HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN     Wednesday Feb 6-12, 2013  

GOLAY’S PILL FOR CHAMLING’S  ILLS  REVOLUTION!

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha formed; Bharati Sharma keeps seat warm for Golay, Cong leaders join SKM

Gangtok, Feb 5: Rebel leader PS Golay’s newly-launched Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is now all set to begin its movement for real change in Sikkim where people are thoroughly disillusioned with the Chamling Government’s brand of ‘democracy and development’ and are desperately looking for someone to bail them out of the situation.

It was, therefore, not a surprise that well over 10,000 people turned up for the party’s launch yesterday at Golay’s home village of Singling, near Soreong in West Sikkim. The people have been patiently waiting for formal launching of the party for months.

Retired secretary KP Adhikari chairmed the function. Surprisingly, Golay himself was conspicuously absent from the dais but he was there among his supporters. Former East Zilla Adhakshya and former OBC chairperson Bharati Sharma was declared Working President of the new party during the function.

Members of the executive committee were sworn-in even as the new flag of the party (saffron, red and green) fluttered in the air, signaling a significant shift in the State’s political development.

“The name is very attractive as it is SKM, meaning Sikkim,” said an observer. SKM leaders, including Golay’s main objective of going against the present dispensation and forming their own political outfit is to bring real change in Sikkim, which the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front had promised but failed to deliver.

A host of Congress leaders, including former ministers and PCC members, have quit the national party to join SKM. Similarly, many SDF supporters have also joined SKM.

The revolt against Chamling Government’s ‘misrule’ is likely to take firmer shape when Golay formally leads the party as its president.

Prachanda bats for ‘independent’ candidate for PM post

Hetauda, Feb 5: Nepal's Maoists vowed on Saturday, never to return to guerrilla warfare and offered to give up leadership to an independent prime minister to take the Himalayan nation towards democracy.

Party leaders said at their general convention they would step down from government to seek a popular mandate to lead a "socialist revolution", six years after a decade-long insurgency which toppled the world's last Hindu monarchy.

"Let's agree on an independent person who will lead the government. And we will endorse this concept of a government led by an independent person to hold the election through this convention," said party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

He called for a "socialist revolution" to promote economic growth and create jobs at home so that thousands of young Nepalis were no longer forced to seek work abroad.

Gurung to ‘quit’ GTA, revive Gorkhaland stir

Darjeeling, Feb 5: Gorkha Janmukti Morcha President Bimal Gurung  yesterday said he would step down from the post of chief executive of the Gorkha Territorial Administration in a few days.

Gurung made the announcement at a workers’ meet in Darjeeling, which was attended by important party functionaries and all GJM and GTA sub-committee members.

If he steps down, Darjeeling could face another round of agitations and turmoil sooner rather than later.

The announcement comes on the heels of a virtual standoff between the GJM leadership and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during the latter’s visit to Darjeeling last week. At a public meeting, Mamata had announced that Darjeeling would always remain an integral part of West Bengal. There were immediate protests and slogan shouting after the announcement, which forced the chief minister to walk out of the meeting in haste.

Zhiwa Ling Bhutan's finest homegrown hotel

By ANDREW J. WOOD

The 45-room Zhiwa Ling hotel in Bhutan (Paro) combines the sensibilities of a fine Bhutanese guesthouse with the best of 21st century technology. Envisioned and created by a local Bhutanese company, the hotel’s elaborate hand-carved wooden cornices and masterful stonework coexist beautifully with cutting-edge telecommunication systems and Swedish under-floor heating.

Recently the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) announced the Tourist Accommodation classifications. Zhiwa Ling Hotel is the first and only wholly Bhutanese-owned hotel to receive a 5-star rating. Zhiwa Ling Hotel is also the only Bhutanese-owned hotel and one of only two in the country to be ISO22000 certified.

Set on 10 acres, Zhiwa Ling has many amenities available to guests. The spa offers all the facilities guests could want - a fitness center, sauna, steam room, as well as a traditional Bhutanese outdoor hot-stone bath. There is a business center, Tea House, two fully-equipped conference rooms, a Meditation House, and the hotel has its own greenhouse. The two restaurants specialize in contemporary international cuisine and classic Bhutanese dishes. Gathering at the Mad Monk Bar for a pre-dinner drink or after-hours fun is a highlight for guests.

Honoring the spiritual heritage of this ancient Buddhist kingdom, a temple has been built into the second floor of the hotel, made with 450-year-old timbers from the famous Gangtey Monastery, the crowning glory of this new cultural landmark.

Editorial

NAGA ISSUE

“Election After Solution”

In India, elections are no solutions to problems faced by the people. In Nagaland in particular, the concerned authorities need to pay heed to what the Naga Hoho and other parties are saying. They do not want Assembly polls to be conduction at this crucial junction when a solution is about to be reached after fifteen years to negotiations. The Naga Hoho is not against holdings of elections but it wants the peace process to be over before the people decide on who and which party should rule in Nagaland.

Stating that the Naga people have been struggling for political rights for more than eighty years, the Naga Hoho has informed the Election Commission that the last Cease-Fire Agreement was signed in 1997 between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) and the subsequent signing of cease fire with different political groups have already entered sixteen years which is long enough to hammer out an amicable solution. It may also be pointed out that sixty member legislatures under the banner of Joint Legislatures Forum have met the Prime Minister and other central leaders seeking political solution instead of elections. The Congress party in Nagaland is also of the same view: solution first, election later.  Why is New Delhi hell-bent on forcing the polls this time when the people are against it?

