies, leaving behind fractured families, erased communities, and enduring trauma.

    Against this backdrop, the announcement of a “mindfulness city” project under the King’s vision feels hollow and hypocritical. Mindfulness—a philosophy rooted in compassion, interconnectedness, and collective well-being—cannot coexist with systemic exclusion and oppression. How can Bhutan, a country grappling with the moral stain of ethnic cleansing, claim to build a city that embodies mindfulness? This endeavor appears to be a performative facade designed to distract from the injustices that continue to define Bhutan’s treatment of its former citizens.

    Furthermore, the project raises practical questions. Bhutan’s population is shrinking due to migration and demographic shifts. A city designed to embody mindfulness cannot thrive while the nation grapples with a depleting population, many of whom left in search of opportunities or safety after being excluded from their homeland. Without addressing these root issues—without reconciling with the exiled communities and allowing displaced Bhutanese to return home—such a project risks becoming a symbolic ghost town, devoid of genuine inclusivity and sustainability.

    The international community must not turn a blind eye to this contradiction. While Bhutan markets itself as a paragon of Gross National Happiness and ecological balance, its treatment of its Nepali-speaking minority tells a different story. True mindfulness begins with accountability, reparations, and inclusivity. A project rooted in genuine compassion would start with inviting displaced Bhutanese home, restoring their citizenship, and ensuring their human rights.

    Until Bhutan reckons with its past, projects like the “mindfulness city” will remain empty gestures—monuments to denial rather than progress.

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