Article 4

September 20, 2014, 2:07 am

HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN International Himalayan Weekly Sept 20-26, 2014 Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

TO TIBET VIA SIKKIM

Kailash Manasarovar Yatra through Nathula

New Delhi, Sept, 19:In a major political gesture, Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposal for the opening of a new route for Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash and Mansarovar in Tibet via Sikkim.

The opening of the route was sought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their first meeting in Fortaleza in Brazil in July this year. Expectations were high that the route through Nathu La border point in East Sikkim would be part of the big gesture of friendship not only to strike chord with Modi but also the people at large, specially the Hindus and Buddhists considering its religious importance.

Modi wanted the second route for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, keeping in view the terrain difficulties of the existing routes through Uttarakhand and Nepal which involved arduous journey involving heavy tracking or by mules.

The Yatra being organized by external affairs ministry goes through Lipu Pass, Himalayan pass connecting the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand in India with the old trading town of Taklakot in Tibet. The route was badly damaged in recent floods in Uttarakhand. Tour companies organize similar tours through Nepal which are equally tough, making it difficult for aged and not so healthy people to undertake the pilgrimage.

The journey, however, may become more comfortable through Nathu La pass, used for a limited border trade since 2006, as the pilgrims could travel by vans, bikes and busses up to Mansorvar and Kailash directly.

Officials say the opening of the post will not affect the nature of the border dispute as the clause states that it is subject to the overall agreement of the boundary and would be specified in any new MOU.

The issue figured in the talks on Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs held here in April this year.

The new route, though longer, takes pilgrims from Nathu La to Shigatse also known as Xigaze, the second biggest city in Tibet after provincial Capital Lhasa by road. From there the pilgrims could comfortably travel to Mansarovar and Kailash using well laid out highway.

Modi and Xi on Thursday agreed to quickly resolve the border dispute and demarcate the Line of Actual Control to improve peace and cooperation between both countries.

Addressing the media after the conclusion of one-on-one meeting with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Modi said India is concerned about the frequent incursions along the border. The Line of Actual Control should be demarcated soon to ensure peace and tranquility in the area, he said.

President Xi, in response, said that China will work to settle the border issue at the earliest date. Since the border is not demarcated there will be some incidents, but both countries are capable of settling it at various levels without causing a bigger impact, he said.

Both sides pledged to improve people-to-people contacts and cultural ties. The year 2015 will be celebrated as a 'Visit India' year in China and 2016 will be celebrated as 'Visit China' year in India.

Nepal leader demanding ‘Independent Madhesh’ arrested

Kathmandu, Sept 19: A prominent activist from Nepal’s Madhesh region who is seeking inclusion of the right to secede in the country’s new constitution has been arrested for anti-national activities.

Dr CK Raut, a PhD from University of Cambridge and a former employee of Raytheon, a US defense contractor, was arrested on Saturday evening in Morang district in eastern Nepal while returning home from a public rally.

“He has been charged with public offence. Investigations are on and more charges could be pressed later if any involvement in anti-national activities is confirmed,” said Nepal Police spokesperson TP Lamsal.

Both the activist and his associate Satyanarayan Mandal who were arrested together were produced in a district court on Sunday and remanded to police custody for six days.

Raut, who returned from US to Nepal in 2011, is the central coordinator of Alliance for Independent Madhesh, which is seeking establishment of an independent and sovereign Madhesh, the plain region in southern Nepal.

His arrest has already created a stir in Nepal with rights activists within the country and abroad terming it extra-judicial and an attack on freedom of speech and expression.

Madhesh, which borders India, comprise nearly half of Nepal’s total population of 27 million. There has been uprisings in past in the region demanding more inclusion and equality for people from the region.

With the country drafting a new constitution the demand has gained more momentum with Madheshi parties seeking inclusion of provisions that guarantee equal rights to Madheshis and ensure development of the region.

Chinese Prez more open-minded, realistic: Dalai Lama

‘Build Sino-Indian relations on the basis of mutual trust’

Dharamsala, Sept 19: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Thursday appreciated Chinese President Xi Jinping as being open-minded and realistic, while expressing hope that he can take the India-China bilateral relations forward.

Speaking to reporters at a time when the Chinese head of state is in New Delhi to take the ties forward, the Dalai Lama however stressed that it is important to build Sino-Indian relations on the basis of mutual trust.

