Bhutan: For A Democracy

I am writing two days ahead of Jigme’s second round of mocking with democracy. This in turn is not only mocking with the democracy, the sovereign power of the people to rule the country but mocking with himself knowing last days are nearer.

Bhutan promotes culture and heritage and the conservationist must also take into mind, hope he had done it, that a lamp in verge of extinction lit large. The royals in Sikkim had met with similar fate for denying respecting the voice of the people. The legendary monarch in Cooch Bihar has been tarnished of any further annuities from the central government and the monarch in Nepal is facing the last battle only to loose. Now the final point where khuru should hit is at wangchuks in Thimphu.

Jigme prompted terrorism in Bhutan. The first is the state terrorism and the second by dinning with ULFA in eastern districts.

Can anyone answer which is terrorism:

1. Term those demanding human rights as terrorists
2. Give shelter to militants and dine with them

Another phase of terrorism would arrive out of the present mockery. Everything has been carved from the Tashichodzong in the name of people. Thousands of people from the east have been denied citizenship and right to vote in the upcoming mockeries. People may not like voting to legitimise the terrorism of the Jigmes but our concern is they need to be treated as citizens.

This time, no doubt, the Jigme’s colour will win and then follows the course of Bhutanese politics. One of the parties has already designed its flag on yellow background with a galloping horse. This is religion politics.

The terrorist government has now brought several notices that religions should not be mixed up with the politics, religious personalities should not be involved in the politics. Has this regime remembered that religious had been the basis of its southern Bhutan operation in 1990 when the people from that area were forced out of the country reasoning they attacked the customs and traditions of the ruling elite?

Thousands of easterners were blown up, arrested, tortured after the attempted demonstration in 1997. This had forced the Jimes to reshuffle the aged-old cabinet and include sarchops into the cabinet as part of getting support of the eastern people. but only the cowardice have joined the wangchucks, sons of the land wait the days to raise the patang against the ruling regime. Jigme Y Thinley, thinly Jamtsho, Jigme Thulthrim, Jigme Singye (mostly jigmes which means ‘cannot afraid’) will no more be the rulers of this nation.

The jigme controlled media and foreign correspondents who have been permitted only in central and north-eastern parts of the country, only reports that people favour king continue his direct rule. Indirectly, this intends to transfer the power to palace showing the parties failing to meet the sentiments of the people and that people still wish king to rule.

This is the continuation of the article you read below about the HRW report published recently.

I feel the report is so limited and incomplete, if not biased. The gross human rights violation is in eastern Bhutan for centuries. The crackdown in south began only two decades back. But we have been facing such suppression since the establishment of wangchuk authority.

The wangchuks sold out Tawang Monastery to Tibet. Killed the shabdurng and his incarnates. Forced his followers to leave the country. Yet easterners tolerate them all.

I suppose the report has become partial due to unsupportive nature of the wangchuk authority. That is certain but that should not be the simple reason for the organisation like HRW to become mere spectator of the human rights violations in Bhutan. Protection of human rights should not limit to Lhotsampas and students from other ethnic groups went to India for studies.

The report only quoted Lhotsampas who went outside Bhutan even while living in Bhutan now. There was no step taken to call eastern Bhutanese for such interview. While people like Rongthong Kuenley Dorji and Thinley Penjor say they have been fight for the rights of the easterners, they should have cooperated with easterners to bring out their voices of suppression in the international circle through HRW report. At the same time, the HRW should have campaigned for its presence in Bhutan for monitoring human rights violation issue.

This is ironic to mention here that while Bhutan has been saying it was committed to protecting the rights of the people, no international and regional human rights groups have been allowed to visit Bhutan and access the situation human rights here. It has become utmost necessary that national committees of the international human rights groups like HRW, Amnesty International, Asian Human Rights Committee etc are established here.

The government has no proposed, in the so-called constitution, formation of rights monitoring body at the national level. Such a body has become important part of the government system to ensure that people’s rights have been well protected.

While the US has been advocating the Lhotsampas in Nepal to resettle on humanitarian ground, why is it not taking initiative to improve the human rights situation here? I think, improving human rights situation in Bhutan is much import than resettling Lhotsampas in the US. The US proposal and HRW, the apex human rights watchdog of the US, report is contrast.

Please, HRW visit the eastern and other parts of the country, though your influence on your government and Indian government to access the deteriorating situation inside Bhutan.

Will you hear the easterners?

The latest news that google delivered me was the report published by the New York based group called Human Rights Watch about the human rights situation in this country. It almost consumed my whole day to go through, repeatedly so that I can catch what exactly was said, without misinterpretation.

