Where there is no electricity, solar lighting has come as a great boon to rural communities. It allows rural families to extend their workday into the evening hours. Many villages where solar lights are installed see an increase in their economic activity levels.
In a small settlement called Pam under Daksa Geog in Mongar Kheng region the installation of solar lighting has given the villagers a new lease of life. It is one of the remot and backward villages in Mongar Dzongkhag. The village is three-four days walk from Mongar.
Until recent months, this village has remained in complete darkness. Now, under the UNDP-GNH project all the 17 households have been provided with solar lighting. This has helped the people to extend their work into the late evening hours. The farmers say that they can not only keep themselves clean but also helped conserve the environment. Now, they don’t have to cut down trees for lighting their homes.
The solar lighting has benefited the women a lot. According to Sonam Pelzom, they can now do their domestic chores in the evening. She also gets time to weave in the evening.
As the villagers of Pam are extremely happy with their new life, four households of Gorthongla, under the same Tshowog have been deprived of the facility. They say that they have apprised the Geog authorities time and again but to no avail.
However, the Daksa Gup, Ugyen Dorji, said that Gorthongla has been left behind as there are plans to electrify the village in the 10th Five Year Plan.
It is a blessing in disguise for the people of this village. But, for now they will carry on with their routine life while their immediate neighbors have got a new lease of life.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Where there is no road….
Orange is one of the main cash crops for the people of Daksa Geog under Werringla Dungkhag, Mongar. However, a lack of motor-able road has been the bottleneck for the people of this Geog to market their oranges.
In a small settlement called Pam in Daksa, visitors are greeted with baskets of fresh, juicy oranges. The visitors can also pluck as many oranges from the trees.
Even at this time of the year oranges can still be seen on the trees. Some lie on the ground to rot. Only the households which have able bodied male or other means like mules can take their oranges to sell, which is about two and half days walk to the nearest motor-able road in Nanglam.
“It is sad that such quality, organic oranges are being wasted here,” said one of the visitors.
Yeshi Namgay, 64, says he can no longer walk with load of oranges on his back. As a result, his oranges are either left to rot or given to cattle. “Those who could take to Nanglam fetched very good price this year. They got about Nu. 170-180 per Pon (80 organes make a Pon),” said Yeshi.
Similar stories are also shared by the people of Jurmi, Gongdu and Silambi. These villages are the remotest and most backward in Mongar.
The Werringla Dungpa, Rabgay Tobden, said that although there is plan to construct motor-able road in the Geog it might take some time. “For Daksa Geog, we need a take-off point. Unless the Nanglam-Gyelposhing Highway is complete there is no way that we can construct farm road,” he said.
The villagers of this remote and backward village will have to wait for sometime before they will be able to market their ‘fresh, juicy’ oranges.
In a small settlement called Pam in Daksa, visitors are greeted with baskets of fresh, juicy oranges. The visitors can also pluck as many oranges from the trees.
Even at this time of the year oranges can still be seen on the trees. Some lie on the ground to rot. Only the households which have able bodied male or other means like mules can take their oranges to sell, which is about two and half days walk to the nearest motor-able road in Nanglam.
“It is sad that such quality, organic oranges are being wasted here,” said one of the visitors.
Yeshi Namgay, 64, says he can no longer walk with load of oranges on his back. As a result, his oranges are either left to rot or given to cattle. “Those who could take to Nanglam fetched very good price this year. They got about Nu. 170-180 per Pon (80 organes make a Pon),” said Yeshi.
Similar stories are also shared by the people of Jurmi, Gongdu and Silambi. These villages are the remotest and most backward in Mongar.
The Werringla Dungpa, Rabgay Tobden, said that although there is plan to construct motor-able road in the Geog it might take some time. “For Daksa Geog, we need a take-off point. Unless the Nanglam-Gyelposhing Highway is complete there is no way that we can construct farm road,” he said.
The villagers of this remote and backward village will have to wait for sometime before they will be able to market their ‘fresh, juicy’ oranges.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
INTERNETING THE CITIZENS- STRENTHENING POLITICAL COMMUNICATION
One of the prerequisites to have a successful ‘participatory democracy’ is the healthy political communication between the citizens and the politicians. Without the sound political communication democracy cannot function overtime. The rift will grow and politics will become an elitist’s sphere, only understood and cared by few elite individuals.
Our road to democracy has just begun and we are all in the learning process. Many democratic nations around the world are battling to bring politics close to people’s heart. Research by various scholars reveals that people shun politics because of politicians. Politicians make their presence felt only when the election is around and care less after it is over. Some blame commercialization of television stating that politics has become a show business. In our case, only time will tell of our politicians. But, we have the option to avoid and tread the path that other nations are trying their best.
Traditional forms of media including the television could the best way to bridge the perceived gap between the politicians and the citizens. But it fails when it comes to engaging the citizens. So, in recent years the unprecedented growth of new media technologies, especially the internet has shed a new light- that it will revive the atrophied democratic public sphere. One of the biggest advantages of internet over other forms of media is its two-way communication process. It has the capacity to engage citizens and promote ‘thoughtful deliberation’. By engage I mean being able to participate in a discussion, be it of political discussion or private or other community discussion.
I was surprised to see that none of our elected representatives (MPs) from the Druk Phunseum Tshogpa group has email address listed on their website, let alone mobile phone numbers. Does that mean that we cannot reach them? Or they think that it too personal an information to be shared among the public who elected them? We must not forget that websites and email now provide people with both a new way to communicate with representatives, as well as a way to discuss issues with fellow citizens, via forums and chat rooms.
According to Pew Research Center (2008) more than 42% of those, aged between18 to 29, regularly learn about the campaign and political news from the internet, the highest percentage for any news source. In January 2004, it was just 20%. We do not have our figures but it is beyond doubt that more Bhutanese go online everyday. Only few years back there weren’t many people chatting in Druknet after the office hours. Now we can see more people chatting even till late in the evening. This shows that more Bhutanese own computers and have internet connection at home. And there is, of course, a major chunk of our youth yearning to learn and explore more about this new medium.
Websites like Hi5 and Facebook are increasingly becoming a networking tool for many Bhutanese, both at home and abroad. Today it is just a social networking tool, tomorrow it will become an important tool for political communication as well. This trend is visible in many developed countries.
In fact, an online forum like Kuenselonline has always been a platform for citizens to raise thoughtful comments and criticisms on important public policy and decisions. One notable example could be the various online feedbacks on our very sacred document, the Constitution. It is very uncommon in a small society like ours to come across people speaking against the government policies or high ranking officials. Had it not been for the internet many people, I am sure, would not have voiced their criticisms on this very important and sacred document.
All our politicians, or rather parliamentarians should have website of their own, or at least a weblog. This way they can not only connect their constituency with the other constituencies but can also provide information and act as forums for public debates of contemporary social issues. The parliamentarians can receive feedbacks and comments on their policy and issues from the concerned voters, encouraging public contributions to important policy consultations. This way a meaningful dialogue can be created and hence bridge the gap between the two.