“Xi Jinping's thinking is more realistic and more open-minded, so he can learn more from India,” the Tibetan leader noted, ZeeNewsreported.

"I think the Chinese President should learn some of India's experience. Look, east India, south India, west India, north India, different language, different script. But no danger of separation. Isn't it? Democratic rule, rule of law and free media..." he said.

Reacting to Tibetans' protest in Delhi against the visiting Chinese President, the Dalai Lama stressed, "Actually the Tibetan problem (is) also (a) problem of India. Before 1950, you see the whole northern border, really peaceful, no single soldier. So India's problem."

The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in northern India, however, added that “understanding comes through talks”.

"So sooner or later you have to solve these problems, not by force but by understanding and talk. Understanding comes through talk, only through personal contact."

NATHULA PASS

Historic Route, Historic Move

Throughout Sikkim’s history the Nathula Pass in East Sikkim has played a historic role in the region. It was through this route that the ancestors of Sikkim’s Namgyal Dynasty came to Sikkim in the 13^th century and formed the kingdom. After the British Raj in India became a Protectorate of the former kingdom in 1890 Indo-Tibet trade began through this route. In the early 1990s the British expedition under Colonel Francis Younghusband laid siege on Lhasa using the Nathula route, leading to the establishment of trading posts in Tibet near Chumbi Valley. The Dalai Lama and Jawaharlal Nehru used this route to enter Sikkim or travel to Bhutan through Sikkim.

After the 1962 Indo-China war the Nathula Pass was sealed and it reopened only in 2006 when India and China resumed the traditional border trade. Significantly, 2006 was declared as the year of Sino-Indian friendship. Though resumption of border trade at Nathula has not been too successful the opening of this route for Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash and Manasarovar in western Tibet is perhaps a major historic event in the region since the China’s takeover of Tibet in 1959 and India’s annexation of Sikkim in 1975. Hopefully, the historic move to open Sikkim’s frontier with Tibet will go a long way in strengthening Indo-China friendship. In the process Sikkim and Tibet should benefit the most in every respect.

Editorial

NATHULA PASS

Historic Route, Historic Move

RN Chamling wins Sikkim Assembly seat as independent

Losers are SDF & BJP-SKM alliance

Gangtok, Sept 19: Independent candidate RN Chamling won Rangang-Yangang assembly seat by 708 votes defeating his nearest Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) nominee Kumari Mangar in Sikkim.

While chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling's younger brother RN Chamling, who fought the seat as an independent candidate polled 4,788 votes, Kumari Mangar of the ruling SDF got 4,080 votes.

BJP's Bikash Basnett came third with 351 votes. BJP allied with Sikkim Krantikari Morch (SKM) for the polls. Basnet was SKM’s Assembly candidate for the same seat in the recent Assembly polls. Bishnu Prasad Adhikari of Congress finished last with only 28 votes, less than 46 votes cast under NOTA.

The byelection was necessitated following relinquishing of the seat by the chief minister as he retained Namchi-Singithang constituency which he had also won in the last assembly elections.

With RN Chamling's win, SDF is down to 21 MLAs in the Assembly. Opposition bench increases to 11.

“This is not my victory but the victory of the people. In a democracy, such things should happen where an independent manages to win an election. This was not happening in Sikkim for a long time. I will work with the entire Rangang-Yangang people for the development of the constituency,” said RN Chamling after the results were out.

Gorkhaland movement has moved to Delhi

Darjeeling, Sept 19: The movement for creation of Gorkhaland has moved from Darjeeling hills to New Delhi. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is spearheading the demand for a new State has begun demonstrations in New Delhi since yesterday.

"The movement will begin with a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on 18th to 19th December. To be followed by a public meeting at Talkotra Stadium on 20th," said Bimal Gurung, GJM President .

Every board members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the autonomous administrative body of Darjeeling have been instructed to volunteer two months’ salary for the movement.

Party members have been asked to be present in Delhi for the rallies.

Darjeeling’s Makaibari tea most expensive in country

Darjeeling, Sept 19:After being sold at a record price of $1,850 (around R1.12 lakh) per kg, Darjeeling’s Makaibari tea estate has become one of the most expensive tea producers in India.

