HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN      March 21, 2012

Bhandari calls for Opposition unity

“Corruption and communalism” have led to discrimination

Gangtok, March 20: While alleging that the virus of “corruption and communalism” had engulfed Sikkim, former Chief Minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari called on all Opposition leaders to rise above their narrow political objectives and unite the Opposition to create a democratic atmosphere in the State that would protect the constitutional and democratic rights of the Sikkimese people.

The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee President while briefing reporters here at the party office yesterday said he would soon tour the State to create awareness among the people about their political rights guaranteed by the constitution.

He said corruption and communal politics have led to discrimination among various sections of the people in the State. He added that although the Congress party got 32 per cent of the votes polled in the Assembly elections in 2009, Congress workers and supporters have become “victims of political discrimination.”

Bhandari said lack of unity among the Opposition was mainly due to the fact that Opposition leaders’ main aim is to become the next chief minister.

Nepal govt bid to halt Gurkha recruitment in foreign countries

Kathmandu, March 20:  Indian and British Armies may no longer be able to employ Gurkhas, known for their valour, following a Nepalese government decision to eventually stop their recruitment in foreign countries.

Nepal's government has directed Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and other concerned ministries to implement the recommendations of a report that seeks to ultimately halt Gurkha recruitments in foreign armies.

The report approved by the Parliamentary Committee on International Relations and Human Rights on December 26, 2011, was later presented in the Legislature Parliament.

The report has drawn sharp criticism from Ex-Gurkha organisations which have warned to launch protests if Gurkha Recruitment Centres are shut down in Nepal, the Republica reported.

Nepalese Gurkhas are mainly serving in Indian Army and British Army.

The parliamentary report argues that although the Gurkha recruitment gave the Nepali youths limited employment opportunity, serving with foreign military had not allowed the country to hold its head high.

"Nepal's government is put on further loss after the Britain decided to provide citizenship to Gurkha soldiers, and the time has come to evaluate Nepal's foreign policy in regards to Gurkha recruitment," the parliamentary report said.

Oz seeks China’s nod to probe Tibet suicides

Melbourne, March 20:  Australia on Monday sought China's permission to send a top diplomat and lawmakers to Tibet to investigate a spate of reported suicides in the Himalayan plateau, a move that could irk Beijing.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said that Australian Ambassador to Beijing Frances Adamson was seeking permission to visit Tibet to investigate the reasons for the self-immolations by young Buddhist monks and nuns, Australian news agency AAP reported.

Close to 30 Tibetans have set themselves ablaze during the past 12 months to protest against Chinese rule and Carr described protests as "distressing".

The Foreign Minister said that the ambassador will also ask Beijing to allow an Australian parliamentary delegation to tour Tibet.

"Our ambassador will be seeking today to travel to Tibet to see for herself the grievances that have given rise to the self-immolations," Carr told the Senate.

Adamson's deputy also would make a request to inspect Tibetan establishments in adjourning Sichuan province. Carr's announcement came as a delegation of 12 Tibetan-Australians visited Canberra to discuss the shocking protests with government, opposition and cross-bench parliamentarians.

Delegation leader Kyinzom Dhongdue welcomed Carr's announcement.

China is Australia's biggest trade partner in Asia with the two-way trade topping USD 106 billion in 2010.

Kashmir decks up to attract 20 lakh tourists

Srinagar, March 20: With a staggering 11-lakh tourists visiting Kashmir last year, the Jammu and Kashmir government aims to welcome 20 lakh tourists this year. An optimistic tourism director Farooq Shah says, "We have worked hard to promote our tourism industry throughout the world. Now it is time to reap the rewards. We are hopeful to receive around 20 lakh tourists this year."

The government is upbeat about tourist potential this year, in view of a peaceful summer-2011 that followed three consecutive years of turmoil in the state. With signs of violence ebbing in the state, the government has embarked on a major overhaul of the tourism industry to attract more tourists.

"We have to showcase Kashmir as a destination that attracts both high-end overseas travellers and the domestic visitors, while consistently projecting an impeccable image of the state," says tourism minister Nasir Aslam Wani.

He adds, "Besides the Jammu and Srinagar airports, the surface entry points at Lakhanpur and Lower Munda will provide a 'quick response mechanism,' facility to ensure that tourists are not made to wait for long hours."

