Castaways of changing parents struggle for life

A story of unexpected parental death, probable remarriage of surviving parent and imminent hardship for three innocent souls 

Rejection is one devastating emotion a human being can experience when the very people virtually ordained by God to give nothing but love goes ahead and throws one out into the cold harsh world to fend for oneself.

Imagine the horror if your parents turned away and never looked back at you.

This is exactly what happened with the three siblings who were abandoned and left on their own to struggle in Punakha.

This is the story of Kinley Wangmo, 17 her sister Pema Choki, 13 and brother Kinley Wangchuk, 8 who were forsaken by their parents and now have no one to look after them.

It has been almost six months since June this year when their mother and stepfather left them.

They have no idea where their parents are along with their five year old youngest sister, Sonam Choki.

Kinley Wangmo is a class student X in Dashiding MSS, Kinley Wangchuk studies in class 3, Lobesa School while Pema Choki, works as a dish washer in a restaurant.

Their father, late Yeshi Penjor who was an electrician in Thimphu Tashichhodzong expired in 2003 and their mother remarried in 2010.

She is from Singkharlouri in Samdrup Jongkhar but a few years back she transferred her census to Missena.

It has been learnt that the step father occasionally manhandled the mother.

Pema Choki studying in class IV was forced to drop school and was made to work at the restaurant by their stepfather.

The three children barely survive daily life with the Nu 700 monthly from their late father’s pension but it is also used by their mother and stepfather.

From their schools it was known that Kinley Wangmo was a recipient of Kidu from His Majesty the King from this year.

Currently, Kinley Wangmo and Kinley Wangchuk are living with their aunt who owns a small hut where they are given one room to stay.

The aunt is an alcoholic but supports them with rice and vegetables. Sometimes, their sister, Pema Choki gives them money to buy vegetables and at times their neighbors help them.

People who have seen the children have described their living condition as ‘very pathetic’.

The matter of the children abandoned by their parents was reported to Woman and Child Protection Unit (WCPU) of Thimphu police station by the only uncle of the three children.

The Officer in-charge of WCPU, Captain Wangdi then had informed the case to the Punakha OC and asked him to find out about the three siblings on 7 November.

The next day along with the investigation team, the OC proceeded to Missena and on contacting the monk (claiming to be the only uncle of the three children) gathered information about the children and then contacted the children.

The case would not have got the media attention if the WCPU OC had not taken the initiative to investigate the case along with the Punakha OC.

The section 59 of the Child Care and Protection Act of Bhutan, 2011 states that if the child is in difficult circumstances the concerned authorities has the right to intervene or take the children if found neglected by the parents.

 

Chencho Dema / Thimphu