Nobody seems to have valued the harmony we have in our rural community. The crimes ( mostly petty though ) of urban Bhutan is like happenings in another world when you come to think of the peace and comfort prevailing in rural Bhutan. It is unbelievable. But till date there is no policeman posted among Bhutanese rural communities/ villages. And soldiers are at their barracks or on the international borders. Bhutan is actually a GNH nation in real essence and practice.
This scene of authentic harmony is now going to be encroached. What a sad decision by the Government. Today Kuensel quotes " Smuggling has to be curbed," Colonel Chimi Dorji said. " People think we are not letting them live but we cannot allow illegal activities to thrive anywhere." Unquote. The Chief of Royal Bhutan Police want to police the rural villages because the people are not cooperating and snitching upon their fellow community members. Why does not the Royal Government of Bhutan recruit all Bhutanese communities into the police force? That is the surest way of holding onto power for considerable period of time.
For centuries the Bhutanese rural communities existed as near self sufficient and self reliant group of people. From marriage to birth to death or illness to farm works ; from daily meals to festivals to community works, there exist time honoured working systems that ensured healthy community growth and co- existence. This naturally harmonious and self supporting system could never have been so successfully cherished had residents had the social culture of deep enimity, envy and snitching habits.
Smuggling occurs cross interational borders. Within Bhutan there 20 Dzongkhags but all are subjected to same rules. For example tobacco is banned in all Dzongkhags. So there is no such thing as smuggling one banned item into a Dzongkhag from another liberalised Dzongkhag.
Regarding sandal wood smuggling, better law enforcement must be developed at Indo- Bhutan border. Not disruption of rural community life within Bhutan. Smughling is a lame excuse to police people in their homes.
It is a good national character if neighbours do not snitch upon each other. Loyalty and disloyalty is built at the grassroot. Do not expect nor encourage good people to spy on each other. And worse do not convert rural community into a police network. I can assure the authority that there will be no social or political benefit in policing the daily occurrence of a community life. Do not create open prison. It is not necessary.
What we have today is incredibly beautiful and represents the core value of GNH. For a long, long time, I have been telling the nation that the Fourth King did not create the philosophy of GNH from thin air. His Majesty perceived it at rural communities in Bhutan and packaged it at national and international level. Happiness and coexistence are achievable with minimum luxuries and without police supervision.
The only real hidden reason of placing policemen among rural communities is to scare people into submission. That goal will be achieved but then that can last only until some other force loosens that authoritive grip.
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