The Director
Regional Revenue and Customs
Thimphu
Sub: Mr Kuenzang Thinley, Customs Officer,
Regional Revenue and Customs Office, Paro
Dear Sir,
First up I’d like to introduce myself. My
name is Jurmi Chhowing and I work for the weekly paper The Journalist as the
paper’s Chief Editor.
This letter is more of a plea to your good
judgment and acumen, and the need to clarify the position in which Mr Kuenzang
Thinley finds himself embroiled.
Needless to say, I was absolutely surprised,
shocked, disheartened and after a long contemplation, still find myself
pondering where Mr Kuenzang Thinley went wrong. First up, if you will allow me,
I’d like to make the clarification that the letter, which was printed in the
21.6.’11 edition of The Journalist was done so at my personal behest and
without the knowledge or permission of Mr Kuenzang. Here the norm is to inform
and ask writers and authors outside the paper requesting and seeking permission
for publications. In this light, I took the liberty because I had already run
about seven articles of Mr Kuenzang from the writing group on Facebook called
Blogyul. Any material that is published in that page is selected for eventual
or instant publication in The Journalist. The page in the paper itself is
called Blogyul. The idea is provide a platform for writers, and encourage
people with writing aspirations to write with as much professionalism as
possible. Mr Kuenzang is an invaluable
member of that movement and the goals are, to say the least, very noble. After
he started posting his writings via his blog
I was drawn by the nature and the language
of his stories: of human interest, well balanced, thoughtful, contemplative,
and always with a positive bent of mind and hence, providing nurturing food for
thoughts regarding the well being of our King, Country and the People.
To me, Mr Kuenzang is the kind of person
that personifies everything that is good and wholesome about the Bhutanese and
Bhutan as a nation. Never have I read an article of his with any vested or
hidden agendas; not even a subtle reference. If anything, his writings evoke
inspiration, positivity, optimism and that belief that drives us all to forget
the bad and continue doing what is good. In a word, Mr Kuenzang’s writings
evoke “Hope” – something we can all use in what is an increasingly cynical age
driven by personal egos and public hoodwinks. The letter that caused your
offices inconvenience was an invitation made by the Prime Minister himself: to
write to your respective MPs was the Pam’s message. In person, and in public
too, the PM agrees that the Tobacco Control Act was imbalanced, as far as crime
and punishment is concerned.
In that letter written by Mr Kuenzang and
published by The Journalist, the contents are anything but antagonistic. I
personally see that letter as the best and most articulated point of view
written thus far on that controversial tobacco act. The letter pervades and
peruses the act in the finest of journalistic traditions – morality, balance,
factuality, and most pertinently, the well-reasoned and eloquent points with enriching
points of wisdom.
The impact the letter had was tremendous.
There was not a single negative comment or feedback on that article, on the
contrary, the letter inspired many to do the same. Hence more people are
writing today to their representatives than before. And the credit of such a
positive interaction and communication between the representatives legislating
laws on our behalf and the direct participation of people via their respective
constituencies cannot be overstated. It is the basis of democracy itself, engaging
in fruitful dialogue and bridging the apparent gap and gulf between the citizen
and his elected representative.
Besides that particularly beautiful letter,
Mr Kuenzang’s writings present values and traditions that should be conserved
and encouraged, specifically keeping in mind the fact that some 60% of our
population fall under the age of 24. This demography will reap rich dividends
from people such as Mr Kuenzang. The impact of the written word is often
intangible, but in terms of its power to change attitudes, the written word is
unparalled, as it stays lodged somewhere deep in our consciousness.
I’ve enjoyed and continue to enjoy his
writings. But it was indeed very disheartening when he announced on that
Facebook Blogyul page that he might delete his blog and stop writing altogether.
This will be such a pity. His Majesty the King himself is an artist and a
writer, not to mention a voracious reader. Recently His Majesty granted an
audience to freelance writers – the guidance was simple, His Majesty encouraged
them to keep writing. As for civil servants
being disallowed from writing, may I inform your good self that one of my
regular contributors, Tashi Pelyang Kasha (An Officer with the Monastic Body
Who is a Regular Columnist for The Journalist), who was also at the audience,
was given a handsome Soelra by His Majesty for the article To His Majesty the
King: In Tribute in last Sunday’s edition of The Journalist. Needless to say,
his will to write better has soared to the skies.
