And baffled we are, learning that there are several gays, lesbians and heterosexuals amidst us.

It is the diffusion of western life, which Globalization ferried to Bhutan. This is what most of us would say. Others would construe that homosexuals have always been a part of our communities, which is now raising its head. You can take either of the two, the truth remains unchanged; we have gays and lesbians in Bhutan.

And they are tired of trying to portray themselves as someone they are not. They are coming out slowly but steadily. They know that Rome was not built in a day. They also know that it did not take decades or a century.

How would we react if we found out that our sister is a lesbian? It will differ.

Some might erase her out of their family tree. Some may laugh and pull her leg all the time, while some will accommodate her.

We do not know how Bhutan and Bhutanese will take this. However, from what some of them say, we get a rough picture of a tough life. The privileged and edu­cated lot, who know that gay culture is not considered “unusual” and that several role models and celebrities are homosexuals are the very ones who shun them most. Hypocrisy at its heights! Manifested by those who swear on Elton John and his melodies but would throw toma­toes if it is a Bhutanese in John’s shoes. They are fine with lesbians in Paris but not in Thimphu.

Balloons blast when the pressure or air inside exceed the balloon’s elasticity. Similarly, we can look away or put our feet on those we consider “unusual”. But not for long!

This is already happening as manifested by the scores of gays and lesbians who were fighting to make their point to the media. The media, they say is the only one whom they trust and believe will enable them to live like the homosexuals in Europe and other parts of the developed world. The pen they say is mightier than the sword.

We do not know if the government is aware of this ever growing population. They should be. And if they are, they should clearly express and inform people the Government’s stand on homosexuality. The one provi­sion we have in the Penal Code is vague; confusing not just the masses but even the lawmakers.

We are a democracy, where people elect the govern­ment of their choice by voting. And in most democ­racies, governments have accepted gay marriages. Political as well as social factors direct the path the gov­ernment takes. We are yet to see what the Druk Phuen­sum Tshogpa (DPT) does or whether anything would be done at all.

In the last few days, banners advocating women’s rights have been telling us that all of us are human beings first. And yesterday was a day dedicated to all women; the 99th International Women’s Day (IWD).

Homosexuals are also human beings. When would we see similar banners asking and requesting for gay rights? Or will we ever see it? We do not know.

What we know is that gay culture is spreading and growing.

What we know is that there are people, our own fellow citizens, waiting for the day when they will see banners calling for gay rights all over Bhutan.

source: Bhutan Today

Though gay and lesbian relationships are considered a taboo in Bhutan, there is an increasing number of them, thriving behind closed doors.

“I want to be free” says Sengkey, a young man with a normal career and friends. He has the same interests as any other young man except that he is exclusively gay.

“I am not at all shy and embar­rassed to be gay, because that is what god has made me and I ac­cept it in bliss,” he adds.

But, unsurprisingly, even the educated lot are mostly ignorant of the existence of gay and lesbian population in Bhutan which com­prises people ranging from the young to old and the married.

Leksel, 19, a class XII pass out, is one such person. She has a cropped haircut and is dressed in black half pants, a sleeveless jacket over a hooded sweat shirt and sneakers. To her friends, she is just like any other girl, and addi­tionally, a potential partner.

Leksel has been the “Tom” since her childhood days. She teases girls passing by, and boys were always jealous of her since she had all the beautiful girls vying for her attention.

“I qualified for Gaedu College but since I have to wear kira all the time, I am not going” she said.

Most of the girls are influenced by their “Tom” girlfriends. They copy the “Toms” and some con­sider it a fashion statement. Most of them feel safer in the society when they behave like boys, since then they won’t invite unsolicited attention from males.

Yangkey, 21, a civil servant, is in a relationship with her girlfriend for the past two years. She does not care what people think about her. But though she does despise hearing awful things behind her back, she wants to continue with her relationship.

Kezang (name changed) said when it came to being lesbian, the illiterate lot were more accom­modating than the educated ones, and added that she will settle in the east with her partner because people there are more welcoming.

Research has revealed that most gay people are bisexual as they need a female partner to keep up appearances. The gay commu­nity is guarded and secretive as the society is more open towards lesbians than gays.

Tashu, a friend of a lesbian, says, “At first I was shocked to see lesbians and felt really funny, but at the same time it was sweet seeing them loving each other so much, which we can’t always expect from boys”.

He added that all they need is encouragement from both their friends and family.

