HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN Feb 15, 2012
Nepal PM to inaugurate Global Bihar summit
Patna, Feb 14: The Global Bihar Summit 2012, which is scheduled to explore and discuss new strategies for the State's development, will be inaugurated here on February 17 by Nepal Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai.
Bhattarai, who is scheduled to arrive here on February 17, will lead a 17-member delegation of his country for the three-day summit, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister S K Modi said, PTI reported.
About 1,000 delegates from India and abroad are expected to participate in the summit. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, RBI Governor D Subba Rao, British economist Nicholas Stern, Lord Meghnad Desai, industrialist Kumar Manglam Birla, lyricist Javed Akhtar and film maker Prakash Jha would be among the participants, Modi said.
Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and former Japan PM Kan Naoto are also expected to be present during the function.
He said objective of the summit is to explore the potential areas Bihar's progress. The summit is be jointly organised by Bihar Foundation, Institute for Human Development and Asian Development Research Institute.
Tibet protesters arrested in US amid China visit
Himalayan News Network
Washington, Feb 14: Police on Monday arrested activists who unfurled a banner reading, "Tibet Will be Free," on a major Washington bridge during a closely watched visit by China's leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping.
Officers briefly took four people into custody after they rappelled down the Arlington Memorial Bridge, which connects Virginia with central Washington's National Mall, to hang the banner, police said.
The four -- two of whom were taken by a police boat as they dangled down the side of the bridge over the Potomac River -- were arrested on charges of trespassing, US Park Police spokesman Sergeant David Schlosser said, AFP reported.
The activists from the group Students for a Free Tibet said that they were later released after being issued citations with fines of about $250 each for trespassing and disorderly conduct.
"I wanted to send a message to Xi Jinping, and also to the Tibetan people that we stand in solidarity with them," said one of the four, Tenzin Jigme.
Culture, adventure package draw UK tourists to Bhutan
T. Dem
Thimphu, Feb 14: Latest yearly tourism figures for Bhutan show a significant increase in the number of UK visitors to the country in 2011 compared to those of 2010.
37,481 international visitors entered Bhutan in 2011, representing a 38% increase from the 27,196 in 2010. Of those 2,795 were British compared to 1,772 from the previous year – an increase of 1,023, according to reports.
COMO Hotels and Resorts, which owns Uma Paro, the first luxury hotel to open in the country in 2004, also saw an increase in UK and international visitors with many staying at the property for a longer length of time than before. Of the back of this increased demand, COMO will be opening a sister lodge, Uma Punakha in September 2012, to enable guests to enjoy greater cultural and physical adventure within the country.
The hotel is situated on a hillside in the lush Punakha Valley, a five-hour drive from Paro. The intimate, 11-room lodge will offer the option of a two-centre stay with COMO and provide even more reasons to explore the beautiful centre and east of the country
Much of the growth in tourism to Bhutan can be attributed to the attractiveness of the country for adventure and culture including trekking, mountain biking, archery, yoga and even spa. One tour operator which has been sending more UK travellers to Bhutan is Ampersand Travel.
Its founder James Jayasundera said: “The combination of better quality hotels and more exciting possibilities for adventure has led to this increase in numbers. Bhutan is becoming more accessible yet retains its air of mystery and strong cultural heritage which has always been very attractive to Ampersand customers.”
Ten Tibetan journalists jailed in China
Hill Media Network
Lhasa, Feb 14: As the Chinese authorities continue to ban access to journalists attempting to report on the situation inside Tibet, a global annual census on imprisoned journalists conducted by a leading international NGO promoting press freedom reveals that 10 out of 27 known journalists imprisoned in China are Tibetans. Six are Uyghurs.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in its December 2011 Prison Census on China said that Tibetans and Uyghurs form the bulk of journalists jailed in China, adding this unfortunate trend dates back to the widespread 2008 and 2009 protests in Tibet and East Turkestan (Chinese: Xinjiang) respectively.
The ten imprisoned Tibetan journalists are documentary filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen (sentenced to 6 years since December 28, 2009, detained in March 26, 2008); Kunchok Tsephel Gopey Tsang, online writer for Tibetan cultural issues website, Chomei (15 years since November 2009, detained in February 26, 2009); Kunga Tsayang aka Gangyi, political essayist, photographer and environmental activist (5 years since November 2010, detained inMarch 17, 2009); Tashi Rabten, writer /publisher of Shar Dungri magazine (4 years since 2 June 2011, detained since April 6, 2010); Dokru Tsultrim, the twice-detained monk writer forKhawai Tsesok journal (formal charges undisclosed); Jolep Dawa, writer and editor of Durab Kyi Nga magazine (3 years since October 2011, detained in October 1, 2010); Choepa Lugyal aka Meycheh, freelance writer for Shar Dungri magazine (formal charges and wherabouts are unknown, detained in October 19, 2011).
