July 2020 | The Bhutan Watch

Bhutan confronts China

by I P Adhikari July 11, 2020

Bhutan and China have landed into fresh border dispute – this time quietly in an international forum, details of which have started coming out only recently, bit by bit. Indian media have been quick to pick the issue articulating this to be another indirect pressure on India. The Bhutan-China border dispute has emerged amidst the heightened tension along Indo-China border. Context UN’s Global Environment Facility had its virtual meeting in the beginning of last month to approve several grants related to climate change and environmental preservation. The GEF Council discussed and approved USD 5.4m grant application put forth by Bhutan for biodiversity in Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in the eastern district of Trashigang. China opposed the proposal and did not join the council decision. China claimed that Sakteng was a disputed border region and as such funding should not be approved. Despite China’s objection Bhutan secured the grant funding. Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary The GEF had allocated funds for this sanctuary in the past but China had never raised any objection or mentioned it to be an area of border dispute. Bhutan for the first time went hard against Chinese assertion. Despite ceding a large area in the Gasa district to China, the northern communist nation did not stop border encroachment. Failing to see any intention of the communist regime in resolving the disputes, Bhutan technically started ignoring border talks. When this latest episode hit Bhutan in an international forum, the Himalayan nation formally dispatched demarche to Chinese embassy in New Delhi to express its objection on new Chinese stance. Without formal diplomatic relations, China and Bhutan communicate through their embassies based in New Delhi. Bhutanese objection The diplomatic note is not publicly available, yet Indian media quote sources saying Bhutan objected China’s position and clarified Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary is an integral and sovereign territory of Bhutan. According to the GEF Council Chairman’s summary released on June 16, of the virtual meeting…

Civics, Human Rights

Wamrong case: a litmus test for Bhutanese judiciary

by I P Adhikari July 5, 2020

You cannot question the authority for its actions. This was the primary principle of governance in Bhutan for centuries. Post ‘guided democratic’ changes, little has changed to diffuse the perception among the elite members of Bhutanese community that it is a void in democracy. Misuse of authority and privilege for abuse and personal gain is a culture in Bhutan. Only a handful of cases appear in the public domain whereas vast majority are socially and economically silenced. The incident that come in the public domain also fail to hold its presence or leave a mark in absence of conscious civil society, strong media and awaken citizens. The last instance of such event is from eastern district – wife of a judge in a subdivisional court abusing and assaulting her neighbour for reasons not known. The incident happened in the last week of April but came into limelight almost a month later. During this period, the victim was reportedly given pressure for compromise to settle the case outside the court and police. It is a traditional practice in Bhutan to settle cases outside courts or tribunals. In many cases, courts too encourage such practice obliquing its obligation of giving a verdict when case is registered for judicial proceedings. The Wamrong case drew public attention, increasing criticism of the judicial system, justice delivery, police behaviour and social hierarchy that is fuelling abuses and prejudices based on social status of an individual. The general sentiment that justice delivery is biased is ever increasing. The incident The case involved Tshering Yangki, 52, wife of a judge in Wamrong sub-divisional court under Trashigang district, who assaulted her neighbour Sonam Peldon, 38. Peldon’s husband works as sweeper in the Wamrong court. Yangki verbally attacked Peldon the moment she spotted her in the kitchen garden and demanded that she remain out of her sight. Media reports quote Peldon saying, “I did not say anything and instead stood…