The troubled waters of Fukushima, Japan

The north western Pacific coast of Japan was subjected to double natural catastrophes of a major earthquake which also triggered gigantic Tsunami in March, 2011. In terms of lives lost and properties and infrastructures destroyed, it was the worst national disaster since World War II atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima by America. However, this time the great nation of Japan and her heroic people rose gallantly to the challenges of epic proportion and somehow have dealt in the best possible way the aftermath damages and wounds of the tragic chaos.

It was, therefore, very saddening to recently come across news headlines, ‘Radiation level spikes at Fukushima’. Japan has been grappling with the consequences of the 3 damaged reactors at Fukushima Nuclear Plant since that fateful day and so far has not been successful in finding a permanent solution to deal with the resultant radioactive water. It is not that Japan does not have the national will or fiscal resources to tackle the task but it seems this melt down of a nuclear reactor is an immense problem that needs accumulative minds of all nuclear experts and agencies of the world. As a lifelong admirer and sincere well-wisher of Japan, I wish to humbly offer two prayers:

1. I pray that Japan overcome her engrained national reluctance to share her problem and seek out possible ways and means to overcome the radiation danger.

2. I reproduce herein a part of Sampa Lhundrup prayer that is appropriate to the task ahead, from a collection of Essential Prayers by Shechen Publications, New Delhi.

Original version:

ས་ཆུ་མེ་རླུང་འབྱུང་བའི་བར་ཆད་ཀྱིས༔         སྒྱུ་ལུས་གཡར་པོ་འཇིག་ལ་ཐུག་པའི་ཚེ༔         ཡིད་གཉིས་ཐེ་ཚོམ་མེད་པར་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔ ཨོ་རྒྱན་འབྱུང་བ་བཞི་ཡི་ལྷ་མོར་བཅས༔            འབྱུང་བ་རང་སར་ཞི་བར་ཐེ་ཚོམ་མེད༔         ཨོ་རྒྱན་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔ བསམ་པ་ལྷུན་གྱིས་འགྲུབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

English Translation: 

         

When through obstacles caused by the elements of earth, water, fire and wind

This illusory body suffers and risks destruction, If we pray unhesitatingly with single minded intensity, The Uddiyana Guru, with Goddesses of the four elements, Will surely pacify the elements, restoring them to equilibrium. We pray to you lotus born, Guru of Uddiyana,

Through your blessings may all wishes be spontaneously fulfilled!

Technically and financially, it is easily possible for Japan and so, if appropriate culturally, a statue of Guru Rinpoche and goddesses of the four elements could be installed facing the Pacific Ocean at the north western coast of Japan.

With my gratitude and respect for the immense goodwill of the People and Government of Japan for Bhutan and Bhutanese. 

A heart wrenching RBA and national tragedy in Haa

It is so sad. A very unfortunate incident cost lives in the most devastating manner. The way the accident happened, it is very possible that few of the 11 bereaved families may not even have the consolation of seeing the intact bodies of their beloved ones to grief over. I grieve for the victims, their families and the loss to Royal Bhutan Army and to the Nation.

Such horrible incident would naturally lead to official investigation. I hope the purpose would be to prevent future mishaps rather than to seek out who to blame and how to punish. The soldiers and the RBA Institution have suffered deeply and so everyone needs to be more understanding. Please refrain from official reactions that inadvertently extend further the national sorrow and tragedy already inflicted upon the Kingdom and the people. In military works what seems to be ‘unnecessary’ loss of life have happened before and unfortunately will take place in future in every Army not just that of Bhutan. So when something as tragic as this happens, our grief will be deep but our reaction must be tampered.  Let us pray for recovery of those injured and assemble on 7^th September at Thimphu crematorium to pay respect to the brave soldiers and for those who can financially afford to also condole the bereaved families in the most proper traditional ways.

It is always a huge consolation to all Bhutanese when our King and the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Forces instantly takes charge in person at such critical times. Thank You, Your Majesty and I am so sorry for the personal hurt to Your Majesty. Regardless of how the accident happened, as a Buddhist, I take it as a national ‘Barkem’ and so with the ultimate sacrifice made by our brave soldiers; I hope a more grievous danger to the nation has been averted. It is my hope that the nation and the RBA high command will undertake to perform appropriate Rimdos with the help of the Dratsang. May the souls of the soldiers rest in peace. 

An adjective called ‘Special’

By now it is high time that most people of Bhutan understood what the adjective, ‘Special’ annotates when it is used in describing Indo - Bhutan status. It signifies superior - subordinate as in hierarchy; indispensable – over dependent relation as in light and darkness; Lord and Butler as in social status and finally a role of pampered and gilded northern sentry who keeps guard against China for master commander India as in guard dog parlance.

That’s why the leaders of India and Bhutan preferred this adjective because no other words can accurately describe the gradient of the Indo-Bhutan relationship wherein India so fully jockeys Bhutan’s fragile existence. In the prevailing political venture, reality cannot be amended but maybe majority of Bhutanese officials could learn to utter few Indo –Bhutan sentences free of the insulting and subjugating adjective ‘special ’.

