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Summary

In 2003, Bhutanese refugees in the Khudunabari camp in Nepal launched an indefinite relay hunger strike to demand the Bhutanese government disclose verification results, start verification in other camps, and begin repatriation. The campaign gained solidarity from six other camps and international pressure, leading to renewed talks and eventual government concessions. The verification process categorized refugees, allowing some to return, but many were dissatisfied with the harsh terms and loss of land.

Background

In the 1980s, the Bhutanese government saw the Lhotshampa people as a political threat and began discriminating against them, leading to 100,000 fleeing to UN-sponsored camps in Nepal by the early 1990s. Nepal wanted Bhutan to take back the refugees, but Bhutan argued only a few thousand were genuine citizens. In 2001, a Joint Verification Team (JVT) was formed to review citizenship claims, but after two years no results were announced.

What happened

On January 7, 2003, refugees at the Khudunabari camp began an indefinite relay hunger strike, with groups taking turns fasting day and night, demanding disclosure of verification results, start of verification in other camps, and repatriation [source: nv-database]. In early February, six other Bhutanese refugee camps joined in solidarity, and leaders like Ratan Gazmer pressured donors to convince Bhutan to take back refugees [source: nv-database]. Rallies were held to attract press and donor attention, and Nepali political leaders like Bir Mani Dhakal and members of the Nepali Congress visited the demonstrations to show support [source: nv-database]. The Bhutanese Refugees Return Support Group, led by Shailendra Kumar Upadhaya, also showed solidarity and called for discontinuing aid to Bhutan [source: nv-database]. The hunger strikes motivated the Nepali and Bhutanese governments to meet for the twelfth time on February 6, 2003, but they stood by their previous positions [source: nv-database]. Public, media, and donor pressure led to another meeting on February 24, where the Bhutanese Foreign Minister attended, and plans for announcing verifications began [source: nv-database]. A thirteenth round of talks occurred in March, and Hiranya Lal Shrestha lobbied for international support [source: nv-database]. In July, the Bhutanese government claimed they would give in to demands, and the refugees ended their hunger strikes [source: nv-database]. On December 22, 2003, representatives from Nepal and Bhutan declared the joint verification result, dividing refugees into four categories: original Bhutanese (3%), voluntarily migrated (70%), criminals (2.4%), and non-Bhutanese (23%) [source: nv-database]. Original Bhutanese could return but without land; voluntarily migrated could return without immediate citizenship; criminals would be kept in prison camps; non-Bhutanese were refused entry [source: nv-database]. Refugees strongly disagreed, and human rights groups condemned the process, but no new decision was forced [source: nv-database]. Starting in 2008, countries like the US, Australia, Canada, Norway, Netherlands, and Denmark began resettling refugees [source: nv-database].

Key people & organizations

  • Ratan Gazmer
  • Bir Mani Dhakal
  • Shailendra Kumar Upadhaya
  • Hiranya Lal Shrestha
  • Bhutanese Refugees Return Support Group
  • Asian Human Rights Commission
  • Joint Verification Team
  • Nepali Congress
  • United States
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Norway
  • Netherlands
  • Denmark

Tactics used

The relay hunger strike created sustained moral pressure and attracted media and donor attention, while coalition-building with other camps and political elites amplified the campaign’s reach and forced governments to negotiate. [source: nv-database]

Outcome

Verdict: partial.

The campaign achieved partial success: the government disclosed verification results, began verifying other camps, and repatriated some refugees, but the harsh categorization and loss of land left many dissatisfied, and the refugees restarted hunger strikes without forcing a new decision. [source: nv-database]

Lessons

  • Relay hunger strikes can sustain pressure over long periods without causing severe harm to individuals.
  • Building solidarity across multiple camps and involving political elites can amplify a campaign’s leverage.
  • International donor pressure can be a key factor in forcing governments to negotiate.

Sources

Disclaimer: Included as a teaching example of campaign craft, not as endorsement.

Sources & verification

  • nv-database — grounding: primary — license: link-only
  • Rewritten: 2026-06-25 via worker_casestudies_v2.py

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