By Prof Dr Manfred Ringhofer  

The Bhutanese Community is really missing you.

I cannot remember when we met first time 2006 in Kyoto. It could have been perhaps our lunch together with you and your wife in a restaurant at Kyoto JR Station. Before that you had informed me, that your wife had successfully got from her Professor at Kyoto University the assurance you could also do research at his institute. We had a nice discussion in a relaxed

atmosphere. But I could not believe that you had only a 6 months visa, despite your

professor’s acceptation to guide you for two years.

That time I was also lecturer at Osaka Women University, teaching “Approach to World Refugee Issues”. Of course I taught also about the Bhutanese Refugee situation and thought it would be a great chance for all participants, if you to have you could give a lecture about this issue, as somebody directly affected.

You gave us a very excellent, impressive PP presentation on June 19, 2006. But after leaving this university your information shocked me so much.

As a refugee you only had been allowed to stay in Kansai Area (Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto) and it was forbidden to move to other parts of Japan, even to attend a conference in Tokyo. A restriction of free movement, despite haven been accepted for a 2years research.

The next shock was the fact, that you were not allowed to receive any remuneration for your lecture, et., forbidden to “work”. Of course I gave you clandestine 10.000 Yen. But the same year in autumn another unbelievable truth had been told to me, by the than representative of UNHCR in Japan, Saburo Takizawa, that he did not know this kind of legal status, refugees receive in Japan. My question had been during a break at a conference where Mr. Takizawa gave a key lecture. Luckily for him, nobody could hear his answer, but only looking abroad and not knowing the legal status of refugees inside Japan, made me speechless.

This man had before worked for UNRWA, UNIDO and UNHCR Geneva (Controller and Director), but after his answer I had a negative impression of him. At that time the treatment of refugees had not been better than today, but Govinda, you must have had a lot of negative treatment during your stay in Japan.

But in later years we had no chance to meet, both of us were quite busy, but I am the big culprit, who, despite repeated love calls from you, to research together, it never realized.

Please excuse me!

I had to teach various topics, refugees, foreigners in Japan with nearly 3fold norma (voluntary!), teaching also at other universities and being a member of local and regional committees for Human rights and ethnic topics and also as chairperson of 3 NGOs, among is

AHURA JAPAN, the NGO assisting Bhutanese refugees since 1993 (scholarships and research)

Too late!

You tried to invite me to join you and Ram Karki with 2 others at an online discussion  recently, beginning of May, and I asked you per mail about the day of this program and waited in vain for an answer. I am regretting my stupidness having not called your mobile phone number, which I had gotten from you.

But by chance I could follow nearly the whole program and regretted missing this chance to participate together with you, Govinda. At least 3 times I could have given comments. Some days later, you left us suddenly, at a too early age with a bright future before you. From next March on I have no commitments to university teaching, etc. and we could have finally the chance to cooperate.

We could not have a mature friendship, but I will always remember and revere you as a

model person in many ways.

Govinda, thanks a lot for your kind friendship which I will miss in future. 

Rest in Peace

Manfred