HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN     Wednesday May 15-21, 2013  

Exiled Tibetan PM’s demand: “genuine autonomy within China”

Washington, May 14: The leader of Tibet's exiled government said on Wednesday he would accept the Chinese Communist Party's rule in the territory, assuring Beijing it faced no threat to its sovereignty if it eases its grip.

Lobsang Sangay, who was elected in 2011 to a new position of prime minister in exile after the Dalai Lama gave up political duties, appealed to China for new talks on the grievances that have triggered a wave of self-immolations, AFP reported.

On a visit to Washington, Sangay said that the exiled government based in Dharamshala, India, was "not challenging China's sovereignty or territorial integrity" through its repeated calls for greater autonomy.

"What we seek is genuine autonomy as per the framework of the Chinese constitution. In short, if the Chinese government implements their own law, we would take that as genuine autonomy," he said at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.

"That, we think, is a moderate, reasonable solution which is a win-win proposition both for the Chinese government and the Tibetan people."

China's constitution grants Tibet autonomy.

"We don't challenge, or ask for, an overthrow of the Communist Party. We don't question or challenge the present structure of the ruling party," he said.

Border disputes not to affect Indo-China relations

     External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Thursday. (Pix:PTI)

Beijing, May 14: The foreign ministers of China and India have glossed over a recent standoff along their countries' disputed border in an apparent sign that the incident will not harm future high-level contacts.

China remains committed to a negotiated resolution of the border dispute, Foreign Minister Wang Yi was quoted as telling Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid at a meeting late Thursday in Beijing.

Prior to a permanent settlement, China wishes to jointly maintain peace and tranquility along the border, while raising bilateral relations to new heights, Wang was quoted as saying by China's official Xinhua News Agency.

New Delhi had accused Chinese troops of crossing the de facto border between the countries on April 15 and pitching camp in the Depsang valley in the Ladakh region of eastern Kashmir. Although China said its troops stayed on their side of the frontier as recognized by Beijing, India moved its soldiers just 300 meters from the Chinese position. A series of meetings were held and troops from both sides withdrew on Monday, India Today reported.

Since arriving in Beijing on Thursday, Khurshid has declined to speak to foreign media, but he was quoted by an Indian newspaper as saying the cause of the border incident was not discussed in his meeting with Wang.

Khurshid is scheduled to meet on Friday with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and senior foreign policy adviser Yang Jiechi.

The minister's visit was intended to set the stage for Li's trip to India later this month, which the border incident had threatened to overshadow. While the reasons behind the incident remain murky, its tidy resolution appears designed to ensure a smooth reception for Li as he makes his first overseas trip since taking on the post of premier in March.

Asian giants with more than 1 billion people each, India and China have had chilly relations since they fought a brief border war in 1962

India says China is occupying 38,000 square kilometers of territory in the Aksai Chin plateau in the western Himalayas, while China claims around 90,000 square kilometers in India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. Fifteen rounds of talks have failed to resolve the dispute.

Despite occasional tensions, China has become India's biggest trading partner, with two-way trade jumping from $5 billion in 2002 to nearly $75 billion in 2011. Most of that trade is skewed in China's favor, another source of worry for India.

Editorial

TACKLING CORRUPTION

CBI, A ‘Caged Parrot’

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is a bit perturbed over the judiciary’s remark that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) is a ‘caged parrot.’ Like a typical politician/bureaucrat, who often misuses investigating agencies for personal/political gains, Singh wants the people in general to react to the apex court for “belittling our institutions.” The BJP has rightly and promptly advised Singh to “learn and understand” why there were a “series of scams” in the UPA government instead of “blaming the judiciary.”

Singh's remarks came in backdrop of the recent stinging criticism of the CBI by the apex court that the investigating agency is a "caged parrot" of its masters. The court had rapped the CBI for sharing the status report on coal allocation scam probe with law minister Ashwani Kumar and officials of PMO and coal ministry. BJP lost no time in launching an attack on the Congress leader for "blaming the highest judiciary". "If the morale of the CBI has been downgraded, it is only because of the rank abuse of the CBI by the government. CBI was deliberately not allowed to take up fair investigation,” BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad alleged.

