HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN     Vol 1 No 19       Page 1             May 31, 2011

Imperial India wanted Tibet a buffer State

SONAM WANGDI

The plight of Tibet and the flight of the Dalai Lama have been attributed to either deliberate or inadvertent lack of foresight in Independent India’s Himalayan policy, which had replaced Imperial India’s time-tested strategy before 1947. The main policy of Imperial India was to maintain Tibet as a buffer State between China and the Indian empire and to keep off the Russians from Tibet and also to gain access to the vast Chinese market.

The British, being an alien power, wanted to ensure that there was absolute peace on the frontier by surrounding its Indian [Burma, now Myanmar, was a part of India till 1935] possessions by a series of buffer States on the western, northern and north-eastern borders. Thus Iran and Afghanistan in the west were under its sphere of influence; Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan provided the inner and outer bulwark between China and India; Siam or Thailand was the bumper between the British and French empires in the east.

Britain had no problem defending India against any naval attack since she was the strongest naval power in the world and the Indian ocean was considered a British lake where no power dared to enter and disturb the Indian Empire. Imperial India, however, was not sure of the loyalty of its Indian subjects who could rise in revolt again as in 1857; and an imperial power cannot hold on to its possession if the imperial army has to fight on the border and also to help the Police simultaneously in quelling internal rebellions.

The British empire wanted a virtually independent Tibet, not because of its love for the Tibetans but because it did not want China on its threshold. A quarrelsome and powerful neighbour is a perpetual headache. Before the Younghusband mission, despite repeated attempts from the British-Indian Government to open up Tibet, she kept aloof on the ground that the British “were harbouring ulterior designs on their country and their religion.” But the British policy in India was to annex only those territories which were fertile and rich in mineral resources and leave the rest under the largely autonomous Princely States which were in their largest number in the semi-desert areas of Rajputana, now Rajasthan.

Both Tibet and Mongolia had their inner and outer territories. During the Manchu empire, both Tibet and Mongolia with their inner and outer areas were part of China. After the collapse of the Manchu dynasty in 1911, Tibet and Mongolia were said to have signed a treaty in January, 1913 at the Mongolian capital, Urga. If the Tibetans had played their cards right, with the assistance from the wily British, the Outer Tibet, with Lhasa, would have been certainly a sovereign country in the same way as the Outer Mongolia, called Mongolia, is today. Mongolia is closer than Tibet is to the Chinese capital. With the help of the Soviet Union, the Mongolian People’s Republic was proclaimed in 1924. Inner Mongolia is a part of China. (The writer is former Chief Secretary of Sikkim)

DALAI LAMA FORMALLY GIVES UP POLITICAL POWERS

Spiritual leader to remain ‘symbol’ of Tibet & Tibetans

Himalayan News Network

Dharamsala, May 31: The Dalai Lama has formally relinquished his political powers "in a historic move" but will remain the “symbol” of Tibet and Tibetan unity.

"It is a very historic moment. He will still be the religious leader and the symbol of Tibetan unity, but he has formally devolved his political role," the Buddhist monk's spokesman, Tempa Tsering, said on Monday.

In his last political act, the 75 -year-old Tibetan spiritual leader signed an amendment to the Tibetan constitution, turning over his powers to Prime Minister-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay. Tibetan officials say the Dalai Lama will spend more time promoting human rights and interfaith cooperation

Tibetan exiles elected a Harvard scholar, Lobsang Sangay, 43, in April as their new prime minister to assume the political duties of the globe-trotting spiritual icon.

Tsering said the Dalai Lama on Sunday has formally given up his role as the political head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, but will remain Tibetan spiritual leader.

The Tibetan spiritual leader's other responsibilities will be divided among the speaker, deputy speaker, the justice commission and other democratically elected leaders, Tsering added.

Under the amended Article 1, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the “Protector and Symbol of Tibet and Tibetan People”.

The Parliament also gave approval of the change in the title of the Tibetan government-in-exile to ‘Tibetan Administration'.

 The announcement followed deliberations over three days, May 26-28, during which the Tibetan parliament approved the new preamble and rights and responsibilities for the Dalai Lama under Article 1 of the Charter.

The Dalai Lama announced in March that he would relinquish his political powers in favor of an elected head of government.

The newly elected members took oath of office here on Monday. Sangay will take charge from outgoing PM Samdhong Rinpoche on August 15.

JUNE 6 MEET BEFORE TRIPARTITE TALKS

Hope in hills after Mamata-Gurung meet

“We want good things to happen to Darjeeling”

Himalayan News Network

Kolkata, May 31: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the State Government will hold discussions with Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) on June 6 on the Darjeeling issue to chart out a roadmap for future course of action.

Briefing mediapersons after her meeting with GJM supremo Bimal Gurung here on Monday, Mamata said, "It has been decided that discussions on the Darjeeling issue will start between GJM and state government officers on June 6. And after that meeting, they will decide from the discussion as to when the political process can be started."

This was the first official meeting between Banerjee and Gurung after she took over the reins of the State following her Trinamool Congress's landslide victory in the Assembly elections.

The Morcha leadership has put its demand for a separate Gorkhaland State on the backburner and agreed to resume the tripartite talks.

Gurung, along with his colleagues, called on the Chief Minister here on Monday when it was decided that talks would be held at the official level with the State administration on June 6 as a prelude to the next round of tripartite discussions at the political level for, as the Chief Minister put it, “a speedy solution” to the impasse in hills.

"We all love Darjeeling. It is very much a part of West Bengal and will continue to remain so," Banerjee announced after an hour-long meeting with Gurung.

"We want a solution as soon as possible. If there is a political vision, things work out according to plan. We want good things to happen to Darjeeling and the State," the Chief Minister said.

Gurung said he was happy with the outcome of the meeting which he described as “good and cordial.” He sees a “ray of hope after 34 years” of Left Front rule in West Bengal.

Gurung agreed to Mamata's suggestion that the CID should investigate into the Sibchu police firing on February 8 in which three GJM supporters were killed.

Besides Gurung, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri and the four party MLAs were present in the meeting.

Activists in favour of separate Himalayan policy

Himalayan News Network

Dehra Dun, May 31:  In an effort to give impetus to the overall growth of the Himalayan region, social activists in Uttarakhand have called for a separate policy keeping in mind the needs of the biodiversity rich region.

"Discussions have already started for formulating a separate policy in sectors like agriculture, fishery, horticulture and animal husbandry," head of HESCO, a Dehradun-based NGO, Anil P Joshi said, PTI reported.

"We are involving leading NGOs, central institutions and experts in this endeavor," he said.

The main concern of the new policy will be to fulfill the requirements of the hills where land holdings are small, soil erosion is rampant, biodiversity is rich and climate change is seen as a big factor, Joshi said.

Factors like haphazard growth, water shortage, rapid migration, unemployment will also be taken into account, he said.

A series of workshops and discussions involving the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and its various organisations are being planned in this regard, Joshi said.

Sunderlal Bahuguna, leader of the Chipko movement and a recipient of Padma Vibhushan, has also supported the idea of a separate policy saying big dams like Tehri were causing destruction to the rich biodiversity of the region.

"Our main concern is that through the new Himalayan policy we will be able to protect our forests and vast biodiversity of the region," Bahuguna said.

Editorial

NEPAL CRISIS

Top Priority: New Constitution

That Nepal managed to avert another constitutional crisis is not something new. The world and the Nepalese in particular are gradually getting used to Nepali lawmakers devious attempts hang on to power irrespective of the enormous damage done to the country’s image at home and abroad. The last moment decision of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal to resign has paved way for a consensus based government, democratization of the Nepal Army and implementation of past deals made with Madhesi parties. These are some of the contentious issues that the legislators have to deal with during the three months given to them to frame the new constitution.

    Once a Hindu kingdom, Nepal still seems to be struggling to usher in a more stable democracy where all citizens have equal rights and equal opportunities. While the administration is in shambles the Nepalese are still a long way towards the goal of reaching a measure of economic success. The Constituent Assembly, elected in 2008 with a mandate to draft a constitution within two years, has not been able to do its job due to differences among major parties in the country. The unresolved issues of integrating the Maoists fighters into the Nepal army and giving more political space to the growing Madhesi clout in national politics will surely continue to cause more obstacles to the Parliament, whose life-span is now only three months. A country that wishes to embrace democracy must be ready with a give and take attitude. Otherwise the turmoil will go on leading to either President’s rule or army takeover.

Darjeeling Gold Cup football tourney to be revived this autumn

C. Tamang

Darjeeling, May 31: The likely revival of Gold Cup football tournament in Darjeeling has been okayed by the new Sports Minister, Madan Mitra, who announced his plans after a meeting with officials of the All India Football Federation in Kolkata on Saturday.

Mitra met Federation’s General Secretary Kushal Das and Vice-President Subrata Gutta at the Salt Lake Stadium and discussed over the issue.

With a view to reviving the tournament in the hills, Mitra said, “We want to encourage the youth of the region to take sports seriously.”

In the good old days when football festival in the hills of Darjeeling was in full bloom in the 60s and 70s hundreds and thousands of fans thronged the North Point ground to witness Herlihy Cup and Malla Shield football tournaments. When these tournaments faded into the background it was the Gold Cup tournament that enthralled football fans in the hills.

But the Gold Cup, too, died a natural death as agitational politics became the main preoccupation of hill people.

That the Mamata Government is reviving the Gold Cup this autumn is good news to all football lovers in the region.

Justice Dinkaran case likely to be sent to Constitution Bench: SC

New Delhi, May 31: The Supreme Court on Friday hinted at referring to a Constitution Bench the Sikkim High Court Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran’s petition challenging the impeachment process adopted against him.

“We are thinking why not the matter be referred to a Constitution Bench,” a vacation bench of Justices G.S. Singhvi and C.K. Prasad said at the fag end of the day’s hearing, PTI reported.

The Bench’s remarks came after counsel Basava Prabhu Patil and Romy Chacko, appearing for Justice Dinakaran, argued the Constitution Bench in Justice Ramaswamy case did not decide the question whether a Parliament-appointed panel can travel beyond the jurisdiction of the impeachment motion.

Justice Dinakaran’s counsel also submitted no third party should be allowed to implead in the matter as it amounted to scrutinising the conduct of even the committee.

In an apparent reference to media reports and statements, the counsel submitted a “parallel inquiry” was being conducted against the judge even before his case was decided.

“When there is a public debate of a judge’s conduct, it becomes difficult for the judge to function,” Patil submitted.

He argued the judge unfortunately stood condemned even before his innocence or otherwise was established by the inquiry committee.

The counsel repeatedly said the Rajya Sabha-appointed panel had exceed its jurisdiction by framing 14 charges on the basis of fresh complaints whereas there were only 12 charges at the time when the motion was introduced in Parliament.

It was argued that the committee should restrict itself to the original 12 charges instead of inviting further complaints from various persons, which was not permissible under the law, the counsel argued.

Justice Dinakaran had also sought recusal of senior advocate P.P. Rao on the ground that he was allegedly biased against him as he was part of a delegation which had met the then Chief Justice K.G. Balarkrishnan to oppose his elevation to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court said a judge has to behave in an ''exemplary'' manner both within and outside the court, as any aberrations would undermine the institution.

 “A judge in court has a personality and his conduct has to be exemplary in all respects. Any aberration would make him liable. Any deviation would dilute the dignity of the institution and office,” the court said.

The court is likely to hear the submission by various parties, including Lalit on behalf of the inquiry panel, Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra and advocate Prashant Bhushan next Tuesday.

SCALING EVEREST

Woman on top, twice in two weeks creates controversy

RP Sharma

Kathmandu, May 31: Arunachal Pradesh’s Anshu Jamsenpa is not only the second woman to scale Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak; she did the job twice in less than two weeks.

However, her success has been mired in bureaucratic red tapism as she has been accused of “illegally” climbing the summit (8,848 metres) a second time.

"There is a controversy about Jamsenpa's Everest ascents," said Laxman Bhattarai, spokesman at Nepal's tourism and civil aviation ministry.

"She applied for a permit to us to climb Mount Everest once and paid the required royalty of $25,000. However, she then summited the peak a second time without taking a permit first or paying the licence fee again."

Bhattari said “an illegal climb” would not be recognized in Nepal.

However, the mother of two from Bomdila was optimistic that the red tape problem would be resolved amicably.

"I first summited Mount Everest on May 12," Jamsenpa said. "Then I decided on the spur of the moment to try once more and was told that there would be a weather window on May 21, allowing climbers to attempt the summit. There was little time to complete all the formalities before that and so, I thought I would climb first and then sort out things."