One very local example could be the weblog of Lekey Dorji, the PDP candidate of Bardo-Trong constituency. A simple weblog with pictures carries all the information about his constituency. It clearly spells out some of the priorities and issues of his constituency that need to be addressed. It can be a very good reference point for other ‘wannabe politicians and parliamentarians.’ Running a website or a weblog is not difficult anymore. And it is even available at absolutely no cost. Websites like wordpress.com, blogspot.com, and geocities.com offer free space to blog. We do see quite a number of Bhutanese blogging in recent times.
However, this exciting medium is not without drawbacks. And it is more prominent in the developing countries. One of the major drawbacks is the so called ‘digital divide’, the gap between haves and have-nots. Low literacy rate, lack of telephone connectivity, income levels are some of the major reasons among others. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t let ICT to play a greater role in political communication. We have always had a strong oral tradition. And now with mobile phones I am sure most people must be keeping track of what is happening back at the village almost on a regular basis.
If the DPT government believes that their landslide victory in the last election was largely influenced by urban voters, then they must also believe that these are the people who have access to internet. If the non-mentioning of contact addresses of their MPs was a deliberate move then I am afraid that they are just letting the gap grow bigger.
We have just begun and we have time, before our citizens find government and politics rather boring and think they have better things to do with their time.
Our road to democracy has just begun and we are all in the learning process. Many democratic nations around the world are battling to bring politics close to people’s heart. Research by various scholars reveals that people shun politics because of politicians. Politicians make their presence felt only when the election is around and care less after it is over. Some blame commercialization of television stating that politics has become a show business. In our case, only time will tell of our politicians. But, we have the option to avoid and tread the path that other nations are trying their best.
Traditional forms of media including the television could the best way to bridge the perceived gap between the politicians and the citizens. But it fails when it comes to engaging the citizens. So, in recent years the unprecedented growth of new media technologies, especially the internet has shed a new light- that it will revive the atrophied democratic public sphere. One of the biggest advantages of internet over other forms of media is its two-way communication process. It has the capacity to engage citizens and promote ‘thoughtful deliberation’. By engage I mean being able to participate in a discussion, be it of political discussion or private or other community discussion.
I was surprised to see that none of our elected representatives (MPs) from the Druk Phunseum Tshogpa group has email address listed on their website, let alone mobile phone numbers. Does that mean that we cannot reach them? Or they think that it too personal an information to be shared among the public who elected them? We must not forget that websites and email now provide people with both a new way to communicate with representatives, as well as a way to discuss issues with fellow citizens, via forums and chat rooms.
According to Pew Research Center (2008) more than 42% of those, aged between18 to 29, regularly learn about the campaign and political news from the internet, the highest percentage for any news source. In January 2004, it was just 20%. We do not have our figures but it is beyond doubt that more Bhutanese go online everyday. Only few years back there weren’t many people chatting in Druknet after the office hours. Now we can see more people chatting even till late in the evening. This shows that more Bhutanese own computers and have internet connection at home. And there is, of course, a major chunk of our youth yearning to learn and explore more about this new medium.
Websites like Hi5 and Facebook are increasingly becoming a networking tool for many Bhutanese, both at home and abroad. Today it is just a social networking tool, tomorrow it will become an important tool for political communication as well. This trend is visible in many developed countries.
In fact, an online forum like Kuenselonline has always been a platform for citizens to raise thoughtful comments and criticisms on important public policy and decisions. One notable example could be the various online feedbacks on our very sacred document, the Constitution. It is very uncommon in a small society like ours to come across people speaking against the government policies or high ranking officials. Had it not been for the internet many people, I am sure, would not have voiced their criticisms on this very important and sacred document.
All our politicians, or rather parliamentarians should have website of their own, or at least a weblog. This way they can not only connect their constituency with the other constituencies but can also provide information and act as forums for public debates of contemporary social issues. The parliamentarians can receive feedbacks and comments on their policy and issues from the concerned voters, encouraging public contributions to important policy consultations. This way a meaningful dialogue can be created and hence bridge the gap between the two.
One very local example could be the weblog of Lekey Dorji, the PDP candidate of Bardo-Trong constituency. A simple weblog with pictures carries all the information about his constituency. It clearly spells out some of the priorities and issues of his constituency that need to be addressed. It can be a very good reference point for other ‘wannabe politicians and parliamentarians.’ Running a website or a weblog is not difficult anymore. And it is even available at absolutely no cost. Websites like wordpress.com, blogspot.com, and geocities.com offer free space to blog. We do see quite a number of Bhutanese blogging in recent times.
However, this exciting medium is not without drawbacks. And it is more prominent in the developing countries. One of the major drawbacks is the so called ‘digital divide’, the gap between haves and have-nots. Low literacy rate, lack of telephone connectivity, income levels are some of the major reasons among others. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t let ICT to play a greater role in political communication. We have always had a strong oral tradition. And now with mobile phones I am sure most people must be keeping track of what is happening back at the village almost on a regular basis.
If the DPT government believes that their landslide victory in the last election was largely influenced by urban voters, then they must also believe that these are the people who have access to internet. If the non-mentioning of contact addresses of their MPs was a deliberate move then I am afraid that they are just letting the gap grow bigger.
We have just begun and we have time, before our citizens find government and politics rather boring and think they have better things to do with their time.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
NOW THAT THEY HAVE MY VOTE
Today is March 12, 2008, a very important day for me. I have just sealed the sacred postal ballot form, miles away from my country in purest prayers and dedication. At this point of time I am speechless. If someone is to ask me my feelings now I have no words to describe. All I can say is that I am proud to take part in the first parliamentary election. Along with my country I have made a history.
I remember my Danish friend telling me that she gets utmost satisfaction to vote in an election. If my indescribable feeling is the ‘satisfaction’ that she is talking about then I am afraid that my kind of satisfaction different. It is mixed with emotion and fear. Emotional because we are turning the chapters of our history and fear because we are not soothsayers and we don’t know what lies ahead of us.
As I began to make my final mark on the ballot stream of thoughts ran on my mind. Although I had already made ‘rational’ decision to cast my vote long before it was a nerve-racking moment. I am using the word ‘rational’ here because I have no strings attached to any party and I have voted with full conviction, based on the competence of the candidate and the party. Thanks to the media, especially the BBS radio online where I could listen to the debate between the candidates of my constituency. BBS radio online couldn’t have come at a better time than this.
Is it the right party that I am voting? Will they deliver as they have promised? Is it the right person that i am banking my vote? were some of the questions that immediately came to my mind. From nowhere this responsibility came like a gush of wind. We Bhutanese are so used to living in a nonchalant society and never realized that it will come as huge responsibility. We are so pampered that we don’t care much as long as we get our monthly salary at the end of the month, an increment at the year end and promotion when it is due. It is not anymore.
Now that I have voted for them I would want them to perform to the best needs of the country and the people. They have to prove us that their promises were not just rhetoric. We have the right to question and they have the duty to serve us. They have the responsibility to make our lives better. They have to make us an informed citizenry.