“It is a matter of great pleasure and pride that Indian Tea, Makaibari, has booked orders at a record price of $1,850 per kg. That the orders have come from Japan, the UK and the US is also noteworthy,” Tea Board chairman Siddharth said.

He said at a time when the Tea Board and the tea industry are grappling with the issues of value addition and brand building, this news has come as a shot in the arm, PTI reported.

“Makaibari has been an iconic tea garden and we are very pleased to note that even after its ownership has recently changed hands, the high standard of its quality and recognition has grown further,” Siddharth said.

Raja Banerjee: King of Makaibari tea estate

Darjeeling Tea Association secretary Kaushik Basu said this is the highest ever price he has ever heard of for Indian tea. “But this is a one off case. We have heard that it was a small sale of around 5 kg. I don't think it was a commercial sale or auction. It may have been sold on charity,” he told PTI.

Located in Kurseong, Makaibari is the ancestral property of Raja Banerjee who had recently sold off 90% of his stake to Luxmi group.

Assam DGP commits suicide after CBI raids

Guwahati, Sept 19: Former Assam Director General of Police Shankar Barua, quizzed recently by CBI in connection with Saradha scam, allegedly shot himself dead at his residence on Wednesday (September 17).

Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police A P Tiwari told PTI that Barua was rushed to a local nursing home at around 12 noon and was declared dead there.

"Barua is no more. We are investigating. We cannot say anything now. Only after the investigation we can talk about details," Tiwari said. Barua's body has been sent for post-marten. He was admitted to another hospital last week after he complained of heart problems and was released from there this morning.

"He came home and within half an hour he went to the terrace and shot himself with a pistol. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital by family members,'' a close family member said. Barua's name got linked with the scam after an employee of Saradha's media house here alleged last year that he had provided 'protection' to them in Assam which was arranged by popular Assamese singer and filmmaker Sadananda Gogoi on behalf of the group.

Gogoi was taken to Kolkata by CBI for further questioning and was subsequently arrested on September 12. CBI had conducted raids on 12 premises on August 28 in connection with the multi crore rupees ponzi scheme scam. The raids were carried out at the residences of two former Assam ministers, including that of former health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Barua and Gogoi, among others.

Glimpses of theHIMALAYA

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology holds three-day Buddhist Festival

The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has been promoting Buddhism in a big way, and this week’s 3-day Boudh Mahotsav Buddhist Festival at the world-renowned Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) in Gangtok is part of its concerted efforts to promote Buddhism in the same land where the Buddha himself once preached and in the former Buddhist Kingdom of Sikkim.

It is, therefore, fitting that the Buddhist Festival is being held at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology that has, for over half a century, worked tirelessly to preserve, document and disseminate the knowledge of all the four Sects and Schools of Buddhism, as well as Bon. The Institute is today a centre for excellence in Buddhist studies in North East India.

Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Gangtok (Pix: Sonam Deki)

Inaugurated by Cultural Affairs Minister GM Gurung on September 16, , some of the events being showcased at the Buddhist Festival were : Lama chanting, Cham dance, Sand mandala, Butter sculpture, Thangka painting, and promotion of Sowa Rigpa, the Ancient Tibetan Science of Healing.

The Black Hat Lama Dance (shanag) performed during the Festival dates back to 841 AD when Tibet was ruled by its 43^rd King Langdharma, who was destroying Buddhism in Tibet. During the course of the dance Lhalung Palghi Dorji assassinated the King using a bow and arrow. The Black Hat dance, therefore, symbolises the subjugation of evil and negative forces.

Participation of folk dance troupes from seven states of the country, mainly from the Himalayan region, were an added attraction for the Festival.

The showpiece of the Buddhist Festival has remained the NIT Museum which has a substantial collection of rare Buddhist artifacts. There was also a free Medical Camp where the Sowa Rigpa team from the Central University of Tibetan Studies, Saranath, Varanasi will see up to a maximum of 60 patients in a day and provide free consultation and medicines for a month.

On the second day of the Festival Governor Shriniwas Patil witnessed colourful cultural programme showcasing folk dances from Arunachal Pradesh named as Aji Lhamu, Ghasayari from Uttarakhand, Kinnauri Nati from Himachal Pradesh, Sangrai Mog from Tripura, Ghusari Dance from Andhra Pradesh and Singhi Dance from Sikkim on the occasion.

