HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN 1 May
9, 2012
BJP MP raises Limbu-Tamang seat
reservation issue in Lok Sabha
Assembly seats
are reserved for Bhutia-Lepchas as per 1973 pact: Khurshid
Gangtok, May 8: The demand for reservation of Assembly
seats for Limbu and Tamang communities, who have been added to the list of
scheduled tribes in 2002, has been raised in the Lok Sabha by BJP MP Balkrishna
K Shukla.
Shukla, BJP in-charge of
Sikkim who visited the State last month, said he would raise important issues
of the State in the Parliament.
Padam Chettri said the people
of Sikkim are grateful to the BJP for raising the issue in the Parliament on
May 3. He alleged that even the two MPs from Sikkim have not raised the issue
in the House and have “completely ignored the burning issue.”
While thanking Shukla for
having raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, Chettri said, the National Democratic
Alliance-led Government at the Centre granted the status of ST to the Limboos
and Tamangs of Sikkim under the Constitution (Scheduled Caste and Scheduled
Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, 2002. “However, the two tribes have not been
able to get reserved seats in the Sikkim Assembly on the ground that there is
no constitutional provision for reservation of seats for Scheduled Tribes.”
“The Limboo and the Tamangs were declared as
Scheduled Tribes in 2002. Since then the Census of India has been conducted and
the population figures of the two tribes are available. I do not see any reason
why the reservation of seats for them should be delayed any longer,” Chettri
said in his letter of thanks to Shukla.
“The Sikkim Assembly passes
all sorts of Resolutions. It also passed Gorkhaland Resolution which had
nothing to do with the people of Sikkim. But it is sad to note that the Sikkim
Assembly did not find any time so far to pass the requisite Resolution for the
reservation of seats for the Limboo and Tamang of Sikkim,” Chettri said in the
letter.
In reply to Shukla’s question
whether the UPG government is aware that the Sikkim Legislative Assembly does
not have seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes of Sikkim and what action is
being taken to “preserve and protect” the STs in the State Assembly, Union Law
Minister Salman Khurshid said the 12 seats reserved in the Assembly were meant
for ‘Bhutia-Lepchas’ as per the 1973 tripartite agreement between the
Government of India and the Chogyal and political parties of Sikkim.
Khurshid said Assembly seat
reservation for STs in the State would depend on the population of the Limbus
and Tamangs on the basis of 2011 Census, which is still awaited.
“Any
increase / decrease in the present status could be considered only after wider
debate from all the Stake holders in the State of Sikkim,” Khurshid said. (see edit on page 4)
Tibet advocate Beastie Boy
Yauch dies of cancer
New York, May 8: Fans are mourning the death of Beastie Boys’ Adam
Yauch, and are remembering an influencer who both changed the face of rap and
the way stars bring critical causes to world’s biggest stages.
Yauch, who died in New York
at age 47 on Friday, played an integral role in raising awareness and funds for
Tibet’s struggle to liberate itself from China. As the Beastie Boys settled
into its 90s heyday, Yauch, also known as "MCA," decided to take on
another role -- advocating for Tibet’s independence, according to
Beastiemania.com.
After sampling the work of
two Tibetan monks on the group’s 1994 “Ill Communication” album, Yauch decided
that he wanted to do more than just give the pair some royalty profits. He
decided to establish the Milarepa Fund and enlist the help of activists
worldwide to fight for Tibet’s freedom.
“We're able to help the
Tibetans to gain their freedom,” Yauch said in a "Frontline"
interview. “But I think the really significant part of it for us for the
western world is we have a lot to gain from the Tibetans -- there are certain
lessons that are within Tibetan culture. I mean understandings of compassion
and of nonviolence that are things that we really lack in our society.”
As fans flocked to see the
Beastie Boys perform, Yauch carried both his pioneering talent and main cause
into the spotlight.
The group organized a series
of Tibetan Freedom Concerts, which enlisted the likes of such musical greats as
the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Alanis Morissette and Buddy Guy, CBS
reports.
Most Beastie Boys groupies
may have come for the star lineup, but Yauch and his band mates made sure that
representatives from the Milarepa Fund were on hand and equipped with
educational information about the situation in Tibet and how budding activists
could get involved, according to Beastiemania.com
But Yauch never aimed to
serve as the mouthpiece for the Tibetan cause. He hoped to offer up an
effective platform from which oppressed Tibetans could effectively share their
story.