Knowing the fact that most of the rural votes will depend on the number of promises some of the candidates are making huge promises. Sometimes I wonder whether they would be able fulfill their promises. My sister back in the village shocked me when she said, “Let’s see who has better promises for our Gewog.” If the promises are not fulfilled I am afraid 70 percent of our people will think it is a sham, defeating the whole essence of democracy.
Whatever it is, people say democracy is the best form of government. Let’s hope and pray that our form of democracy, as envisioned by Their Majesties the Kings, be a model to look up to and sought after.
I have now realized that why people elsewhere shed blood for this
I remember my Danish friend telling me that she gets utmost satisfaction to vote in an election. If my indescribable feeling is the ‘satisfaction’ that she is talking about then I am afraid that my kind of satisfaction different. It is mixed with emotion and fear. Emotional because we are turning the chapters of our history and fear because we are not soothsayers and we don’t know what lies ahead of us.
As I began to make my final mark on the ballot stream of thoughts ran on my mind. Although I had already made ‘rational’ decision to cast my vote long before it was a nerve-racking moment. I am using the word ‘rational’ here because I have no strings attached to any party and I have voted with full conviction, based on the competence of the candidate and the party. Thanks to the media, especially the BBS radio online where I could listen to the debate between the candidates of my constituency. BBS radio online couldn’t have come at a better time than this.
Is it the right party that I am voting? Will they deliver as they have promised? Is it the right person that i am banking my vote? were some of the questions that immediately came to my mind. From nowhere this responsibility came like a gush of wind. We Bhutanese are so used to living in a nonchalant society and never realized that it will come as huge responsibility. We are so pampered that we don’t care much as long as we get our monthly salary at the end of the month, an increment at the year end and promotion when it is due. It is not anymore.
Now that I have voted for them I would want them to perform to the best needs of the country and the people. They have to prove us that their promises were not just rhetoric. We have the right to question and they have the duty to serve us. They have the responsibility to make our lives better. They have to make us an informed citizenry.
Knowing the fact that most of the rural votes will depend on the number of promises some of the candidates are making huge promises. Sometimes I wonder whether they would be able fulfill their promises. My sister back in the village shocked me when she said, “Let’s see who has better promises for our Gewog.” If the promises are not fulfilled I am afraid 70 percent of our people will think it is a sham, defeating the whole essence of democracy.
Whatever it is, people say democracy is the best form of government. Let’s hope and pray that our form of democracy, as envisioned by Their Majesties the Kings, be a model to look up to and sought after.
I have now realized that why people elsewhere shed blood for this
Monday, February 11, 2008
Taking Middle path to Happiness
A documentary film ‘Bhutan- Taking middle path to happiness’ was screened at the cultural centre of the free university of Amsterdam in Netherlands on Sunday, 10th February. The documentary was shown as part of the two day Himalayan Film festival 2008 organized by the ‘Stichting Himalaya Archief Nederland’ foundation.
Bhutan- Taking Middle Path to Happiness is a documentary film featuring Bhutan and the government’s effort to bring ‘Gross National Happiness’ to its people. The 57 minute film directed by Tom Vendetti received a thundering applause from the packed audience.
A Bhutanese student who had come to watch the documentary said that it was proud moment being a Bhutanese in the hall.
Most of the audience that BBS talked to said that they were intrigued by such a wonderful concept of Gross National Happiness. Many of them heard it for the first time. A Canadian lady said that Bhutan has now entered her priority list to visit. Another man said that although he is wary of such a concept of Gross National Happiness it was a good representative film on Bhutan.
According to the organizers the general aim of the Himalayan Film Festival is to promote documentary cinema and to give credit to films or videos dealing with the Himalayan region. The festival also provides an opportunity for the audience to gain intimate knowledge of the landscape and people of the region.
Among other selected documentaries and films from the region, ‘Words of my Perfect Teacher’ featuring Jamyang Kentshe Rinpoche, Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal was also screened at the film festival.
The documentary was dedicated to the fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Reported by: Jigme Thinley
Bhutan- Taking Middle Path to Happiness is a documentary film featuring Bhutan and the government’s effort to bring ‘Gross National Happiness’ to its people. The 57 minute film directed by Tom Vendetti received a thundering applause from the packed audience.
A Bhutanese student who had come to watch the documentary said that it was proud moment being a Bhutanese in the hall.
Most of the audience that BBS talked to said that they were intrigued by such a wonderful concept of Gross National Happiness. Many of them heard it for the first time. A Canadian lady said that Bhutan has now entered her priority list to visit. Another man said that although he is wary of such a concept of Gross National Happiness it was a good representative film on Bhutan.
According to the organizers the general aim of the Himalayan Film Festival is to promote documentary cinema and to give credit to films or videos dealing with the Himalayan region. The festival also provides an opportunity for the audience to gain intimate knowledge of the landscape and people of the region.
Among other selected documentaries and films from the region, ‘Words of my Perfect Teacher’ featuring Jamyang Kentshe Rinpoche, Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal was also screened at the film festival.
The documentary was dedicated to the fourth King of Bhutan, His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck.
Reported by: Jigme Thinley
Monday, November 26, 2007
Mobiles phones have and have-nots, is it the real digital divide?
This article appeared on Kuzuzangpo.com, one of the weblogs originating from Bhutan
Although Bhutan entered late into the world of Information and communications technology the progress it has made over the years is unprecedented. The coming of television and internet in June 1999 and then cellular services in June 2003 have undoubtedly made our lives even better. BBS has launched its nationwide television coverage very recently, and we have heard people saying, “…time has come for the foreign channels to take a back seat,” in the districts. Bhutan Telecom expects to establish at least 10 telephone lines in all 201 Gewogs in the country by end of 9th FYP. The number of ICT training institutes and private ISPs are springing up, ICT-ization of schools is in place, launch of e-post services by the Bhutan Post reaches the message faster than the ordinary mails, Government is spending more and more on ICTs, ICT business is booming and of late we have more number of students going online. These are all sure sign of heading towards an informed society. In other words, a step closer to bridging the ‘digital divide’.
What is this digital divide now? In laity it is the perceived gap between those who have access to ‘latest information technologies’ and those who do not- have and have-nots. As part of requirement for my PG programme few years back I did my dissertation on ‘Digital divide in South Asia’. I carried out a thorough research on the status in the region. Obviously the lack of accessibility to tele-communication facilities, electricity, computers, internet, education, and skilled human resources among others were some of the factors detrimental in bridging the digital gap.
In a country like ours where it is characterized by harsh and difficult geographical terrain reaching out computers and internet facilities is not an ultimate solution to bridge the so called digital divide. More than half of our people are illiterate and almost all of them depend totally on subsistence farming. Even if there is a magic wand to convert a wooden box into a computer set people would not want to go for it. Computers cannot generate food and electricity.
So if the digital divide is all about having access to information through the various technologies then promoting mobile phones would be way better in achieving the goal faster than reaching computers and internet.
