The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The organization will propose to the business community for a total amount of Nu 1.8mn as support for the campaign
The youth political group Druk Me-ser Nazhoen Tshogpa (DMNT) are in discussions to organize a ‘youth march’ in the capital and conduct a ‘cleaning campaign’ to create awareness on climate change, waste management, prevention of forest fire, corruption and unemployment.
The one-day campaign on unemployment will be conducted by about 700 educated unemployed youth divided into five teams that will be deployed at different locations in the capital. Three groups would consist of 100 participants each and the two remaining groups will comprise 200 participants each.
Participants will create awareness on climate change and prevention measures of forest fire through word of mouth and slogans or banners, engage in mass cleaning across Thimphu and plant tree saplings along the highways.
According to DMNT members, the campaign will “begin from clock tower and end at the clock tower, Thimphu”.
Lobzang Dorji who is a member of the young Interim Executive Committee and the head of the political wing of the DMNT youth organization said, “save for an undisclosed tentative date, the organization is yet to zero in on a convenient date to conduct the campaign.”
“It will be like a rehearsal for the National Service Program (NSP), which is the main driving factor for DMNT,” interim head of DMNT’s welfare wing, Jigme T.N Delek said.
NSP will involve the DMNT members with various manual labors irrespective of their family background. Tashi Wangchuk of DMNT’s commercial wing said NSP jobs will be created in the hydro power sector and youth housing scheme among others, as one of DMNT’s agenda is ‘no import of casual labor’ except for some skilled labor.
To strengthen the awareness program, DMNT plans to embark on the campaign with 60 banners carrying “illustrative paintings and slogans”.
The teams, Lobzang Dorji said shall deliver “persuasive speeches (informal) and oral communications to encourage and inspire the masses to be more dutiful toward the private sector and self.”
Lobzang said the banners will carry strong messages against corruption and unemployment.
“Our message will be brought forward through the mode of street theater. Where ever populous, we will perform in stages with banner. We shall explain and educate the people about unemployment crisis and how it can be solved,” he added.
“Our mission is to disseminate the facts and issues of unemployment to the educated youth of Bhutan through simple, yet effective dramatic representations of unemployment problems and consequences with the ultimate goal to make every young educated unemployed youth aware of the potential threat that would be brought about by the unemployment trend,” Lobzang said.
Sonam Tshering, a youth volunteer registered with DMNT said “the number of youth turn-out on the campaign day will bring to the notice of the government and nation about how many youths are unemployed and will help curb the issue.”
The youngsters already have a theme song for the campaign in place, composed by a member.
“Lets gear up for the new beginning, lets preserve the environment, lets green up the country, lets cheer up the private sector, let’s use votes to make it happen, lets cheer up our Nazhoen Tshogpa,” are lines from the chorus of the song.
Since the campaign is expected to entail a substantial amount of money, DMNT plans to attract generous sponsors especially from within the private sector.
The total budget to cover expenses for logistics, transportation, banners, equipments and campaign uniforms among others has been estimated to be more than Nu 1.8mn.
A few members of the business community, Lobzang said has already committed to support the program.
An active DMNT member, Arjun Singh Subba said the campaign will help educate the youth on the dignity of labor as well.
“The whole nation will be informed that Bhutan is still suffering from unemployment and at the same time those undergraduate students who are still studying will be aware that NSP will ensure their living till they get a job,” said Sonam Dhendup of DMNT.
DMNT was formed after Druk Mitser Tshogpa (DMT) dissolved in favor of a youth organization.
It is a youth-driven organization that will lobby with political parties to establish its 30 point agenda focused on youth employment.
The DMNT which mainly comprises youth leaders not affiliated to the original DMT claims to have 700 new youth members and is growing. It aims to be a youth lobby group to represent the large youth voting community in 2013. Its slogan is ‘You help us, we help you’.
Earlier, Dasho Penjor Dorji who is an adviser and one of the founders of DMNT said, “Any contesting party that wants the votes of DMNT which compromises 60% of the country’s population should incorporate our 30-point agenda in their manifesto.”
Minjur Dorji & Puran Gurung / Thimphu
I don’t think 700 votes will matter to any national political parties with such huge unreasonable 30 points. When DMT couldn’t do anything since 2008, now some think they can strike cord with youth and do soft strike.
The unemployment of those can be many; tow prominent reasons could either they are not able because certificate prove nothing. Unless you are engineer or doctor, the talent doesn’t mean more marks.
Second reason could be government may lying through their teeth about creation of employment. May be they put the figures of job transfer and creation at senior level in various departments while intake remain same in per-service category. which means at senior level, opportunities are more than supply while in lower level, demand for jobs are more than jobs.