Is Chamling wooing local media?

Gangtok, May 14: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has now become more favourable to the local media.

He has not only made a contribution of Rs five lakhs towards the Sikkim Press Club’s Journalist Welfare Fund but has also promised to respond positively to demands placed before him by the local media.

A delegation of the Press Club met the Chief Minister and submitted a memorandum

demanding increase in advertisement rates (classified and display) for weekly and daily newspapers of the State issued by the Information and Public Relations Department.

While most local weeklies never get classified advertisements from the government the rate for display ads for weeklies is only Rs 5,500.

The Press Club has also urged Chamling to provide a site for construction of a press building in the capital.

“The Chief Minister …has given a positive nod” to the demands placed before him, a Press Club release said.  “My action shall speak,” said the chief Minister, according to the release.

Interestingly, Chamling also surprised local journalists when he met them during a press conference here recently.

Border alert in Arunachal, Sikkim after Ladakh incursion

New Delhi, May 14:  After Chinese Army intruded almost 19 kms into India from Ladakh region, an alert has been sounded along the Sino-Indian border, especially in Arunachal Pradesh. China has blocked Indian security forces’ access to three of the five patrol points in the Depsang plains in Ladakh.

The entry of Chinese troops into the strategically important Daulat Beg Oldi area has prompted anxiety that Beijing might resort to similar moves elsewhere in the country, Daily Bhaskar reported.

An official said that there are two areas where there could be challenges – one or two places in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, one place in Uttarakhand. Therefore, though no movement has been observed in the areas, the officials are vigilant.

Forward areas in northern Lohit district are said to be ‘highly unlikely’ to be under threat from incursions but Tawang is considered to be ‘vulnerable’, the official added.

Another area of concern is the Kibithu area in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. It is a spot best known for Dong, where the sun rises first in India and the access to patrol parties that India always wants ensured.

Sources in the security forces said that contrary to reports that patrolling has stopped in eastern Ladakh, patrol plans and patterns keep changing and the same is true for the Northeast as well. Advisories for heightened vigil have been sent, said the source.

Though Chinese continue to deny acknowledging an incursion, it is believed that China now wants a quick settlement of border dispute with India, an issue which has been hanging fire since 1962 border war.

The timing of Chinese incursion, coming before the visit of Premier Li’s visit to India, is expected to give Beijing an upper hand when the border issue is brought up next time.

The 4,057 km-long Line of Actual Control has created friction between the two neighbours since 1962 as both countries dispute each others’ territorial claims. Efforts to reach settlement in entirety have proved futile till now.

Manipur to intensify agitation on implementation of Inner Line Permit

Imphal, May 14: Stepping up the agitation for implementation of the Inner Line Permit in Manipur by May 31, a powerful local committee on Saturday said no non-Manipuri would be allowed to enter the State between June 1 to June 5 next. This would be the first phase of the agitation and in the second phase, no non-Manipuri would be allowed even in localities from June 6 to June 10.

Announcing this, the spokesman of Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit (JCILP) Sapamacha Jadumani said, "We are not against non-Manipuris but we urge the Centre and state government to implement the ILP system in Manipur to protect the separate identities of the indigenous people in the region."

The agitation, he claimed, was being supported by other social organizations, including different students organisations. Official sources said the government was aware of the proposed agitation by JCILP and efforts would be made to hold talks with its representatives on the issue, PTI reported.

The State Assembly had already passed a resolution some months ago asking the Centre to implement ILP in the State, official and JCILP sources said. While official sources said the Centre has been asked to take further action, JCILP sources said the matter has not been clearly placed before the Union Home Ministry and as a result the ministry has failed to take any concrete steps.

"We cannot remain silent on the issue although the state government has assured us (JCILP) that steps were being taken to fulfil our demand. The state government is not taking up any effective measures in this regard," JCILP sources said. The number of outsiders who have come to Manipur as labourers, manual workers, petty businessmen, traders and in other fields outnumber its tribal population in the hills. If this trend was not checked immediately, their number will soon outnumber the entire indigenous population of the state in the near future, they said. Different students bodies and organisations said in their statements said they would support the agitation by JCILP.