“Our country is becom­ing like the western coun­tries. It’s sad to see people acting like this,” says Lopen Dorji, a monk.

“But if they are happy, who are we to say any­thing? It is known as Tsen Negh Ma Nee (people con­sisting of opposite charac­ters) in Buddhist text.”

Tobgay Jordan, a stu­dent, feels that may be a reason for increasing suicides, drug addiction and frustration is because gays and lesbians are not considered normal.

“We should support them and if given civil rights, everyone will want them” he says.

One lesbian said that being a “Tom” is accepted by parents as harmless, but what they would not accept is their daughter having a relationship with the same sex.

“I was bashed up by my girlfriend’s brother, when he knew that we are in a relationship but for me, it is not a problem, because I know that my girlfriend loves me a lot” says Son­am, a class XII pass-out.

According to Aap Kar­ma, a villager, people have started adopting western culture in the name of modernization.

“It’s due to their pre­vious life’s sin (tse nye mayi lae) so one can have no control over it. But to see one of them in reality would be a surprise for me.”

According to Bhutanese observers, 20-25% of the Bhutanese population comprises gays and lesbi­ans.

“Let’s not live in the pre­historic ages and accept what is in the present,” said Purna, a graduate.

“Every individual is born free with individual rights, so they have the right to lead their lives their way,” says Lobzang, a school teacher.

One “Tom” said that the only kira she wears is her school uniform, while it is always gho and pants while out of school.

In another case, Leki, a “Tom,” was not willing to talk openly about her­self, since she is fed up of people asking the same questions.

Gays and lesbians are found mostly in hostels, school and places where the crowds are big.

Ugyen, a student, said that there are many lesbi­ans in her hostel.

“I really feel disgusted seeing them. We have tried to make them understand but they never listen. They don’t even heed the matron.”

The majority of the people whom BHUTAN TODAY interviewed shared the view that it is about time to accept lesbi­ans and gays in Bhutanese society.

Source: Bhutan Today

Inspired by her recent visit to Bhutan, Indian designer Babita Malkani showcased a variety of Bhutanese textiles at the Summer Resort 2010 – Lakme Fashion Week.

Keeping Bhutan as her theme, Babita Malkani’s Boho Chic line was an ode to the monasteries and architecture of the country.

“During my travel to Bhutan, I decided to create a line of garments which will represent the happiest country of the world,” ex­plained Malkani in one of media interviews in India.

Hand-woven Bhutanese textiles in silk and cotton were used on the neck and waist of western wears; traditional matha and pan­gtse were innovated into jackets and pants.

Accessories included yatha sling bags, and kera were also used.

“It seemed like a mix-and-match situation with a mix of patterns and fabrics for capri jumpsuits, pleat­ed dhoti dressed, wrap blouses, intricately crafted waist coats and woven belts that snaked around the models,” reads an arti­cle on the fashion show by the Times of India.

Bollywood hunk Har­man Baweja walked the ramp as the showstopper in a checked jacket with a kera hung around like a bag.

The actor walked the ramp with snooker cham­pion Pankaj Advani dis­playing jackets and coats made from Bhutanese textiles.

Kelly Dorji, Bhutan’s very own first model to make it in the internation­al arena, told BHUTAN TODAY that having show­cased Bhutan’s textile in such an event was wonder­ful.

He said that given the fact that Bhutanese textile was very exotic and being recognized by a designer like Babita Malkani was an indication of the strength of the Bhutanese culture and tradition.

Miss Bhutan, 2009, Tshokye Tsomo Karchung who has also modeled for Indian designers said this was a good opportunity to promote the unique and beautiful culture.

Currently Bhutan is too young to join the inter­national fashion world, however with the unique­ness of Bhutanese textiles she said Bhutan was not really far.

Lakme Fashion Week is a jointly organized fashion event by Lakme, which is the number one cosmetics and beauty services brand in India, and IMG, the global leader in fashion weeks and event production.

The Lakme Fashion Week has been conceived and created with a vision to “Redefine the future of fashion and Integrate In­dia into the global fashion world”.

It is organized twice every year.

The Summer Resort 2010 – Lakme Fashion Week started on March 5 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai and will end on March 9.

source: Bhutan Today

The month-long exercise will assesses tourist hotels and accommodations reg­istered with the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB). The hotels have been given two years to upgrade themselves.

The past grading system, which categorized hotels into class A, B and C, was done away with as tourists started demanding international grading.

