NATIONALITY VERDICT Tibetan Identity Will Remain Intact

HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN   EDITORIAL PAGE 4  Jan 12, 2011

EDITORIAL

Delhi High Court’s recent verdict to confer Indian citizenship to descendants of Tibetans who fled Chinese occupation will certainly be debated and discussed by many, including Tibetans themselves. For most Indians the issue may not matter much but for the one lac Tibetan ‘refugees’ living in the sub-continent the ‘landmark’ verdict will certainly make a great impact on the lives of many Tibetans, particularly youngsters, who want greater opportunities and civil rights in the land (India) of their birth.

The apprehension that accepting Indian, or any other country’s citizenship, will lead to erosion of the Tibetan identity is not quite valid as Tibetans, like the Jews, will not easily give up their rich cultural and religious identity. Many Tibetans, including lamas, living in the west still feel greatly about the country of their origin despite the influence of western values and culture.

India has been home to Tibetan refugees for over half a century and it is but natural to let these people enjoy the rights and privileges enjoyed by Indian citizens, particularly when the Constitution allows it and an Act has been passed by the Parliament in this regard. Not all Tibetans in India are ‘refugees’. Many of them have settled in India’s northern borders for well over a century. New Delhi needs to ponder carefully on these issues, particularly in view of the unlikely early return of the Tibetans to their homeland.

Bhutan ready to accept Christianity

 Himalayan Guardian Jan 26, 2011

Thimphu, Jan 25: Christians in Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan has something to cheer about. The Druk Kingdom is about to grant the much-awaited official recognition to Christians residing in the country.

According to a report in the International Christian Concern, the Chhoedey Lhentshog, the authority that regulates religious organizations in Bhutan, during its meeting held here last month discussed how Christian organizations may be recognized to represent the community.

 Lhentshog Secretary Dorji Tshering when asked if Christians were likely to enjoy the same rights enjoyed by Buddhists and Hindus replied, “Absolutely.”

Bhutan had in 1969 and 1979 banned open practice of non-Buddhist and non-Hindu religions.

Initially, the government is likely to register only one Christian organization to represent all Christians in Bhutan, sources said.

Indo-Bangla land ports to benefit Nepal, Bhutan

Dhaka, Jan 25: Bangladesh and India have opened two land ports along the international border to boost bilateral trade and facilitate trading activity of neighbours Nepal and Bhutan.

The simultaneous openings of the two land ports on Saturday followed an understanding reached last year between the neighbours. India said it would also facilitate goods movement through Bangladesh's Chittagong and Mangla ports.

Soon after India's Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee opened a land port at Phulbari in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, Bangladesh's Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury flagged-in a flower-bedecked Indian truck at the Banglabandha land port in Panchagarh, the northernmost district of the country.

The opening of the land ports will help resume communication and movement between the two countries after more than six decades, since India was divided by the British in 1947.

Trade between Nepal and Bangladesh through Banglabandha has been continuing on a limited scale since its introduction in September 1997, The Daily Star reported.

Banglabandha will be an important land port thanks to broader trade with India, analysts said, when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met her Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh in January 2010.

Chowdhury said importers and exporters have long been demanding opening of the port for goods transportation in and out of India. 'Today their demand is fulfilled.'

Iqbal Kaiser, president of the Panchagarh Chamber and Commerce and Industry, said the Banglabandha point was the key to developing regional trade. Siliguri is only five km from the port while it is 10 km from Jalpaiguri and 58 km from Darjeeling.

Mukherjee along with a 13-member delegation, including West Bengal Minister of Urban and Municipality Development Ashok Bhattacharya, joined in the inauguration, while Chowdhury led an 11-member team from Bangladesh.

Obama raises Tibet issue with Chinese Prez

Himalayan Guardian JaN 26, 2011

Washington, Jan 25: US President Barack Obama took the opportunity of a joint press conference with Chinese President Hu Jintao on 19 January 2011 to say that the United States supports "further dialogue between the government of China and the representatives of the Dalai Lama to resolve concerns and differences, including the preservation of the religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people."

The press conference, held in the White House, saw President Obama sending a strong message to China on how it dealt with issues.

President Obama said, "I reaffirmed America's fundamental commitment to the universal rights of all people.  That includes basic human rights like freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association and demonstration, and of religion -- rights that are recognized in the Chinese constitution.  As I've said before, the United States speaks up for these freedoms and the dignity of every human being, not only because it is part of who we are as Americans, but we do so because we believe that by upholding these universal rights, all nations, including China, will ultimately be more prosperous and successful."

The Tibet reference came in the opening remarks after President Obama revealed that the United States and China have agreed to resume formal dialogue on human rights and to new exchanges to advance the rule of law. 

 President Obama said, "And even as we, the United States, recognize that Tibet is part of the People s Republic of China, the United States continues to support further dialogue between the government of China and the representatives of the Dalai Lama to resolve concerns and differences, including the preservation of the religious and cultural identity of the Tibetan people."

Three in race for Tibet PM post

Tashi Namgyal

Dharamshala, Jan 25:  Two months before the final round of the Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile) election, three names are still in the running for next Tibet's PM: Lobsang Sangay, Tenzin Namgyal Tethong and Tashi Wangdi.

The preliminary polls, held on October 3, offered  Sangay a comfortable first position with 22,489 votes out of the total 47,000 votes cast.  Tethong registered 12 319 votes while Wangdi, who served the Government-in-Exile as a cabinet minister, collected 2101 votes.

"Initially, there were six candidates, but today, only three remain. We could have allowed them to contest for the final elections but some of them withdrew, some of them resigned", Chief Election Comissioner Jamphel Choesang said.

Alongside the Kalon Tripa election, the Tibetan community in exile will vote for the Parliamentary elections. 94 candidates are running for 44 seats.

Choesang also raised the question of the participation, as abstention spectacularly went down from 73,2% at the last elections in 2006 to approximately 39% this year at the preliminary polls.

The Election Commission announced it is still expecting more voters for the last polls on March 20, as it presented fresh registration dates from November 30, 2010, to January 17, 2011 for eligible voters who didn't go to the polls on the preliminary round in October.

Tibetans in India entitled for Indian citizenship: Delhi High Court

Himalayan Guardian Jan 26, 2011

Dharamsala, Jan 25: After a legal battle of two and half years, Namgyal Dolkar Lhagyari became a Tibetan-Indian after a Delhi High Court ruling on 22 December 2010. She was given Indian citizenship according to India’s Citizenship Act of 1986.

Namgyal Dolkar is the oldest of four siblings who are descendants of Tibet’s 33rd King Songtsen Gampo, who reigned over Tibet and a greater part of Asia in the 7th century.

She lodged a case against the Regional Passport Office in Delhi after her application for a passport was rejected, Tibet Sun reported.

“The passport office told me that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had ordered them to refuse a passport,” Namgyal said. The case was then directed against MEA.

The court then ruled that Namgyal Dolkar was entitled to Indian Citizenship according to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 1986. This act entitles any person born in India, on or after 26 January 1950 but prior to the commencement of the 1986 Act on 1 July 1987, to citizenship of India by birth, the report said.

Namgyal Dolkar Lhagyari was born on 13 April 1986. She said that the court ordered MEA to pay a compensation of 5,000 rupees and ordered the passport office to issue her a passport within two months.

The Regional Passport Office in Delhi had rejected Namgyal’s application, saying that her parents were Tibetans.

Namgyal is one of over 94,000 exile Tibetans in India. There are 127,935 Tibetans living in exile, according to a 2009 population census report of the Tibetan government-in-exile. From the total, most of the Tibetans numbered 94,203 are living in India. As many as 13,514 are living in Nepal, 1,298 in Bhutan and 18,920 are scattered around the world, mainly in North America and Europe.

   Namgyal’s younger brother, Namgyal Wangchuk Trichen Lhagyari, was enthroned as the direct descendant of the first dharma king Songtsen Gampo at a coronation ceremony presided over by the Dalai Lama in June 2004.

Namgyal has a BA English Honours degree and is currently pursuing MA English in Dehra Dun.

Replying to questions by email about being a Tibetan-Indian, she said, “Yes, I believe now I am a Tibetan-Indian if that’s the term which would define it, but I was born from Tibetan parents who had struggled for their nation and continued with their duties. My father did that till his demise.

“As for my Amala (mother) she has always reminded all of us of our duties as Tibetans. I therefore doubt if I would ever cease to be an accountable nationality — instead I feel even more strongly for my nation, and feel confident that I can now do something constructive for my people.

I sincerely believe that everyone should realize their rights and utilize them responsibly for everyone. I am undoubtedly a Tibetan at heart though may be called an Indian.”

Meanwhile, the exiled Tibetan government has welcomed the court’s verdict and termed the order as a “landmark” judgment.

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SPORT I will retire from East Bengal, says Bhutia

Kolkata, Jan 28: India captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Monday quashed talk of any imminent retirement and said he would return next season after taking a three-month break and if he decides to quit, he would do it from East Bengal.

Talking to reporters at East Bengal club, the Sikkimese sniper said he came to be known as a footballer from East Bengal, so he would like to call it quits donning the red-and-gold jersey.

"I was born in Sikkim, but I started my football life here in East Bengal. I got to be known as a footballer from East Bengal. It's my mother club. East Bengal gave me a footballing life. That's the reality and that is never going to change.

"I've got all my trophies for East Bengal be it Durand Cup, Federation Cup or whatever. I'm so proud and honoured to be a part of them," he said in an emotional tone.

"It's true I played for different clubs, but those were a few challenges that I took. I will definitely retire from East Bengal, even as I have my own club United Sikim. I started from here and I want to end here," the 34-year-old said.

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EDITORIAL ‘REPUBLIC’ IN TURMOIL Groping In Darkness

SIKKIM OBSERVER  Jan 29, 2011

Nepal’s Constituent Assembly was to frame a new Constitution for the country by May 2010. Framing of the new Constitution for the former Hindu Kingdom was the top priority of the Nepalese Parliament. Unfortunately, seven months have elapsed and there is still no visible sign that this objective would be achieved at a given time-frame. The three main parties – the Maoists, UML and Nepali Congress – are totally responsible for this sad state of affairs.

The recent withdrawal of Nepali Congress candidate, Ram Chandra Poudel, from the country’s prime ministerial election is a welcome move but in the first place he should not have been allowed to take part in the seven-month-long futile exercise that witnessed the unprecedented failure of the Parliament to elect the prime minister for the 16^th time. Even now there is no guarantee that a new man would be elected to head the government next week.

Nepalese leadership may agree on a ‘consensus government’ but the ground reality is that it is not too clear about who should lead it. The Maoists have the largest number of MPs in the Parliament and logically they should be allowed to head the government. It is for the Maoists to choose its own man for the top job. Nepalese leaders must realize that it would be very difficult to secure two-thirds majority for adoption of the new Constitution, particularly when small parties are playing a dominant role in shaping Nepal’s future. A practical approach needs to be made in the present political imbroglio to ensure that Nepal swiftly embraces the democratic process, which, hopefully, will lead to speedy economic development.