The administration is roping in services of free porters for shifting tourists' luggage. "Two more buses will operate for luggage transit from the first airport drop gate to the terminal," said the minister.

Tourism director Shah says, "The tourism department has already kicked off a campaign under the title 'Preparation for Tourist Season 2012'. The campaign was required to bring professionalism among stakeholders. If we deal with tourists professionally, they will become our promoters."

The tourism minister has also asked the valley-based tour and travel operators to come under one roof to put in a joint mechanism to ensure better results for promotion of tourism. The tourism department is also planning to hold festivals every month.

Several departments, which take care of roads, electricity and water supply, have been instructed to work on betterment of roads, regular water and power supply, in preparation for the up-coming tourist season.

Himachal may cancel land allotted to Tibetans: Dhumal

Shimla, March 20: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal recently indicated that  his government will cancel allotment of land by the previous Congress government to Tibetan refugees if an ongoing probe found "any irregularity" was committed.

Dhumal said the allocation of land by the Virbhadra Singh-government to exiled Tibetans "is being enquired into".

"The Virbhadra government himself amended (land) laws to favour Tibetans. The allocation of land would be cancelled, if any irregularity is found," the Dhumal told reporters

The cancellation threat comes two days after Virbhadra Singh, the union minister of micro, small and medium enterprises, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Himachal Pradesh for violating land laws by giving special permission to Team Anna member and counsel Prashant Bhushan to buy property in the State.

Dhumal said the land in Palampur town of Kangra district was allotted to Bhushan's Kumud Bhushan Educational society on his request.

Virbhadra Singh, a five-time former chief minister and Congress leader alleged that Bhushan's society had bought a tea garden that violated the Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holdings Act of 1972.

The row over the land given to Tibetans, who fled to India in 1959 with their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, is in a court since November 2010.

A division bench of the Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notice to the Tibetan government-in-exile based in Dharamsala, the central and state governments regarding the case.

EDITORIAL

OPPOSITION UNITY

Congress Must Take The Lead

After former chief minister Nar Bahadur Bhandari took over the Congress party in Sikkim in August 2004 the party’s performance in the Assembly polls jumped from 2-4 per cent to around 30 per cent in the 2004 Assembly polls. This performance was repeated in the 2009 Assembly polls, when, according to Bhandari, the party polled 32 per cent of the votes polled. The rest of the Opposition parties polled around 5 per cent in the 2009 Assembly polls. The fact that the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front won all the 32 seats in the Assembly despite the Opposition party’s impressive performance makes one wonder about the way elections are conducted in this part of the world.

Bhandari’s bid to unite the Opposition, therefore, has sound basis. Ever since he was abruptly dethroned by his party (Sikkim Sangram Parishad) legislators in 1994, Bhandari has proved that he has the backing of a substantial section of the people with him. If dissident SDF legislator PS Tamang (Golay) fails to come out openly to challenge Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Bhandari alone will not be able to effectively unite all anti-Chamling forces. However, Bhandari must make the first move to win over Golay if he is really serious on tackling Chamling, who seems to be firmly in the saddle as of now.

GTF  raises Gorkhaland demand in Delhi, holds dharna

"Only the creation of Gorkhaland will solve our identity problem"

New Delhi, March 20:  Gorkhaland Task Force (GTF), an alliance of political parties and social organisations, on Monday held a demonstration here to press for their demand of a separate Gorkhaland.

"We are demanding creation of a separate Gorkhaland state under the Union of India since a long time. We have organised a two-day dharna to assert our demand," Enos Das Pradhan, Chairman of Gorkhaland Task Force, said.

The activists demanded the creation of a separate state for Gorkha community as they feel that this will meet their aspiration for political identity, PTI reported.

"Our national identity is confused. We resemble the Gorkhas of Nepal and that's why many people in India think we are foreigners. The creation of Gorkhaland will establish our national identity in India," Pradhan said.

"The government created Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and said they have solved our problem. GTA does not have any legislative powers. It does not meet our aspirations," Pradhan said.

"In 1988 they created Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, we only suffered under it," he alleged. "Only the creation of Gorkhaland will solve our problem."

The Gorkhaland Task Force has units in 22 states of India and comprises political parties like the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists, the All India Gorkha League and Gorkha Rajya Nirman Manch.