Since its establishment in 1958, the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology has sponsored and promoted research on the religion, history, language, art and culture of the people of the Tibetan cultural area which includes Sikkim. The NIT library holds one of the largest collections of Tibetan works in the world outside Tibet and a museum of Tibetan iconography and religious art.

The site on which the institute was established was donated by the late Chogyal (king) of Sikkim Sir Tashi Namgyal. The foundation stone of the institute was laid by the 14th Dalai Lama on the 10th of February 1957 and the Institute was declared open by the late Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the 1st of October 1958. The institute’s main building is an imposing monument and a splendid example of Sikkimese architecture.

In 2002, the NIT's new director, Tashi Densapa, a retired Secretary of the Sikkim Government, undertook to expand the Institute, restructure its research wing and open its doors to international collaboration. This is being done through the creation of new research and fellowship programs, the holding of lecture series, seminars and international conferences, the publication of the Bulletin of Tibetology, monographs and conference proceedings, and through collaboration with foreign scholars.

The Institute has now become a dynamic research centre in the Eastern Himalayas actively promoting Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, including its sub-field of Sikkim Studies.

ENVIRONMENT

Give the public a role in ‘Clean Ganga’ project, says Rajendra Pachauri

Rajendra Pachauri

India’s holiest river is due for a clean-up, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking personal responsibility for restoring the Ganga and ridding the 2,500 km long river of industrial effluents and untreated sewage.

Uma Bharti, Modi’s minister for water resources and Ganges rejuvenation, has said the river would be clean in three years. Earlier this month, India’s Supreme Court asked the government for a roadmap on the project so that the court could monitor it.

Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), spoke to Reuters on the Ganga project, the need for transparency and how the public could help.

Excerpts from the interview:

Reuters: A lot of government money has been spent since 1986 on cleaning the Ganga and the new government has created a separate ministry for it. Where do you think we have fallen short?

Rajendra Pachauri: Frankly, this is symptomatic of many other programmes where government money has been spent on a large scale, without commensurate results. Government cannot implement this as an activity which is going to be totally under government control. If you look at the sources of pollution, they come from a whole range of activities. Even if you have sewage treatment plants, they are not functioning. Another major problem is the community is not really being involved. I personally think it will work if you make it a movement involving all the stakeholders. Central government can be releasing money, but where is the assurance that the money is utilized properly for the right purposes? What you really need is the mobilization of all the stakeholders.

Q: The project is also largely in the hands of bureaucracy – there is hardly any public involvement.

A: I won’t minimize the role of bureaucracy, but what you would like to see is an enhanced role of the public and other stakeholders, for they have not actually been brought into the efforts to clean the Ganga. They have to feel part of it, they have to feel responsible for achieving results. You can set up citizen bodies in the habitations you have along the river.

Q: How can we ensure the big industrial houses fall in line?

A: Of course, you need transparency. If somebody, no matter how big the unit is, violates rules, that should be highlighted, that should be monitored and made known to everybody.

Q: The new government has said it would develop the river for tourism, transportation, fisheries and power generation. Are cleanliness efforts driven more by commercial interests than ecological concerns?

A: I agree, but let me give you an example. You look at the river in Paris. Everybody wants to walk around that river. You have restaurants and other attractions, places where people want to go to. By this, these people themselves become stakeholders in keeping the river healthy. You are actually enhancing the value of cleanliness by giving people an opportunity to benefit from the cleanliness.

Q: There are mixed opinions on whether the exploitation of natural resources, development of industries and urbanization has upset the ecological balance.

A: You need to create a balance. See what happened in Pune [referring to a recent landslide]. You cut down the trees on a slope and start living. Now when there is rainfall, obviously you are going to have mudslides. In Uttarakhand, you allowed construction in the flood plain of the river at that height. You have eight-storey buildings, which is absolutely ridiculous in a hill location like that. In Punjab also, water has been chemically polluted to such an extent that it is leading to high incidents of cancer.

How are we enhancing the welfare of human society by creating this kind of damage? I don’t say you don’t have to increase the output of goods and services, for we are a poor society and there are people who are still deprived, but why can’t we do it in a way that is environment friendly. That’s the whole purpose of the legislation we have.

