Political Transition in Bhutan

Author(s): Mathew Joseph C.

Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 41, No. 14 (Apr. 8-14, 2006), pp. 1311-1313
Published by: Economic and Political Weekly
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/4418044
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relocation, the official and scientific com- large-scale displacement of local people Central
in India', report submitted to government

a knee-jerk reaction. 3 of India and government of Madhya Pradesh,

munity continues to champion the exclu-
Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun.
sionist conservationist paradigm for this Shahabuddin, G, Ravi Kumar and Manish
and other PAs. The recent WII report on Email: asmita@samrakshan.org Shrivastava (2005): Forgotten Villages: A
prey-density in Kuno recommends that People's Perspective on Village Displacement
two villages (Bagcha and Jangarh) in the References from Sariska Tiger Reserve, Environmental
Studies Group, Council for Social Develop-
Sironi forest range adjacent to the Kuno"'
ment, New Delhi.
sanctuary should also be relocated by 2007. Greenough. Paul (2003): 'Bio-Ironies of the Tiger Task Force (2005): 'Joining the Dots', report
Once again, no studies have been carried Fractured Forest: India's Tiger Reserves' in to Ministry of Environment and Forests, New
out of the impact of these villages on the Slater (ed), In Search of the Rainforest, Duke Delhi.
PA, and the recommendations seem to be University Press, Durham and London. Wildlife Institute of India (1995): Survey of the
Johnsingh, A J T, Q Qureshi and S P Goyal (2005): Potential Sites for Reintroduction of Asiatic
based more on personal conviction than
'Assessment of Prey Population for Lion Re- Lions: Final Report, Wildlife Institute of India,
facts. Surprisingly, the WII report itself introduction in Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary, Dehradun.
says that the 300 sq km of "habitat without
people" that will be released due to this
relocation has little ecological significance,
and even after displacing Bagcha and
Jangarh, "its contribution to prey biomass
Political Transition
will...be negligible." The main justifica-
tion put forward for this displacement is
that "when these two villages are removed,
in Bhutan
the disturbances (including poaching)
arising from these villages...will come to
The ethnic conflict and the consequent movementfor democracy
an end helping the build-up of the prey-
base." A subsidiary justification for this
and human rights have led to a high degree of politicisation in
proposed displacement. which is again not Bhutan, cutting across ethnic lines. Further, ethnic assertions by
informed by any socio-economic study of people of Nepali origin in Bhutan have meant democratisation of
the area or intensive interaction with the
the Bhutanese polity and society. The slow but definite transformation
people, is that "the villagers are willing to
of Bhutan into a constitutional monarchy is the outcome of
go as they are 15 km from any form of
facility, such as school or hospital".
political struggles waged by the people since the late 1920s.

Conclusion MATHEW JOSEPH C located between India and China, Bhutan

is a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multi-
The lesson from Kuno, then, is thatT he government of Bhutan brought
the religious country. The main ethnic groups
most serious threats to survival of large out a draft constitution in March in the country are 'Sharchop' (23.92
carnivores like tigers may not always 2005. On December 17, 2005, per cent), 'Ngalong' (16.5 per cent),
emanate from local people, even though National Day of Bhutan, king Jigme Singye 'Bumthangpa' (4.37 percent), 'Kheng' (3.
these communities are known to hunt Wangchuck declared that he will step down 64 per cent) and 'Lhotshampa' (the people
bushmeat, have large cattle holdings, in andfavour of his son and heir apparent of Nepali origin) (30.82 per cent).
may cause significant "disturbance" to Jigme
the Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and The Ngalongs migrated to Bhutan from
PA through forest fires, collectionthe of first national election to elect a govern-
Tibet in the ninth and 10th centuries. They
fuelwood and other minor forest produce. ment under a system of parliamentary are the ruling elite and concentrated in
These external threats often emanate from democracy would take place in 2008. western Bhutan. They belong to the
geographically distant sources like 'Drukpa Kagyuppa' sect of Mahayana
The general perception is that the draft
Buddhism and speak 'Dzongkha' - the
commercial, industrial, mining and other constitution and the proposed democratic
"development" agencies, high-profile political set-up are a gift of the monarch national language of Bhutan. The
game hunters, and consumers of exotic to the citizens of Bhutan. People who Sharchops are concentrated in eastern
wildlife derivatives. With well-directed, propagate this view clearly obliterate Bhutan
the and considered to be the earliest
settlers in Bhutan. The southern Bhutan
site-specific interventions, local commu- fact that these are the logical culmination
nities may be groomed to enhance their of the struggles carried out by various is dominated by the people of Nepali
existing contribution as a "social fence" sections of people at various juncturesorigin.
of Majority of them migrated to
Bhutan during 1850-1950.
to protect key species from such pressures the history of Bhutan. The main argument
and threats. Thus, it may not be an article of this article is that the slow but definite
of faith that relocation of local com- transformation of Bhutan into a constitu-
Historical Background
munities necessarily and always tional
will monarchy is the outcome of political
improve the conservation potential of
struggles waged by the people of the country As a political unit, Bhutan came into
since late 1920s onwards.
PAs. As the ongoing tiger crisis unfolds, existence under Shabdrung Ngawang
this is a lesson that needs to be debated, Namgyal in the 17th century. The theo-
Bhutan is one of the very rare absolute
monarchies left in the world. A land-lockedcratic political system evolved by
instead of giving forest departments across
the country the green signal to carrystate
out of 7,52,693 people,l strategically Shabdrung was in place until 1907. Under