Bhutan is few days away from bountiful, Rs. 50 Billion for 5 years. That is Rs. 10 Billion a year. Maybe it is possible to reap even more bountiful harvest of Rs. 50 Billion a year if Chomolhari transforms to Indo-Bhutan Special ! By the way this expression of thought has no relevance to the Bhutanese Prime Minister’s visit to India. It is a food for thought to those of us who feel that for abundant Rupees, Bhutan should endlessly submit to India.  

As for Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay’s visit, I have no doubt that he will get the target of Rs. 45 Billion plus 5 Billion and very possibly will put the same in good use. As a Haap, I don’t expect much because by now Haaps are used to being left in the void by their past Lyonpos. But on the basis of one to one talk, somehow, I got the feeling he aims to trek a different path. When it comes to serving Bhutan, I suppose, he too will travel the same dedicated path as that of other Lyonpos from Haa.

Here I wish to deviate from my normal code of conduct. I do not usually quote one to one talk but I am doing so because I feel it is vital to record historical or history making event.

‘Do you feel I could betray my Country? “He remarked (not asked)”. “No, I do not feel that any Bhutanese leader will betray Bhutan, at least not by intent,” I responded.

His Excellency said, “I am an ordinary man”.  “No, you are a Lungtenchen” I corrected. I knew MP Tshering Tobgay from Haa was a man of destiny when fate somersaulted him to Opposition Leader seat in 2008. Even then, I was astounded, when after Nyamrup’s exit, all the anti DPT forces in Bhutan piled up behind Tshering Tobgay’s Party. Even an outright intervention by India into the General Election of Bhutan was ( ominous ? ) embraced by Bhutanese who otherwise would be prepared to give their lives to defend the Sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bhutan.

It is an indisputable fact that he created substantial anti-incumbency emotions during the 5 years Opposition leadership and his supposed inconsequential acts of adorning white scarf and surrendering a 5 year old duty vehicle created mass public fever.  In the most crucial primary election, the anti –incumbency emotion he had nurtured and the two almost insignificant acts vanquished Nyamrup Party from the 2^nd party competition. Otherwise Tshering Tobgay would have been history of the past because he himself would not have joined Nyamrup in any secondary position. Haaps possess such incomprehensible sense of dignity or ego as some would term that often baffles outsiders and brings no tangible benefit to the Haap person. And now he is in the making of future history.

In 2012, I wrote to the Opposition Leader to graduate to national leadership role. I felt he had to move beyond being a successful Opposition Leader. My blunt statements are actually quite prophetic but many dislike hearing them. Anyway general election saw so many internal and external forces working overtime to install the man of destiny in the seat of premiership. Even DPT flipped and flopped thus aiding to the process.

In retrospect, no one can doubt he is a man of destiny. My fateful anxiety is for Bhutan’s destiny. Is the Kingdom of Bhutan destined to be for the foresee-able future a nation unto itself? Not by intent, but in the heat of competition, self preservation or diehard approach to win or destroy, could Bhutanese jeopardize Bhutan’s sovereignty? I pray that it never happens. Palden Drukpa Lha Gyalo!

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 1^st 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!

Farewell Democratic Bhutan’s most prominent MP

If 10 days grace period starting from 31^st July was a considered factor then the appropriate day of decision to accept or decline the resignation of JYT, would be 9^th or 10^th of August, 2013. However, I think it is the prerogative of the Speaker to choose the date of resignation acceptance since JYT had chosen the day to file resignation application. Let astrologers debate on the particular choice of ‘Sunday’ and ‘Wednesday’.

It was amusing if you choose to look at it positively but otherwise its intriguing on the darker side when the public is told that JYT cannot be ice-boxed-blue because a “lacuna exist in the National Assembly Act”. The National Assembly Act is fine. Just because the Act did not provide the legal tool to penalize JYT for resigning, it does not necessarily mean the Act needs to be amended.  

The former Prime Minister made a difficult, brave and necessary decision. After being publicly accused of subverting both the corner stone foreign policy of Bhutan and the prerogatives of the Throne, anything that MP JYT may say in the House of National Assembly or Parliament could be construed as anti-India, pro-China, anti-national or another spike against the Throne. Maybe as some opinioned, JYT chooses to be MP if he is the 1^st MP or Prime Minister. But judging by what is visible to naked eyes and reasonable mind, he had no option only an alternative either resign or assume a mummified presence which may again fuel further controversies.  

As stated in my earlier blogs, PDP President, candidates and party workers executed a superior campaign and so interventions from within or without may have varied the numbers but PDP would still have secured the majority. Therefore, the victor must be acknowledged. And according to media report, the President of DPT tried to do just that on the election night but his several calls to the victor went unacknowledged. Maybe the perceived contempt and disdain of a conqueror instead of the usual grace of a democratic victor had flared the post election turmoil of varied emotions. All that needs to be now buried with the past so that the nation can have a rebirth of unity. We now have the 2^nd phase of the Royal Government of Democratic Bhutan in place so the political environment should improve as months pass by.

