Indian police impede refugees' "Long March"

Thousands of Bhutanese refugees who had gone on a "Long March" to their homeland were blocked at Mechi bridge, Monday, by Indian security personnel.

The refugees were stopped from crossing into India at the Mechi bridge – which separates Nepal and India. Dozens of refugees were injured when Indian security personnel used force to prevent them from crossing the bridge.

The refugees staged sit-in at the bridge after they were stopped by Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) of India. India deployed a huge contingent of SSB to prevent refugees from crossing into India.

Around 15000 refugees had joined the "Long March" at the call of National Front for Democracy (NFD-Bhutan). Other parties in exile of refugees had also lent support to this movement. This March was launched on the day Bhutan government held second round of mock elections in preparation of its 2008 parliamentary polls.

However, as in the past, the efforts by refugees were frustrated by Indian police. The refugees had earlier appealed to Indian government to allow them to cross into India and walk through the Indian territory into their homeland Bhutan.

Over one and a half decade ago, Nepali-speaking people of Bhutan had been forced to leave their homeland and were dumped at Nepal border through the same Indian territory since Nepal and Bhutan do not share contiguous border. nepalnews.com sd May 28 07

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