“What we're really trying to
do is create more of a forum for the Tibetans themselves to be able to speak,”
he told Frontline. “I guess the idea
is -- creating some kind of forum where the -- the Tibetans themselves can
speak and Tibetan culture can be there itself.”
Yauch was a practising
Buddhist and died after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife
Dechen Wangdu and daughter Tenzin Losel.
Literary festival in Thimphu
in May
Thimphu, May 8:
The festival between May 20 and 24 this year has lined up some of the most
impressive authors writing from and on South Asia, including Vikram Seth,
Patrick French, Wendell Rodricks, William Dalrymple, Kalpish Ratna, Ali Sethi
and Gulzar.
Conceptualised in 2009, the
festival began its journey in the pristine city of Thimpu in May 2010, as a
joint effort by Pavan K Varma, India's ambassador to Bhutan, co-directors
Namita Gokhale and Pramod Kumar K G as wells as Mita Kapur, CEO, Siyahi.
The festival also has the
support of the India-Bhutan Foundation and the patronage of Bhutan's queen
mother, H M Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk, who is herself a published author.
"The festival has grown
organically. The focus this year is on travel writing, photography, Sci-fi,
food writing and writing music. Films would also be screened," says Mita
Kapur.
Mountains, particularly the
Himalayas, are an important factor for the South Asian region encompassing
within them other themes such as travel, environment, spirituality and
philosophy – all of which feature in sessions programmed for the festival.
Sessions on cinema are being
organised with veterans like Vishal Bhardwaj, Mushtaq Sheikh, Amitabh
Bhattacharya and Shakun Batra. Sharmila Tagore has been scheduled to speak
about Satyajit Ray.
Kashag thanks HP Govt for withdrawing case against
Karmapa
Dharamsala, May 8: The Kashag (Cabinet) of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA)
welcomes the Himachal Pradesh State Government's recent decision to withdraw
the criminal case pending against 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorjee.
The Secretary for Information
CTA said, “The Kashag would like to thank all the relevant authorities for
making this just decision.”
The Secretary said that the
exile Tibetan community is a law abiding community and respects the law of the
country they are living in. He further said that the CTA would also like to
reiterate its appeal to the Tibetan people to uphold Indian laws and
regulations.
The Himachal Pradesh
Government recently decided to drop Dorjee’s name from the chargesheet in the
foreign and Indian currency recovery case.
The 26-year-old Karmapa was
charged under section 120-B for conspiracy along with nine others who were
charged under different sections of IPC including 419 (punishment for cheating
by personation), 420 (cheating) and 467 (forgery of valuable security), in the
challan filed by police in a Una court of Himachal Pradesh.
The government, in exercise
of its power under section 321 (withdrawal of prosecution) of CrPC, decided to
delete the name of Karmapa from the charge sheet after getting the matter
examined by the Home and Law departments, an official spokesman said. Police
had recovered currencies of 26 countries, including 120,197 Chinese yuan and
around Rs. 5.3 million in Indian currency, from the Gyuto Tantric University
and Monastery located in Dharamsala.
Autonomy only solution to JK: National Conference
Srinagar, May 8: The ruling National Conference on Friday hit back at Congress MP Lal
Singh saying anyone who opposes restoration of autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir is
challenging Article 370 of the Constitution.
"People talking against
autonomy are challenging Article 370", Lok Sabha member Sharief-ud-Din
Shariq said at a party workers meet here.
He said restoration of
autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir is considered as the only realistic solution to
address the aspiration of the people of the State, Kashmir Observer reported.
Shariq’s statement comes a
day after Congress MP from Jammu region Lal Singh opposed autonomy or self-rule
as a solution to the Kashmir problem.
"There should be no
autonomy or self-rule for the state as demanded by some sections", Singh
had said in Lok Sabha.
Shariq, who represents north
Kashmir in Lok Sabha, said even the Centre is aware that restoration of
autonomy is the only way to resolve the issue.
"The autonomy report had
been acknowledged by the former president of Pakistan Gen Parvaiz Musharaf and
other Pakistani leaders during the visit of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to
Pakistan. While the autonomy report has been endorsed worldwide, there is no reason
for New Delhi to delay its restoration", he said.
