Yeshey Dorji, a prolific blogger (and an excellent photographer), weighed in on minister Khaw Boon Wan’s controversial comments by concurring with the view that since we want to emulate Singapore, for us Singapore could well be the Shangri-la. But regardless of where Shangri-la may lie, Yeshey admits to finding GNH confusing, and raises the alarming … Read more
Technical glitches is the reason given for calling it a day Bhutan Times website One of the country’s most popular and, at times, controversial online forum, the Bhutan Times (no relation to Bhutan Times weekly newspaper) is closing shop, according to a message on its website. Instead of the usual listing of discussions and aggregated … Read more
The Bhutanese democratic movement will not face any such terrible setbacks as it faces today – with the demise of Rongthong Kuenly Dorji. The contribution of Late Dorji will shine in golden letters in the history of Bhutanese democratic struggle. Stepping down from a luxury life to work with the most marginalized and suppressed section … Read more
I happened to be in Delhi through out the Anna Hazare saga. The usual summer heat was not too bad but what was really heating up the city was the protest against graft and corruption led by this unassuming man – Anna Hazare. Public protest is a part of democracy. It is how eventually a … Read more
July 4th is a big day for America. It is America’s National Independence Day. As usual July 4th 2011 was marked by mega celebrations in different cities, including one in the nation’s capital – Washington DC. Crackers worth millions of dollars went up in the night sky – in red, yellow, blue and green. The … Read more
Perhaps, reporting by Bhutan’s kuenselonline.com on Gyalpoizhing, Mongar dated 13 August, 2011 is what I have long awaited for. It is informative, timely and appreciative. And, it is not surprising to understand that “24 of the 25 acres acquired for township have been parceled out to various ‘outsiders’”. Gyalpoizhing was initially a fallow land amidst … Read more
Road through democratisation is not smooth as the rulers in Bhutan had predicted. When this best governance model was projected in semi-demon form three years back, royalists took enough opportunities to publicise that democracy was the gift from palace despite public refusal. Characteristically, had that been the circumstances, post election results would not have created … Read more
The building arts, more than any other forms of material cultures are intrinsically site oriented and speak the volume of facts. This house was an old residence, well built and somewhat ornately decorated. It had a simple rectangular plan and the house stood elegantly on a rectangular rubble stone plinth of about two feet orienting in east-west direction that responded friendly with the climate. It had two feet thick rubble stone masonry walls, mortared and plastered with mud to give the surface a better finishing. East the main facade was given emphasized by elements and its design. The front canopy had free style three paired wooden post, detailed with ornamentation at the upper half that held the beam taking the super-load from above […]
Prime Minister Thinley’s fluctuating remarks, from labelling all refugees as ‘illegal immigrants’ to his recent statement that some are indeed genuine Bhutanese, also reflect a nebulous approach. In 1992, at an international conference on Bhutan in London, Thinley, then home secretary, presented a paper in which he defended his government’s position against southern Bhutanese, labelling them as illegal immigrants. During the recent visit, Thinley’s delegation in Kathmandu was accompanied by Khandu Wangchuck, minister for economic and foreign affairs, who in 2006 called the refugees ‘readymade terrorists’. Such backgrounding certainly makes one wonder whether, instead of waiting for another round of talks to materialise, refugees should ponder third-country resettlement, launched by the UN’s refugee agency in 2007 […]
BY S. B. SUBBA: The Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley speaks of equity and just in his every addresses. But, his ruthless treatment with injustice and unfair social welfare to the laborers who are in fact the back bone of the infrastructural developments could be easily interpreted. When the salary of the government employees and the MPs were revised two times in the span of three years, the wage of the laborers remained stagnant to Rs. 100 per day with hard labour from 7 am till 5pm. Although the labour Act 2007 enacted probably sans economic welfare as if the escalating price does not affect the poor. The constitution says that Bhutan is a secular country and the king is the custodian of all the religions. The Buddhist philosophy and principles of respect, tolerance and co-existence is the fundamental guiding factor and pivot that GNH revolves on […]