The government will sup­ply upgradation of hotels. In line with this, TCB is devis­ing incentive schemes in the form of tax breaks, easy ac­cess to loans and duty exemp­tions, among others, to help upgrade hotels. The govern­ment will give a 10-year tax break for hotels constructed between 2010 and 2015.

However, some hoteliers say that taking additional loans for upgradation is a con­cern since there is no guaran­tee that 100,000 tourists will come in by the end of 2012.

But according to the Joint Director of TCB’s services division, Kunzang Norbu, since there would not be major structural changes to the hotels, upgradation of infrastructure may not cost much. He said that the cat­egory of the hotels would not be determined by the number of rooms but basic require­ments. Although star rating will be based on the international standard, the system will be Bhutanised to suit local re­quirements including green or environmentally-friendly elements that can earn extra points.

Lodges, guest houses, farm houses, and apartments will follow a different guideline, not star rating system.

Today, tourists come only through tour operators, but from 2011, they can come through hotels as well. This is expected to increase the tour­ist inflow.

The hotel assessment team consists of members from TCB, Association of Bhuta­nese Tour Operators, Hotel Association of Bhutan, and Bhutan Chamber of Com­merce and Industry led by a consultant, who was involved in designing the classification system.

Today, there are 124 TCB approved hotels, 46 of which are under construction. Thir­ty-three hotels cater to region­al tourists and 33 restaurants, to international tourists.

Back Drop

Facilities requirements

* Three star hotel
* Standard single room – 10 m2
* Standard double room – 16 m2
* All rooms equipped with bath, shower and toilet
* TV, direct dial telephone and clock/alarm in the room
* A lobby, reception desk occupied during day time
* Luggage rack
* Lightproof curtains or blinds in the rooms
* Full breakfast
* Restaurant with ala carte menu
* Room service during the day
* At least one international credit card accepted

Three star guest house and lodge

* Good quality comfortable bedrooms
* Well-maintained practical décor
* Good choice of quality items available for breakfast
* Other meals, where provided, are freshly cooked
* Good level of customer care

Apartments (self catering tourist accommoda­tions)

* May not provide any meals and provide limited other services
* Bed linens and towel changes may not be offered
* Cleaning of rooms may be limited to once a week
* Basic kitchen equipment to meet essential cooking re­quirements and appropriate dish/cutlery is a minimum standard
* All technical quality standards are in compliance to one to three star ratings of hotels and guest houses.

source: Bhutan Observer

Tomorrow, the Mr Chandrasekhar will deliver a talk on “Functions of Cabinet, Committee of Secretaries and Relationship between Bureaucracy and Politicians” at the Tarayana conference hall at Chubachu, Thimphu.

While in the country, Mr Chandrasekhar will receive an audience with His majesty the King and His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. He will also call on the prime minister today. The cabinet secretary will also witness an archery match at the Changlimithang archery ground.

source: kuensel

The accident that took place around 2.15 pm left altogether 13 vehicles damaged, of which an alto taxi, a Maruti 800 car and a Prado car were severely damaged. The bus howev­er suffered minor damage on the front side. The bus is owned by a private com­pany in Thimphu.

Three people injured in the accident – the driver of the Maruti car, the Alto taxi and the bus driver – were rushed to the hospi­tal immediately.

The taxi driver sus­tained minor cuts and was discharged after a few hours of medical examina­tion. The Maruti car driver did not suffer any external injuries but complained of giddiness and was kept under observation at the hospital. The 24-year-old bus driver was in critical condition and was still unconscious at the time of filing this report.

The cause of the acci­dent has not been con­firmed.

Eyewitnesses however said probably the accident occurred due to brake fail­ure as the bus driver was frantically shouting and honking before the bus slammed unto the cars.

An eye witness said the bus was in full speed and the driver was honking and trying to veer the ve­hicle away from the crowd. “It first hit an alto taxi and then went on hitting other vehicles until it came to a halt after smashing unto a Prado car,” he said.

Such was the speed of the bus that the Prado car was propelled some 6 me­ters away from the place where it was parked.

The Thimphu traffic police division however denied that the accident could have been caused by mechanical malfunction. They said the bus was brand new and in perfect condition dismissing mechanical errors as the cause of the accident. The Traffic Division said the accident could be caused either due to reckless or inexperienced driving.

However, at the time of filing this report, the police were yet to take the statement of the driver as he was not in a condition to give one.

