Dasho Tshering Dorji is a National Council Member from Haa.
People in my village have high regards for him for his numerous visits and meetings
with them. I almost got a chance to meet him in my village after the earthquake
last year but missed by some hours. The only place we ever get to meet is on a
Facebook group called Haap Dorros, where he presents his works, progress and
achievements. We haaps have created our own forum for regional discussions,
where he participates a great deal and I thank him for that.
But yesterday some Haap Wangchuk posted the following:
As this is the page for Haap Dhoros, that did our elected Members bought any changes in your area.Did they helped you when you were in trouble.Did they fulfilled their promises they made. For me i will say they are neutral. What ever the decisions taken by the Dzongkhag administration and gewog administration is final. They dont even have guts to justify the complaints made by victims.
I have never seen or head of them correcting the errors made by Dzongkhag and gewog Administrations.
And before anyone could write any comment Dasho Tshering
Dorji replied as follows:
Tshering Dorji
Haap Wangchuk, Before you shoot your mouth, as a responsible citizen, you also have the responsibility to consider the following 1. Please go through the constitution and and the NC and NA acts and also the recently passed Local Government Act to understand and comprehend the role of NA, NC and the local government. 2. As a haap yourself please find time to come and attend the public meeting(zomdu) that I conduct after every session as mandated by the law or atleast make an effort to call up your local leaders-gups, mangmi, tshogpa or elderly people from your village to find out as to what I as an elected representative been doing within my constitutionally provided responsibilty as a parliamentarian in general and in specific to the recent earthquake event. You must also understand as a good citizen that while there is tremendous temptation to overstep our feet on the toes of the local administration due to misunderstood, personalized and politicized pressure such as one that you are giving, it is also in the larger interest of this nation and people to be reminded of the Constitution and do whatever I can within the legal bound. However, you will only know this only if you are still in touch with the ground reality and genuinely concerned with the overall welfare of all the Haap victims. However, you have a lot of guts in publicly criticizing us and the public institutions that we represent based on your ill-informed imagination. As per the section 317 and 320 of the Penal code of Bhutan, what you have posted in the public media in nothing less than the offense of defamation and Libel since you are intentionally trying to causes damage to the reputation of another person or a legal person by communicating
false or distorted information about that person's action, motive, character, or reputation in writing. However, you are right, I dont have guts to take the matter further but if I do please also consider what could happen to you. Fellow Wangchuk, please remember that democracy does not mean going beyond the rule of law but it means fulfilling the nation's and people aspiration within the rule of law. Freedom of speech and expression does not mean speaking recklessly or mindlessly, you never know where a slip of your tongue will land you up. So think twice before you shoot your mouth irresponsibly.false or distorted information about that person's action, motive, character, or reputation in writing. However, you are right, I dont have guts to take the matter further but if I do please also consider what could happen to you. Fellow Wangchuk, please remember that democracy does not mean going beyond the rule of law but it means fulfilling the nation's and people aspiration within the rule of law. Freedom of speech and expression does not mean speaking recklessly or mindlessly, you never know where a slip of your tongue will land you up. So think twice before you shoot your mouth irresponsibly.