Q: How do we strike this balance?

A: I think we need a system by which we carry out evaluation of the environment impact. This also requires changes in our institutions. At the stage of design of a particular project, you need to take into account all the environmental implications and try to redress them in the design of the project itself. What is even more important is a proper follow-up. You see, often you have a project where you have given a clearance, which requires certain actions to be taken. Is there any monitoring of those actions? No. Once the project has got cleared, then the people are at freedom to implement it the way they want. There is absolutely no oversight of how the project is implemented.

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Article 3

September 27, 2014, 12:14 am

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Sept 26-Oct 3, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

Darjeeling Das Studio’s Mohan Das Pradhan taking a walk near Chowrasta, Darjeeling.

Get ready to win ‘regional war’, Xi tells army chiefs

Beijing/New Delhi, Sept 26: Chinese President Xi Jinping has promoted three People's Liberation Army (PLA) generals known to be close to him and also asked his troops to "improve their combat readiness and sharpen their ability to win a regional war in the age of information technology".

The move might help him achieve greater loyalty within the military forces, something he has also demanded from army chiefs, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday.

"The headquarters of all PLA (People's Liberation Army) forces should improve their combat readiness and sharpen their ability to win a regional war in the age of information technology," Xi said at a meeting with the country’s military elite, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported.

"The headquarters of PLA forces must have absolute loyalty and firm faith in the Communist Party of China, guarantee a smooth chain of command and make sure all decisions from the central leadership are fully implemented," Xi said.

Reports said the promotions were ordered after Xi summoned 15 top generals to Beijing on Sunday and spoke to them in PLA chief Fang Fenghui's presence. Significantly, Xi also said military commanders should "have a better understanding of international and domestic security situations".

"All PLA forces should follow the instructions of President Xi Jinping, also chairman of the central military commission (CMC), and update their operations to meet new goals and missions set by the CMC,"Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying.

The call for loyalty and combat readiness comes as China’s border confrontation with India escalates. Chinese troops have several times crossed the so called Line of Actual Control (LAC) – a demarcation line between Indian and Chinese territory – in the Ladakh region over the last week. The standoff has prompted questions about whether the Chinese army at the border was following instructions from Beijing or acting on its own.

On Monday, the press office for China's Defense Ministry dismissed the confrontation as a by-product of a longstanding misunderstanding over where the border between the two countries should lie.

"The China-India boundary dispute is an issue left over from history,” the military’s statement said. “The boundary between the two countries has not been demarcated until now and there are differing perceptions with regards to the line of actual control (LAC)."

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunyin separately insisted on Monday that there was no need to have "unnecessary suspicion" on both sides on the border issue.

She said the leaders of the two countries have reached an important consensus on politically resolving the border issue through friendly mechanism, The Times of India reported.

"China and India have sufficient capacity and confidence to maintain peace and tranquility in the boundary areas," she said.

BJP demands Chamling’s dismissal for misleading PM on ‘Organic State’ claim

Raises corruption issue with Governor

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi recently.

Gangtok, Sept 26:The BJP has sought the ‘dismissal’ of Chief Minister Pawan Chamling for lying to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ‘misleading’ the people on the ‘organic State’ issue and for his refusal to allow the CBI to investigate into corruption charges leveled against him.

In its memorandum submitted to the Governor, the BJP said the State Government’s refusal to allow the CBI to probe into charges of corruption against Chamling will lead to ‘disturbance of peace and tranquility’ in the State.

A delegation of the Sikkim unit of the BJP, led by party President Palden Wangchuk Khangsarpa and Jayananda Kumar Singh, chief of BJP’s Kisan Morcha, submitted the memorandum to the Governor here on Wednesday.

“The Chief Minister of Sikkim, besides claiming funds from the Government of India, he personally appraised the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India that Sikkim has attained the organic mission started from the year 2003 and has been declared to be the only organic State in the Country,” the memorandum said.

Based on the Chief Minister’s claim Kisan Morcha chief and a team of the party’s State unit conducted a “study and fact-finding mission” in the State and found that “Sikkim has not attained the organic mission as claimed” by the Chief Minister, a release of the party said.

The BJP has claimed that “130 produce of Sikkim had been sent to European agencies for testing and that only three of these Sikkim produce had been accepted as organic,” the release said.