The writer and editor Jangtse Donkho aka Nyen and his fellow writer for Shar Dungrimagazine Buddha were detained since June-July 2010. Both were sentenced to 4 years imprisonment subjected to hard labor since October 2010 while another writer for Shar Dungri, Kalsang Jinpa aka Garmi who was arrested along with Nyen and Buddha was sentenced to 3 years in October 2010. In January 2011, the three were imprisoned subjected to hard labor in Mianyang jail near Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province.
Nepali Congress for talks on federalism
Kathmandu, Feb 14: Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers and Central Working Committee (CWC) members have urged the party leadership to take the lead to settle differences seen over federal structure under the new statute.
During a joint meeting of the party´s CWC members and lawmakers organized by its Central Policy Orientation Academy last week, the NC leaders argued that the party should hold negotiations with various other parties and ethnic organizations to persuade them over the NC´s position, The Republica reported.
The meeting comes against the background of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) submitting two separate reports to the government on federal state structure.
Addressing the meeting, NC CWC member and lawmaker Gagan Thapa argued that the NC cannot afford to remain a back-bencher and only react to the federal models floated by others.
“We have already agreed to go for federalism. We now have a situation where we in the Nepali Congress can ourselves develop a single federal state model through consensus,” he said.
He also suggested to the party leadership to start negotiations with other political parties and various ethnic organizations advocating ethnicity-based federal states to bring them around to the NC´s position.
NC lawmaker Uma Kanta Chaudhary asked the party to take a clear position on Madhes.
“The Nepali Congress has a popular base in Madhes. Our party would benefit hugely in the next election if it took a clear position on the federal state agenda in Madhes,” CWC member Jiwan Pariyar quoted Chaudhary as saying. Chaudhary added that the Madhesi people are in favor of a separate Madhes federal state.
Hostel for JK students in Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 14: In order to mitigate the difficulty of students from Jammu and Kashmir in finding appropriate accommodation in Delhi during their studies, the Jammu and Kashmir Government last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) to provide accommodation to 400 students from Jammu and Kashmir at PG, Graduate and School level in JMI.
The MoU was signed by the Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, Tanveer Jahan, on behalf of the State Government and Registrar JMI, S. M. Sajjad and Union Joint Secretary (K), Ministry of Home Affairs, K. Skandan in presence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Union Minister for Home Affairs, P. Chidambaram, Union Education Secretary and Vice Chancellor JMI.
The Government of Jammu and Kashmir will release a sum of Rs 16.22 crore to JMI in installments to finance the construction of hostel building, including appropriate furniture and fixtures in JMI Campus, to enable JMI to provide accommodation to 400 students from the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The amount so released by Jammu and Kashmir shall be reimbursed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The land for the hostel will be provided by the JMI within its campus.
The project will be completed within 24 months from the date of commencement of construction. The 400 students from Jammu and Kashmir to be accommodated in the hostel will only be those admitted to the JMI University and its affiliated schools and for that purpose the concerned Hostel Committee of JMI shall include a representative from the Jammu and Kashmir State Government (Education Department) while allotting hostel accommodation to the students.
Opposition wrath
Will Nepal go the Sikkim way?
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s ‘Lendhup Remark’ wherein he threatened possible merger either with India or China if Nepal failed to become a vibrant bridge between the two countries has drawn expected criticism from selected opposition.
Not all in the opposition bench in Nepal differ with Prime Minister Bhattarai for obvious reasons. May be Nehru is their political guru.
Bhattarai the other day in an interaction with his preferred group of journalists while deriding at Nepal’s unifier King Prithivi Narayan Shah had claimed that “If we fail to come out from the buffer state mentality, there looms largely a threat of either merging with India or China.”
The Nepali Congress chief-whip Laxman Ghimire and United Marxist Leninists’ reliable ‘US contact’ Bhim Rawal criticized India trained Nepal’s Prime Minister Baburam for making the irresponsible remark. Both Ghimire and Rawal were speaking at the parliament.
Mr. Ghimire seeking immediate clarification from the Prime Minister said, “The Prime Minister should appear in the parliament and provide immediate clarifications for his irresponsible remarks.”
