Leadership heirachy of Bhutan all out to control and contain the democratic process and expression?

Are Bhutanese leaderships both local and national stunting the society instead of leading the nation? This time the cultural zealots attacked track suits for physical education with the goal to slaughter the lambs in the schools. From legal perspective, it is an unhealthy and unwarranted interference into what is a clear domain of autonomous School Management Board.

1.It demonstrates that the nation has too many over paid Dolittle elected and appointed officials who can do nothing progressive. All they can think of are rules and regulations to harrass, control  and demean general public and  particularly the young generation.   

2. Track suits long adopted as sports uniform by individusl schools has been now branded as uniform of disloyals and indisciplined packs by an ad hoc assembled group that does not even have necessary legal standing.

3. The non-traditional trouser and shirt uniforms of defence forces, desuups and bureaucracies glorified as cloaks of triple loyalties. But non- traditional sports  track suits of students condemned as disrespectful attire by a grouo of officials under Thimphu Thromde.

4. School kids are being made the helpless guinea pigs of ceaseless experiments by local governments and the  Education Ministry. The ultra short hair cuts for boys; the halving of winter vacation that require students to put up with freezing class rooms of himalayan winter.  And now this move against track suits with ulterior objective to demote  physical health activities after repeated labelling of students as drug addicts with stunted growth . Did we elect  fascist or communist leaders at local and national levels who are out to degrade, control and condition young minds?

All schools have regular gho and Kira uniforms. Track suits are only for one day a week for those students who have their physical exercise period. Why must this  essential part of school sports culture be declared officially intolerable?

The cultural hawks bemoans that some students are in track suits whilst most are in gho and Kira school dress during morning school assembly. " It does not look respectful ",  they declared.  Please do not let cultural dictum run haywire. Students are not soldiers and school assembly is not a regimental parade. Restrain acts of  social aggression and stop disrupting education environment of schools. And stop interfering into the rightful domain of School Management Board. The offering of prayers to Jampel Yang and respectfully standing in attention singing the national anthem by all students and teachers during  the school morning assembly should more then quench any reasonable thirst of cultural and political zealots.

5. I am perplexed by this horrific attack on the school physical education activities.
Track suit issue was raised by a local government in the East and then Thimphu Thromde suddenly picked it up and implemented it. This means the policy has Central Government backing. Now I wonder why this is happening against the backdrop of progressive strides made by the PDP Government?

The Government of Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay brought about a lot of economic improvements to individual Bhutanese life. His Excellency's Government had  provided house rent allowance to all civil servants and six months maternity leave for mothers in civil service and public corporations; established Central Schools; enhanced by 10 times the in- country education  tax deductible  amount;  provided electricity subsidy to rural dwellers;  improved farm roads; provided power tillers for every Chiwog and opened rural fair price shops with marketting outlets for farm products ; adopted economic liberalisation and tax relief policies; provided grassroot soft loans to promote commercial activities and education loans to needy students; doubled the non- taxable personal income amount from one lakh to two lakhs ngultrums; provided  incentive to save money especially for salaried  employees by  waiving off tax on accrued interests from fixed deposits; provided incentives for Bhutanese oversea workers to open hard currency accounts in Bhutan.

6. Sometimes, I am made to deduce that two sets of teams are running the nation on alternate days: The devils one day and the angels the next day. That's how perplexed I am. Do we have a divided Cabinet or simply a confused Government that cannot co-ordinate or has now run out of productive steam at this penultimate stage. Or is this a strategy of diversion from debacles in other fields like  rising national debts and shameful, corruption soaked  delays in hydro- projects. 

Perhaps the strategy is more sinister. Could the Government be providing  economic incentives and curtailing basic human rights. Very much like powerful Countries providing financial assistance to weak nations and taking over their national freedom. This seemd the only plausible explanation. The young generation is our future. So political  control is exercised from school stage? Could  establishment of Central Schools also be  a pivotal project to control and shape the youth?  Are we sowing the seed of turmoil or raising social brigades? If the PDP Government does not have intent of a communist regime then the Prime Minister must rein in the hawks of local government and culture Agencies who exercise extraordinary powers to disrupt  national life and social well being. 

