Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Indo-Bhutan towards a more acceptable horizon?

One does wonder the status of Indo-Bhutan after the visit of the high level delegation. When India sends such a top level diplomat, it shows seriousness of further aggression or strengthening respectable equation in relationship. I pray that it is the latter.

I hope that Hon’ble diplomat from the family of India’s most distinguished career diplomats has correctly gauged the depth of the wounds and felt that it was worthy of his time and effort to begin a healing process. And I hope he agrees that in Bhutan’s sovereignty and genuine friendship of Bhutanese of all walks of life, lays the ultimate national interest and the security of India.

Bhutanese people are said to be like the hill people of India in nature. Indians living in the plains say the hill people are very gullible but they over look the other trait of the hill people which is being very sensitive and therefore prone to react in the most unpredictable manner. The over sight is understandable because being gullible usually refers to matters of commerce and not war. It can apply to the status of hydro projects in Bhutan funded through grants and loans from India. The grants, the loans plus some more are all taken back by Indian Corporations and manpower because Bhutan just does not have the technical expertise, the required skilled and unskilled manpower and everything needed for the hydro projects are imported from India including food. And in the end the electrical power that is produced is also trans-shipped to India at a price dictated by Indian Authorities.

 It takes India 5 years to complete a mega-hydro project in Bhutan. The same project cannot be done in a generation in India and costs multiplies of that incurred in Bhutan because of so many party politics, local politics, national politics, environmental politics, centre and state politics and all of such forces swimming in the wells of bottomless corruptions. Our main national resource is harnessed to service India and in return we do not even get a fair price for the sacrifice. Instead we get a sack of goodies called subsidies which is converted to weapons of threat or honeycomb bribes depending on political whims. The saying, “show them a smile and you can have their teeth” so appropriately describes the one side Indo-Bhutan relation.

Till date successive Indian governments never felt that Bhutan being a neighbour under their thumb warranted the attention of a Menon type of a personality who in preserving the long term interests of India would also by tradition of Menon family nature and quality, would carve a fair deal for Bhutan too. The Hon’ble Shivshankar Menon visited Bhutan in his capacity as Security Advisor to India; therefore India’s security would be his top priority. However, he has the proven caliber to make up his own mind and not cow tow an advance dictated official order. The wisdom of fair diplomacy runs in his family blood. And I hope that after the visit here, he will tell New Delhi that Indian northern border would be more secure if a less hostile China borders the Bhutanese Kingdom. It is absolutely necessary for China and Bhutan to sign the border agreement and establish diplomatic ties. And even if Bhutan receives economic assistance from China as a result of improved ties, India would always remain the number one preferred neighbour upon whom Bhutan’s dependence can never diminish. The Indo-Bhutan military tie cannot be affected and both China and India will have fewer reasons to question each other’s motives. On the other hand if India frightens Bhutanese and keeps bullying Bhutan, some day Bhutan will throw itself entirely into the Chinese arm. No Bhutanese would prefer it but at times even a fragile woman opts to jump out of the window than be raped continuously in her bedroom.

India can do what she likes with the present Bhutanese government and for this very reason it will do well to her image and Bhutan’s sovereignty if genuine consideration is shown.  The recent changes in the hierarchy of External Affairs of India could have taken place for various reasons but still Bhutanese may have a reason to hope for better prospects. However, the trust deficit will continue to prevail as long as the cloak and dagger Ambassador V.P. Haran is in Bhutan casting his long shadow over the Bhutanese Cabinet. Nothing is sacred to this Indian emissary planted in Bhutan. To illustrate my point let’s say that both Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Ambassador V.P. Haran agree that Bilateral Agreements signed between India and Bhutan are ‘untouchable’ unless both signatories agree to amend or term of Agreement expires.

