Kathmandu, May 9: The Hague-based Bhutan Watch has said that it is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we accept the news of the death of Dr Govinda Rizal, one of the brightest leaders of the Bhutanese movement for Human Rights and Democracy and one of the finest brains of the Bhutanese refugee community in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 5 May 2024.
”This tragic news has not only profoundly shaken the Rizal family but has also left a profound void in the entire Bhutanese community, both in exile and inside Bhutan. The loss of the Late Rizal, a scientist, editor, researcher, author, scholar, plant breeder, community leader, coach, mentor, teacher, press freedom activist and master in all aspects, is a void that can never be filled”, Bhutan Watch said in a statement.
His absence has already started feeling in every corner of our community. He was not just a senior lecturer at the Central Campus of Tribhuvan University but a beacon of knowledge and inspiration whose contributions to the Bhutanese community are immeasurable.
According to preliminary news reported by the Nepal Police, the accident happened in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, on 5 May 2024, near the Ayurvedic Hospital along TU Road. There are conflicting reports about the event unfolding. We feel that the Nepal police have not adequately and sincerely investigated this tragic accident. It has been highly challenging for us to believe that only one person died on the spot from the reported accident while others sustained only minor injuries. Until a thorough investigation is not done, we can naturally suspect that this gruesome death can be the handiwork of foreign intelligence agencies rather than just an accident, given the stature and the critical stand taken by the late Dr Govinda Rizal about the issues concerning Human Rights violations in Bhutan, the statement reads.
Taking into consideration all the above facts, The Bhutan Watch, an exile-based Bhutanese think tank to which the late Rizal was an executive member, demands the following from the concerned authority in the Nepal Government:
To immediately constitute a high-level investigating team to investigate the detailed facts behind this tragic death of the late Dr Rizal and publish the report in a particular time frame.
The bus driver should be interrogated and investigated for reckless driving and punished as per the law of the land.
The family members of the deceased are provided with all the appropriate support, including support for their mental health and well-being.
Finally, The Bhutan Watch team extends its heartfelt condolences to Dr Rizal’s wife, Dr Santa Karki, and all the bereaved family members and prays to the almighty that they will be provided with enough strength to overcome this irreparable loss.
