bbs, 1 September 2006 mock election session The Election Commission of Bhutan organised a mock election session at the National Institute of Education in Paro on Tuesday the trainees and lecturers. The briefing is part of series of programmes in preparing for the country’s first democratic election in 2008. The daylong mock session also included political party formation and voter registration. The exercise will be filmed as a documentary and will be used as electoral education material. bbs, 1 September 2006 His Majesty grants audience to US Congressional delegation His Majesty the King has granted an audience to the US Congressional delegation at the Tashichodzong today morning. The delegation, led by the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Jim Kolbe, is in the kingdom on a three day official visit. Later in the afternoon, His Majesty the King and their Majesties the Queens hosted a luncheon for the delegation at the Dechencholing Palace. Speaking to the local media the chairman, Jim Kolbe, said the visit was meant to explore areas of cooperation. “Bhutan and US could cooperate in the areas of economic, culture and education.” newkerala, 4 September 2006 United States Congressmen urge Bhutan to accept its citizens A delegation of the US House of Representatives, currently on Bhutan visit, has urged the Government here to accept the Bhutanese refugees and initiate repatriation process. Jim Kolbe, leader of the delegation, said that there needed to be some show of good faith on the part of the Bhutanese government to return or repatriate even a small number of those that they have agreed are citizens. bbs, 5 September 2006 British High Commissioner in the kingdom The British High Commissioner, Sir Michael Arthur, is in the kingdom on a three day official visit. He is scheduled to receive an audience with His Majesty the King. He will also meet with senior government officials. While in the kingdom he will be conferring the most excellent order of the British empire to the honorary consul of Bhutan in the United Kingdom, Mr. Michael Rutland, on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. hindustantimes, 5 September 2006 Bhutan's march to democracy begins with mock poll Bhutan is holding a three-day mock election from Thursday to prepare officials and citizens ahead of the first general polls in 2008 when the Himalayan kingdom shifts from monarchy to parliamentary democracy. A statement by Bhutan's Election Commission said the three-day mock election to be
held at the National Institute of Education at Paro, 65 km from capital Thimphu, would include political campaigning, voting, counting of votes and declaration of results. nepalhumanrightsnews, 5 September 2006 Germany Offers 100,000 Euros for Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal Germany has contributed 100,000 Euros to UNHCR Nepal, as part of Humanitarian Assistance and International Protection for the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. The UNHCR office in Kathmandu said on Monday that this contribution was in response to a specific proposal submitted to the German government last month to continue its support for the protection and assistance to the refugees. gorkhapatra, 13 September 2006 Bhutanese Refugees The fate of over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees has been in the air for a decade and a half. These Bhutanese refugees have been sheltering in seven camps in Jhapa and Morang districts in eastern Nepal since they first arrived in December 1990. The Government of Nepal and the Royal Government of Bhutan have held umpteen rounds of talks to solve the refugee crisis. The Nepal-Bhutan Joint Ministerial Committee was formed in 1993, and the first round of talks was held in that year. Despite so many rounds of talks, there is no sign of the refugee crisis getting solved. Who is to blame for this sorry state of affairs? It is largely Bhutan itself. yahoo.com, 13 September 2006 Bhutan PM to work for economic progress The new prime minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck, has pledged to usher in a new era of economic prosperity in the Himalayan kingdom. 'People should ensure that we have a strong, capable and honest government that is deeply committed to carry out its responsibilities,' he said after taking over the reins of the Bhutanese government. 'We must bear in mind that if we go wrong, all that His Majesty has built with selfless and dedicated work could be ruined in a short time,' the prime minister said, promising to strengthen the sovereignty and security of the country. bbs, 13 September 2006 audience to a delegation from India His Royal Highness the Trongsa Penlop granted an audience to a delegation from India’s National Defence College. The 16 member delegation led by Air Marshal, PP Rajkumar, arrived in the kingdom on a five day visit on Monday. While in the kingdom, the delegation will meet senior government officials and visit places of historical interest in Paro and Punakha.
bbs, 13 September 2006 Mock election concludes, Bhutan Forwad Party wins the General Election The mock elections in the Paro College of Education concluded yesterday with the Bhutan Forward Party’s candidate winning the National Assembly seat. Six parties contested in the primary round election. On the second day on Friday, voters took part in the primary round of the election having completed the primary round of campaigning. Only two parties were qualified for the General Assembly election. Bhutan Forward Party campaigning for votes The students of the Paro College of Education formed six political parties and like in a real election, organized political campaigns. There can be as many political parties as possible. They would be selected according to the party formation guidelines. The trainees at the Paro College of education have formed six political parties. The party presidents presented their manifesto. financialexpress, 15 September 2006 NHPC plans thermal foray National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), India’s second largest power generating firm, is planning to foray in coal-fired projects and begin inter-state trading of electricity. This is in a bid to become a 10,000mw company by 2012 from about 3,750mw currently. The PSU will take up two projects in Bhutan with a total capacity of 1,600 mw.“We are looking to set up a coal-based power plant in Madhya Pradesh and have approached the state government for a coal mine, but nothing has been decided as yet,” NHPC chairman and managing director S K Garg told reporters here.“The preliminary discussions in this regard have been initiated through Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation, a joint venture of NHPC and government of MP which already has two hydel projects in the state,” he added. bbs, 16 September 2006 Bhutan’s Prime Minister attending the Non-Aligned Movement The Bhutan’s Prime Minister, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, is attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Havana, Cuba. Poverty, health care and the middle east conflict top the agenda at the meet. It will be followed by the conference on the 15th and 16th also in Havana. The Prime Minister will then proceed to New York where he will be attending the UN General Assembly meeting on the 18th and 19th. Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk will deliver his statement to the general assembly on 22nd September. newkerala, 16 September 2006 India, China to participate in joint Himalayan expedition An Indian scientist will join counterparts from China, Nepal and Bhutan to undertake a joint expedition to the Himalayas to explore its geographical features including the flora and fauna of the fragile region.
The one-month-long expedition in mid-October, led by senior engineer Tao Baoxiang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), will comprise 13 scientists from China and one from each of Nepal, India and Bhutan. bbs, 19 September 2006 grassroots leaders attending the annual DYT and GYT chairmen’s conference A total of 218 grassroots leaders are attending the annual DYT and GYT chairmen’s conference. The meeting which began on Monday is organized by the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. The weeklong conference will see discussions on a wide range of issues including the decentralization process, good governance, capacity building of the grassroots leaders, census and civil registration and Gross National Happiness. The conference ends on 26th. bbs, 20 September 2006 Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk attending the 61st session of the UN General Assembly The Prime Minister, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, is attending the 61st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. He delivered a speech at the review of the Brussels Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries. He said Bhutan is fully committed to the Brussels Programme of Action and is making concerted efforts towards its implementation.