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Bhutan to end monarchy, become democracy on Monday vote
THIMPU - The insular kingdom of Bhutan stands poised to become the worlds newest democracy on Monday with historic polls ordered by its revered royal family to end their reign. The tiny Buddhist state wedged between the Himalayas of India and China will elect members for a lower house, ending the century-old absolute rule by the hugely popular Wangchuk dynasty.The countrys young Oxford-educated King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk made a forceful last-minute appeal on Saturday to his subjects-some of whom were initially reluctant to bring in democracy-to cast their vote. As you approach the duty of voting at the elections that will bring democracy, do so with pride and confidence of a people that have achieved so much, the king said in a statement published in the nations newspapers. First and foremost, you must vote. Every single person must exercise his or her franchise, said the king-the fifth ruler in the Wangchuck dynasty, which came to power in 1907.
The former king said, today you have a good king, but what if you have a bad king tomorrow, said Kinley Dorji, managing director of the national Kuensel newspaper. The argument was irrefutable. Despite the royal familys efforts at persuasion, concerns persist about the sweeping changes ahead for country, which closely guards its traditions and identity. It allowed television only in 1999, permits few foreigners and bans cigarette sales. People are expected to wear traditional clothes for office and public functions and the country has strict rules to protect its environment, architecture and heritage. The two political parties-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party-have similar manifestos promising growth and better infrastructure. Both are led by two-time former prime ministers and are in a tight race for 47 seats. Posted by: Steve White 2008-03-23 |
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