SIKKIM OBSERVER Jan
5-11, 2013
Act promptly on govt decisions, Rai tells officials
Lok Sabha MP PD Rai (left)
Gangtok, Jan 4:
State Lok Sabha MP PD Rai has stressed the need for government departments to
act speedily on decisions taken by the government on various schemes meant for
the people.
While congratulating the people
for their support on the State being awarded Best State status among smaller
states, Rai said this was possible because of the support the government
received from the grassroots.
Speaking at the District
Level Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (DLV&MC) Meeting of East District
was held here yesterday, Rai expressed his dismay and dissatisfaction over the
response of some departments in implementing their activities.
Rai said departments should
take up follow-up actions immediately on the decisions taken by the government
on welfare schemes. He pointed out that eighty five houses have not yet been
provided with electricity connection in Deorali Gangatey hamlet at Pandem, East
Sikkim. This was a case of “injustice” to the people, Rai said.
The MP also highlighted the
need to make the system more efficient in handling works related to Unique
Identification (Aadhar) cards.
I did not support Sikkim-Darjeeling merger demand:
Kazi
Gangtok, Jan 4:
Gangtok,
Jan 4: Jigme N Kazi, journalist and
author, has denied supporting the demand for Sikkim-Darjeeling merger as
reported in two local dailies.
Reacting to newsitems on the
subject appearing in Hamro Prajashakti
and its sister publication Himalayan
Mirror on Jan 5, 2013, Kazi in a press statement said the content of the
report gives the impression that he was supporting the merger demand. This is
“false and misleading,” and “people should not rely on them,” he said.
“I had merely stated that
some of those in Sikkim opposing the demand were not sincere in safeguarding
Sikkim’s distinct identity and special status within the Union,” the release
said.
When asked to give his
comments on the issue by reporters of the two dailies, Kazi had said that he
had no comments to make and that he neither supported nor opposed the demand.
In an article in Talk Sikkim recently, Kazi had stated,
“The demand for ‘Gorkhaland’ and ‘Greater Sikkim’ may become a reality one day
but the end result will frustrate the hopes and aspirations of hill people some
day,” as due to influx from the plains Sikkim will eventually go the Nepal way,
where plainspeople are playing a greater role in shaping the former kingdom’s
political agenda.
OBITUARY
Lharipa
Ganden Lama (1932-2013)
Death Of An Institution
Born on 10th January 1932 in
Phodong, North Sikkim, Lharipa Ganden Lama is not only a foremost traditional
artist but also an indisputable authority on traditional Sikkimese arts and
crafts.
At the age of twelve Ganden
Lama started his career as an artist in traditional arts. He underwent
apprenticeship with one of the most renowned artists of that period, Lharipa Rinzing Lama and over the years gained
considerable experience and expertise in the art of thanka painting in which he
excelled.
In1955, Lharipa Ganden was appointed as a
traditional art instructor in Enchey School, Gangtok. In 1956, he represented Sikkim
at the international handicraft exhibitions held in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay.
He also represented Sikkim at the world craft conference at New Delhi in 1960.
Nine years later, Lharipa Ganden Lama became a member of the world craft
council, Washington, USA.
With the establishment of the
government institute of cottage industries at Gangtok, Lharipa Ganden Lama was
transferred from Enchey School to the institute in 1957. The small cottage
industries has grown up to become one of the most renowned repositories of the
traditional arts and crafts of Sikkim. Lharipa nurtured the institute like a
baby for nearly four decades.
The credit for the
institute’s development goes entirely to Lharipa Ganden Lama, whose technical
knowledge and exemplary devotion still goes unmatched. He was later promoted as
master artist and continued to serve the institute till his retirement on 30th
December, 1992. Till his demise Lharipa Ganden Lama maintained his link with
the institute, which constantly sought his advice on all matters relating to
the traditional art and craft of Sikkim.
In 1986, Lharipa Ganden Lama
was conferred the national award for master craftsman by the president of
India. In 1987, the State Government awarded him with a certificate for meritorious
service followed by the State Award on 15th August, 1999 in recognition of his
outstanding contributions in the field of traditional arts and crafts of
Sikkim. In 1997, he received the Krishna Smrity Award from the Sikkim Sahitya Parishad. (Courtesy:
Department of Information & Public Relations, Govt of Sikkim)
Editorial
HIMALAYAN FRONTIER
This Fire Cannot Be Put Out
Several rounds of talks held
since 1981 have failed to resolve the disputed claims. During his last visit to
India, in 2010, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao dashed any hopes of early border
settlement, stating that it would take a very long time to settle the boundary
issue—a situation that in many ways works to Beijing’s advantage. An unsettled
border provides China the strategic leverage to keep India uncertain about its
intentions, and nervous about its capabilities, while exposing India’s
vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and encouraging New Delhi’s “good behavior” on
issues of vital concern.
Besides, as the ongoing
unrest and growing incidents of self-immolations by Buddhist monks in Tibet
show, Beijing has not yet succeeded in pacifying and Sinicizing Tibet, as it
has Inner Mongolia. The net result is that the 2,520-mile Sino-Indian frontier,
one of the longest inter-state boundaries in the world, remains China’s only
undefined land border. It is also becoming heavily militarized, as tensions
rise over China’s aggressive patrolling on the line of actual control (LAC) and
its military drills, using live ammunition, for a potential air and land
campaign to capture high-altitude mountain passes in Tibet.
