SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday July 26-Aug 1, 2014
Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com
SDF not a unit of NDA: Rai, Khatiwada
“No place for
corruption in BJP”
 |
| Khatiwada |
Gangtok,
July 25: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s former
colleagues have accused his ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) of misleading
the people into believing that the SDF is a constituent unit of the BJP-led
National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Former SDF Lok Sabha MP Nakul Das Rai and
merger veteran and former MLA NB Khatiwada issued a joint press release stating
that as the Chamling Government was perceived to be highly corrupt it would not
like to forge an alliance with the SDF.
Though Khatiwada was BJP’s candidate for
the recent Lok Sabha elections Rai is believed to have decided to join the BJP.
State BJP President Palden Wangchuk is
presently in Delhi to brief party leadership of the state of affairs in the
State. There are reports of talks for merger/alliance between the BJP and
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), which has 10 MLAs in the 32-member House.
Referring to the recent student agitation
in the State, Khatiwada said the State Government had misled the Centre on what
really happened.
Rai raises IT issue for old settlers in Lok Sabha
Gangtok,
July 25: Sikkim’s lone Lok Sabha MP Prem Das Rai of
the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has urged the Centre to grant income
tax exemption to the State’s ‘old settlers’.
He raised the issue in the Lok Sabha during
the discussion on the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Rai informed the House of the need to meet
the demand on the basis of Article 371F of the Constitution, which gives
special status to the former kingdom which merged with the Indian Union in
1975.
Under the old law on income tax in Sikkim
during pre-merge era old settlers were treated equally with bonafide Sikkimese.
The old settlers feel discriminated as they have now been left out while
‘Sikkim subjects’ have been exempted from income tax payment.
Sikkim parties on revival path, focus is on media
management
 |
| Gyaltsen |
Gangtok,
July 25: Two months after the Assembly poll results
political parties in the State are gearing up for revival of their respective
parties.
Former Speaker and Minister KT Gyaltsen has
been appointed as ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) spokesmen along with
Bhim Dahal. While Gyaltsen has been appointed as Legal Advisor to the Chief
Minister Dahal is now the CM’s Press Advisor.
The SDF has also geared up its
organizational units in the districts with appointments of various party
workers in several posts.
The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has also
reshuffled its office-bearers. While former MLA Bhojraj Rai and MLA Kunga Nima
Lepcha have been appointed as party spokespersons, Bikash Basnet has been made
charge of Press & Publicity as Secretary.
Navraj Gurung is incharge of social media
as General Secretary.
Recently, the Sikkim Pradesh Congress
Committee (SPCC) led by President AK Subba appointed 10 new vice-presidents and
10 general secretaries.
The BJP, too, has been actively expanding
its base in the State. There are reports of formation of a new executive
committee of the party. Party chief Palden Wangchuk is presently camped in
Delhi meeting party leadership on party reorganization in the State.
China, Bhutan hold boundary talks
Thimphu,
July 25: China and Bhutan were expected to hold the
22nd round of boundary talks in Beijing from Thursday to resolve the issue of
disputed land, which also borders India's northeastern states of Sikkim and
Arunanchal Pradesh.
The seven-member Bhutanese delegation for
the talks is led by Foreign Minister Lyonpo Rinzin Dorji.
Others in the team include Foreign
Secretary Yeshey Dorji, Ambassador of Bhutan to India Maj. Gen. Vetsop Namgyel
and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international
Boundaries.
The 21st round of boundary talks was held
here on August 22, 2013.
During the intervening period, the two
sides conducted the Joint Technical Field Survey of Bayul Pasamlung area in
September 2013 and an expert Group Meeting was held in Beijing in March 2014.
The boundary negotiations between the two
governments are guided by the Four Guiding Principles of 1988 and the 1998
Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility in the Bhutan-China
Border Areas.
Since the 1980s, the two sides have held
regular talks on border and security issues aimed at reducing tensions.
China shares 470 kilometres border with
Bhutan, which is also close to India's "chicken's neck" - the narrow
Siliguri Corridor which links the northeast passage.
Sikkim’s ‘peace of the grave’ is disturbed
Jigme N Kazi
Gangtok,
July 25: Mishandling of the recent student
agitation in the State on college fee hike issue has not only exposed the
Chamling Government’s inability to handle a volatile situation but has made the
public more aware of the potentials of a mass movement in the State, where a
large section of the people are not too happy with the present dispensation.
The
widely-held view that one man is running the State was evidenced when the State
witnessed utter confusion and chaos following college students rally protesting
the recent college fee hike. The violence that took place on the highway is a
reminder of what happens when the peace of the grave or the security of the
slave is disturbed.
A vehicle set on fire below STNM hospital in Gangtok recently.
What made things worse was when Chief
Minister Pawan Chamling – also the Home Minister – returned from Delhi and
publicly stated that he was unaware of what was going on in his kingdom. No one
believed him and this led to another whisper campaign against the man who has
been ruling the State with a firm hand for
more than two decades at a stretch.
Closing down schools and colleges for half a month to avoid student
unrest spilling into a political turmoil not only reflected poor administrative
management but inept political handling of the situation. In the process the
Sikkimese people for the first time in decades responded to the situation in
varying degree. The capital’s shops closed down promptly for a few days, taxis
stopped plying and political parties lent their weight to the agitation
students. In short, life in the capital came to a standstill and most people
were enjoying it.
A
section of the legal fraternity also joined in when the Bar Association
promptly took legal action against Police officials who were responsible for
beating up two employees of the judiciary. A section of government employees,
including teachers and MRs, pressurized
the government on numerous issues.
The local press and social media, too,
highlighted the events of the day causing more trouble for the administration.
In short, we saw a glimpse of participatory democracy in a State where most
people minded their own business for fear of incurring the wrath of the
powers-that-be. This shameful era in Sikkim’s contemporary political chapter
delightfully is coming to an end.
From now on people-power will surface more
often as the Sikkimese people are finally discovering their own strength. A
vibrant opposition with 10 MLAs in the 32-member House is an added advantage
for those who want to buck the system every once in a while.
China rail link near Sikkim, Arunachal border
Beijing,
July 25: China will soon start construction of a
new railway line in Tibet close to Arunachal Pradesh, even as another rail link
bordering Sikkim is set to become operational next month, enhancing mobility of
its military in the remote and strategic Himalayan region.
"Sky rail to run from Lhasa to South
Tibet," state-run Global Times
said in a front page report today, highlighting China's claims over Arunachal
Pradesh with observations from Chinese analysts that the new rail network along
the disputed border could act as a "bargaining chip" in the boundary
negotiations with India.
The rail line connecting Tibet's provincial
capital Lhasa with Shigatse close to the Indian border in Sikkim as well as
Nepal and Bhutan which is currently under trials would become operational next
month, the report said.
Another railway line linking Lhasa to
Nyingchi in the east is also expected to start construction soon, it said.
Nyingchi is located right on top of
Arunachal Pradesh, the nearest area to the border.
The railway expansion will connect, Nepal,
Bhutan and India by 2020, the report said.
Yang Yulin, deputy director of the railway
office of Tibet said during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, the
construction of a railway connecting Shigatse with Gyirong county (close to
Nepal), which has a checkpoint connecting Nepal and Yatung county (close to
Indian border near Sikkim and Bhutan), a trade centre bordering India and
Bhutan, will start.
Significantly, the Global Times, the ruling Communist Party of China-run tabloid which
often strikes nationalistic postures highlighted Beijing's claims over the area
in the write up on the new rail network close to the Indian borders.
"According to the Chinese foreign
ministry, there are a total of 125,000 square km of disputed area between China
and India, of which, 90,000 square km are in the South Tibet region, known as
'Arunachal Pradesh' in India," the report said.
As per India's stand, the border covered
over 4000 km along Line Actual Control (LAC) which included Aksai Chin, the
area China took control of during the 1962 war.
Editorial
STUDENT UNREST
Administrative
Bungling
A small matter relating to college fee hike,
which could have been sorted out amicably, catapulted into a major unrest in
Sikkim with numerous stakeholders, including political parties, adopting
confrontationist postures. The unrest among the student community failed to
subside when the Sikkim Police’s excesses provoked the protesting youths to
retaliate leading to damages to public properties, burning of vehicles and
injuries to students and others who were involved in violent protest rallies in
Gangtok. What made matters worse was the manner in which an agreement between
the government and student body was reached to stall the agitation. In the
process educational institutions in the State were closed down for a week. This
was followed by another week of closure which the public at large failed to
understand. Is the Chamling Government shutting its doors for dialogue mainly
because it is not used to facing hostile reactions? Grow up, it’s a part of
democracy. Take note: repression begets rebellion.
China’s conquest of Tibet led to Sikkim’s annexation
By
SUNANDA K. DATTA-RAY
China’s conquest
of Tibet had made Sikkim “an area of geo-strategic importance overnight”.
A group of
red-robed monks waited in a curve of the road that wound up from Teesta towards
Gangtok. A Kalimpong lama had died, my Nepalese Hindu driver said
indifferently. “They are waiting for him.” It wasn’t until a day later that I
learnt the deceased monk was Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, the 14th Red Hat Lama, a
powerful prelate whose passing, on June 11, can have repercussions on Himalayan
religious politics.
I didn’t make
immediate inquiries because Gangtok is always so beguiling. The town seems more
crowded. More brick high rise buildings dominate the skyline. If you look down,
the roads and pavements are dirtier than ever. But there is a clean crispness
in the rain-washed mountain air. A smile always twinkles in the eyes of local
folk. On a clear day, you could look out from the elegance of my suite at the
Denzong Regency hotel to the snows of Kanchenjunga. On the other side shimmered
the ancient red-roofed Rumtek monastery where the last Chogyal of Sikkim,
Palden Thondup Namgyal, was installed as head lama in 1933. Tragically, Rumtek
became notorious some years ago as the scene of pitched battles by opponents of
Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa lama.
.jpg) |
| Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal |
My visit had
nothing to do with that controversy. It couldn’t have been more secular in
fact, for Sikkim University’s gently scholastic vice-chancellor, Dr T.B. Subba,
had invited me to deliver the foundation day lecture. It was a particularly
welcome invitation for a university that had been one of the Chogyal’s dreams.
It was denied to him, which made it a particularly gratifying — if humbling —
experience for me to play some small part in the dream’s belated realisation.
Sikkim University is a bustling place with more girl students than boys but it
badly needs to be concentrated in a single campus.
My theme was “The
‘Near Abroad’ concept for big countries like the US, Russia, China and India”.
That Russian term, also translated as sphere of influence, allowed me to
discuss how nations manage neighbourhoods that are important for strategic,
economic, ethnic and cultural reasons. Globally, the Ukraine crisis made it
topical. Historically, the subject’s significance lies in American attempts to
extend the Monroe Doctrine — the most explicit articulation of the Near Abroad
theory — to promote its geopolitical interests in Europe and Asia.
India’s rulers are
not given to cerebral analyses of their actions. But by inviting all the South
Asian Association for Regional Cooperation leaders, and the Prime Minister of
Mauritius and Tibet’s Prime Minister-in-exile, Lobsang Sangay, to his swearing-in
ceremony, Narendra Modi highlighted a welcome appreciation of India’s rights
and duties in its Near Abroad. That was confirmed when he made Bhutan — India’s
closest friend in the region — his first destination abroad. Travelling in
Europe at the time, I was delighted to learn he hadn’t rushed to thank the
Americans for granting him a visa as his first act in office.
Bhutan is an
independent kingdom and Sikkim now a state of India. But with Tibet, Arunachal
Pradesh and Myanmar, they comprise a sensitive Near Abroad for both India and
China. The British called the region the “Belgium of Asia” and warned it could
become another “Alsace”, the province over which France and Germany squabbled
throughout history.
P.N. Dhar, Indira
Gandhi’s principal secretary, invoked the Near Abroad theory (without using the
phrase) in his memoirs, Indira Gandhi, the “Emergency” and Indian Democracy.
Rejecting pious fiction about the Sikkimese yearning for democracy and India
holding a referendum to ascertain their wishes, he confirmed that RAW’s R.N.
Kao personally supervised all the seemingly spontaneous events that led to the
annexation. “This process had started several months before the storm broke in
April 1973.” In short, RAW set Sikkim’s revolutionary ball rolling before the
Sikkimese knew they were revolting. The reason? China’s conquest of Tibet had
made Sikkim “an area of geo-strategic importance overnight”. It was the Near
Abroad.
In the lively
question and answer session following the lecture, someone mentioned India’s
“big brother” attitude in the neighbourhood. That allowed me to emphasise that
good diplomacy does not mean outright acquisition which generates hostility, as
Russia’s actions in eastern Ukraine demonstrate. The 1950 treaty with Sikkim
and subsequent agreements gave India every power it needed to safeguard
legitimate strategic and economic interests. It is only because of a fortuitous
concatenation of circumstances that the annexation did not provoke armed
resistance. Participants at last year’s seminar at St. Anthony’s College,
Oxford, where I launched a new revised edition of Smash and Grab: Annexation of
Sikkim asked precisely this. Why didn’t the Sikkimese rise in revolt like the
Nagas?
That question
didn’t come up at the Sikkim University function. I wonder how the chief guest,
R.B. Subba, would have responded if it had. A former bureaucrat, R.B. Subba, a
Limbu (or Tsong) like the vice-chancellor, is the state’s human resource
development minister. I was greatly impressed by his phlegmatic (though silent)
acquiescence in all that was said. Times have obviously changed. The Sikkimese
now display a new mature confidence.
I hope a matching
maturity will inform India’s response to the young Karmapa lama, now that his
most formidable opponent has gone. As the Tibetologist, Thierry Dodin, writes
in Tibet Sun, Shamar Rinpoche best understood how to play on fears of China and
fuel the Indian security community’s suspicions about the Karmapa. Having
already demonstrated his appreciation of Mr Sangay’s symbolic significance, Mr
Modi can now further define his Near Abroad strategy by acknowledging that the
Karmapa can be a valuable Indian asset. The Sikkimese, including Mr Subba and
his chief minister, Pawan Chamling, would be delighted if the Karma Kagyu
sect’s head is allowed into Sikkim to start with. (The writer is a senior
journalist, columnist and author: The
Asian Age)
Why Are Fire Engines Red?
Sikkim’s special
status needs to be preserved.
By
DEYANG DOLKAR GYATSO
Well roses are red
and magazines are read, too. Two plus two is four and four times three is
twelve. There are twelve inches in a ruler. Queen Elizabeth was a ruler; Queen
Elizabeth was also a Ship. Ships sail in the sea. Fish swim in the sea. Fish
have fins. The Finns fought the Russians. Russians are communist Red. Fire
Engines are always rushing. And THAT is why fire Engines are RED…..
(This is an
example of ‘Spiral Thinking’, a phenomenon commonly observed in important
policy-making meetings. It should then come as little surprise that often the
effect of a policy is exactly the opposite of what was intended!)
Ever since I
worked in a private bank in the capital (Gangtok), I have often wondered why
certain rules and regulations from the Head Office / Zonal Office(s) were not
customised to fit the needs of the clients of our bank.
Sikkim is special.
Sikkim is different. And I don’t say it just because I am a “Sikkimese” but
simply because it is. Sikkim as we know has its own rules and laws that make us
slightly different from mainland India. Forget the features, I am not even
going there, not for now at least. When I say special or different, I do not
mean what half the readers would probably assume - rather what makes us so special?
Or what differentiates us from others? What is this fuss all about? Yes, I am
talking about the “FUSSY SPECIAL”.
For instance, when
working at the bank, I made sure I took a copy of the Sikkim Subject Certificate
or the Certificate of Identification (COI) for all those who had the same when
I opened accounts. What the younger generation needs to know is direct taxes
(like income tax) do not apply to Sikkim Subject Certificate/ COI holders.
Therefore, we do not compulsorily need the PAN card as well.
With various bank
boasting of so many products and features to make banking easier in India, take
the case of the "Secured" Credit Card, etc that was launched only
after persistent email(s) back and forth, between the then Zonal Head and me,
with facts that ultimately made it possible to launch the same; were clients from
Sikkim not eligible to use credit cards? Were they not eligible for loans?
These contradicting the trend that about that time (2007-09) 28 banks were set
up in and around the market area in Gangtok alone. 28! (now I hear it’s about
32 +).
Similarly, like
the bank, if some of the schemes from the Centre (that are made keeping Pan
India in mind) are customised by the various departments acquiring the schemes,
it would probably help the State bear better results. When I say better, I mean
striving to get the best results.
We can probably
get the best results only when we know the laws that govern our land that is
our home, our pride above all our identity.
For instance, a
case in point is the much looked-for Marriage Certificates these days. I remember in 2008, when I had gone to the DC
office in Gangtok to get the certificate for my parents I got one issued that
read, “so and so…….. ….married under the HINDU MARRIAGE ACT”. It was only when my late uncle pointed out
and called the office and explained to the then DC that most of us in Sikkim were
married under the Buddhist rituals specific to the State of Sikkim that I
managed to get my parents’ Marriage Certificate that was befitting our ethos.
.jpg) |
During the ‘merger’ era: The Chogyal (centre) with LD Kazi (right) and Kewal Singh, India’s Foreign Secretary.
|
couple of days
back a very kind officer and a gentleman finally clarified to me why Marriage
Certificates should be population-specific because for one and the most
important rule, the Hindu Marriage Act did not allow bigamy. Under this Act, he
continued, government servants can be
terminated from their jobs.
How many of us
knew about it? Ok, know about it but question it??
Moving on to get
to know our land and its laws better, as per the New Constitution (Thirty - Sixth
Amendment Act, 1975), Article 371 F of India whereby Sikkim became a part of
India, all the Old Laws of Sikkim are PROTECTED, unless repealed by the Central
Act.
The landmark judgement
whereby the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has retained the Sangha (Lama) Seat.
Likewise, under the 32 Assembly seats in Sikkim, 12 seats are reserved for the
Lhopos (Bhutia) / Monree (Lepcha) and one for the Sangha, irrespective of the population of the Lhopos
and Monrees. These are not tribal seats but Lhopos (Bhutia) / Monree (Lepcha) seats.
It might not be
out of place to mention here that during the time of the Chogyal, it was 50 /
50 (Lhopos and Monrees / Sikkimese Nepalese).
The article was
the result of a detailed and much debated study into the needs of the Sikkimese
people which included provisions to ensure equality among the ethnic
communities, to ensure the political security of the Sikkimese people and to
preserve their way of life. This was also a result of deliberations among Indian
intellectuals, constitutional experts and parliamentarians who must have had a
reason for putting it there in the first place and to have accorded the special
provisions. As is well known, this article accords Sikkim a special status
which has been more talked about than seen in practice.
It is high time
for the Sikkimese people to exert pressure on the chosen representatives to
summon the political will to implement what we have got by laws in its
totality. This can be achieved only if the people get interested in knowing
what they have got as a matter of right by understanding the long term
implications of the provisions and what would happen if they were totally done
away with.
It is also of no
use trying to blame the Centre. The Centre also has to go by the provisions in
the Constitution and it is up to us to interpret it to our advantage. People
should also remember again, that these provisions were put into place by the
brightest minds of the time who felt it necessary so as to protect our way of
life and there was a definite reasoning behind it. So, it would be very unwise
on our part to take it lightly and let it vanish without even having seen how
it could be.
The unfortunate
thing is rather than enjoying the fruits of this wonderful arrangement, we have
in these three decades not even decided who the inheritors of these benefits
are and instead keep on taking everything on a case to case basis. This has
created conditions where there is an upheaval in every sphere and if we are to
clear the confusion which are there in the minds of the Sikkimese people
regarding the interpretation and implementation of these same provisions then
all we have to do is recognise and comprehend that there are indeed special
provisions for Sikkim, and we are one of the more privileged lot in the Indian
Union and that there is no harm in implementing it as a matter of our right.
If such provisions
are to be interpreted, we shall have to go back to the old definitions as laid
out by law and reject our fragmentations into confining groups thereby diluting
the definitions under which special treatment is possible, and also reject
political theory which fragments our miniscule population using the divide and
rule policy as has been the practice. In short we have to learn to be
“Sikkimese”first and forget about our caste, our other differences and unite and
then, finally when such provisions are implemented, it shall have to be done
with dignity, humility and caring but also with firmness so that what we have got by right is
not confused with other peoples insecurities and not get implemented at all.
Implementing and
practising the provisions for special status is nothing new. Taking the closest
example of the state of Nagaland, that exists within the Union of India
guaranteed by the asymmetrical nature of India's Federal Constitution which
allows such differences. So, we will be well within our rights to stand up for
everything we can get interpreted to our advantage from 371F.
However in
concluding, it is sad that though this
Article is the basis of our position within the Indian Union, the general
population and administrative leaders at large do not seem to be really aware
of it. This has resulted in a situation whereby the relevance itself of these
provisions is slowly eroding from public memory and the younger generation is
being denied what is theirs by right.
And for those
still wondering why fire engines are red? Well maybe it was just the most
striking colour at the time of decision. God knows!
Teachers transfer ‘political’, affecting North Sikkim:
SKM
.jpg) |
| Bhutia |
Gangtok,
July 25: Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) MLA Ugen
Nedup Bhutia has alleged that the recent ‘mass political transfer’ of teachers
in the State was politically-motivated as it came after the recent Assembly and
Lok Sabha elections in the State.
The Kabi-Longtsuk (North Sikkim)
legislator, who recently complained about the poor condition of roads in North
Sikkim, has urged the State Government to look into scarcity of teachers in the
Bhutia-Lepcha tribal-dominated district of North Sikkim.
In his letter to the HRDD Minister RB
Subba, Bhutia said several schools in the district were run without principals.
He said at least 200 teachers are needed to fill up the vacancies.
Shamar Rinpoche’s cremation to take place in Kalimpong
if Nepal disallows
Kalimpong,
July 25: Family members of the late Shamar Rinpoche
are now preparing to make a last-ditch effort to perform his last rites in
Nepal.
The Rinpoche´s brother, Jigme Tsering
Uthap, has arrived in Kathmandu to request Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to allow
them to perform his last rites in Nepal. Koirala, who was in the US for cancer
treatment, arrived in Kathmandu just on Tuesday evening, Kathmandu’s Republica reported.
The high lama, also known as the Shamarpa,
had died in Germany last month. Before his death, he had reportedly asked his
followers to perform his last rites in Nepal. However, the government of Nepal
has not yet given a permission. Although a section of media has reported that
the government denied permission under ´pressure from China, government
officials have claimed that they did so as the Shamarpa was holding Bhutanese
citizenship at the time of his death.
According to sources at the Tibetan camp,
Kalimpong, where the Shamarpa´s body is being kept, the late Rinpoche´s
relatives will wait for PM Koirala´s response till Wednesday. If the govenrment
does not issue permission then the Shamarpa´s last rites will be performed in
Kalimpong itself on July 31. The government of Bhutan, where the Shamarpa
legally belongs to, has also denied permission to perform his last rites there.
Since followers of the late Rinpochhe have
already gathered in Kathmandu from across the world, the Shamarpa´s relatives
want to make every possible effort for performing his last rites in Nepal.
Kalimpong is the last option for his last rites.
Sikkim and Puducherry has highest suicide rates in the
country
Gangtok,
July 25: With suicide rates in the State on the
increase Sikkim could soon top the list of suicides in the country.
Puducherry and Sikkim had the highest
suicide rates. Against the national average of 11 out of every one lakh
citizens, Puducherry saw as many as 35.6 per lakh and Sikkim 29.3 per lakh,
according to a recent report.
Three persons committed suicide in Sikkim
on Sunday. They are Phurba Tamang (24), Yogesh Subba (26) and Tek Bahadur (45).
The number of students who committed
suicide increased 26.58 per cent between 2012 and 2013, from 6,654 to 8,423,
figures compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau show.
This was when the nationwide total had
dipped 0.47 per cent from 1,35,445 in 2012 to 1,34,799 in 2013, which
translates into 11 out of every lakh Indians. Suicides by farmers dipped 14.41
per cent from 13,754 to 11,772.
Maharashtra had the highest state-wise
count in 2013 with 16,622, followed closely by Tamil Nadu with 16,601, each
accounting for 12.3 per cent. Andhra Pradesh accounted for 10.8 per cent, West
Bengal for 9.7 per cent, and Karnataka for 8.4 per cent. Together, these five
states saw 53.5 per cent, or more than half, of the country’s suicides. Of
these states, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh saw an increase in suicides while
the other three saw a dip.
“All the five states, Tamil Nadu, West
Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, have registered consistently
higher number of suicidal deaths during the last few years,” states the NCRB
report ‘Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, 2013’.
Among causes, family problems were blamed for
24 per cent of the suicides, illness for 19.6 per cent, drug abuse for 3.4 per
cent and love affairs for 3.3 per cent.
Tribute to DANIEL GYANENDRA RONGONG
He lived out his faith in daily life
In
her eulogy, Roslyn Namgyal, former student-cum-teacher of Mt. Hermon School (Darjeeling)
and former teacher of Tashi Namgyal Academy (Gangtok), says her late father Daniel Gyanendra Kumar
Rongong , who passed away peacefully in Kalimpong (India) on July 3, 2014, was
a simple man who lived out his faith in daily life. His compassionate nature
and creativity have impressed his near and dear ones who will surely miss him
dearly. He was 80 and is survived by his two daughters, Roslyn and Heather
Prickett, and their children who are now settled in Australia.
Mr. and Mrs. Rongong.
Good afternoon and
welcome to you all. Thank you very much for coming today. Many of you have
travelled from far places in bad weather and on difficult roads. Thank
you. Many tributes have come in from
around the world and there are messages that can be viewed on Facebook under my name Roslyn Namgyal if
you are interested.
We have come today
to mourn the loss of our beloved father Daniel Gyanendra Kumar Rongong - Gyanu.