Internet came with a boom and the world expected to solve every burning problems. More than a decade later problems remained the same. Of course internet has its own beauty of sharing information but it fails to deliver where there is no electricity, telecommunication facilities, and if one cannot read and write.
Imagine this.
Aum Tsumpi comes out from her makeshift camp in Laya to milk her dozen yaks, with crude untidy aluminum bucket in her left hand and a mobile phone in her right hand. She dials her husband who had gone to Thimphu to sell their dairy products in a weekend vegetable market. She asks him about the returns and reminds him to get a pair school shoe for their son. Memi Changlu in Layshingkhar, Pemagatshel calls his friend in SamdrupJongkhar. He asks him the latest floor price of oranges at the auction. Knowing that price is good he immediately decides to pluck his oranges and head for SamdrupJongkar. Zangpo in Bangkok is calling his father in Bikhar, Tashigang. “Hello, Hello….na thana mo (can you hear me). Father hears vaguely….ebi ya…kota melam mo (who is this? Is it melam)? Gila apa (yes father) and so the conversation goes…..jigi ama ga mobile kuntuwamey, ngon pa mo? (I have sent it across one mobile phone for mother, did you get it?).
The Shingkhar Lauri Gup, in the midst of his meeting with his people forgets one important issue that he was asked by his Dzongda to inform calls up his counterpart in the other Gewog. Without moving an inch from where he is seated he gets the information.
“Wai Neypo,” calls Thinley, a Brokpaman from Sakten to his fellow mate who had lately come from Trashigang, “Radhi dhang Tashigang barka lam tey chethpa mala mo?” (I hope there is no road block in between Radhi and Tashigang.
See, the beauty of mobile phones. One doesn’t need to be a literate person. And there is no need for electricity unlike internet. The only that is needed is the network. Of course there is a need for electricity to charge batteries but that can be done with solar power as well. Our government has taken initiative in providing solar panels, some free of cost and some at subsidized rates, to the far flung villages.
The mobile frenzy is fast picking up in Bhutan. According to annual ICT report 2004-05, at the end of 2004, in just a span of one and half years, the number of mobile users has climbed close to 19,000. By the end of 2005, the B-mobile said that numbers would surpass the fixed line users (I do not have the figures). It has impacted both old and young, monks and the laymen, educated and the uneducated, students and the office goers, vegetable vendors and the businessmen, cab drivers and the truck drivers. We see this in Thimphu and time is not far enough for the other Dzonkhags to follow suit. It is a healthy trend.
Mobile phones are getting cheaper by the day. Our village people are already rushing to embrace this trend. I wasn’t surprised when my brother in-law in Tashigang, who is uneducated, asked me to get one for him. I am sure you would have come across the same.
So will real digital divide be the gap between those who have mobile phones and those who have not.
Instead of making a dubious attempt on other infrastructures to bridge the gap I think our government should liberalize telecom markets, encourage competitions to make it affordable to the commonest of people. According to an article in the economist magazine, the mobile phones raise long term growth rates, their impact is twice as big in developing nations as in developed ones, and that an extra ten phones per 100 people in a typical developing country increases GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points.
The names of the people featured in this article are fictitious and any resemblance to them or their character is purely coincidental.
Although Bhutan entered late into the world of Information and communications technology the progress it has made over the years is unprecedented. The coming of television and internet in June 1999 and then cellular services in June 2003 have undoubtedly made our lives even better. BBS has launched its nationwide television coverage very recently, and we have heard people saying, “…time has come for the foreign channels to take a back seat,” in the districts. Bhutan Telecom expects to establish at least 10 telephone lines in all 201 Gewogs in the country by end of 9th FYP. The number of ICT training institutes and private ISPs are springing up, ICT-ization of schools is in place, launch of e-post services by the Bhutan Post reaches the message faster than the ordinary mails, Government is spending more and more on ICTs, ICT business is booming and of late we have more number of students going online. These are all sure sign of heading towards an informed society. In other words, a step closer to bridging the ‘digital divide’.
What is this digital divide now? In laity it is the perceived gap between those who have access to ‘latest information technologies’ and those who do not- have and have-nots. As part of requirement for my PG programme few years back I did my dissertation on ‘Digital divide in South Asia’. I carried out a thorough research on the status in the region. Obviously the lack of accessibility to tele-communication facilities, electricity, computers, internet, education, and skilled human resources among others were some of the factors detrimental in bridging the digital gap.
In a country like ours where it is characterized by harsh and difficult geographical terrain reaching out computers and internet facilities is not an ultimate solution to bridge the so called digital divide. More than half of our people are illiterate and almost all of them depend totally on subsistence farming. Even if there is a magic wand to convert a wooden box into a computer set people would not want to go for it. Computers cannot generate food and electricity.
So if the digital divide is all about having access to information through the various technologies then promoting mobile phones would be way better in achieving the goal faster than reaching computers and internet.
Internet came with a boom and the world expected to solve every burning problems. More than a decade later problems remained the same. Of course internet has its own beauty of sharing information but it fails to deliver where there is no electricity, telecommunication facilities, and if one cannot read and write.
Imagine this.
Aum Tsumpi comes out from her makeshift camp in Laya to milk her dozen yaks, with crude untidy aluminum bucket in her left hand and a mobile phone in her right hand. She dials her husband who had gone to Thimphu to sell their dairy products in a weekend vegetable market. She asks him about the returns and reminds him to get a pair school shoe for their son. Memi Changlu in Layshingkhar, Pemagatshel calls his friend in SamdrupJongkhar. He asks him the latest floor price of oranges at the auction. Knowing that price is good he immediately decides to pluck his oranges and head for SamdrupJongkar. Zangpo in Bangkok is calling his father in Bikhar, Tashigang. “Hello, Hello….na thana mo (can you hear me). Father hears vaguely….ebi ya…kota melam mo (who is this? Is it melam)? Gila apa (yes father) and so the conversation goes…..jigi ama ga mobile kuntuwamey, ngon pa mo? (I have sent it across one mobile phone for mother, did you get it?).
The Shingkhar Lauri Gup, in the midst of his meeting with his people forgets one important issue that he was asked by his Dzongda to inform calls up his counterpart in the other Gewog. Without moving an inch from where he is seated he gets the information.
“Wai Neypo,” calls Thinley, a Brokpaman from Sakten to his fellow mate who had lately come from Trashigang, “Radhi dhang Tashigang barka lam tey chethpa mala mo?” (I hope there is no road block in between Radhi and Tashigang.
See, the beauty of mobile phones. One doesn’t need to be a literate person. And there is no need for electricity unlike internet. The only that is needed is the network. Of course there is a need for electricity to charge batteries but that can be done with solar power as well. Our government has taken initiative in providing solar panels, some free of cost and some at subsidized rates, to the far flung villages.
The mobile frenzy is fast picking up in Bhutan. According to annual ICT report 2004-05, at the end of 2004, in just a span of one and half years, the number of mobile users has climbed close to 19,000. By the end of 2005, the B-mobile said that numbers would surpass the fixed line users (I do not have the figures). It has impacted both old and young, monks and the laymen, educated and the uneducated, students and the office goers, vegetable vendors and the businessmen, cab drivers and the truck drivers. We see this in Thimphu and time is not far enough for the other Dzonkhags to follow suit. It is a healthy trend.