Singh said “he was not aware that Sikkim had been officially declared nor certified as an organic state and it was wrong of the Sikkim CM to have lied to the Prime Minister in this regard.”

It added that “farmers are still using the inorganic materials, pesticide including other insecticides and inorganic insect repellant in their farms.” It also added that the State Government’s reply under the Right to Information Act (RTI) also confirmed their finding that Chamling had been “misleading the people of Sikkim” and “constitutional authorities” like the Prime Minister on “organic mission”.

The Chief Minister should “resign on moral grounds for having made the Prime Minister of India make statements which were not true,” a party release said.

It added, “The false statement of the Sikkim CM had caused the Prime Minister of India to make untrue declarations at the international level at Nepal and Bhutan. This, said Shri Singh, is enough reason for the Sikkim CM to tender his resignation.”

In its memorandum, the BJP has alleged that despite charges of corruption pending against Chamling he has not allowed the CBI to probe into the charges.

“The Chief Minister who himself is involved in corruption cases cannot at any cost cause to issue Notification to stop investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation more so when the prima facie case has been established after conducting preliminary investigation and inquiry,” the memorandum said.

While stating that “non grant of permission” by the State Government for CBI probe into corruption cases “may lead to disturbance of peace and tranquility in the State”, the BJP has demanded that the Governor exercise his constitutional powers and “dismiss the Government headed” by Chamling.

Flag meet in Ladakh held, but standoff is yet to end

New Delhi, Sept 26: To end the standoff along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, China has demanded that the Indian Army give up construction of a road, which they have planned to build along the undefined border. Sources said China has also asked India to destroy the canals which are being constructed from NREGA funds in Demchok sector of Ladakh, The Indian Express reported.

India has also objected to a bridge, which China has constructed on their side in Chumar over the past six months. Hours before a flag meeting was to be held on Thursday between India and China, two face-offs were reported in Chumar, a source said.

The two issues were raised during the flag meeting held on Thursday on request of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). The stand-off, which started on September 10, has refused to die down and the buildup has increased at least at eight locations in Ladakh.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in New York on Thursday said India and China have resolved the standoff at the Ladakh border. The withdrawal of troops will begin on Friday and be completed by September 30, Swaraj said, describing the resolution of the issue as a "big accomplishment”, PTI reported.

Swaraj's statement came after she discussed the border standoff issue with Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi at the United Nations.

Earlier, Indian soldiers were deployed in the stand-off zone, while 15 battalions and reserve units in eastern Ladakh have been kept at high alert.

Amid continuing standoff on the borders, India on Tuesday said engagements with China were underway at "different levels and different places" and made it clear that the country's border security was in safe hands.

India's response came a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping asked the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to be combat ready to win a "regional war".

Meanwhile, New Delhi is working on naming a Special Representative as demanded by China during President Xi Jingpin's visit to India last week to hold talks on the border issue and demarcation of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), they said.

Nepal parties threaten agitation if federal structure demand ignored

Kathmandu, Sept 26: Fearing that the ruling parties might attempt to frame a new constitution on the basis of numerical strength ignoring consensus, the Federal Republican Alliance has stepped up efforts to seek support of fringe parties.

The Federal Republican Alliance comprising Unified CPN-Maoist, Federal Socialist Party-Nepal and five Madhesi parties has pledged to fight for identity-based federalism.

The Federal Republican Alliance held a meeting with United Front for Common Agendas (UFCA), an alliance of nine fringe parties that supported Sushil Koirala’s candidacy for premiership and solicited their support for identity-based federalism, The Himalayan reported.

Sadbhavana Party Co-chair Laxman Lal Karna said the parties united under UFCA agreed to collaborate for a consensus-based constitution.

FSP-N Chair Ashok Kumar Rai said they told the constituents of UFCA that a new constitution should be based on the spirit of people’s war, popular movement II, Comprehensive Peace Accord, Madhes uprising and various movements launched by Janajatis, Muslims, Dalits and other marginalised groups.

Unified CPN-Maoist Secretary Barshaman Pun on Wednesday warned his party would hit the street if the ruling coalition partners tried to promulgate the constitution through voting process on the basis of numerical majority.

