Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley has admitted that the newly introduced democracy has failed to win the hearts of many Bhutanese who may still wish for monarchy at critical times.
In a recent interview with AFP, Prime Minister Thinley seemed uncertain about the future of democracy. He further stated that democracy is new to the country and it is far to envision what it may bring to the glory of people.
According to the PM, different democratic countries have been the cause of trouble, and Bhutan could not be an exception.
“It is an emerging democracy which has a long way to go”,added the PM that the king may have to intervene if things do not go well.
It is interesting that only only two parties contested the polls in 2008. Thinley’s Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party had a grand winning-45 of the 47 seats in the new National Assembly. The People’s Democratic Party won only two seats.
It is worth mentioning that autocracy opened the kingdom to the outside world only in the 1970s. The country did not have any proper roads or currencies or access to telephones until 1960s. Television was allowed to the public only in 1999.
Different analysts admit that Bhutan has not fully adapted to the democracy.
Also Bhutan will not get adopted to the democracy untill the present government includes 100,000 thousands plus people to its democratic plan. Sooner or later ,we will also be able to see Bhutan’s big apple cart turning upside down.
a true democracy never fail….but a fake like that of our country bhutan can…
At least PM has realized that it is an artificial democracy and he is having hard times to convince international communities.He knows how difficult it is to ride an artificial apple cart.That is why it is uncertain when it gets turned upside down.Democracy of Bhutan is not for its people, it is only for the King and his families.
Honesty is the best policy. At least PM Thinley spoke honestly this time. The government failed to win the hearts of many people indicate that people are not satisfied. He has been spreading many false things around the globe and it’s learnt that outside world raised fingers. What could be the reasons? Some of the probable reasons could be –
Democracy is not the gift from king but achieved from the peoples’ struggle where JYT believed the other way.
Robber gowned in hermit dress has what happened. A pure supporter of autocratic dictator cannot be a democratic priest overnight. Seems JSW understood his weaknesses and stepped down as per inevitable phenomena but JYT needs to understand the fundamentals. K-5 has nurtured more democratic values.
Ethnic polices to uproots other values has contributed a lot for dissatisfaction. I could sense more threats using the SWOT tool for probable forecast. Not only the subject but also the principal had to bear the price. If one has to gain other has to lose by the fact that source is constant. There is no regional balance of growth and development. Priority is always given to a specific region in a bias manner. So there is always a mismatch of resources. The richest district turned to be the poorest within just a decade, why?
Hard to accept the truth and manipulating the situation as per his favor. Most of the things are forcibly implemented without awareness. Simple things are made complex. And complexity of any order brings anonymity. And people will be suspicious which has occurred multiple times.
Is not the poverty a root cause of mistrust? Struggle for survival is part and parcel of Bhutanese life with mere sustenance and other personal development of people seems far cry.
If people are considered resource and given the values, things will turn right and new system will flourish and blossom.
Let us brood for a while. What is the main cause of the deep-rooted corruption, the severe disparity, the poverty, the malnutrition, the inequality, the nepotism, the ethnic cleansing, the division of classes, the formation of elite groups etc. etc. in Bhutan? So many people blame on JT. Do we not have to realize that he has been the PM only for a couple of years. How could he resolve all these severe problems within two years while the absolute rulers, the benevolent kings of Bhutan have inculcated these practices in the system for at least over 100 years? Even a very dump person can easily reckon the role of the kings specially the fourth, in making this system so. Or else,what have been these kings doing for these 100 years and still boast of being the best kings. And, the Bhutanese are very very stupid simple people who laud the king as the most good-hearted, kind and compassionate.
Look at all the big corruptions ranging from lottery to Land grabbing. Are they not the old problems and have been the pet projects of JSW all his life? I think JT is making a good choice to leave these to the king again. The best is yet to come from the land of the happiness!!
Dear All Bhutanese,The sovereignty,dignity and and Nationality of Bhutan is uncertain that’s why the democracy also uncertain in Bhutan.If our land is safe automatically our true democracy will be safe.Our country itself is like a baby play toy.So toy doesn’t know the value of democracy.Our first problem is sovereignty dignity nationality and the international border of our country.First of all we have to make our country safe.Secondly we have to make aware the people about the rights,laws,duties,and democracy.So that we can achieve the sovereign,high dignified,and true full-fledged democracy in Bhutan.Others else, democracy would become just a folk tale in Bhutan.
Tashidele
Dear all,
We can’t blame Bhutanese govt. any more until they are on the back of Indian hourses. As you all aware of Nepal how Indian govt. is playing on them. JYT try to use you own brain there are many countires to help you. Otherwise future of Bhutan is dump.
1. Only two parties were allowed to contest in the election.
2. HM the King put his own people as the heads of both the parties
Therefore, win or lose, King’s own subordinates would lead Democratic Bhutan. That was the strategy.
As the subordinate of the king(s) and as the first democratically elected PM, Mr. JYT has done a great job to keep the agendas of the government going as far as saying to the international communities/media that his own classmates and fellow citizens as, “the people in the camps” disowning country’s own citizens like the children abandoned by a mother. However, I hope the Truth haunts him as he grows older and starts looking beyond the horizon. Perhaps, one day he will realize his moral obligation as a person, as a staunch Buddhist, as the PM of all Bhutanese and come out to tell Truth to the world about his southern citizens and the RGOB agendas. This interview could be a beginning…..