I personally appreciate the initiative taken by the group in publishing the harsh condition of human rights here. To improve the situation, such groups must continue its lobby and activities in this area giving more pressure on the government.

Some months back, I had mailed the HRW officers in New York. The person had replied:

“I am sorry that our reports have not lived up to your expectation. You may be interested to know that in about two months’ time, Human Rights Watch will publish a report on the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. That report will also include a section on the human rights situation in Bhutan. It will be available on our website at the same time as the release of the printed version of the report.
Yours Sincerely,
Katinka Ridderbos”

Now the report is brought out. However, the report does not contain enough material that can reflect the worst human rights condition here. The report only wobbles around the story of Lhotsampas. Is it fabricated?

Bhutan not only has Lhotsampas. There are a number of ethnic groups. It is not the Lhotsampas who have been mistreated by the wangchuk administration but the people from eastern districts. Lhotsampas, whom the wangchuks tagged terrorists, have been benefited not only by the UNHCR facilities but by the hands extended by international groups like HRW regarding their cause. But do they really align with the most suppressed groups of the country.

For centuries, the easterners have been suppressed. The only destination they can go on leaving Bhutan would be India, which it seems not suitable because this ‘expansionist’ giant, as the communists say, feed only the riches and the rulers not the poors and the people.

What I should guess is that HRW might have not given access to visit Bhutan. Certainly, this happens because the wangchuk administration is not really interested in giving rights to the people. All those who raise a single question are shot or sent to jail for the whole life? Who takes care of all these? Are there media in the country that can challenge the wangchuks in favour of people’s sovereignty?

The media are the propaganda machinery of the wangchuks.

I shall follow the report the coming day. Please bear for now

Comments are welcome online or on mail at jigDOTsingyeATgmail.com

Friday, I was on leave from this blog, which you might have observed. I failed to write and upload anything – be it a diary of the day. I would have done it should I be able to subscribe a Druknet line at home and manage a computer. Many in this country still not been able to have easy access to the Internet service – which in turn reflects the underlying poverty against the nation’s propaganda that per capital income of the country has drastically improved over the years.

On Friday I was in a meeting with the leaders where we discussed our strategies for upcoming election. Already there are three parties announced that leaders from all parties are putting their efforts to win votes in 2008. Two parties have invited me to join the politics but both proposed me to lead the party at the district level. Sure enough, since I am not ready for national elections, due to age and education, I myself prefer to be in district. But before this, I have to decide if I am to join the politics.

People like Sangey Ngedup, Yeshey Zimba, Jigme Y Thinley, Sonam Tobgay, Khandu Wangchuk etc and etc are on the line to fight for a seat in the government after 2008. I told them, I have not yet decided whether I would be joining the politics because I still have to continue my education.

One idea I made up was student politics. Making students habituated to politics from college level itself would instinct them the quality of leadership when they grow up. I did not float the idea because political maturity is yet to gain here. Status of political parties are yet to be finalise, there are no symptoms for formation of sister organisation of the parties like the student wing.

I was uninterested to join some of the parties due to few reasons. Basically, I would rather not join the politics if people like those mentioned above took over the leadership. The simple reason is that these leaders would never allow the country mechanism to democratisation.

Sangey Ngedup is brother in law by relation to the king. His party would forge alliance with the monarchy for all interests. The palace has already given green signals to him that he might be the favoured candidate to palace for prime ministership. His relation with India would also favour him. I don’t like people being selected for positions just because they have influential position not by personal capacity but by relation capacity.

The other one is Jigme Y. Thinley. I even feel ashamed to write his name here. If you have not let you know who he is. Probably, few of you know of him as a person who coined the concept of Gross National Happiness. He sold himself for the shake of position as minister. The king kidnapped him for handing over the copyright of the GNH philosophy to palace which in turn he received the position as minister.

At other hand, he had received a good gift from king long ago. The daughter, whom he calls his daughter, is in fact not his. The daughter is of Jigme Singye. Jigme had sexual relation with the current wife of Thinley in early days from whom a daughter was born. Thinley agreed to marry this woman and get appointed to the position Bhutan’s representative in the UN. I don’t know if the daughter knows she was born out of Jigme Singye’s sperm. Are there any doctors who have the courage to check DNAs?