India cannot afford to ignore
the restive southern region of the Himalayan frontier. While Nepal continuously
fails to come to terms with its political reality where marginalized ethnic
groups are demanding greater share in the political system, Bhutan is looking
into its border talks with Beijing with a new perspective taking into account
China’s dominance in world affairs and particularly its growing economic and
military might. New Delhi’s neglect of the former Kingdom of Sikkim ever since
its annexation in 1975 will surely lead to an unstable political situation in
Sikkim where the people are thoroughly disillusioned with the kind of
‘democracy and development’ that came with the controversial ‘merger’. The
demand for Sikkim-Darjeeling merger will add fuel to the fire and a day will
come when this fire cannot be doused by pumping in more money to buy the
silence of a disillusioned people.
India, beware of another Himalayan blunder
By Karma Lhendup
Kaleon
This has
reference to the
newsitem – Centre cannot decide on Sikkim-Darj merger issue: NASBO –
which appeared in December 28, 2012 issue
of the Sikkim Now.
The issue of merger
is said to
have been opined
by some Congress leaders
in response to
the Gorkhali demand
for greater Gorkhaland.
NASBO (National Sikkimese Bhutia Organization) has raised
a serious issue which
Indo-Nepal reciprocal rulers have
never thought of.
What NASBO
wanted to say
was that no
nation can wipe
out the existence
of a people
and their State.
The people called Bhutia-Lepchas once
constituted a nation
called Denjong. The
Survival Sikkimese (a
non-political organization ) welcomed
the idea of
the merger of
Darjeeling with Sikkim
provided it is
intended for unification
of Denjong in
its entirety which
we doubt very
much. If they
plan to convert Denjong
into a communal
state called Gorkhaland
or Greater Nepal,
India will be
committing another Himalayan
blunder.
We still abide by
the Treaty of
1973. The Bhutia-Lepcha
people may have
been down for
the time being but
they are far
from being wiped out. We
do not understand
the grammar and
philosophy of Indo-Nepal
reciprocal tie, which is established by
the treaties of
1947 and that
of 1950. Ever
since the Gorkhaland
movement was launched
the gradual disintegration of
the State of
Nepal is being
witnessed. The protagonists
of the Madeshiland
and Limbuland are
as strident as that
of Gorkhaland in their pursuit.
We
are worried about what
is being cooked
by tantalizing the
Gorkhas with the
latest idea of greater
Gorkhaland by merging
Darjeeling with Sikkim.
All these are
happening against the
backdrop of a
failing Nepal. The
consequence of the Indo-Nepal reciprocal
politics was anticipated
when Radio Nepal played
the song – Farka hai farka Nepali… - every morning at 6
a.m. in
the late fifties.
The song did not
blunt the lure
of Sections 6 & 7 of
the Treaty of
1950. How sad
that the so-called parvasi
or Bharatiya Nepali
have become a
threat to its
own sovereignty. How sad
it is that
Nepal has not
been able to
draft a constitution
because of the reciprocal tangle
with India. We are keeping quiet
perforce.
A seminar on Sikkim-Darjeeling merger in Gangtok in
June 2010
The actual history of Denjong remains
untold. Taking advantage
of our silence, our
Nepali brethrens have
planted a factoid
that Sikkim is
part of Nepal.
A map was
published from Germany in
the eighties showing
Sikkim to be
part of Nepal. We came
to know about
it when the Government of
India raised objection to it.
After
independence of India in
1947 a delegation of
Nepali leaders of
Gorkha League from
Darjeeling and Praja
Sammelan from Sikkim
went to Kathmandu
to urge their
king for annexation of
Sikkim and Darjeeling as
they were colonized
by them. They
still nurtured the
ambition of conquering
foreign territories by
colonization in contravention
of the UN Resolution
of 1960 on
decolonization and taking
advantage of the
Indo-Nepal reciprocal tie.
Every Nepali, irrespective
of class and
creed, believed in
the factoid.
I
met a research
scholar of Tribhuwan
University of Nepal in
2010 in a
conference in Kolkata who carried the
same factoid. This
person was stunned
in disbelief when
I told him
that Sikkim is
part of India. This
is the class
of intelligentsia which
guided the Gorkhas.
This is how
the Sikkim- Darjeeling
region of Denjong
remains a conquered
territory in the
eyes of the Indo-Nepal reciprocal
rulers.
A train of
events presided by
them ever since they spoke about
that. What does
the petition in the
Supreme Court of
India say about the outright abolition
of the Article
371F and the entailing safeguards for
ethnic Sikkimese called
Bhutia-Lepchas ? What does the
Sikkim Panchayat Act
1993 mean? Are
they not the
measures aimed at
obliteration of the
existence of the
ethnic Sikkimese people ?
Do we have
to agitate? If
we agitate the
issue the first
casualty would be
the innocent Nepali
people living in
other parts of
India. They will face pogrom
as we did
in 1973. We do
not want this
to happen. The Sikkim issue is very inflammable which can
easily catch fire.
Do the Gorkhas
know that the northern
half of Denjong
still remains as a protectorate of
China as agreed
upon between Great
Britain and China by a
Treaty signed in
1890? China has not
annexed it. There
is a ‘ku-tshab’ (representative) of
Denjong stationed in
Fari town (in Chumbi Valley).
A reporter of a leading national
publication of India pointed
this out in detail
in the eighties
highlighting the need
to annex it.
Shigatsi
used to be
the capital of
the kings of the
Namgyal dynasty till
1642. The territorial
extent of Denjong
touches almost Shigatsi
in the north,
Ha-Paro and Menlung
Khabji in the
east, Gya Titalia in
the south and
Timar Chhoten in
the west.
