By BEN CONANT
Insider staff
The Insider recently caught up with Gopi Sharma, a 24-year-old refugee from Bhutan. Sharma came to Concord in January and is taking classes at Second Start School. He explained that hundreds of years ago, his ancestors were forcibly moved from Nepal to Bhutan. Nepalese people like Sharma were considered second-class citizens in Bhutan.
“There was a racial discrimination between the Nepalese and the Drukpa (the ruling class),” Sharma said.
Things came to a head in 1992 when a class revolution further pided the country. This was a tough time to be Nepalese in Bhutan.
“During the revolution, many of our sisters were raped, many of our people were taken to jail or prison,” Sharma said. “I was a very small child, but still I know this. Our fathers and mothers worked volunteer jobs for the government with no wages. If you did not do well, they would give you severe punishment. Many of our relatives were killed.”
Sharma said the Drukpa began forcing them out of Bhutan by “blaming them in many ways.” He said the government blamed a forest fire on the Nepalese and gave them an ultimatum. Within 10 days, they had to pay a fine of 60 lakhs (over $120,000 U.S.).
“We were farmers, and we cannot pay this amount,” Sharma said.
On the 10th night, Sharma said, armed soldiers came to his family's farm and demanded the money. When they couldn't pay, the soldiers destroyed their homes and assaulted the families.
“I still can remember that my father was beaten severely, and the sisters of my relatives were raped. I can still remember it,” Sharma said.
Forced to leave with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, Sharma and his family fled across the border, ironically enough back to the to country where their people had originally come from, Nepal.
“In the 13th century, our forefathers used to live in Nepal,” Sharma said, “the same country where our people now live in exile.”
His family eventually arrived at a refugee camp, one of several that they would call home for the next 19 years. While it was nothing like being home on the farm in Bhutan, Sharma was at least able to go to school. There, he met a lovely young lady named Dhan, who became his friend, studying partner and finally his wife.
After completing high school, Sharma went to Siddhartha College of Management for business and ended up a math teacher. He taught for a short while, until one day his family received word from a resettlement agency – they were ready to move to the United States. The Sharmas packed up all 11 of their family members and hopped on a plane. Five planes and a van ride later, they arrived in their new home, Concord.
Now, Sharma is taking classes and looking for a job to support his wife and family. A certified teacher in Nepal, Sharma hopes to find work in construction here in the States.
“I'm still new here,” Sharma said. “It takes a long time to get to know everything.”
When he's not taking classes or looking for work, Sharma likes watching television or helping his parents around the house. He said that he really enjoys living in Concord.
“It's good here,” Sharma said with a smile. “Not just good, better, best is here. Superlatives.”
