In 1993, Bhutan functioned as an absolute monarchy where the King held sovereign power and citizens lacked the right to change their government. The period was defined by severe human rights concerns as the ruling Drukpa elite implemented "Bhutanization"
In 1993, Bhutan functioned as an absolute monarchy where the King held sovereign power and citizens lacked the right to change their government. The period was defined by severe human rights concerns as the ruling Drukpa elite implemented "Bhutanization" policies to protect their culture from the growing ethnic Nepalese minority. This led to the retroactive stripping of citizenship for tens of thousands under the 1985 Citizenship Act, resulting in the displacement of approximately 100,000 refugees who fled to Nepal and India to escape arbitrary arrests, torture, and cultural suppression. While women enjoyed relatively high social status regarding inheritance and healthcare, broader civil liberties were strictly curtailed, with no political parties, no labor unions, and state control over all media.Read the full edited Report here.
Published on January 31, 1993