Economic and Political Weekly April 8, 2006 1311

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 MANOHAR
British pressure. the theocratic political (BSC) in 1952, (b) the resistance move-
system gave way to the institution of ment that started as a reaction to the pro-
hereditary monarchy. The governor of mulgation of Driglam Nam Za. and (c) the
Tongsa, Ugyen Wangchuck became the eviction of the people of Nepali origin
first hereditary monarch in 1907. from Bhutan and the consequent struggle WATER AND SANITATION
Under the first two kings, Ugyen for democracy and human rights under the Institutional Challenges in India
Wangchuck (1907-26) and Jigme banner of political parties and human rights Christine Sijbesma
Wangchuck (1926-52), political power wasorganisations. and Meine Pieter van Dijk (eds)
centralised. The third king Jigme Dorji In 1927, Pashupathi Adhikari, who was 81-7304-680-8, 2006, 298p. Rs. 750
Wangchuck (1952-72) initiated reforms the 'mandal' (village headman) of Lamidara
RETURN EMIGRANTS IN KERALA
like land ceiling, abolition of serfdom village
and in Chirang district, registered his
Welfare, Rehabilitation
slavery. His other reforms included protest
the against the exorbitant land tax rates.
and Development
establishment of the 'Tshogdu' (nationalAs a result of this. his property was con-
K.C. Zachariah, P.R. Gopinathan Nair
fiscated and he was ousted from the coun-
assembly) in 1953 and the 'Lodoi Tshogde' and S. Irudaya Rajan
(royal advisory council) in 1965. try. In 1947, two mandals from Dagana 81-7304-675-1, 2006, 197p. Rs. 595
These reforms were not liked by the
district, J C Gurung and S B Gurung sought
traditional elements of the society andthe
ledhelp of Gurkha League in India to bring STUDIES ON PERSIANATE
out changes in the political structure of
to the assassination of prime minister Jigmie SOCIETIES