Editorial
LIMBU-TAMANG RIGHTS
Seat Reservation Dilemma
Limbu and Tamang communities,
which were part of the OBC section of the Nepali population in Sikkim, were
enlisted in the Scheduled Tribes list of Sikkim in 2002. Subsequent to them
being declared as STs in the State demands were raised on reservation of their
seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly. In the two Assembly polls (2004 and
2009) the seat reservation issue of the two communities were highlighted by
most political parties in Sikkim, including the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front.
The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha last week by a BJP MP in-charge of
Sikkim.
It now appears that another
Assembly polls, scheduled for 2014, will come and go without seats being
reserved for the Limbus and Tamangs. The UPA Government has stated in the Lok
Sabha that until the population figures of Sikkim are made available on the
basis of 2011 Census the seat reservation issue would linger on. Even if the
population figures are made known now more time will be needed to formulate a
new arrangement in the Assembly, which will be followed by fresh demarcation of
Assembly constituencies.
China rail link to stretch to near Sikkim border
China is set to
extend its Tibet railway network into the strategically important Chumbi valley
area, next to Sikkim and the Siliguri corridor. This was confirmed by a Chinese
Railways Ministry map, put out last month (Jan 2012), showing China’s “long
term railway network plan”.
Until now, these
plans were being loosely speculated upon, but they now have an official stamp
on it. The latest map shows the railway line extending from Lhasa to Zangmu on
the Nepal border, which is going to eventually extend into Nepal and even
Kathmandu.
According to the
plan, another line will branch out midway from this link to Zangmu, at a place
called Shigatse. This line will move east and go right up to Yadong, on the
mouth of the Chumbi Valley. This town is connected to Sikkim through the Nathu
La pass and is strategically located on the tri-junction of India, China and
Bhutan.
There are areas
near Yadong (Yatung) which are still disputed between China and Bhutan. The
area witnessed military conflict in 1962 as part of the Indian effort to defend
Nathu La.
While
construction on the line has not yet started, sources said, feasibility studies
are already being conducted. This project is slated for completion by 2017,
bringing the Tibet railway just 500 km short of the Siliguri corridor. This may
raise demands from Bangladesh to provide connectivity to the Chinese market via
India.
This project must
be seen along with the hectic progress, further east, on a railway line
connecting Kunming in China to Singapore. With the Thailand government throwing
its weight behind the idea, work on this project is moving at a quick pace.
Given that there already exists a trade route from the Indian border to
Kunming, the understanding is that pressure will increase on India to link up
with the Chinese railway network.
What is of more
concern to India is that the improved technological ability in this sphere
means Beijing will end up meeting its deadlines. In the last year, China added
over 10,000 km of high speed railway, and in the past five years has built
70,000 km railway lines. India, on the other hand, has struggled to connect
Bhutan to India by rail.
(The Indian
Express)
Muivah disintegrating Northeast insurgent movement: Barua
Muivah disintegrating Northeast insurgent movement: Barua
Ahead of talks with
ULFA, Paresh Barua criticizes Thuinglang Muivah’s choice to go alone and not
unite with other rebel outfits
Riding close on
the heels of the first ever formal peace talks between United Liberation Front
of Asom (ULFA)’s pro talk faction and the Centre, the Commander-in-chief of the
banned outfit Paresh Barua, who leads the anti-talk camp, has hit out at his
one-time ‘close friend’, General Secretary of National Socialist Council of
Nagaland (Issac Muivah) (NSCN-IM), Thuinglang Muivah accusing him of
disintegrating the Northeast insurgent movements by siding with the Indian Government
and, thereby, failing to keep his promise made to the people of Nagaland.
The NSCN(IM) has
been involved in a peace parley with New Delhi since 1997. Union Home Ministry
insiders have confirmed that a new settlement of the long-continuing Naga conflict
will be achieved before Christmas (2011). In such a scenario a snub from Paresh
Barua will leave Muivah and his team in utter discomfort.
