The coronation address to the nation in 2008 describes the way in which His Majesty continues to steer the country ahead as the Head of State. On November 7, 2008, His Majesty celebrated with the people at Changlimithang, where His Majesty delivered the most profound, brilliant and heartfelt coronation speech that laid the cornerstones of His Majesty’s reign. One of the highlights from the speech that depicts our Druk Gyalpo as People’s King, which touched the Bhutanese from all walks of life, is the following:
“Throughout my reign I will never rule you as a King. I will protect you as a parent, care for you as a brother and serve you as a son. I shall give you everything and keep nothing; I shall live such a life as a good human being that you may find it worthy to serve as an example for your children; I have no personal goals other than to fulfill your hopes and aspirations. I shall always serve you, day and night, in the spirit of kindness, justice and equality.” (Excerpt, HM's Coronation Speech, Nov.7, 2008)
The Druk Gyalpo has put people at the center of all policies and activities. Lodging his aspirations with the interests and needs of the people, every moment of His Majesty, starting from simple daily tasks are being devoted towards fulfillment of his people’s ultimate aspirations. His Majesty assures that the voices of the people are heard. His Majesty personally interacts with the people to unravel the difficulties that plague them. His Majesty is fondly known as the "People’s King." His Majesty earned this, through his noble deeds, anchored on love, compassion and concern for the people.
1. Safeguarding national security.
(i) Indo-Bhutan Friendship Treaty (2007).
February 8, 2007, became a historic moment as Bhutan
and India embarked on a new epoch of friendship and economic cooperation by
revising the India-Bhutan Friendship Treaty 1949. India
renegotiated the 1949 treaty with Bhutan and signed a new treaty of friendship
in 2007. The treaty was signed by His Majesty at New Delhi, India.
Source: Instapedia
(ii). Desuung: The Guardian of Peace and Harmony
Source: https://desuung.org.bt/ |
De-suung training programme was started on February 14, 2011 on the command of the King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk to "inculcate the sense of volunteerism" among the Bhutanese people and to built a resilience towards any natural calamities that may unfold in the country. Since then, the Desuups have rendered immense services in the country against the several natural disasters which have caused havoc in the lives of the Bhutanese people. Besides, through various programme, Desuups are involve in the nation-building services bringing evermore peace in the Bhutanese society.
(iii). Royal Institute of Strategic Studies (RIGSS)
2. Democratic consolidation.
Strengthening the democratic practices in the country(i). Public Consultation of the Draft Constitution.
His Majesty, the then Crown Prince, visited 13 Dzongkhags between 2005-2006 for the public consultation of the draft Constitution of Bhutan to create mass awareness and to listen to the recommendation and suggestions of the people to refine the constitution.
His Majesty discussing the Draft Constitution with the people. Source: Kuensel |
(ii). Anti-Corruption Commission Act – 2011 (uprooting the weed called corruption)
Corruption can be compared to weeds that destroy flowers of
a beautiful garden.
Bhutan, moving towards democratic practice would invite
corrupt practices which would hamper the overall progress of the nation.
“The highest probable risk to development that I foresee is
corruption our national development efforts will be hindered by unchecked corruption.....which
will be an immense loss for the government and country” _ (His Majesty, The Druk Gyalpo).
(iii) Election Commission of Bhutan (2006)
Ensuring Free, Fair & Democratic Elections and Referndums
The Election Commission is an independent body to
prepare, maintain and keep and update of the electoral rolls (voter lists),
make election schedule, and supervision, direction, control,
and conduct of elections to Parliament and Local Governments,
in a free and fair manner.
Source: google |
(iv) Judiciary- Development of the judicial
system.
* Royal Law Project (RLP)
-Bhutan National Legal Institute (BNLI)
-Royal Institute of Law (RIL),
-Law Library,
-Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law
[*Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck is the President of the RLP]
Image source: Google |
*Ensure justice and unity, happiness and well being of the people under the rule of law,
*To strengthen legal capabilities that support and contribute
towards building a vibrant judicial system.
(v). Historic Local Government Election of 2011
First Local Government leaders (Gups) elected through the
election was granted Dhar and Kabney by the Druk Gyalpo.