In between the entire period of political happenings, the former Prime Minister struck two distinct cords of forward democracy path. He seems to have coaxed DPT Party to form a united Opposition Team under a unanimously elected new leadership to enable the democratic process march ahead unhindered. And then he tendered his own resignation as MP heeding the earlier call of the supporters to preserve their dignity. Considering the prevailing circumstances and against the backdrop of his party’s push and pull, he displayed a stroke of political ingenuity.  

I came across a very soul searched Dungsampa letter to JYT. The way it was narrated, it must have moistened the hearts of many well wishers. Before that I had glimpsed the BBS coverage of Mongar post election meet. To describe the scene of much tears and sorrow of the aged and the young as that of a nation in agony would be incorrect because it was only a DPT consolation meet. But it was a scene of Bhutanese of many walks of life in tears. All these illustrative outpouring of affection affirm that JYT if not now the number one MP still remains the number one private citizen to many Bhutanese. Maybe it is now the appropriate time to wish him the best hereafter.

Anonymity - a cloak for fear, shame or irresponsibility?

There are 2 characters purporting to be PDP supporters making online personal threats, entangling Dasho Ugyen Tsechup’s name for whatever reasons; spreading lies of all sorts but most recently insinuating that I was forced out of Bhutan Times and I have family management problem.

I exercise my freedom of expression and therefore I respect others freedom of expression. That’s why I do not react to comments especially criticism. I realize that some do not comprehend my articles and few simply display self agony. However, I feel, I owe it to my readers who may not even be all Bhutanese and even if Bhutanese, may not personally know me or my past professions and the state of my family. The readers have a right to know the truth about the man behind the articles. Therefore, I am providing the facts of my professions and my family.

Threats - I do not buy threats no matter who issues them. It’s not that I do not fear personal harm or possible undesirable consequences for my family. It’s simply a belief that once given birth, the die is cast as to what happens in this one life. It may be possible to delay, detour, hasten or temporally hide but end result is non-negotiable for a prince or pauper. However, when nameless characters purporting to be PDP sympathizers or die hard party-men recklessly keep issuing threats of physical harm, vengeance by ACC or PDP government, I think it only serves to give credence to DPT complains about voters having being threatened.

Professions- I remain ever grateful to the Royal Government and especially to His Majesty the 4^th King for the most rewarding opportunities I received as a civil servant to serve my nation. Now regarding my professional services in the Public/Private Sectors, I was Managing Director of Singye Group of Companies then Secretary General of Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and finally Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bhutan Times.

 I never sought those posts. On each occasion, I was prevailed upon and earnestly requested to take up the responsibilities. By nature I put my heart and talent to any task I take up and succeed in doing what needs to be done. And after completing my task, I left those posts, always on my own terms and time of my choosing. I handed over the companies and institutions to new managements, inevitably in far better in shape than I ever found them when I took initial charge. It is not necessary to take my word for it. Anyone can counter check with employees, colleagues who worked with me in Singye Group, BCCI and Bhutan Times.

Why this repeated reference to Dasho Ugyen Tsechup? – If anyone is interested in the publicly aired differences between us, look up my blog www.wangchasangey.blogspot.com and go through http://wangchasangey.blogspot.com/2013_01_01_archive.html It’s a non-issue for me now and knowing Dasho I feel he too would have put it far behind. There is a difference in age and style but we share one quality. If there is a problem we confront it then and there and we do not carry forward such baggage. I wrote about Kazi Lhendup of Sikkim and this same PDP purported non- entity brings into the issue the respected name of Dorji families in Bhutan. I referred to the protocol disaster of the 2^nd Cabinet of the Royal Government not PDP party members and this same nameless character says I am tarnishing PDP because Dasho Ugyen Tsechup is supposed to be a supporter of that party. Is the nameless character clueless or bears a grudge against Dasho and Dorji families that compels him to unnecessarily and out of blue entangle them with issues they have nothing to do with?

My supposed family management problem – I do not manage my family. I cherish and enjoy my life with my family. The central pillar of our Family is the 1^st Mother of the family addressed as ‘Ayee’ and next comes the 2^nd mother of the family addressed as ‘Aum’ followed by myself addressed by all as ‘Apa’. After that come the children addressed by all as Ashi, Acho, Pasa & Dawa, Chode & Om, Dorji & Tshokyee. Yes, the pairs were given birth either a day or a week (more or less) apart by the two mothers. At each child’s birth (at home), I was there. The babies always dropped into my palms. I cut the umbilical cords and tied the knots, and then bathe the new born. I am not a good cook so it is the mother not in labour who cooked. But every one of us are there assembled all over the bed of the mother in labour talking, joking nervously and shouts of joy and possibly victory when the new member greets us with a cry of  Aeegh! Aeegh!! Aeegh!!!

