Dzongkha debate in COVID crisis
The COVID-19 has pushed the world into health and economic emergency in an unprecedented manner. However, a section of Bhutanese has their own local issue to address at the time of this crisis – journalists must speak Dzongkha.
In a recent press conference that Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering hosted to inform the nation about current status of COVID-19 preparedness by his government, journalists chose to ask questions in English. It was not different than other press conferences he held earlier except the COVID pandemic.
The press conference was live streamed on BBS TV but it was switched off to play other Dzongkha music in retaliation that Bhutanese journalists were not speaking Dzongkha – that is designated as National Language – while asking questions to prime minister. PM’s decision to respond in Dzongkha prompted nationalists to tag the journalists as anti-Dzongkha elements.
These fundamentalists failed to consider the fact that English is the lingua franca in Bhutan. I would recall the history of last 10 years when all Dzongkha newspapers in the country died after failing to get readership. I would question why these individuals who want journalists to speak Dzongkha did not buy Dzongkha newspapers and help them survive if Dzongkha was so much important? Why only a few English newspapers survive today? The abrupt switch by BBS does not represent a matured leadership of this media house – when primary objective of the conference at this stage is to pass on the message – whether in English, Dzongkha or any other language.
Further, Jackson Drukpa started an online petition calling on the government action to force all journalists to speak Dzongkha. Drukpa, who aspire to register a political party and run election in 2023, made attempts to cash in the sentiments of the fundamentalists. Ironically, this man with non-Bhutanese name, initiated the petition in English, not in Dzongkha. Does it make any sense? By the time of writing this blog, Drukpa’s petition drew 246 signatories.
DPT’s Vice President Lily Wangchuk opposed the idea that journalists must speak Dzongkha during press conference. The same fundamentalists rushed to attack her.
Online petition is a new practice in Bhutan. Petition.org has become popular platform in Thimphu following our campaign through Facebook advertisement to seek attention of the Bhutanese authority on issue of political prisoners last month.
Under traditional definition, Bhutan has constitutionally tagged Dzongkha as the national language despite being a multi-lingual country. English, Dzongkha, Nepali and Tshangla are major languages spoken in the country. In the modern sense, national language is defined as languages spoken by country’s nationals or citizens while accepting one language as official language.
The state or individuals have no authority in a democratic society to impose which language one must speak. That too in the context of emergency. Under the pseudo-nationalism stunt, BBS failed to fulfil its fundamental duty of media to inform the public when it stopped broadcasting PM’s press conference.