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Did we do what we ought to have done?

21 November 2008

2008 has seen the end and beginning of two eras. It marked the end of absolute monarchy and ushered in parliamentary democracy. It also marked the end of the reign of the fourth Druk Gyalpo and commencement of that of His Majesty. For a small country like Bhutan, these experiences will be hewn, not just on an assortment of memoirs but deep in the chronicles of Bhutanese history. And long after the celebration is over, the episode will be fondly remembered by us, by our children and by our grandchildren.

Some 150 journalists from across the world, the President of India, the Gandhi family, ambassadors, celebrities, politicians and other guests thronged to Bhutan to celebrate with us– it was the largest congregation of foreign dignitaries Bhutan ever saw in its history. We hope that they found Bhutan to be, like they read in the books, truly the last Shangri-La.

Now, as the celebration fever gradually fades away, it is time to do some serious soul-searching of what we did and what we ought to have done. The work done by the National Steering Committee for Coronation and Centenary Celebrations, the RSTA and the police is commendable indeed given the budgetary constraints, infrastructural incongruities and the dearth of manpower. But it could have given a picture-perfect finish if only there had been a little more planning.

For instance, the last minute attempt to erect flags on the Norzin Lam (opposite Tashi Taj) gave the impression that Bhutan wasn’t adequately prepared. When the school children lent their helping hands, it only looked more absurd. It wasn’t a pleasant sight to see Sonia Gandhi and other dignitaries being driven through the road that was decked with children waving national flags on one side and men, women and children at work on the other.

For the first time, Bhutanese were seen queuing at the bus stop at Changzamtok parking lot, a culture that still needs to be imbibed in Bhutanese blood. A similar arrangement from Lungtenphu could have been very helpful to the sick, elderly citizens and women with babies who, in their quest to offer thridhar to His Majesty, had to walk all the way to Tashichhodzong.

But nothing compares to the callous scene outside the gates of Changlingmithang stadium. Someone cried out to people that they were squeezing the life out of her baby. Some suffered injuries in the stampede. Village elders and the weak were ruthlessly shoved. Many citizens who had come from as far as Trashiyangtse and Zhemgang did not get the opportunity to have a glimpse of His Majesty, let alone offer thridhar. If only there had been more planning.

We could have built a larger stadium so that more people could have shared the same experience, after all, in times to come we need larger public spaces. People could have been directed to sit crossed-legged on the ground from the beginning of the celebration instead of availing the facility only on the second day. It could have been less chaotic outside the gates if separate gates were assigned for women, children and the elderly.

Some people in uniform were very inconsiderate, so much so that they would not allow even women with babies to leave the stadium to answer to the nature’s call. In our arrogance, we fought with officials who were only following orders and we brought down the gates. In calm sobriety, we should be appalled by our own behaviour.

Some of us brazenly used personal influence to bend laws in our favour without having the slightest regard that hundreds of others were deprived of the same opportunity. Some of us had unbelievable courage to rob the opportunity of others by receiving the centenary coins four times!

All of these incidences call for some serious reflection. The bottomline is – the policy- makers, organisers, civil servants, and the public must make an inward journey and find out if what we did – especially during such a momentous and historic occasion – is what we ought to have done.

By Dorji Wangchuk

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Posted by Bhutan Observer · Filed Under Opinion 

Comments

2 Responses to “Did we do what we ought to have done?”

  1. jun on November 21st, 2008 7:03 pm

    I truly agree with you

  2. pelden on December 3rd, 2008 4:00 pm

    mine is regarding about the services.last week i went to BNB to deposit some amount at around 11:15am, i took token which bears no 294. i waited patiently with other costomers too. the processes was very slow and i understand that the transaction was very heavy that day. but i noticed that the counter no. 2 person is not doing a fair job because he was in service for the people whom he knows, those guys were without tokens, still they get through. he was not at all bothered about other costomers,this is too bad. we have been waithing for about two and half hours waiting for our no to call. so plz plz do something with those unfair services.

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