Between the 3 parents, we never left the children by themselves or unsupervised. The mothers breast fed the babies and we never missed a parents meeting when they were in school. The children never ate a meal alone, except for the school pack lunch. We had breakfast and dinner together. Regardless of work pressure, I never missed sharing my lunch break with the two mothers at our home. I was always dot on time for office, appointments or meetings and I shared my evenings with my family.

My deepest and greatest satisfaction in life is our success in raising our kids and their success in schools, colleges and their professions. Our eight children do us immense proud and now we rejoice in the fact that we have the opportunity to lavish time and care upon our grandchildren. In a way at this stage in life, it is a boon to have the time and opportunity to help to bring up the grandchildren in the way we actually wanted to raise our own kids but for the constraints of those early years.

God bestowed two great gifts upon me. The 1^st was my Mum and Dad. I claim to be a good parent but when measured to parenting of my Mum and Dad, I know I fall far short. I never had to toil from dawn to dusk and then undertake journey into the night guided by the moonlight. The 2^nd gift is my own happy family. Frankly when it comes to the warmth, the closeness and the happiness, none can compare with my family. And I just do not have any reason to envy or fear those richer in money or temporal powers.

In retrospection of my life, I would say that any day I would prefer to work from a revolving executive chair than be the plough man during paddy transplantations. But I did plough and do other manual farm works. We will always remember with gratitude those pairs of oxen and milking cows that nourished our family. In fact, everyone in the family from the youngest child upwards, there were always works at home or on the farm. Such mix of life occupations nurtured and enriched our family life.

And ultimately because of this simplicity and straight forwardness of life I led, I never found the necessity to be a fan or supporter or antagonist of any individual or party. I am just a much disciplined, happy Bhutanese who is most grateful to this Kingdom, this Sovereign Kingdom which provided everything for the sustenance of past ancestors, the happiness of the present generation and the hope of the future. And for Bhutan I will keep raising my thoughts and hoping for the best. 

The after effects of Indian intervention in Bhutan Election

The direct intervention of India in the internal affairs of Bhutan seems to have breached an unwritten but accepted protocol of understanding between China and India. The unpublicized but accepted protocol seems to be, ‘Tibet is Chinese internal affair and Sikkim is India’s internal affair. And let the Kingdom of Bhutan exercise her sovereign choice’.

During Bhutan’s 2^nd Interim Government Term, it seems the top Bhutanese leadership was brow beaten by India to 1). Disavow the national policy of GNH under the guise of which Bhutan managed to expand its diplomatic relations and solidify its sovereign position and 2). Reverse the ongoing Sino-Bhutan progressive relation.

My suspicion is that the Indian Ambassador V.P. Haran strategized the PDP General Election campaign and that the Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP) fund of Rs. 5 Billion grant that realizes the PDP campaign promises was a done deal before 13^th July, 2013 the General Election Day.

On Monday the 29^th July, 2013, the first working day of the new Bhutanese Government, the Prime Minister of Bhutan along with his whole Cabinet ended up officially receiving Indian Ambassador V.P. Haran to Gyalwang Tshokhang the Seat of Bhutan Government. I wonder what kind of official address the Ambassador made as he reviewed the composition of the Bhutanese Cabinet. The Bhutanese media is silent so probably there was no mutual discussion to make any declaration; possibly only one sided communication. Nowhere in the world is an Ambassador officially received by a full delegation of Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister let alone on its 1^st official working day. This kind of national tragic event takes place only when a conquering General demands homage and surrender from a defeated and humiliated nation.  Such an act of sacrilege and betrayal of sovereignty must have had the Dharma Raja Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel and the spirits of the three late Kings of Bhutan in total despair. I just can’t imagine what it must have been like to the two living Kings.

India cannot publicly or privately tell China to keep away from Bhutan but India has showed every and all distaste for progressive Sino-Bhutan ties. So Bhutan must be under immense Indian pressure to blunt any progressive overtures from China. And with Jigmi Yoezer Thinley bundled out to seclusion, India has her way. But it seems India was quite unprepared by Chinese reaction. It seems that the famed Indian diplomat corps now lives upon day to day instruction of their political bosses. Otherwise this would not have happened.

Today on 8^th August, 2013, Indian Security Advisor accompanied by Indian Foreign Secretary is arriving in Thimphu and according to media reports; they will be holding meetings with Bhutanese leadership including His Majesty the King. I guess they will also meet His Majesty the 4^th King, the Father of GNH philosophy which India and India influenced Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has rejected as being an “empty slogan” to quote Sanjay Kumar in ‘The Diplomat’.

Under Indian pressure, Bhutan has declared its hostility towards China and it won’t be long before China officially seeks a clarification from the Bhutanese Cabinet whose composition the Indian Ambassador V.P. Haran recently reviewed and probably approved. The visit of the heavy delegation from India could be another exercise of political and economic clout that India reigns supreme in Bhutan.

