Lhotshampa

Lhotshampa
Alemaugil · Public domain · source
Group	Lhotshampa
Population	c. 100,000 (est.)
Regions	Bhutan, Nepal, India
Languages	Nepali, Dzongkha, Tibetan languages
Religions	Hinduism, Buddhism
Related	Nepali people, Gorkha people, Sharchops

Lhotshampa The Lhotshampa are an ethnic community originating in southern Bhutan with roots tied to migrations from Nepal and Sikkim. Historically concentrated in Samdrup Jongkhar, Sarpang, Chukha and Dagana, they have been central to regional disputes involving Thimphu administrations, Kirin, and international actors such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and governments of India and Nepal.

Etymology and Identity

The ethnonym derives from Dzongkha and Nepali roots indicating "southern people" and has been used in administrative records, census documents, and scholarly works by institutions like Royal Government of Bhutan and United Nations missions. Identity debates involve linkage to groups such as Khas people, Gurung people, Magar people, Thakali people, and Tamang people, as well as distinctions drawn by scholars at Tribhuvan University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and School of Oriental and African Studies.

History and Migration

Early migration waves to Bhutan from Gorkha Kingdom and Kingdom of Nepal in the 19th and 20th centuries intersected with treaties such as the Treaty of Sinchula and regional dynamics involving British Raj expansion, Sikkim relations, and labor movements documented alongside Indo-Bhutan Treaty of 1949. Settlement intensified during Shah dynasty rule in Nepal and amid labor demands tied to infrastructure projects influenced by contractors from Darjeeling and Kalimpong. Political shifts during reigns of Ugyen Wangchuck, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, and Jigme Singye Wangchuck affected land tenure, leading to tensions mirrored in disputes involving the Citizenship Act of Bhutan (1985), royal edicts, and documentation drives modeled after censuses by Office of the Census Commissioner of Bhutan.

Demographics and Settlement Patterns

Population estimates vary among agencies such as UNHCR, Amnesty International, and the Royal Government of Bhutan; many sources cite figures ranging from tens of thousands to over one hundred thousand prior to late 20th-century displacements. Communities historically clustered in Tsirang, Pemagatshel, and border towns near Phuentsholing and Gelephu, with livelihoods tied to rice terraces, cardamom cultivation promoted by programs from Food and Agriculture Organization, and trade links with markets in Kolkata and Siliguri. Settlement patterns reflect kinship ties to Koirala family-type lineages, migrant networks connecting to Kathmandu, Dharan, and migrant diaspora in Quebec and Victoria.

Language, Culture, and Religion

The linguistic repertoire has centered on Nepali, with multilingualism including Dzongkha and interaction with Tibetan languages. Cultural practices combine Hinduism rituals—such as observances linked to Dashain and Tihar—with syncretic customs influenced by proximity to Buddhism institutions like Trashi Chhoe Dzong and monastic communities under authorities comparable to Je Khenpo. Artistic expressions include folk music traditions akin to those cataloged for Gaine people, dance forms related to Maruni dance, and textile crafts resonant with patterns seen in Bhutanese textiles and Kirat weaving. Religious leadership ranges from household priests to figures connected to temples such as Bhutanese lhakhang and pilgrimage circuits that intersect with sites in Janakpur and Lumbini.

Political Status and Citizenship Issues

Statutes enacted by the Royal Government of Bhutan, notably the Bhutan Citizenship Acts and census regulations, altered legal statuses and documentation for long-settled populations, prompting reviews by international bodies including Human Rights Watch and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Debates have involved interpretations of ancestry, residency, and land titles, referencing adjudicative practices in Thimphu High Court-era cases and administrative policies influenced by figures from Druk Phuensum Tshogpa eras. Diplomatic engagement included talks between representatives from Nepal and Bhutan and interventions by envoys from India and delegations tied to International Organization for Migration.

Deportations, Refugees, and Humanitarian Response

Late 20th-century enforcement actions led to large-scale expulsions and ensuing refugee situations processed through UNHCR camps in eastern Nepal at sites including Beldangi, Jampapur, and Timai. International responses involved Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, humanitarian agencies such as International Committee of the Red Cross, and resettlement programs coordinated with countries like United States, Canada, Australia, Norway, Denmark, and Netherlands. Legal and relief efforts interfaced with organizations including Refugees International, Caritas Internationalis, and regional NGOs in Kathmandu and Guwahati, while scholarly attention came from researchers at Columbia University, University of Oxford, and Australian National University documenting trajectories from camps to urban integration in locales such as Biratnagar and diasporic communities in Atlanta and Melbourne.

Category:Ethnic groups in Bhutan