With changing times, moral values
have changed and certainly changed drastically. What was once sacrosanct is now
mere objects that present opportunities for monetary gains. Chorten vandalism, counted
as a most sacrilegious act in Buddhist culture is these days as commonly as any
other petty theft or major heist.
The irony gets all
the more louder for this GNH country and land of Buddhism as chorten vandalism made
top of the list in the 2013 records with the Trashigang police for crimes
committed. And this is just taking into account the eastern dzongkhags of
Trashigang and Trashiyangtse. The two eastern dzongkhags recorded 72 chorten
vandalism cases last year.
The particular line
of crime plays favorite with those involved as many continue to be apprehended
by the law. It was just recently that the Wangduephodrang police in a joint
operation with Trongsa police arrested three men for vandalising four chortens
in Sephu and Tangsibji, Trongsa on July 25.
Taking into account
that these are structures that receive the utmost religious accord from every citizen
and the authority, it triggers an unavoidable intrigue as to how they remain so
vulnerable.
The answer to that
query lies in the very nature of its definition, composition and location.
These miniature
stupas placed at odds and ends of country sides, some in pretty far flung and
isolated locations are easy targets for vandals who seek the valuables placed
inside them such as sacred relics, precious gems (mainly the cat’s eyes or
dzee) that fetch a good price in the market.
Realization has of
course, dawned upon residents and authorities that the contents of the
structure is what draws the vandals but tradition prods them to continue with
the long upheld customs. Perhaps ways and means can be found in that avenue to avoid
using the very objects that draw vandalizing eyes and minds.
Secondly, if a
structure is so sacredly constructed, consecrated and worshipped then
communities can come up with measures to watch over them.
What current state
of affairs show is that most of these chortens are neglected by communities and
taken over by wild undergrowths of bushes and creepers. However this is just
the sort of favorable situations that the chorten robbers seek and lose no time
to jump on.
Of the multiple
farm roads constructed in the rural areas to ease the hardships of villagers,
most have unfortunately at the same time made it more convenient for thieves to
travel in automobiles to reach the venues and do the criminal deeds. It can also
be said that it has become just as easy or convenient for authorities to keep a
watchful eye.
In locations that
house objects of high religious, cultural values, finer measure can be employed
such as the use of CCTVs etc. The police is in this regard been on a relentless
drive to counter crime of allsorts by extending community police stations,
involving respective communities in the respective dzongkhags, roping in
students through their various initiatives. Kudos to that but it also falls on
members of general public to play a role and do their bit in this wherever
possible.
Published as Editorial for Business Bhutan on August 16, 2014
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