'2008 is not the end, it is the beginning...'
About 500 Layap and Lunap yak herders and the people of remote Khatoe and Khamey gewogs represented their households at the meeting near Gasa Tashi Thongmey Dzong. They said they were witnesses to a new era in the evolution of Bhutan.
As
His Royal Highness sat with the people and began discussing the draft Constitution,
article by article, it became clear that the people of Gasa were deeply
concerned with the prospect of living under the new system of politics.
They asked what measures were included in the Constitution to prevent politicians
neglecting the remote dzongkhags or those with small populations. 'Democracy
is all about elections,' said Gup Kencho Gyeltshen. 'Gasa dzongkhag has
the smallest population and, therefore, the least numbers of voters and
we won't make a difference to the politicians,' he said. 'It will be difficult
for an elected government to hear our voice.'
His
Royal Highness explained that while this was the case in many parts of
the world, minorities in Bhutan would be safeguarded by provisions specially
drafted for this purpose. His Royal Highness asked for all the relevant
clauses to be read and explained how they allowed even smaller dzongkhags
and populations to play an active and important part in the new political
system.
How could they, having been beneficiaries of the country's participatory development process till now, negotiate with political parties for their economic and development needs? A village elder from Laya, Tshering, expressed his gratitude to His Majesty for decentralising power to the grass root level but expressed his apprehension in shouldering the grave responsibilities that came with decentralisation. 'There will be many problems when simple villagers are suddenly made responsible for choosing their own leaders,' he said. His
Royal Highness said that there were good and bad democracies and that a
successful democracy would have immense impact on improving the lives of
the people. His Royal Highness repeatedly reminded the people, however,
that it was crucial for them to understand the Constitution and the new
system that would be introduced. He said that, without this understanding,
the system would not work. His Royal Highness quoted His Majesty's command
that ''Democracy, as a concept or system of political parties and elections,
is not something Bhutan has gone blindly after. Every country is unique
and needs a unique system. Bhutan needs a system that works - one that
fulfills the aspirations of the people.''
His Royal Highness encouraged all village elders, people's representatives, civil servants and the educated population to make the effort to explain and discuss the Constitution with those who needed the help. His Royal Highness said that this effort to share knowledge of the constitution or the efforts to improve the system as a whole should be enduring and constant. His Royal Highness served lunch to the people and then, together with school children and villagers, walked to the dzong and the nearby town area. As a group of Layaps started their return journey, covered in rain coats, one of them told Kuensel that she had never thought that an ordinary citizen like her could make a difference in choosing a leader of their choice. 'Today I understood that we have a serious responsibility and it is time for all Bhutanese to start preparing for it,' Pasa Om said. Kinga Wangmo of Damje village is skeptical about the changes coming soon. 'We are cut off by such difficult terrain but still we have been getting roads and electricity under His Majesty's government,' she said. 'Can the new government do the same? And even if they can, would they do so given our small population of voters?' Twenty-one-year old Lhaba and 27-year old Pemba Tshering from Ramina village are confident that with His Majesty's wisdom and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's guidance, Bhutan will see unprecedented development in the years to come. 'If policy makers come to our village they will se what we need,' Pemba Tshering said. The
people said they hoped everyone would follow the example of the King and
Crown Prince and visit their dzongkhag more often. Senior officials and
civil servants would learn about the needs and aspirations of the people
of Gasa, while businessmen and tourists would bring economic activity and
income.
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