Speaking at an interaction in Bharatpur, Pun warned, “If the ruling coalition partners — the NC and UML — try to deliver the constitution through mathematical numbers bypassing the Maoists, Madhes-based parties and ethnic communities, we shall take to the street.”

BOLD INITIATIVE

To Tibet Through Sikkim

While not much headway has been made in terms of volume and frequency of trade at the Indo-Tibet border at Nathula in east Sikkim the fact that resumption of the border trade at Nathula in 2006 has not caused any hindrance to Indo-China relations is an indication that Asia’s two giants are opening up and coming closer. Last week’s historic decision by visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the Nathula route for pilgrims to visit Mt. Kailash and Mansarovar in western Tibet is indeed a step in the right direction. Hopefully, the route will be opened at the earliest. The move to open the Himalayan frontier for trade and pilgrimage will surely pave way for tourism and people-to-people contact between the two growing economies.

At a latter stage decisions should be taken for Tibetans in Tibet and Chinese Buddhists to visit Buddhist pilgrimage places in India. If the Nathula experiment is successful Lachen, Lachung and Jelepla routes should also be opened for trade, tourism and pilgrimage. For centuries the nomadic highlanders of Lachen and Lachung valleys in north Sikkim traded with Tibet through North Sikkim. This came to an end after the 1962 Chinese invasion of Sikkim. India was then protecting Sikkim, whose defence, communication and foreign affairs were with New Delhi. Having embarked on a courageous journey towards friendship and development Beijing and New Delhi must now give top priority to gaining the trust and confidence of the peoples of the Himalayan region, including Tibet, Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal. Security ultimately lies with the people and not territory.

PEOPLE&PLACES Mt. Kailash

Mt. Kailash: Myth and Mystery

Mt. Kailash or Mt. Kailas (Tibetan: Gang Tise or Gang Rinpoche; Chinese: Gangdisi Shan) is a striking peak in the Himalayan mountains of western Tibet. The source of some of the longest rivers in Asia, Kailash is a sacred mountain for four faiths: Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and followers of the indigenous Tibetan religion of Bön. Next to the mountain are two sacred lakes, the most important of which is Lake Manasarowar.

Myth and Mystery

According to Hindu mythology, Shiva, the god of destruction and regeneration, resides at the summit of a legendary mountain named Kailāśā. Mount Kailāśā is regarded in many sects of Hinduism as Paradise, the ultimate destination of souls and the spiritual center of the world.

According to a description in the Puranas, Mount Kailash's four faces are made of crystal, ruby, gold, and lapis lazuli; it is the pillar of the world; rises 84,000 leagues high; is the center of the world mandala; and is located at the heart of six mountain ranges symbolizing a lotus. From it flow four rivers, which stretch to the four quarters of the world and divide the world into four regions.

This legendary mountain has long been identified with the striking peak in the Himalayas that now bears its name. Shiva is therefore believed to dwell at its summit. Some traditions say the mountain is Shiva's linga, while Lake Manasarowar is the yoni of his consort.

The importance of this holy mountain in Hinduism is reflected, among other places, at the famous Ellora Caves in India, where the largest and most important rock-carved temple is dedicated to Mount Kailash.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that Kailash is the home of the Buddha Demchok (also known as Demchog or Chakrasamvara), who represents supreme bliss. They also say it was on this sacred mountain that Buddhism displaced Bön as the primary religion of Tibet.

According to legend, Milarepa, champion of Tantric Buddhism, arrived in Tibet to challenge Naro-Bonchung, representative of Bön. The two magicians engaged in a great sorcerous battle, but neither was able to gain a decisive advantage.

Finally, it was agreed that whoever could reach the summit of Kailash first would be the victor. While Naro-Bonchung soared up the slope on a magic drum, Milarepa's followers were dumbfounded to see him sitting still and meditating. Yet when Naro-Bonchung was nearly at the top, Milarepa suddenly moved into action and overtook him by riding on the rays of the sun, thus winning the contest and bringing Buddhism to Tibet.

In Jainism, Kailash is known as Mount Ashtapada and is the site where the founder of their faith, Rishabhadeva, attained liberation from rebirth.

In Bön, the religion which predates Buddhism in Tibet, the mountain is believed to be the abode of the sky goddess Sipaimen.