“the nearest and closest level of government......the
success of democracy in Bhutan will be
determined by the success of the Local Governments.”_ (His Majesty)
(vi) Strengthening the Fourth Estate (The Watch Dog)
The media is considered one of the most important institutions in
governance and democracy.
Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) was established in 2010 as
an independent agency to foster the growth of a strong responsible media
capable of playing an important role in the social, economic and political
growth of the nation.
(Images: Google)
3. Economic Initiatives
(i). Druk Holdings and Investments (DHI)- a Commercial arm of the government.
*Established to:
-accelerate socio-economic development to achieve the
goals of GNH
-safeguard the national wealth for all generations
-stimulate private sector development through a culture
of innovation, creativity and enterprise
-promote the competitiveness of Bhutanese economy.
DHI Owned Enterprises |
DHI Controlled Enterprises |
DHI Linked Enterprises |
(Image Sources: DHI Website)
(ii). Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited –
NRDCL
Guardian of the Nation’s Jewels
-to ensure continued supply of stones, sand and timber at
affordable rate (affordable construction materials.
-to ensure the promotion of rapid development in housing,
construction and infrastructure to nation building.
-nationalization and marketing of sand and the pricing of
sawn timber and, affordability of these products paved the way for people to
construct their own houses (His Majesty’s vision of house for every Bhutanese).
(iii). National Cadastral Survey (2008-2013)-For the Gold called Land.
During Cadestral Survey (Source: NLCS) |
-His Majesty ordered for an immediate nation-wide land survey to ensure no citizens are left without a secured ownership of land.
-land ownership is both an end and means for economic
development.
-Land ownership is a measure of prosperity (especially in
rural areas).
4. Social initiatives
(i). National Rehabilitation Program – NRP (2011)
His Majesty initiated the resettlement (གཞིས་གསར།) program to relocate the people whose economic conditions are affected due to the unsuitable geographical situations.
-Landless farmers, socio-economically disadvantaged
communities and retired armed forces benefit for the program.
-Contributed towards poverty reduction by enhancing
sustainable livelihoods by providing adequate land and basic infrastructures.
Example:
Khenadrang, Pema Gatshel
His Majesty visited Borangma Resettlement. (Source: Google) |
Khenadrang village in Pema Gatshel has emerged from a barren area into a blossoming village today with the modern infrastructures provided under the program. It was inaugurated by His Majesty’s Representative, Gyaltshab Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 2014. The people from the nearby geogs are resettled at the place. Similar projects are also initiated in Ney (Lhuntsi), Dawathang (Samdrup Jongkhar), Bebji (Haa).
(ii) Royal Kashos on civil service and education
Royal Kasho on Civil Service Reforms. |
(English Translation of the Royal Kasho)
Thuchen Choeki
Gyalpo Ngawang Namgyal laid the foundation of Bhutan’s public service in
Punakha Dzong nearly four centuries ago. Since then it has played a critical
role in providing administration, dispensing justice, conducting foreign
relations, and defending our sovereignty. It has provided continuity in
governance and stability when our country faced severe challenges both
externally and internally.
In the twentieth
century, our country underwent profound changes in its socio-economic and
political structure with the launch of modernisation programmes. In order to
respond to the new challenges, His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck initiated
far-reaching reforms to streamline and modernise the public service, building
upon the modest but important initiatives of our First and Second Kings.
Thereafter, the structure, functions, and capacity of the public service had to
be continually reformed and strengthened to make it more efficient in the
delivery of goods and services and fulfil the aspirations of our people.
His Majesty King
Jigme Singye Wangchuck established the Department of Manpower in 1973 and
transformed it into the Royal Civil Service Commission in 1981. In the
subsequent four decades, the civil service grew in organisational
sophistication, manpower, and outreach along with the expansion in the
magnitude and scope of our national development plans and budget.
After the
introduction of parliamentary democracy in 2008, it had to support the
implementation of policies of consecutive governments. It also had to ensure
continuity of governance during election cycles. This was especially important
to sustain and strengthen the confidence of our people in the new democratic
processes and institutions.
