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The political party set to run Bhutan's first democratic government has promised to be "guided by the past" after it swept landmark polls in the Himalayan nation. The Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT), or Bhutan United Party, won a landslide victory in parliamentary polls on Monday in a pledge to boost development and happiness.

The DPT, led by Jigmi Thinley, won 44 of 47 seats for the lower house in a vote which was proposed by Bhutan's royals to transform the country into a constitutional monarchy.

The People's Democratic Party led by Sangay Ngedup, the present king's uncle, was trounced in the polls, winning just three of 47 seats.

Both parties are staunchly loyal to the royal family and both promised to stick with Gross National Happiness to measure growth.

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the Bhutanese king, is expected to retain a strong influence in running the country.

The kingdom's move to democracy began in 2001 when Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the former king handed over day to day government to a council of ministers and stepped down in favour of his son in 2006.

Democratic burden

Palden Tshering, spokesman for the DPT, told Al Jazeera that people in Bhutan will realise the kind of role and responsibilities they now possess in a democracy."What goes on in neighbouring countries is of concern to us, particularly the political situaton in Nepal," he said.

"But we believe this is the right time to make a democratic transition, when the king's popularity is so high."

The US-educated Thinley, who is expected to become prime minister, is in his constituency in eastern Bhutan and could not be reached for comment.

Thinley has twice been premier under the previous royal governments and has been one of the architects of the nation’s efforts to measure its growth and prosperity in terms of happiness.

Happiness focus

Thinley's focus on happiness may have swung the election in his party's favour, one observer said.

Kinley Dorji, editor-in-chief of the Kuensel newspaper, said: "DPT's vision and manifesto are completely based on the Gross National Happiness concept.

"They were seen to be a stronger advocate of the idea," he said.

The winning party has refrained from celebrating its victory as it waits until the end of a 10-day period during which opposition candidates can contest the results.

The country's election body is expected to certify the victory on April 5, after which the party will form a government.

sursa: Aljazeera

Labels: aljazeera, economics, politics, war

Posted by StefyBlog at 9:21 AM | Permalink | Comments

PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he cannot rule out the possibility that he might boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Sarkozy says he "cannot rule out any possibility" in deciding how to respond to the unrest in Tibet. He says he is waiting to see how the situation evolves there before taking a course of action.

Sarkozy spoke Tuesday during a visit with a military regiment in southwest France. His office says Sarkozy was referring specifically to the idea of a boycott of the Aug. 8 opening ceremony.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) , Australia's senior Olympic official urged political activists Tuesday not to target the Beijing Games following protests at the torch-lighting ceremony in Ancient Olympia, Greece.

"I think the Olympic Games are a cause and an agent for good, not a panacea for ills," said Kevan Gosper, vice chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the Beijing Games.

Three men advocating press freedom in China evaded massive security Monday and ran onto the field at the ceremony in Ancient Olympia before they were seized by police. Minutes later, a Tibetan woman covered in fake blood briefly blocked the path of the torch relay.

What was supposed to have marked the symbolic, joyous countdown to the Beijing Games began with a statement against China's human rights policies and crackdown in Tibet , foreshadowing the prospect of other protests and disruptions right up until the Aug. 8 start of the Olympics.
Protests are bound to follow the torch throughout its 85,000-mile, 136-day route across five continents and 20 countries. China pledged strict security measures to ensure its segment of the relay won't be marred by protests.

Another potential flashpoint is the route through Tibet. The flame is due to be carried to the summit of Mount Everest in May and pass through Lhasa in June.

Australia Tibet Council executive officer Paul Bourke told the Australian Associated Press that his group planned demonstrations when the torch relay comes to Australia on April 24.

"We will use the focus on Canberra and the torch to highlight the current situation in Tibet and to call for the torch not to go ... through Tibet and up Mount Everest," Bourke said, adding that protesters from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane would be on hand.

"Tibet is virtually under a state of undeclared martial law and we don't believe it's appropriate to be taking the torch through Tibet at that time," he said.

The Australian Capital Territory's chief minister John Stanhope is proposing high security when the flame is in Canberra.

"The ACT government has been liaising with the Chinese Embassy ... and the Australian Federal Police on security arrangements from the time Canberra was invited to participate in the torch relay," Stanhope said. "These arrangements are well-advanced and, of course, will remain subject to whatever change or augmentation might be needed."
Falun Gong practitioners and Tibet supporters have already staged protests outside the Chinese Embassy in Canberra.

"The ACT government respects the right of anyone to air their opinions or make their sentiments known, so long as they do so in a peaceful manner and so long as they respect the laws of the ACT," Stanhope said. "Canberra has the advantage of hosting the torch later in the global tour, and will be able to learn from the experience of other cities along the way."
Tibetan activists have already said they plan to demonstrate elsewhere on the torch route, including London and Paris.

Also on Tuesday, nearly 50 Tibetan exiles began a torch relay that will take a symbolic flame from northern India through cities on five continents before ending in Tibet the day of the games' opening ceremonies in Beijing, organizers said.

Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, said organizers would take the torch by road and air to the United States, Canada, Belgium, Britain, France, Australia, Taiwan, Japan and Nepal, among other destinations. They plan to finish the relay in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, on Aug. 8, as the world's attention turns to Beijing.

The group opposes China's right to host the Olympics, despite pledges from the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, to support the games.

"We differ from the Dalai Lama on his stand on the Beijing Olympics," Rigzin said. "We were given democracy in exile by the Dalai Lama and in a democracy we have our rights to speak up."
Gosper, who won a silver medal for Australia at the 1956 Olympics, said "everybody's very sensitive to what's been happening in Tibet in recent days and we hope that the Chinese will bring peace very quickly."

He called the Olympics "an event of celebration."
"I think that detractors who try and draw attention to their own issues ... are only doing their own causes harm," he added.

Gosper said the spirit of the Olympics was at stake.
"It's symbolic of sport at its best, it's symbolic of peace and good will," he said. "And whilst there are detractors, we're hopeful the torch will come through as it should as an ideal of the Olympic and what it represents."

IOC President Jacques Rogge told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he was engaged in "silent diplomacy" with the Chinese but wouldn't intervene in politics to try to change their policies.

"We are discussing on a daily basis with Chinese authorities, including discussing these issues, while strictly respecting the sovereignty of China in its affairs," Rogge said.
Protests of China's rule turned violent March 14 in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, sparking unrest in surrounding provinces. China reported a death toll of 22 from the violence, but Tibet's exiled government says about 140 Tibetans were killed. Nineteen died in subsequent violence in Gansu province, it said.

International criticism and calls for a boycott have unnerved the Chinese leadership, which has blamed the riots on followers of the Dalai Lama.

Tibetan groups have urged the IOC to keep the relay out of the Himalayan region. Rogge, speaking before the incidents, said there were no plans by Beijing organizers to change the route, but he did not rule it out.

The IOC has faced calls to take a hard line with China. But Rogge reiterated his long-standing position that the Olympic body is not a political organization.

sursa: World News

Labels: economics, olimpic games, politics

Posted by StefyBlog at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments