quote from the news "
Bhutanese vote in historic polls
Posted: 24 March 2008 1444 hrs
THIMPHU : Bhutan was set to bring a century of absolute monarchy to an end Monday with the election of the tiny Himalayan nation's first democratic government.
The polls are the culmination of an initiative by Bhutan's royal family to peacefully transform the remote kingdom, which is wedged in the mountains between India and China, into a constitutional monarchy.
The country's young Oxford-educated King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck made a strong pitch at the weekend for his subjects, many of whom have been reluctant to see democracy introduced, to take part.
Two parties are locked in a tight race and have both made similar promises to boost growth and develop roads and other infrastructure -- and to stick by the royal concept of "Gross National Happiness".
Only university graduates have been allowed to stand for the 47 seats in the new National Assembly, who will be chosen from either the People's Democratic Party (PDP) or the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party.
"This is the first time I'm voting," smiled Lhamchum, a 68-year-old housewife who had turned up with nine family members to vote in Thimphu, a capital city devoid of traffic jams and high-rise buildings.
"It's a development for my country and I'm happy about it," she said.
Election officials handed out badges reading "I voted in the National Assembly Elections 2008."
"We are very excited. It is history in the making for us," said Tshewang Tashi, a 41-year-old civil servant.
"It's a very proud moment for us because of the way democracy has started. We didn't have to fight for it," she said.
Bhutan, about the size of Switzerland, is one of the most insular countries on earth. It had no roads, telephones or currency until the 1960s, and only allowed television in 1999.
The landlocked country, which calls itself "The Land of the Thunder Dragon", was never colonised. For centuries the Bhutanese relished their isolation, maintaining a barter economy and allowing few foreigners to visit.
Officials said they expected more than 70 percent turnout after a tepid response to mock polls last year, which were held to familiarise voters with the process, and recent elections for an upper house.
Polling stations were to close at 5:00 pm (1100 GMT) and preliminary results were expected late Monday. Final official results are to be declared on Tuesday.
The kingdom's move to democracy began in 2001 when former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck handed over daily government to a council of ministers and finally stepped down in favour of his son in late 2006.
After the assembly is elected, however, the king is expected to retain a strong influence over how the country is run.
The leader of the PDP, Sangay Ngedup, is a former two-time premier in the old royal government, and is the brother of the four sisters and queens who are married to the former king.
The DPT leader, Jigmi Thinley, is also a former premier and close to the country's educated elite, who dominate politics and the bureaucracy.
The PDP's slogan is "Service with Humility: We Walk the Talk."
- AFP " end quote
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other related news:
Bhutan's king relinquishes total power with historic vote
Posted: 24 March 2008 0202 hrs
THIMPHU : Bhutan stands poised to become the world's newest democracy on Monday with historic polls ordered by its revered royal family to end their absolute rule over the mountainous kingdom.
The tiny Buddhist state, wedged in the Himalayas between India and China, will elect members for a lower house, ending the century-old rule of the hugely popular Wangchuck dynasty.
..........................." end quote
I truely RESPECT and Admire the King of Bhutan for doing what is right for the country and being so self-less, ungreedy, benevolent, Generous, Gentlemanly by relinquishing his absolute power.
How many leaders in the world are willing to let go of power?
I think this king is no ordinary leader. He is one Enlightened leader.
I urge Dictators of all types in the world learn to be wise like our king here. All the money dictators easily earn by torturing others using brute force, and fear and domination should repent and save their souls when their limited life still has some time left.
They should learn to respect democracy and people's rights as free man and just repent now before they visit the other side of nirvana.
may peace be upon you.
Bhutan Communist Party Propaganda:
http://www.cpnm.org/statement/statement_cpb(mlm).htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhutan_Communist_Party_(Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)
Bhutanese Maoists launch class struggle
http://ajadhind.blogspot.com/2008/02/bhutanese-maoists-launch-class-struggle.html
The maoists are the problem every where.
I only regard someone as a leader if he can show the same virtue.
Else .... they need to earn my respect. and its not gonna be easy at all given their limitation.
at least there is some kind of an election system that is in place and working. Past ideology will have to run its course.
Lets hope china can wake up.
Lets hope china can wake up.
wake what up?
Er.he mean giving its people chance to elect their leader?
Wake up from holding on to power.
Reading the history of Bhutan, there remains political current in the country that can result in problem potentially. It should be noted that Bhutan now has no formal relationship with the US, the UK, Russia and France, and it is reported that there are over 70,000 refugees in the US.
They have just lifted ban on television in 1999. They are the most happy people in the world judging from the Gross National Happiness which used only in Bhutan.
Bhutan is the most isolated country, among the least developed nations in the world.
The greatest virtue of the king is that he does not take everything in the country to become his. But as a king, he doesn't have much for himself either. Instead of having to look after the people, with literally nothing, it was better to allow free election to select somebody who can create wealth for the people.