Supported by
their numerical strength of over 31,000 people, repertoire of knowledge,
skills, experience, and exposure, civil servants have served our country with
loyalty and dedication in fostering balanced socio-economic development and the
pursuit of our national vision of Gross National Happiness. They have
contributed immensely to the success of our democracy and in nation-building,
becoming an admired corp of well-educated, highly trained, and committed
officials in the process.
Even as we
celebrate their successes and achievements, we have to prepare for our future.
Our people are
becoming more educated and skilled, more sophisticated in taste and talent, and
indeed more aspirational for greater opportunities and life-chances.
Our future will
become invariably inter-woven with regional and global developments as well as
the fusion of ideas, innovations, and technologies, which are taking place at a
very fast pace. Both the site and space of the future is becoming globalised.
Our people’s sense of identity and belonging to national community will
therefore, matter even more to enable them to navigate through the complexity
and sophistication of the future.
As one of the
most important institutions of our state, there is an urgent need for the civil
service to re-examine itself so that it is able to shoulder the
responsibilities bestowed by the Constitution, live up to the trust and
confidence reposed by the Throne, and meet the hopes and aspirations placed by
our government and people. To promote good governance and social justice, civil
servants must be professional, uphold the highest standards of ethics and
integrity, and exhibit qualities of adroitness and compassion.
We need to
acknowledge the genuine efforts made at reforms so far. Organisational
Development, Leadership Development, Managing for Excellence, Civil Servants’
Well-being, as well as periodic incentives and recognition have attempted to
improve the competencies and performances of civil servants. Nevertheless, the
core impediments against the development of a more professional and efficient
bureaucracy remain entrenched in the system. So we must also have the audacity
to equally acknowledge them in preparing for the future.
We are yet to
leverage the large size of the civil service and translate it proportionally to
performance and prevent it from becoming an impediment to our national
development and progress. We have to take on board legitimate concerns over the
sense of complacency and indifference generated by guarantee of job security. Protected employment has assumed
that competencies and skills, job descriptions, and projects remain valid till
superannuation. Seniority has been conflated with authority and competence.
Institutions of check and balance have had the reverse effect of stifling
initiative and courage in decision-making even as corruption is at risk of
being institutionalised as a norm, and accountability has been minimal.
Agencies pursue isolated sectoral objectives while administrative processes
burden efficient service delivery. Communication and co-ordination has been
further sidelined in the quest for autonomy by different agencies. Divisions
and units proliferate to justify creation of more departments. Consequently,
35% of services are delivered by one government agency to another rather than
to the people. Growth of institutions and increases in the number of civil
servants tend to happen without coherence and direction.
As a result, we
could not capitalise on the strength and opportunities provided by our small
demographic and geographic sizes. In the process, we are losing valuable time
and opportunity. This will prove costly for our small, land-locked country and
aggravate our vulnerabilities to the daunting challenges of geographic and
geo-strategic realities.
But we can still
turn the tide around and achieve success beyond our dreams by taking advantage
of the favourable circumstances arising from the uniqueness of our country’s
history, geography, culture, tradition, and indeed our people. We have the
energy, wisdom, and blessing of our founders and guardian deities. Moreover, we
are at the doorstep of two of the world’s largest economies. We must take advantage
of the opportunities they provide to build a strong, sustainable, equitable,
and dynamic economy. The twenty-first century economy will be driven by
artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, big data, and blockchain, while
digital currency, digital wallet, digital banking, and quantum computing will
define the financial landscape. We must pre-empt these profound developments by
restructuring the budget process, financial norms and procurement systems to
fast-track our transition to a knowledge-based and tech-driven economy.
If we succeed in
this, we will have built the unshakeable foundations of a vibrant democracy,
created the material conditions for realising GNH, and further strengthened our
peace and security. If we are passive, slow, and daunted by the speed and
complexity of innovation and change, we will not only fall behind others but
our economy also risks being terminally dependent on foreign aid and loans.
Instead, we must aspire to become self-reliant and a fully developed country within
our lifetime. We must compete as equals with other nations and persevere to
excel. For that we need highly capable and competent people, who are our most
important assets.