Mobile phones are getting cheaper by the day. Our village people are already rushing to embrace this trend. I wasn’t surprised when my brother in-law in Tashigang, who is uneducated, asked me to get one for him. I am sure you would have come across the same.
So will real digital divide be the gap between those who have mobile phones and those who have not.
Instead of making a dubious attempt on other infrastructures to bridge the gap I think our government should liberalize telecom markets, encourage competitions to make it affordable to the commonest of people. According to an article in the economist magazine, the mobile phones raise long term growth rates, their impact is twice as big in developing nations as in developed ones, and that an extra ten phones per 100 people in a typical developing country increases GDP growth by 0.6 percentage points.
The names of the people featured in this article are fictitious and any resemblance to them or their character is purely coincidental.
GNH vs. Globalization
This article is yet to appear in Bhutan Times
I am proud of my country. And so are my thirty nine other classmates. We represent twenty different nationalities and we are learning globalization in a truly global environment. It is interesting to learn different cultures and share experiences. As many Bhutanese would do when they go outside I also share with them about our Noble concept, Gross National Happiness. Indeed, they are fascinated and want to know more about the concept. Realizing GNH in the wake of globalization is challenge but in order to make judicious use of globalization one will need GNH.
World is battling with a change today. And that change is globalization, an inevitable change. It is something that we have brought forward, good or bad, from the twentieth century. It is sweeping across borders, impacting all aspects of human lives, be it social, cultural, political, economical or environmental. With the rapid advancement in communication technologies the pace is even faster than expected.
Globalization is so unequal. It helps produce integration but also marginalization. It helps produce development but also underdevelopment. It has brought new threats, including environmental hazards and terrorism. It helps promote democracy but also corruption. It helps bring peace but also conflicts. We do not have to look anywhere. It is happening right in our neighborhood. What do we do about this? How do we confront this change? The answer lies in our GNH.
Like many Bhutanese I believe in GNH. But I also know that there are many who do not. In fact some of them are within my own circle of friends and colleagues. I must admit that the idea of writing this article was born when I went through an article in one of the online blogs originating from Bhutan. The author writes about GNH being a ‘faked reality’. I did make a comment on the article and I want to write it here again, at least for non-believers, that GNH doesn’t have a set target to realize. How old is GNH? A decade, or two? It is really a short span of time to reap the benefits. If you look at the Danish Welfare State for instance, it took hundreds of years to build and rebuild. It dates back to early 1800s. I am referring to Denmark’s model because they were the happiest nation on earth in the first ever ‘world map of happiness’ published in November 2006. Bhutan was in eighth position, way ahead of many developed nations. So, economic growth could be a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for happiness.
Let’s look at the four pillars of GNH in the context of globalization.
When globalization visited homes people embraced it so fast that they forgot to look back the trails left behind. Now human beings are paying the price for it. Global warming is real and happening. Globalization has brought one of gravest dangers to the mankind and the planet earth. Let’s talk about our own Gangri Himalayas. Studies show that glaciers in the Himalayan regions are retreating. It is predicted that temperature in the sub-continent would increase to 5.5 degree Celsius by 2100 from what is 3.5 degrees Celsius today. It is predicted that a 1 degree Celsius in temperature would cause alpine glaciers worldwide to shrink by as much as 40 percent.
So, what is an answer to this? The answer lies in the first pillar of GNH, i.e. preservation of environment.
We have been doing something that the world has failed or rather forgot to do; to live and coexist with the nature. Our vigorous programmes and policies to conserve our environment have raised the eyebrows of many countries and leaders in the world. Wow, where in the world do you get to inhale such kind of pure and clean air! That was a remark made by a tourist who visited Bhutan recently.
Undoubtedly, we are the champions of environment conservation. Our draft Constitution guarantees, under the Article 5, that the government shall ensure a minimum of sixty percent of its total land be maintained under forest cover for all time. Which country would have such a law? None, I guess.
Globalization and westernization are used interchangeably, mostly by the developing nations. And it is true that westernization has swept across borders. Traditional values and cultures have become thing of the past in most countries. Where do you see people wearing their national dress? In some countries it is worn only on special occasion. In most countries national dresses have faded away and have taken special place in Museums. Curious to know, I asked my friend from Belarus about his national costumes. “I am not sure. Maybe it is lying there in the Museum,” he tells me candidly. I once attended a gathering in Gho and stole all others’ attention. It took me all through the evening explaining about our national dress among others. A Bhutanese lady working as an air attendant in the Middle East says something like this: “I have never realized that we have such a unique, rich culture and tradition. I am dying to get back to my country.”
We have our culture and tradition still intact and vibrant; be it religion, architecture, music, language, dress, food, and so on.
Pizzas and McDonalds may have come to Thimphu but we still love our Emadatshi, Shakam, and Sikam. “When you go out of the country first thing you miss about Bhutan, even before your wife and kid, is our food,” says a friend of mine studying in Bangkok.
So, we are still able to preserve our own unique culture and tradition even when globalizing forces around. And because of this we were able to remain as a sovereign nation and that too in a region where history is not so pleasant. Thanks to our generation of farsighted leaders and ancestors. That is the second pillar of GNH, preservation and promotion of culture.
One of the biggest drawbacks of globalization is that it is so unequal. The so called ‘haves and have nots’ are product of globalization. Economic globalization brings economic growth but it also brings underdevelopment. Two of the world’s largest growing economies are right in our neighborhood, but these two countries are also home to large number of poor. Despite growth miracle in China inequality has risen sharply. In 2005, top 10 percent earned 45 percent of the income, while the bottom 10 percent earned only 1.4 percent. In India, despite successful economic growth 35 percent of the population still live below $ 1 a day, and as much as 80 percent live below $ 2 a day.
What could be the solution to this? The answer is sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, the third pillar of GNH.
It is true we lag behind in equitable development but we also must not forget that modernization began very late. And I personally feel that it is a blessing in disguise. We can learn from the mistakes made by other countries and choose a cautious approach towards balanced growth. In fact the second MDG Progress Report published in December 2005 says that Bhutan is well on track on achieving the MDGs by the target year of 2015. Not only MDGs there are positive growth in other sectors as well. It is just a matter of time.
Globalization brings freedom and democracy. But if misused it breeds corruption. In most countries leaders and politicians have used it for their personal gains, resulting into internal conflicts and corruption. In Bhutan we are blessed to have visionary leaders in our Monarchs. “The rise in corruption in Bhutan is a challenge we face. How big the challenge is will depend on how soon and how strongly we decide to oppose it. There is no room for corruption-it is as simple as that, not now and not in the future,” (His Majesty the King).