Prime Minister Bhattarai’s akin to ‘Lendhup remarks’, claim experts, have come at a time when a section of critics suspect that the birth of the Unified Maoists Party, the decade long rebellion, India forced anti-national 12 Points Agreement, declaration of the republican order, chaos thereafter and eventually Baburam becoming the country’s prime minister---series of events make it clear that the country is headings towards possible disintegration or merger with India. Could be? Full circle of People’s War.
The US government’s reliable communist contact in Nepal, Mr. Rawal also came down heavily upon the Prime Minister for his anti-national remarks.
Said Rawal, “During his India visit, the Prime Minister had claimed that he "gambled" in Delhi while signing the BIPPA with India. Now, he is talking about ‘merger of the nation-state," Rawal said.
To recall, Lendhup (Kazi Lhendup Dorji Khangsarpa – the first Chief Minister of Sikkim) assisted Madame Gandhi for Independent and Sovereign Sikkim's merger into the Indian Union. Later Lendhup died an unsung death. (Telegraph Nepal)
Editorial
SACRED SIKKIM
Don’t Repeat Mistakes
The scrapping of two controversial hydroelectric projects in West Sikkim by the Sikkim Government recently follows a statewide agitation by social organisations, whose main opposition to these projects are based on religious and historical grounds. Traditionally, West Sikkim is regarded as a sacred place for Sikkimese Buddhism. Most of the important and ancient monasteries in Sikkim are located in this region, which has been blessed by many religious leaders of the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism Khechoepelri Lake
Nearly four hundred years after the coming of Sikkim ’s ancestor Khye Bumsa the first Sikkimese monarch, Chogyal Phuntsog Namgyal, was installed as the ruler (Chogyal) at Norbugang in Yuksam in West Sikkim in 1642. The minority Bhutia-Lepchas, who reluctantly accepted Sikkim ’s merger with India
“Muivah has failed to keep his promise to the people of Nagaland”
ULFA chief Paresh Barua guns at NSCN’s Thuinglang Muivah for disintegrating insurgent movements in Northeast
Riding close on the heels of the first ever formal peace talks between United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)’s pro talk faction and the Centre, the Commander-in-chief of the banned outfit Paresh Barua, who leads the anti-talk camp, has hit out at his one-time ‘close friend’, General Secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac Muivah) (NSCN-IM), Thuinglang Muivah accusing him of disintegrating the Northeast insurgent movements by siding with the Indian Government and, thereby, failing to keep his promise made to the people of Nagaland.
The NSCN(IM) has been involved in a peace parley with New Delhi since 1997. Union Home Ministry insiders have confirmed to TEHELKA that a new settlement of the long-continuing Naga conflict will be achieved before Christmas. In such a scenario a snub from Paresh Barua will leave Muivah and his team in utter discomfort.
“Muivah is responsible for the disintegration of Northeast insurgent struggle for sovereignty. The Government for long has been taking advantage of the discord among various outfits of the region. Way back in 1985, ULFA has proposed to NSCN (IM) general secretary Th.Muivah to initiate a unity move among Northeast rebel groups since ULFA feared that Government will try to divide and encourage fratricidal killings. But Muivah sided with the Government of India. Thus Muivah has failed to keep his promise to the people of Nagaland,” reads the statement issued by Arunoday Dohutia, press secretary of Paresh Barua led anti-talk faction of ULFA.
The statement further referred to the 10 October incident where there was a huge gun battle between the NSCN (IM) and Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) in Manipur. The Barua faction feels Muivah’s decision to go alone and not unite the various rebel outfits of Northeast had dealt a blow to the survival of the underground insurgent movements in the region and, in the process, he has betrayed other rebel outfits and people of Northeast.
Independent watchers feel that by issuing such statements the anti-talk faction of ULFA is making a mistake. “The problem of division among various rebel groups in the Northeast is nothing new. It has been there because of high assertions of ethnicity that reduced the ground for the outfits to come closer. The Indian State has always been able to take advantage of this situation, thus by making such statement Paresh Barua is falling into the same trap which he accuses Muivah of falling into,” explained Subir Bhaumik, Editor, Seven Sisters Post.