So we must embark
on a journey now in keeping with the tradition of timely reform, to
fundamentally reorganise and restrategise the civil service for the future,
with a fearless resolve of the nature that Thuchen Choeki Gyalpo Ngawang
Namgyal demonstrated in building our nation.
He said, “My
resolve is such that until the task is accomplished, I will persevere even if
lightning should strike from above, the space in-between collapse, or the earth
below move.”
We must be deeply
conscious and cognisant of the fact that our goal of accomplishing the task at
hand to fundamentally reorganise the civil service also reinforces the
relentless pursuit of our overarching national goal of ensuring the survival of
our sovereign statehood. For it is indeed my most sacred mandate as The Druk
Gyalpo to safeguard the glorious land of Palden Drukpa.
Therefore, I
hereby issue this Kasho on the auspicious occasion of the 113th National Day in
Punakha Dzong on 17th December 2020, corresponding to the Third Day of the
Eleventh Month of the Male Iron Rat Year, in exercise of powers bestowed upon
me by the Constitution to establish a Civil Service Reform Council. I entrust
it with the profound responsibility of recommending to the Royal Government the
directions for fundamentally restructuring the civil service so that it has a
renewed vision for the twenty-first century.
In order to
realise the vision, the civil service has to be grounded as a robust
organisation that is apolitical, meritorious, innovative, resilient, and driven
by a culture of research and state-of-the-art technology, enabling legislations
and indeed the highest ethical standards of its leaders and personnel. Only
then will we be able to unleash our full potential and serve our people even
better. It is my strong belief that a compact, efficient, and strong civil
service remains the key to our nation’s present and future wellbeing, security,
and sovereignty. If we are able to do this, it will be one of our finest
achievements and legacy.
The Druk
Gyalpo
Royal Kasho on Education Reforms |
(English Translation)
Standing on the cusp of the twentieth century, Gongsa
Ugyen Wangchuck saw the importance of modern education in preparing Bhutan for
what lay ahead. Despite the daunting challenges of his time, he established
schools in Bhutan and sent Bhutanese children to study in India. Realising the
importance of advanced monastic education, he also sent senior monk-scholars to
train in Tibet. His Majesty King Jigme Wangchuck built upon the early
foundations of modern education and pursued the footsteps and vision of his
father. However, mass public education was started only after 1955 by His
Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. By 1959, there were 440 students studying
in about 11 primary schools. This increased to 102 schools and over 9,000
students by 1971. The development of education continued to receive privileged
consideration during the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Jigme Singye
Wangchuck. Today, we have 704 schools, 24 tertiary institutes and a total of
1,85,757 students with nearly 11,000 teachers.
Bhutan’s education program, both modern and monastic,
has been a success story. Our general literacy rate today stands at 71.4% and
youth literacy rate at over 93%. Mass education and literacy resulted in the
creation of a corp of administrative and technical personnel which was required
for development while reducing our dependence on foreign experts. We have come
a long way in developing our national human resource in diverse fields.
More than a hundred years later, we find ourselves on
the cusp of a new century again and in need of a new vision to prepare for what
lies ahead. Unlike the past century, this one is qualitatively and
quantitatively different. It is defined by the accelerated rate of change in
all aspects of our lives because of rapid technological advancements and
globalisation. The future will be more wired and digital, driven by
sophisticated technologies in towns and villages alike, as well as in homes and
in workplaces.
Since the introduction of parliamentary democracy, our
time and energy have largely been committed to the establishment of democratic
institutions and ensuring their success. This remains a national priority.
However, we need to bring into focus other equally compelling national
priorities. Education is an indispensable one.
The Ministry of Education has made commendable efforts
to initiate reforms in our education system. It is now time to give renewed
life to these efforts by reorienting our school structures for the need and
challenges of a different social context. We must revisit our curriculum,
pedagogy, learning process, and assessments to either transform or rewrite them
in view of the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-first century.
Otherwise, continued focus on textbooks and content without integrating
technology and social learning risks perpetuating passive modes of learning.
Then, whatever education our children acquire today will become irrelevant and
obsolete when they graduate. Their competitiveness in an increasingly
progressive and fast-changing world will be compromised and the nation will
suffer by paying a heavy price.