In recent times, especially after the establishment of ACC, people have started to talk about corruption more openly. Judiciary is becoming more efficient and transparent, so too are other organizations. Our media are becoming bolder and so are the people. Democratically elected government in 2008 will be even more obliged to become efficient, transparent, and accountable as there is somebody, in the form of opposition and general public, constantly watching. “Earlier, we were the servants of the government; now, with democracy, we are the servants of the people,” PDP president Sangay Ngedup was quoted as saying by Kuensel. This is what I call ‘Good Governance’ and the fourth pillar of our GNH.
In sum, these inevitable globalizing forces of globalization have come here to stay. But we have an instrument, in the form of GNH, to sift which is good and which is bad. Skeptics would argue on the basis of measurement of GNH. Well, happiness is abstract and cannot be quantified. But, it doesn’t mean that it is not there. At least the ways to maximize happiness is correct.
Meanwhile, my Kenyan friend asks me, “How is the Gross National Happiness man?” “Well, good,” I replied. “How about yours,” I asked him. “I went to the Church this morning. Feeling good and satisfied,” was his answer. “That’s called spiritual happiness. Contentment is Happiness. And that is what we call Gross National Happiness,” I said as we made our way for another day’s lecture.
Please note that I am neither an expert on GNH nor on Globalization. It is just a layman’s understanding of GNH. I hope that my interpretation here would convince some of our non-believers that GNH is indeed in the making.
I am proud of my country. And so are my thirty nine other classmates. We represent twenty different nationalities and we are learning globalization in a truly global environment. It is interesting to learn different cultures and share experiences. As many Bhutanese would do when they go outside I also share with them about our Noble concept, Gross National Happiness. Indeed, they are fascinated and want to know more about the concept. Realizing GNH in the wake of globalization is challenge but in order to make judicious use of globalization one will need GNH.
World is battling with a change today. And that change is globalization, an inevitable change. It is something that we have brought forward, good or bad, from the twentieth century. It is sweeping across borders, impacting all aspects of human lives, be it social, cultural, political, economical or environmental. With the rapid advancement in communication technologies the pace is even faster than expected.
Globalization is so unequal. It helps produce integration but also marginalization. It helps produce development but also underdevelopment. It has brought new threats, including environmental hazards and terrorism. It helps promote democracy but also corruption. It helps bring peace but also conflicts. We do not have to look anywhere. It is happening right in our neighborhood. What do we do about this? How do we confront this change? The answer lies in our GNH.
Like many Bhutanese I believe in GNH. But I also know that there are many who do not. In fact some of them are within my own circle of friends and colleagues. I must admit that the idea of writing this article was born when I went through an article in one of the online blogs originating from Bhutan. The author writes about GNH being a ‘faked reality’. I did make a comment on the article and I want to write it here again, at least for non-believers, that GNH doesn’t have a set target to realize. How old is GNH? A decade, or two? It is really a short span of time to reap the benefits. If you look at the Danish Welfare State for instance, it took hundreds of years to build and rebuild. It dates back to early 1800s. I am referring to Denmark’s model because they were the happiest nation on earth in the first ever ‘world map of happiness’ published in November 2006. Bhutan was in eighth position, way ahead of many developed nations. So, economic growth could be a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for happiness.
Let’s look at the four pillars of GNH in the context of globalization.
When globalization visited homes people embraced it so fast that they forgot to look back the trails left behind. Now human beings are paying the price for it. Global warming is real and happening. Globalization has brought one of gravest dangers to the mankind and the planet earth. Let’s talk about our own Gangri Himalayas. Studies show that glaciers in the Himalayan regions are retreating. It is predicted that temperature in the sub-continent would increase to 5.5 degree Celsius by 2100 from what is 3.5 degrees Celsius today. It is predicted that a 1 degree Celsius in temperature would cause alpine glaciers worldwide to shrink by as much as 40 percent.
So, what is an answer to this? The answer lies in the first pillar of GNH, i.e. preservation of environment.
We have been doing something that the world has failed or rather forgot to do; to live and coexist with the nature. Our vigorous programmes and policies to conserve our environment have raised the eyebrows of many countries and leaders in the world. Wow, where in the world do you get to inhale such kind of pure and clean air! That was a remark made by a tourist who visited Bhutan recently.
Undoubtedly, we are the champions of environment conservation. Our draft Constitution guarantees, under the Article 5, that the government shall ensure a minimum of sixty percent of its total land be maintained under forest cover for all time. Which country would have such a law? None, I guess.
Globalization and westernization are used interchangeably, mostly by the developing nations. And it is true that westernization has swept across borders. Traditional values and cultures have become thing of the past in most countries. Where do you see people wearing their national dress? In some countries it is worn only on special occasion. In most countries national dresses have faded away and have taken special place in Museums. Curious to know, I asked my friend from Belarus about his national costumes. “I am not sure. Maybe it is lying there in the Museum,” he tells me candidly. I once attended a gathering in Gho and stole all others’ attention. It took me all through the evening explaining about our national dress among others. A Bhutanese lady working as an air attendant in the Middle East says something like this: “I have never realized that we have such a unique, rich culture and tradition. I am dying to get back to my country.”
We have our culture and tradition still intact and vibrant; be it religion, architecture, music, language, dress, food, and so on.
Pizzas and McDonalds may have come to Thimphu but we still love our Emadatshi, Shakam, and Sikam. “When you go out of the country first thing you miss about Bhutan, even before your wife and kid, is our food,” says a friend of mine studying in Bangkok.
So, we are still able to preserve our own unique culture and tradition even when globalizing forces around. And because of this we were able to remain as a sovereign nation and that too in a region where history is not so pleasant. Thanks to our generation of farsighted leaders and ancestors. That is the second pillar of GNH, preservation and promotion of culture.
One of the biggest drawbacks of globalization is that it is so unequal. The so called ‘haves and have nots’ are product of globalization. Economic globalization brings economic growth but it also brings underdevelopment. Two of the world’s largest growing economies are right in our neighborhood, but these two countries are also home to large number of poor. Despite growth miracle in China inequality has risen sharply. In 2005, top 10 percent earned 45 percent of the income, while the bottom 10 percent earned only 1.4 percent. In India, despite successful economic growth 35 percent of the population still live below $ 1 a day, and as much as 80 percent live below $ 2 a day.
What could be the solution to this? The answer is sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, the third pillar of GNH.
It is true we lag behind in equitable development but we also must not forget that modernization began very late. And I personally feel that it is a blessing in disguise. We can learn from the mistakes made by other countries and choose a cautious approach towards balanced growth. In fact the second MDG Progress Report published in December 2005 says that Bhutan is well on track on achieving the MDGs by the target year of 2015. Not only MDGs there are positive growth in other sectors as well. It is just a matter of time.
Globalization brings freedom and democracy. But if misused it breeds corruption. In most countries leaders and politicians have used it for their personal gains, resulting into internal conflicts and corruption. In Bhutan we are blessed to have visionary leaders in our Monarchs. “The rise in corruption in Bhutan is a challenge we face. How big the challenge is will depend on how soon and how strongly we decide to oppose it. There is no room for corruption-it is as simple as that, not now and not in the future,” (His Majesty the King).
