A Deep Dive Into Bhutan

www.thebhutanese.bt VOL 08 ISSUE 02 SATURDAY 12 JANUARY 2019 NU 10 Leading the Way A deep dive into Bhutan ISBS leads to a ‘Bhutan Studies’ in its own right and a better insight into Bhutan on its own terms Tenzing Lamsang/ Oxford over 80 countries taking part in 12 sessions in various diverse s any Bhutanese will fields, three plenary sessions be acutely aware, and two key note addresses. ABhutan is broadly Each session in turn had an defined in two ways. One, is average of three speakers with that of a small but strategically a time of around one hour and important country lodged in 30 minutes. between two giants along with The sessions were about its various implications and cutting edge research complications. into linguistics, ecology, The other definition of anthropology, law and Bhutan can be seen in travel international relations, GNH, articles and magazines of being development, food, education, a ‘Shangri-La’ or romanticized history, Buddhism and Kingdom in the clouds. governance in Bhutan. As a result, there is limited The speakers and scholars international understanding presented their in-depth papers of the real Bhutan and its followed by usually spirited people, given the two dominant and in depth questions and narratives above. comments that made it both Even in the world of The former Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay who led the Bhutanese delegation spoke an academic exercise and also international academics, at the opening of the conference a collaborative event with the Bhutan, so far, has been studied University made the important Some speakers highlighted with the potential to be audience. only as one of the subsets or first step of discussing and the point that Bhutan deserves both a valuable resource The quality of the conference countries of the ‘Tibetan and studying the diverse and less its own study group given the group and one that helps and papers presented in the Himalayan studies’ group that discussed aspects of Bhutan in fact that it is the only and strengthen Bhutanese identity sessions was apparent from also includes India, China, a large international academic last independent Vajrayana and understanding in the that fact that many Bhutanese Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan. setting. More importantly, it Buddhist Kingdom. international forum. participants got additional and The International Society set up and gave shape to an In that sense, the ISBS The conference from 8-10 even new insight into their own for Bhutan Studies (ISBS) independent international is not just another academic January, 2019 saw a large inaugural conference in ‘Bhutan studies’ group in its conference, but holds special number of Bhutan experts in Magdalen College, Oxford own right. significance for Bhutan, various fields gathering from cont. on pg 08 Ex-PM’s Key-note address at Oxford focuses on Monarchy, Sovereignty, Culture, Democracy, Environment, GNH and welfare Tenzing Lamsang/ Oxford the interest of is unique, and was established in 1907, so it establishing that successful in is only 111 years old. All of us he Former Prime Minister ‘Bhutan matters.’ its own way, in Bhutan love our Kings – we TDasho Tshering Tobgay Dasho started because of one revere them, and we look up delivered the main key note his speech by and only one to them as Plato’s ideal of the address at the Sheldonian conveying the factor – the philosopher king,” said Dasho. Theatre in Oxford University on greetings and extraordinary He gave various examples 9th January as the main event warm wishes of leadership of of the democratic reforms of the three-day International His Majesty the our Kings who instituted by the Monarchy to Society of Bhutan Studies King of Bhutan. have led by the handing over of democracy. (ISBS) conference. He said that example and “Here’s another The topic given to the Bhutan was never who continue extraordinary fact: our King former PM was, ‘Does Bhutan colonized, its to do so,” he has no personal wealth. Today, Matter? Stories from a young culture is thriving, said. when some of the richest democracy.’ the country is “That’s why people in the world continue As per the title, the main a biodiversity the monarchy to be monarchs, our King does task before Dasho was to show hotspot, Bhutan is the most not own any personal property,” that ‘Bhutan matters.’ is the only carbon important said Dasho. He said that while he is neutral country, it institution in “All citizens have access to acutely aware of the many is a functioning welfare state most – what we hold to be the Bhutan. It is the symbol of the King. We celebrate the fact problems and challenges and that Bhutan is one of the most sacred above all else – is our unity, the protector of our he asked to be indulged for youngest democracies. our leadership, specifically the people, and the fountainhead of glorifying his country in “But what we revere the leadership of our Kings. Bhutan our future. Bhutan’s monarchy cont. on pg 10 & 11 PAGE 02 12-01-2019 DRUKYUL SPEAKS ITS MIND The Vital Isolation of Indigenous Groups Editorial including Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, In the Andaman chain, of the OPINION BY India, and Peru – have pursued a four tribes that survive, the two Understanding “no contact” policy toward these that were forcibly assimilated by groups. This policy is anchored the British have become dependent Bhutan BRAHMA CHELLANEY in laws that protect indigenous on government aid and are close to people’s rights to ancestral lands vanishing. Indigenous communities’ hutan is at an important juncture as NEW DELHI – The remote, and to live in seclusion, and combined share of the world Bwe stand ready to graduate from our coral-fringed North Sentinel Island reinforced by an international population now stands at just 4.5%. least developed country status in 2023 and made headlines late last year, after convention obligating governments To be sure, leaving secluded become a middle income country, albeit at an American Christian missionary’s to protect these communities’ lands, tribes alone is no guarantee that the lower end of the scale. covert expedition to convert its identities, penal customs, and ways they will survive. These highly This graduation will mean that we have residents – the world’s last known of life. inbred groups are already seeing achieved or are close to achieving our main pre-Neolithic tribal group – ended It is illegal – and punishable by their numbers dwindle, and face the and basic socio-economic goals. It will also in his death. The episode has cast a prison sentence – for outsiders specter of dying out completely. But mean that our economy is heading towards a spotlight on the threats faced to enter India’s tribal reserves. they will probably die a lot faster if self-sufficiency. by the world’s remote indigenous Yet Chau dodged Indian laws we suddenly contact them, bringing Having achieved and maintained groups, which are already on the and coastal security, according to with us modern pathogens against political and economic stability and with brink of disappearance. his own diary accounts, to make which they have no antibodies. our sovereignty strengthened, the question The Sentinelese people targeted repeated forays into North Sentinel These tribes might be isolated, to ask is -what next. by the slain evangelist John Allen over three days – an arduous effort but their demise will have serious At one level, Bhutan, despite having Chau are probably the most that was facilitated by a Kansas consequences. With their reverence limited resources, has never hesitated to go isolated of the world’s remaining City-based missionary agency, for – and understanding of – for its own identity and growth model that remote tribes, and they are keen to which trained him for his journey. nature, such groups serve as the we now know as GNH. This has served us stay that way. They shoot arrows to The Sentinelese killed him only world’s environmental sentinels, well and played a huge role in getting us warn off anyone who approaches after he ignored repeated warnings safeguarding 80% of global diversity where we are today, both as a nation and their island, and attack those, like to stop trespassing. and playing a critical role in climate people. Chau, who ignore their warnings. But the threat to the Sentinelese change mitigation and adaptation. Bhutan is a soft power in its own right, It was not always this way. When people – and, indeed, all isolated When the devastating 2004 Indian and as we graduate and move ahead Europeans first made contact tribes – is far from neutralized, as Ocean tsunami struck, more than we should capitalize on this not just to with the Sentinelese, the British some have taken Chau’s death as an a quarter-million people died strengthen our international presence and naval commander Maurice Vidal opportunity to argue that we should across 14 countries, but the two identity, but also to better understand our Portman described them in 1899 as reverse the policies protecting isolated Andaman tribes, which own domestic issues and challenges and “painfully timid.” But the profound isolated tribes. And while some have rely on traditional warning systems, solutions to them. shift is not hard to explain. Tribes good intentions – to provide access suffered no known casualties. For this, we have to not only engage with like the Sentinelese have learned to to modern technology, education, But, as Bolsonaro’s promises the best minds in the field but with those associate outsiders with the ghastly and health care – others do not. underscore, indigenous societies who also deeply care about Bhutan. violence and deadly diseases For example, Brazil’s new far-right have been pitted directly against This is where bodies like the International brought by European colonization.

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