Therefore, our generation has the sacred
responsibility of radically rethinking our education system and transforming
curriculum, infrastructure, classroom spaces, and examination structures.
Educationists and experts have identified what twenty-first century
competencies mean for children everywhere. By developing their abilities for
critical thinking, creative thinking, and learning to be life-long learners, we
have to prepare them to be inquisitive, to be problem-solvers, to be
interactive and collaborative, using information and media literacy as well as
technological skills. We must prioritise self-discovery and exploration, and
involve learners in the creation of knowledge rather than making them mere
consumers of it. We must make STEM subjects part of their everyday language.
In preparing our youth for the future, we must take
advantage of available technologies, adapt global best practices, and engineer
a teaching-learning environment suited to our needs. Technology is the argument
of our time and a major indicator of social progress. The irony in our context
is the absence of technology in classrooms for a generation of students who are
exposed to, and live in the digital age. To ensure that teachers are not
disconnected from their students, professional development of teachers should
integrate technology, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and automation.
The process of reforming our education system must aim
for standards and goals which are of the highest possible order. We cannot
compare present progress with our past and celebrate it as a measure of
success. We cannot compare with our neighbours and draw satisfaction from
having caught up with them. Instead, we must aspire to be ahead of them and
become the standard-bearers. Such an aspiration is not an expression of
misplaced idealism. Rather, it is founded on the strength of conviction that
our survival as a sovereign state will depend on the physical, emotional,
psychological, intellectual, and moral make of our children and indeed their
competencies.
These are not neutral qualities and cannot be
dissociated from the identity of our children as Bhutanese. As we prepare to
educate and equip them with competencies for the twenty-first century, we must
equally prioritise their holistic development so that they become caring,
dependable, and honest human beings as well as patriotic citizens. We need to
embed in them the conviction and sense of pride as a Bhutanese by grounding
them in our country’s history, culture, tradition, and value system. In their
thoughts, attitudes, and actions, they must live the very ideals and values
which define us as a unique nation and people, who have overcome all odds
stacked against our survival.
The new vision for our education system must encompass
the drive to create enlightened citizenship that is as much local as it is
trans-local. This can only strengthen the quality of our democracy and secure
our sovereignty. Each of our children must embody the fine blend and balance of
our native grit and intellect with acquired knowledge and skills to survive and
prosper as individuals and as members of our national community.
In achieving such a vision, it is not enough to merely
transform our education system and impart twenty-first century competencies. We
must simultaneously endeavour to create relevant jobs and economic
opportunities. Otherwise, we risk reproducing in future the very scenario of
today, where our education system has resulted in thousands of unemployed
youth. Without the concomitant creation of a knowledge based economy, our hard
work and effort will prove futile and frustrate expectations and optimism.
Therefore, it is imperative that our children not only acquire a world-class
education but also thereafter find gainful employment, that provide meaning and
satisfaction and meet their aspirations for better livelihoods.
In order to initiate a transformative
reconceptualisation of our education system, I hereby grant this Kasho on the
auspicious occasion of the 113th National Day in Punakha Dzong on 17th December
2020, corresponding to the Third Day of the Eleventh Month of the Male Iron Rat
Year, in exercise of the powers bestowed upon me by the Constitution. It
expresses my deepest conviction about the irreplaceable role of education in
the process of nation-building. I trust that a time-bound Council for Education
Reform will prepare a visionary and workable roadmap for the twenty-first
century to support the Royal Government of Bhutan in this august endeavour.
The Druk Gyalpo
Translation Source: Kuensel
(ii) Diplomatic Relations –Cementing ties
- Bhutan-India
Friendship
- His Majesty The King Jigme
Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck made Royal Visit to Bhutan’s closest neighbor, India
on several occasions, such as Chief Guest at the 65th Indian
Republic Day Parade at New Delhi and others. His Majesty The King also signed the
Indo-Bhutan Treaty in 2007 (a revised treaty of 1949) which further
strengthened and cemented the relations between Bhutan and India.