(http://www.thejournalist.bt/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=32&Itemid=14)
This same message has been voiced several
times by the PM too. He was surprised when we asked him about civil servants
writing. “They can write” was what he said. We reminded the PM that the BCSR
does not allow free expressions (although the constitution guarantees, as your
good self would know, the freedom of expression and the Right to Information).
The reason I’m citing the above is also simple: as long as the articles are not
detrimental or compromising in any way, shape or form to the national interest,
in my case I take the self-responsibility of selecting articles that do not
prove sensational or with intent to cause malice, but rather in that romantic
hope that people will change for the better; that more youngsters will read and
write knowing the power of the pen, and do so with as much prudence,
sensitivity and reasonability as possible.
The article by Kuenzang paying tribute to a
teacher called Golden Moments: From the Table of a Retired Lopen was personally
lauded by the Education Minister in a letter of appreciation he wrote to The
Journalist, in effect to Mr Kuenzang as he was the author. Another beautiful
article penned by Mr Kuenzang is Welcome to the Family: a Son’s Recollection of
His Parents’ (Mis) Fortunes. It is quintessential
Bhutanese tale, with sacrifice, family bonds, external and societal pressures, modernization
and the pros and cons of such changes sweeping our country as we speak.
It was a beautiful account of
what an average Bhutanese family faces, and universal in its theme of love,
sacrifice, career, family and trying to better one’s own character; becoming a
better person in the process.
I cannot stress enough how
valuable a contribution Mr Kuenzang is making through his ability to express
experiences into words and stories that I believe inspires and makes the reader
do a retrospection of his own morals and dilemmas. If Mr Kuenzang stopped
writing altogether because of this single “letter,” I cannot emphasize enough
what a huge loss that would be. To himself as writing comes naturally to him
and he has an innate sense of choosing the most relevant topics; for him to
drop writing would be an injustice to himself and every person that could otherwise
derive inspiration from his writings.
Sir, this is my personal plea
to your innate goodness – please consider the many valuable contributions he
ahs made, for to lose him for a single article would be tantamount to telling a
student who has failed in one subject to altogether discontinue his education.
And may I also suggest, on a
personal note, what a warm human being Mr Kuenang is… for it’s that inherent
goodness embedded within that flows when he writes.
Here are the links to Mr Kuenzang Thinley’s
published articles that have featured in The Journalist for your kind perusal.
1. A letter to Member of Parliament, Bumthang
(News/REARVIEW)
By Kuenzang Thinley - Bumthang, Ura,
Shingkhar
Of
the many agencies involved in the successful implementation of the Tobacco
Control Act of Bhutan 2010, my department has always been in the
forefront. ...
2. The law making process looks less reasonable and more experimental
(News/IN SIGHT)
By Kuenzang Thinley
THE
PROCESS gained its momentum when our venerated monarch, His Majesty Jigme
Singye Wangchuck, further went on to strengthen the political system in the
country in 1980 and 1990
(News/REARVIEW)
During
my entire service, I have always tried to give the best I had in me to my students
By Kuenzang Thinley
Going
back to my origin, I wasn’t a person who was born with silver spoon...
(News/BLOGYUL)
By Kuenzang Thinley
I
have built numerous houses both in my locality and afar. Some of my finest
craftsmanship is today visible in the beauty of Tango monastery in Thimphu...
(News/WEEKLY TAB)
By Kuenzang Thinley
At
the national level, 2011 year will be remembered more for the Tobacco Control
Act 2010, sentencing a person to prison...
6. I am Chath Dorji also known as the phallic man of Shingkhar
(News/TIDINGS)
By
Kuenzang Thinley
Shingkhar
is some 3800 meters above sea level. I am Chat Dorji of Shingkhar. I’m not so
sure where I descended from, but my neighbors and friends consider...
Warmest
Wishes
Jurmi
Chhowing
Chief
Editor
The
Journalist
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