China, it seems, according to the major Indian Newspapers, has already conveyed, unofficially, her thoughts to Government of India. China seems to be very serious about the breach of the unwritten but accepted protocol and her seriousness can be gauged by the particular sentences to quote, “As a country located between China and India, Bhutan serves as a buffer and is of critical strategic importance to the Siliguri corridor, a narrow stretch of land (known as chicken’s neck) that connects India’s northeastern states to the rest of India. The corridor is considered vulnerable bottleneck for India’s national security. Delhi worries that China will send troops to the corridors if a China-India military clash breaks out”.

I accept that for the coming 5 years, the fate of Bhutan rest largely in the hands of the 2^nd Government. I have nothing to say since the die has been cast. But as a Bhutanese subject, I beg to exercise my humble right to appeal for a national kidu to His Majesty the King. His Majesty has the constitutional responsibility and the hereditary obligation to ensure the sovereignty and the security of the Kingdom.

Your Majesty, the General Election of Bhutan saw how opportunistic an arrogant giant neighbour can be. And yet because of so many paramount reasons, we can never as of today prefer China to India.  India will have to remain our most associated neighbour. However, please be aware of tri-colour canopy that is in the process of replacing the yellow and orange over the Dragon Throne.

 I also feel that Jigmi Yoezer Thinley in words of Bhutanese proverb is a bird in the basket and a beef in the pot. He cannot be of any danger to national interests and for that matter no other Bhutanese Prime Ministers on their own can also pose any threat to national goal as long as the Throne remains upright and alert.  India’s antipathy to JYT is that he left the Indian leaders dumb founded by the way side as he gently but surely carved an international space for Bhutan under the canopy of GNH, a philosophy that illustrated the loving wish and goodness of a King for his people and nation. India no longer seems to portray itself as a genuine friend of Bhutan.

GNH cannot, on its own, be an omni-solution to Bhutan’s employment problems, essential supply needs and rupee shortages etc but if any unbiased visitor is to walk through the offices, urban homes and rural homes of Bhutan and India, then that visitor will comprehend the substance of happiness and relevance of GNH to both Bhutanese and world society.

Several decades back on an issue of allowing individual tourists to Bhutan, His Excellency Lyonpo Dawa Tsering told me that we have to be mindful of undesirable impacts of individual foreign tourists on the security of the Kingdom. I had approached the Hon’ble Foreign Minister regarding visa procedure after getting HRH approval to permit individual tourist visit. To allay Lyonpo’s concerns, I submitted that more than any Bhutanese, the Royal House would be concerned about the dangers to national security and Her Royal Highness the Representative of His Majesty the King did not feel that escorted individual foreign tourists under a trained Bhutanese tour guide would pose any such danger. His Excellency then accorded approval for individual tourist visa. My view of those days has not altered. All Bhutanese must take a leap of faith in the workings of our Kings and Deities because more than any Bhutanese, the Bhutanese Kings and Deities would have the foremost national interests and well being of the Kingdom.

I have expressed my unreserved views not for the Throne as such but mainly  for the fellow Bhutanese to whom I appeal for calm and absolute national interests not Political Party dividends and to people of India and Indian Media among whom there seems to exists due regards for the limited aspirations of a tiny neighbour and very sincere friend. A Country that has produced great and greater Kings successively would have, I believe, more JYTs in the making and India will have to adjust to this reality. Let Bhutan co-exist along your side with sovereign dignity and not under your thumb.  In India’s re-attempt to convert Bhutan into a Protectorate State (such an attempt was made during the young reign of the 4^th King at the time of annexing Sikkim), there lies an unmistakable danger both for Bhutan and India. The 22 KMs Siliguri chicken-neck stretch of a land might turn into a blood path of Sino-India conflagration. Such scenario does not do any good to anybody especially to Bhutan, China and India. Do not force providence for providence at times can turn out to be wrathful. 

An expression of sentiment to former PM of Bhutan

Your Excellency Jigmi Yoezer Thinley,                                        Dated: 26^th July, 2013

I hope Your Excellency, Aum and other family members are keeping well. I had waited till today to greet Your Excellency for the simple reason of waiting out the turmoil events.

It’s a beautiful Country we have with all the green valleys, hills, rivers and mountains. Temples, Chortens and monasteries adorn the landscape and people still believe that the flutter of mani flags will guide the spirit of the deceased and lungdar prayer flags will grace the fortune of the living. In a way life is rooted in such simplicity of faith. And yet at times we Bhutanese act viciously and thoughtlessly rush head long into disharmony.

I never really hoped for manna from heaven or feared sulfur from hell but I did believe in the goodness of our nation and broadness of our national outlook. At times like these, more than at other times, and especially at a senior age, one feels desperate in search of a meaningful sign that post a light of hope for better things to come. I have always yearned for stronger national footing and more control of our national destiny. As much as I am grateful to our giant neighbor India for all the assistance we have received, it was never my thought to seek more generosity and national steering from India.

Where did the precious gift of democracy go astray and what made people, institutions and political parties so hopelessly lose trust in each other and make possible Indian intervention with impunity in our General Election?

