While Bhutan was observing its `national day’ on Dec. 17, for the evicted ones it was a sit-in at the Indo-Nepal border, Mechi bridge, in eastern Nepal as part of their bid to return to their homeland.

Bhutanese monarch Jigme Singye Wangchuck (Photo source:traveloscopy.com)

Bhutanese monarch Jigme Singye Wangchuck (Photo source:traveloscopy.com)
It was in 1907 on the same day that Trongsa province ruler captured the power and declared himself as king of Bhutan. Since then, in a century long history of ups and downs, the kingdom is to get its fifth monarch with the beginning of the new centenary of monarchy.

King Jigme Singye, the fourth in line of hereditary Wangchuk dynasty, earlier in 1994 had also announced that he would abdicate his throne in favor of new successor if he did not ably solved the southern Bhutan imbroglio. But it has been more than a decade that he is still spending his substantial time by advocating strong action against dissidents who were calling for the establishment of democracy and human right in the Himalayan kingdom. After all, it is his failure to cling on with the words that he could not find an amicable solution to the refugee problem.

Refugees do not want to ‘abdicate’ their duties towards their motherland whether the king abdicates his throne or not. Abdication by a person of his personal position does not mean great unless over 100,000 citizens of the country are given a chance to return to their homeland and lead a dignified life.

In his address on the occasion of the Bhutan’s National Day this year, the Bhutanese monarch also advocated his commitment to introduce multiparty democracy with constitutional monarchy by the time he hands over his responsibilities to the new ruler. It would be an irony to mention that despite his repeated words that he favors democracy, he seems not to be in good terms with the system. What an irony that he would be leaving his throne once democracy prevails! If it was not so, he should have trained the tender king on working with democracy at least for next few years.

So, what may have led King Jigme Singey Wangchuk to announce that he is leaving his throne by 2008? We will have to look into the background in which the present king ascended to the throne. Many believe that the recent decision of the Bhutanese monarch may have some relation with the murder of then Prime Minister Jigme Palden Dorji in 1964 and the present king’s enthronement in 1972.

Dorji was killed by army officials at Phuentsholing on charge of trying to weaken the royal power when the then king Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (father of the present king) was undergoing medical treatment in Switzerland. Present king’s opponents are still looking for any opportunity against the monarchy, the strongest of all is the Yangki faction. Yangki is the illegitimate wife of present monarch’s father with four children from him and evicted to India by the present king.

The Bhutanese monarch with his four wives.

The Bhutanese monarch with his four wives.
(File photo)

The other story lies within the family. The four wives of Jigme are all sisters. The crown prince is the son of second wife. Son from first wife is younger to him. The question is whether it is the eldest son of the family to get the throne or the eldest son from the first wife. This has complicated matters for Jigme to reconcile. He would like to see that the new king would not face challenges as he faced during his coronation.

But, the story of ‘abdication of throne’ is not much reliable at the first place. Actions and words from King Jigme have never matched during his reign. In 1978, on the occasion of National Day celebrations, he announced that the government would not behave with southern Bhutanese as foreigners and that Bhutanese of Nepali origin who were living there for the past several centuries were genuine Bhutanese, not like those in Bengal and Sikkim who had migrated from Nepal. He assured that they would not be treated otherwise.

In less than a decade, in 1985, he allowed his courtiers in the National Assembly to pass on the bill to suppress the southern Bhutanese, who were increasingly demanding democracy, human rights and right to religion, among others.

By the year 1988, he formulated a number of policies to eliminate the identity of southern Bhutanese. After demonstrations in southern Bhutan, he told Indian journalists that he was not against democracy. In 1991, addressing a function at Kanglung College, he announced that he would crush the southern Bhutanese at any cost.

These are a few instances to illustrate how many times King Jigme has been true to his words during his 31 years of reign. His latest announcement might have stunned many world leaders, but it is unreliable right from the core. It is not yet clear whether India had received pre-information about the royal announcement. Of course, events have proved that King Jigme made all the important announcements only after visiting Delhi or consulting senior officials of the Indian government.

If Crown Prince happens to ascend to the throne during the life time of his father, he must be congratulated not only because he would be the king but also because he would start his rule as a “constitutional monarchy in a democratic nation” as promised by his father. Let’s wish that his father’s notions do not prevail during the reigns of the new king.