"Disengaged Toleration" - I borrow this phrase from one of my friends who used this term on facebook. I find it very interesting and how it so aptly captures the common Bhutanese mindset. Have you noticed how tolerant we are as a society? (unless ofcourse it has something to do with us) - not where as a civil society we should be tolerant, but tolerant on issues and concerns that should not be tolerated.
Starting with small things (which is in fact getting huuuugggeeee and out of hand) like littering. How often do we see people throwing pet bottles and rubbish out of their cars? How often do we see young students throwing wrappers on the road? How often do we see people spitting (red doma juices) on the walls, not to mention rubbing white lime on all pillars, posts and even trees? - but none of us say word.
What about the time when Thimphu city impounded stray dogs and puppies and they were all dying under inhumane conditions? None of us, so called compassionate Buddhists, came forward to adopt a stray and we also dont lend a hand when the city calls for the public to help bring dogs for sterlization and vaccination. The pound is in Memelakha - "we dont see it so all is okay" and the number of dogs in the city are increasing - "oh! killing dogs is against Buddhism..and anyway it is the city's problem".
And now the tobacco control act. A good number of people, otherwise law abiding citizens, are now behind bars. And they may face sentences of at least three years (since that is the minimum stipulated in the act) in prison. This in a country where rapists and child molesters are given equivalent or if not lesser terms. This is not justice, this is not GNH. I dont know how the Parliament had passed such an act - maybe they did not forsee such situations. And we as informed citizens failed to raise the issues when the bill iself was being discussed. But all that is water under the bridge - what irks me more is when the authorities (and citizens similarly) act as if there is nothing that can be done - laws can be changed, clauses can be amended - we would be wise to learn from our mistakes.
Smoking and chewing of tobacco is an addiction - like doma chomping. People need education and awareness. Yes we need a tobacco control act to make tobacco products more expensive and accessibility more scarce but at the same time the act should not be only about penalty but about creating an environment that supports poeple to give up old habits and deters young ones from adopting new habits.
People currently in prison/under police custody are not criminals - let us not, through our laws and systems frustate the common people and make them one. Let us as lawmakers, law enforcers, justice dispensers, educators, civil servants, students and as citizens not be "disengaged tolerators" anymore.
Starting with small things (which is in fact getting huuuugggeeee and out of hand) like littering. How often do we see people throwing pet bottles and rubbish out of their cars? How often do we see young students throwing wrappers on the road? How often do we see people spitting (red doma juices) on the walls, not to mention rubbing white lime on all pillars, posts and even trees? - but none of us say word.
What about the time when Thimphu city impounded stray dogs and puppies and they were all dying under inhumane conditions? None of us, so called compassionate Buddhists, came forward to adopt a stray and we also dont lend a hand when the city calls for the public to help bring dogs for sterlization and vaccination. The pound is in Memelakha - "we dont see it so all is okay" and the number of dogs in the city are increasing - "oh! killing dogs is against Buddhism..and anyway it is the city's problem".
And now the tobacco control act. A good number of people, otherwise law abiding citizens, are now behind bars. And they may face sentences of at least three years (since that is the minimum stipulated in the act) in prison. This in a country where rapists and child molesters are given equivalent or if not lesser terms. This is not justice, this is not GNH. I dont know how the Parliament had passed such an act - maybe they did not forsee such situations. And we as informed citizens failed to raise the issues when the bill iself was being discussed. But all that is water under the bridge - what irks me more is when the authorities (and citizens similarly) act as if there is nothing that can be done - laws can be changed, clauses can be amended - we would be wise to learn from our mistakes.
Smoking and chewing of tobacco is an addiction - like doma chomping. People need education and awareness. Yes we need a tobacco control act to make tobacco products more expensive and accessibility more scarce but at the same time the act should not be only about penalty but about creating an environment that supports poeple to give up old habits and deters young ones from adopting new habits.
People currently in prison/under police custody are not criminals - let us not, through our laws and systems frustate the common people and make them one. Let us as lawmakers, law enforcers, justice dispensers, educators, civil servants, students and as citizens not be "disengaged tolerators" anymore.
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