Army planning to get rid of orderly system, Goongloen says it will take time

The orderly system in Bhutan was a topic much discussed after an officer at Paro manhandled and beat up his orderly.

The Bhutanese which received a call from the orderlies to highlight their problems talked to the Goongloen (Army General) Dasho Batoo Tshering who said, “To be honest, we are planning to get rid of the orderly system but we cannot change things overnight” adding that “just because of a stray incident, the image of the whole army should not be tainted.”

The Goonglen pointed out that he was concerned about the Paro incident and that necessary and prompt action had been taken by the authorities against the officer.

“I do not want to specify the punishments as it may affect the morale of the army.”

Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) has its own legal system and a Drangpon (lawyer) who will advise the  RBA on how to deal with such cases has been deputed.

Asked about an officer’s right of having orderlies, the Goonglen said that in olden times, officers used to have many orderlies who were assigned to do personal work or sent to the officers’ native places to work.

“Officers are entitled to have an orderly all over the world, “ he said, “Previously in Bhutan each army officer used to keep many orderlies as the officers reared domestic animals and also had apple orchards but now the rules prohibit these.”

At present, the orderlies are required to press the uniforms, polish boots, brass or   insignias, keep the surroundings clean and pass information to the  soldiers when there is  no technical means of communication.

An orderly is free to choose to stay at the officer’s place or his own.

The main duty of an orderly is to look after the officer only and he is not responsible to work for the officer’s family.

Goonglen also pointed out that he as an army chief is authorized to five orderlies, lieutenant colonels are authorized to two orderlies and other officers are authorized to only one orderly.

However, orderlies who talked to The Bhutanese said they were not happy with their work because when they first decided to join the army, they dreamt of serving the Tsa-Wa-Sum by guarding the nation’s security.

“It is my sixth year in the army and I have been serving as an orderly for five years now; one year was the time I was trained in Tenchholing (Wangduephodrang).  I hardly get an opportunity to wear my uniform,” said one over the phone.

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7 comments

  1. Just abolish it asap, why should it take some time to get rid of a system which is clearly not working.

  2. I can’t believe Goonglen says Army officers are entitled to have orderlies all over the World. He should be sent on study tour to western countries to educate himself. Poor Aatas look like they are the most suppressed and oppressed lot among the Bhutanese. They are tired of washing Dasho Aum’s Kira and tending the children for them while they go partying. Get rid of the system to save poor aatas from further humiliation. 

  3. and these atta have to attend to so called dasho’s cows, orchards,farms,kids,aums , etc. etc. and theya re beaten and mistreated badly at the slightest mistakes. ofcourse, there are some adshos who are considearte and treat attas well bu that is just as rare as indian rupee for the bhutanese consumers.

  4. Samden Drup Matsug

    Just issue an office order with immediate effect and that becomes an overnight change. Saying things cannot change overnight indicates he is fearing to lose his Aatas. Simple!!!

  5. Citing the case of orderlies as some sort of entitlement in other countries does not mean to be replicated here in Bhutan. Come on, we are a small country and cannot afford to recruit orderlies. In other countries, orderlies may be entitled but here I think we should question the role given the smallness of geography. 

  6. the way the discussion is going, very soon there is going to be a ban on corporal punishment in the army as well! too many of our people have become too ‘white’ in their values (so long as they don’t have to pay for it). 

    Very soon the officers will no longer be called ‘commanding officer’ or ‘commandants’. They will have to request their soldiers to do this or that and so their titles will have to be changed to ‘Requesting Officer”. 

    At some point we may have to even disband the army as unfit to take care of our borders. The police will then have to be called in because they have been made more ‘civilized’ by the human rights commission. yes, the same police that was thrashed by some school-going gang members a few months ago.

  7. Goonglen (army General)??
    Drangpon(Lawyer)?
    press the uniforms?
    in another report i saw “Chickens” dying..Chickens..

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