Safe Guarding National Security

Safeguarding the National Security

a.       Signed Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty – 2007

b.      Established De-suung

c.       Instituted Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies 

a.      Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty – 2007 – Cementing Ties

Background:

• The review about the treaty was conducted when Fourth Druk Gyalpo visited India in July 2006 & Foreign Secretary Shri Shivshankar Menon to Bhutan in October 2006
• Signed on 8^th February, 2007 at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi by His Majesty the King and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
• Article 2 and 6 were revised and article 10 was added

a.      De-suung-The Guardian of Peace & Harmony

Background

ü  Started on February 14, 2011 with 125 candidates (80 M & 45 F)

ü  The program is open to all where even a member of the royal family partakes.

ü  Volunteers during disaster, in charitable activities, public gathering, fighting forest fires and floods and conducting community services.

ü  The De-suups not only helps in building nation but has gone beyond borders

ü  De-suups are peacemakers for the service they rendered lead to happiness and peace

ü  The institution prepares people to take up the sacred responsibility of Nation building

ü  It inculcates the spirit of volunteerism

ü  It reminds people of civic responsibility and unity

ü  It helps to knit unity among the Bhutanese

ü  The program builds human values; integrity, civic responsibility, unity, volunteerism and citizenship in De-suups.

Examples;

1. Earthquake in eastern Bhutan-Mongar 2009
2. Fire disaster in Sarpang in February 2015 where 81 shops and huts lost to fire
3. Flash Flood disaster of July 20, 2016 in Sarpang town
4. Accessible and Safe Drinking Water Projects namely

ü  Bura water project at Kamji in Chukha

ü  Dhangdhung water project under Trongsa Dzongkhag

      v.            De-suups had played major role during the pandemic from border duty to advocacy program, from construction to reaching out to needy ones.

Beyond Border

De-suups join the Bhutanese relief team that went to Katmandu on April 27, 2015 and eight days later, seven additional De-suups joined the team

 

 

b.      Royal Institute for Governance and Strategic Studies (RIGSS)

Background

ü  RIGSS was conceived and established by His Majesty the King

ü  Started on 10^th October, 2013 by His Majesty as the Chairman and the royal Patron

ü  The institution is housed in Bhutan India Friendship Association

ü  A premier institute to promote excellence in governance, leadership and strategic studies

Aim:

ü  To train leaders from various sectors in all major areas of governance and nation-building

ü  To foster a common understanding and appreciation of our long term national goals and the challenges we confront in realizing them.

ü  Courses and Trainings:

i. Senior Executive Leadership Program (SELP)

ü  The four-week Senior Executive Leadership Program (SELP) is mainly designed for senior public service officials

ii. Military Leaders Strategic Studies Seminar (MLS)

ü  The 10-day Military Leaders Strategic Studies Seminar (MLS) at RIGSS is designed to expose military ofcers to understand the security threat perceptions to prepare for mitigation and responses in the 21st century.

iii. Bhutan Executive Services Training (BEST)

ü  Two-week leadership program, exclusively designed for the Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) for senior executives in the civil service

iv. Leadership Program for Parliamentarians (LPP)

ü  The two-week tailor-made “Leadership Program for Parliamentarians” (LPP) is designed exclusively for Members of the Parliament

v. Young Professionals Leadership Program (YPLP)

ü  A four-week course that will focus on leadership skills building, with one week dedicated to outdoor leadership and team-building exercises

The Significance of RIGSS

 Generally RIGSS;

ü  Develop the intellectual capacity of Bhutanese leaders to promote good governance

ü  Provides high quality education and discourse on public policies, leadership and strategic management

ü  Offer platforms for different leaders to come together and discuss real-life issues facing the country

ü  Helps to generate the ideas that provides solutions to the problems we face as small and vulnerable society

ü  Helps to consolidate globally relevant concepts with traditional knowledge and value systems and ground realities at home.

Test Yourself

1. The Druk Gyalpo has always put nation before himself. Explain how Druk Gyalpo has safeguarded nation’s security in chronology.
2. List five way how De-suups had safeguarded country’s security during pandemic.
3. List five benefits Bhutan enjoy as result of signing Bhutan-India Friendship Treaty in 2007.
4.  Explain five points how RIGGS ensures country’s security.