Save Shingkhar and Shingkharpas. My Plea to MP Representing Me and Shingkhar

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Dasho,

First up many many happy greetings to you and your family from the sweltering Gujarat. I hope my epistle will find you and your family in the best of health and happiness.

Secondly, I would like to share with you the kind of concern me and my parents in Shingkhar share about the coming of Golf course. Since this is not a new topic and more in the interest of time saving, I would not like to go into detail.

Honestly, the way things are taking shape in Shingkhar with regard to Golf course, have not only affected the daily lives of our innocent parents. But it has also created a wave of worries that equally affects Shingkharpas who are away from home currently (like Me)

Photo Courtesy: Lhendup Tharchen

In the light of matters reported in the Kuensel Issue on 27th Oct 2011, Golf Course I would like to request Dasho to kindly visit the place and verify the facts and report it to the concern decision makers accordingly.

It's painful to hear that our illiterate parents being black mailed by so called the "Gup"..Its also worrying thing to see and hear our Gup (Local leader) resorting to such a means. (threatening the innocent villagers). I think our Gup's motive needs a through scrutiny and investigation by the concern authorities. 

I am far positive that our parents are better than those third parties when it comes to making a decision that is going to affect their generation and ancestors. Moreover, Even the deparment of forest and park service's  legitimacy in conducting study after study are highly questionable, as it involves cost to the public exchequer. 

Lastly, Shingkhapras are far far more capable of becoming someone other than a gatekeepers, ball boy or night guard at the Golf course that was (is) unanimously rejected by Shingkharpas. 

Therefore, I would like to request Dasho to use your own judgement as a son of a humble farmer yourself.  I would also like to request Dasho to kindly do your own assessment (if possible) on this issue and report it to where ever  your esteemed office  deem necessary. 

Thanking you.

Kuenzang Thinley 

Gujarat University 

A Disaster in Making

As a boy who grew up herding sheep and cattle in the plains of Shingkhar, the idea of Golf course coming there has been anything but a thing that broke and shattered my heart into pieces. I came to know about the idea when it initially surfaced on facebook page. It was then being discussed among the scholars and native indigenous folks who have more insight into the ecological structure economic wellbeing of Shingkhar that are in stake, should the golf course idea succeed in black mailing innocent Shingkharps.

Now the topic has reached its hype. The National news paper “Kuensel” on 1st Oct, 2011, has been seen reporting on the issue as “Golf course proposal still up in the air”. From the report, it was even more disheartening to know the Tourism Council of Bhutan’s involvement in it. The concern authorities, by merely ‘considering’ the idea, have disclosed their inefficiency in implementation of country’s tourism policy, both in terms of social and economic perspective. (And I am not going to discuss in detail, the adverse affects of Investment in golf course, never going to yield positive benefit)

Petition to reject the proposal was first led by Dr. Karma Phuntsho which was supported by majority of people, not only from Shingkhar but also from a distant village of Ura. This is because, a plain and innocent people in the locality knew more about the backwash effects of the proposed investment than those statisticians.

The Paper also reported “that no government directive to reject the proposed golf course had been received” but report also mentions a very conflicting statement; “Following this, agriculture minister (Dr) Pema Jamtsho also told Kuensel that the proposal had already been rejected by the ministry”

Now, if the idea has been already rejected by a highest authority, then why is there a need to conduct a “full impact study” now? When the variable outcomes are known, the study is nothing but a deliberate act of misallocating the resources (be it a Foreign or a national)

More than the ecological destabilization, the imminent risk Shingkhar community face is a total loss of their control over a land that has been an economic backbone passed down from generation to generation. Therefore the third party involvement including the local leaders should be excluded from influencing the decisions. The decision should be entirely left to the people of the community.

The most distressing thing to see in the report was, that Shingkharps themselves remaining “divided on the issue”. This, to some degree is true and is not a new phenomenon in Ura valley. This can be credited to the local leaders who fancied polarizing rather than bringing consensus and unity among the folks. 

To quote my Ashim (sister) Pema, "I dont think Shingkharpas are EQUALLY divided 50:50. I rather feel its like DPT and PDP, he he.." (Please there is no politics here). Through this statement, its is very clear that opinion on coming of golf course are divided BUT NOT WIDELY DIVIDED as media (Kuensel) has reported. 99.99% has already said "No". Therefore its only that negligible 0.01% who are presumed to have said yes in principle. As per my opinion, people who still act adamant and choose to say "yes" are not rational people and therefore should not come in the preview of Economic discussion. Moreover, their their proclamation as Shingkharpas are highly questionable. 

The only foreseeable solution to this problem is proper allocation of property rights. Assign the property right of plains in Shingkhar to Shngkharps. I think they are far more capable of making their own decisions with their property than those people, who see only one side of an affair. I also don’t think any Government agency have that right to barge in and start doing things that are not in the interest of local community.

Shingkhar Village in the Heart of Discussion.

Who owns Shingkhar?

Thanks to the idea of golf course and constriction of a road.  Shingkhar village, -yes, that's right, my birth place in recent times, have increasingly become a news piece for not only Shingkhaprpas but it has also become a topic of discussion for many Policy Makers, Environmentalist, Financial analysts and Economists. 

To be honest, there is nothing tricky about this business. It is simply a conflict of preferences among different parties; -community on one side and road and golf course idea on the other side. But it will be wrong to presume that it is a tug of war between community and  ideas alone, because these ideas  have now drawn lot of attentions from other parties who apparently think, that they also have equal stakes in the business. 

The fact of the matter is, Shingkhar is seeing some light of Investment  (be it a foreign or national) coming via Tonglai ya after so many years. Shingkhar's investment requirement is not tricky one either. History of Shingkhar has many dis-equalibriums. Lack of investment is certainly one thing. Therefore when community sees  one wagging in, they cannot help but go frenzy. For them its like "water in desert".

But the question is, is that a real kind of investment that the community and nation is in need of? What kind of  economies and dis-economies will it warrant to locality and nation? What return is it going to give us, both in short term and long term? Is that a divergent investment or is that a convergent Investment?  How are community values being judged? Does the welfare gain of one party really offset the welfare lost of the community and other stake holders?  

Before we can either say 'YES' or 'NO' to the proposals, we may need to answer many more questions than those mentioned above.  The problem at hand is a real economic, which few intelligent people in isolated room cannot solve. It needs a deliberation and diligent interaction among stakeholders. Proper property rights assignments are key to solving such issues. Who own Shingkhar? Investors or Shingkharpas?

A message from Ap Chath Dorji, Golaipang, Shingkhar

 Dear readers, Welcome to Shingkhar.

Honestly speaking, I am neither popular nor famous figure. But as I said earlier, I am a humble commoner who dwelled in the valley of Shingkhar for many centuries.  I am basically  a folk form a community that has a rich history which is as old as the civilization itself. But due to the harsh geophysical conditions and more because community's ignorance, it has largely remained secluded and isolated from many modern undertakings in the sphere of homo-sapiens.  In other words, we are folks who survived all the odds through our communal strength and keen sense of solidarity. Not long time ago, the subsistence living was our definition of livelihood. Even though farming and livestock rearing were our common denominator, folks who had enough to feed were considered ‘rich’. Those were the identities of Shingkahrpas.

Today, as I have mentioned earlier, I am becoming more and more skeptical about the sustainability of our deep rooted cultures and traditions in this fast changing time. A cobweb thing called development has finally reached our place. At the cost of values and beliefs, innocent folks in my village, who were once a socialist in nature, are now induced to become more capitalistic minded.  

Shingkhar Village

Not far away from my place, someone named Drakpa Gyeltshen, shares my feelings too. By the way Drakpa Gyeltshen is a very senior citizen of Shingkhar. He lives among the rocky ridge of Yangjin. Therefore we often call him ‘Pholha’ –our protective guardian deity of the north. Few days ago, I had the privilege of talking to him. He said he wasn’t pleased with the idea of road running just below his house. He told me that if a thing of golf course in Nangkaipong and Kangsumthang was a dream shattering then a thing of road in the interest of economic boost is nothing but a heart breaking experience for him. I think he is right on many counts. As an indigenous man I am a fervent believer that Shingkhar can do much better, if not bothered by outsiders.

Drakpa Gyeltshen did not mean NO development for Shingkhar. All he meant was a rationale development process that would not cause any imbalance in the biodiversity that surrounds his home. With the coming of road, Drakpa Gyeltshen fears that his favorite pets like monal pheasants and Tigers would altogether disappear not only from Shingkhar but from the world itself.

In our separate meeting, he also told me that this wouldn’t do much good for Shingkhar community and nation as a whole because; firstly, given the engineering ingenuity of Bhutanese, the topography of the land is not feasible for the construction of road. Secondly, it would drain out huge chunk of resources form the common exchequer, thereby creating huge negative externalities for the nation. Thirdly, the Ecological cost would he unimaginable for its going to create a condition so conducive to poachers in a bio hotspot. He also told me that our beautiful Shamzur Lhakhang will end up becoming a picnic spot rather than a pilgrimage spot.

However Drakpa Gyeltshen was not alone on this issue. His ideas were solidly seconded by a beautiful lady of Singma la (also known as Simjai ya). Her name is Meto Selden. She is a lady known for her undying beauty like an ever blooming lotus in the realm of Zangdopelri.  She is an intelligent lady known for her farsightedness. She told me that, it would be a better idea if the existing route built by Lama Tsezang Thaye Drakpa is maintained and preserved. I felt it was not a bad idea either, for it could be used by ever expanding tourism industry as trekking route to Lhuntse via Shingkhar.  

Somewhere in the North-west of Shingkhar, one equally frustrated man soon joined our discourse. His name is Norlha Wangchuk. In fact he had lot to share with us. The most prominent thing he shared with us was how his own villagers betrayed him by chopping down countless trees that surrounded his residence of Waza Brag. With those words from him, I could really feel his sense of loss and dejection.

In between a man from the south of Shingkhar also joined us. His name is Bena Parta. He is a very ferocious man. Although he is not really affected by the plans of road and golf course, he said he shared the sentiments of Drakpa Gyeltshen; -the most affected party.  According to him, the adverse plans are going to have equal consequences for all in the village. Should people have golf course in the plains of Nangkaipong and Kangsumthang, Bena Parta said he would become the most affected party when chemical contaminated water runs through his Zamdong Bridge. Imagine the number of tadpoles going to die? It’s going to become ecological catastrophe. 

As of me, it will be a heartbreaking thing to see no cattle, no yaks, no sheep, and no cows grazing in the fertile plains of Nakgkaipong, Fawfee and Kangsumthang. I am also thinking how those places would be enclosed in the barbed fences. I am equally worried as to which way I will have to take to come for Shingkhar  Rabney every year end.

For now I am enjoying the beautiful sun rise that illuminates Shingkhar Village; -My Sweet Home. I thank all concern, both beings and non beings for keeping Shingkhar the way it is and hope it will continue to remain so.