May Truth Prevail
(Satyamev Jayate)
Thank you
Dick Chhetri
Guys, do not be too worried about it. What PM meant was that he is uncertain about his Party DPT. Bhutan has been fortunate to have great charismatic leaders, particularly JSW, and we don’t give a shit if democracy fails coz we know we have wise and benevolent kings. Don’t you worry too much about Bhutan’s sovereignity, & the future of democracy in Bhutan, my friends. We are here to protect it. We are able to endure all the trouble here with pleasure. Please make sure you have a great time, now that most of you are in the so-called champions of democracy. Hopefully, others in the camps will follow too.
@moni, you’re right some people mistook our country for a toy and tried to play with it. Too bad that their fingers got burnt.
There were at times calls to end Bhutan’s sovereignty by merging it with India. While Bhutan’s fate seems to be ultimately sealed within its big neighbor’s underbelly, time can let some players do some match ups on this issue. Long time ago in the 1990s, a Bhutanese politician was lobbying the Indian parliamentarians in Delhi to intervene in Bhutan like it did in Sikkim. The Indians fearing international backlash did not formally say anything. But it was music to some of them who openly say in private that Bhutan is a state of India. Thereafter, many Bhutanese politicians in exile have contemplated if it would be better to throw the absolute monarchy through Indian help. The Indians have declined to put their weight behind these leaders because they don’t see these leaders able enough to lead an alternative government in Thimphu.
One of the strategies of the Indian government is to wear out these leaders so much, so that at the end, they will approach Delhi with a proposal to buy their plan.
If Rongthong, Rijal, Thinley Penjore, Balaram Poudel, DNS Dhakal, Dr. Bhampa and their respective political parties came together under one platform and submitted a proposal – even in the Indian eyes, that would justify a direct intervention the Sikkim way. Then Bhutan’s Lhendup Kazi would be duly appointed – the future Chief minister of the Indian state of Bhutan. Does it look possible? Just think?
Lesson to the Bhutanese leaders in Thimphu – would you rather compromise in the interest of Bhutan’s sovereignty and call the exile leaders and political parties into Bhutan or prolong the problem so much that these exile leaders – tired of living endlessly outside the country, will one day be forced to openly lobby, even internationally for Bhutan’s merger with India. They have practically nothing to lose any way? Just think again!
Are you guys reading in between lines? PM is saying that democracy has done nothing good for the people. Democracy might end because people prefer to reinstate monarchy. Democracy in many countries, specially in Nepal, has become a cause of problem. Our people are wise enough to follow the suit.
A failure of democracy is when there is fighting in the country; when there is a rift between people; when there is famine; when there is no economic prosperity; when there is no free education and free health care. People want to put democracy to sleep because lives were better under the ruin of monarchy.
@moni – you really need to see a psychiatric. Your inconsistent post is a basis to conclude that you a mentally ill person. In your previous posts you claimed you are an India, than you strongly showed a love of Nepal, which is explicit enough to consider that you are citizen of Nepal. Now you are referring to Bhutan as ‘our country’. Talk a substance and not be emotional. You are one foolish person to think other people are fool. Who would belief your argument that Bhutan is a state of India!
The biggest hurdle for the uncertainty of democracy in Bhutan is the apolitical composition of the upper house of parliament comprising of 25 members in it, where 20 members are 20 individuals representing 20 districts of the country. The 5 members nominated by the king are the central power to control the whole system of democracy in Bhutan. As a house of review, any issue that comes from lower house, if it is not in the interest of the palace, gets outright rejection owing to which the prime minister has the reasons to fear for uncertainty to the future of democracy. Unless the house is composed within the values and spirits of democracy there cannot be stable democracy.
As a person who did his master degree on public administration from the United States, Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley knows very well about the value of true democracy. He also knows very well what means civil supremacy in the democratic system. Therefore, instead of remaining merely a poppet prime minister of pseudo democracy, he started realizing now that the democracy is not going to survive if it is not reformed in time. It is a positive observation of the Prime Minister, because we have seen this danger for the Bhutanese democracy ever since it was establish in the country.
We all know that Bhutanese democracy is not a healthy democracy, which is gifted by the palace to hoodwink the international community. It is a disable democracy, which is facing big challenge for its survival, stability and functioning in the interest of people’s aspirations and expectations. Hence, Jigme Y Thinley’s statement at a time when the country is preparing for the second general elections tells a volume on the uncertainty of future democracy. I think it is the time for all the conscious people of Bhutan to forget the past and support PM Jigme Y Thinley to work collectively for ushering and strengthening the true, vibrant and inclusive democracy. Without addressing the exiled Bhutanese problem, there cannot be stable democracy in Bhutan.
there isn’t any reason to support JYT as he never work for real democracy in bhutan instead they are designing a plan to take back the so called democracy…….they find themselves as unsuccessful now as the majority of the people do not take part in this fake democracy……
Democracy in Bhutan is for the NOBLES by the KING for the ROYALS and nothing more!!!!!!! so It will fail sooner or later since participation of about one third population is not there.Further the families of the sharchops and the lhoshampas who raised againsit the government were denied citizenship and voters identity card there by ripping of their right to adult franchise in a democratic Bhutan!
Recent local government election substansiates even better to expose the sorry state of the nation. Election of Gups were far more democratic in the late sixties and seventies than the most recent one. The ballat boxes remained only in the press and publicity but the reality was the innocent bhutanese folks raised hands for the candidate with regims KARDIN. This is what the Prime Minister who once said that “Even the Street dogs are happy in Bhutan” is compelled to disclose the reality “Democracy in Bhutan is Uncertain” and king may take back again.
Bhutanese kings have been habituated to take the power back and put in their hemchu since the seventies and is not new to us.When the King is above the country’s supreme law that is the constitution then there is no doubt about it.Any time the king may wishes he will openlly rape the constitution and the Bhutanese people and finally the JYT will have different role to play under the king!!!