In recent times, especially after the establishment of ACC, people have started to talk about corruption more openly. Judiciary is becoming more efficient and transparent, so too are other organizations. Our media are becoming bolder and so are the people. Democratically elected government in 2008 will be even more obliged to become efficient, transparent, and accountable as there is somebody, in the form of opposition and general public, constantly watching. “Earlier, we were the servants of the government; now, with democracy, we are the servants of the people,” PDP president Sangay Ngedup was quoted as saying by Kuensel. This is what I call ‘Good Governance’ and the fourth pillar of our GNH.
In sum, these inevitable globalizing forces of globalization have come here to stay. But we have an instrument, in the form of GNH, to sift which is good and which is bad. Skeptics would argue on the basis of measurement of GNH. Well, happiness is abstract and cannot be quantified. But, it doesn’t mean that it is not there. At least the ways to maximize happiness is correct.
Meanwhile, my Kenyan friend asks me, “How is the Gross National Happiness man?” “Well, good,” I replied. “How about yours,” I asked him. “I went to the Church this morning. Feeling good and satisfied,” was his answer. “That’s called spiritual happiness. Contentment is Happiness. And that is what we call Gross National Happiness,” I said as we made our way for another day’s lecture.
Please note that I am neither an expert on GNH nor on Globalization. It is just a layman’s understanding of GNH. I hope that my interpretation here would convince some of our non-believers that GNH is indeed in the making.
New Media in a New Bhutan
This article appeared in Bhutan Times, one of the private newspapers in Bhutan.
First thing I do it in the morning is log on to the internet and learn the news from back home. Like me there will be many more keeping track of the happenings, both from within and outside. And why not? Having come from a society where everybody seems to know everyone we have our friends, colleagues and relatives taking part in the politics. We have our country going through unprecedented transformation. And we have our country gearing up for the centenary and the coronation celebrations in 2008.
Technology has revolutionized the way we participate or engage ourselves in our day to day lives. Internet keeps us abreast of everything, no matter which boundary you are in. The omnipresent nature of this medium has helped people keep in touch, participate in common discussion and debate. I am truly amazed by the way our people get into serious discussion when it comes to issues of national concern or corruption. The latest best example is the Phobjikha land case. We have also seen intense debate on issues like Tang bridge, AWP, and many more. It is a healthy debate and we need more of such debates in an environment that we are heading.
Ever since the internet was introduced public opinion took off to another level. And then came the private media which provided a platform for readers to comment and publish their voices. Many websites originating from Bhutan or meant for Bhutanese consumers have an online forum or of that sort.
In a small society like ours people prefer to comment online than come forward and speak through mainstream media. The same person, who posted a comment online, I am sure, will be reluctant to talk to the mainstream media, more so to BBS. Not at all if a person is to speak against somebody or an organization. I have seen my colleagues at the BBS literally requesting people for an interview or to be a panel on the show. Could be because they are camera shy. At least in a print medium one can get through with the phrase, ‘who wish to remain anonymous.’ And the media has the right to protect its sources.
As the technology gets cheaper and more user friendly by the day more and more people will embrace this technology. We are seeing this. According to survey conducted by the department of information technology IT in Bhutan has grown rapidly over the years. And come 2008 B-Mobile subscribers in Thimphu, Phuentsholing and Paro will be able to browse high speed Internet, download songs and music, and make conversation face to face with friends by means of video telephony on their mobile phones. Wow, 3G is coming to Bhutan.
And with this technology it will enable every citizen to express himself or herself to broader audience. Each citizen has the potential to contribute to the practice of journalism. Today every major news organization has space for the viewers or readers’ comments. Most TV news stations have room where you can send your pictures and videos. For instance, the coverage on tsunami on December 26, 2004 across Southeast Asia was mostly run by the pictures and images sent by the people.
People call it ‘citizen journalism.’ This concept of citizen journalism and blogging are synonymous.
We are slowly beginning to see this trend. We are seeing some weblogs springing up in Bhutan. It has the edge over journalists in disseminating the news faster because of the expertise, closeness, access, and time. I remember one of the weblogs, kuzuzangpo.com, although it’s more like a literary blog, sometimes disseminate information faster by its members than the mainstream media. An excerpt from one of the comments on the story sent by one of its members says it all: “Thank you……..You are one of the reasons for my being in kuzuzangpo.com. You are faster than our online national newspaper, and you report with such zeal, enthusiasm and emotion that I cannot help but feel and react with equal emotions.”
This is good. We have more choices and citizens are being responsible. But as we see more and more of such websites and weblogs authenticity will become a major issue. How will we know that they are telling us the truth? How will we know their hidden agenda, if they have any? With politics this so called ‘agendas’ and ‘hidden agendas’ will appear more often than not. The answer falls back to citizens. We should know to sift, what is good and what is bad.
This reminded me of the wise words of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo: “I would like to remind our youth that the television and the Internet provide a whole range of possibilities which can be both beneficial as well as negative for the individual and the society. I trust that you will exercise your good sense and judgment in using the Internet and television,” (June 2, 1999).
It is high time that our schools should incorporate some curriculum, maybe a chapter or two, on media and journalism at the high school level or an elective subject at the undergrad level. This will, not only cultivate our students some idea of the role of media in a society but will also prove as guidance if they are to professionalize at a later stage. We know that Bhutanese media seriously lack professionals. Right now most of the journalists are trained and learned on the job. Even if students do not want to advance in media studies they will at least become better citizen journalists.
After all we all have a shared responsibility: to make our society an informed and better society.
As i put an end to this essay it is past midnight here. And before I go to bed I will have to log on the internet and see the developments back home.
First thing I do it in the morning is log on to the internet and learn the news from back home. Like me there will be many more keeping track of the happenings, both from within and outside. And why not? Having come from a society where everybody seems to know everyone we have our friends, colleagues and relatives taking part in the politics. We have our country going through unprecedented transformation. And we have our country gearing up for the centenary and the coronation celebrations in 2008.
Technology has revolutionized the way we participate or engage ourselves in our day to day lives. Internet keeps us abreast of everything, no matter which boundary you are in. The omnipresent nature of this medium has helped people keep in touch, participate in common discussion and debate. I am truly amazed by the way our people get into serious discussion when it comes to issues of national concern or corruption. The latest best example is the Phobjikha land case. We have also seen intense debate on issues like Tang bridge, AWP, and many more. It is a healthy debate and we need more of such debates in an environment that we are heading.
Ever since the internet was introduced public opinion took off to another level. And then came the private media which provided a platform for readers to comment and publish their voices. Many websites originating from Bhutan or meant for Bhutanese consumers have an online forum or of that sort.
In a small society like ours people prefer to comment online than come forward and speak through mainstream media. The same person, who posted a comment online, I am sure, will be reluctant to talk to the mainstream media, more so to BBS. Not at all if a person is to speak against somebody or an organization. I have seen my colleagues at the BBS literally requesting people for an interview or to be a panel on the show. Could be because they are camera shy. At least in a print medium one can get through with the phrase, ‘who wish to remain anonymous.’ And the media has the right to protect its sources.