7. Such regressive rules are  heading in the direction of enslavement of thoughts and dress. I thought excessive cultural indoctrination was part of early Chinese cultural revolution long since rejected by more civilised Governments. But somehow who ever came  to  hold the reign of power in Bhutan, this culture fixation has been central to their administration. How much discipline and obedience is sought? Pacific width, Atlantic depth or Everest height? Apart from North Koreans no others praise their nation and leaders as Bhutanese do.

8. Can any Bhutanese leadership heirachy ever develop the leadership confidence to go for genuine unadulterated comprehensive and inclusive national growth? Can successive local and national leaders stop dwelling upon dress codes and behaviour codes? Why feel so damn insecure and be  intellectually bankrupt? Do the leaders not believe that they came through the democratic process to lead not contain the nation?.

9. Gho and Kira the pride of national heritage is being continuously codified as status of obedience and discipline. What was a showcase attire of proud national heritage now turned into a compulsory uniform of artificial allegiance. Should patang and gyenta form part of every Bhutanese traditional attire to induce everyone to wear gho and Kira even to visit public toilets?

10.  The common people of Bhutan and our students  cannot be against Tsawa Sum. They constitute national vitality and is the soul of Tsawa Sum. Therefore, I appeal for  national sense of cohesion to prevail. This victimisation of every day life by leaders  who feel either insecure or omnipotent, must stop for sake of gross national unity and decency.

Gross official intolerance causes not only consternations for basic human rights but creates unnecessary fear and frustrations among a populace that only want peace and happiness.

11. The main thrust of any 5 year Plan objective has become the reproduction of clones who are prone to sing national praise like native parrots.  Can a society of clones and parrots invigorate the nation, uphold  the crucial monarchy institution and most importantly defend the sovereignty of Druk Yul ?

Conclusion:

A national realisation is urgently needed.  Rigidity breaks not binds society! Please, Please! Be sensible. Not culture or political demons. We each have a responsibility to secure a peaceful and true GNH national society. Demonstrate genuine love and care not domination of the most important element ( the people) of Tsawa Sum.

Losar Greetings.

Dear all fb friends

I wish each one of you and your families a very Happy Losar! 

May I also share a small personal thought. Dawa Dhangpa is always considered in Buddhism a holy month though I have till date never restricted my diet to observe the occasion. I became a Buddhist by birth. Not by any outside compulsion or inner desire to gain merit. So I feel free of any obligation to prove being a Buddhist. 

I hope to spent time to pray for my near and dear ones as well as for beloved ones who have departed for the next world. I will read the Dhoma and Jhathom and recite mainly Diksha.  Cannot comprehend the meanings in  these scriptures but I usually  read clearly each word as I believe this would benefit those who believe. A matter of faith.

Regarding meat diet and alcohol, I think moderation is alright though complete refrain is good for many. However, I am not a person who believe in doing what others do nor  expect others to follow  what I do or do not choose to do. I cherish truth and tolerance when I read what His Holiness the Dalai Lam said about meat diet. His Holiness stated that he tried giving up meat for 10 years but later because of his health condition, he followed the advice for his medical doctors and resumed non vegetarian diet. However, His Holiness said that if one can give up meat, it is good.

On my part,  I hope to refrain from meat diet this holy month. Tobacco and alcohol is easily abandoned. As for sex, it is a joy of marriage and I am happily more than married.

Some Buddhist believe in earning merit through abstaining be it meat, tobacco, sex, normal earthly work or family responsibities.This can be accepted as  admirable in a way. Some believe in gaining merit by chiding others about meat diet and alcohol. Maybe, that too is a way of paving their path to the next world.
A matter of mind.

Some may admire the ways of Drukpa Kuenlay. Do all in excess but remain pure in thought and action. I think performing miracles or being excessive  like Drukpa Kuenlay is beyond ordinary being. However, being truthful and having good thought is possible.

I usually pray for strength of being honest and seek guidance in faith and truth. And this month  I devote in prayers  for expressing my  gratitude to gifts of life and love and good health of the beloved family members.

