Lazy Sunday Thoughts

Courtesy: Google

Back home in Bhutan, today people must be enjoying the amended version of Pedestrian day. I don't know what good this policy will do to our environment and economy, both in short and long term, but as for now our decision makers seem to have deeply fallen in love for making laws and policies that require immediate amendments. For this matter TCA 2010 and Ped-day 2012 will go a long way in the history of Bhutanese law making.

For now, I hope our new and amended version of Ped-day have lot to benefit our economy and environment. I also hope to see fewer comments on Facebook and twitter ridiculing this policy. 

Now here is one thing that sounds frightening. I am in fact deeply worried with this news. Has China really included our lands which are currently considered as disputed areas into their new map? I am hoping that events reported in the news are not true. New map in Chinese passport has deeply affected the sentiments of many neighboring countries. This looks aggressive. Perhaps I am starting to understand this thing called "expansionist policy of communist China is". Such a policy could be detrimental to the peace and stability of the entire world. I may sound little crazy though but I am foreseeing a possible war between China and the Most of the Asian countries. (touch wood, World doesn't need any more wars)

Ok, here are some of the real lazy Sunday stuffs. I got up at half past eight. Cooked breakfast which my sleeping friends would have it as brunch sometime in the noon. As usual I tended to my flowers. Surprisingly to my delight, one plant was bearing a flower today. But to my disgust, a swarming ant colony has already started digging and building their homes in some of my flower pots.  

By the way today, I have been to Tibetan market. I met Aja Tashi Tsomo. I also bought a nice sweater from her shop. I am amazed that she recognized me at one glance. Not only that, she immediately offered welcome tea for me. This is common in Bhutanese tradition too. You see, Tibetans and Bhutanese share many such common traditions. I think this is the reason why I always enjoyed the intimate atmosphere among Tibetans. Sometimes I also get a deep conviction that I was once a Tibetan myself. Perhaps in my previous life! 

A letter to Member of Parliament Representing Bumthang.

Picture Courtesy: Google

Dasho(s)

 By profession,  I am a Customs officer working in Paro International airport. And today I write this epistle to you NOT as a civil servant, but as a concern citizen form your constituency; - Bumthang, Ura, Shingkhar.

Of the many agencies involved in successful implementation of the recent Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010, my department has always been in the forefront.  Successful implementation of the act to some extent depended on the initiatives and resoluteness of our team as well. Today we are in the 6^th month of its implementation and strangely the act has come under a sharp criticism not only from our own citizens but also from the foreigners too.

However, I am not here to give justification on their behalf. Rather I am here to share my own opinion with you as suggested by our Excellency Prime Minister. With this I am also hopeful that interaction like this will have positive impact and will go a long way in the history of consultative law making in our peaceful country.

Personally speaking, I am a non smoker. Therefore I have a devilish allergy to the smokes especially of the tobacco. It is no doubt that so many people are falling victim to this evil addiction and that there was a genuine need for the state to curb it. It was indeed a very noble initiative for our Parliament to have come with such a timely act. I am a pro Tobacco control act and as a citizen, sincerely salute our Parliament for the concern.

I am a firm believer in Buddhism too.  But my endeavor to regard tobacco as against it has yielded no results yet. Considering the pains and sufferings it brought to those innocent addicts, I still consider it as an ill product that deserves to be kept at bay forever.  It’s a genuine fight and that we need to fight it collectively and responsibly.

 A thing of fight against tobacco has become a worldwide phenomenon and that we are not alone fighting this war. Many countries in the world are today fighting the same war. This is nothing unprecedented and that it requires dedication, time and patience. Worldwide experience shows that Countries who came out victorious are the ones who fought the war with extra care and diligence. 

But, here we are, stuck somewhere in the middle of the war. With the coming of noble intended act, rampant criminalization of its citizens has thus ensued. We seem to have gotten our war strategy wrong, because the otherwise godly intended act has been marred by atrocious penalties it contained.

If I am not wrong, our Dzongkhag was the first Dzongkhag to have banned the sale and distribution of any tobacco products. Befitting to numerous sacred relics, places and monasteries in the locality, the decision was supported by the majority of people. But sadly the failure to uphold the decision was not only poor but was lamentingly disastrous. The black market thrived.

 Taking these facts into consideration, you should have been the first person to have voiced about the consequences besides wider varieties of alternatives like education, counseling, awareness and other tobacco cessation programmes. Little more consultation (if done) with people would have also helped you contribute substance to the act when it was being debated in the house.