People at the accident scene said it was fortunate the accident occurred at a time when there were fewer people in the streets. “Had the accident oc­curred during the rush hour or when school chil­dren were on the move, the consequences could have been disastrous,” said one.

An appalled Rebika, a pan shop owner in Hon­gkong market, said had it not been for the Prado car, the bus could have plunged into her shop. “The bus could have killed me,” she said.

Other eyewitnesses said the traffic authorities should not allow heavy vehicles to ply in the main streets.

“The area in Hongkong market is always crowded and the road along here is narrow and sloping,” said an eyewitness, Mohan. “This incident is an eye opener to the authorities and we hope that neces­sary actions will be taken hereafter.”

A few others said the parking areas along the narrow thoroughfare need to be regulated properly.

While an accident of such magnitude is the first of its type in the capital, the Traffic Division said there had been a similar case last year in which four parked vehicles were damaged because of unlicensed driv­ing.

source: Bhutan Today

The land will enable DHI to partner in the project, the cost of which is expected to run into billions of ngultrums.

Cabinet ministers agreed that Bhutan must do its best to attract outside investment by creating a conducive environment within the country. The economies of most countries, they said, were driven by foreign direct investment (FDI) and Bhutan must revise its FDI policy sooner to make it investor-friendly, and not handle them on a case by case basis. Cabinet ministers also agreed that Bhutan must finalise its economic development policy as soon as possible and possibly come up with an FDI-friendly policy. “Without FDI, we can’t develop,” said Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

It was spelt out that the education city was in sync with the country’s education policies, thus the need to expedite the process.

Infinity earlier proposed to invest one billion dollars for the education city. “The size of the project is huge and DHI wouldn’t be able to partner with Infinity without using the land as their equity,” said the prime minister.

The project, by far the largest FDI investment proposal, aims to bring in 15 to 30 top universities, along with 40,000 foreign students, into the 1000-acre education city. The Infinity group chairman, Ravindra Chamaria, presented a ‘package proposal” designed for a similar project in India. “If we dilly-dally, investors will lose their interest,” said the prime minister, while another minister pointed out that not having a stable policy is “hazardous”.

“If we don’t put land, we have to put money,” said Lyonpo Yeshey Zimaba. “Using land is the cheapest and the most logical thing to do.”

However, the location of the project is not finalised. A proposed location in Phobjikha was shot down and REC was directed to explore the location in Wang Sisina, Thimphu, where it surveyed to establish a university.

The revenue for the project is expected to come through developing and leasing various educational facilities to universities or companies. “Bhutan has the right environment for such a project because of its political stability and pristine environment,” said Tenzin Rigden from the prime minister’s office during a press briefing.

Although the government has approved the land, it has instructed DHI to do further studies.

Education minister, Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, called education city a fascinating development within Bhutan. On the benefits of the having such a hub, he said, Bhutan will be winning the lion’s share.

“We’ve been talking about Bhutan becoming a knowledge hub and this is an area in which Bhutan could capitalise,” he said.

The minister said with a world-class centre in Bhutan, the country will have branches of world-class universities and colleges right within our own territory. “They’ll bring in examples of good practices. We’ll stand to gain in terms of our being able to participate in the intellectual exploration these institutions are known for,” he said. “We’ll also benefit through job creation that Infinity will make possible. We also feel that our national intellectual profile will be enhanced. The coming of Infinity and a number of world-class colleges and institutions will be a wonderful investment.”

Infinity first formally brought up the proposal to the government in a meeting in June 2009 with the ministry of economic affairs and later the ministry of education.

The chairperson of a committee formed to look into the project, economic affairs secretary, Dasho Sonam Tshering, said a task force was formed to look into the project. He said that the task force is looking into a clear mechanism of bidding procedures. “As far as the task force is concerned, we’ll work out a clear procedure, based on which we’ll let interested groups participate,” said the secretary. He said that he was unaware of the cabinet’s decision.

“The education itself is looking into the kind of system to follow.” the secretary said. “REC and the education ministry is working on an education guideline.”

source: kuensel

The education ministry committed to raise the percentage of teachers satisfied with the profession from 24 in 2009 to 70 percent in 2013 through changes in compensation, career tracks and promotion systems.

With the initiative geared towards a Bhutanese learning system focused on GNH principles, education minister, Lyonpo Thakur S Powdyel, said the morale, motivation and commitment level of teachers would increase. “In time, our teachers will see the big reason for being in education and find fulfillment in what they’re doing,” he said.

