Bhutan: Can Police Brutality Be Justified?

By now most of us have heard of the beating of a 19-year-old student from Yangchenphug School by the Thimphu SP.  Heard enough, even for the Home Minister to come out and issue a statement in support of the Police.

The story goes that on October 4, a group of students went to Tendrelthang to view a rare relic that was being displayed to the public. The students, like other members of the public, had gone there hoping to receive blessings from viewing this sacred object. But it started raining and the large crowd that had gathered there ran amok. Lines were broken and the situation it seems became a little chaotic for the police as they tried to gain control and tame the crowd.  

In the event, the police decided to send people home without seeing the relic.  One of the students walked over to a police officer to tell him that they had been waiting for 2 hours to see it and that this was their only opportunity to do so. As the student approached the officer, the officer became upset and scolded the young man. The young man attempted to explain himself, again, but this time the officer had no patience.

He grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away from the crowd. The boy was taken to a room in the basement of the building and severely beaten.  There were witnesses – people (students) who saw the boy being dragged away and policemen (in the basement office) who saw the officer put the boy in the room and beat him. In fact there were several witnesses. There was even a policeman who helped wipe the blood off the boy’s head and offer him a glass of water after the officer was done with him, and still, there were others who helped bring pen and paper and warm the boys stiff hands to help him write a confession statement that the officer wanted him to; stating the wrong he had committed to deserve such a beating/punishment.

This is the version of the victim.

Now even if the facts differed – even if the boy may have actually gone to confront the officer and ask him why they were being sent home; even if he had spoken rudely or seemed cocky, was the policeman justified in beating him; beating him till he drew blood from the boy’s head?

But it is highly unlikely that the boy is making up the story. What does he have to gain from fighting a system that beat him down – literally? And how does a 19 year old seem threatening to an officer in his mid 40’s?

The Police Chief apparently told the faculty of Yangchenphug School, who are seeking justice for the boy – that an independent committee would be formed to make an inquiry into this case.

Unfortunately, even before this committee has been formed; even before the facts could be determined; the Home Minister has come out in defense of the police officer and his actions.

As a society – a Buddhist one – there has to be some introspection into the behavior and actions of office holders with regards to this case. And as an emerging democracy – claiming GNH all over the world – we have to ensure that our every action conforms to its ideals.

An elected representative (Thuemi) of Chang Olakha, Kinley, was kind enough to visit the school several times to enquire about the case. But his statement to Kuensel that “people could have tolerated if the officer beat the student in Tendrelthang” (in public) but not in a closed room, is wrong.  Nobody should tolerate the beating of anybody; whether one is wrong or right; whether it be a police officer or a Dasho who is doing the beating and the other a mere student or a “lesser being”; whether in public or private.

And for the Home Minister to make excuses for the actions of police officers inability to manage an unruly crowd; irrespective of whether the crowd was abusive or not; or by even dismissing this incident as an “isolated case” and by saying that they have the right to use physical force is setting a dangerous precedent.

Yes, if the police come under threat, or are placed under immense stress/duress where they are being threatened by violence/weapons, it is totally understandable. But that hasn’t been proven in this case. In fact the police have proven nothing – no obstruction of law and order; no obstruction to prevent the police from doing their duty; no threats; no obstruction or resistance to arrest.

For the Home Minister also to compare this so-called “mistake” by the police officer to that of “mistakes” made by the media who, in his words, “makes all kinds of errors in spelling people’s names, figures, and quotes,” is belittling the severity of the case. The horrendous beating of a teenager who sustained serious injuries cannot and should not be compared to a spelling error.

There are many questions that are begging for answers in this case. There are many policies that will need to be made that will protect innocent civilians against such abuse. Most importantly, however, if somebody is not made answerable to this horrific crime committed by a supposed “law-enforcer” against an innocent civilian, then I don’t think we can have any faith in our officials, neither can we consider Bhutan to be a safe place for our children and ourselves anymore.