Himalayan Guardian March 14, 2012

Burma minority leader jailed for 20 years

Yangon, March 13: A court in Burma has sentenced a leader of the Karen ethnic minority group to two decades in prison for treason, his legal adviser says.

Nyein Maung, a member of the Karen National Union (KNU) central committee, was arrested last year in China and deported to Myanmar, where he was taken into custody.

A special court at Insein prison gave him life imprisonment - which is equivalent to 20 years - for high treason, said adviser Aung Thein, The Irrawaddy magazine reported.

Nyein Maung was handed an additional three years under the illegal organisation act, but will serve the two sentences concurrently, he said.

Burma considers the KNU - whose leadership is based in Thailand - to be an illegal organisation. Its armed wing has been battling the government since 1949.

The KNU signed a pact with the new reform-minded government in January in a move that raised hopes of a permanent end to one of the world's oldest civil conflicts.

But the organisation warned last month that the pact was "fragile", and pointed to the detention of Nyein Maung as a key issue of contention.

"I do not think the government will harm the peace talks with the KNU by keeping him in prison. Who knows? The president can grant a pardon for his release any time," the adviser said.

Focus on stability, progress in Tibet: Chinese Prez

Beijing, March 13: Chinese President Hu Jintao asked the military should pay more attention to safeguarding social stability amid a volatile situation in northwestern Xinjiang province and Tibet.

Speaking at a plenary meeting of People's Liberation Army (PLA) deputies to the National People's Congress, Hu said every soldier in the military must be aware that development and stability are the priorities, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

Hu, who is also the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), stressed that the PLA and the armed police must focus on national defence and army building, and adhere to the fundamental requirement of making progress while maintaining stability.

Hu is set to retire towards the end of this year. Internal stability continue to be main focus of Chinese leaders as China like last year would be spending more on internal security budget than that of defence this year.

 There is growing stress on internal security due to heavy deployment of forces in Xinjiang, where the security forces battled separatist forces of East Turkistan Islamic Movement,(ETIM). Tibet has witnessed unrest following over two dozen self-immolation attempts by Buddhist monks calling for the return of the Dalai Lama from India.

New road to link Yunnan, Tibet

Beijing, March 13: A deputy to China's top legislature has suggested constructing a new route linking southwestern Yunnan province with Tibet autonomous region.

The new route would originate in Kunming, Yunnan's capital, and pass through the city of Dali and the Lisu autonomous prefecture of Nujiang to reach Lhasa, capital of Tibet, and is of "strategic significance" in promoting the local economy, boosting ethnic solidarity and maintaining stability in the border region, said Ding Xiuhua, a National People's Conference deputy from Nujiang prefecture.

The current route from Kunming to Lhasa is 2,314 kilometers, but the new route would be just 2,055 kilometers, she said, Xinhua reported.

The current route is hazardous, as it traverses three major rivers and more than 10 mountains with altitudes of over 4,000 meters, making it almost impassable in winter, according to Ding.

The new route would be passable year-round if two 1,600-meter tunnels were created, Ding said.

"The construction of the new route will also boost economic development along the road," Ding said.

Moreover, the route would connect the resource-rich, but impoverished regions of Nujiang in Yunnan province and Nyingchi county in Tibet to the outside world and make their resources accessible, Ding said.

Tibet-Bhutan border police station set up

Beijing, March 13: China has established its highest border police station at 5,373m above the sea level on its border with Bhutan in Shannan prefecture. It has also set up an all-female police station in Tibet's Nyingchi prefecture, which borders Arunachal Pradesh in India.

These moves are being seen as aimed at keeping a close watch on a road being laid to connect Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh with Bhutan, said a Beijing-based source on Sunday.

The Chinese authorities, it is learned, may also use these police stations to keep a tab on Tibetans who try to escape across the border.

The police station has come up in a Tibetan village, Pumaqangtang village of Shannan prefecture, which has a population of 900 people. The site of the female police station, Nanyi Village of Mainling County in Nyingchi prefecture, has 445 inhabitants. "The foundation of the police station marks the progress of border administration , and it plays a positive and important role in social development and lasting peace and stability along Tibet's border," Tashi Dodan, head of the public security border detachment of Shannan prefecture, told the official media.

China has intensified scrutiny on its border with Nepal to curb the flow of Tibetan rebels, who often find their way into India.

It is being helped by the Nepalese government in this. But Chinese authorities fear that Tibetan dissidents might use the Bhutan route to escape from China, the source said.

The female police station will cover the Lopa people, China's least populous ethnic tribe. It has 20 officials between the ages of 18 and 31. Nanyi's beautiful landscape attracts a large number of tourists every year, said the official Xinhua news agency.

The move follows a call by Chinese leader Jia Qinglin, who recently stressed the need to safeguard social harmony and stability in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Burma holds peace talks with ethnic Kachin rebels

The Kachin are one of Burma's largest ethnic rebel groups

Yangon, March 13: Burma's government is holding talks with ethnic Kachin armed rebels in the hope of brokering a truce in the decades-long conflict.

The government has signed provisional ceasefires with several armed ethnic groups in recent months as part of political reform in the country, the BBC reported.

But attempts to end the fighting in Kachin state have proved difficult.

Western nations say the lifting of sanctions depends on progress being made towards national reconciliation.

Meanwhile, a prominent monk, who served years in prison for anti-government activities, has been questioned in custody for the second time in recent weeks.

The family of Shin Gambira told the BBC's Burmese service he had been detained for about 24 hours and questioned about a recent visit to Kachin state.

Conflicts between Burma's central government and rebels from the various ethnic minority groups have flared sporadically over the decades since the country gained independence.

Gambira was one of the leader's of the "saffron revolution" protests in 2007

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by fighting and there are many reports of human rights abuses.

The civilian government, backed by the military, which came to power in 2010 is attempting to sign ceasefires with rebel groups in preparation for further political discussions.

Last week, they signed a preliminary ceasefire with the ethnic Karenni rebels in the east of the country.

But the BBC's South East Asia correspondent Rachel Harvey says that after decades of mistrust, many of the groups that have agreed a truce have done so with extreme caution.

The Kachin have so far refused to sign any agreement before political issues are resolved but are now entering into talks.

Meanwhile, fighting between the rebels and the army is continuing, say reports, forcing thousands of people to remain in temporary camps on either side of the border with China.

Our correspondent says reaching a nationwide peace deal is widely recognised as key to Burma's future political and economic development.

“Karmapa not connected to funds scam”

Shimla, March 13:  Tibetan spiritual leader the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje did not appear personally in a recent court hearing in Una town of Himachal Pradesh .

But his attorney appeared on his behalf seeking exemption of the 26-year-old spiritual guru in connection with a seizure of a huge amount of foreign currency in his monastery in Dharamsala a year ago.

 “We have applied for the exemption of his appearance in court as the Karmapa is in Bodh Gaya presiding over an import religious function (puja),” Narender Pal Singh his attorney said,  the Hill Post reported .

Distancing himself from the case Singh said the Karmapa said the chargesheet is mainly against the people who are involved in selling land to the Karmae Garchen Trust for cheating and forgery.

“The Karmapa has not even been served the court summons so far,” Singh claimed.

“Even though the Karmapa heads the trust he has never attended even a single meeting which involves building a permanent structure in Dharamsala,” he said.

“Nor has he played any administrative, financial or management role. These duties are held by his administrative office, ” he said .

“The Karmapa has expressed his feelings of hurt, he has also said that he has great faith in the Indian judicial system and has the highest respect for the democratic values of this country,” Singh said.

A chargesheet was filed by the state police against the Karmapa in December last year. The chief judicial magistrate in the town of Una had asked the Karmapa and nine others, including his aides, to appear personally in court on March 6.

The Karmapa has been charged under penal provisions related to conspiracy.

A year ago the Himachal Pradesh police recovered Indian and foreign currencies including 120,197 Chinese yuan.

The Karmapa is the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu school, one of the four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. He fled Tibet in 2000 and has been living in Dharamsala since then under the protection of the Dalai Lama.

Editorial

CONG DILEMMA

Let The People Command

After a humiliating performance in the just-concluded Assembly polls in five states the Congress party has made yet another blunder by dumping its man and party supporters in Uttarakhand. Harish Rawat was the obvious and unanimous choice for the chief ministership but the party high command chose a less popular man for the job. The revolt within the party for this lack of sensitivity is inevitable. Rawat’s supporters, including majority of the elected legislators, have threatened to split the party and rightly so.

