Significant progress has been made in healthcare delivery, particularly in the areas of infectious disease control, non-communicable diseases, and traditional medicine. There are also several challenges faced by the healthcare system, including infrastructure issues, increased NCDs, and the integration of traditional and modern medicine. The article concludes with recommendations for improving healthcare services in the region, emphasising the need for evidence-based practices, infrastructure development, and sustainable healthcare policies. Read full
As the third largest city in Bhutan, Gelephu has the fastest growing population, which would be accelerated with the proposed Gelephu Special Administrative Region (GeSAR). However, there are restrictions already in place for land transactions in the district and people from the region are forced to seek land substitutions in other districts to make way for the city. Many of the demographic indicators of Gelephu are better compared to other districts in the country. This chapter examines the demographic indicators of the Sarpang district, within which the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) is located, and do their comparative study. Read full
Gelephu and its residents have an enduring capacity to adapt and respond to change when new factors/influences are introduced, while simultaneously preserving that which promotes unique aspects of culture and religion. This kind of adaptability supports the ambitions of the GMC. This study examines the pre-Gelephu culture, the impact of Nepali culture, the emergence of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, and the role of religious artifacts, festivals, and traditions in shaping the region’s cultural heritage. It also looks at the futuristic view of the cultural diversity if the GMC vision is realised in its entirety. Read full
The proposed Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) represents a transformative urban development initiative in Bhutan, aimed at establishing a pivotal business connection between South East Asia and South Asia. Announced by King Jigme Khesar on December 17, 2023, the GMC aspires to create a holistic living environment attuned to Bhutan’s philosophy of Gross National Happiness (GNH), emphasising mindfulness, sustainability, and community well-being. This article explores the vision, strategic location, design principles, stakeholder collaborations, socio-environmental considerations, and potential challenges associated with the GMC. Read Full
Govinda wrote powerfully about what it meant to be forced out. He wrote movingly about the last time he saw his Amai, and about the torture and death of a dear friend and classmate, Khadka Bahadur Magar, whose family was tricked into signing forms that made it seem as though he was already sick (pp. 102-103). He describes the slow impoverishment of his family in Lodrai, with no income and no ability to plow the fields. When his family left, he describes how the family plot was taken from him, and he was made landless and homeless. In one of the most emotive moments of the book, Govinda describes managing to cross back into Bhutan during the AMCC marches. I quote at length here, because Govinda’s words demonstrate the tension and hope that so many young Bhutanese must have felt about exile and the potential promise of return. Read full
This edition of The Bhutan Journal is solemnly dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. Govinda Rizal—scholar, activist, and co-founding editor of this publication. Since the journal’s inception in 2019, Dr. Rizal remained a steadfast pillar of its editorial vision, intellectual integrity, and unwavering commitment to truth. Read full
EditorialBhutan has recently completed its fourth round of parliamentary election since starting the ‘controlled’ democratic exercise in 2008. Each election brings some surprises. This latest election come as less controversial compared to the previous three. The diaspora expects the new government will be more liberal in term of opening doors for family and friendly exchanges and re-unions. Reconnection will further erase such sentiments, build up relations that will produce more benefits to Bhutan – economically and socially. Mental Health Among the Resettled BhutaneseDevi KatelThe resettled Bhutanese, most specifically in the US, have widespread mental health issues. The trend has improved in the last couple of year, though. The issue is not completely absent in other countries where they have been resettled but due to the small population size, they receive less attention. There have been very few studies made on the cause of the issue to prescribe tentative solution. This article will look into the current situation of the mental health issues in the resettled communities and efforts made to address them. Bhutanese Women in Public Spheres: Agency, Existence and ResistanceTara Lal ShresthaThis research attempts to explore the existence of Bhutanese women in public spheres in exile. Bhutanese refugees- their (hi)stories about the resistance and existence. It blends with personal narratives, introduces instances of representative Bhutanese women who have marked traces in the resistance history. It also talks about women who exist outside the bourgeois public sphere via their case. Theoretical insights from Nancy Fraser have been used, who proposes subaltern public spheres instead of singular bourgeois public sphere. Presenting available foundations and insights, this paper posits possible ways to articulate plural public spheres for the Bhutanese women in exile. Interim Governments in the Kingdom of BhutanGovinda RizalGlobally, interim governments function as transitional entities managing governance during crises or regime transitions, facilitating the shift towards a stable governance structure. Their roles include supervising elections, maintaining law and order, addressing immediate…
Bhutan has recently completed its fourth round of parliamentary election since starting the ‘controlled’ democratic exercise in 2008. Each election brings some surprises. This latest election come as less controversial compared to the previous three. The diaspora expects the new government will be more liberal in term of opening doors for family and friendly exchanges and re-unions. Reconnection will further erase such sentiments, build up relations that will produce more benefits to Bhutan – economically and socially. Read full
Issue 4 TBJ
EditorialThis issue of the Bhutan Journal has focused partly on language─ the most specifically the changing needs and status of the language of the Bhutanese diaspora. When the Royal Government of Bhutan wanted to reduce its potential political opposition, one of the major criteria in its target list was Nepali language and its users. The evicted people- who were mostly of Nepalese descent- reached Nepal where they reinvigorated their skills in Nepali language and literature that had almost extinguished in Bhutan. During their migration for resettlement, for many literate people, Nepali language or literature was the only possession they carried with them. Citation: The Bhutan Watch. (2023). Editorial. The Bhutan Journal, 4(1); 1-3. Identity, Culture, and National Interest: A Pragmatic Application of Constructivist Theory to the Lhotshampa ExpulsionBy James PleaceThe Bhutanese state has constructed their identity, domestically and internationally, against the Lhotshampa people, a broadly Hindu Bhutanese-Nepali people, who feature as the ‘Other’ in the process of identity construction. This group of marginalised people has been expelled from Bhutan through ethnic cleansing. The monarchy and ruling elite see the Lhotshampa as a threat to their power and have imposed policies designed to homogenise Bhutan. We explore this Bhutanese construction of identity. Citation: Pleace, J. (2023). Identity, Culture, and National Interest: A Pragmatic Application of Constructivist Theory to the Lhotshampa Expulsion. The Bhutan Journal, 4(1); 4-23. Post-resettlement Bhutanese Poetry: A Thematic Content Analysis through Natural Language ProcessingBy Ramesh Gautam, Shiva Lal Dahal & Khem Raj GautamInterpretation of poetry is generally based on qualitative analysis of semantics, figurative language and expression, and knowledge about the author and literary elements. Recent advancements in computer-based text processing allow us to analyse a large amount of text quantitatively. This paper presents two useful aspects of literary analysis. Firstly, it interprets the social, cultural, and contemporary aspects of Bhutanese people’s lives after resettlement represented through poetry. Secondly, it presents NLP as a methodological technique in analysing…
Issue 4 TBJ
Issue 4 TBJ
This issue of the Bhutan Journal has focused partly on language─ most specifically the changing needs and status of the language of the Bhutanese diaspora. When the Royal Government of Bhutan wanted to reduce its potential political opposition, one of the major criteria in its target list was Nepali language and its users. The evicted people- who were mostly of Nepalese descent- reached Nepal where they reinvigorated their skills in Nepali language and literature that had almost extinguished in Bhutan. During their migration for resettlement, for many literate people, Nepali language or literature was the only possession they carried with them. Read in full
Issue 4 TBJ