I suppose ardent supporters of both DPT and PDP would be tempted to divide Bhutanese into 2 groups but thankfully life of ordinary people can never be all politics because politics in a way is a luxury for most common Bhutanese struggling to etch out a decent living or for a youth seeking sustainable employment.

DPT has changed its opposition party leadership, so I suppose Your Excellency has decided to take a back seat. I am as yet, unsure, whether passive or active role would heal the social and political wounds the nation seemed to have suffered. But wounded as a nation we are today, otherwise: 1. There would not be a 15 point publicly declared election grievances submitted not to the Election Commission but to the Royal Person of His Majesty the King, relating directly to royal affiliated institutions such as Royal Bhutan Army and Royal Secretariat. Whatever the ground realities may have been during the heat of the Election, these submissions, as necessary as deemed, to point out flaws in election process, the procedure followed is nationally unpalatable and further deteriorates the post election status. 2. There would not have been rumors of an organized protest march to your residence which again is rumored to have been stopped by Royal Command thus unnecessarily fuelling speculations of social uncertainties and political aggression and 3. We would not now have a situation of compromised national sovereignty with India publicly toying with the sentiment of Bhutanese and national status of an economically weak Kingdom.

Not only as a citizen of the nation but as a born and bred Bhutanese totally beholden to the Kingdom and the Kings, all I pray for is a benevolent King overlooking the affairs of national sovereignty, security and welfare ( Kidu ) of all Bhutanese; a government that continues the development works and provide sustainable employment needs of the disengaged youth populace and; a continuous very friendly relation with India and a fruitful bilateral or multilateral co-operations with other nations including China.

There is no denying that Your Excellency, even as a member of opposition party or as an Ambassador of GNH a title conferred upon you or as a private citizen, does enjoy both national and international credentials. Please do not give up for whatever reasons but rather try harder to promote the interest of Tsa-wa-Sum. And as time passes by and present molten of political acrimonies cool off, please humbly and sincerely do all you can humanly possible, to clear any and all misunderstanding or deemed breach of Thadamtsi that seemed to have occurred, not necessarily with intent of plan but most possibly in the trial and error of seeking a way of balanced democratic governance in between the authority of the King and the aspirations of the people.

We need a stable and secure sovereign Kingdom for our children, grandchildren and their children and so on. A sovereign King need happy subjects and people need a just Monarch and reliable government under whatever nomenclature of systems. Therefore in the ultimate interest of generations of Bhutanese to come, all of us high, middle, low and young and old alike must find positive strength to build constructive and progressive society. This vision of one nation and one people must be our most vital constant political culture.

In the serenity of our beautiful natural landscapes, in the flutter of prayer flags, the pureness of tolerance in temples and mandirs and smiles of our innocent younger generations, I pray that all Bhutanese from farmers to monks, students to philosophers, civil servants to political leaders, traders and industrialists, royal and holy members and above all His Holiness the Je Khenpo and their Majesties the Kings and Queens of Bhutan find faith, solace and trust in our own goodness and in the goodness of the Kingdom as a nation for all Bhutanese.

Let us all find the moral strength and spiritual faith in the workings of the Pelden Drukpai Chhochong and Ka-sung. Pelden Drukpai Lha Gyelo!

I wish Your Excellency and your family happiness, peace and joyful hope. Respectfully Wangcha Sangey.

A letter to DPT Party and President.

Dear DPT and 1^st Democratic Prime Minister of Bhutan.

It seems the Political dust is gradually settling down. The DPT members have expressed their election process grievances and 15 such points have been submitted to the King. The DNT (Nyamrup) has also held its meeting probably to put pressure on the PDP President and Prime Minister elect for Cabinet berths of the DNT winning candidates. That’s fair and square in politics of democracy.

The DPT of-course is in the opposition and will have to fill the opposition bench in the Parliament. But now who is the opposition leader in the parliament? DPT lost the Election by the will of the people? by superior strategies of  PDP? by providence? or what so ever other reasons? I think the election defeat is enough to awaken DPT to political realities. There is no need to commit further blunder.

What is really wrong with the likes of your Excellency and His Excellency Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup nurtured and elevated by the King? One defeat overwhelms you. One did not want to remain as President of PDP and the other does not want to be the opposition leader in the parliament. For DPT members and its executive council, don’t you think that your President should shoulder the party’s opposition leadership in the Parliament? There is no need to groom Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho . The way I see, he is quite well groomed already. However, it could be in the Party’s present and long term interest to appoint him as the opposition spokesperson in the Parliament because his age and temperament matches that of the Prime Minister elect.            With respects Wangcha Sangey

An Analysis of Events from Gyalpoizhing through General Election to intervention by India

Gyalpoizhing Land Case - Gyalpoizhing literally means field of the King but legally it has become a hot bed of troubles and expose of fringe benefiters as proven by court verdicts.