  The Congress party ought to know by now, particularly after its poll debacle in Uttar Pradesh, that it cannot afford to cold shoulder regional leaders. Having lost the upper caste battle to BJP, the tribals, dalits and minorities in UP are split between SP and BSP, leaving the Congress without a vote-bank to build up the party in UP. In many other states the party is toying the same line. It must now reconcile itself to the fact that depending on a few individuals, no matter how great they may be, to win votes does not work anymore. It must listen and respond to the sentiments of its supporters and stop commanding from New Delhi.

Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was the highest peak in the world

Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world with an elevation of 8,586 m (28,169 ft) and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas. Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 m (27,720 ft). The treasures represent the five repositories of God, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books.

Three of the five peaks – main, central, and south – are on the border of North Sikkim in India and Taplejung District of Nepal, while the other two are completely in Taplejung District. The Kangchenjunga Himal includes twelve more peaks over 7,000 m (23,000 ft).

Until 1852, Kangchenjunga was assumed to be the highest mountain in the world, but calculations made by the Great Trigonometric Survey of India in 1849 came to the conclusion that Mount Everest (known as Peak XV at the time) was the highest and Kangchenjunga the third-highest.

 Kangchenjunga was first climbed on May 25, 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, who were part of a British expedition. The British expedition honoured the beliefs of the Sikkimese, who hold the summit sacred, by stopping a few feet short of the actual summit. Most successful summit parties since then have followed this tradition. (Wikipedia)

DILEMMA OVER GTA POLLS

No elections without inclusion of Terai & Dooars: GJM

C. Tamang

Darjeeling, March 13: The first elections to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) has run into a controversy. While Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants the polls to be held now that the GTA has obtained the presidential assent, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) insists that elections would not be held without the inclusion of Terai and the Dooars in GTA.

Briefing the media for the first time every since President Pratibha Patil gave her assent to the GTA Bill in Kolkata on Wednesday, the chief minister, while announcing the surrender of Maoist leader Suchitra Mahato, said: "What else would you ask for? The GTA Bill has been cleared and elections will be held as per the agreement. In another three months, you would have nothing more to ask for. We've fulfilled most of our commitments."

GJM supporters took to the streets in the Darjeeling hills on Sunday reiterating their opposition to any move to hold elections to the GTA without the inclusion of areas in the Terai and Dooars region in the north Bengal plains within the territorial jurisdiction of the proposed body.

Processions were taken out and rallies organised by the youth and women wings of the GJM in the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong where demands were also raised for an interim set-up comprising nominated members till the formation of the GTA, The Hindu reported.

But even as the GJM leadership has made clear that there could be no compromise on its demand for the inclusion in the GTA of what it claims to be 398 Gorkha-dominated mouzas in the Terai, Dooars and Rajgunj block of Jalpaiguri district, various regional groupings in these areas including the local units of the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikash Parishad (ABAVP) have reaffirmed their opposition to any such move.

“We are against the transfer of any areas in the Dooars and Terai to the proposed GTA and shall launch a prolonged agitation if any move towards this end is made”, said Birsa Tirkey, State president of the ABAVP which claims to enjoy substantial support among the tribals of the region.

The Bengalis, Kamptapuris and the Adivasis have however rejected the idea of ceding any part of the Plains to the GTA.

History of Darjeeling

Darjeeling originally belonged to Sikkim

Until the beginning of the 18th century, the area between the present borders of Sikkim and the plains of Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, belonged to the kings of Sikkim. In 1706 the king lost Kalimpong to the Bhutanese. And control of the remainder was wrested from them by the Gorkhas who invaded Sikkim in 1780, following consolidation of the latter's rule in Nepal

 These annexations by the Gorkhas, however, brought them into conflict with the British. A series of wars followed, eventually leading to the defeat of the Gurkhas and the ceding of all the land they had taken from the Sikkimese to the British. Part of this territory was restored to the king of Sikkim and the country's sovereignty guaranteed by the British in return for British control over any disputes which arose with neighboring states.

 One such dispute in 1828 led to the dispatch of two British officers to this area, and it was during their fact-finding tour that they spent some time at Darjeeling. The officers were quick to appreciate Darjeeling's value as a site for a sanatorium and hill station, and as the key to a pass into Nepal and Tibet. The officers' observations were reported to the authorities in Calcutta and a pretext was eventually found to pressure the king into granting the site to the British.

The transfer, however, rankled with the Tibetans who regarded Sikkim as a vassal state. Darjeeling's rapid development as a trading center and tea-growing area in a key position along the trade route leading from Sikkim to the plains of India began to make a considerable impact on the fortunes of the lamas and leading merchants of Sikkim. Tensions arose and eventually the British annexed the whole of the land between the present borders of Sikkim and the Bengal plains, and withdrew the Raja's annual stipend. These annexations brought about a significant change in Darjeeling's status. Previously it had been an enclave within Sikkimese territory, and to reach it the British had to pass through a country ruled by an independent king. After the takeover, Darjeeling became contiguous with British territory further south and Sikkim was cut off from access to the plains except through British territory.

This eventually led to the invasion of Sikkim by the Tibetans and the British military expedition to Lhasa. When the British first arrived in Darjeeling it was almost completely forested and virtually uninhabited, though it had once been a sizeable village before the wars with Bhutan and Nepal.Development was rapid and by 1840 a road had been constructed, numerous houses and a sanatorium built and a hotel opened. By 1857 Darjeeling had a population of some 10,000. The population increase was due mainly to the recruitment of Nepalese laborers to work the tea plantations established in the early 1840s by the British. (SikkimOnline.Info)

SIKKIM OBSERVER March 17, 2012

Stage set for GTA polls, govt issues notification

Kolkata, March 16: The Mamata Banerjee government on Wednesday issued the notification for the GTA Act, signalling preparations for elections in the Darjeeling Hills, even as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) demanded the inclusion of some 400 moujas in the Terai-Dooars. The notification to formulate rules for the elections to the GTA will be issued on Thursday.

According to the gazette notification issued by the hill affairs department, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Act to set up the GTA for the Darjeeling Hills takes effect on March 14, 2012, a Kolkata daily reported.

The GTA Bill was passed in the Bengal Assembly in September last year, accommodating most changes sought by the GJM. Through 54 amendments, the GTA Bill had tried to ensure that the legislation was in accordance with the tripartite agreement and the Hills body got more autonomy than the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), which it will eventually replace.

After the chief minister had blamed the Centre for the delay in getting assent, there was possibility that the fragile peace brokered by the GTA deal might have been disturbed once again. The GTA Bill got presidential assent on March 7, paving the way for setting up the GTA and holding elections in the Hills.

On Tuesday, chief secretary Samar Ghosh had said, "The election to the formation of the GTA will be held with the existing area as per the tripartite agreement. The government is not taking cognizance of the GJM's demands."

On Friday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had iterated that elections in the Hills will be held as per the tripartite agreement. The GJM has been demanding that the high-power committee, looking into the inclusion of fresh areas from the Terai and Dooars in GTA, should submit its report before elections are held.

Now that the notification for giving effect to the GTA Act has been issued, the delimitation process for the election will also begin. After delimitation, a draft will be published for the delimited constituencies. There will be an interval of 15 days to register objections.

Hishey sworn in as Rajya Sabha MP

Gangtok, March 16: Former Minister and senior ruling Sikkim Democratic Front leader Hishey Lachungpa was on Monday sworn in as the new Rajya Sabha member from Sikkim by Vice President Hamid Ansari.

Lachungpa, who succeeds OT Lepcha, was elected to the lone Rajya Sabha seat in February this year.

The new Rajya Sabha MP hails from the tribal-dominated region of Lachung, North Sikkim.

Editorial

GTA POLLS

Participate In The Democratic Process

The decision of the Mamata Government in West Bengal to go ahead with elections to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) is an indication of its firmness to implement  the tripartite pact signed in July 2011 despite the fact that the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), one of the signatories to the deal, is in no mood to go ahead with the polls before settling the territorial jurisdiction of the new body. In fact, the GJM has indicated its unwillingness to join the poll fray if its demand on inclusion of the Gorkha-dominated areas in the Terai and Dooars in the GTA are not met. With the West Bengal Government formally proceeding ahead with the poll process the ball is now in the GJM’s court.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee swung into action when she was apprised of the delay in getting President Pratibha Patel’s approval of the GTA by the GJM leadership.

The Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, which was blamed for the delay in getting the GTA implemented, acted promptly to Mamata’s appeal and without any delay got the presidential approval of the pact. The GJM should now act responsibly and participate in the poll process and ensure that Darjeeling gets the much-needed economic boost. A committee is looking into the issue of inclusion or non-inclusion of areas in the Terai and Dooars in the GTA. Reactions from the GJM should be reserved until the findings of the committee are in the public domain. Majority of the plainspeople, including Adkivasis and Bengalis, have opposed GJM’s demand on the issue. The Mamata Government will have to play a balancing role on this controversial issue when the time comes. As of now hill people must not be led astray but wholeheartedly participate in the democratic process.

 State preparing for panchayat polls

By A Staff Reporter

Gangtok, March 16: The State Election Commission has begun the process for elections to Zilla Panchayats/Gram Panchayats, which is likely to be held later this year.

The Commission has already issued its schedule for the polls:

Preparation of Draft Electoral Rolls               -12.3.2012

Segregation of ward wise electoral rolls         -13.3.2012 - 02.04.2012

Filing Claims and Objections                          -23.4.2012- 30.04.2012

Disposal of claims and Objections                              -01.5.2012 to 09.5.2012

Printing & Final Publication of electoral rolls - 21.5.2012

A designated officer appointed for each Polling Station are to be contacted by all concerned voters for inclusion of their names in the electoral rolls and filing of claims and objections by filling up the forms available with the designated officer, a press release of the Commission said.

“All political party workers and concerned public are requested to kindly cooperate with the authorities for preparation of defect free electoral rolls,” the release said.

Monasteries reflect Sikkim’s unique identity

Observer News Service

Gangtok, March 16: The Governor BP Singh has urged everyone to work unitedly for restoration of monasteries in the State which were destroyed by last year’s earthquake. He said the monasteries in the State reflected Sikkim’s unique and distinct identity.

A presentation on the State Government’s strategy to restore and rebuild the monasteries damaged during the  September 18 earthquake was made before  the by the representatives of the Ecclesiastical Department, Cultural and Heritage Affairs Department and Building and Housing Department at the Raj Bhavan Winter Camp.

The representatives were led by the Additional Chief Secretary, R. Ongmu. The presentation was made by Devika Chettri, Additional Town Planner, UDHD, a Raj Bhavan release said.

The Governor was informed that the Ecclesiastical Department had received reports of damages from 326 monasteries. Acting on the reports, the Ecclesiastical Department and the Buildings and Housing Department had undertaken a joint survey of monasteries.

Following this, the Building and Housing Department has submitted detailed project reports for restoration, repair and minor retrofitting of 124 monasteries to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of India.

The Government of Sikkim has recognised 6 monasteries (Ringhim, Chawang,  Tashiding, Chungthang, Hungri and Tholung) as critically damaged.

 The restoration process will be handled by experts in various fields, the release said.

The Governor emphasised that the monasteries in Sikkim lend a unique identity to it among the union of States. The State should do its best to ensure that the sanctity and the beauty of the monasteries are maintained.

The Governor directed the Building and Housing Department to ensure that the restored and reconstructed monasteries, to the extent possible, be made earthquake resistant. He also called for involvement of the local communities in the rebuilding process.

The Governor also expressed the need to create inventories of all the relics in the monasteries.

CM inspects Tadong college, makes promises

Gangtok, March 16: The Chief Minister of Sikkim Pawan Chamling along with the Minister for HRDD NK Pradhan, Minister UDHD D.B.Thapa and Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso visited the Sikkim Government College, Tadong on Wednesday to inspect the ongoing infrastructural development in the college premises.

The visit is also aimed at solving some of the long-pending problems of the people residing near the college. The people living in this area have been facing the problem of thoroughfare as the road passes from inside the college premises. Hence the people have been demanding an alternative road, an official release said.

The Chief Minister has directed the concerned department to take a holistic approach and prepare a comprehensive project report to solve the problem once and for all. Sanctity and security of the college should not be a compromise while preparing the project report, the Chief Minister added.

While interacting with the college authorities and the student representatives at the meeting hall of the college, the Chief Minister said the government would give two new buses to the College. He also sanctioned in principal the demand of the student representatives for internet facility in the college and solve the drinking water problem of the college. The Chief Minister also dealt upon the various issues pertaining to the college.

The Sikkim Government College was established during the year 1972 and moved to the present premises in 1983.

HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN        Feb 29, 2012

SIKKIM BAGS TOURISM AWARD

 New Delhi, Feb 29: Sikkim received tourism award from President Pratibha Patil at a function here today.

Pitching for accelerated development of the tourism sector, Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said, “Efforts are on to promote India as a 365-day tourist destination” at the National Tourism Awards 2010-11 ceremony here.

The President gave away prizes to 78 awardees in over 50 categories.

Awards were given to States and Union Territories, hotels, travel and tour operators and private organisations among others in recognition of their performance in their respective fields and also to encourage healthy competition with an aim to promote tourism.

While Madhya Pradesh got four awards in different categories, Sikkim got three awards for tourism infrastructure and tourism related programmes.

Federalism based on ethnicity unacceptable: Ex-Nepal PM

RP Sharma

Kathmandu, Feb 28: Former Prime Minister and senior Nepali congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the proposal forwarded by the so-called expert commission on State Restructuring was not acceptable to his party.

The proposal is not aimed at preserving the territorial integrity of the country rather it encourages disintegration of the nation-state, said Deuba.

“The proposal does not look like being drafted by experts. It gives the impression that it is drafted by immature individuals.”

 “The Nepali Congress does not accept federalism based on ethnicity,” said Deuba.

Detained Tibetans in Nepal on hunger strike

Himalayan News Network

Kathmandu, Feb 28: Thirteen Tibetans, detained last week for protesting against China in front of the United Nations office in Nepal, started an indefinite hunger strike on Monday to press for their release, the president of the Tibetan Youth Congress in Nepal said.

The activists, including two women, were demanding U.N. intervention in their homeland after a series of self-immolations against Chinese rule there, Reuters reported.

Tsewang Dolma quoted the protesters as saying the detentions, since Friday, were a violation of human rights.

"The hunger strike is to demand their release," she said.

Human rights groups working for the Tibetan cause say Nepal was under pressure from China to crackdown on the activities of Tibetan exiles.

Journalists banned from entering Tibet: report

Dharamsala, Feb 28: China's Tibet Autonomous Region is out of bounds for foreign journalists. This causes media persons to resort to clandestine methods to get into the region, says a global press freedom organisation.

Foreign journalists, banned from entering Tibet, have been prevented by the police

from covering demonstrations by Tibetans in other Chinese provinces, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), a non-profit organisation, said in its report released last week, IANS reported.

"In the last week of January in Sichuan province, a crew from CNN was arrested at a toll barrier and prevented from travelling to neighbouring Tibet."

It said such "restrictions are unlawful, the authorities regularly cite bad weather or the poor state of roads to restrict access to the autonomous region".

Consequently, journalists are forced to resort to clandestine methods to get into Tibet or provinces with Tibetan populations. It said foreign journalists suspected of wishing to defy police instructions themselves become victims of harassment by the security forces.

"Not only are foreign media organisations prevented from covering these events, but the authorities have also organised a veritable disinformation campaign, using pro-government media such as the Global Times, which play down the disturbances and accuse the international community of interfering," said the RWB.

"Out of sight of the world, a major crisis is unfolding. Even Pyongyang has an international media presence, which is not the case in Lhasa."

The RWB added: "As in the past, the Chinese authorities aim to control the Tibetan people behind closed doors, excluding journalists, foreign ones in particular, who might be troublesome witnesses of what is happening.

Chinese authorities have stepped up major crackdowns against suspected dissidents in Tibet in recent months, with young men taken away from homes and families being separated. Tibetans, who had travelled out of China on valid documents, have been detained on suspicion on return and over a score have immolated themselves in protest, say Tibetans living here.

In the past year, 23 monks, nuns and other Tibetans set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule, according to the Tibetan government-in-exile, a democratically elected body of the exiles that is based here.

