South Thimphu candidate appeals for time (Kuensel)
Update 12 January, 2008 - The Peoples’ Democratic Party candidate for South Thimphu, Sonam Tobgay Dorji, has appealed to the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) to give him some time to prove his innocence of the recent ECB allegations against him that he donated Nu 200,000 to a lhakhang in his constituency to garner votes.

In Bhutan, China and India collide (Asia Times)
As the world’s newest democracy, the Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan has won praise around the world.

Bon, Buddhism or both - What do we Bhutanese believe? (Kuensel)
11 January, 2008 - While we in Bhutan may be Buddhists in faith, it seems that we are more Bon in our daily rituals.

Gang rape trial gets going (Kuensel)
9 January, 2008 - The trial of the five soldiers of the Royal Bhutan Army - who were alleged to have gang raped a 16-year-old Bhutanese girl on July 2 last year - began this week in Thimphu district court.

REF : On Bhutan : Unmasking King’s Democracy- Rongthong (News From Bangladesh)
Rongthong kinley represents a sad phase of bhutan where self-serving individuals misguided many innocent citizens for their political gain. ronthong kinley has been out of bhutan for almost 2 decades and it is clear he has lost touch with reality in bhutan. bhutan`s foray into democracy is genuine. the people do have the choice to elect their leaders as has been demonstrated through the recent …

Bhutanese refugees to begin resettlement in US: report (IANS via Yahoo! India News)
Kathmandu, Jan 10 (DPA) Thousands of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in eastern Nepal will begin to be resettled in the US in March under a third-country resettlement programme, media reports said Thursday.

Bhutanese refugees to begin resettlement in US in March: report (EARTHtimes.org)
Kathmandu - Thousands of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in eastern Nepal will begin to be resettled in the United States in March under a third-country resettlement programme, media reports said Thursday. The United States will assimilate 10,000 …

U.S. to accept 10,000 Bhutanese refugees from Nepal (People’s Daily)
The United States will accept 10,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal under the first phase of refugee rehabilitation program, U.S. ambassador to Nepal Nancy J Powell said on Wednesday, according to local media houses’ website THT online …

On Bhutan : Unmasking King’s Democracy (News From Bangladesh)
The King of Bhutan has introduced a unique type of democratic process in Bhutan. The international community has already congratulated Bhutan (King) on “historic election” with the pre-conceived notion that genuine democracy has finally been introduced.

History in Dzongkha: To delink or not? (Kuensel)
9 January, 2008 - Much of the current discussions among teachers in Bhutanese middle secondary schools revolves around whether Bhutan history should continue to be taught in Dzongkha or should it revert to being taught in English as in the past.

Good intentions, bad execution
Update 12 January, 2008 - Education officials admit that undue haste and the absence of preparation were the two main causes of problems in the implementation of the curriculum of Bhutan history in Dzongkha today.

Postal ballot’s poor show
12 January, 2008 - Almost two-thirds of the 17,876 applications for postal votes in the National Council elections on December 31, 2007, never made it to the ballot to influence the outcome of the country’s first parliamentary election.

Prank caller’s trial called off
12 January, 2008 - The Paro woman, who dragged a male prank caller to court last year for tormenting her over the phone, has withdrawn her case after discovering that the anonymous caller was a paraplegic waist down.

South Thimphu candidate appeals for time
Update 12 January, 2008 - The Peoples’ Democratic Party candidate for South Thimphu, Sonam Tobgay Dorji, has appealed to the Election Commission of Bhutan (ECB) to give him some time to prove his innocence of the recent ECB allegations against him that he donated Nu 200,000 to a lhakhang in his constituency to garner votes.

Men: 19 - Women: 0

Aerial combat at the basketball court

12 January, 2008 - Team Ikon’s Khendrup couldn’t beat the buzzer to tie the game when he missed both free throws with 13 seconds left on the clock in the ongoing 24th national basketball championship yesterday. Ikons then went on to lose the game to Hitz, 39-35.

From policy to reality
12 January, 2008 - Teaching history in Dzongkha … this is one of the current dilemmas facing our school system. It needs to be debated and distilled into a good teaching initiative, not just to make Dzongkha work as a language of instruction, but as an example of how to implement policy decisions that are made by parliament.

Bon, Buddhism or both - What do we Bhutanese believe?

Tonpa Shenrab, the Bon Buddha look-alike

11 January, 2008 - While we in Bhutan may be Buddhists in faith, it seems that we are more Bon in our daily rituals. In the past, because of our lack of understanding of Bon, we simply relegated it to the villages (cf earlier Kuensel article written by Rinzin Wangchuk), where animals were sacrificed and Yul lhas worshipped. But Bon actually constitutes more than that.

Bringing uniformity to NgaChham

Mask dance teachers go back to school

10 January, 2008 - For six hours every day, 20 men take to the Drametse monastery’s courtyard, learning the precise steps and movements of the Ngachham or ‘Dance of the Drums’, one of many sacred dances performed during tshechus (religious festivals).

(Wal)Nuts about winter

Soaking up the sun with their favourite snack

10 January, 2008 - As the mercury dips below zero, bringing to a close the agriculture and tourist season in the central district of Bumthang, nuts start to crack.

‘Slapping’ principal slapped with fine
10 January, 2008 - A school principal in Lhuentse, convicted last week of slapping a 12-year-old student in the face and causing damage to his eardrum, was fined Nu 3,000 in lieu of one month’s imprisonment by the district court.

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