I feel more for the families of the 11 civil servants and for their sake my unsolicited advice to the 11 who got entrapped in the melee, make a sincere appeal to His Majesty the King. Do not seek overturn of verdict and do not maintain you had no choice. You had choice but more courage and sacrifice would have been necessary to decline to be a committee member or oppose the Chairman. The bureaucratic or political environment then and even now is not sufficiently conducive for a subordinate officer to exercise expression of individual point of view to impact a decision of an Agency or Committee. Therefore what had taken place would have occurred regardless of who the committee members were as long as the chairman wanted it to happen. In-fact this no-win-situation should have been the thrust of their defense lawyer’s submission to the courts and this fact should have been dearly weighed in by the different level of Courts. It was absolutely necessary for the Judiciary to examine the actual relevance of any kind of committee members in arriving at a decision that a chairman is bent on producing especially when the members are his juniors whose official welfare are in his hand. Committee members whose roles were irrelevant in the sense that they were not at an equal level playing field with their boss, cannot be held responsible in the same light as their chairman for the irregular decisions that were made in the name of a committee which in substance was very much a domain of the Chairman.

I feel a compulsory retirement from civil service with due retirement benefits would have met both the standards of legal and social sense of Justice for the 11 civil servants. It may be too late to make legal appeal because everything stops at Supreme Court level (can SC amend decision within 10 days?). However, there is recourse for compassion and sufficient ground for kidu consideration for conversion of termination from civil service to compulsory retirement by His Majesty the King.

I hope the 11 civil servants and especially the family members receive a royal reprieve in the form of compulsory retirement.

Thank you Supreme Court for ACC upliftment - Kuensel referred to it as guidelines but ever the long-term conscious person, I view the directives of Supreme Court on ACC suspension powers as an image upliftment of ACC. In Democracy, no agency especially Constitutional Agencies should behave in draconian manner and exercise unilateral decision. A Constitution that provides the foundation of democracy cannot also be the source of authoritarian power of any other institutions.

Regardless of the methods used, I do appreciate the intent of ACC to defeat corruption or at least hold accountable some of those who deviate from official or acceptable way of administering or exercising due diligence in upholding responsibilities. But if ACC could do their job in less authoritarian ways, it will have positive impact for the King who appoints the commissioners, for the Agency that houses the commissioners and for those officers and staffs who assist the commissioners.

Constitutional Bodies of any kind be they ACC, ECB, RAA etc. do not exist to terrorize the system of governance or the society at large. They are quasi-legal independent agencies with specific responsibilities to curb or discourage misuse of national wealth and power or official positions so that ultimately harmony of co-existence and equal sense of fairness can prevail among various components that constitute a nation of good governance and happy people under the constitutional institution of Monarchy.

The Nation is evolving and it seems the highest authority on law interpretation is endeavouring to grapple with demands of changing times and modes of democratic conduct.

Bhutan Politics after General Election - The media is laced with allegations by DPT about the General Election being, “unfair, farce and sham”. Whatever it is or was, it is over now and the nation must move to whatever direction or any kind of direction. It cannot stand still.

PDP Victory - My own view is that the result of 32 versus 15 cannot be all about money, power, internal or external threats. It would be naive to rule out that central game changer had to do with the will of the majority. The number of successful candidates could have varied but PDP would still be the Ruling Party. No other conclusion adds up.

Omen for PDP and DPT - DPT got singed quite badly; in-fact as badly as PDP got scorched in 2008. But like PDP in 2008, the signs do indicate good future prospects for DPT as it did for PDP in 2008.

In 2008, as sorry as I felt for Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup personally, I felt PDP was destined to have a political future because it had secured foot-holds in the two historic Dzongkhags that played pivotal political roles in the past. Gasa is the Dzongkhag through which the deeply venerated Tibetan high Lama of Ralung Monastery entered Bhutan after fleeing Tibet. His Holiness is known as Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the Dharma Raja of Bhutan credited with the unification of various regional chieftains within one central rule. Haa is the Dzongkhag which is famous for the Black and White Temples (Lhakhang KaNa Gni), three hills of Miri Phuensum (Risum Goem) and Political deity Ap Chhundu. Through the grace and blessings of the three Celestial Authorities, Haaps dominated both political and religious scenes of Bhutan for many decades.

I shared these personal perceptions with friends after 2008 General Election and during Primary Election of 2013.  Along with DPT, I was sure it would be PDP that would make it to the General Election.  That Nyamrup and PDP would merge after Primary Election was a foregone conclusion for quite a few political watchers but most thought that it would be the other way around PDP merging with successful Nyamrup. This merger is most troubling to both political watchers and ECB.

I did not think that PDP would be able to win the General Election of 2013 though after the near miraculous rise of Lyonpo Tshering Tobgay as PDP president in 2008, I felt he would someday become the Prime Minister. I, however, could not help sensing the two warning signals indicative of possibilities that against all odds, DPT may miss its tryst with destiny to govern the second time.

1.       The first was the granting of mining license for Dragong in Haa by DPT Government when it was nearing the end of 5 years term and about to face the 2^nd Election. In Haa, we offer prayers, butter lamps and incense smoke to the three Celestial Authorities whenever we embark on personal, dzongkhag or national ventures. DPT Government offered insults, dust, explosives and destruction. (Underground mining? Where is the Underground Mining Act? Haaps may be suckers but Celestial Authorities impossible to dub).

