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| BKSoA volunteers donating blood in Launceston on 10th October 2014 |
The Bhutanese Kirat Society of Australia (BKSoA) Inc is a non-profit, apolitical, educational, multicultural and social organization formed on 10th October 2010 by diverse ethnic groups of Bhutanese origin people resettled in Tasmania since May 2008. It is committed to ensuring the welfare and respectful integration of Bhutanese people in their new home in Australia. It has been an organizational member of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania since 2012. From the beginning of its establishment, BKBAT has strived towards supporting BKSoA members in various issues and has been representing their voice in wider Australian communities, including government and non-governmental agencies such as Migrant Resource Centre (North), Northern Suburb Community Centre (NSCC), Multicultural Council of Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Launceston City Council, Launceston Community Legal Centre, other CALD communities and wider Australian communities.
BKBAT has been successfully and progressively organizing and conducting various activities on regular basis such as
- Organize cultural awareness program to bring awareness of democratic values, freedom and Australian values because they are different from the countries from where Bhutanese people came from.
- Bhutanese Annual Festival
- Australian Citizenship Test Mentoring Classes
- Tour for senior members and people with disability
- Youth activities such as Bhutanese Soccer Tournament, participation in NTSSA
- Yoga and meditation on every Saturday
- Momo (a typical Bhutanese-Nepali food) making workshop
- Donation for relief program
- Volunteering in community and social works such as blood donation.
- Children activities
- Running ethnic school
- Performances and food stall in Harmony day
- Publishing Multicultural Bhutanese –Nepali calendar
- Participating in various local events with cultural dances and performances showing Bhutanese cultures, foods and attires.
The Bhutanese refugees are descendants of Nepalese migrants
that settled in Southern Bhutan since the 17th century. Originally
recruited by the Government of Bhutan to clear the jungles of Southern Bhutan [
they were called Lhotshampas, meaning ‘People from the South’]. Over time the
Lhotshampas prospered in Bhutan and became high-ranking government officials
and educators. According to the 1988 census they made up 45% of the population
of Bhutan. In 1958 the Bhutanese government passed the Citizenship Act, which
granted the Lhotshampas the right to Bhutanese citizenship. Every citizen was
issued a land tax receipt. From 1958 to 1985, the Bhutanese government introduced
integration programs and incentives for intermarriage between the Lhotshampas
and other ethnic groups of Bhutan. In 1988 the
government introduced a census, which took place only in Southern Bhutan. It
required that each citizen produce the 1958 land tax receipt. Following this census
the Lhotshampas were re-classified as ‘illegal immigrants’ despite having
produced land tax receipts from 1958. In 1989 King Jigme Singey Wangchuk
adopted a “One Bhutan, One People” policy. Nepali language was removed from
school curricula, and it was mandatory for the entire population to wear the
national dress of Bhutan. The southern Bhutanese resisted the policy, as there
was still a strong attachment to their Nepalese cultural heritage. Demonstrations
ensued and the government began to crack down on what they deemed were
‘anti-nationals’ from Southern Bhutan. There were widespread reports by Lhotshampas
of arrests, detention, rape, and torture. They reported being forced to sign ‘voluntary
migration’ forms. By 1991 thousands had started to flee for Nepal via India by truck.
In 1992 UNHCR established the first camps in Eastern Nepal built to house the more
than 105,000 refugees. An additional 20,000 refugees (estimate) fled to other parts
of Nepal and India. Fifteen rounds of talks between the governments of Nepal
and Bhutan on the Bhutanese refugees’ right to return have yielded no results.
Not one single refugee has been repatriated. In 2007 the government of Nepal
accepted the option of third-country resettlement and the Bhutanese Refugees
were resettled in different western countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark,
England, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway and USA. With the resettlement of a group of
four families in Launceston Tasmania on 12 May 2008, began the settlement of Bhutanese
refugees in Australia. For more info, please click HERE & Politics of Bhutan. (Report about Bhutanese Refugee by aljazeera.com) and News report.
Bhutanese people resettled in Launceston are from various cultural and ethnic groups including Buddhist, Kirat and Aryans. Kirat people have lived in the Southern Himalayan area since prehistoric times practicing animism and shamanism. Diverse ethnic groups of Bhutanese people have been remaining independent culturally and linguistically since prehistoric times, but mutual relationships and co-operation has been existed among them for many years before. It is believed that their cultures, languages and traditions would be promoted and preserved only if they cooperate and get a proper platform. Due to this, we strongly felt the necessity of forming the Association representing all Bhutanese. The term 'Kirat' signifies the ancestral ethnicity linked to Nepal and the term 'Buddhist' signifies our nationality of the Buddhist nation 'Bhutan'.Membership
All people of kirat origin and their partners may join the Society as a voting member, non-voting member or life member. For further membership information, please contact us at the following email address.
Email: bksoa2011@gmail.com
