United we line- Women supporters try to distract a Damchen archer. Team Damchen was too hot for Karma TMT to handle as it cruised to a comfortable victory in the finals of the 12th Coronation silver jubilee tournament played yesterday.
Damchen defeated Karma TMT is two straights sets and nearly left TMT red faced, when they finished the first set 25-6 before lunch. Karma TMT came back stronger in the second set. They reached 20 points leaving Damchen trailing by six. But Damchen shot back to 22 points from 14 within the next few rounds. With kareys showering on a dry and hot day, spectators were speculating if the game would go to the final set. But Damchen proved everybody wrong, when they hit two extra kareys and completed the game. The game ended 26-20, one point beyond the required 25.
Individual archers from Damchen took home a Tissot watch worth Nu 8,300; and the runners up one Switch watch, worth Nu 5,300 each.
The best archer of the tournament (until the semi finals) was Sonam Jamtsho of Karma TMT. He won a Nu 38,300 T-Touth watch. Dorji Gyaltshen from Damchen also got a Tissot watch for the man of the match award. Dorji Gyaltshen hit 13 kareys.
Sherub Tharchen of Karma TMT hit the highest dobjey, nine, and Thinley Jamtsho of Tobden XI hit the highest one-day karey. He hit 19 of them.
35 teams, including a team from Sikkim, India, participated in the tournament. The former deputy minister of the environment commission, Dasho Nado Rinchhen awarded the prizes. Source: Kuenselonline
How would Bhutanese food cooked by a Thai chef, in a restaurant owned by a Nepalese in Germany, and served by a Mongolian, taste?
European. And the Asian palate finds it bland, half cooked and, at times, even sweet; a far cry from what you get at home.
But that’s what Bhutan Haus (Bhutan House), the only “Bhutanese” restaurant in Germany, has been selling ever since it opened about five months ago. It sells Asian food in European style, with the right amount of oil, temperature, seasonings, shapes, sizes and portions.
The owner, 51-year old Narendra Shrestra from Kathmandu, has never been to Bhutan. He has met only one Bhutanese in Berlin and so the Internet was his only source of information for Bhutanese cuisine. It’s thus perhaps understandable that he had Thimphu duck curry and Paro curry among the 15 varieties of momos he offers in European style. Today, the Thimphu and Paro have been changed to Kathmandu on the menu.
So why did he call it Bhutan?
Besides his admiration for Bhutan, Narendra said that he is the first to open a chain of Nepalese and Tibetan restaurants in Berlin. “Once a restaurant picks up business, I sell it and open another one in another place,” said Narendra. “Now that there are several Tibet and Nepal houses, I decided to open one for Bhutan.”
He adds, “I don’t know why I like Bhutan and Tibet,” said Narendra, who moved to Germany in 1989 from Kathmandu. “We are of course bonded by Buddhism, but I just like the country.”
Because Bhutan is not known to many in Germany, calling his restaurant Bhutan House was a risk, he said. “I spent 100,000 euros for this because I want people to know about the countries in Asia through food,” he said.
So, what Bhutan House offers is a cocktail of Asian food. Both the owner and customers know this and nobody seem to mind. “People come to us to eat Asian food, not Bhutanese food,” said Narendra. “And for them, Indian, Nepali, Tibetan or Bhutanese is the same.” Adds his son Ronit Shrestra, who is managing Bhutan House, “The Nepali food here on the menu can’t be found in Nepal also. The basis is the same, but not the way it’s prepared.”
Just like the food, so the ambience. One glass window adorns the Hindu god Lord Shiva, while the other has the Buddha. Photographs of Buddhist saints adorn some walls, while miniatures of Buddha arranged near the entrance welcome the guests.
Ronit said that they tried cooking the typical way it’s supposed to be done, spicy, oily and overdone. “But people here didn’t like it that way, so we modified them according to their taste,” he said.
And that was the trick. The restaurant at Zossener Strasse, in Kreuzberg, a busy area, started getting more customers, initially from the nearby areas and later from far off places, and even neighbouring cities like Hamburg. Soon the restaurant that can seat 230 people at a time started getting reservations for parties and running packed during weekends. Among the 80 different kinds of food it offers, momos, the Shrestras say, sells the most.
Anno Sommer, who has been living in Berlin for 30 years, spotted the restaurant about two months ago while he was walking home from work. Since then, he is there almost everyday. “I came here because of the name, Bhutan House. I just know where Bhutan is and nothing more and I wanted to try some Bhutanese food,” said the 54-year-old. “I liked the food and I hope what I ate was Bhutanese.”