The recent ‘Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan 2010’ failed to live up to the expectations of common citizens. Most think its "draconian" and illogical. No act/law in the History has ever imprisoned its citizens like it did and today citizens are calling for the immediate amendment.  Amendment, I think is being called for because we realize something is not really right. This is not only a failure by the law makers but failure of all the citizens too. As a Nation we are equally responsible!

In saying, let the bygone be bygone, let us not forget that if a Nation building is a journey then let us take each single step together with extra care and diligence. With this let us also learn to fall back when we know the way ahead is rough and slippery.

So, I am urging you as my representative to revisit the act once again and do the necessary amendments (if possible) within the earliest possible date. I am saying this because other then the detention centers and prisons; more schools, more hospitals, clean water, continuous power and good roads are something we pressingly need at the moment. I believe our Government is working on it, day and night and more still needs to be done.

With respect,

Sincerely

Kuenzang Thinley

Bumthang, Ura, Shingkhar

Ignorance of law is no excuse.

If there is one thing that is all time controversial than it's got to be a thing of election (at least here in Bhutan). And we have all seen it and heard about it enough. Starting from the general election in 2008 to the election of Thrompons', (so called the city mayors) in 2010. We already saw how the loosing and unhappy PDP supporters came to His Majesty's office for consolation just like the looser in mayors election that dragged the winning opponent to the Royal court of justice. 

The upcoming local government election seems no different altogether. We are in its initial stage and it’s all been marred with acquisitions and counter acquisitions already.  Most of the previous party workers, who are dying to run for the office, are LEGALLY being disqualified by the office of the election commission as per the existing laws of the land. It is even more interesting to note that they being supported by all  the ruling party, national council and the opposition party. But why? 

Most of the contestants have pleaded their innocence about the existing law, but then the ignorance or innocence of law is no excuse. It is universal and should be applied equally among all the citizens of the land, starting from a monk who ignorantly brought in tobacco worth Nu 90, only to be labeled as smuggler and thence sentenced to non bailable prison term of three years to those 90 or so candidates who even went to the extent of distracting His Majesty.

The election rules say that the person should have been delisted from the party list and a person should have been apolitical for at least one year. But then what is the logic behind this and what difference will it make even if it says 3 years and for that matter 5 years? We are all human being and we are all bonded by a thing called attachment. To give you simple example; during my high school days, I used to be the house captain for Red house. My house was later declared as champion house in overall rating. That was some 14 years ago. Today, I still go to school to either drop my daughter or pick her up. I always tell her to be in red house and that her house should win. This, I think is called human attachment and are common in all the normal human beings.

 In similar manner, what guarantee do we have to say and believe that those (once party workers) will exercise their duties apolitically and transparently, should they be allowed to contest in the upcoming election and go on to win the same? Are the claims like people not willing to contest for the upcoming election realistic? If so, then why do we have this problem of unemployment?  

This is the time we all use our wisdom and be judicious in exercising our franchise. Apolitical should mean cent percent apolitical. This needs no further deliberation, because as much as we as a citizen deserve apolitical national council, apolitical civil servants, apolitical clergy, we also deserve that much apolitical local Government as stated by law too. 

A walk in the rain!

By any definition, I am a human being. Even though I believe in Buddhist thing called birth and rebirth, I am cent percent sure that I am not a reincarnate of any being. Definitely not a reincarnate of any aquatic being like fish octopus and for that matter a turtle. Thats why I have a strong allergy, being in water and walking in water, except my bathing hours.

Yesterday evening, when I got out my office and started my homeward walk, it was little past seven. The street lights in their full brightness glowed like "shining papayas". It appeared to be a very conducive evening for a walk. Perhaps with a kind of  poetic mood, I was as romantic as the evening itself. 

Halfway into my walk, a little drizzle quickly took a wrath of a heavy downpour. To worsen the already wretched condition, there was a disruption in the power supply and every thing got engulfed in the dark clad blanket called night. Mind you I was in my official uniform (Customs) 

The only light that illuminated my way was form few of the automobiles that ran on the highway form behind, Those that came form the opposite direction blinded my eyes with their powerful head lights. They lack the courtesy of using dipper lights when someone is walking form the opposite direction. I felt that, it was a display of unethical and un sensual driving. 

As mush as there were people out for a walk, there were that many cars plying too. When I was just about to reach to a place wherein I could wait for the downpour to stop, someone from the fast passing car puffed the smoke of a cigarette on my face. I don't know why he had to do that for me. 

Please god, save the enforcers, for it's not the enforcers that make unenforceable laws.