However, the understanding of the term ‘untouchable’ would be differently understood and therefore differently applied. The Hon’ble Shivshankar Menon in line with the honourable ways of his fore fathers, I believe, would interpret the term ‘untouchable’ as something very sacred and a national commitment that must be honoured unless a state of war is declared between the two signatory nations. However, to Ambassador V.P. Haran the term ‘untouchable’ maybe understood as in caste which people from upper caste can trash anytime in line with the exigency of the situation. That was why he told the gullible Interim Advisor Dasho Karma Ura that the Chukha power rate negotiated by the King of Bhutan with Indian Prime Minister and the 10 year trade and commerce Agreement valid till 2016, are invalidated by the Government of India. To such an emissary, nothing is sacred. Therefore, Bhutan can only feel safe when the Ambassador is recalled or a change of heart or change of seat takes place in New Delhi.


As a result of recent combined Indo-Bhutan game of politics, a terrible price has been extracted from Bhutan in terms of its international status as a sovereign GNH nation and the dignity of the 1st democratic leader. The Kingdom will never be the same and the Indo-Bhutan status will keep vacillating unless career diplomats like Menons decide to exercise greater sensitivity to the aspiration of the common Bhutanese people.  Regardless of the prevailing forces of Indo-Bhutan politics that favour money for sovereignty, there are, I believe, quite a number of Bhutanese who prefer to have the dragon Throne rest on a Bhutanese rock even if barren than upon the rich sand dune that India appears to be offering to the King of Bhutan. Palden Drukpa Lha Gyalo!

17 comments:

  1. Great content. Obviously what you have written does not represent even 1% of the implications of what India and PDP did during this election. However, there is no escape. Bhutan will have to face up to the consequences and very soon too. India too will have to pay for what they did. I hope that the Indians went into this with their eyes wide open.

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  2. Good article. I enjoy your blog and keep on writing your insights as it provides us additional perspective. One thing I would like to add, will India ever allow us settle our border issues with China as the China stand is the package deal where it offers us a swap of bigger area in central north compared to a smaller area in north western border, near the Chumbu Valley? Historically China is known for its unchanging stance whether be it Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, the disputed islands in South China Sea or the Pacific, Tibet, and for that matter Sino-India border stand (China refuses acknowledging Mac Mohan line and stands by its similar package deal to India),etc. Where has that left Bhutan? We are not able to accept the package deal and yet we are losing our land in the tri-junction each year. Look at the Google maps over a decade. China has taken our land and built infrastructure already. Can we stop it? Can India stop it? What happens if tomorrow China camps in Damthang? Can we dislodge them, can India dislodge them? Whether India likes or not it is in our interest to settle the border issue, otherwise soon we may find we have lost the north central as well as the north western tracts of land. I feel India understands the inevitable that China will occupy the high grounds looking into to Jaldakha and Teesta valleys but is buying time but not allowing Bhutan to settle its border issues. We have seen map of Bhutan in our school days and how in a lifetime the maps have changed. The highest peak in Bhutan became Kula Gangri, Gankar Puensum and Chomo Lhari. It may become Thrumsingla one day at this rate. India neither has a will nor stomach to fight yet another war with China and it can not regain its Askai Chin area from China and hence uses the buffer nations to contain China. Yet China has been able to noose India with its necklace of pearls. It may be in India's interest to allow Bhutan to settle its border with China while maintaining a pro-India Bhutan. There is a danger of adding one more pearl to the necklace.

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  3. We have already lost the fertile duars and in some part even hills to India long time ago. Let's not lose more territory on the north also.

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  4. I found couple of times you use this sentence "Bhutanese would prefer it but at times even a fragile woman opts to jump out of the window than be raped continuously in her bedroom" I thank there are many beautiful words and phrases which can convey the same message. Making you see using this frequently gives an impression that you are some kind of disturbed person. I suggest early consultation,,,,,before it turns manic.

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    1. Mr anonymous, mind ur language and I pray that u will die soon and go to hell for the SIN u committed

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  5. Sangay Sir, I like your blog, please keep on writing and informed us what is really happening and what going to happen. I was reading your article "India intervention in Bhutan" is my best article( I read 5 time). I know you have done great job when our Government was nearly topple in 1970's, you save it.

