The Bhutanese Scholar - Part I

Where do Bhutan stands?

My dear friends, 

If we truly love our country, time has summoned us to show our patriotism to the nation. We are made lazy by the developed nations around the globe. We don't manufacture lot many things. We are but scavengers feeding upon the waste of developed nations. For how long can we go like this? For how many years can we retain our sovereignty with such economic growth? Time has come for us to rethink our policies and do something different that can reduce our dependency on the imported goods. You and I cannot go like this, for this is 21^st century, where innovation is placed at the top. 

Who said that Bhutanese cannot create new things and stand on our on? Bhutan has resources, but Bhutanese are selfish. Do you agree with me here? If you don't, then what’s about some Bhutanese people taking Kishu Thara to Jaigon town for Indians to manufacture same clothes at cheaper rates? Isn't this threat to the local economy from local people? If not us, then who will help Bhutan? Look at the present situation. We import almost everything from India and the environment is full of waste imported from neighboring countries. Bhutan does not have that much literature, but this does not mean that Bhutan lacks creativity. What we lack is market, and the habit of cultivating good habits. If Bhutan lacks creativity, then what’s about Dr. Sonam Kinga, Karma Ura, Kunzang Choden, Pema Yuden, and many more writers who have produced awesome creative art? 

Friends, time has arrived. Let’s wake up from the long sleep and try to convert the dreams that we enjoy in our sleep to reality. Let’s not sleep to enjoy those dreams. Come on friends. Developed nations are once primitive land preoccupied by primitive nature. People shape it to a new world, they discovered diamond from lumps of clay and gold from stones. Bhutanese are also human beings, let us be the humans like that of the predecessors of present citizens in developed nations. Let us not be talkers but doers.

I do not mean to say that Bhutanese economy should dominate international market. We should know that “a journey of thousand miles begins with a single step.” The foremost thing we should achieve in our economy is self-sufficiency. This will reduce the dependency on the imported waste. Time is the most important thing in development. We cannot directly do roofing of the house without even laying the foundation. Let us start with the self-sufficiency from our boundary before going to the international markets. Let us force policy makers to give further more emphasis on agricultural and education sector, for agriculture ensures food security and education, human resources needed for the development of the nation. Slowly the thing will take shape once we gain momentum. 

My dear youths, what is there in Thimphu and Phuentsholing? There isn’t any gold reserves. The gold reserves are at your home, sweet home. Rural areas are facing acute shortage of human capitals, and the number of houses remaining locked are increasing. Attending education does not really mean that you should have white collar job. Education is to learn what we haven’t learned before. With education we can bring magic to the farmlands back at our home. Happiness will be there at home. You need not have to pay rents, water bills and many more. Environment is serene. If you are really looking for jobs with the education, then why not replace the Indian Labourers in the construction industries? Come on, friends. 

Crime and unemployment rates in urban areas are increasing. There is an increasing number of youth violence. Stabling, theft, substance abuse and fights are mounting like silica on the river banks. Already congested urban area is suffocating with increasing population. If this is the trend of Bhutanese Urbanization, Thimphu city will hardly have space to place our foot by 2020. 

I am just student, but I think time has come for us to realize our nature. Bhutanese can do. Bhutanese should not depend for every bits and pieces on other nations. Let’s be creative, innovative, and let’s manufacture concrete future in terms of economy, literature, environment, peace and other branches of arts and sciences.