“Muivah is
responsible for the disintegration of Northeast insurgent struggle for
sovereignty. The Government for long has been taking advantage of the discord
among various outfits of the region. Way back in 1985, ULFA has proposed to
NSCN (IM) general secretary Th.Muivah to initiate a unity move among Northeast
rebel groups since ULFA feared that Government will try to divide and encourage
fratricidal killings. But Muivah sided with the Government of India. Thus
Muivah has failed to keep his promise to the people of Nagaland,” reads the
statement issued by Arunoday Dohutia, press secretary of Paresh Barua led anti-talk
faction of ULFA.
The statement
further referred to the 10 October incident where there was a huge gun battle
between the NSCN (IM) and Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) in Manipur. The Barua
faction feels Muivah’s decision to go alone and not unite the various rebel
outfits of Northeast had dealt a blow to the survival of the underground
insurgent movements in the region and, in the process, he has betrayed other
rebel outfits and people of Northeast.
Independent
watchers feel that by issuing such statements the anti-talk faction of ULFA is
making a mistake. “The problem of division among various rebel groups in the
Northeast is nothing new. It has been there because of high assertions of
ethnicity that reduced the ground for the outfits to come closer. The Indian
State has always been able to take advantage of this situation, thus by making
such statement Paresh Barua is falling into the same trap which he accuses
Muivah of falling into,” explained Subir Bhaumik, Editor, Seven Sisters Post.
Between 1985 and 1990
ULFA’s cadres were baptised in terror by the NSCN. They used to share camps in
the head quarters of undivided NSCN in Kesan Chanlam on the other side of the
Indo-Myanmar border across from Nagaland. After NSCN got divided, the military
wing of ULFA under Barua’s leadership has maintained close ties with both the
factions. “We have come to know from surrendered ULFA cadres that once Paresh
was fond of Muivah but friction developed between the two outfits after Paresh
became close to the rival faction of Khaplang-led NSCN-IM. ULFA and NSCN once
got engaged in a gun fight over control of a corridor in NC hills,” a senior
military intelligence officer said. NSCN(IM) top leader Anthony Shimray, who
was in charge of the outfits arms procurement, was hand-in-gloves with Barua
before his arrest in Nepal. (Tehelka)
Sikkim High Court never asked govt to pass destruction
of records bill: BJP
Gangtok, May 8: The State unit of the BJP has revealed
that the High Court of Sikkim had nothing to do with the controversial bill of
the Sikkim Legislative Assembly aimed at destroying past records and documents
of the State Government.
OP Bhandari,
OSD (Legal) to Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, recently made a complaint to the
High Court regarding criticisms of the Opposition to the Sikkim Disposal and
Destruction of Documents and Records Bill, No 25 of 2012, which was introduced,
considered and passed on March 20, 2012 in the Assembly.
According to
Bhandari, it was as per “the desire” of the High Court that the Bill was
proposed to the Government for legislation. In order to “give due regards and
honour of the decisions of the Hon’ble High Court of Sikkim,” the State
Government “felt it necessary to pass a bill in the Sikkim State Legislative
Assembly and therefore the said bill was unanimously passed by the House”,
Bhandari said in his complaint to the High Court.
“The Opposition Political Parties are not aware that to criticize and
comments on the decision of the courts amount to contemptuous and the person or
organization criticizing the decision or proposal of Court are liable to be
viewed adversely,” Bhandari added, according to BJP Sikkim unit chief Padam
Bahadur Chettri.
“As such, I consider it my
bounden duty as necessary to write a complian/ letter addressing to the Registrar
General of High Court of Sikkim, annexing all the documents/newspapers and
letter and other evidence about the criticism made by the various quarter about
the said bill, to request the Hon’ble Court to take cognizance of the Offence
made by the Opposition Political Parties for registration of contempt of court
proceedings against them, if it is attracted for commenting and criticizing
against the desire of Hon’ble court,”
Bhandari said in his letter.
The High Court,
however, has denied Bhandari’s views that it was on the High Court’s advice
that the Bill was passed in the Assembly. It reacted, “There are no
correspondences/ documents on the Bill between the High Court and the
Government”.
It said, “High
Court never desired the bill to be enacted by the State Government” and added
“High Court did not ask State Government to bring the bill in the Assembly so
the question of quoting law as requested does not arise”.
CPRM’s May Day rally in Darjeeling impressive
Darjeeling, May 8: The CPRM’s May Day rally here on May 1 has been hailed as a major
success by the Opposition in the hills.
Since its formation in 2007,
the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has ruled supreme in the hills and Opposition
parties have not been able to organize any impressive public show of strength.