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  6. Asha Sangay,

    I likes your post and you are only the Man who can share your views openly and keep on sharing.

    I will be grateful if you could share with us why the 2013 Opposition is not given with Orange Scarf when the 2008 Opposition is being given with Orange Scarf. After all their role and responsibilities, Post and everything is Same.

    I and most of the Bhutanese are wondering why it is not happening this time.

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    1. Since Azha sangay is not forthcoming, let me offer you a quick response. It is now assumed that there will be no need for real opposition except to warm the seats in the parliament. The govt has it all worked out - Subsidies & stimulus packages will keep coming. We just need to have free & fair democratic elections every 5 years like we had this year, after all it is a gift.
      In any case the current OL had his share of orange, patang & prado already. And he did not show any inclinations to return the soelra like the PM. Neither did he show any inclinations to lick the previous Party President's ass like the current PM. So, why shld he get the benefits?

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    2. we had free election this year ya. are you kidding us? wake up man.

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    3. wow this year free and fair election is so scary. I would say 80% of Bhutanese peoples are in dilemma(are we part of India already???!!!)

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    4. In belated reply to August 15th Anonymous on the question, "why the 2013 Opposition is not given with Orange Scarf?". (sorry i was away in Haa attending Moenlam Chhenmo.

      You might have read Dasho Sangay Wangchu of Privy Council comment in Kuensel to the effect that he felt orange scarf given to OL in 2008 was to strengthen the very minimum Opposition Party and so a larger Opposition Party leader may not get orange. It might be interest to you that OL gets other benefits at par with the Cabinet Ministers. My personal feeling is OL may still get orange before the 1st session of the 2nd Parliament. It is possible that orange scarf is bestowed as a royal recognition of the Opposition Party rather than as a tool to balance opposition strength as implied by the hon'ble member of Privy Council. However, as a matter of proper understanding, scarf and patang is an honour bestowed upon an individual by the King as part of royal prerogative therefore not conditional to any constitutional terms or political dictates.

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  7. Sir, your article are very inspirational and im sure there are lot of other fans like me... yours is from a higher and better perspective and i have seen none who can roar back like you to all the anonymous,phony and lethal social-media users...
    keep goin sir...

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  8. Follow this post http://www.bhutannewsservice.com/main-news/politics/why-dpt-lost-to-pdp/

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    1. What the heck even if the palace intervened? After all, intervention from the highest is a divine intervention for common good. Thank God, you have saved us from the clutches of a totalitarian regime in the making.

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    2. I agree with the former anonymous. JYT's government was very autocratic, largely because of his self-righteousness. We all know that the Pedestrian day was forced upon us. My gosh, I still cannot erase the feeling that Thimphu looked like in martial law with cops all around to stop the movement of vehicles during one of those ugly pedestrian days. There was no public consultation at all about the IT park and the Education City. We also know that the decision on Education City was hastened and bulldozed to even materialize an Act, only to find out recently that due land acquisition procedures were not fulfilled. So, myopic DPT fans should know that there were many disgruntled people, not at all happy with the decisions of the former Government. Oh God, the Education City will cost 10% of the budget outlay for the 11 FYP, and how much it will benefit the people of Bhutan is highly questionable.

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  9. Alright, this is one stupid Chinese blogger for sure. Well at first I thought just the Chinese Products are cheap and worthless, but now I understand the Chinese minds are similar as well. Thanks for your blogging efforts kiddo (regardless of your age), just keep writing more blogs and keep commenting as anonymous for no one would ever read or comment here (in support)..!

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    1. Poor soul completely shaken by a simple word Chinese or did you suddenly realise after 18 months that some knows the truth about you. Many do. No need to expose yourself Anonymous. Feel secure in your ill gotten position. There is no envy just pity for the likes of you .

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