Not by design or intent but by coincidence of birth responsibility and root (Dragong is the backbone of my village and central edifice of Haa dzongkhag countenance), I ended up leading the protests against this horrendous act of sacrilege by DPT. And in the process, it was necessary for me to submit to the three Celestial Authorities that they had better watch out for themselves because in my humble position, bereft of political or fiscal clouts, I could only provide the human face to the celestial protest.

2.       The second warning sign was the cabinet walking off with pradoes and office equipments. O.K almost every high official who warrant a pardo for official duty eventually tried to walk off with it, if possible, as solrey if not buy it at a substantially reduced payment. Then the mobile phone and laptop, maybe, on reasons of confidentially, it makes judicious sense to maintain ownerships of the same. But what about photocopy machines, fax machines etc.? Well, you rape if you do not intend to marry and you ransack an office when you do not believe in re-occupying it. 

  

To a Buddhist me, those two acts of DPT Cabinet were most disturbing and tale telling about their possible future. By the way, I am no institutional Buddhist. What I know about Buddha can be outpoured in few minutes but my faith in the Dharma is immense and therefore by nature I give due regards to signs that intrigue comprehension.       

My summary of DPT debacle is that PDP may have been the secondary obstacle but the primary obstacle could have been DPT itself. However, the loss could be a strategic defeat because minus the Speaker Lyonpo Jigme Tsultrim, DPT is back to its 2008 prior election status. The core group of DPT is intact and if the psychological impairment from the unexpected debacle is repealed, 5 years is not that long to endure out. My personal sadness is that Lyonchen Jigmi Yoezer Thinley will never be at the helm of government again even if DPT bounces back later. The constitution bars anyone above the age of 65 from vying for political post. In hindsight and because so much criticism is laid in public, his way of national governance may have differed from the thoughts of His Majesty the King. However, if he had been truly honest with his love of the Kingdom then I feel, whatever clouds of misunderstanding presently exist, these would gradually clear away and by the grace of Palden Drupai Chhochhong and Ka Sung, one way or another, the three times most popularly elected Prime Minister of Bhutan, will continue to have a leadership role in the service of Tsawa Sum. For sake of posterity, it is necessity to record that in-spite of real or imagined short falls; he did gallantly serve the Bhutanese Tsawa Sum and achieved international stature to the extent that world leaders were pleased to be standing with him on the same podium.

Personal declaration -It is not in me to harbor any ill will towards political parties nor be intimidated. They are answering the call of democracy. Moreover I feel that regardless of which party comes to power, apart from general effect of development or policies, there will be no direct impact on most Bhutanese life including mine. The outcome of democratic election does have direct impact on the positions of the candidates and the personal welfare of their close supporters and financers. However, for all the rest, there is no perceptible difference between governance by Monarchy and elected party.

In the primary round, I voted for DPT because as a Haap, I am grateful for the Prime Minister’s effort in building up confidence in Sino-Bhutan relation (but India had always been a unanimous national priority though now, I for one am shocked into reality of India’s political design). I did not go to Haa for General Election voting for two reasons: (1) It would be uncomfortable to choose between two Haaps, one of my own generation and the other the generation of my children and oft the touted hope of the future. (2) A celestial decision that somehow maneuvered the nuptial day of my son and daughter-in-law to Thursday the 11^th of July and for reasons of preserving chha and yang, I the head of the family could not move away from our Thimphu home for three days. As it turned out, one vote could not make any difference to either of the candidates in Haa and on the other hand, we enjoyed a blissful marriage in privacy for three memorable days – a good omen by all accounts.

India and Bhutan - I am bursting with emotion to pen my thoughts on the shameless and bizarre intervention of the present government of India (not people of India) into the General Election of Bhutan. But I need to give time for internal political dust to settle and moreover, I need to be prepared to be as remorseless and as heartless as the Ambassador of India to Bhutan. Unlike him, I have not led a diplomatic career that conditions one to excel in stating the most horrendous declarations, in the most sober manner adorned with publicly palatable smile. And more urgently, I need time to keep praying for the country and us the people now that this Indian Government has decided to completely entrap Bhutan in the web of India whirlpool.

I do not claim to have observed closely the former Ambassador but somehow this Ambassador is totally a different personality from his predecessor. Anyone who did not understand the English language would have been suitability impressed by the facial expression and friendly behavior of the Ambassador during the BBS TV interview. But when you take in the words he so casually declares, one realizes that we have an Indian Ambassador on a British nurtured diplomatic mission - divide and conquer. As a student of history, I always respected and gave due deference to be the devilish English men for the political mastery of the whole world and colonization of America, Australia, India and others by an island nation that initially comprised of only England. And like wise, one must give kudos to an Excellency for par excellent diplomatic coup. The Deities of Palden Drukpa need to be extra vigilant till 2014 when political dynamos at New Delhi may hopefully undergo a change of heart if not an overhaul of complete strategy.