Even this time the Morcha
reportedly tried to scuttle the rally but was unsuccessful.
“Its not that the Morcha
didn’t try to spoil yesterday’s CPRM show, but Bimal Gurung’s supporters were
taken aback when they found that the rally had a huge participation,” reported
a national daily.
The labour wing of the Morcha
tried to foil the rally but it failed, said CPRM leader Govind Chhetri.
However, Morcha union leaders
denied that the party was disrupting the May Day rally of the CPRM.
At least 5,000 supporters of
the CPRM rallied at Chowk Bazar amidst much fear and tension.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and
CPRM President RB Rai alleged that the Morcha was insincere on the statehood
issue. He said his party would pursue the statehood demand.
The life and death of Gorkha leader Madan Tamang
Darjeeling, May 8:
Delay in investigating the murder of All India Gorkha League (AIGL) President
Madan Tamang has been criticized by party leaders.
Even after two years of the Gorkha leader’s killing the
culprits have not been booked.
Tamang was stabbed to death allegedly by Gorkha Janamukti
Morcha (GJM) supporters in Darjeeling on May 21, 2010.
While the GJM denied its involvement, news of the death led
to a spontaneous shutdown in the region.
Tamang (64), who led the anti-GJM Democratic Front in the
Darjeeling hills, was attacked with a khukri (long knife used by Nepalis) and
swords on Laden La Road below the Planters' Club in broad daylight.
ABGL general secretary Laxman Pradhan alleged that a
40-strong mob of GJM activists attacked Tamang and his associates while he was
busy making arrangements for a party meeting on the day he was killed.
The articulate and well-educated Tamang was involved with
the hills' politics for over 40 years as a front-ranking ABGL leader. A strong
advocate of a new state of Gorkhaland, to be carved out of parts of northern
Bengal, Tamang had all along maintained a distinct identity of the ABGL and
consistently opposed both the GNLF and GJM, which has been spearheading the
statehood agitation for the last couple of years.
3 persons had received bullet injuries allegedly when police
bodyguards of AIGL leaders had opened fire during the attack on Tamang. 53 year
old Subash Tamang of Singamari, and Prashant Chettri (Yogesh Rai) in his late
twenty, from the Lebong area of Darjeeling were arrested.
23 year old Sangay Yolmo of Upper Harsing had also received
severe bullet injuries in his spinal cord from the alleged firing by police
bodyguards.
In November last year the
Calcutta High Court granted bail to one Subash Tamang but rejected bail
prayers by Dipen Maley, Sudesh Raimajhi and Asish Tamang in the Madan Tamang
murder case.
A cell phone belonging to GJM Central Committee member
Nickol Tamang had been recovered from the murder spot on the murder day. Nickol had been arrested on August 16, 2011
from his ancestral house in Kainjaley, 47 km from Darjeeling and sent to
judicial custody.
Nickol, however, disappeared from the CID camp in Pintail
Village, near Siliguri, in the early hours of August 22 morning.
Based on the call records of Nickol Tamang's cell phone the
CID had already arrested 39 year old Sudesh Raimajhi, a local builder on June
3. Interrogation of Raimajhi led to the arrests of 35 year old Purna Rai of
Phoobtshering Tea Estate, Asish Tamang (26) of Badamtam Tea Estate, Sunil Rai
(33) of Tukvar Tea Estate and Tilak Sotang (33) also of Tukvar Tea Eastate.
The case was later handed over to the CBI. The CBI had
arrested Gorkha Janmukti Yuva Morcha (Youth wing of the GJM) Spokesperson Dipen
Maley on May 25, 2011, from his residence in Pokhriabong, 30 km from Darjeeling
town in connection with the case.
On August 29, 2011, the CBI sleuths had filed an additional
charge sheet implicating Maley.
Govt service extension
criticized by youth body
Gangtok, May 8:
The All Sikkim Youth Association has criticized the State Government for its
decision to give further extension to government employees whose service term
has expired.
During its meeting held here last week the Association has
decided to launch a “movement” against such extensions. Association President
Gyatso Lepcha said the extensions deprived a huge section of educated
unemployed in the State.
“The youths today are
not in a position to get job in theirown State because of the extension
system,” a press release of the Association said.