Between 1985 and 1990 ULFA’s cadres were baptised in terror by the NSCN. They used to share camps in the head quarters of undivided NSCN in Kesan Chanlam on the other side of the Indo-Myanmar border across from Nagaland. After NSCN got divided, the military wing of ULFA under Barua’s leadership has maintained close ties with both the factions. “We have come to know from surrendered ULFA cadres that once Paresh was fond of Muivah but friction developed between the two outfits after Paresh became close to the rival faction of Khaplang-led NSCN-IM. ULFA and NSCN once got engaged in a gun fight over control of a corridor in NC hills,” a senior military intelligence officer said. NSCN(IM) top leader Anthony Shimray, who was in charge of the outfits arms procurement, was hand-in-gloves with Barua before his arrest in Nepal. (Tehelka)
Bangladeshis refuse to be Sikkim of India
India has alerted its army to extend all sorts of assistance to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid if another attempt was made to remove her from power. The Bangladeshi army spokesman disclosed recently that a coup against the government planned by religious elements within the military was recently foiled without giving specific dates.
According to reports, published in the Indian media, Indian army bases near Bangladesh’s border have been asked to remain alert and there have been regular contacts with country’s embassy in New Delhi to forestall any attempt to dislodge the government. The reports of the Indian actions and concerns over an internal matter have further infuriated the proud Bangladeshis who have centuries-old history of not accepting hegemony of others and they do not want their country to become another Sikkim of India.
In 2009, two months after Hasina Wajid took office after general elections, Bangladeshi border guards mutinied and many serving army officers were killed. That shows the strong resentment among the armed forces over incumbent government’s close relation with India and underlines tension between the government and elements in the military that have lingered since the mutiny in 2009.
India wants its hegemony over Bangladesh and dictates its terms to get concessions and policies of its liking implemented by the sitting Government in Dhaka in return for support in the creation of the country in 1971. This is not acceptable to the people and they oppose any move of the government that gives the impression of surrendering to Indian dictation.
There are border and other disputes between the two countries but the long running water discord is of serious concern for Bangladeshis who want the government to control its political itching and take stand against Indian abuses. But the problem is that India has its own long-term designs and the ongoing tussle reflects that all is not well in India’s relations with Bangladesh. In the present international scenario, every state and its people want relations with other countries on equal basis and one fears that more India will interfere and assert in Bangladeshi affairs, more the resistance would be.(Pakistan Observer)
Sikkim not controversial: Gautam
Filmmaker Goutam Ghosh recently claimed that Satyajit Ray’s documentary “Sikkim” had been unjustifiably banned since 1975.
The DVD of the documentary created to portray its namesake, produced by the Royal family of a sovereign Sikkim in 1971 and banned by the Indian Government till 2010, was finally launched by Angel Digital in Kolkata last month.
While occupying the podium during the event Ghosh said, “The documentary was about the sovereign state of Sikkim before India annexed it, so perhaps there were political reasons but I still cannot justify the banning of this film as it contains no infuriating or controversial footage.”
“People had a great curiosity about this film as it was made by the legendary director Satyajit Ray and it is great that they will finally get to see it,” he remarked.
Fellow filmmaker and Satyajit Ray’s son Sandip Ray shared a few anecdotes from his experiences during a shooting trip to Sikkim with his father while affirming to the notion that “Sikkim portrays only the flora and fauna of the land. It only shows the beautiful landscape and I assure you that there are no controversial footages.”
Ray revealed that obtaining a decent print had been a hassle as the owner of the original negative Hope Cooke, the wife of the then Chogyal (King) of Sikkim, could not be contacted.
“It is really lucky that a print of this film was found with one of my father’s old friend and distributor in London because the original negative is no longer available,” Ray remarked.
“Some parts of the movie have been restored and though the original quality of colour was really great, this print is viewable and at least people will get the opportunity to see this,” he said.
Ray urged the distributors to produce compilations of his father’s other short films as this is the high time for their release.
“It would be great if the short films of my father are released because I believe the people are ready to see them now and so I request the producers to do something about it,” Ray said. (India Blooms News Service)
Left Front for Central intervention in Darjeeling
Kolkata, Feb 14: The Left Front is approaching the Centre to urge it to take steps to arrest the deteriorating political situation in Darjeeling in the wake of various pro-Gorkhaland groups taking out rallies in the Hill town in support of a separate Gorkhaland.
“Darjeeling is among the many issues where the State Government has failed to bring a solution,” State Opposition leader, Suryakanto Mishra said on Monday adding that he would reach the Central Government “seeking its immediate intervention before the situation spins out of control,” a national daily reported.
Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Gorkha Janmutki Morcha, had on Sunday taken out huge processions in Darjeeling in support of a separate State. The rally came close on the heels of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the GJM leadership where she assured them of quick commissioning of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration accord.