Rich tributes to Sister Declan of Kalimpong

GOAL paid rich tributes to Galway missionary nun Sister Declan Fahey who passed away in  Kalimpong on February 12 last month.

GOAL’s Country Director in India, John Wain said St Declan was a powerful woman, who devoted more than 40 years of her life helping to improve the lives of less fortunate children in India by developing access to education in the town of Kalimpong in West Bengal.

“In 1995, with the support of GOAL and the Irish public, I assisted Sr Declan with the construction of a primary school for children who could not afford to pay the fees demanded by the private schools,” he said, Ireland’s Galway Independent reported.

“In the 16 years since I left India, she had managed to introduce to the region a women’s college, a vocational training centre, a home for HIV-affected children, a school ‘drop-out’ centre, while she had also developed a proposal for a research institute,” added  Wain.

Wain said Sr Declan’s untimely death was “the end of an era” for Irish missionaries working in the hill stations of West Bengal. “Their work not only helped give the country its reputation for generosity and compassion, but provided a yardstick by which all aid agencies continue to judge themselves and be inspired by,” commented  Wain.

“We all owe people like Sr Declan a large debt of gratitude,” he added.

Originally from Roo, Craughwell, Sr Declan devoted more than 40 years of her life helping to educate young boys and girls in the town of Kalimpong. She was the last of the foreign missionaries in the hill town.

Sr Declan arrived in Kalimpong in April, 1971 and took charge of St Joseph’s Convent. She later served as the Superior at St Anne’s Convent and St Philomena’s School, Kalimpong, before establishing Cluny Women’s College for underprivileged boys and girls in Kalimpong in 1998.

Travel with Ian Wright from Sikkim to Singapore

The show will be telecast every Monday at 8 pm starting March 26

Gangtok, March 20: Globetrotter extraordinaire Ian Wright is back to discover the world’s best travel destinations through authentic local experiences in new episodes of INVITE MR WRIGHT only on India’s favourite lifestyle channel- TLC.

Thanks to Ian’s friends from across the world, who offer not just their hospitality but an inside track into their home turf! Follow Ian as he is invited to some of the best tourist destinations in the world by the people who call those places home. From Sikkim to Singapore and more, Ian gets a different perspective on life and culture in these vibrant places. INVITE MR WRIGHT 2 will air on TLC every Monday at 8PM, starting March 26th.

The first season of INVITE MR WRIGHT took a humorous and off-beat look at the world of travel. This new season sees our intrepid host back for more, this time in India, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam where he hangs out with an eclectic mix of people to learn about the life of the locals.

China may takeover Arunachal: ex-Army Chief

Guwahati, March 20: General V P Malik, former Indian Army Chief, said China may try to forcefully occupy Arunachal Pradesh anytime and that India has to step up the vigil along the Chinese border in that region.

Malik, addressing a symposium on how prepared India is to defend herself organized in Nagpur by the local daily The Hitvada, also stated that China may even forcibly occupy some of the territories in North West India.

Malik also voiced his concern to the fact that Chinese Defence budget has gone up by 11.5 percent but Indian policy matters are not even discussing about the raise, The Times of Assam reported.

Besides Malik, former Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis and former Admiral Sushil Kumar also participated in the event. The two former service chiefs stressed importance on the need to engage Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar to counter the threat and adopt a long-term foreign policy.

Speaking about the Kargil war, Admiral Sushil Kumar said the Indian Navy had deployed its ships in the Arabian Ocean though the war was fought on hills by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force. But we succeed in blocking Pakistan’s supply chain through the sea route which was a key factor in our victory, – said the Admiral.

Former Air chief marshal AY Tipnis spoke about the need for government-to-government, military-to- military and people-to-people interaction in the sub-continent.

BJP suspects Chinese role in Siang drying up in Arunachal

Himalayan News Network

Itanagar, March 20:  BJP has not ruled out a role by China in the steep fall in the level of the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh, a party release said.

A five-member party team headed by National General Secretary Tapir Gao visited the river, gathered local public opinion on the causes of the fall in water level and met officials of the Central Water Commission and the district administration during its three-day visit from March 11, the release said.

