84 comments

• khandu

  Who says Bhutan is blocking Indian TV chenels.

  6 September 2005, 5:38 am

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• Sangay

  Bhutanese people are happy with this ban, so why outside people need to worry about this ban in Bhutan. Bhutan is a unique country and it has the freedom to frame unique rules to protect the people of Bhutan from the evils. Bhutan has banned Smoking, which I feel is wonderful law and many countries are following the footsteps of Bhutan. Very soon many countries will also follow the Bhutan and ban unwanted telly. I am sure it will happen.

  6 September 2005, 6:46 am

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• navin

  Bhutan is facing a major crisis for its survival.Sanditwithced between two giants, India and China, Bhutan’s mere quest is just for survival. Since there are large number of Bhutanese refugees who are leaving in the refugee camps in Nepal can destroy an independent identity of Bhutan. All small south Asian countries know difficulty to live in a neighborhood of a big country as an independent and soverign nation. Although I am a freedom lover, I cannot justify the decision of Bhutanese government to ban international television channel. If I am a Bhutanese citizens with an painful experinces of surviving as a nation, I woul defenetly welcome Bhutan’s government decision to ban television channel. In the name of globalization, one small country cannot force to accept the so called freedom. It is the Bhutanese people to decide.

  7 September 2005, 5:48 am

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• noel

  when other countries want to identify with each other or are proud of their similarities, how come those in Bhutan wants to remain unique…are they not human beings that they want to remain unique from other human beings?? Quite interesting mentality huh!

  7 September 2005, 5:58 am

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• K. Nidup

  I don’t understand why people make so much fuss. For your kind information, Bhutan has not banned ALL Indian TV channels. I am still watching sony, dd, zee, starplus, tamil & kerala channels, blah blah….you come and see for yourself in Bhutan.

  All Bhutan has done is filtered the junks. We all do this in our day to day life. I make sure that I get the best tomatoes on what I pay for and does not spoil rest of my vegetables. So if you’r from India, don’t be pissed. We still love many of your TV channels including your Amitab Bachhen and Ms Rai.

  BUT if you are from Jhapa or belong to any anti-Bhutan groups, I am sorry. It is your problem. The policy of Bhutan is flying high in the world and even great America is having a close look at our national policy of gross national happiness which is bringing in lot of donor agencies. Bhutan is get flooded with money. Sorry, if you are starving in one of those camps in Nepal hheeeeeee

  7 September 2005, 7:24 am

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• nar rai, khuruthang, Punakha

  Hello everybody, I fully agree with my fellow citizen colleagues like Nidup, Sangay, Khandu, et al, – WHY should a friendly country like India should poke or bother or have hostile views about to what Bhutan does about the TV channels?? PLEASE remember that the media of freedom and WILL is ENTIRELY to one’s sovereignity, not just the other country or state dictates. If our country, BHUTAN would like to have choice of TV channels, its the Bhutanese citizens who would opt and decide, NO external regime should dictate or tell to what to do PLEASE!! Its like someone asking to eat food that is eaten or staple to that country who dictates, this is 21st century with very broad perspective of thinking, attitude, likeliness and most importantly its what the country or its citizen would decide about it. Can any one, for example ask Uncle Sam (US) to stop dominate the world politics etc, NO WAY, so its the people of BHUTAN who decides and NO any nation or organization has RIGHT to revoke or crtisize or make it politicise about the the type of TV programs BHUTAN airs in ay case!!! I also feel that what BHUTAN wears, eat or sees are NOT the business of any state or its people from alienated neighbours!!! So, be POLITE and FRIENDLY to what we do, we do what we like and what we ENJOY!!!

  7 September 2005, 9:35 am

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• Dev Sharma

  Bhutan is still eye wash to internationalcommunity as well the welwishe. What bhutan has done for the people accept the king requied. Let the bhutan be international know in good, today bhutan isknow to other world through the plight of hundred thoudand refugee living in nepal since 1991. It hearts the sentiment of the citizen ofbhutan.