A ngolop site stated that Yeshey Zimba is the grandson of Alu Dorji. This is new for me, I had not found out anything about him. Alu Dorji, you might have studied the history, was one of the brave patriot who fought bravely against the wangchuks before these notorious wangchuks announced themselves as king. Zimba forgot what the wangchuks did against his father, otherwise he would be one of the powerful rulers of Bhutan now. The western Bhutan would have been under his regime.

If the friends who were present on the meeting see this blog, hopefully, I would not be invited into politics yet again.

For comments mail me jig.singyeATgmail.com

among hundreds of mails, that i could not go through them all, i selected one to post here for you readers. i just copied from the mail and pasted here. i am not responsible for any worngs went here.

thanks

You know what it is the same in Nepal, and in your India, known for its largest democracy, of course it is all in name, what a hypocricy. Birendra Bahadur, Gynandra Bahadur, Mahendra Bahadure and of course now Girijha Koirala, Madhav Nepal and their allies are not any  better than your Jigme Singhe, all of them are being crooks,  scums, frauds and thugs of highest standrad this world has ever known. I am told the same story in Sri- Lanka and Pakistan. It is a epedemic disease. I have come to the conclusion that this disease  can only be overcome when East India with its Capital in N Delhi and its rulling parties such as Congress I and BJP shall be smashed. That Jigme Singye of your is a puppet instilled by N Delhi to oversee the affair in Bhutan much in the same way Girijha Koirala, that rotting corrupt thug, is instilled in Nepal by N Delhi.

I can not resist mysel from  wondering about the patriotism of men like Tribhuwan Shaha, Mahendra Shah, Girijha Koirala and Jigme Singye. For example, if Jigme Singhe was national patriot then why does not he ask the territory of Bhuran annexex by British  from N Delhi back ( Sorry, I do not remember the year and the name of the trity and the amount involved in this treaty between Bhutan and Great Britain). In stead your Jigme Singye  prefers  to have coros of Indian Rp each year for its lease. What a hypocracy Jigme Sinye’s family is, how sorry I feel for these ignorant  Bhutanies. It is the same in Nepal. Those miserable 25 mln Nepali are mere herds,  too ignorant to know what Girijha, Madhav Nepal and Gynandra Bahadur are up to and where do they stand in relation to patriotism and national sovereignety.

In conclusion what I would like to point is that the solution of problems in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka should not be sought  inside their boundries but they should be sought outside and it is in N Delhi we shoud be seeking it. Why N Delhi is playing this game. In the name of Democracy why N Delhi sponsors corrupt rotting outdated thugs  like Girijha in Nepal and Jigme in Bhutan. I think that from now on wards to changes can only be brought to countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka through  struggle against N Delhi’s derty and bloody games.
BORIS  NIRAULA, Ph D

637 Madame St,
Mississauga, ON, L5W 1G6, Canada
Tel: 647-232 7755

Before I sat for writing another piece on wangchuks’ monopoly in Bhutan in the name of nationality, national security, national sovereignty etc etc.. I cannot remember them all, I looked into google search what is cooking on the term ‘Bhutan’.

The computer here in the café hanged twice. Finally, the cyber owner managed update the security forces against the anti-national viruses and expelled them out of the computer. Thank god, the computer is peaceful now.

Not exactly the computer was cleaned up, I learnt later. The spyware was activated to over-cede the attack of the viruses. When is stopped the software running, the computer hanged.

Norton was then run. It scanned all files but found no files infected with virus. The installation of the window was not correct. A pirated version was installed and many essential files were removed. As the computer fails to function, the cyber owner starts to run spyware or anti virus. He was unaware that malfunction of the computer was due to his inability to manage it properly.

I am asked to choose another computer. It was better than the first.

By this time, my enthusiasm to write on the subject I choose is finished. Just I checked my mail. There were so many responses from readers to whom I mailed to check my blog. I could not go through them all. On doing so, I may have to pay many money to cyber which I am not carrying.

I realize what I faced just now can be well compared with the situation in Bhutan. The cyber administrator, here Mr Wangchuks, don’t know that they have installed a pirated version of laws and rules that hampers the functioning of the state. People who have contributed to state building have been suppressed, they are called ‘viruses’.

Do you know ‘A burnt child dreads the fire’? Wangchuks are the same. Their relatives grow up in the same environment. The only thing they know is they are all in all and must hold powers by hook or crook.

I think, the days are not far away, when the system of this wangchuk computer will crash. Dear halfwits around him, remember, all old files will be deleted from the system when computer is re-formatted. If you are aware, take a side at ‘D’. C drive is the main drive where everything is carried out and everything in this drive will be finished on reformatting the computer.