His Majesty gracing the 64th Indian Republic Day Parade at New Delhi, India in 2013. Source: indiatvnews |
2. Flag bearer of Bhutan-Japan relations
-His Majesty and The Queen made a
Royal Visit to Japan to commemorate the 25th-Year diplomatic
relations between Bhutan and Japan and also to offer prayers and condolences
for the Great East Japan Earthquake which brought great devastation in Japan in
2011. The Royal Visit to Japan took Bhutanese to the hearts of the Japanese and
brought evermore closer between the people of two countries. King also hosted the Japanese Princess Mako's visit to Bhutan in 2017.
3. Bhutan-Thailand diplomatic relations.
-His Majesty visited Thailand in
2006 during the 60th anniversary the late king Bhumibol Adulyadej.
His Majesty also granted audience to Thai Princess during her Bhutan visit in
2016 at Trashichhodzong. In 2016, His Majesty again visited Thailand on the
demise of the King of Thailand King Bhumibol Adulyadej to offer prayers and
condolences.
Source: Google Images |
4. His Majesty presented one million USD and sent Desuup
volunteers to Nepal during the 2014 earthquake havoc created in Nepal.
5. His Majesty visited Singapore to offer condolences and
prayers on the demise of the Singaporean leader in 2015.
6. His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck also
hosted the visit of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Middleton
in 2016.
Source: Kuensel |
7. His Majesty hosted the visit of Swedish Royal Couple King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
in 2016.
8. His Majesty granted Royal audiences to the Opposition
Leader and Bagladeshi Leaders in Bhutan in 2016.
9. Druk Gyalpo also granted
audiences to the US Ambassadors to India in Bhutan in 2012.
Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck (Patron of the Environment)
ii. Her Majesty inaugurated Bhutan’s first “Ozone Park”, the park at Motithang. Thimphu.
iii. In 2013, Her Majesty launched the Jigme Khesar Environmental Research Fund (JKERF).
iv. Her Majesty launched the Bhutan for Life initiative, a joint initiative of the government and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), worth USD 43M (Nu 2.8 billion).
v. Her Majesty launched the “My waste, my responsibility,” concept to achieve a Zero Waste Society by 2030, and other numerous programs.
Gyalsey Jigme Namgyal Wangchuck
***Significance of the birth of Gyalsey :
Convergence of Five Auspicious Events:
1. Guru Rinpoche's Birth Year
The Gyalsey Jigme Namgyal shares the birth sign of Guru Rinpoche and his father Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck according to the Bhutanese Calendar. The year 2016 was Trel-Lo the Year of Monkey.
2. 400th year of Zhabdrung's arrival in Bhutan.
The birth of Gyalsey in the year 2016 coincided with the celebration of 400th year of Zhabdrung's arrival in Bhutan which is auspicious and significant.
3. One Hundred and Eighth Year of Founding of Monarchy
The year 2016 also marked 108 years of Monarchy in Bhutan. The number 108 is considered by Buddhists and Hindus as an auspicious number.
4. 60th Birth Anniversary of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
Bhutan celebrated the 60th year of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 2015. 60 years in Bhutanese is calculated as Rabjung which is equivalent to a century.
5. 9th Year of His Majesty's reign.
Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck completed 9 years of reign by December 9, 2015. Number 9 is also considered an auspicious number according to the Buddhist traditions.
Age at Enthronement in the Future
When Gyalsey ascends the Golden Throne as the 6th Druk Gyalpo, he will be around 29 years old if the 5th Druk Gyalpo chooses to resign by 2045.
Long Future Reign of the Gyalsey
If the Gyalsey ascends to the Golden Throne by the age of 29 years, he will reign for 36 long years. The long years of reign will ensure the continuity of the monarchy and peace and stability in the country.
Continuity of the National Leadership.
The birth of The Gyalsey also ensured continuity of national leadership over a long period of time. By the time His Majesty retires, He would have presided over eight governments. Similarly, The Gyalsey would reign and preside over seven different governments.
Continuity of the Wangchuck Dynasty
The birth of The Gyalsey ensured the continuity of the Wangchuck dynasty. For Bhutan and the Bhutanese, the continuity of this dynasty is crucial for our ability to continue surviving as a nation. The Wangchuck dynasty came during a crucial period in national, regional and global history.
[Source: Dasho (Dr.) Sonam Kinga, Kuensel.)
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