  Leader of political party Mr. RK Budathoki was being murder just becasuse of interview given in Nepal channel which was allowed in bhutan. after the interview channaled has been blocked and assassinate Mr.budathoki by RGOB.

  7 September 2005, 15:47 pm

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• K. Nidup

  Mr Dev Sharma, so you’r furious because Bhutan banned Nepali Channel. Well, there is nothing wrong banning TV channels from country where nothing goes right, where even king and his families are slaughtered, where PM changes every month, where no peace previal beside khukuris, and where nut like you hardly knows human respect, human values, culture, morals, and ethics.

  Plus, I don’t think you have any clue of who these so called “political leaders” are…..I know Budathoki more than you do. He was my neigbour, Purna Busty, Gelephu. I know Ratan Gazemere, Bhim Subba, Tek Nath, R. Kinlay, Panglung Rai, etc who are all claiming to be the political leaders of Bhutan. For the information of “innocent” person like you, they are all criminals, took advatage of their position in the civil service while in Bhutan, looted government revenue, threatened and brain wash innocent and humble Southern Bhutanese, and ran away to Nepal. The poor regufees in the camps including yourself (hopefully not!) are victims of these criminals.

  I will give a solution to solve this problem: Finish them all. Use your Gorkha skills to chop their head off and you will save the life and plight of all these thousands people in the camp. We will give you heroic welcome to Bhutan heheheeeee, and you can really have a feel of difference between hell and heaven. Let me also warn you: as long as these so called your leaders are there, “your” people in the camps will remain in Nepal.

  8 September 2005, 1:57 am

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• nar rai, GONOR GOPOEN, Punakha

  Hello all, I again like to retierate that BHUTAN has every right to protect and screen channels, to whatsoever, let alone the country like of friendly state India pokes or politicisize my dear, so I FULLY agree to the policy and views of BHUTAN and its humble citizen, keep it up and Tashi Delek!!

  Cherio for now!!

  8 September 2005, 12:43 pm

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• Navin Patnaik, Indian Armed Force, Delhi 001.

  I am one of the seniour Indian diplomats who have worked many years all over the world including BHUTAN. I have positive image for Bhutan and its citizens, though many of nepali speaking race are un-equally treated and expelled on Hindu religion ground and fighting for human rights and democracy, I also agree to the recent draft constitution where King Jegme is opening up to the outside world. Yes Bhutan solely depends on Indian aid, grants, five year plan money, evrey commodities like food, clothe and shelter, Bhutan cannot survive with India where Bhutan did join UN due to Indian passport granted to first King of Bhutan where that time, this country never had passport of any diplomatic ties to outside world. Now coming to TV channles, yes, its the entire wish of Bhutan and its people but dont forget that if India wishes, the whole TV channels in the country can be permenantly blocked since Bhutan does not have even its satellite and using Indian Sat for its internet and TV, so why make fuss or boast when it cannot even produce a gram of salt or box of match and it will collapse if Indian blocks just all the immediate frontier boarder like it did to Nepal some decade ago, wath out. If Bhutan blocks the international TV channels, then I am sure that this country is no worse than north Korea where the whole world have isolated and into its grip of collapse in economic, health, education, human rights etc. Dont blame India or any other country since look what is going backward to its primitive way of thinking, stringent dress code in a place like southern part where the temperature is boling, where there is no freedom of press, religion, expression, political views, dress. If any one in Bhutan does not follow the dress code, they are jailed, what sort of justice and law are these in modern world when at the same time, the county has hundred and one treates, like WTO, UNO, EU treaties to sign, remember that the whole world is watching to every steps to what Bhutan is going backward. Just imagine when the whole world has constitution written, amended and drafted some hundreds of year, Bhutan has just started draft that too, with all void and filmsy and very crude text where 90% of the populaiton are illetrate and do not even read or understand the national language similar to Tibetan like dialect. So, watch out, dont just argue for no reason and dont resent India and Indian cultures, Bhutan is surviving just because of India, military-wise, aid wise, every essential commoditty wise, export or import wise, etc,,,,,####

  8 September 2005, 13:55 pm

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