I will be telling the cyber owner, as I go out of it, please prepare yourself to re-format the computer and install original version of the windows. Here the original version of the system will be people ruling the country. People should choose their rulers. One has no rights to be the ruler just because he or she born in a family. The country is not his. It is of the people.

If you liked it just mail meet me through jig.singyeATgmail.com.

See you.

Not only at the economy, the wangchuks have expanded their empire over the administrative circle of the country. This was meant to protect their interest and let there be no other opposition to their authority.

They had tied up the marital relations with Dorjis, but of late they have been flushed away. And the administrative mechanism has of the country has been brought under the control of the wangchuks by appointing wangchuks in the important positions. Here I have collected a few of such examples. Hope you would enjoy them. Have a good reading.

Jigme Wangchuk’s wife Phuntsho Choden is daughter of Chimi Dorji, Thimphu Dzongpon

His second son Namgyal Wangchuck was his personal representative in the Ministry of Social Services, Minister for Home Affairs in 1990, for Health and Education 1998.

Choki Ongmo Wangchuck was agent for foreign relations, royal chamberlain and governor of Ha. Her son Topga, Yulgyal Rimpoche was raised to the honorary rank of a provincial governor in 1968 and Zhanang Zodpa (General Secretary) of the Karmapa Labring 1968-1981, and to the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa 1982-1997. Was member Karmapa Charitable Trust 1968-1997.

Jigme Dorji’s daughter Ashi Sonam Choden Wangchuck is king’s representative in the Ministry of Finance in 1974-1989 and 1991-1996, and Agriculture in 1991-1994 and 1997-1998. She was also the special adviser at the Ministry of Finance in 1990-1991 and 1996-1997. She was chair of the council of Ministers 1998, Royal Insurance Corporation since 1975, Druk Air since 1980, National Women’s Association of Bhutan since 1981, Royal Civil Service Commission. 1982-1991, and Royal Monetary Authority since 1982.

Another daughter Ashi Dechen Wangmo Wangchuck was vice-chair of Planning Commission 1971-1972, king’s representative in the Ministry of Development in 1976-1985, Agriculture in 1985 and 1994-1997, Communications Ministry in 1992-1998 and Minister for Agriculture in 1985-1992. She was second member of the cabinet in 1991-1992, member Royal Civil Service Commission in 1982-1991. She is married to Tshering Wangda, who is joint secretary at Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs since 2000.

Jigme Singye’s first wife Ashi Dorji Wangmo is Founder and President of Tarayana Foundation since 2003, President of the  Sherubtse College

Second wife Ashi Tsering Pem is President of Bhutan Youth Development Fund. Fourth wife Ashi Sangay Choden is UN FPA ambassador since 1999

Jigme’s second son Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuk is the trustee of Tarayana Foundation since.

Another son Khamsum Singhye Wangchuk is 2nd-Lieutenant of Royal Bhutan Army since 2005.

Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck is Chancellor of the Royal University of Bhutan since 2003, Chief Patron of the Scout Association of Bhutan, Chair of the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, Patron of the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), Bhutan Shooting Federation (BSF) 1997, India Bhutan Foundation, European Convention of Bhutan Societies, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, and Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is also the president of the Bhutan-India Friendship Association.

More to come, please have patience.

The people of this country are not suppressed politically but also economically. The country has been exposed as the most economically advancing in the South Asian region. But have you ever gone through details if the incomes have been invested for benefited to the poor people of the country.

Have you ever studied the nature of the industrial ownership in the country? If not you have been in the dark on how you have been suppressed to this day. How many business companies in Bhutan are being hold by the people or general public. What is the annual income that these companies make annually?

In most productive sectors, the wangchuks have invested or already occupied. Son in law of the second king still occupies most the industrial sector. Ugyen Dorji, the 2nd-Lieut. Royal Bhutan Army 1953 chairs Lakhi Group Org. & Tashi Group of Companies, Unit Trust of Bhutan, the Bhutan Lottery, Bhutan Carbide & Chemicals, and Bhutan Ferro Alloys Ltd.

He was president of Bhutan Chamber of Commerce in 1980, SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry in 2006. He was first married at Bumthang, on 1st August 1955 Ashi Choki Ongmo Wangchuck but later divorced. He again married Topga Rimpoche, eldest daughter of Sir Jigme Wangchuk in 1968. His son by Ashi Ugyen Dorji, a Nepalese descent, Wangchuk Dorji hold the position of vice chairman of the Tashi group.