Coming back to DMNT, concerned department should think twice before giving permission. It may not be anything better than hooliganism in making………..
Please do not sow lawlessness in the minds of youth. This will have very very far reaching bad impact. In the name of democracy we are trying to inculcate rowdy culture in to the minds of youth. We are seeing lot of destruction.
this is democracy and lawful assembly is fundamental right….at least they are doing something in making difference…….unlike you making rowdy comments……..youth should be sensitize on political scenario ….cz they are future leaders…………
I really support birla….Bhutan is a unique country and anything that we do should be unique and not bring in this dirty marching system into our country…bcoz this can have far reaching impact on the future system of our country. Lets try our best to impart our youth who are the caretaker of our future nation with strong and unique to further our nation..God bless all
Democracy is freedom to express what you believe and there is nothing wrong with the DMNT campaign strategy for cleaning and you cannot say its illegal and dirty for marching. These youths are sensible and they know what they are doing its paradigm shift rather we should encourage them such new move.
Such bad! Who is creating ‘yellow shirts and Red shirts’ here?
Good start. I applaud the forming the comittee of this association. Everyone should be responsible in making the future together. This group is an example of good people comming to the front. When the group is just one we dont have the other shirt so no chaos. Thanks to the brave hearts, all young hearts are pure
Dont think this is politicization! This is participation and youth should be encouraged to to so, love them to love you. This is real mirror of clean Bhutan
What is a nation without youth? Cheers to everyone who are already members of the org.
I think lobbying itself is enough to create choas in the political scenario of our country. There is a high possible chances of creeping in compromises of national interest while trying to achieve interests of certain section of the people. The political parties are left with the choice to either take up the such sectionalised agendas or keep the false promises. I think it is bit early to adorn or embellish our young democracy. As of now, lets keep it simple and clean so that it will remain transparent and everyone can spot dirt on it. Marching with the political reasons is no less than protest that we see in it traditional democracy. But we can’t afford to do or resist as well. Ours democarcy is born uniquely, so it has to be. We are disciplined people who not only takes objective into account, even the process is taken cared. Every aim to be fullfilled is accompanied by the action that takes care of how we behave. Thus, we have driglam namzha, separate langauge for different levels(phelkay and Zhesa).
The birth of demonstration, strike, hunger strike, protest etc begins if the green signal is given to this march. We have seen enough consequences of such actions. The words hooliganism, separatism, factious battle, tear gas, water canon, lathi charge will be common to the people. Then the faliure of democracy will be followed by military coup. At that point only people will realize the importance of democracy and will find too little too late, and no going back without paying the price.
Unemployment cannot be solved by marching in the streets.
Countless strategies have been tried in educating the public on ‘cleanliness’. These so called cleaning campaigns have been in place for ages (since my school days) and there seems no end to it as people seem to be senseless. Let’s not encourage our youth marching in streets!
marching and taking banners to the streets is not in our bhutanese culture. what next, strikes and throwing stones on the streets. there is always a better option to getting one’s point across and the people behind this youth group clearly are misleading them, encouraging such a march. this “marching in the streets” will prove to be a very regretful and damaging event in our bhutanese society, setting a very bad example to the rest of youth of the country.
today they will march peacefully, tomorrow they will stone offices, shops, building etc… in group men usually becomes beast… i support cleaning campaign, planting siblings, wearing T-shirt with caption… but roaming and shouting slogan i personally feel it is not good and i don’t support it.
if one member stone a house, all will start throwing it without second thought…. i have seen it…… when i was in High School. some of students had fight with monks- reason still not known…. vice captain of the school lied to the fellow students that principal asked all the boarder students to report to Town… almost 300 students assembled in the town, i was also present there…. i was looking for principal, he was not there… one student who had quarreled with monk, started shouting ”wai Gelong” and within second loud noise roared from 300 or more students- shouting ‘wai Gelong, come up and fight” police and OC came and slowly things got worse….. i dun like the idea of DMNT
The Election Commission should reject the registration of this DMNT. What a nasty precedent they are proposing.
@ ant,
i agreed that men usually become beast in group.. we are an animal and all animals act differently in group from being alone, and we usually become aggressive in group…. what is the purpose of slogan- to educate people on cleanliness,youth unemployment etc- there many sensible/better ways to make our voice heard- talk to media, organize show, quiz, Art competition, forum etc. shouting slogan is barbaric approach and it achieve nothing but destruction…. we don’t need such approach- DNMT, think carefully and proposed new civilized approach..