1 TRANSLATION OF THE PROCEEDINGS AND ... - APFA News

pressing on this issue, the problem is that the response to our requests is in the
hands of others.
Following these incidents, the Royal Government has banned all government
owned light vehicles from plying through Assam since there is a danger of
government officers being attacked and kidnapped for ransom and extraction of
confidential information.
The bus service between Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar have
been discontinued for the time being because the security provided by the
Indian police has been inadequate. With eight police stations enroute, the police
escorts have to be changed at every station, making the journey very long and
coordination of the security escorts unreliable. However, although Nganglam
and Daifam have no internal links, the weekly bus service from Samdrup
Jongkhar to the two towns are plying regualrly since necessary security escort is
provided by the local authorities in Assam.
The Royal Government also requested the Government of India for security
escort to be provided by the Indian Army not only throughout the length of
Highway 31 but also from the highway to all the Bhutanese border towns like
Kalikhola and Daifam. Such an arrangement would solve the present problems
associated with having to change security escorts at eight different police
stations along the highway in Assam.
The Home Minster said that it is very important for Bhutanese trucks to
continue plying through Assam and provide the transportation which is essential
for the kingdom’s trade and development. In comparison to buses there is less
security risk for trucks as they carry only the driver and a handyman. Bhutanese
trucks, therefore, continue to ply on the Assam road mostly without security
escort. Privately owned light vehicles also ply at their own risk. He also
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