The German capital, Berlin has no dearth of Asian restaurants. Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants dot most streets and they are popular because their food, according to Berliners isn’t a huge meal like the German one. “We usually go there because it’s lighter, not because they sell authentic Asian food,” said a 30-year old Berliner. “We know they don’t serve the typical food.”
Narendra, who has never been to Bhutan, plans to visit it someday. As of now, he is just glad that his restaurant is doing well. “But I need to get more information on Bhutan, because people ask me about it,” he said. “They ask for maps and about the country.” Source: Kuenselonline
Children in conflict with the law will have the option to undergo a diversion programme, instead of going through the judicial proceedings, according to the Child Care and Protection Bill, which was introduced to the ongoing National Council session on June 9.
The diversion, however, is applicable only if the alleged offence is not of a serious nature. The frequency and severity of the offence committed, safety of the community, among others, also determine whether the child can be considered for the programme.
The diversion programme would include restitution of property or reparation of the damage caused, written or oral apology, spending specific number of hours with family, compulsory school attendance, association with a person or institution, who can contribute to the child’s positive behaviour, participation in available community based programs and community services, and monitoring by a probation officer, identified by the court or the police.
Talking to Kuensel, Drangpon Jangchub Norbu, the legal advisor for the bill, said that the diversion programme was aimed at reintegration into society of a child in conflict with the law. The bill states that any arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be used only as a measure of last resort, and for the shortest appropriate period of time.
The bill also proposes several homes, such as remand homes, special homes, closed facilities and aftercare homes for children in conflict with the law. A child justice court is also proposed.
While the bill focuses on children in conflict with the law, it also tries to address issues concerning children in difficult circumstances. A child in difficult circumstances is a child, who is a destitute, has unfit or incapacitated parents or guardians, associates with people leading a drunken, immoral or depraved life; or who is being or likely to be abused or exploited for immoral or illegal purposes, according to the bill.
A child in conflict with a law is a child, who is 13 years of age and above, and found to have committed an offence.
If a child below 13 years of age is arrested the child shall be immediately released to the parents or guardians, or in absence to their nearest relative, states the bill. No children under the age of 13 years can be handcuffed.
Arrested or detained child with or without warrant will have to be produced before the court within 24 hours of the arrest. The bill also states that a child can be released on bail or bond.
It also contains a section on offences against children, such as assault, battery, the invasion of a child’s privacy, prostitution, pornography, trafficking and providing narcotic and psychotropic or chemical substances to children.
Talking to Kuensel, the education minister, Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, also the chairperson of NCWC, said that the bill was founded on the principle of prevention being better than cure.
“Ideally, if all our children are able to grow up and develop in an environment of love and care, there’ll be fewer instances of children coming in conflict with law,” said the minister. “The bill is an attempt to protect the life and sanctity of children as members of society.”
According to Norbu Gyeltshen of NCWC, so far there was no Act specifically focusing on children. Moreover, Bhutan had ratified the CRC convention and, as a commitment to the convention, a national law was needed in place. “We’ve been asked by international organisations what instruments we have in place to provide protection and care to children.”
“Without the Act, justice to the children isn’t ensured,” he said.
While the National Council applauded the grandeur of the Act, the practicality and economic viability of establishing institutions and human resource required in place to support the Act was questioned. Source: Kuenselonline
Six applications for child adoption have been kept in abeyance by the national commission for women and children (NCWC) till the Adoption Act is ready. But yesterday, the National Council deferred the Child Adoption Bill to its winter session, having had very little time to review the bill, which was submitted late.
The social and cultural affairs committee, which reviewed the bill, received it only a month before the National Council session, according to a press release from the Council. Bills are required to be submitted three months before the session starts.
However, the chairperson of NCWC, education minister Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel presented the need and importance of the bill to the council yesterday. NCWC is the organisation proposing the bill.
According to the minister, so far there was no act providing protection to children, who were adopted. The minister said that there were no investigations done as to why the child was being adopted. “This bill protects the child,” he said.
Talking to Kuensel, the minister said that, when it came to inter-country adoption, there were no proper records. “We’re concerned about their welfare, since adoption could have taken place without the best interest of the child,” he said, adding that the present child adoption situation was arbitrary.
“The bill is the first attempt to streamline procedures for adoption for both domestic and international cases,” he said. “It lays down comprehensive and detailed processes and procedures affecting the life and interest of the adopted child.”
The bill also provides a mechanism for regular monitoring of the welfare of the adopted child. For example, adoptive parents were required to send in annual reports to the commission.
The bill also states that children below 18 years of age can be adopted. However, no child under six months of age will be considered for adoption. “Abandoned children, however, were a different case,” said the education minister. “The child needs protection immediately; but; in the long run; the adoption of the child will have to go through the procedures.”
