<i>Polls in the Land of Thunder Dragon</i>
BHUTAN or The Land of Thunder Dragon (Druk Yul in Bhutanese language) is a tiny land locked kingdom of 47,000 square kilometers nestled in the laps of pristine landscape of Himalayas, wedged between giant neighbours India and China. Tens of thousands of men and women colorfully dressed in their national attire, men in gho and kera and women folks in kira, went for their first ever parliament polls on March 24 after a century rule of absolute monarchy. The estimated population of 672,425 (2005) is predominantly Buddhist, followed by Hindu. The elections were held at the behest of the 28 year-old Oxford educated King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wanchuk, who is trying to shepherd the country toward democracy. It is part of a slow process of opening Bhutan up to the rest of the world. The farsighted King believes it is better to make the transition during a time of stability and prosperity than wait for change forced by circumstances. Beijing's crushing of an uprising in Tibet in 1959 prompted the monarchy in Bhutan to open up to the world. Bhutan is one of the most isolated countries in the world. The Internet and television arrived in 1999. Nonetheless, survey data of the kingdom suggest it is also one of the happiest nations. In a response to accusations in 1987 by a journalist from UK's Financial Times that the pace of development in Bhutan was slow, to this King Singye said that "Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product." While no trend data is yet available, the policy seems to be reaping the desired results. In a survey in 2005, 45% of Bhutanese reported being very happy, 52% reported being happy and only 3% reported not being happy. Based on a comparison data by the General Social Survey, the Happy Planet Index estimates that the average level of life satisfaction in Bhutan is within the top 10% of nations worldwide and certainly higher than other nations with similar levels of GDP per capita, making it the 162nd largest economy in the world. Foreign influences and tourism are heavily restricted by the government to preserve the country's traditional culture and environment. Bhutan has a rich and unique cultural heritage that has largely remained intact due to its isolation from the rest of the world until the early 1960s. One of the main attractions for tourists is the country's culture and traditions. Bhutanese tradition is deeply steeped in its Buddhist heritage. Due to its largely unspoilt natural environment and cultural heritage, Bhutan has aptly been referred to as The Last Shangri-la. The process of democracy in the kingdom began in 1998, when the fourth King Jigme Singye Wanchuk introduced significant political reforms transferring most of the administrative power to the Council of Cabinet Ministers and allowing for impeaching the king by two-third majority of the National Assembly. In December 2005 the fourth King Jigme Singye Wanchuk announced that he would abdicate the throne in favour of his son Jigme Khesar Nagyal Wanchuk in 2008, but stunned his people on December 14, 2006 by announcing that he would abdicate immediately; thus the present king took the throne the same day. What also surprised the conservative people of this tiny kingdom when King Jigme Singye Wanchuk announced the first general election will be held in 2008. Bhutan has now entered a new era of democracy starting with its first parliamentary election in 2007. Elections for the upper house (National Council) were held on December 31, 2007, while elections for the lower house, the 47-seat National Assembly, were held on March 24, 2008. Two political parties, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Sangay Ngedup, and the Bhutan Harmony Party (DPT - Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) headed by Jigmi Thinley, competed in the National Assembly election. The King remains the head of state. Bhutanese voted for stability and chose Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) party which has plenty of experience serving under the fourth King Singye. Druk Phuensum Tshogpa, led by U.S.-educated, two-time former Premier Jigme Thinley, won 44 of the 47 seats in the lower house of parliament, the official Kuensel Online newspaper reported. Thinley, 55, who will be Bhutan's first democratically elected prime minister, has already done the job twice under royal rule and is closely associated with the royal philosophy of "Gross National Happiness". That is the fourth king's idea that economic development be balanced by respecting traditions and the environment. He said his party will "look to the future with confidence and knowledge that will have the guidance and the wisdom" of King Jigme Singye Namgel Wanchuk. Almost 80 percent of the 318,000 registered voters in the Buddhist kingdom turned out to cast their ballot, reported the official online newspaper. The People's Democratic Party, led by the king's uncle, Sangay Ngedup, won three seats in the ballot. The Royal failed to win the constituency he was contesting. The Bhutanese firmly rejected Sangay Ngedup uncle of the present king saying, the king himself and Wanchuk dynasty people we will love, but resounded "no" to the in-laws. The defeated Ngedup, had a decent record in the government, but due to his father, who rose from ordinary farmer to a massive landowner with villagers accusing him of bullying them into selling their land at knockdown rates and marrying off his four daughters to the fourth king. "Because of his father's actions, Lyonpo (minister) Sangay Ngedup has lost," said one voter. "It looks like people have been waiting for this moment, to give the government to the public. It is people speaking their minds now," said Gopilal Acharya, editor of the private Bhutan Times newspaper. There is one aspect of the elections that is troubling many Bhutanese as it has one of the world's smallest oppositions, with just three members of parliament. "I am little bit concerned, because democracy to me means debate," said Kinley Dorji, managing director of the state-owned Kuensel newspaper. "Bhutan, at this early stage, we need this, we need that debate, we need that voice." Both parties running in yesterday's ballot support the king and are committed to maintaining Bhutan's "Gross National Happiness,'' based on the notion that economic growth should be balanced through respect for traditions and the environment, according to the newspaper's Web site. The decision of the opposition to withdraw their resignation of 28th March is a welcome development. Many Bhutanese said they hoped the country's new political class would deliver on campaign to help the poor and bring Bhutan into the modern world. The BBC's Chris Morris in Thimphu says many Bhutanese are still ambivalent about democracy, anxious that change should not come too quickly. The author is a columnist and researcher.
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