The Association wants the retirement age to be reduced to 55
from 58.
Manipuri student hangs in front of girl friend
Bangalore, May 8:
Close on the heels of a Manipuri student who was found dead in "mysterious
circumstances" in his college hostel last month, another student from the
north-eastern state allegedly committed suicide here by hanging.
The deceased was identified as Jackio Heisnam (23), a second
year student of Mechanical Engineering in Bangalore Institute of Engineering in
Chandapura taluk in Bangalore district, police told PTI.
Police said Jackio had a heated argument with his
19-year-old girl friend (Sera Phina), also from Manipur, as she had not been
answering his phone calls for the past few days. Though she explained that she
was busy with her exams, Jackio suspected her of cheating on him and started
shouting at her.
In the course of the argument at his rented room in
Suddaguntepalya late last Friday night, Jackio picked up a wire and tied rpt
tied it around his neck and hanged himself from the fan in front of the girl,
police said.
Immediately, the girl cut the wire and called out to his
friend in the next room and rushed Jackio to a private hospital where he was
declared brought dead, sources said.
Sera is a II semester BA student at Jyothi Nivas College in
Koramangala.
"Jackio's parents have been informed and they are on
their way to Bangalore. We will be questioning them as well as his girl friend
(who is a second year student in BA in a city college)", police said.
Last month, 19 year-old Loitham Richard was found dead in
"mysterious circumstances" in his room in the college hostel at
Madanayakanahalli in Bangalore district.
While police initially said he died as a result of a road
accident, the student's friends and family alleged he suffered fatal injuries
in an assault by seniors a day earlier.
The death sparked off protests in Bangalore and New Delhi
with the protesters demanding justice for Loitham.
"We are enjoying
religious freedom in Tibet”
Two Tibetan writers from China talked about their experience
and writing at the ongoing London Book Fair recently to help people learn more
about a real Tibet.
Alai, who was born in southwestern Sichuan province in 1959,
recalled the education he received as insufficient but helpful.
"I was in a village and every day I drove the sheep
uphill before going to school," he said. In the afternoon, the students
raised their hands to remind the teachers to dismiss class, so that they could
bring the sheep back home.
In comparison, Cering Norbu, born in 1965, was lucky. He
grew up in Lhasa and received bilingal education there. The environment gave
them inspiration.
Alai finished his story King Gesar, based on the Tibetan
epic with the same name.
"It was the epic of the Tibetan people, just as the
Greek mythology to Greece," he said.
Dubbed the Eastern Homer, the Epic of King Gesar, an epic
poem from Tibet, is a piece of intangible cultural heritage that China has been
trying hard to preserve.
"Even today, many storytellers are still telling this
story in the villages or on the farms," he said.
However, Alai noted that while the Greek mythology became
novels, movies and musicals, King Gesar remained less known. "It is time
to retell it," he said.
This is a difficult task. On the one hand, the epic was
extremely long and it was hard to choose which part for retelling. On the other
hand, some part has became obscure over the centuries.
This prompted him to reflect on the culture.
Alai remembered going to the British Museum and seeing
Tibetan culture represented by the religious stuff only. "As a Tibetan I
felt uneasy," he said. "Our culture is far more than just temples and
lamas."
Talking about the influence of Tibetan culture by
modernization, Alai said "development is good, as a culture couldn't just
live in museums."
His view was echoed by Cering Norbu. "This influence is
not solely on Tibetan culture," he said. "It is why writers are
important, as they should record the history of a nation."
Alai has a famous historical novel, the Dust Settles, which
follows a family of Tibetan chieftains before the democratic reform in 1959.
When asked if such topic was sensitive, he laughed and voiced his confidence.
"In fact, I am free to express my innermost thoughts in
China and writing itself is a happy experience," he said.
Cering Norbu is working on a new book, which tells the
change of life among Tibetans after 1959.
"Nobody has written down completely the changes Tibet
experienced during the past half a century," he said.
"We are enjoying religious freedom. Our lives have been
greatly improved, particularly after the reform and opening-up. I want to tell
the readers our true feelings," he said.
The three-day 2012 London Book Fair opened on Monday, with
China being honored as the Market Focus country for the first time. Some 300
events were held during the book fair, and 57 leading Chinese writers
participated in literary events with British writers and readers. (Xinhua)
