NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Bhutan Election a Failure to Incorporate The Spirit of The People

By Vidhyapati Mishra

The election for the upper house National Council in Bhutan is a failure to incorporate the spirit of the people and address their demands. It is another attempt to fool the citizens saying they have been empowered.

The very low turnout of the people to vote in the election has adequately proved people's annoyance to the act of the autocratic ruler. Only around 50 percent reached the polling stations, according to the royal commission for election.

Many who reached the polling stations also faced many bureaucratic hassles, the officials responsible for carrying out the voting process, not helping the people cast their votes but responding rudely.

Certainly, voter turn out was less than 40 percent when taking into consideration a large populace not given Voters Photo Identity Cards (VPIC) on the grounds of various allegations. VPIC are issued only to those who produce a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The certificate is issued by Royal Bhutan Police. Many of those who supported 1990 and 1997 demonstrations are barred from obtaining this card.

The election in the country is also void seeing the number of observers present. Only six international observers were in the field to look into the voting process - five from the UN resident mission in Thimphu and one from Australia. Taking into consideration the presence of India in Bhutan's internal affairs, we cannot regard three officials of the Indian election commission as international observers.

Although there have been repeated claims the country is moving towards a parliamentary democracy, people have not been given any power. The draft constitution concentrates most power in the king's hand while the parliament - upper house National Council and lower house National Assembly - are given limited authority. The parliament cannot act without assent of the king.

Additionally, the regime's plot excluded most southern Bhutanese from the election. Practically, only one Lhotsampa won election.

Thus, the newly elected national council will certainly fail to catch up the sentiments and spirit of the people. The election is another measure to pull the wool over the eyes of the international community. The support extended by India to the autocratic regime was the cause for the international community to remain mum over the irrational election. India, the self claimed biggest democracy in the world, is covering its shameless face to support an autocratic regime.

The election will not pave the way for democracy in Bhutan. Rather it will squeeze the rights of the people. It won't be a wonder to expect more ethnic cleansing policies from these selected people in future.

Vidhyapati Mishra
General Secretary
Association of Press Freedom Activists (APFA) - Bhutan