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Displaced Nepali-speaking Bhutanese fume over 'mindfulness city' plan

The article from the South China Morning Post discusses the controversy surrounding Bhutan's plan to develop a "mindfulness city" on land that was once home to Nepali-speaking Lhotshampas, who were expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s. This project, named Gelephu Mindfulness City, aims to transform the region into a Special Administrative Region (SAR) with a focus on sustainability and economic growth, potentially attracting global investment. However, the initiative has sparked outrage among the displaced Lhotshampas, who see it as an exploitation of their ancestral lands. They argue that the land was taken from them under the pretext of national security, and now it is being repurposed for economic gain without addressing their rights or the injustices they faced. The project, backed by Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, is intended to be a model of Gross National Happiness, but for the Lhotshampas, it represents a painful reminder of their displacement and the ongoing denial of their right to return.

Read the Full scmp.com Article at:
[ https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3288697/displaced-nepalis-fume-bhutans-mindfulness-city-plan-our-stolen-land ]