Federalism should safeguard identity of all people: Yadav

RP Sharma

Kathmandu, Feb 28: President Rambaran Yadav has said the national integrity should be maintained while taking the nation towards federal structure. He said federalism in the former Hindu kingdom should guarantee protection of all people.

Inaugurating the Kavre Fair that began at Janagal in Kavre on Saturday, The President said all Nepali people first wish to identify themselves as a people belonging to a country where Lord Buddha was born and Mount Everest is located. Regional identification as Himali, Pahare and Madhesi comes after the national identity of the Nepalese.

Expressing concerns over the remarks by some of the incumbent ministers and the political leaders intended in breaking up political ties, the President suggested to the political parties to work together so as to conclude the peace process and constitution drafting process in the slated timeframe.

Stressing the need of further promoting the Nepali culture and identity, the President said identity of all castes, communities and religion and culture should be guaranteed while restructuring the State.

Promotion of foreign investment and development of the industrial sector was possible only after the completion of the peace and constitution drafting, he added.

Though the Nepal Government has already announced the year 2012 as the 'Investment Year', atmosphere of investment could not be created as the lasting peace was yet to be established in the country.

Arunachal, Bhutan to boost tourism

 Itanagar, Feb 28: Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan have agreed to boost tourism through mutual cooperation.

A five-member Poverty Reduction Committee of Bhutan’s National Assembly, led by its chairman Dupthop, visited the State recently and discussed the matter with Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, official sources said.

Pointing out that Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh had several similarities culturally and geographically, Tuki said the cooperation would eventually generate gainful employment and reduce poverty, PTI reported.

Tuki said that construction of a road from Tawang to Bhutan was progressing at a rapid pace and sought the Bhutan Government’s cooperation to speed up work in its territory.

“Once this road is completed and connects towns of Bhutan with Tawang, we could work on border trade, which would be beneficial for both the sides economically,” Tuki observed.

The Chief Minister also wanted helicopter services to be introduced between Tawang and Bhutan, which, he believed, would increase the tourist arrival substantially.

Dupthop agreed to a proposal by Tuki that a tourist circuit be developed encompassing Bhutan and parts of Arunachal Pradesh religiously linked to each other.

Media censorship declining in Burma

Yangon, Feb 28: Newspaper articles that would have been rejected by Burma's draconian state censors just months ago are making it into print, in one of many signs that the long-repressed country is becoming more open.

Though censorship persists — especially on political issues — the government is allowing many stories to be published without prior review, and journalists who were once jailed, beaten or blacklisted are testing the new boundaries, Time magazine reported.

Zaw Thet Htwe says a story he wrote about prison conditions wouldn't have been allowed under the military junta that ruled until last year. It was the first story he had written since being released from prison himself, in part for distributing a video of local donors handing out aid to disaster victims.

China might resort to territorial grabs in Ladakh, Arunachal: report

New Delhi, Feb 28: China may resort to territorial grabs, including through a "major military offensive", especially in Arunachal Pradesh or Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, and India should respond with "a strategy of quid pro quo", says a report by an independent group of Indian analysts.

"Our frontiers with China have been mostly stable for some years now. However, China could assert its territorial claims (especially in the Arunachal sector or Ladakh) by the use of force," says the report that seeks to outline a foreign and strategic policy for India in the 21st century, The Economic Times reported.

"There is the possibility that China might resort to territorial grabs. The most likely areas for such bite-sized operations are those parts of the Line of Actual Control where both sides have different notions of where the LAC actually runs. These places are known," says the report.

The report contends that India can't "entirely dismiss the possibility of a major military offensive in Arunachal Pradesh or Ladakh".

The report entitled "Non-Alignment 2.0: A Foreign and Strategic Policy for the 21st century", was unveiled Tuesday evening at a panel discussion at Hotel Ashok in which National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and his immediate predecessors M.K. Narayanan, currently West Bengal governor, and Brajesh Mishra participated.

"China will, for the foreseeable future, remain a significant foreign policy and security challenge for India. It is the one major power which impinges directly on India's geopolitical space. As its economic and military capabilities expand, its power differential with India is likely to widen," says the publication in a chapter entitled "The Asian Theatre".

The debate on India's options in dealing with an emerging China, among other things, has coincided with the two-day visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to India that began on Wednesday.

Media continues boycott of JK House proceedings

L. Verma

Jammu, Feb 29:  Media persons on Tuesday continued to boycott proceedings in the Jammu and Kashmir legislature in protest against assembly Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone's controversial remarks made the previous day.

Over 100 media persons were staging a sit-in outside the main gate of the State Assembly demanding that the Speaker "take back" his remarks about the media.

Lone had Monday said that the media "during the session" works under his control and that they will have to disclose their sources to him.

His remarks came after Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohhammad Sagar expressed his reservations about the "source-based stories" appearing in the media.

To this, legislator of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Nizamuddin Bhat said the media "works under the control of the Press Council of India".

However, the Speaker immediately responded: "The media during the session works under my control."

This statement prompted an immediate walkout by the media in protest.

Minister Sagar and political advisor to the chief minister, Devender Singh Rana, along with some legislators tried to placate the media persons, asking them to resume their coverage of the Assembly proceedings.

But the journalists remained adamant on their stand that the "Speaker must take back his words".

"We extend our support to the ongoing protest by the state's media fraternity against remarks passed by the Speaker against mediapersons and their functioning," BJP state president Shamsher Singh Manhas said.

"Media is an important pillar of democracy and BJP opposes any attempt to suppress the freedom of press."

FEDERALISM IN NEPAL

The Battle For Supremacy

The main hurdle towards drafting a new constitution for Nepal is the contentious issue of federalism. Ethnic Nepalese are unlikely to accept Nepali Congress’s demand that federalism should not be based on ethnicity. Former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba’s statement that his party would not accept a federal structure based on ethnicity is a strong reminder to other communities in Nepal that the Bahun-Chettris, who have ruled Nepal for nearly 250 years since 1769, when Nepal came into being, are not ready to give up their power so easily.

While Nepal’s President Rambaran Yadav has not directly opposed Deuba’s statement he wants the new federal structure should safeguard the distinct ethnic identity of all Nepalese, meaning the ethnic communities and the madhesis, while ensuring that the national identity of Nepal and Nepalese remain intact. In a country where the majority  ethnic communities feel disadvantaged economically and politically for centuries and the minorities are determined to preserve their ground come what may the battle line seems to have been drawn even as the former Hindu kingdom struggles to usher in a new era of freedom and democracy.

ANNEXATION OF SIKKIM

“A black day in the history of democratic India”

Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal wrote to Indira Gandhi when his Palace was attacked by the Indian Army in 1975

By Sheetal Pradhan

I believe this piece of article was more of a documentary as the title suggest "The Story of Sikkim". A part of a many story in opinions 24x7 blog. The article gives a simple narration about Sikkim in brief. What I liked the most was the annexation part and as in my part what I see I share. So this interesting piece of extract is provided here which did touch my heart, especially the "letter" sent by our Chogyal (King) to Indira Gandhi, when Sikkim Royal Palace was attacked by the Indian Army .

""Finally, in 1975, the Kazi (Prime Minister) of Sikkim went against the Chogyal and appealed to the Indian Parliament to change Sikkim's status to a full state of India. His appeal was approved. In April 1975, a 5,000-strong contingent of the Indian Army invaded Sikkim and surrounded the Chogyal's palace. His 300 bodyguards, who were themselves trained by the Indian Army, were caught and driven away, while one of them was shot. The Chogyal was arrested. In his last letter to Indira Gandhi, he wrote:

"I have no words when the Indian army was sent today in a surprise attack on Sikkim Guards who are less than 300 strong and were trained, equipped and officered by the Indian army who looked upon each other as comrades. This is a most treacherous and black day in the history of democratic India in solving the survival of our little country by use of arms."

The Chogyal died under Indian surveillance, supposedly of a weak heart. The Sikkim National Flag was lowered and subsequently banned, being replaced by the Indian Tricolour. A referendum was held under which 59% of the electorate came out to vote. Of them, 97.5% approved a merger with India. However, historians strongly dispute the statistics provided by the Indian Government as well as the fairness of the referendum, which was conducted by the Indian Army. Nonetheless, Sikkim was merged with the Indian Union as its 22nd State.