Adoption, however, according to the minister; should be seen as ultimate resort to ensure welfare of child. “Adoption shouldn’t be encouraged in the normal circumstances, because the relationship between the child and biological parents is sacred, and needs to be honoured,” he said.
On the possibility of establishment of orphanages, the education minister said that that orphanages, old age homes and transit shelters were necessary only as temporary measures, and were not the most desirable institutions in society. “The effort should be to live and belong together,” he said.
The bill also proposes NCWC as the competent authority to provide adoption services and the power to accredit civil society organisations as providers of such services. Any Bhutanese citizen, single or married, and of good moral character, financially secure, not convicted of felony crime, capable of support and care for child, can adopt a child, the bill states.
Inter-country adoption can be done by only those foreign nationals of a country with whom Bhutan has diplomatic relationship, or by a Bhutanese citizen permanently residing abroad. The high court has the jurisdiction to hear on matters concerning inter-country adoption of a child.
The Child Adoption Bill is also a commitment NCWC has made to international conventions on child care and protection. Source: Kuenselonline
A new phase of competition in the Bhutanese banking sector might be underway, after the oldest bank, Bank of Bhutan (BoB) recently became the first bank to obtain primary membership of MasterCard, widening its range of services in the area of cards circulation.
MasterCard is a multinational corporation, whose principal business is to process payments between the banks that use its “MasterCard” brand debit and credit card to make purchases. It has a membership of 25,000 plus financial institutions that issue its card.
According to the chief executive officer (CEO) of BoB, Kinga Tshering, initially the bank will set up post terminal machines in hotels this year throughout the country - with a charge of Nu 20,000 for each - for tourists to use their credit cards.
He added that, though the income is minimal, with BoB charging an interest of 1.5 percent on every withdrawal, it would boost the economy, because the convenience in drawing money would encourage more tourists.
“The facility of MasterCard will ease the payments methods, be it for tourism and businesses, or the huge government projects in partnership with India,” said the CEO, adding that BoB would issue MasterCard to its customers only from next year with a membership fee of Nu 50,000 annually.
MasterCard would not only provide consumers a secure and convenient alternative to cash and checks, when making purchases, but also provide consumers with a line of credit.
“MasterCard debit cards provide consumers with a tool to better manage daily expenses via accessing their personal funds directly from their bank accounts,” said BoB’s chief monitoring officer, Dil Bhadur Rahut.
In a press conference yesterday, Rahut said that BoB has to pay a membership fee of USD 50,000 and USD 100,000 as collateral, but talks are going on for a waiver.
“Through this membership, BoB can sponsor any bank to be its associate member,” he said. BoB plans to issue MasterCard for the dollar as well as the Indian rupee to its customers. Meanwhile, BoB officials are also close to getting membership for VISA, a global payments technology company. Source: Kuenselonline
Pictures of tigers captured on camera trappings challenge the widely accepted fact that the only species of tiger inhabiting the country is the royal Bengal tigers.
Camera trapping in Jigme Dorji Wangchuk national park (JDWNP) last year captured a tiger different from those normally spotted in the country’s many parks such as the Jigme Singye Wangchuk national park (JSWNP), Manas national park and Thrumshingla national park.
Nature conservation division’s chief forest officer Dr Sonam Wangyel said that tigers found in JDWNP were stouter, had bushy fur and their facial structure resembled a Siberian tiger of Russia.
“They’re quite small built, compared with their counterparts in the other parks,” he said. Dr Sonam Wangyel wonders what caused their physical differences, which only a genetic analysis could confirm.
“It could be a natural adaptation or probably some level of inbreeding is taking place that may actually lead to genetic depression,” he said. “It could also be associated with their mutation manifested in their appearances.”
In absence of a nationwide tiger survey, Dr Sonam Wangyel said it was difficult to decipher with certainty where the tigers are across the country.
Pockets of survey and village reports, he said, showed that except for Sakteng wildlife sanctuary, JDWNP, JSWNP, Tursa nature reserve, Phibsoo wildlife sanctuary, royal Manas national park, Thrumshingla national park, Bumdeling wildlife sanctuary, and Wangchuk centennial park all spotted tigers.
“Through my research, I found out that the territories of tigers and leopards don’t overlap he said. “Wherever I’ve captured tigers in the cameras no leopards were captured.”
The national tiger recovery program draft says that Bhutan is unique in having tigers at altitude as 4,100 m in the north.
“It represents the only tiger ecotype adapted to live in high altitude habitats,” it said. Source: Kuenselonline
United we line- Women supporters try to distract a Damchen archer.