May we all earn merit in our own ways and be content thus far. With respects and regards to all of you. Hopefully,  will be in communication after Dawa Dhangpa.  Till then humbly Wangcha Sangey..

Understanding a little of our vibrant entertainment industry.

I should not be writing again today. But then it's holiday time and some events just spark their own vibes. So here goes again.

You have no way to realise how hard some really work and plough their way to recognition. Maybe one thinks that Tandin Bidha the scintillating Bhutanese actress can smile her way into any goal or producer/ director Pem Tshering is immune to movie success. One cannot be more wrong and last night at BNFA award, it was a moment of truth ( courtesy BBS live telecast).

Tandin Bidha was so emotional about finally making it to the best actress of the year after " ten long years of hard work ". Congratulations!  And Pem Tshering after 21 years in the movie making business was thrilled that his movie was one of the selected  three top films that also received BICMA's  cash price of Nu:1 million each.

I am very proud and appreciative about the incredible progresses achieved by collective efforts of so many artists in Bhutanese movies and music. But I confess,  I know so little about the artists and particularly their depth of endeavour in the success stories. My interaction with almost all is through BBS telecast except for very few.

I knew Dasho Gem Dorji. After he became an MP, I told him not to remain a stranger to his acting profession as it was his very own. Glad he is at it. Never met Tandin Bidha and only had one brief talk with producer Pem Tshering wherein he told me he was into movies. The one actress I followed with some interest was Lhaki Dolma. I did not meet her but I know her Dad and her brother ( not venerable Tsula Lopen but the engineer brother). This lady  can sing, dance and act well. I have met the Beauty Queen and actress Tshokey Tsomo Karchung. Always impressed with her personal humility and professional successes. Another top dynamo of ceaseless hard workers in our entertainment industries.

The one pioneer movie and music personality  that I came to know a little is Ngedrup Dorji. I think of him as an adventurer and explorer who shows the way but maybe like all explorers in history books, he, too, does not reap rich monetary harvest. But abilities he is all of it. I wonder who first came into rigsar?  Aum Dechen Pem or Ngedrup?  Presently Ugyen Pandey seems to be ruling the young roost of rigsar professionals.  

All in all,  there is no shortage of composers, singers, musicians, actors and audience if numbers of Bhutanese films and TV song competition programmes are our measuring yardsticks. And altogether the entertainment industries provides one nation binding venue that enables social integration and highlight the Bhutanese ways in all spheres of national life and progressive culture.

Thank you and congratulations to President of BNFA Mila Tobgay and his fellow colleague Organisers for the 16th Award Show. Congratulations to Award Winners, Nominees and all Participants in  Films and Musical industries. It was a great night graced by the honourable Prime Minister. The national commitment to build cinema halls is great for films and live shows. I feel entertainment halls will prove to be  the real concrete contribution towards promoting the entertainment Industries of Bhutan. .    

The hosts: Kuenga, Lhaki and Gem " You three steered and entertained superbly". Great Showmanship in Live Performance!

With reverence to all artists from a person who cannot sing, dance or act. Nevertheless, in my youth, I could skip a meal to save money  for a good movie. My first noble possession was a tape recorder cum radio to listen to news and music. 

Facts about Bhutanese Politics.

Editor Tenzing Lamsang recently wrote in The Bhutanese that Local Government officials supported PDP in 2008 and DPT in 2013.. And both Political Parties lost when supported by local officials. I believe he got it right. But I would not consider such support as  jinx.

I think the influence of Gups and Tsokpas in Primary or General Election is more of an illusion rather than real.The fact that most of the former Gups lost their re- election in 2016  is a good indication of their lack of lasting political clout.

They have one influence and that is getting the public to attend political campaign gatherings. They understand the line of communication to let the public know when and where such is held.  However, they are in no position to assure votes.

The most influential people who can influence public votes are civil servants and corporate and other educated employees . They have strong influence within their extended families and communities and even beyond their constituencies.

And in education institutions and defence forces, word of mouth is a big factor as group belief prevails in such conditioned social environments. And beyond all factors of influence, the most reliable is the art of money politics. I think in all nations, money have effective influencing roles. Political Parties and candidates have to have adequate finance at their disposal. What Election Commission provide is just the startup fund in national Election. You need money to cover all nooks and creeks; to put up impressive road shows; to hire locals to guide and advice and to put ads in TV and sponsor radio talks. 

Ignorance is not a bliss when Ignorance rules the roost.

Schools have tracksuits as sports uniform. The defence forces, Dessung, Forest officials, Revenue and Custom officials, Security firm Officials, Football Teams and Olympic Teams etc. all have uniforms. And all those wearing uniforms stand proudly in attention and sing along as and when the  national anthem is sung.

Today BBS Televion shared a News about Pemagatsel Dzongkhag Tsogdue decrying students in sportswear paying respects to the national flag and anthem in their Schools.

It seems the local government officials of Pemagstsel  Dzongkhag wear their respect for the nation on sleeves of their gho and tego. Perhaps such elected officials realised how important the outer facade is in their line of duty. Well good luck to such Bhutanese including those at Culture Department if the proposed Culture Bill is of such nature. 

What Democracy is and what it entails.

Today is the 3rd Phase of State Election in Uttar Pradesh the largest State in Indian Union. Election in Uttar Pradesh State is being conducted in 4 Phases.

Today the 3rd Phase is being  conducted in 12 Districts with 24 million voters. And it  involves 69 Seats with over 800 candidates in the fray.

Just learning to imagine the vastness of the largest world democracy when an election in 1/4 section of a State is so gigantic. 

Foot note:

It is said that this Uttar Pradesh State Election will determine the effect on BJP of the demonitisation policy of Prime Minister Modi Government. But for me,  I am just waiting to see the impact on SP and Congress alliance and the family feud in SP of a rising healthy son versus the aging frail father. How do the voters of Uttar Pradesh view family feud for power and political alliance of temporary convenience ?

The issue of stunting in Bhutan.

Both Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk and Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji reiterates that today Bhutan has a stunting status as 28% in the West to 40% in the East. Under advice of Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji, I Googled and found the same information. I just wonder who provided that statistic.

If under K5, this is the status, then in 1972 when K4 came on the Throne, stunting must be 56% in the West and 80% in the East. Afterall Bhutan has developed leaps and bounds since then. And yet throughout the last 40 years I have not come across such number of stunted adults. Does stunting effect wear off as one gets older? Or is there a different definition of stunting.

Could I, Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk and Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji be categorised as adults who suffered stunted growth during our childhoods? We are physically healthy but not tall. If so, only then the present statistic of 28% and 40% are believable.  On the average Bhutanese youths even today are not tall  like those in the West. . Otherwise someone played a game of manipulation for some purposes.

I recall an incident ( in 1980s) in a meeting where I expressed my disbelief with Bhutan population figure of 1.2 million. Dasho Dorji Tenzin was very annoyed with me.  How could I contradict his figure when he was the Director General of Immigration and Census, he demanded. Few years later the population figure came down from 1.3 million to around 500,000.

At that time,  I just could not imagine how we got such a population when the whole nation including the capital city was so scarcely populated. and  And today I am in disbelief with the stunting statistic figures because I have not seen such proportion in the villages and schools I came across. Please understand this is not to say children do not need nutritious meals. And we do need more world height basket ball players.

Is DANTAK an integral part of Bhutan?

The ball is in the Court of the sacred institution that guard the sovereignty of Bhutan. 

The Chief of DANTAK ( DANTAK is part of Border Road Organisation of India)  Brigadier PKG Mishra declared to Kuensel the main National Newspaper of Bhutan that:

To quote Kuensel, " DANTAK  considers itself as an integral part of this Country." Unquote.

KPG Mishra is reported to have told Kuensel that Bhutanese Media should ignore the concerns of Bhutanese people about DANTAK putting  Sign Boards welcoming visitors to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

He further went on to say that he himself  had not bothered to even respond to the letter sent to him (more than 10 months ago )  by the Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement regarding the gate that welcomes visitors to Bhutan by DANTAK at Paro Bondey where Bhutan's only International Airport is located. In all essence, the Brigadier has declared that DANTAK has every sovereign right to do as it damn pleases in Bhutan.