History of the demand for Telangana state

The demand for a separate Telangana state has a long history behind it. The Telangana region corresponds to the Telugu speaking part of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad. The region lies on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats range, and includes the northwestern interior districts of Warangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, and the state capital, Hyderabad. The Krishna and Godavari rivers flow through the region from west to east. It has been the heartland of many great dynasties. In the early 18th century, the muslim Asafjahi dynasty established a separate state of Hyderabad. Later Hyderabad entered into a treaty of subsidiary alliance with the British Empire, and was the largest and most populous princely state in India. Telangana was never under direct British rule, unlike Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, which were part of British India's Madras Presidency.

When India became independent from the British Empire, the Nizam of Hyderabad wanted to retain his independence, but the newly formed Government of India amalgamated his state of Hyderabad by force on September 17, 1948. At that time the Telugu-speaking people were distributed in about 22 districts; 9 of them in the Telangana region of Nizam's Dominions (Hyderabad State), 12 in the Madras Presidency and one in French-controlled Yanam.

The Communist Party of India led a peasant uprising in this region from 1946 to 1951, which was crushed brutally by the Nehru government after independence. Meanwhile Telugu speaking areas were carved out of an erstwhile Madras state by popular agitation by the leaders like Potti Sri Ramulu who died while on hunger strike, leading to the creation of Andhra state in 1952.

   The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) appointed by Nehru in 1953 had recommended a separate state of Telangana and a single state of coastal Andhra and Rayalseema, but the then Government of India headed by Nehru ignored this recommendation after having unleashed brute force against the masses of peasants and revolutionaries in Telangana. In 1956, following the linguistic reorganization of states, Hyderabad was divided with some parts of it included in Maharashtra, some parts in Karnataka and the rest in a unified state of Andhra Pradesh.

The demand for Telangana state was raised in 1969, with agitations by students and government employees, in which nearly 360 students died.  It receded into the background for a period, during the rise of the Telugu Desam Party, and has resurfaced in recent years.

When the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Uttarkhand were formed in the year 2000, the agitation for a state of Telangana started again, and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was formed. After the Parliament and Assembly elections in 2004, where TRS and Congress party had a coalition, TRS included creation of the Telangana State as a part of the ‘common minimum program’ agreed with Congress.

In 2008 when there were still no talks on the separate state, TRS started putting pressure on the Congress government (both at the state and Central level). All the MPs and MLAs of the TRS party resigned. The Telangana State movement started to intensify more when E. Peddi Reddy who was with Telugu Desam Party, started a new party named Nava Telangana Praja Party. In October in 2008, Telugu Desam Party declared its support for a separate Telangana state.

The agitation of the people of the Telangana region is a manifestation of their anger against the capitalist system prevailing in India and the structure of political power within the present-day Indian Union.

Uneven development of capitalism, with wealth and capital investment being concentrated in certain regions to the neglect of other regions, is a factor that has, time and again, fuelled the demand for creation of separate states. This is also true of the Telangana region. The aspirations of the regional bourgeoisie for a greater share of power and wealth and the mobilization of the people’s sentiments against their perceived discrimination have found their reflection in the demand for the creation of a new state. (lokraj sangathan online)

SUMMER FESTIVAL

A Unique Experience in Haa Valley

Haa Summer Festival held on 9th and 10th July each year is one of the most special events organized in the enchanted valley of Haa which was opened to tourists only in 2002.

The festival offers a lively and uplifting combination of traditional living, culture, nomadic lifestyle, demonstration of Bhutanese cuisines, processing of local wine (Ara), traditional sports, religious performances, dances, songs, artifacts, an exhibition on Nublang (sacred unique cattle of Haa) and natural alpine flowers.

No events other than the Haa Summer Festival allows you to experience the generous welcoming attitude of people in their best Bhutanese attire, their lifestyles, living culture, natural attractions and activities of Haa district all at one place.

In addition, you can experience and see the beauty of landscapes, its rich alpine flowers, yak herders’ lifestyle and return home feeling rejuvenated by undertaking any of the trekking routes. These treks can be undertaken coinciding the end day of the trek with the Haa Summer Festival or after the festival.

The festival provides an opportunity for visitors, flower lovers and photographers to actively involve and learn about the unique cultural features and rich alpine flowers through the exhibition organized.

Traditional etiquette demands for harmonious behavior while serving food, eating, dressing and even walking. You will observe all of these during the festival and also experience through your stay with any of the family members at the farm house.

Visit the festival to learn more about the 13 traditional arts and crafts of Bhutan and the special demonstration on the Shamanism practice in Haa valley.

The valley of natural beauty, colored with yellow mustard in the fields, traditional homes surrounded by buckwheat patches, people who produce hardened cheese “Haapi Chugo” and Chelela pass marked by fluttering prayer flags invites you all to take part in this grand Haa Summer Festival. (Glorious Dragon Tours)

NASBO lambasts govt on raid on tribal officer

Gangtok, Feb 5: The recent crackdown on senior police officer Kado Tshering Bhutia by Sikkim Vigilance has been met with severe criticism by the National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO).

In a statement, NASBO chief Sonam Lama Kaloen said the crackdown was “very partial”

and reflected the “witch-hunting” attitude of the Chamling Government.

Kaloen 

Kaloen said the raid is not justified as Chief Minister Pawan Chamling himself is under graft scanner.

“The raid would have been justified had the entire State machinery is corruption-free, particularly when the head of the government himself is under scanner vis-a-vis accumulation of asset disproportionate to his known source of income,” Kaloen said in a press release.

He said the raid was a “conspiracy” and a “deliberate exercise against the members of tribal communities of Sikkim.”

NASBO chief said such “threat” to “create a sense of fear-psycho” among the tribals will not be tolerated.

NASBO has threatened to launch a “massive awareness drive amongst the community” to expose the government’s negative attitude towards tribals in the State.