The ministry also committed to create innovative technology-based teacher support mechanisms, especially for remote locations as one of the 10 key commitments the ministry signed yesterday.

Education officials said they would develop an e-portal forum for teachers to discuss best practices, module lessons and various other topics on the internet. Plans are also set for a call centre for remote teachers to enhance communication with other officials in the ministry.

Education ministry will ensure that teacher supply effectively meets teacher demand by 2013. Bhutan, today, faces a teacher crunch of about 1,000. The ministry has committed to achieve 100 percent net enrolment for primary education and 75 percent for secondary education by the end of the 10th Plan.

The minister said: “We’re committing the whole machinery of the education ministry to be more vigorously and seriously engaged in the service of the children and people of the country.”

Meanwhile, the labour ministry has committed to increase the annual number of vocational education and training (VET) graduates from 500 in 2009 to 6,000 by 2013. That is almost 30 percent of class X and XII students, who appear the board examination annually.

Labour minister, Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi, said they signed seven initiatives relating to creating a skilled workforce through vocational education and training. He said that, in the next five years, the ministry would need to provide jobs to about 75,000 youth. Of which, the government has mandated, through this compact, that about 50,000 jobs should be provided through VET.

To attract students to pursue VET, the institutes will offer viable courses to meet employers’ demands, introduce curriculum on competency-based training and increase the VET’s attractiveness. “We’ll do that by putting a minimum wage rate policy and offering opportunities to pursue diploma and degree courses after VET,” Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi said.

The ministry will also reduce the government funding for each student to Nu 85,000 a year from existing Nu 92,000.

The ministry will also increase the employability of these technical graduates from 50 to 80 percent by 2013. “With curriculum and training delivery system of vocational training institutes undergoing several transformation, we’ll achieve the targets,” Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi said.

The first performance compacts were signed between the prime minister, information and communication ministry, health ministry and tourism council of Bhutan in December 2009.

The education and labour ministers said that this compact required them to make a commitment to deliver the target to both the prime minister and the people of the country. “The performance compact is a new accountability system and we’re fully aware of what we’re committing to,” the labour minister said.

source: kuensel

Known as ‘Classmate PC’, the laptops or rather netbooks are Intel’s response to the one laptop per child (OLPC) XO computer, also known as the US$ 100 laptop.

The donation comes four months after the government received 220 XO laptops from OLPC (Asia Pacific) and the international telecommunications union (ITU), reflecting Intel’s aggressive global marketing campaign against the XO.

The Classmate PC, like the XO, is directed at children in the developing world and is part of Intel’s “world ahead program,” aimed at bridging the digital divide with low cost personal computers.

An education planning officer Singye N Dorji said 10 primary schools across Bhutan would receive 20 Classmate PCs each. He said Intel (South Asia) also offered training for Bhutanese teachers and access to its e-learning solutions website: www.skoool.com, for free. The website allows users to download educational material such as interactive lessons.

“Like the OLPC concept, the Classmate PC is directed towards providing a one on one learning environment where students can teach themselves,” said Singye N Dorji. But, because of a lack of resources and budget, such a scenario for Bhutanese students is currently impossible.

The education ministry, in keeping with the 9th-five-year plan, is aiming at establishing a computer lab, with at least 20 computers for every secondary school, while primary schools will receive computers only through support programs.

“When we get such support, we try to distribute the laptops to primary schools,” Singye N Dorji said. “We’d love to give laptops to all primary students, had it not been for lack of resources.”

Education ministry’s 2009 statistics show that 141 of total 262 community primary schools and 28 of 55 primary schools do not have computers. On an average though, community primary schools have three computers, while primary schools have four.

Last year the communications ministry had expressed its commitment to making the OLPC project a success in Bhutan, but highly subject to availability of international funding and assistance.

The Classmate PC costs about US$ 350-400 compared with XO’s estimated US$ 180.

The communications and education ministries are scheduled to sign an agreement with Intel in Thimphu next week.

source: kuensel

The annual event offered opportunity for tourism destinations and companies around the world to exhibit their products to travel industries and major outbound markets in India.

The tourism council of Bhutan (TCB), comprising 13 tour operators and hoteliers, including Druk Air, received a prize for “best decoration” of the Bhutan stall.

On the sidelines of the fair, TCB director general held a series of meetings with several high-end Indian outbound tour operators, who expressed their interest in promoting Bhutan as a tourism destination.

source: kuensel