Sikkim Observer Oct 31, 2011

“WHITE PAPER”

Make It Authentic

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling did the right thing and at the right time. During his tour of the earthquake-ravaged North Sikkim this week, Chamling declared that his government would soon bring out a “White Paper” on utilization of funds for quake victims. With much confusion and controversy over the role of the State Government on the recent earthquake, including alleged misuse of relief funds and materials, there is the need for the State Government to come out clear on the subject.

Already the Opposition has alleged ‘discrimination’ on distribution of relief funds. It has also demanded a “White Paper” that should include why the government in the first place signed more than two dozen MoUs with private power project parties when it was “aware of the high seismic activity” in Sikkim. When most people blamed hydel projects for triggering off the earthquake (6.9 on Richter scale) in North Sikkim Chamling passionately criticized those who held this view. The “White Paper” must come out clear on this controversy. The State Government has demanded a huge amount of money from the Centre as well as other international financial institutions to rebuild the State.  The “White Paper” must justify this demand with facts and figures that should be made public at the earliest.

HARD BARGAIN

China Buys Europe’s Silence

As EU officials flew to Beijing this week to beg for financial help, Brussels was accused of allowing China to ‘buy Europe’s silence’ over its appalling human rights record.

Campaigners spoke out after the head of Europe’s bailout fund arrived in the Chinese capital to discuss the terms on which the hardline regime might agree to inject billions into the struggling eurozone countries. Campaigners fear EU negotiators will cave in to Chinese demands to tone down criticism of the regime’s human rights record.

Experts believe Beijing will also press for the lifting of a long-standing Western arms embargo and demand preferential trade terms. Tim Hancock, campaigns director at Amnesty International, warned there was a real danger that Beijing would exploit Europe’s weakness for its own ends. He said: ‘Human rights concerns must not be traded away in return for Chinese assistance in the euro crisis. China must not be allowed to buy silence from Europe. If our silence on human rights issues is at stake, then that is too big a price for Europe and for China’s citizens to have to pay.’