Political Thought I - 90 days of
actual democracy?
With
the introduction of Bhutanese brand of democracy, there is a time frame of 3
months for open talks. However, it is observed that for reasons of
self-preservation or other motivation, social media abound with anonymous
wonder thirsts- a great many with good intentions and greater more of evil destroyers.
Then we have politicians and people who come forward in public to bring out
issues that affect everyday life. Unfortunately for Election Commission of
Bhutan census, security and language happen to be prevailing social anxieties
along with land issues.
I
personally view the 90 days election period, once in five years, as a blessing
to the Kingdom and all its institutions. It provides a much needed space to
utter aloud the aspirations of the common people. When few individuals stand up
in public and air their problems, hopes and grievances, it is actually a
political and administrative boon to the otherwise much revered and possibly
also feared authorities and institutions. It opens up the demographic hearts of
the common people in full view of the rulers and administrators.
The
ways the affairs of election issues are directed, no one can doubt the
authority and the clout of Election Commission of Bhutan. But still as humbly
and as meekly as possible thoughts creep into one’s mind as to the wisdom of
throttling the voice of those few who raise queries that
affect the peace, stability and harmony of families, during election period.
People
who frankly air their thoughts and problems in public are those who bear no malice
or animosity. Rather it is a display of hope and trust that appropriate
authorities are adequately understanding and sufficiently benevolent to address
the issues raised. However when such open attitude is met with veiled threats,
the grievances do not disappear. Instead the system rots faster to
disintegration as has been demonstrated in other regions of the World. It is
not easy to intelligently and patiently exercise tolerance but often palatable
end solutions are derived from such efforts. On the other hand, one could say
that more tolerance may be followed by more demands. So why give in the first
time? Rather fix them up for good from the initial stage. Unfortunately fixing
for good seems applicable to broken plumbing or vases but for a vibrant society
there are no quick fixes for good. And according to our population census, we
do have a very young and therefore vibrant society which could be easily
frustrated as young minds are prone to be.
Political Thought II – the Birth of
Regional Politics
On
June 12th, 2013, a national newspaper of Bhutan called “The
Bhutanese” put for public viewing an article, “ECB green lights entry of DNT
candidates to PDP”. I noted the observations and reservations expressed by ECB
and the “legal ground” for the green light. My own views on political alliance
were expressed in my blog www.wangchasangey.blogspot.com
on 10th June, 2013. However, one is made to realize that during election
period, the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) holds the scepter. So it is not
possible for anyone else to display any other light.
However
this anointment of political parties’ alliance has given birth to future
regional politics and “possibly inadvertently” sowed the seed of regional
discord. The irony is that the young constitution of Bhutan was meant to unify
the Bhutanese people and prevent regionalism, race and religious discords. But
destiny like a large river has its way of finding its own course regardless of
human intervention. Therefore five years down the line you can bet that there
will be a proliferation of political parties based on regional forces and led
by regional figures of national stature. The political parties will be fuelled
by regional sentiments, peopled by more than 2000 fresh or out of work
graduates and their immediate family members. There will never be dearth of
political ideologies, manifestoes and funds. For all parties the publicly
declared ideologies would be the king, country and people. The manifestoes
would be better wages, salaries, roads, bridges and golden age for the aged and
more opportunities for the young and greater promises for rural dwellers.
Bribes to win support of GT and DT members will be gift wrapped in amenities
and funds for gups and tshogpas under the guise of geogs and chiwogs. And party
funds will come from national coffers through ECB, business firms and powerful
elites who wish to exercise political influences. And the mandatory party
members will come from family members of party candidates as well as that of
paid party workers. After the primary election, the parties will form alliances
to win the prized trophy of governance and dividends thereof. Only the masses
will lose out because they would have voted for A and B parties but a new party
C comes to power.
In
retrospect this approval for political alliance has enabled the discovery of
political and social tunnels for diverse aspirations of different regions,
race, language and religion of our tiny Kingdom. The stamp of legality accorded
to joining forces of Nyamrup founders, office bearer (the face, body and soul
of DNT) with PDP has legally provided the means for the different voices and sentiments
of regional political groups to subvert the constitutional limitations of participation
to only 2 political parties in the general election. It seems that destiny found
her course from amongst all the maze of political jungles. And this kind of political
path has been kindled by the very authority “ECB” that was supposed to preserve
a constitutionally pre-determined political unity and channel. Is it good,
dangerous or necessary? Just take a tablet of positive medication and believe
that true democracy lies in giving voice and recognition to all sorts of voters,
ideas and interest groups.
