The plight of the over 120 thousand Bhutanese exiles in Nepal has led to the emergence of Maoist groups in refugee camps. Indian sources raise the possibility of an armed insurrection in the coming months. Meanwhile, the Bhutanese government promises by year’s end better conditions for the Nepalese minority.

Thimphu (AsiaNews / Agencies) - In the little kingdom on the slopes of the Himalayas, there is the risk of an armed insurgency by Maoist groups born in refugee camps on the border with Nepal, where for years more than 120 thousand citizens of Nepalese origin live in exile.

According to Indian intelligence sources, the recent alliance of the Communist Party of Bhutan with some Indian separatist groups operating on the border, risks turning the tensions of recent years into open armed conflict. The sources say that "Through this alliance, the militant Bhutanese may learn how to make more powerful bombs, acquire more experience in handling weapons and fight it more effectively."

Bill Frelick, head of political refugees for Human Rights Watch, says that the militants are little more than a thousand, and are a long way from organising a real revolution. But other analysts see in the alliance with the armed groups in India and the ongoing recruitment of volunteers within the camps a signal to an actual armed rebellion.

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