Palden Dorji - symbol o' modernisation

Bhutan. With the help of the Gurkha League (2 Volumes)
and reforms - on April 5. 1964. This they
was formed the Jai Gurkha Solidarity Front Volume 1: 2003, 319p. Rs. 750 (Pb)
Volume 2: 81-7304-667-0, 2005, 222p.
followed by a coup attempt against the
(JGSF) and started mobilising people under
its banner. The Bhutanese authorities ex- Rs. 750 (Pb)
king in December 1964. These develop-
pelled both the leaders from the country.
ments and the hostility towards the reforms
THE WORLD OF THE ORAON
put pressure on the king to come to terms In 1952. the BSC was formed at Patgaon
Their Symbols in Time and Space
with the traditionalists. Consequently. in
theAssam. The demands of the BSC in-
Abhik Ghosh
moderisation process was diluted and thecluded the abolition of the feudal system,81-7304-681-6, 2006, 380p. Rs. 950
ethnic groups other than Ngalongs were democratisation of the administration,
marginalised. granting civil and political rights for all INTERROGATING HISTORY
Bhutan's identity is centred on the in-Bhutanese citizens and maintaining closer Essays for Hermann Kulke
stitutions of monarchy and the Drukpa ties with India. The BSC planned a Martin Brandtner and
Kagyuppa sect of Mahayana Buddhism.'satyagraha'
It in March 1954. The Shishir Kumar Panda (eds)
is considered that the central and west- Bhutan government did not allow the 81-7304-679-4, 2006, 392p. Rs. 875
ern regions of the country are the home satyagraha to take place and fired at the
ASSERTIVE RELIGIOUS
of the authentic Bhutanese culture. Hence protestors. The BSC's efforts to organise IDENTITIES
the cultural practices of these areas aremore satyagrahas were also not very
India and Europe
projected as the national ones.2 The othersuccessful. Due to the hostile political Satish Saberwal
ethnic groups are accorded a status in environment in Bhutan, the BSC shifted and Mushirul Hasan (eds)
the periphery of the Bhutanese "national" its headquarters to Siliguri in India. The 81-7304-673-5, 2006, 480p. Rs. 995
culture. BSC leadership operated from Siliguri
Under the present king Jigme Singye until 1969. NEGOTIATING FOR INDIA
Wangchuck (1972) ethnic groups other The integration of Sikkim with India in Resolving Problems
1975 and the Gorkhaland agitation led by through Diplomacy
than the Ngalongs are further marginalised.
the Gorkha National Liberation Front Jagat S. Mehta
The unilateral imposition of the Drukpa
81-7304-672-7, 2006, 296p. Rs. 750
(GNLF) in Darjeeling Hills for a Nepali-
cultural practices through measures like
'Driglam Nam Za' (code of social eti-
speaking state in the mid- 1980s influenced MINORITIES AND POLICE
the thinking of the Bhutanese elite. Of
quette)3 in 1989, over other ethnic com- IN INDIA
munities resulted in the ethnic conflict these, the experience of Sikkim had a lasting Asghar Ali Engineer
between the Ngalong-dominated state and impact on the Bhutanese psyche. The and Amarjit S. Narang (eds)
Bhutanese elite feared that similar fate is
the people of Nepali origin. It later devel- 81-7304-678-6, 2006, 225p. Rs. 625
oped into a struggle for democracy and in waiting for them. This fear resulted in for our complete catalogue please write to us at:
human rights in Bhutan. the formulation of Citizenship Acts of 1977
and 1985, the Marriage Act of 1980 and
a nationwide census conducted in 1988
Movements for Political
Transformation based on the Citizenship Act of 1985 to
identify "illegal immigrants" and Driglam
Nam Za in 1989.
In Bhutan, the movements for political
transformation mainly emanated from theThrough the Bhutan Citizenship Act of FOUNDATIO
1977, the government linked citizenship
people of Nepali origin. There are three
distinct phases in the evolution of these
to marriage and ownership of property in
movements: (a) initial struggles and Bhutan.
the When this was modified in 1985.
knowledge of Bhutanese history, culture
formation of the Bhutan State Congress 1 -- SSS 5

1312 Economic and Political Weekly April 8, 2006

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and national language became mandatory To counter the pro-democracy demon- once again regrouped under his leadershi
for citizenship and made people who were to form the Human Rights Council o
strations in September-October 1990, the
not residents of Bhutan on or before government deployed the Royal Bhutan Bhutan (HRCB) on July 13, 2003.
December 31, 1958, illegal immigrants. Army (RBA) throughout southern Bhutan. The radicalisation of politics in Nepa
According to the official version, the This led to the exodus of the people of by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maois
Nepali origin from the country in large
Marriage Act of 1980 was devised to control has had its impact on the Bhutanese refu
the marriage of Bhutanese citizens numbers.
to The people who left Bhutan atgees. The indifference of the Bhutanes
foreigners. The worst affected were first the came to India and then moved to government towards the non-violent
people of Nepali origin, as many of them struggles of the moderates among th
eastern Nepal. As per one estimate 1,35,000
marry from the Nepali communitiesBhutanese in of Nepali origin left Bhutanrefugees
of for repatriation resulted in gre
India and Nepal. which 1,05.000 people are living in seven
resentment. The futility of the struggle
A new term - 'Lhotshampa' (southern refugee camps in Morang and Jhapa dis- hitherto conducted by the moderates le
people) - was coined by the Bhutanese tricts of eastern Nepal managed by to thethe formation of the Bhutanese Com-
UNHCR.4 The rest of the refugees are
government for the people of Nepali origin munist Party (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) in
scattered throughout India and Nepal.
In the mid- 1980s. Through this, the govern- the early months of 2003.
ment thought that it can create a distinction The radicalisation of the Bhutanese
between Bhutanese of Nepali origin and
Pro-Democracy Movements refugees will have serious impact on the
the people of Nepali ethnicity both in Nepal political developments of Bhutan, Nepal
and India. The government could not As the pro-democracy movement has and the Nepali-dominated areas of India.
succeed in this regard. grown in strength, the different trends The pro-democracy movement succeeded
dormant in the movement have come out in compelling the king to surrender some
Ethnic Conflicts in the open. Organisations like the PFHRB, of his powers to a cabinet in 1998 and
the SUB and the BPP who led the pro- initiate a process to draft a constitution for
democracy movement initially, started the country.
The eruption of ethnic conflict between
the people of Nepali origin and the distancing themselves from each other. The ethnic conflict and the consequent
'Ngalong'-dominated government New
oc- organisations like the Bhutan National movement for democracy and human rights
curred in 1989. The ethnic conflict was the Democratic Party (BNDP), the Human brought about a high degree ofpoliticisation
natural outcome of the discontent created Rights Organisation of Bhutan (HUROB), among the people of Bhutan, cutting across
by the census conducted in 1988 to identify the Association of Human Rights Activists, ethnic lines. In contrast to the various
"illegal immigrants" and the promulgationBhutan (AHURA Bhutan), the Bhutan contemporary experiences, the ethnic as-
of Driglam Nam Za in 1989. Congress Party (BCP) and the Druk Na- sertion of the people of Nepali origin in
The first organisation which came into tional Congress (DNC) have been formed. Bhutan has developed into a movement for
being against the discriminatory policies The BNDP was formed on February 7, the democratisation of the Bhutanese polity
was the People's Forum for Human Rights, 1992 in New Delhi. The BNDP believes and society. The proposed political re-
Bhutan (PFHRB). It was formed on July 7, that the southern Bhutan problemforms is a announced by the king himself are
1989 at Kakarivitta in Nepal under thestruggle for democracy and demandsan for
outcome of the struggles carried out by
leadership of Tek Nath Rizal. a formerthe establishment of constitutional mon- the people of Nepali origin and like-minded
royal advisory council member of Nepaliarchy in a multiparty democratic set-up,people inside and outside Bhutan. I[l
origin. The activities of PFHRB created institution of secular constitution, and
panic among the Bhutanese ruling elite.respect for the 1948 UN Declaration for Email: mathewjosephc @yahoo.com
Tek Nath Rizal was extradited to Bhutan Human Rights in all parts of Bhutan.
with the connivance of the government ofThe HUROB and AHURA Bhutan were Notes
Nepal on November 17, 1989. In Thimphu formed on September 7, 1992 and Novem-
ber 16, 1992, respectively. The BCP was
after a prolonged trial, Rizal was sentenced 1 This figure does not include the Bhutanese
to life imprisonment. formed in May 1993 after a split in the refugees scattered in both Nepal and India.
The Bhutan People's Party (BPP) wasBPP. The DNC came into being on June 16, 2 AC Sinha, Bhutan:Ethnic IdentityandNational
Dilemma, Reliance Publishing House, New
formed on June 2, 1990 at Garganda tea 1994. While other political parties and Delhi, 1991, p 188.
estate in Siliguri. West Bengal. According human rights organisations are led by the
3 Driglam Nam Za is a cultural package which
to the manifesto of the BPP, it stands forpeople of Nepali origin, the DNC is a non- comprises virtues such as respect for the
democracy, parliamentary system of Nepali political party. Rongthong Kunley sovereign, teachers, parents, elders, the
government, constitutional monarchy and Dorji, a Sharchop from eastern Bhutan, is institution of marriage and family, civic duties
multiparty system in Bhutan. The BPP the chairman of the DNC.5 According toand behaviour that keep together the Bhutanese
social fabric. It also stipulates how people
organised series of demonstrations through-its manifesto, the party stands for parlia-should conduct themselves at different
out southern Bhutan during September- mentary democracy and wants to declare occasions and includes a dress code requiring
October 1990. The government tried to Bhutan as a multi-ethnic, multilingual, 'Gho' to be worn by men and 'Kira' by women.
suppress the wave of discontent through Buddhist constitutional monarchy. 4 Human Rights Council of Bhutan (HRCB),
different measures. A new term, 'Ngolops' The release of Tek Nath Rizal on 'Position Paper on Bhutanese Refugees and
Human Rights Situation in Bhutan'. Available
(anti-nationals or terrorists) was coined to
December 18, 1999 after 10 years of rigo-
at http://www.bhutannewsonline.com/
describe the agitators and it became syn- rous imprisonment became a turning hrcb_positionpaper.rtf
point
onymous with anybody who demanded in the recent history of the pro-democracy
5 Mathew Joseph C, Ethnic Conflict in Bhutan,
human rights and democracy in Bhutan. movement. Pro-democracy organisations Nirala Publications, New Delhi, 1999, p 152.

Economic and Political Weekly April 8, 2006 1313

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