Monday, August 28, 2017
Doklam is free from Trespassers. May the Deities of Bhutan always prevail ![/paste:font]
My deepest admirations and respects for His Majesty the People's King of Bhutan and the Government of Bhutan for ensuring that the true and natural sovereign respecting status quo is maintained at Doklam. Small and militarily tiny Bhutan is but courage and wisdom saw the nation through intact.
The Indian troops have withdrawn back to Indian Border. There is no shame is doing the right thing, dear Indian Army. Defend your great nation and respect our heavenly Kingdom.
I sincerely thank His Excellency Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India for taking the right step and correcting the mis- step of war- mongering politicians and bureaucrats. Please appoint an independant Defence Minister to avoid free rides for war- mongers. Shri Arun Jaitley is over stretched and buried under Note Ban deluge and GST complexities.
Bhutan has been a sovereign nation since time immemorial and a Kingdom since 1907. The Kingdom of Bhutan and their Majesties the Kings have been genuine friends of India. Bhutan shared the joys of India when she received her independence from the British Empire in 1947.
And in 1962, Bhutan sympathised Indian losses and defeat from the Chinese forces and extended all help to provide safe passage to the fleeing Indian soldiers from Tawang through Bhutan to India. Bhutan always extended a helping hand to India in times of real need.
India on the other hand, instigated two uprisings of ethnic group in Southern Bhutan ( 1956 and 1989 ). Flooded Southern Bhutan with Indian militant groups during the 1990s after the unsuccessful 2nd ethnic uprising. Then attempted to hijack Bhutanese democratic Government formation in 2013 and this year 2017, India invaded Bhutanese territory. Please review history. Bhutan did not seek Indian assistance or friendship.
Only after His Excellency Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru of India undertook the arduous himalayan trek to Bhutan in 1958 and offered friendship on equal terms and India's respect for Bhutan's sovereignty, the King of Bhutan consented to establish both economic and political relationships with India. Indian bureaucrats, politicians, and media should revisit the speech of Shri Pandit Nehru to the people of Bhutan.
Those words are as solid and meaningful as that of his " freedom at midnight" speech heralding the Independence of India. And yet successive Indian Governments betrayed his commitments to Bhutan just like they betrayed Gandhi's dream of co- existence for all Indian races and religions.
Bhutan was never a " protectorate state" of India nor that of British Raj of India. The clause " to be guided in foreign affairs " in 1949 Bhutan-India Treaty was just a copycat term of Sinchula Treaty that British India imposed on Bhutan in 1865. Further in 1865, Bhutan was following an Isolationist Policy dealing only with Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim, Ladakh. There was no other foreign relation plans. Since 1949, Bhutan never adhered to that term with independent India. And reflecting ground reality, this dormant clause was removed in the revised 2007 Bhutan- IndiaTreaty. Thus eradicating any lingering vintage of overlordship of India in any affairs of Bhutan including external affairs. And this fact must remain imprinted on any cooperation between Bhutan and India.
India must take note of an edict issued by His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck that in summary declared for all within and without that " in the Kingdom of Bhutan, the King of Bhutan shall always be the sovereign ruler and ultimate authority ". This was not a direct reminder to India but it was issued in due course after India offered military back- up to the King at the time of the assassination of the Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji of Bhutan by the Brigadier in Command of Bhutan Army Operational aspects.
His Majesty who was abroad on medical treatment returned to Bhutan to deal with the crisis. The King firmly declined Indian Government's offer to send Indian Army into Bhutan " to quell the mutiny " so reasoned India. Indian Government must have been utterly dismayed when the King summoned his Brigadier to the Palace and Commanded him to surrender himself over to the military police for court- Marshall proceedings.
A similar historic event was repeated in 2003. His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck declined Indian offer to send Indian Army to dislodge ( most ironically) militants groups of India who were fighting for their respective state autonomy. The King declined and led his own Bhutanese Army to crush and expel all such militants groups to the utter shock of Indian Army. Tiny Bhutan Army succeeded where for decades the mighty Indian Army failed.
This time at Doklam, India did not bother to ask His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck. Indian Army simply trooped into Bhutanese and Chinese territories at Doklam Plateau on the pretext of defending Bhutanese territory. India thought it would be a piece of cake like the 2013 intrusions in the General Election of Bhutan. Few years ago, the Bhutanese authority was ill prepared for such well orchestrated action and propaganda that various agencies of India enacted. But this time, once burnt twice shy kind of maturity was demonstrated by Bhutan after the initial confusion that resulted in " one namesake demarche and one solitary press release".
That " Protectorate state " claim of India shocked the Bhutanese leadership to the danger that loomed over the Kingdom's sovereignty. Thank God this Indian attempt at Bhutanese sovereignty heist occurred when the reigning King had acquired 11 years of experience on the job and the birth of the Crown Prince to whom the King has the hereditary duty to enthrone later in likened manner of his own enthronement by his illustrious great father the 4th King. There cannot be a future King if the Kingdom is not preserved now. And above all our Great 4th King is in the best of health and immensely over versed in all the intricacies and manoeuvres of politics of India. Modi is just another Prime Minister of India whose time has come and whose time will pass. And the Wangchuck Dynasty will flourish along with the Kingdom and the people of Bhutan for many more centuries.
I am relieved that China stood firm and upheld Bhutanese sovereignty. And the Deities of our beloved Kingdom stood omnipotent and omniscient. Thank You Triple Gem. Kuenchho Soum is the Greatest !
Despite so many unsavory threats posed by India to Bhutsn's sovereign existence, Bhutanese wish to be friends with Indian people. We cannot choose our neighbours so we choose to be friends with both the neighbouring giants: India and China. India will always enjoy better advantages than China. But do not squander away such opportunities. Be deserving of Bhutan's goodwill and best of friendship.
Bhutan, China and India have been designed and destined to be neighbours whether the geographical positioning is to our liking or not. So we might as well move forward for sounder peace, greater prosperity and better trust worthy friendships. We cannot be equal in material resources and military might. But as sovereign nations, practise equal respects. May Bhutan, China and India become better neighbours.
Hurrah for the sacred sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Pelden Drukpa Lha Gyel Lo !
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