The tripartite accord signed by the State, Centre and the GJM in July 2011stipulates carving out of an autonomous zone comprising three Hill sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, apart from the Dooars and Terrain area in the foothills and contiguous Plains inhabited by the adivasis and Bengalis. A high-powered committee led by (retd) Justice Sabyasachi Sen is looking into the territory aspect of the treaty amid protests from the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad and the local Bengalis.
“The treaty should have been implemented by the end of January, ie within six months of its signing. But it seems that the Government is not sincere about its implementation which makes the creation of a separate Gorkhaland all the more necessary,” said IM Pakhrin a senior GJM leader, wondering “how far the Hills can wait for the GTA to happen.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties in Darjeeling have already come under an umbrella to take on the GJMM forcing Gurung to press for quick implementation of GTA.
JAC rally in Sikkim to protest Tashiding hydel project
Gangtok, Feb 14: The Joint Action Committee, a common platform to protest hydel power projects in Sikkim, organized a rally on Monday in West Sikkim demanding the scrapping of the third hydel power project Tashiding by the State Government.
The rally follows the scrapping of two hydel projects, Lethang and Ting Ting on Rathong Chu river in West Sikkim, considered sacred by Buddhists in Sikkim.
Thousands participated in the rally at the district headquarters of Geyzing, according to Nawin Kiran Pradhan, President of All Sikkim Educated Self Educated and Unemployed Association.
Pradhan said that the association has welcomed the historic decisions of the state government in scrapping Lethang and Ting Ting hydel projects. “If the state government does not accept our demands we will start a mass agitation,” said Pradhan.
Darjeeling ropeway reopens after more than 8 years
Darjeeling, Feb 14: The Darjeeling Rangeet Valley Passenger Ropeway in Darjeeling was reopened for the public this week after more than 8-year freeze.
The Ropeway is a joint venture by the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation and Conveyor and Ropeway Services (CRS).
A major tourist attraction, the services had been closed down following a fatal accident on October 19, 2003 which had resulted in the death of 4 passengers and had critically injured 11.
With demands of the reopening of the Ropeway from different quarters, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had assured that it would be functional from October 2011 (Durga Pujas). However, owing to technical hitches the deadline could not be met.
Following a thorough survey by the Metallurgical and Engineering Consultants (India) Limited (Mecon), this Central Government undertaking had furnished a list of technical recommendations, including modern safety features.
10 gondolas will undertake the 2km run between Singamari, adjacent to the St Joseph's School, North Point, on the outskirts of the Darjeeling town at 6,500ft to Tukvar tea garden at 6,000ft.
The ropeway was started in 1968 by the forest development department and comprised only a single car which ran one way. Later, it was upgraded to 16 cars and went to and fro from North Point to Singla Bazar, 8 km away.
Fight Maoist propaganda in Northeast: Pillai
P. Ghosh
Guwahati, Feb 14: Former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai on Monday urged political parties and NGOs in Assam to counter Maoist propaganda at the grassroots level.
Pillai also said the Army's role in counter-insurgency operations in the northeast could be reduced provided the State Governments were willing to upgrade their police forces.
“The subtle campaign of the Maoists to portray themselves as champions of the underdog and protector of the deprived is but a part of their larger campaign to seize political power through an armed struggle. And Assam needs to learn from the experiences of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha and nip it in the bud,” he said, while delivering the keynote address at a two-day seminar organised by the Centre for Development and Peace Studies (CDPS) here, a regional daily reported.
Describing Manipur as “perhaps the most problematic state in the North East as no genuine dialogue has yet taken place with the insurgent groups,” he said the disconnect between the State government and the Government of India on how to tackle the security situation and the consequent social and economic fallout “is more worrying.”
Presently a Distinguished Fellow of the Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), Pillai alleged that the State police force in Manipur had become “politicised” and “highly dysfunctional.”
“The contours of peace in Manipur are still not clear. At present, this is hostage to the ongoing peace process with the Nagas. The government and the people of Manipur will have to be consulted and made a party to in the final settlement, which as Government of India has repeatedly stressed, respects the territorial integrity of Manipur and of other States in the northeast,” he said.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said proper utilisation of natural resources and generating employment opportunities were the keys to sustaining peace in Assam and the other north-eastern States. He, however, asserted that the Maoists would never be successful in Assam. Mr. Gogoi also said that he saw no difference between the Maoists and various insurgent groups of the region.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Eastern India, Sanjay Wadvani, said that the North East had tremendous economic potential and, in the current climate with many radical groups preferring dialogue to settle disputes, the moment seems opportune to build peace in the region and give a new vigour to development.
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