As the technology gets cheaper and more user friendly by the day more and more people will embrace this technology. We are seeing this. According to survey conducted by the department of information technology IT in Bhutan has grown rapidly over the years. And come 2008 B-Mobile subscribers in Thimphu, Phuentsholing and Paro will be able to browse high speed Internet, download songs and music, and make conversation face to face with friends by means of video telephony on their mobile phones. Wow, 3G is coming to Bhutan.
And with this technology it will enable every citizen to express himself or herself to broader audience. Each citizen has the potential to contribute to the practice of journalism. Today every major news organization has space for the viewers or readers’ comments. Most TV news stations have room where you can send your pictures and videos. For instance, the coverage on tsunami on December 26, 2004 across Southeast Asia was mostly run by the pictures and images sent by the people.
People call it ‘citizen journalism.’ This concept of citizen journalism and blogging are synonymous.
We are slowly beginning to see this trend. We are seeing some weblogs springing up in Bhutan. It has the edge over journalists in disseminating the news faster because of the expertise, closeness, access, and time. I remember one of the weblogs, kuzuzangpo.com, although it’s more like a literary blog, sometimes disseminate information faster by its members than the mainstream media. An excerpt from one of the comments on the story sent by one of its members says it all: “Thank you……..You are one of the reasons for my being in kuzuzangpo.com. You are faster than our online national newspaper, and you report with such zeal, enthusiasm and emotion that I cannot help but feel and react with equal emotions.”
This is good. We have more choices and citizens are being responsible. But as we see more and more of such websites and weblogs authenticity will become a major issue. How will we know that they are telling us the truth? How will we know their hidden agenda, if they have any? With politics this so called ‘agendas’ and ‘hidden agendas’ will appear more often than not. The answer falls back to citizens. We should know to sift, what is good and what is bad.
This reminded me of the wise words of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo: “I would like to remind our youth that the television and the Internet provide a whole range of possibilities which can be both beneficial as well as negative for the individual and the society. I trust that you will exercise your good sense and judgment in using the Internet and television,” (June 2, 1999).
It is high time that our schools should incorporate some curriculum, maybe a chapter or two, on media and journalism at the high school level or an elective subject at the undergrad level. This will, not only cultivate our students some idea of the role of media in a society but will also prove as guidance if they are to professionalize at a later stage. We know that Bhutanese media seriously lack professionals. Right now most of the journalists are trained and learned on the job. Even if students do not want to advance in media studies they will at least become better citizen journalists.
After all we all have a shared responsibility: to make our society an informed and better society.
As i put an end to this essay it is past midnight here. And before I go to bed I will have to log on the internet and see the developments back home.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
This is a story of an american recovering from Parkinson's disease after he underwent traditional healing here in Bhutan. Micheal is parkinson's patient for last thirteen years.
28th June, Thimphu: Micheal Borre had deep brain stimulus surgery for his Parkinson’s disease, which he had for the last thirteen years, in January 2003. And since then he had his right side of the body fully controlled by a machine fixed inside his left chest. The machine when put on with a help of a remote control generates energy and sends it to the brain, which then makes his right side of the body numb.
It is the latest scientific treatment for Parkinson's disease.
But in the last two weeks his body has been functioning without the help of this machine. This was possible after he underwent traditional healing under His late Holiness, the Nyezer Trulku (highly regarded lama and also the former head of the monastic body in Bhutan) before he passed away on 11th June 2005.
He was the last person to have given the audience by the late Nyezer Trulku. Micheal told BBS that he was very fortunate to meet and get the blessings from the Late Trulku. “It was remarkable,” he said.
He had the opportunity to meet various lamas. He told BBS that he was very lucky, having got the chance to come across so many lamas and get their blessings in a short time. He said his body’s mobility and flexibility was coming back. “ I have cut down my medicine by half. It is some sort of a miracle,” he said.
The Code of Culture, Bhutan Dance Preservation Project, brought him to Bhutan for traditional healing. He receives Jabthro (ritual) from Lopon Yeshi every morning.
Before coming to Bhutan he said he did not believe in any traditional healing but was optimistic. “ I have tried other forms of healing also, so I thought why not give it a try,” he told BBS.
He said he regretted for his surgery done in 2003. “ I should have come to Bhutan before the surgery was done.” The deep brain surgery in the left hemisphere of his brain to control his right side of the body lasted for seven hours and had to be awake through out the operation time. “ I could feel the drilling done through my skull though it was painless.” He added that he had the idea of doing it for the right hemisphere to control the left side of the body as well. Now he has given up that idea.
Being raised as a catholic he said he couldn’t think about other religion. “Now I feel that I can embrace Buddhism,” he told BBS.
Micheal Borre has a wife and three children in Kalamazoo Michigan, his hometown. He is 45 years old.
28th June, Thimphu: Micheal Borre had deep brain stimulus surgery for his Parkinson’s disease, which he had for the last thirteen years, in January 2003. And since then he had his right side of the body fully controlled by a machine fixed inside his left chest. The machine when put on with a help of a remote control generates energy and sends it to the brain, which then makes his right side of the body numb.
It is the latest scientific treatment for Parkinson's disease.
But in the last two weeks his body has been functioning without the help of this machine. This was possible after he underwent traditional healing under His late Holiness, the Nyezer Trulku (highly regarded lama and also the former head of the monastic body in Bhutan) before he passed away on 11th June 2005.
He was the last person to have given the audience by the late Nyezer Trulku. Micheal told BBS that he was very fortunate to meet and get the blessings from the Late Trulku. “It was remarkable,” he said.
He had the opportunity to meet various lamas. He told BBS that he was very lucky, having got the chance to come across so many lamas and get their blessings in a short time. He said his body’s mobility and flexibility was coming back. “ I have cut down my medicine by half. It is some sort of a miracle,” he said.
The Code of Culture, Bhutan Dance Preservation Project, brought him to Bhutan for traditional healing. He receives Jabthro (ritual) from Lopon Yeshi every morning.
Before coming to Bhutan he said he did not believe in any traditional healing but was optimistic. “ I have tried other forms of healing also, so I thought why not give it a try,” he told BBS.
He said he regretted for his surgery done in 2003. “ I should have come to Bhutan before the surgery was done.” The deep brain surgery in the left hemisphere of his brain to control his right side of the body lasted for seven hours and had to be awake through out the operation time. “ I could feel the drilling done through my skull though it was painless.” He added that he had the idea of doing it for the right hemisphere to control the left side of the body as well. Now he has given up that idea.
Being raised as a catholic he said he couldn’t think about other religion. “Now I feel that I can embrace Buddhism,” he told BBS.
Micheal Borre has a wife and three children in Kalamazoo Michigan, his hometown. He is 45 years old.
He is flying back to USA tomorrow. "I will come back to Bhutan with my family," he said.
By Jigme Thinley (my first coverage after coming back from the Netherlands)
This story was run on National News, the Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS)
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