Interestingly, the treaty which enabled the merger had a special clause inserted into it by India: the merger of Sikkim and India could never be disputed in any court of the land, including the Supreme Court. Of all the instruments of accession signed between various Princely States and the Indian Union, only this one contains this special clause. Details of what actions Indian Intelligence agencies took before the annexation, including the accession of Bhutan to the United Nations, remain sketchy, mostly because the Government classifies it as a state secret." (Proud to be a Sikkimese)

No governance and plenty of corruption in Uttarakhand

By Jagdish Bhatt

It has been 11 years since Uttarakhand came into being after the hill areas were carved out of Uttar Pradesh. And while its people struggled for statehood, braving the bullets and lathis of the police and para-military forces so that their hopes and expectations could become a reality, things have only deteriorated and gone from bad to worse.

Over the past decade, governance has taken a beating, while corruption at all levels from the highest rungs to the lowest in the babudom is rampant and become a way of life in the state. And though both the Congress and the BJP, which have formed governments in the state, make tall claims of eradicating corruption, ensuring transparency and efficiency in the working of the government, facts at the grass root level even today indicate on the contrary.

Recently chief minister B C Khanduri spoke of the competent and honest (sic)administrative machinery in Uttarakhand. But if what is going in the state capital, Dehra Dun, right under the nose of the government is any indication, one can only presume what will be happening in the rural hinterlands of the state. Sample this, as to what extent things are going haywire.

The CBI conducted raids on LPG agencies in Dehra Dun and reached the conclusion that they have 30 per cent fake connections in their registers. As a result customers have to wait for days to get their supply. The fake registrations are either sold directly to commercial organizations or they are used to refill commercial cylinders, which are then sold Rs 1000 to Rs 1100 per cylinder. The actual commercial cylinder costs Rs 1300. Incidentally the CBI undertook the raids following inertia over the large number of complaints of irregularities by the state government.

Fair price shops under DPS are supposed to supply ration to new card holders after one month of a new ration card being made. But they do not supply ration for over two to three months, and the ration meant for the ration card holder is conveniently sold to shops in the open marker. The District Supply Officer and inspectors are unconcerned being hand-in-glove with the ration depot holders as ration meant for PDS supply is openly being sold in the markets.

There is a system under which the concerned department has to take permission from the state government for floating any tenders over Rs 50 lakhs. However, the state energy department was circumventing these directions by breaking the high value tenders into smaller value tenders below Rs 50 lakhs so that necessary government permission was not required. An enquiry is now underway.

A team of scribes of a regional daily went to police stations as individuals without revealing their identity. They found most of the police stations refusing to lodge FIRs and in one case the police constable even took Rs 200 to lodge a complaint. Most of the scribes posing as civilians were threatened of dire consequences, if they insisted for lodging the FIR.

Ten persons were killed when an unfit mini bus rolled down the khud while going from Tuini to Vikasnagar. Passengers, who were mercifully to escape the accident said that the bus was not fir to ply on the roads and broke down on three to four occasions. They told the driver to stop the bus, but he kept plying it without listening to the passengers, resulting in the accident. How come the RTOs are allowing unfit vehicles to ply on the roads.

Building which have been reportedly sealed by the MDDA because of being illegal constructions, have been fully constructed and completed despite the ban on their construction. How have the MDDA authorities become blind and allowed the completion of structures that they have themselves sealed for being illegal. Will someone explain

This is just a sample of what is happening at the grass root level and citizens are at the receiving end, with no one bothered to listen to their woes, as every senior officer seems to be operating in actual connivance with his juniors and sharing the spoils.

Uttarakhand has recently had its vidhan sabha elections and results are to be declared on Mar 6. Whether it is the BJP or the Congress that forms the government, only time will tell, but will these two major parties, who have promised efficient and transparent administration, look into these rampant instances of mass corruption and at least improve upon, if not make life better for the people of the state. (Hill Post)

Sikkim party condemns statements against Indian Nepalese

“The entire Himalyan belt from Burma to Sutlej belongs to Nepalese”

Gangtok, Feb 28: The Sikkim Liberation Party (SLP) has reacted sharply against anti-Nepali stand adopted by Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti and Adivasi Vikash Parishad (AVP).

In a press statement, SLP chief DN Nepal said the statements issued against Indian Nepalese by the two organizations were “unconstitutional” and “offensive.”

Nepal said statements against “Indian Nepalese” are being made because the leadership of this community are not only “directionless” but are engrossed in “amassing wealth.”

“Those speaking out against the Nepalese community should know and understand that the entire Himalayan belt right from Burma (Myanmar) in the East to Sutlej in the West belonged to this community,” a resolution passed by the SLP during its meeting said.

According to Nepal, the two organizations have alleged that Nepalese living in India are “foreigners.”

Mukunda Majumdar of Bangal-O-Bangla Bhasa Bachao Committee criticized the attempt to divide Bengal and opposed inclusion of mouzas in Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). He said, "Majority of the Nepali-speaking people in Terrai and Dooars are foreigners." The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has refuted the charge.

Meanwhile, the nine-member panel set up to examine the inclusion of areas in Terai, Dooars and also Siliguri under the new Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) will decide on the submission of its recommendations in its meeting on March 16.

CBI rescues Darjeeling girl from Delhi

C. Tamang

Darjeeling, Feb 28: A 14-year-old girl, who was missing from Darjeeling since November, 2011, was rescued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Munirka in south-west Delhi recently. This was a big break for the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the CBI, that was set up recently to collect, collate and analyze data on kidnappings and abductions from across the country.

According to an official, the AHTU received information about this girl and began investigations. During the course of investigations, the sleuths came to know that the girl, a resident of Darjeeling, was lured to Delhi by a young man who promised her a job there, a national daily reported.

Once in Delhi, he handed her over to others who abused her. The man who took her to Delhi and his associates also had plans to sell her to a brothel. A case has been lodged against the gang. The CBI began a search for the girl and traced her to Munirka in South West New Delhi. Sleuths have come to know that The man who took her to Delhi and his associates also had plans to sell her to a brothel.

In January this year, the CBI designated a unit in the Special Crime Zone of the CBI as the AHTU. It was realized that though a lot of human trafficking takes place in the country there was no centralized organization to deal with the matter exclusively. Most of this trafficking takes place from the eastern parts of the country as well as Nepal.

Entertainment

Barfee film shooting in Darjeeling

Priyanka takes music teacher to Darjeeling

Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra took her music teacher Samantha Edwards to West Bengal's hill city Darjeeling, where she is shooting for Anurag Basu’s film 'Barfee'.

Piggy Chops said she is very much passionate about music and is very much thrilled about her international recording deal with Desi Hits and Universal Music to record her debut music album.

Priyanka is practising singing everyday after hectic shooting schedules in Darjeeling.

Her debut music album will contain 10 pop songs that will be released globally this year.

An uninterrupted and successful shooting schedule in Darjeeling has resulted in a high spirited Barfee team. So much so that Writer-director Anurag Basu has decided on a music launch of the film in Darjeeling. This is for the first time that a Bollywood film music release is taking place in.

Basu arrived in town on February 16 along with Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz, shooting for his romantic thriller Barfee. Basu has shot to fame with films like Murder, Gangster, Life in a Metro and Kites. Pritam is the music director of the film.

According to Basu: “We will have a music launch for the film in May in Darjeeling. The whole team including the cast will be in Darjeeling for the music release. Barfee will have 6 songs." The film is slated for July 13, 2012 release.

The locales for the shoot include Tindharia, Bhotey Bustee, Hotel Windamere, Chowrasta and the Planters Club in Darjeeling. Shooting is scheduled to end in Darjeeling on February 29. While Priyanka had left Darjeeling on February 23 for Hyderabad where she is shooting for the film Krish; Ileana D'Cruz had left on February 25.

SIKKIM OBSERVER         Feb 25, 2012

Sikkimese youths to fight for rights of ‘Sikkim Subjects’

Observer News Service

Gangtok, Feb 24: The ‘Sikkim Subjects’ issue is back on the political agenda in the State.

It is not political parties nor politicians that has brought back this issue in the public domain. It is the Sikkimese youths under the leadership of Nawin Kiran Pradhan which has, though reluctantly, reopened the chapter on the controversial issue of ‘Sikkim Subjects.’

The initiative came from Pradhan and his colleagues in the All Sikkim Educated Self Employed and Unemployed Association (ASESE&UA) during a press conference held here on Monday.

Pradhan, who is the President of the Association, said the organization has pledged itself to the Sikkimese people to do justice to it and fight for the rights and interests of the ‘Sikkim Subjects’ who became Indian citizens when the former kingdom was incorporated in the Indian Union in 1975.

Pradhan said the Constitution as well as the Supreme Court have protected the special status of Sikkim and the Sikkimese people and he intends to go ahead to restore the democratic and constitutional rights of the Sikkimese people.

Pradhan said non-Sikkimese have encroached upon the rights of the Sikkimese in the past several decades and urged the concerned authorities to give top priority to these issues.

Several political parties in the State had earlier raised several contentious issues related to ‘Sikkim Subjects’ but failed to take the matter to its logical conclusion. “They are involved vote-bank politics and are not concerned about the interest of the Sikkimese people,” said an observer.

Hills optimism after PM-Mamata meet

Darjeeling, Feb 24: With Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee setting the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) ball in motion in Delhi, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) heaved a sigh of relief. A GJM team led by GJM President Bimal Gurung will be departing for Delhi in a day or two to hold talks with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Banerjee on Wednesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and apprised him of the delay in the formation of the GTA (an autonomous administrative mechanism for the Darjeeling Hills) which according to her would lead to "further confusion," The Hindustan Times reported.

Following the meeting with the PM, Banerjee held a press conference in Delhi in which she stated "I told the Prime Minister that seven months have passed since the signing of the GTA Memorandum of Agreement and that the state government has completed its part. There is unnecessary delay by the centre in sending the GTA Bill (which has been passed by the West Bengal Assembly,) for the President’s assent. Darjeeling is peaceful. Further delay will cause confusion. The Prime Minister has assured me that in the next two days the Centre will clear the pending processes."

The GTA Bill at present in under inter-ministerial consultation. "We welcome the initiative taken by the chief minister and the assurances of the Prime Minister. This has been long overdue. Finally the Government has set itself a deadline. We expect the CM to bring some good tidings during her visit to Darjeeling" remarked Harka Bahadur Chettri, GJM Spokesperson, the report said.

The CM is slated to visit the Hills on February 29. Mamata is likely to declare the tentative date for GTA elections in Darjeeling feel political observers. Both the Chief Minister and the GJM would like to witness an early GTA. While an early GTA- projected as a solution to the Gorkha impasse would definitely seal Mamata's claim to a speedy resolution of this complex issue.

Gurung along with General Secretary Roshan Giri and Chettri will be camping in Delhi for the next few days. "We will be meeting Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on February 27 or 28^th," stated Giri.

Provide LPGs in border areas: Lok Sabha MP

Gangtok, Feb 24: While urging the Indian Oil Corporation Limited authorities to give top priority to providing LPG connections in border areas of North Sikkim, Sikkim’s lone Lok Sabha MP PD Rai has urged all commercial and industrial units in the State to use to use 19 Kg commercial LPG instead of using the normal LPG cylinders.

Rai’s appeal is in response to a high-level delegation of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) led by Chief Manager (Operations), Siliguri, which called on him earlier this week.

 The delegation informed Rai that the production of the Indane Gas at Bagey Khola has been made to 300 MT as compared to 100 MT in the previous year. The IOCL has plans to appoint dealers in remote places in the State such as Chungthang, Mangshila, Phensong, Dentam and Soreong in north and west districts.

Rai urged IOC to accord top priority to release immediately the pending requisition of LPG connections under ICDS Centres (Aaganwadi Project) and Border Area Development Programme in North Sikkim, which are pending for quite some time.

The delegation also brought to the notice that most of the commercial and industrial units in Sikkim are still not using 19 Kg commercial cylinders in their hotels and projects, which is mandatory as per norms.

The proposal of IOCL to bring LPG bulk in bigger bullet to Mazitar Plant has been appreciated by Rai and assured that he will be take up the issue with the concerned department.

 Rai urged all commercial and industrial units in the State to strictly use 19 Kg commercial LPG for their projects, which are available at any point of time from any distributors of IOCL in Sikkim.

These units should discourage bringing these cylinders from outside the State, Rai said.

Tashiding hydel project: profit over people

By Tseten Tashi Bhutia

Gangtok, Feb 24: The hills of Yuksam and Tashiding in West Sikkim are alive with the sounds of villagers voicing their protest against the upcoming 97 MW Tashiding Hydro Electric Project (HEP). The Protest Rally organised by Platform For Joint Action Against 99MW Ting-Ting, 97MW Tashiding and 96MW Lethang HEPs, which saw the participation of people from all over Sikkim on February 13,  2012 in Gyalshing, headquarters of West District, has provided the much-needed moral support to the villagers of project area in West Sikkim.

The upcoming 97MW Tashiding Hydro-Electric Project, being constructed by M/s Shiga Energy Pvt. Ltd, will damage surrounding mountain resources and affect livelihoods of hundred of villages. Environmentalists believe that this run-of-the- river scheme that divert Rathongchu river through mountain tunnels in Tashiding are damaging the fragile geology in an area that has already experienced the wrath of severe earthquake on September 18 last year.

Even though the High Powered Committee appointed by the State Government to examine the issues of 99MWTing-Ting, 97MW Tashiding and 96MW Lethang HEPs is yet to submit its report on 97MW Tashiding HEP the Government has already abandoned two projects viz. 99MW Ting-Ting and 96MW Lethang HEPs.

 The M/s Shiga Energy Pvt. Ltd is hell bent on implementing the 97MW Tashiding project. Its tunneling activities have endangered the lives of local residents of the area. There is a widespread apprehension about the way the company is  using explosives to blast the fragile mountains.  M/s Shiga Energy Pvt. Ltd  seems to be concerned only with the investment it has already made on 97MW Tashiding HEP.

The vested interest group of M/s Shiga Energy Pvt.Ltd, while seeing the mounting people’s protest against their Tashiding HEP, is using another means to achieve its end. Its drive for profit has put the morality and ethics at back seat.  At the behest of such vested interest group of M/s Shiga Energy Pvt.Ltd some so-called ‘local’ workers engaged in the Tashiding HEP have come out strongly in support of the Tashiding HEP saying that abandoning the project would render them jobless. M/s Shiga Energy Pvt. Ltd. should stop misguiding our innocent workers there at its site.

The so-called workers of M/s Shiga Engergy Pvt Ltd must take note of the fact that the Sikkimese people have joined this movement being spearheaded by Platform for Joint Actions spontaneously because they have learnt from their experiences of September 18 Earthquake.  The Teesta Urja’s Project at Chungthang in North Sikkim has already taught them a lesson. Now it is known to everyone in Sikkim that because of the deep tunneling work undertaken by Teesta Urja in the fragile and tectonically active rock of the Chungthang region killed so many people in North Sikkim when earthquake took place.   

   The Sikkimese people do not want to witness a Chungthang being repeated at Gyalshing-Tashiding and Yuksam area when the next quakes rattle their fragile mountains. The lives of people are more important than the jobs of few hundred people being engaged by M/s Shiga Energy Pvt.Ltd. The Platform for Joint Actions shall not sacrifice its movement intended to save the lives of generation-next Sikkimese simply because it will cost the jobs of few people! (Tseten Tashi Bhutia is Convenor, Platform for Joint Actions)

 Editorial

“BLACK MONEY”

India Largest Depositors in Swiss Banks

It is now fairly clear that Indians are the largest depositors in banks abroad. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has upheld what WikiLeaks said before on this issue. According to the CBI Director AP Singh an estimated $500 billion (nearly Rs 24.5 lakh crore) of illegal money has been stashed by Indian in tax havens. Singh also revealed that the “largest depositors in Swiss Banks are also reported to be Indians.” The CBI Director made this statement during the inaugural function of first interpol global programme on anti-corruption and asset recovery. Singh said that lack of political will in the leading tax haven states to part with the information because they are aware of the extent to which their economies have become "geared to this flow of illegal capitals from the poorer countries."

Around this time last year, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said there was more Indian money in Swiss banks than any other nationality, sparking off renewed demands from the Opposition for disclosure of the names of account holders and bringing back black money. Assange disclosed that he was being offered a swap deal for handing over the details of Swiss banks and their secret account holders list. He revealed this when asked when the information will come out as people across India have been waiting to know. As yet the ‘Black Money’ issue raised by the BJP and religious leaders in India is yet to become a major political agenda of the Opposition.

‘SIKKIM SUBJECTS’

The Numbers Game Is Almost Over

Bonafide Sikkimese, who were referred to as ‘Sikkim Subjects’ during the pre-merger era in Sikkim, feel let down by the political leadership in the State, whose main preoccupation in the past three and half decades seems to be to remain in power at whatever the cost. Politicians who raise touchy issues that concern ‘Sikkim Subjects’ have their ulterior motive; they do not have the interest of bonafide Sikkimese at heart. Thirty two years have gone by since the reserved seats of the Sikkimese Nepalese in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly were illegally and undemocratically abolished.

No one raises the seat reservation issue anymore: while the majority community’s leadership feels that the Nepalese will be in the majority for all times to come and, therefore, reservation is unnecessary, the leaders of the minority Bhutia-Lepchas will not raise the issue for fear of being misunderstood and victimized. Nepal is a clear example of which way the winds are blowing. The ethnic Nepalese in Nepal are already outnumbered by the politically and economically more powerful madhesis. And yet the Sikkimese Nepalese leadership in Sikkim has not learnt its lesson. If future generations of Sikkimese do not wish to become refugees in their own homeland it is time to wake up and do something before it is too late.

SIKKIM People & Places

SIKKIM: In the lap of nature

V GUHAN

Who says rain plays spoilsport? At least, not in the hills. I am wiped out after an arduous journey of 16 hours.

I am in Sikkim, the darling child of Mother Nature. The place is Pemayangste, a nondescript forested village near Pelling, a beautiful spot in the state. My hotel overlooks the Sangalila range. Kangchenjunga can be seen at the farthest. In moments, a fine drizzle begins to veil the hills and the entire surroundings.  Heaven’s sprinkle has acted like a wiper:  the entire snow-capped mountain range  can be viewed in all its glory. The rain has pulled the curtain over the hills, which until then were cloaked in mist.

Outside the hotel, a short path leads to an arch, beckoning one toward the Pemayangste Monastery, which means the ‘Perfect Sublime Lotus’. It is one of the celebrated, oldest and most important monasteries of Nyingmapa Order of Buddhism in Sikkim. Built in the 17th century at an altitude of 2085 m, this Gompa is encircled by the haunting beauty of Kangchenjunga and its retinue of peaks.

A chamber with a big and colourful prayer wheel is tucked away in a corner.  The complex teems with yellow flags. It is a three-storeyed structure wherein the main hall has aesthetically painted doors and windows depicting Tibetan designs. The walls are adorned with traditional frescoes depicting tantric Buddhist themes. The main statue of Padmasambhava is seen in a dreadful form with multiple heads and arms. The monastery’s main attraction is the wooden replica of Zangdok Palri, the celestial abode of Padmasambhava. Intricately sculpted by a single monk, it is said to have taken five years  to complete.

A brisk half hour walk just below the monastery leads to a palace, now in ruins. Commendably maintained and preserved by ASI, with encouraging signages on the winding track (prodding the fatigued visitor to move on)and manicured lawns around the ruins, this site takes the pride of place in the history of Sikkim. Rabdentse, acknowledged as the second capital of Sikkim (after Yuksom), was abandoned at the end of 18th century due to the incursion of Nepalese armies and was shifted to Tumlong.

With the passing of time, Rabdentse was desolated and the ravages of time have turned the royal capital into ruins. The chortens around the palace have, however, stood the test of time.

On the following day, I resorted to the usual sightseeing. I had a look at the Singshore Bridge, an engineering marvel which spans across a deep gorge, connecting two hills. A visit was also paid to Khecheopalri Lake, one that is revered by Hindus and Buddhists for its magical healing powers. And of course, I experienced the symbiotic effect of light and sound at the Kanchenjunga Falls, where the water cascades down snowy peaks. (Deccan Herald)

SIKKIM OBSERVER Feb 18, 2012

New anti-Cong, anti-BJP front may include SDF

Kolkata, Feb 17: After the Lokpal Bill and FDI in retail, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) has become the latest common rallying point for some UPA and opposition parties.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is one of the biggest partners in the UPA, has joined CMs of opposition-ruled states to flag down the NCTC, The Hindustan Times reported.

A section in the group of non-Congress CMs opposed to NCTC claimed it could be the beginning of a pressure group of regional parties. TDP's Chandrababu Naidu has already backed them.

Top sources in the camp said talks were on to rope in the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) and NCP in the protests against NCTC. The NCP has so far backed the Congress, the report said Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik said there was "need for a new transparent, corruption-free and secular front".

The SDF, which presently supports the Congress at the Centre,  has, however, not reacted on the proposal.

A senior leader of his party, BJD, said: "This is going to be a platform of non-BJP, non-Congress parties that are strong in their regions. The message we want to send out is that the bigger parties cannot ignore regional outfits and their state governments".

With pressure mounting on NCTC, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Kolkata: "We will have to take notice of their observation and the government will take appropriate action."

While the Congress leadership has ruled out the threat of a new front, BJP chief ministers have lent support to the cause.

Banerjee's opposition to NCTC comes ahead of her February 22 meeting with PM Manmohan Singh after she alleged that the home ministry was delaying clearance of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act.

BJP takes on Sikkim Manipal University, files RTI

Gangtok, Feb 17: President of Bharatiya Janta Party, Sikkim unit Padam Chettri has filed an Right To Information (RTI) application with the State Information Commissioner seeking “criteria” under which the State Government gave license to the Sikkim Manipal University (SMU).

In his letter to the Commissioner, Chettri said he had filed an RTI application with the Land Revenue and Disaster Management Departments of the State Government but failed to obtain information on the subject from the concerned authority.

“I consider the denial of information regarding Sikkim Manipal University as an attempt by the SPIO to protect and defend the SMU”, which has “violated the law and I regard the SPIO as an accomplice of SMU in committing crime by SMU in Sikkim,” Chettri said in his application.

Briefing reporters here Chettri said his party has given the SMU till March 5 to furnish the relevant information.

42^nd All India Police Science Congress

Press indulging in “yellow journalism”, RTI “misused”: Chamling

“Review of security scenario” need of the hour

Gangtok, Feb 17: In the just-concluded 42^nd All India Police Science Congress here this week, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, said the meeting was an opportune time to “review risk factor and security scenario” in the State, which is strategically placed between Asia’s two giants.

He said until very recently “national security” was largely seen from the point of “threats from external forces and the internal disturbance caused by terrorism, insurgency etc.”

 “However, in recent times national security is also seen in the context of declining law and order and crime situations that lead to economic instability in a country. Strategically our key challenge lies in the area of people, technology, actionable intelligence and finance,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that “trans-national crimes such as human trafficking, drugs and arms and import of counterfeit currency make it imperative to have cross border collaborative actions with partner agencies both within and outside the country.”

Referring to community policing, the Chief Minister said, “I would like to touch a little on community policing. It is not a new concept and I am sure most of you have made contributions towards police community partnership. The face of policing around the world is constantly changing and we need to meet the expectations of the community.” He added, “I take pride to state that Sikkim has seen the lowest crime rates and the Sikkim Police has maintained excellent police-public partnership.”

The Chief Minister had a dig at the Press during the conference. He alleged that a section of the local media was indulging in “yellow journalism.”

“Ethics of journalism should be fully implemented as the Press fraternity is equally responsible and answerable to the people and for the smooth functioning of a democratic State and the Country,” Chamling said.

He went on to allege that in “the name of democracy, they (Press) are acting in a most irresponsible manner with the malafide intention to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the State and called for “strict implementation of cyber laws.”

Chamling also alleged that the Right to Information Act is also being “misused” in the State by “vested interests.”

“We should work hard to protect our precious Karma Kagyu lineage”

The 14^th Gyalwang Shamarpa, one of the three Regents of Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim, has made a fervent public appeal on the “Karmapa controversy” and of the need to preserve the sanctity of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Press Statement by Shamar Rinpoche is reproduced herebelow:

Recently, I released a statement about the many accusations directed towards me regarding my position on the Karmapa Controversy over the years. Since then, I have received a lot of feedback from devotees. One of the requests I have been receiving most often has been for me to reveal who the other person was that had been involved in the forging of Situ Rinpoche’s fake prediction letter.