The team did not rule out a role by China in the phenomenon and found reasons to believe that China may be diverting the waters of the river in Tibet, it said. There were apprehensions that many areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and even in Bangladesh would go dry if the Chinese went ahead with their plan of building a dam, the release said, PTI reported.

The team was informed that some areas in the upper reaches of the river Siang had almost dried up. Stating that it was not possible to ascertain the causes in a single visit, it said, there was need for satellite-based observation on the phenomenon to reach a conclusion. The team will submit its report to the national BJP president  and the party MPs will take up the issue in and outside the Parliament, the release said.

TRAVEL&Living

Asian way of life

The best travel experience is one in which the traveller gets a whiff of a city’s culture and lifestyle. And that is exactly how Ian Wright does it in season two of TLC’s ‘Invite Mr Wright’, writes Juanita Kakoty 

The brilliant raconteur that he is, Ian Wright, the celebrated globetrotter and travel host, in a couple of minutes, offered me a kaleidoscopic peep into his experiences in India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Australia and Singapore. These are the countries he has visited for the upcoming second season of the TLC series Invite Mr Wright, premiering on March 29, 2012 at 8 pm.

“In India, I travelled to Sikkim this time. I lived in a monastery and experienced Sikkim with three monks who showed me around. Initially, I thought it would be boring. But once we got there, I was amazed to see how colourful Sikkim was. There were coloured buildings all around you, everyone was in a costume, and everyone was with music. And to my surprise, the monks were such fun to be with. It was fantastic!” spoke Ian, who is often described as the funniest and best loved travel presenter on British TV, excitedly.

   “I lived in the Rumtek monastery near Gangtok, which is the first monastery built outside of Tibet after the Chinese invasion; and took a crash course in how the monks live their lives. That’s a feat, and it’s special because, usually, this is not allowed. I shaved my hair, learnt to chant, and ate vegetarian food that was great.”

In season one, Ian had travelled around Mumbai and Goa. “There I lived with Bollywood actor Arshad Warsi, visited film sets and learnt to act, dance and stage a fight. Hence, Sikkim was an altogether different experience from Mumbai and Goa. But both the times have been uniquely charming.”

Been there, done that

Invite Mr Wright, as a concept, has been very well received by the audience. “It is a great idea where I get to go to a country, stay there for a relatively long period, build relationships with the local people, live with them and see their culture through their eyes. And season two gets all the more better because it is more refined, more about personal opinions, relationships and more focussed,” revealed Ian. Talking of his varied experiences in season two, he spoke about how, in Indonesia, the team visited the island of Sumatra and spent time with conservationists trying to save the orangutans and green sea turtles. “This bit is more like a wildlife conservation film. There, we saw the local authorities sell and destroy the orangutans’ land; and how they have no desire to keep the apes safe.”

In Vietnam, Ian and his team visited Sapa, a frontier town in the northwest that borders China. “We drank rice wine for three continuous days at a hill tribe wedding. It was crazy! We also helped a young woman, who has started an orphanage for young girls, with photographic exhibitions.” In the island of Okinawa, Japan, Ian tried to pass on his Ipswich (believed to be England’s oldest Anglo-Saxon town) skills to the only football team on the island — Ryukyu FC. Then there were crazy experiences with Indians in Northern Australia, where he hung out with a mud-racing couple.

But the most difficult bit was when Ian had to cook for a top chef in Singapore. “Over there, I was with one of the top chefs of Singapore in the best restaurant, enjoying life, when one day I had to cook a meal. I made some English dish for them and the feedback that I received was pathetic.”

Ian might have travelled to India on work with Invite Mr Wright, but his tryst with the country began some 25 years ago. “I was about 23 years old then and had travelled all over India — to Kerala, Kodaikanal, Calcutta, Delhi, Darjeeling, Amritsar, etc. Those days, there was no Internet or mobile phones, and the only time I could speak to my mother was during Christmas, from a post office in Darjeeling. But in all those months, India had so much to offer that I was never bored, nor was my mind ever blank.”

Ending the conversation, even though he admitted to ‘hour-long’ anecdotes that he could share from his travels, Ian reflected, “What I love about India is that it is several countries united into one. As you move from one place to another, body shapes change, languages change, colours change, food changes, neighbourhoods change. And the most amazing thing about the country is that you don’t really have to go looking for places to see the local cultures and lifestyles. You just go to the street and watch the whole world go by.”