Trees’ shedding their leaves, the death of Giddafi, and your death once again bring home the universal truth of impermanence and decay; the weather becomes dry and crisp.
I still remember the narrated story of your deeds from my friend Ngawang, who is now working as a police constable. We were too young to understand such matters, but Ngawang was well aware of the so-called march for people's rights (Drowa meeyee wangcha Gorang go) in 1990 in Gomdar Gewog—my former block—which was instigated from his village, near his house. And his father told him in brief.
You have lived 73 years. And I know you are the founding president of the so-called Druk National Congress (DNC) in Nepal. I know that at 11pm on October 19, you passed away at Manipal Institute of Medical Science in Gangtok, Sikkim. Due to your deeds, many innocents were affected.
You were great enough to cause national threats but dull enough to know you wouldn’t be living long and fulfill your futile dreams. Maybe you thought that you were to live thousands of years and forgot the basic fundamentals of life. And finally, you are now once upon a time Rongthong Kunley Dorji.
It is pleasing and appreciated to know that you regretted it just before your last breath. You left this wonderful heaven on earth full of regrets. Carrying tons of regret and reconciliation, you knew that, at a dharmic level—as a Buddhist—the suffering one has to endure is a consequence of one’s karma. “Thus, with my body, speech, and mind, as far as my mortal human capacities allow me to, I hereby forgive all those who have wronged me,” and “And if I, knowingly or unknowingly, have caused hurt or harm to anybody by my aspiration or actions, seek forgiveness of them.”
Due to your activities, many innocent Sharchops were affected a lot. They were once deprived of a Citizenship Identity Card (CID) and are now still unable to get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the police. Many intellectual youth and logical people were just left helpless because the record - involved in a demonstration was bold and red.
I too was not spared. The record showed that my mother was involved in the demonstration. Impossible!! My mother just went to attend a census meeting, where all the people of the Gewog were summoned, and to their dismay, it was not a census; it was the arrest of the commoners, who mostly are innocent and don’t know about the situation. Due to this trick, all people who were there were recorded as involved in the demonstration.
Came 2005, I was qualified to study in higher secondary school with distinction. The big dilemma was whether I’ll get CID or not. I went to Thimphu with my friends, and luckily I got. Again, time passed by full of zeal and hard work, and then came 2007, when I was halted for a year due to the above-mentioned problem of being involved in a demonstration. However much I tried, it was in vain. Starting from the office of Gup to the Prime Minister’s office, visiting was only just. Nothing happened. “To come tomorrow, after one week, after two weeks…” were the officers’ best words, and Dashos prolonged it even to a year and so on to solve the problem. And that one-year story continues still for a few. I was not the only one, but one of many students who have had distinction in academics.
Regardless of the circumstances, I am now happy that the individuals who were recorded as involved in the demonstration have been rectified and issued NOC and CID cards.
And one thing that I always rejoice about due to this problem is the golden opportunity that I got to work as an Assistant Chemist for a year. It was a lifetime experience. And after that I resume my studies again.
Hope in the future Bhutan will not have any Rongthong Kunley or Gidhafi-like people who on no account think prior to and regret only when death is right in front and wish to say, “To my country and my people, I pray: may all the gods, goddess, guardians and protectors, and all those of cosmic lineage, who command coincidence, always guide to protect you; may your positive karma, and your outer, inner, and secret obstacles, be purified and cleared; may your negative karma, and your positive aspirations and actions, consequence glorious merit; may the times ahead bring you good future, prosperity, happiness, and peace, and may all be auspicious for you.”
Pelden Drukpa Gyello!!! Not Drowa Meeyee Wangcha Gorang Go.