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Published on March 24, 2008

He refused to say which party he voted for. He would only say that he was not quite sure how his country would turn out following the nationwide poll scheduled for today. Like many Bhutanese, he is very anxious. Democracy is coming to this Himalayan kingdom, without him, or others, having asked for it. "It was given to us by the Druk Gyalpo (king). We have to take it," he said with a smile. "He must not leave us alone."

Visnu's views are echoed throughout the tiny country nestled in the Himalayas bordering China, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. A total of 318,465 registered voters, out of an estimated population of 600,000, will decide who gets seats in the 47 constituencies of the National Assembly.

More than half of those voting will be women and they will choose from candidates fielded by the People's Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Sangay Ngedup, and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) headed by Jigme Thinley. Candidates from both parties comprise almost an equal number of bureaucrats, educators and professionals. PDP is fielding five female candidates, while DPT will have four. It is hard to distinguish one party from the other except that the logo of the former features a horse, and that of the latter shows three cranes.

Both parties have published their manifestos, which focus on improving the livelihood and well-being of the Bhutanese and are derived from the schemes and activities envisaged in the 10th economic and social development plan. The manifestos of both parties were quite similar, in a humble way, to elements found in Western social democracies, but the focus was on happiness and human dignity. Both the PDP and the DPT followed the philosophy that stimulating the country's "Gross National Happiness" should be its guiding principle. The DPT has a provision to promote and protect freedom of expression and the role of media.

The Bhutanese media community is very cautious regarding pledges made by politicians who expressed their support for press freedoms. Some 100-plus working journalists, both in print and electronic media, are facing a similar challenge related to how they can best serve a society in the midst of a transitional period from monarchical rule to democracy. Discussions with the country's leading journalists showed their understanding of the unique situation their kingdom will encounter in the age of globalisation.

In the past two years, the number of new publications has mushroomed. Now, apart from the Kuensel newspaper, two new biweekly publications, the Bhutan Times and the Bhutan Observer are wooing readers who want fresh news and analysis on the country's new political and economic direction. Private radio stations have also contributed to the lively debate on the kingdom's democratic development.

Radio and TV stations broadcast live political debates, meticulously providing participants with equal time. Many Internet bloggers also touch on politics.

Tashi Dorji, the news editor of the Bhutan Observer, believes that Bhutanese, both in rural and urban areas, need information from all sides in order to keep them informed and help them make decisions.

Gopila Acharya, the editor of the Bhutan Times, concurred, adding that the media must reflect the views of all stakeholders. Kaka Tshering, the chief editor of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, the country's only TV station, stressed the importance of impartiality of reports on the election both before and after the polls.

Phuntsho Wangdi, the editor of Kuensel, said that journalists must strictly follow their code of ethics to earn the trust of the public. In preparation for the great political transformation in their country, editors from all media outlets in Bhutan met over the past few months and have agreed to establish an association for journalists to give them a legal personality and a common voice. They hope that the Journalists Association of Bhutan will be set up through a royal decree in the near future. Bhutanese journalists do trust their young king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, more than politicians and they want his blessing from the very beginning. They unanimously agreed to respect and uphold the democratic constitutional monarchy of Bhutan.

Bhutan's first constitution, which the National Assembly is expected to approve in early April, fully protects freedom of expression, press freedoms and access to information. The constitution-drafting process, which took nine months, drew inspiration from over 100 constitutions from around the world including Thailand's 1997 "people's constitution".

According to Sonam Tobgye, the chief justice of the Bhutanese Supreme Court and chairman of the drafting committee, Bhutan has a very liberal charter, which begins with "We the People", just like the US constitution. Sovereign power lies with the people, not with the king. He said Bhutanese kings would have to "retire" when they reach 65 years of age.

Many experts are hopeful that once the National Assembly starts the kingdom's political scene will evolve and become more pluralistic. Issues affecting the lives of citizens, national security and sovereignty will also be debated. While campaigning in southern Bhutan, which is populated by the Nepali ethnic group, some politicians promised to look into the security-clearance issue which has prevented tens of thousands of people from casting their votes. More than 100,000 Bhutanese-Nepali refugees are living in six camps along the southern border.

As Bhutan celebrates 100 years of monarchy, the kingdom has taken its first bold steps on the democratic journey. The road ahead is long and arduous.

Kavi Chongkittavorn

kavi@nationgroup.com