But along with the tears we have also come to celebrate his extraordinary life.
I speak today on behalf of his immediate
family members who love him dearly and most of whom cannot be here today. Today I want to acknowledge his younger
daughter Heather Joy, his brother in law David Stewart, his sons-in-law Sherab
Namgyal and Michael Prickett. His beloved grandchildren Jennifer Zangmu,
Deborah Rinzing, Daniel David, Rebekah Joy, Indira Joy and Sherina Ruth, their partners Daniel, Ayesha
and Lochie. And lastly I want to mention
his two darling great grand-daughters Nuri Elly Namgyal and Marley Rinchen Ram.
I think the first
thing I want to say about dad was that he was brother, father and grandfather
to many more than simply those of us privileged to have been born into his
family. I speak of you who have become
extended family to him and to us too- who became his sons and daughters,
especially later in his life. From the
blind school, from Albella and many other places. To you all from this unique, extended Tirpai
family - we want you to know how grateful we are for your love and care of dad
especially in these later years after we moved to Australia. He loved you and chose to be with you right
to the end.
Heather and I
always felt we had the best dad in the world.
He was a brilliant story teller - in his stories everything came alive
and he fired up the imaginations of his listeners. He could build us anything we wanted. A cute
little play house with thatched roof that was the envy of our friends in Mount
Hermon School - a dolls house, a rocking horse...he could fix anything that had
stopped working - washing machines, sewing machines, jeeps, piano accordions
and broken toys. He made the best and most comfortable beds we
have ever slept in- all tucked in and warm and cosy.
He had amazingly clever hands and a
wonderful sense of design. He could see
the finished product mapped out in his minds eye and so often it was we who
were the blind ones as we stood beside him passing him the screw driver while
he fiddled under the car or inside the bowels of the washing machine. I often think he "saw" things much
more clearly that the rest of us.
He created beauty
and order around him - everywhere he could.
Flowers - gladioli, orchids, cacti. Beautiful weaving in
cane work and with wire. Even on the day he died we hear he was outside
polishing up the panes of glass in the house-a task he did faithfully every day
as he imagined the sunlight and colours that the clear, sparkling glass would
allow inside.
 |
| Sherab Namgyal with wife Roslyn, Heather, Late Mr. Rongong’s sister and Hermonite Shiv Saria (behind Roslyn) at the funeral in Tirpai, Kalimpong, on July 6, 2014. Hermonite PJ Pradhan, Udai P. Sharma, Amode Yonzone, Palden Gyamtso and Jigme N Kazi were also present during the funeral. |
Dad could pack a
suitcase so that it looked like a work of art - he would fit large numbers of
different shaped objects into the smallest of spaces- there was a space and a
place for everything. And this reminds
me of another tremendous gift he had - the wonderful ability to include people
who have been left out or didn't quite fit in and so became marginalised from
the mainstream of life. It was people
most in need who found the largest space in dad's huge compassionate heart and
very often right beside him in his own home.
He was one of those rare people with an
infinite capacity to see the best in everyone and to hope for and work towards
fullness of life for everyone around him.
Many of us remember his business ventures - the 5-star chicken houses
complete with saw dust on the floor and special egg laying trays. His beehives and all of us chasing swarms of
bees in unlikely and dangerous places.
His orchids, cacti and gladioli business deals. His phing-making days and his numerous taxis......Many of us also
remember he never seemed to make any money out of any of these ventures but he
pursued them passionately and we were all swept along for the ride.
Another thing I
loved about dad was that he never sat and "counted the cost" - he
gave freely from whatever he had - his generosity was legendary - very like
that of his beautiful mother - our Aji.
He was known to literally give away the shirt off his back and certainly
his last rupee!
He shared with our
mother Joy Rongong a remarkable gift as a teacher, a leader and a guide. Together they inspired and guided several
generations of young people. Their
ability to really see what was important in life has guided many of us through
their visionary leadership.
Above all dad
would want to be remembered for his deep faith in Jesus Christ. I understand that in the original language of
the New Testament, the word for faith is not actually a noun - it is not a
static word describing a thing we can possess, but is actually used more like a
verb – a "doing" word. It describes faith as an activity - a living
and a way of being - not simply an idea in our heads. I love that meaning - and I especially love
what it means in my dad's life. For we
know he actually lived out his faith in humble daily acts of love, kindness,
thoughtfulness, loyalty, generosity and humour.
