The right to Information and Me

Bhutan became one of the newest countries in the world to join the global village of information and technology in just a decade ago-precisely June 2, 1999 when His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyelpo announced the launching of television and internet. Since then,
just over a period of decade, the use of internet in Bhutan has really picked up from white huge desktop computers with DOS to windows 95 to now flat screen with latest soft wares of windows 7. When I first used a computer decade ago, it took several minutes to just open Microsoft word and today, it hardly takes seconds to connect even with my friends abroad who are thousand miles away from me.
With an ever increasing number of internet users globally, social networks flourished more than any other webs. For instance, Facebook was launched just a few years ago but today it is considered to be one of the most popular social networks on the globe. With the coming of the social networks, I tried to keep the pace with the changing times and development. I used Hi5 to Tagged to Flixster, to Yahoo MSN to Facebook and now my own blogs. These tools has given the knowledge of how the world is changing and how my life is moving ahead. Through these webs, I could meet some of the oldest childhood friends to my deadliest enemies to the strangest persons on the earth.

I learnt on varieties of subjects from Climate Change to religion to sports to animals to anything that is existing on this earth and beyond. It has been like a one stop window for me. I keep a message to meet my friend during the weekends and we meet. I tell my lover how much I love her and we share plans we have and problems to solve. I keep in touch with my siblings and relatives since we cannot meet always because each one us are busy working.

Life has been going smoothly for the last many years like this until one morning. That morning I found that I was not able to access any of my social networks. At first I thought it was because of my network which later on proved wrong. It was blocked. But who blocked? I had no answer because no one informed me of the block. Since I had an important message to receive, I had leave the office in search of cafe. This was because I have never been informed of such and i could not inform my other party so I went o reply him the message.

We know, many employers around the world does not allow such social networks during official hours and Bhutan is no exception. I respect that, though I have never failed in my duties due to my the social networks, instead it helped me to perform better as I could exchange my ideas with other people and get their views. For me here, the problem is different issue, whoever has blocked my site should have the obligation to at least inform us on the issue. He/she must have thought that they have the right to block the site but they have forgotten one thing, the right comes with obligation.

Many issues lingered in my mind thereafter because I found that the person supposed blocked my site was browsing the same site in his computer. It was really annoying and unfair. When he has the right to block other from browsing, why has the liberty to avail the service? This also shows how much Bhutan is willing to move forward in the era of information and technology.

Article 7(3) of the Constitution states"A Bhutanese citizen shall have the right to information". When even the social networks outside the domain of Bhutan is able to keep me and my family, sibling and friends connected, provides me a huge length of knowledge and wisdom on different kinds of subjects and areas, I don't see the reason for the blocking such useful sites permanently. The relevant officials have the right to regulate but I am afraid if the right is information is curtailed in this way when the rest of the world is moving far ahead of us because of enormous exposure and access to information. Its a irony that Bhutan will have a IT Park to be established in future with the present trend of policy on internet in Bhutan.

The right to Information and Me

Bhutan became one of the newest countries in the world to join the global village of information and technology in just a decade ago-precisely June 2, 1999 when His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyelpo announced the launching of television and internet. Since then,

Am I a Safe Commuter?

I am regular commuter in the City Bus Service. Over the years, I have had numerous experiences traveling with people from all walks of life.  She
looked young but energetic and has sharp tongue able to convince even the toughest commuter in the bus.

On weekends, one would notice that she is such a person who can squeeze over twenty people standing in the bus once the only 22 seats are filled. With the ending of winter season, the passengers inside would sweat and one would smell-some foul, some sweet, some pleasant, some alcoholic,  depending on whose side we are sitting. The people inside would make noise, complain it is too packed but she would cheerfully invite still more “Babesa! Babesa! Babesa!. He sharp tongue silence the passengers inside.

A few years back, when I used to travel, the helper would always be handy boy or a man, today, to my surprise many of them are replaced by young girls. During those days, commuters would quarrel with the handy boys quite often. The buses used to more comfortable not because the buses were new during those days but because only 10 people would be carrying standing.

Today, the rules have changed, the standing capacity has increased to an extend as long as they can squeeze inside. The recent accident at Lamperi has not even caused a little concern to Bhutan Post City Bus Service. The only concern I have seen over the period years is the money that the handy girl could collect. Despite of repeated notification, the collection of extra fare and non-issuance of tickets are still rampant. For instance, to reach Simtokha, the normal rate is Nu.8 whereas most often, the handy girl would collect Nu.10 saying that they don’t have change and will compensate next time which is never done agrees many regular travelers.  Many does not care but for some, they say it is annoying and unethical.

Am I a Safe Commuter?

I am regular commuter in the City Bus Service. Over the years, I have had numerous experiences traveling with people from all walks of life.  She

THE PRESS AND PEOPLE’S LAW

 Today, when all the international media are caught by the Tunisian effect of revolution in the Arabian Countries beginning from Tunisia to Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Yemen and now Libya.  The international media talks range from International sanction of weapons embargo to no fly zone in Libya.  They are then caught by the news of suicide bombers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. And they are also preoccupied with the international
inflation and loss of jobs and measures to address these international needs.

Here in Bhutan be it broadcast or print, every journalist looks as if their eyes have become blind and ears deaf to these issue and instead they look like, their pen nips are replaced with cigarettes buds. Since the enforcement of Tobacco Control Act,  it has subdued the mind and the soul of every reporter and the online forum and penetrated every page of the writers.  At least one article is carried out in every paper on tobacco law. Most criticized the law and enforcement agencies for enforcing the Act, not realizing the contribution of the members of the parliament in legislating the law in the country and their wisdoms. It has caught the attention of one the most prominent bloggers of Bhutan, www.tsheringtobgay.com. Though he himself was one of the parliamentarians, not only heavily criticized the law, but also called the citizen’s movement to amend the law and requested the lawyers to defend Sonam Tshering the first case saying we are imprisoning our fellow citizen.

This has motivated the writers, the bloggers, the journalists and the many urban dwellers comprising mostly the smokers-civil servants, businessmen, youth.

Some editors are even to the extent in saying that the Law is Draconian and archaic which undermines the very principle of democracy. Some wrote that laws are meant for poor and this law is no exception.

The first case of tobacco being the monk and from a humble background brought huge criticism to the enforcing agency, collected voices raising their empathy and sympathy to the first offender to the extent of forming groups in the social network calling citizens to amend the law. Many writers and urban dwellers demanded leniency in the interpretation of the law justifying that the offender was unaware of such law. Some said that the law is such that the principle of proportionate is violated since the penalty is disproportionate to the magnitude of the crime committed. Some even voiced and equated that it is better to abuse drugs or rape a minor than to light a cigarettes. 

This has caught the attention of the Prime Minister of Bhutan to urge the public to convince their respective MPs to amend the law and defending that law is not passed by the government but by the parliaments who are elected members of the people and represent the people’s view.

All said and done, one has already sentenced to three years imprisonment and many would follow him until the law gets amended making the headlines of each and every paper unlike any other Act enacted so far in Bhutan

THE PRESS AND PEOPLE’S LAW

 Today, when all the international media are caught by the Tunisian effect of revolution in the Arabian Countries beginning from Tunisia to Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Yemen and now Libya.  The international media talks range from International sanction of weapons embargo to no fly zone in Libya.  They are then caught by the news of suicide bombers in Pakistan and Afghanistan. And they are also preoccupied with the international