This information will not be disclosed. I will say that I feel certain that the person who offered their suggestions to Situ Rinpoche in this regard did not have any bad intentions. It is the habit of many old fashioned Tibetans to behave hypocritically. Of course, later, there were some other negative influences on Situ Rinpoche who helped to shape the outcome of the controversy, though by now I believe any sensible person should already know who these people are. In any case, the person who was alluded to in my recent statement was, at most, guilty of being old fashioned and had no intent on doing any harm to myself or the lineage.

Another question I have been asked since the release of my last statement was why, “out of compassion”, did I give in so easily to the requests of Tulku Ugyen. What does that mean? Tulku Ugyen was my guru, from whom I received the entire Rinchen Terzod (The Treasury of the Nyingma Termas). He was over eighty years old at the time. He felt it was very important that I receive this transmission and he worked day and night passing it on to me. How could I disappoint him?

As far as Ugyen Thinley is concerned, I understood from the beginning that it would not be fruitful to protest. China wanted to recognize Ugyen Thinley as a Karmapa and enthrone him in Tsurphu. Tsurphu is in China, not India. With China being as powerful as they are, I was paralyzed to stop it. Moreover, His Holiness Dalai Lama had already given his acknowledgment, and as everyone knows His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the most powerful spiritual leaders in the world. So, though it was very bad for the Karma Kagyu tradition, my objection at that time would be akin to the barking of a dog. I felt that we should instead work hard to protect our precious lineage, and that this was the only solution at the time.

I knew then that the majority of people wanted to believe in Ugyen Thinly as the Karmapa, for the very reasons mentioned above. However, it was very important to enthrone the traditionally recognized Karmapa, so as to support the preservation of our unique Karma Kagyu lineage.

I understood very well that what was good for the Karma Kagyu tradition would not be very good for me as an individual under these circumstances. Yet, I sacrificed myself for the greater good in order to protect the lineage. The reason I chose to sacrifice myself was that I had already by that time taken on the role of leadership, in accord with my position as the Shamarpa. How could I ignore something so important in order to save myself from any hardship? I took this responsibility seriously, as is my duty. I tried to be a bulldozer, in order to build up the strength of the genuine Karma Kagyu tradition.

According to the power of my position and the wishes I had made, our achievements were great. The main reason for this is due to the genuine support of all the well-wishers for the Karmapa and His lineage. I am so grateful to these people who chose to support the truth in spite of their own disadvantages. It is for this reason as well that I went along with Tulku Ugyen’s requests at that time and then went on to fulfill my duty as the Shamarpa.

There are so many monks, nuns and lay people who are suffering due to the damage done to our Karma Kagyu tradition. They all trust and rely on me as their only savior. If it were not for the suffering of these people and their undying trust in me to remedy the situation, I may have done things differently. However, how could I ignore them? Among the high levels of society to the normal civilians, the monks’ community and the general lay community, so many suffered from the damage done to our lineage, especially those in the administration of the late 16th Karmapa. This was evidenced in the recent letter sent to His Holiness Dalai Lama in May of 2011 from the monks of the Rumtek Dharma Chakra Centre in Sikkim.

I hope this statement sheds some light onto the reasons behind my decisions made over the years and allows for more understanding of the circumstances that surrounded them.

Sincerely,

Shamar Rinpoche

February 5th, 2012

Speaker for people-centric policing with a human touch

Gangtok, Feb 17: Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly K.T.Gyaltshen stressed the need for a people-centric policing with a human touch to make Indian police more effective that will lead to positive results, transparency and accountability in the whole system.    

   Addressing the valedictory function of the 42nd All India Police Congress in Gangtok this afternoon,  Gyaltsen said the police force must be efficient, highly trained and skillful to intervene and counter the modern-day crimes which are technologically abetted and aided, according to a PIB release.    

    Stressing the need for modernization of the police infrastructure, the Speaker said there must exist a total discipline among the force accompanied by quality leadership, team work, mutual respect, understanding and commitment.

  Claiming that Sikkim is the most peaceful state in the country, Gyaltsen said the Chamling government has been able to provide to its people peace, security and opportunities which are the basic objectives of democracy.

Addressing the valedictory function, Director General of the Bureau of the Police Reforms and Development ( BPR&D)  Vikram Srivastava  said key resolutions arrived at  during the meet included issues relating to police reforms, performs appraisal in police, comprehensive training policy, E-policing, emerging trends in cyber security monitoring and police investigation.

Director General of Sikkim Police Jasbir Singh in his brief speech said themes during the conference including police reforms, changing technology, cyber crimes and means to ensure integrity were developed, probed and resolutions framed. He said Sikkim police is working towards improving its capabilities and developing its intuitions, describing the 42nd police congress as a learning experience.

Sikkim Tourism unveils new eco-tourism policy

Japan to fund North Sikkim villages

New Delhi, Feb 17: Sikkim Tourism with the help of the newly- constituted Eco-Tourism Directorate of Sikkim has come out with a comprehensive policy to promote environment friendly tourism in the state.

The new Eco-Tourism Policy of the State, which was released on January 26, 2012, envisages de-congesting the capital city, Gangtok, and improve dispersal of tourists to other parts of the State which are either virgin from a tourism perspective or not much explored by tourists so far.

"The mandate of the new policy is to de-congest Gangtok. Sikkim has much more to offer than just Gangtok," an official of the Directorate said.

As part of the new plan, the State Eco-tourism Directorate has identified ten villages around Kanchenjunga Sanctuary to be developed as model villages for promoting tourism. These ten villages have been zeroed in from a list of 40 villages identified initially.

According to the official, the selection has been done taking into consideration almost nine prerequisites, such as accessibility, stakeholders' interest, scenic attraction of the place, culture, etc. The villages thus identified include Dzongu, an original Lepcha village, Lachung, Lachen, Okharey, etc. Each village is being developed on a specific theme, the official informed, like water, culture, art and craft, etc.

The whole development project, including the capacity building exercise of the stakeholders, are being funded by Japan International Co-op Agency (JICA). The project is expected to be completed over the next five years.

Adhoc employees to call off strike

Gangtok, Feb 17: The All Sikkim Departments Adhoc Staff Group (ASDASG) has decided to calloff its 21-day-long indefinite strike from today.

A spokesman of the group said the strike will be resumed after the health condition of its President Sonam Jigme Sherpa improves.

The strikers, including Sherpa, met the HRD Minister NK Pradhan here today to hold talks, according to informed sources.

Due to his deteriorating health condition Sherpa is likely to be hospitalized here. A large number of teaching and non-teaching employees have been supporting the strike since it was launched here at the DC office premises on January 29.

SC directs Sikkim govt to help women fight sexual harassment

Gangtok, Feb 17: Senior advocate and social activist Doma T. Bhutia is hopeful that the State Government will follow the recent Supreme Court’s order on formation of complain committee in order to curb sexual harassment against women in the State.

Briefing reporters here recently, Doma said the apex court, taking note of a writ petition filed by a woman, directed the State to form a complaint committee. The court had asked the State to form this committee in 1997 but till date no such committee has been formed, Doma said.

As per the directions of the apex court, Chief Secretary Karma Gyatso recently filed an affidavit detailing steps taken by State Government for formation of the committee.

As per the apex court’s guidelines, the employer is required to include a rule in the company a code of conduct for preventing sexual harassment.

Organizations also must establish complaint committees that are headed by women.

The concerned authorities are also expected to initiate disciplinary actions against offenders and safeguard the interests of the victim.

Female employees are also entitled to be made aware of their rights.

Doma said that there are many women employees in private companies who are facing sexual harassment but due the fear of termination they never complain against the accused.

Editorial

COMMUNITY POLICING

Service With A Smile

In a democracy the men and women in uniform who are interacting with the people on a daily basis ought to know that they are there to help the public, not harass them. Too often police personnel feel that it is their right to clamp down heavily on those who fail to obey them. What we require is friendly but firm policing. Unfortunately, this is not the case and too often those who look after law and order are viewed with fear and apprehension.

Both the Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, and Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, K T Gyaltsen, urged the Police to perform their with a “human touch” keeping in view matters regarding “community policing” while addressing an all-India conference on Police Congress. Sikkim Police must take credit for the general law and order situation in the State as compared to neighbouring areas. The efficient manner in which the traffic in Gangtok is managed is something to be proud of. However, we still have a long way to go in performing our duties with a human touch.