Haap Wangchuk, Before you shoot your mouth, as a responsible citizen, you also have the responsibility to consider the following 1. Please go through the constitution and and the NC and NA acts and also the recently passed Local Government Act to understand and comprehend the role of NA, NC and the local government. 2. As a haap yourself please find time to come and attend the public meeting(zomdu) that I conduct after every session as mandated by the law or atleast make an effort to call up your local leaders-gups, mangmi, tshogpa or elderly people from your village to find out as to what I as an elected representative been doing within my constitutionally provided responsibilty as a parliamentarian in general and in specific to the recent earthquake event. You must also understand as a good citizen that while there is tremendous temptation to overstep our feet on the toes of the local administration due to misunderstood, personalized and politicized pressure such as one that you are giving, it is also in the larger interest of this nation and people to be reminded of the Constitution and do whatever I can within the legal bound. However, you will only know this only if you are still in touch with the ground reality and genuinely concerned with the overall welfare of all the Haap victims. However, you have a lot of guts in publicly criticizing us and the public institutions that we represent based on your ill-informed imagination. As per the section 317 and 320 of the Penal code of Bhutan, what you have posted in the public media in nothing less than the offense of defamation and Libel since you are intentionally trying to causes damage to the reputation of another person or a legal person by communicating
false or distorted information about that person's action, motive, character, or reputation in writing. However, you are right, I dont have guts to take the matter further but if I do please also consider what could happen to you. Fellow Wangchuk, please remember that democracy does not mean going beyond the rule of law but it means fulfilling the nation's and people aspiration within the rule of law. Freedom of speech and expression does not mean speaking recklessly or mindlessly, you never know where a slip of your tongue will land you up. So think twice before you shoot your mouth irresponsibly.false or distorted information about that person's action, motive, character, or reputation in writing. However, you are right, I dont have guts to take the matter further but if I do please also consider what could happen to you. Fellow Wangchuk, please remember that democracy does not mean going beyond the rule of law but it means fulfilling the nation's and people aspiration within the rule of law. Freedom of speech and expression does not mean speaking recklessly or mindlessly, you never know where a slip of your tongue will land you up. So think twice before you shoot your mouth irresponsibly.
I didn’t find anything “publicly criticizing” in what Haap
Wangchuk wrote for Dasho to narrate whole law on defamation with section number in the Penal code of Bhutan. He was just asking a few questions to his fellow haaps like
anyone of us would do. He was also presenting his opinion as “neutral” since he
seems to have some grievance, which if possible Dasho could have ask and clarified.
But the threatening reply confused me totally- aren’t we allowed to question
about the work of our representatives?
I didn’t find anything “publicly criticizing” in what Haap
Wangchuk wrote for Dasho to narrate whole law on defamation with section number in the Penal code of Bhutan. He was just asking a few questions to his fellow haaps like
anyone of us would do. He was also presenting his opinion as “neutral” since he
seems to have some grievance, which if possible Dasho could have ask and clarified.
But the threatening reply confused me totally- aren’t we allowed to question
about the work of our representatives?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWai Passa,
ReplyDeleteI am confused too. But not in the light of what has happened between Dasho Tshering and Haap wangchuk.
In my recent past, I too wrote a letter to my My MP about the TCA. Soon, my letter got published in the media. Aue Jurmi Thought there was nothing sensitive and problematic. so he published my letter without my knowledg. And you know what I got in return?
I got a warning letter in Black and White from My boss. He thinks I am threat to the Policies of Royal Government of Bhutan.
I will write about it on 19th June, coz that is my warning anniversary!.....
Anyways Cheers to All the Haaps
PSN
Dasho Tshering Dorji was one of my teachers at Sherubtse College. But here I've to agree with Passu's observation. The above reaction is unexpected of someone holding such a high and respectable position in society.
ReplyDeleteDear Passu,
ReplyDeleteI have no knowledge of who the two persons in focus here are and so my opinion here is without bias. What appears to me is that Haap Wangchuk is just an ignorant lad who makes an attempt to visualise the possible changes or developments that he might have expected since the democratic elections. What ensued thereafter was just a whiff of smoke on his face to wipe and nothing else happening as is wont to be because as Dasho TD put it, there are a list of rules, regulations, policies, acts whatever to abide by in carrying out their responsibilities. I agree with his statement that freedom of speech does not mean blabbering anything mindlessly and that the interest of a nation outweighs the interest of a region.
Haap Wangchuk carelessly let his tongue slip that could cause another man's defamation online and this is a huge issue outside of BHutan. But I am sure Mr. TD could have put it in better words than sending out a threat msg (must be the heat of the moment thingy). Afterall, politicians ought to be good with words. The bottom line is ignorant is bliss is a passing fad :)
Sir after knowing this incident, I was also confused. at one time, I nearly wrote against my college authority, last year i wrote a poem accusing the college authority for snatching my personal right and freedom, but later i removed it permanently knowing that freedom and right should not be at the cost of other individuals or any organization. However, i am not satisfied and i have tons to write but out of fear i just cant write. I attempted to write a small piece against the authorities after reading your post but out of fear my article landed in different shape. with courage, i have managed to write that " with bureaucratic and hegemonic leaders, i am afraid, knowing not the prospects of democracy in Bhutan."
ReplyDelete