Every Bhutanese citizen may want our Government to respond in kind to:

1. How did Border Road Organisation and it's branch DANTAK of India become integral part of Bhutan?

2. Why does the Royal Government of Bhutan find it alright to be ignored by Brigadier PKG Mishra of DANTAK in the matter of letter sent by the Government Secretary to DANTAK. Why did Bhutanese authority fail to take that gate down? What happened to that Patang and Kamni responsibility? Only for subjugation of powerless Bhutanese or for post decoration?

I thank Brigadier PKG Mishra for making  his declaration through the main National Newspaper Paper " Kuensel ". The Boarder Roads Organisation of India  has put the Tsawa Sum of Bhutan on Notice not just the Cabinet of Bhutan. And he has a point in saying that the Media should ignore the concerns of the Bhutanese people. Afterall we have our King and Prime Minister to address national concerns of such magnitude. The crystal ball of DANTAK is now in the Courts of our deeply respected and beloved Leaders.

PS.    Read the front page article titled  " Paro locals question Project DANTAK welcome sign " in  Kuensel issue of today the 11th of Feburary, 2017.

The 2 holy Buddhist Teachers who.must take rebirth only in Buddha Heaven.

There are so many Khenpo, Khentse and Trulku Rimpoches. I suppose all will die and many reborn again. But the two Lams of Kuensel Phodrong Buddha complex and Takila Guru complex should be reborn in Buddha Land.  Not again in this or another world.

Venerable Lam Karpo has died recently and may the Lam gain Buddhahood. Venerable Lam Tshering Wangdi is in good health still endeavouring to devote much energy to Kuensel Phodrong. And when the Lam dies, may he gain Buddha hood. 

Holy projects like Takila Guru and Kuensel Phodrong Buddha are never meant to be completed in one or two lifetimes. Progressive establishments can never ever be really completed. There is a beginning  but no end to growth of goodness.

I have only seen videos of Takila Guru complex  but visited Kuensel Phodrong complex few times. I wondered how on earth did the two venerable Lams ever imagined the Holy Projects. Did they see in dreams the shapes of the complex they ventured to build? How did they gather so much faith in Providence and what kind of rays of light energised their indomitable spirit? Such lungtenchen disciples of 1st and 2nd Buddha and so totally and originally Bhutanese in blood and spirit. The Buddhist Kingdom is very much still the Land of living Buddhas.

Can democracy function free of money power influence?

I have immense insatiable curiosity about democratic governance in nations  like the United States. Just awaiting how national polity in America is shaping up with Justice Department appealing a Federal Judge  suspending the  " Travel Ban " imposed by the American Executive Branch.

Apart from self affected communities the world over,  the main forces within United States with  substantial political clouts opposing the  "travel ban"  are the Democratic Party and the high tech companies. The Democratic Party has been wounded deeply by Trump victory and so would want to oppose the President anyhow. The super duper rich high tech corporations which thrive on highly skilled but cheaper and more docile foreign human resources are naturally unhappy.  The travel ban gravely affects the pool of labour through whose services  the Tech companies reap high profits. The opposition from high tech companies is purely based on money matters " company profit ". Nothing to to with race or religion or freedom of movement although maybe disguised as such. 

If democratic way of governance  is to work then each compartment of national governance ( legislative, judiciary and executive) must uphold strictly their sovereign responsibilities without fear or greed of encroachment. Here the so  called " travel ban "  only applies to entry into United States by several categories of foreign citizens for a short period of time. It has nothing to do with American citizens' freedom of travel which the Courts must defend and preserve. 

Therefore, the Executive Order banning entry into United States by citizens of several countries for a certain period of time to allow introduction of improved vetting procedures falls under the  domain of the Executive Branch of governance. Thus I feel that the ruling by a Federal Court temporarily suspending the " travel ban " will have to be lifted by the same judge after due considerations  or overturned by an Appeal Court. If Executive Branch is prevented from exercising power in domain that is Executive in nature and essence then democratic franchise exercised by voters fails.

I think it is futile to debate on ethics of travel ban because before any definitive conclusions can be reached the travel ban will expire on its own within few months time. However, the effect on principle of power separation is far reaching. Thus my particular interest on the outcome of the appeal.