The Centre for Protection of Minorities and Against Racism and Discrimination in Bhutan (CEMARD-Bhutan) is a national non-profit, non-partisan, and  non-governmental human rights organization devoted to eliminating all forms of discrimination, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and advancing the international regime of human rights in Bhutan. It was established to defend the human rights and to promote the principles of non-discrimination, equality, social justice, rule of law, rights of minorities and for elimination of all forms of discrimination and racial discrimination in Bhutan. Its main objectives are to secure justice for religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities suffering discrimination, prejudice and persecution and to work for elimination of all forms of discrimination, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and combating racism in Bhutan.   It was established on August 22, 1994.

All Bhutanese human rights organisations,  human rights activists and political parties are required to work in exile under exceptionally difficult situation, as there is a complete ban on the formation of unions, associations, organisations, human rights organisations and political parties in Bhutan by the autocratic, feudal and despotic government. They  function in three countries – in Nepal their host country,  India, the transit country, and Bhutan their home. 

CEMARD stands for equal value of all human beings, equality, dignity and rights of all individuals and peoples regardless of colour, race, ethnicity, sex, religion and creed. It believes that, ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’ and every one is entitled to all rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, without any distinction of any kind in particular to race, ethnicity, religion, language and culture. Economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights are indivisible. ‘All individuals and groups have the right to be different, to consider themselves as different and to be regarded as such’.

Who started the group and why?

In the eighties, the government of Bhutan implemented a series of racist and discriminatory policies against the Nepali-speaking Lhotshampas  in the Southern Bhutan.  The southern Bhutanese people organised protest rallies in all six districts of southern Bhutan in protest against the abuses of  their human rights. The government security forces came heavily upon southern Bhutanese. They resorted to such inhuman tactics as torture, killing in custody,  indiscriminate arrests, loot, rape, plunder and  burning of the houses of southern Bhutanese,  finally compelling them to leave their home in fear. 

Thus, in the wake of wide spread abuses of human rights in the southern districts, a group of concerned Bhutanese intellectuals established the Centre for Protection of Minorities and Against Racism and Discrimination in Bhutan (CEMARD-Bhutan) on August 22, 1994 in exile. It was formed in exile by Bhutanese people to organise themselves for the protection,  promotion and defence of human rights, minorities rights and to combat racism in Bhutan.  It was necessary to form this group, because of the absence of any  such organisation working for the protection of human rights.

Areas of  Work/Specialization

• Democracy

• Security

• Ethnicity

• Ethnic, Cultural, Linguistic and Religious Minorities of Bhutan

• Lhotshampa ( Nepali-speaking) Minorities

• Christian minorities in Bhutan

• Bhutanese Refugees

• Protection of the rights of refugees

• Human Rights

• Training, Dissemination, Publications

• Advocacy work at UN and international forum

STRUCTURE

It's structure and objectives have been already laid down in its Articles of Association or the Constitution. The Constitution is clear about the structure, the powers and responsibilities of  Board and  staff of CEMARD. CEMARD is headed by a  Chairperson. The Chairperson  of CEMARD is the  non-executive head of the Board of CEMARD.  The Executive Director looks after the programmes and day-to-day affairs of CEMARD and is accountable to the Board. 

He is appointed by the Board of Directors for a period of five years and shall be eligible for re-election. He prepares project proposals and submit  to the funding agencies and submit the accounts of expenditure to them as agreed upon. The treasurer is responsible for the entire financial transactions of CEMARD. The Board of Directors has  the powers to formulate the plans, programmes and policies of CEMARD.  It also has  the powers to approve the budget and conduct the audit of the   accounts  of CEMARD.

The day-today decisions are taken by the Executive Director in consultation with the volunteer staff. The Executive Director discusses  all matters relating to the organisation and its work with its staff- volunteers staff and the Treasurer. Such discussions are held as per the need.  The Executive Director needs to seek the approval of the Board on all matters relating to the policy matters. The Executive Director in consultation with the staff prepares necessary document and proposals for seeking approval of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors examines the proposal and document. The Board of Directors by majority votes approves or rejects the  proposal. It gives its advice as per the need. The Executive Director also submits statement of all financial transaction to the Board of Directors. There are six  volunteers and 15 members.

 As a not for profit,  and non-governmental organisation, CEMARD depends on voluntary donations from the individuals  and  international funding agencies to implement its human rights programmes. As an exiled women rights organisation, CEMARD does not have any regular sources of funding. It cannot raise funds internally. It is also finding very difficult to generate internal funds. The Government of Bhutan arrests, imprisons and evicts a person along with his family from the country, if he/she is found to contributing fund to any Bhutanese or Bhutanese NGO in exile. Thus, ninety nine percent of CEMARD's  programmes are funded by the overseas funding agencies.