He prayed often and deeply - he also cared for the widow and the orphan,
the father less and the dispossessed. These words from Micah 6 :8 I feel
describe him well. Let me read them to you.
"He has shown
you o man what is good: and what does The Lord require of you but to do justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
Although we now
feel and will continue to feel, the terrible void of his absence, although
there will be tears, His legacy of love,
faith, hope and joy lives on in us because he loved us and showed us the Way of
Jesus by his own living and loving.
I therefore say
with tremendous pride and love - What a magnificent life! And I venture to
believe that at the portals of heaven they too will be saying – “Well
done, thou good and faithful servant.”
WILLIAM WAYNE JONES: He will be long remembered at Mt.
Hermon School
By JAMES
SINCLAIR
I apologise for
the brief announcement on the News Update page of the sad death of Bill Jones
(William Wayne Jones). I was prompted by
Mrs Murray (Patricia Murray - wife of Headmaster, Graeme Murray), to say a bit
more about Bill Jones and the contribution he made towards Mount Hermon School
during his three-year term there. In
truth, I did not know Mr Jones very well, as I was a day-scholar for a few
brief months of his final year, and the only time I had any contact with him
was during PE.
So I had to look up extracts from the Blue
& Gold Yearbook for 1954 which had been very kindly sent to me by
Headmaster David Stewart, and I found out a bit more about him from the School
Notes for 1954 - the year of Mr Jones'
leaving - in which the Headmaster had paid him a tribute for all the work he
had put in during his years at MHS. So,
I have added that bit in the News Update page for 2014, and also corrected some
errors in the initial announcement. I
have also added in a piece he had written about his memories of Mount Hermon
under the tab Memories of 1954.
Unfortunately, it is incomplete as I did not have the second page of
what he had written. My most vivid
memory of Bill Jones was what a wonderful violin player he was, when he
performed at one of our concerts.
 |
| Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling. |
I have also added
a page "Growing up in India" which Kitty Katzell (Mildred Engberg -
daughter of Headmistress Lila Engberg) had sent me recently of her memories of
growing up and schooling in India, which I am sure will revive memories of the school
back in the 1940s.
It is with sadness that I have to announce the
death of Bill Jones (William Wayne Jones), who died on 15th June at home after
a long illness. He leaves behind his
widow (Beulah Kessop Jones), sons Arun and Kenny and daughters Sharon and
Nalinee. His son Kenny said his end was
peaceful and the family are thankful that he is finally at rest.
In the
Headmaster's Notes published in the Blue and Gold 1954 Yearbook, Rev. David
Stewart paid this tribute to Mr Jones on his leaving MHS.
Mr. and Mrs. Murray with Mr. Bill Jones (centre) and the Hermonites in the US.
"It is a very
sorrowful farewell we say to Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones has served three years on the
staff, and has contributed a tremendous amount to the school. He has always
been not only capable and efficient, but continually cheerful, encouraging,
enthusiastic, and helpful. He has not only taught English, History, Latin, and
Violin, he has also conducted choir and orchestra, coached games, has been
Scout Captain and Warden of Fern Hill. He has earned the affection of staff and
students alike, and will be long remembered at Mount Hermon. His three-year
term is, however, ended, and we must say farewell. Mr. Jones goes to Yale Divinity School, where
he will complete his theological studies.
If in a few years’ time he again returns to India, there are many of us
who hope we might again see him in Mount Hermon School."
Mr. Jones was back in Mt. Hermon in mid-1970s and
served the school as its Vice-Principal.
(James Sinclair is Secretary/Treasurer of Old Mount
Hermon Students’ Association (UK). He can be contacted at: jimsin12@aol.com,www.oldmhs.com)
Just Out!!
Book: The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland
Author: Jigme N Kazi
Publisher:
Hill Media Publications, Gangtok, Sikkim
Price:
Rs. 525/-
AVAILABLE AT:
Observer Building: Nam Nang, Gangtok, Sikkim.
Kandoika: New Market, MG Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim.
Good Books: Old Market, MG Marg,
Gangtok, Sikkim.
Jainco: New Metro Point, 31A National
Highway, Gangtok, Sikkim.
Rachna: Development Area, Gangtok, Sikkim
Pashupati: Lall Bazar Road, Gangtok, Sikkim.
Bulk
copies available at Observer Building, Nam Nang, Gangtok, Sikkim.
PS: Hermonites, would be grateful if the items on Mr. Gyanendra Rongong and Mr. WW Jones, who passed away recently, is shared among Hermonites.
.jpg)