Most female members of the present wangchuk family have been employed in banks, foreign ministry, agriculture ministry, planning commission, finance ministry, revenue and custom offices and chambers. All important positions in the political circle and economic sectors have been filled the wangchuk relatives. Top positions in agencies like Bhutan Youth Development Fund, UNICEF country representative, Jaycees and Rotary clubs have been occupied by the wangchuk members.

All education institutions have been named after the wangchuks as if there no other people in the country who have toiled for welfare of the country. Why is the history of Shabdrung is vanishing, the contribution of Ugyen Dorji, Jigme Palden Dorji have been ignored.

All in all, now the wangchuks have begun investing in private educational sector as well. Timbers have been their, exports and imports have been their, mineral have been their and now education is in line to be theirs business. Interestingly, all water resources have been sold to India. But don’t regret, all the money is recovered at the finance ministry where Khesar’s aunt is working.

Tired of writing. I will be exploring on many other sectors on which the wangchuks have been playing monopoly, sucking the bloods of the people.

See you later. Bye

Je Khempos were the regarded as the reincarnation of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan. Namgyal had established Bhutan as a state and independent country. However, now the incarnation of the Shabdrung has been flushed out of the country. I have collected here the names of Je Khempos, who ruled the country after Namgyal until the Wangchuks, with support from English India and Nepalese dethroned him and started the autocratic regime.  Hope you would like it.

1. Pekar Jungney
2. Sonam Ozer
3. Pekar Lhuendup
4. Tamcho Pekar
5. Ngawang Gyaltshen
6. Zoba Thinley
7. Ngawang Lhuendup
8. Ngawang Thinley
9. Sakhya Rinchen
10. Gyse Tenzin Norbu
11. Tenzin Chhoegyal
12. Ngawang Thinley
13. Ngawang Kuenga Gyatsho
14. Yonten Thaya
15. Tenzin Namgyal
16. Kuenzang Gyaltshen
17. Po Sherub Sengye
18. Jamba Yeshe Dorji
19. Jamyan Gyaltshen
20. Ngawang Gyeltshen
21. Zambe Dhaba
22. Sakya Gyaltshen
23. Sherub Gyaltshen
24. Yonten Gyatsho
25. Pema Zam
26. Rinchen zam
27. Jamba Gyatsho
28. Yeshe Ngodup
29. Tshulthrim Gyantshen
30. Kuenga Penjor
31. Sidub Yeshe
32. Sakya Gyaltshen
33. Yonten Pejang
34. Kuenga singye
35. Lodoi Gyantshen
36. Peka Yeshe
37. Ngawang Tendon
38. Thinley gyaltshen
39. Tenzin Lhendup
40. Thinley gyatso
41. Tamcho Gyaltshen
42. Sherub Lhendup
43. Jamyang Rinchen
44. Rinchin Nyingpo
45. Zambe Shenyen
46. Jamba Tobjang
47. Pendeng Sengye
48. Yeshe Dawa
49. Mipham Wangpo
50. Ngawang Gyaltsen
51. Yeshe Namgyal
52. Chhogley Tulku Yehse Ngodup
53. Chhogyal Wangchhen
54. Ngawang Thinley
55. Samten Gyatsho
56. Yonten Lheundup
57. Thinley Lhuendup
58. Samten Pejang
59. Yeshe Singye
60. Tulku Nang Le Thinley Lhuendup

The government still bans many international cable television channels even the demands for them have risen abruptly over the last few years. In addition, the restriction on installing the disc antenna still continues. Is this the way to serve the people and meet what they desire? Ironically, it is not people who have become ruler of this country, it is the autocrats and his nearby followers. Dreams lay aside for a sovereign and powerful people and their representatives.

The fashion TV remains shut in the cable. Do you think this is the justifiable?

Most senior officials and ministers send their children abroad for studies where fashion has become the integral part of the society. Their children become accustomed to open culture and suitably stylish.

Back in the country, the ministers and senior officials restrict the general people, I say mostly the people of new generation, from viewing this TVs. They say it is important to do so to preserve the country’s natural heritage and tradition.

So is the case with MTV. Music has become necessity in your daily life. People rarely live without music. But the rulers are objecting people to enjoy their right of choice. As you read through this piece, make your mind set that you will dance this night at a dance bar.

Mr ruler, are you planning to ban music CDs in the market as well? They are have substituted the MTV if not Fashion TV. Dance clubs in Thimphu bear in mind, the other target will be you because in the eyes of the rulers, you have been violating law.  

During the whole series of recent World Cup Cricket, people had to travel to Paro to quench their thirst. What losses do the government has on allowing the people to install the disc antenna?