Political Thought III – Political
Destiny: as they come so they may reap
Kings
of Bhutan are destined by hereditary fortune of birth and not long ago Ministers,
Dashos, Government Secretaries and Directors came about through majestic grace.
Now under democracy, many also come by chance and quite a few come about
possibly by destiny.
Lyonpo
Thakur, Pema Gyamtsho and N.L. Rai may have stayed in their previous line of
occupations but for the bureau tic shoves which in hindsight may have been
destiny push. Few other MPs could also have come about as their tryst with
destiny but I have no background details. However, what I most find tale
telling of destiny is that of Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay. He was the first member
to lay the foundation of PDP under the blessings of Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup. But
his own political fortune rose out of the ashes of PDP. To elevate him to the
presidency of PDP, Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup had to go, Lyonpo Jigme Singye had to
go, Dasho Sonam Tobgay Dorji the South Thimphu candidate had to go, all eastern
and central dzongkhag PDP candidates had to lose and only one lone Gasa
candidate, the least populated Dzongkhag had to survive to keep political company.
Haa the second least populated Dzongkhag could live with a Gasa candidate win.
It
is rather frightfully haunting when one realizes that in 2008 PDP was almost
totally so wiped out that there really was no one left to hold the leadership
of party except for the South Haa MP elect Tshering Tobgay. Thankfully the
first general election disaster was limited to one political party and several
natural calamities. It was not like that when Kazi Lhendup Dorjee attained his
goal of being the 1st Chief Minister of Sikkim. Disaster then had
struck the people, Chhogyel dynasty and Sikkim.
For
all Bhutanese politicians of destiny or otherwise, only the future can tell
whether we have in them the makings of Napoleon, Hitler, Nelson Mandela or God
forbid Kazi Lhendups. But one thing is quite certain; there is no Lincoln,
Gandhi let alone Buddha among all politicians of the world.
Political Thought IV – Doctors and
Politics
Sometimes
back I read a Kuensel article about doctors and their political misfortune. The
article correctly recorded a history of political mis-ventures by doctors
during the short period of democracy in Bhutan.
After
two prominent doctors’ dismissal primary round performance during this election,
I did my own rustic analysis. The conclusion was that doctors even those with
administrative skills were not able to shed off the doctor-patient attitude and
assumptions which made matters worse.
Voters
are unlike those ailing patients and anxious escorts who line up outside
doctor’s chamber and who accept even harsh scolding with brave smiles. Voters
are largely in good state of health and possess an ace up their sleeves that
can make a visible difference to the life of a doctor politician just like the
stethoscope around a doctor’s neck that can determine life and death in a
hospital.
A
doctor has a good chance of success in political venture if he or she is able
to assume the role of a patient and pay the same kind of homage to the voters
that a doctor usually is accorded in their hospital kingdom by the patients and
their obliging relatives.
Political
Thought V – International politicking a national lesson
It is never enough to just be so drowned in local or
national politics. Sometimes it opens eyes to be aware of regional or
international political happenings such as in Afghanistan which has become one of
the several centre stages of American and Western European politics. The others
are Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
America and her allies seem to have had enough of
their follies in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Many decades back it was Vietnam.
Now America wants to leave Afghanistan in 2014 and yet not appear to be
deserting the anti-Taliban factions. So America is negotiating with Taliban
regime for whose removal America had initially invaded Afghanistan. Taliban is
already the de facto ruler of Afghanistan and America is willing to publicly concede
this fact but needs a face saving concession from Taliban regime. What America
probably wants is a declaration by Taliban that under its next official regime,
it will no longer be mandatory for all Afgan men to wear beards and for all Afgan
women to remain uneducated and jobless and that it will also arrange an
election to vote itself to power after America quits Afghanistan.
President Karzai and his government took public offence
of the direct USA-Taliban negotiation in a Taliban Embassy at Quetta. Probably
Karzai felt personally humiliated so his government stopped the on-going USA-Afghanistan
security talks.
Next the president’s palace (Karzai’s official
residence) suffered a series of explosions and gunfire. The Taliban claimed
responsibility for the fireworks whilst USA took a vow of silence. After the
physical fright, president Karzai has now agreed to negotiate with Taliban on
behalf of the Americans. That’s the color of national politics when national
leader play fiddle to big brother and absconds true national goals.
Afghanistan has had big brothers. Earlier it was
British India, then later Soviet Union followed by America. And it has
political leaders whose allegiances were more concentrated to serve big brother
interest rather than being pro-Afghan nation and people. However, it now seems
that the till-now-manipulated Afghan masses have won the game through sheer
patience, courage and number. Soon Afghanistan will have no shadow masters or
big brothers. The so-called Middle-East spring is beginning to flower else-where
too.
