26 May, 2007 - It is not a new story but a story that needs to be re-read, and some lessons need to be learned. The software giant, Microsoft, decided to change the term “Dzongkha” to “Tibetan-Bhutan” in its software not knowing, or caring, about the consequences or reactions. Its official reasons are incredulous although the real reasons might be just market interests.
It is difficult to understand the insensibility of a company that would issue a notice within its company to change the name of a country’s national language. If the reports are true it has even barred the use of the word “Dzongkha”.
News reports explain that Microsoft made this an official policy because Dzongkha “implies affiliation with the Dalai Lama, which is not acceptable to the government of China”. Never mind that the conclusion is ridiculous, the inference does tell of the core value of the world’s most successful software producer.
As the beta version of Windows Vista is distributed around the world, to be used by millions of people, we might ask ourselves what should Bhutan do about it. A more relevant question is, given Bhutan’s neglible market strength, what can we do about it?
Should we ignore it altogether? It is not the first time that a small country has been bullied. It will not be the last time. Microsoft can muster more leverage in world politics than developing countries.
But this policy is wrong. It is factually, ethically, and politically wrong. In the first place the justification is completely skewed. The connection between Dzongkha and His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not even a good conjecture. As for pleasing China someone at Microsoft, too eager to keep a big market happy, has added two plus two and come up with five. China could have no interest in keeping Dzongkha out of Microsoft software.
In the bargain the company decided to call Dzongkha Tibetan although not a single person in Tibet speaks Dzongkha. If it is meant to indicate Dzongkha’s linguistic history, because written Dzongkha is a derivation of Choekey, it did not consider calling English Latin.
Bhutan has adopted a low-key policy on international issues in the past. A private British company that initiated the computerization of Dzongkha appeared to have taken advantage of this policy and maintained a secrecy on this part of the project.
But it is time that the government at least record a factual correction. Our voice might be small but, for Microsoft, there must surely be issues other than money?
Countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are all equal members of the international community and all deserve respect in the world
