The collusion among the Royal Bhutan Army, Kuensel and The Bhutanese - A national shame.

I have reread the Army media spokesman's version of the horrible incident at Gelephu RBA Cantonment printed by Kuensel. It seems The Bhutanese also printed the same version. The Editors of the two News Papers should be called upon to resign by fellow journalists for this heinous disgraceful journalistic conduct and motive.

Why and how does the two main stream media Print newspapers devote a whole page to the army version when their own  Reporters never ever were allowed to report about the incident ? Do we have a main stream media or a communist propaganda machine at work?

When this incident was brought out in the public forum by an anonymous Karma Mindu, I made my comment. Then a Dorji Dorji came out with a more graphic account. It was then I asked the anonymous Dorji Dorji to reveal his identity because it was such a serious national matter and no responsible Bhutanese should treat it anonymously. Instead of Dorji Dorji responding positively, there was another hopeless character Jarog Dongchen with a barrage of personal attacks on me.

I realise that Karma Mindu, Dorji Dorji and Jarog Dongchen is actually one same individual.  He is an officer who seems  fully knowledgeable about the whole horrible incident. But his motive was not totally moralistic. His later demands demonstrated that he bears grudges with Army Command be it at the Gelegphu Army Wing or at Army Hq. So decided to expose the incident through social media  instead of processing his information through official channel. Still regardless of his selfish motive, I thank the anonymous officer Jaro Dongme the faceless coward for bringing this incident to the public attention.  Then there were anonymous self appointed unofficial army spokespersons who defended and denied the incident.  These anonymous characters viciously attacked the 2 soldier wives and  anyone who dared to express a sympathetic view for the plight of two soldier wives , as being anti Army and anti national. And worse these foul mouths justified the incident by citing the devotion of the Army to the Tsawa Sum as if  otherwise  a pious person can get away with murder.

I invite all to read my comments. I have never questioned the integrity and honour of the Royal Bhutan Army. I did my best to examine the case from both sides of the spectrum after reading in between the lines of pro and anti opinions expressed about the incident by both anonymous and genuine personalities.

Now here I am presenting my take of the Army Spokesperson version.  The Army statement is a long abusive narration largely devoted to shaming the 2 soldier wives and it has been so generously and shamelessly published by Kuensel.

1. It is a terrible, shameless and vicious attack upon the 2 wives of foot soldiers. Something unimaginable for an esteemed Army Institution to do. Apart from chastening their unfaithful conduct, their motherhood was lambasted. Pray Sir,  on what grounds do you dare to question their motherhood when your own version states that the women took their children with them when they ran away from the cantonment? The correct scenario seems to be that they did not leave their children behind abandoned even when they themselves were evicted from the army camp and their family quarter confiscated.

Also the children seem to have well passed their breast feeding days. If the 2 wives were such bad and hopeless mothers who else could have nursed the children till such an age if not their mothers ?

2  The whole incident seems to have been instigated by a supposedly high morale female group who felt that it was most devilish of the 2 soldier wives to have sex  with men other than their spouses. An act that presumably no spouses in Bhutan or elsewhere in the world is known to commit ! How incredible ! This is a women incited incident and the army statement confirms how grievous the other army wives felt. I, too , believe that actual army officers have less to do with the occurrence of this incident but in the end unfortunately the Officer/s will have to take the fall simply for being the superiors.

3.  According to the army version, there was indeed a Drimpeon Dorji armed with chilli powder which the army spokesperson referred to as  " tools brandished ".  And it seems the Drimpeon had other high morale accomplices accompanying him on a mission of purgatory.  Apparently the two soldier wives were in quite drunken state when caught in sexual act with other men.  So they had to be near naked and defenceless.

Was it possible for the Drimpeon  and his accomplices to manhandle and smear the vagina of the targeted women with chilli powder that the Drimpeon already was carrying with him for this very purpose?  I leave it to all the responsible and honourable officers of the Royal Bhutan Army to determine and not to, " social media enthusiasts ".  Is such an heinous infliction on any woman justifiable under any circumstances ? I leave it to all the fathers who respect their daughters and all the sons who have respect for their mothers and even jealous husbands.

4. The army version indirectly confirms that the wives and the children were evicted from their army family housing  and the soldier husbands of the victimised wives shifted to bachelor accommodation. In the Army only married soldiers are allotted family housing  and bachelor soldiers live at the barracks with common Mess. Whether they ran off out of fear, shame  or were evicted , the indisputable fact is that presently the victimised  2 soldier wives and their children are in desolate state of affairs.

5.  It is true that in matters of public image, few can easily soil a group name. So the army wives would be rightly offended by such public sexual behaviour of colleagues. And as army version confirms , the institution has more acceptable norms to deal with such misconducts. But the official corrective procedures were not followed. A lynch them type of emotion ruled the roost and so a horrible infliction occurred.

Conclusion:
I personally feel that the Army Command would already have taken actions against all involved in this savage vengeance act.  The investigations would be through in accordance to established procedures. It is understandable that everything cannot be shared in public domain though the spokesperson implies that no penalty has  yet been imposed on wrong doers. So far so good I thought.

However,  I think it is wrong for the Army as an Institution to issue a long narrative  that blamed and shamed the 2 soldier wives who may be illiterate, comparatively young and already have been thoroughly abused by unruly forces within the Army. Against this back drop,  can any neutral observer trust that Justice have been imparted by the Army Command even behind the scene ?

The Army Spokesperson high handedly  accused, " social media enthusiasts of casting aspersions on any individual or organisation based on hearsay  and unconfirmed rumour ".  If its all hearsay and rumour,  how come the Army itself is confirming that parties involved exist and incident did happen but the Army has its own version. Please , Please understand that many of us in the social media did not malign the Army as an Institution and we did not act irresponsibly or anonymously. The Army is welcome to reexamine the comments on Dorji Dorji and Karma Mindu Threads on this incident.

It is most unfortunate that this incident happened. People were appalled but no one really ever questioned the integrity and the goodness of Royal Bhutan Army as an Institution.  It was an isolated case. No Establishment can ever prevent mishaps no matter how hard it tries.  But this version wherein the Army adopted the technique that best defence is to attack by attacking the 2 helpless women is beyond the realm of any integrity and honour.  And unlike the shameful incident at Gelegphu which may have taken place without the knowledge of the Gelegphu Commanding Officer,  this army version narration blaming and shaming the 2 victims had to be cleared officially cleared by the concerned Army Command . And it is Sir, most unbecoming of an honoured and respected Institution of Gentlemen Officers and Fellow Defenders of national honour and sovereignty to direct all wrath upon two socially erring females who are not even direct paid employees of the Army.

I pray that at least the Army Command attempt to correct the desolate situation of the 2 soldier wives and their children through monetary compensation.