What to See at Mount Kailash

Mount Kailash rises to 22,028 feet (6,714 m) in one of the highest and most rugged parts of the Himalayas. Made of black rock, the symmetrical peak has a distinctive diamond-like shape with four steep facades. The south face has a vertical gash across its horizontal layers, creating the appearance of a swastika - an ancient symbol of good luck in this part of the world.

The landscape around the mountain is rugged and dry but crossed by crystalline blue streams and other bodies of water. Near the sacred mountain is the source of the Indus, Sutlej and Bramaputra rivers and on its south side are two freshwater lakes, the easternmost of which is the highly sacred Lake Manasarowar (Mapam). With an altitude of 14,950 feet, Mansarovar is the highest body of fresh water in the world. The other lake, Rakshastal, also has legendary significance.

Pilgrimage

Every year, thousands make a pilgrimage to Kailash, following a tradition going back thousands of years. Pilgrims of several religions believe that circumambulating (walking around) Mount Kailash will remove sins and bring good fortune. The pilgrimage around the sacred mountain is called the Kailash Kora.

It is said that one trip around the sacred mountain will wipe away all the sins (bad karma) of one's current lifetime; 108 revolutions will remove the sins of all one's lifetimes and bring salvation from reincarnation (moksa). Alternatively, pilgrims who complete one circumbulation of Kailash and bathe in the frigid waters of Lake Mansarovar will also bring salvation.

No pilgrims climb Mt. Kailash; all four religions believe it would be a serious act of sacrilege to set foot on its slopes. Legend has it that the only person to have reached the summit is the Buddhist champion Milarepa (who flew to the top in the 12th century) and that all others who have ventured to defy the taboo have died in the process.

A drive to Mt. Kailash from Shigatse, Tibet. (Pix:Mohan Pradhan - The Trekking Company – Australia)

The rugged path around Mount Kailash is 32 miles (52 km) long, following a blue mountain stream much of the way. Altitudes range from 15,000 feet at the start to 19,000 feet at the Dolma Pass. The circumambulation is made in a clockwise direction by Hindus and Buddhists but counterclockwise by followers of the Jain and Bön religions.

A typical journey lasts about three days, but some try to earn extra merit by completing the entire walk in a single day. Braving the uneven terrain, high altitudes and variable weather, these hardy souls can complete the trek in about 15 hours.

Other pilgrims seek special merit by taking much longer to circle the holy mountain: instead of walking, they perform body-length prostrations for the entire 32 miles. The pilgrim bends down, kneels, prostrates full-length, makes a mark with his fingers, rises to his knees, prays, and then crawls forward on hands and knees to the mark made by his/her fingers before repeating the process. It requires at least four days of physical endurance to perform the circumambulation this way.

The mountain is located in a particularly remote and inhospitable area of the Tibetan Himalayas. Only those in the best health are able to undertake the journey even to the starting point of the circumambulation, let alone walk 52 km in a single day. A few modern amenities, such as benches, resting places and refreshment kiosks, exist to aid the pilgrims in their devotions.

Shigatse, Tibet (Pix:Mohan Pradhan - The Trekking Company – Australia)

Most pilgrims and trekkers take three days to complete the journey around Mount Kailash from the city of Darchen, aiming for Drirapuk Monastery on the first night, crossing Dolma La Pass and arriving at Zutrulpuk Monastery the second night, and finally returning to Darchen on the third day.

Monastery accommodation is not always available, so travelers must carry tents and food. To help with the burden, yaks and porters can be hired in Darchen for about ¥100 per day. The path frequently crosses mountain streams, so waterproof boots or an extra pair of shoes is essential.

Getting There

Most pilgrims begin their journey overland from Kathmandu or Lhasa. From there, they travel over the Tibetan plateau (ranging 10,000-16,000 feet in elevation) in a rented Jeep. It is a long journey with four night stops in camps, finally arriving at Darchen (elevation: 4600 m).

Western visitors usually need a guide, vehicle, driver, and a military permit to visit Kailash, all of which are arranged on tours from Kathmandu or Lhasa. The short version of the tour takes 14 days and cost around ¥15,000 ($1,950), which can be split among four travelers. The longer 21-day tours run about ¥17,000 ($2,210).

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Liar’s Dice’ starring Sikkim’s Geetanjali Thapa seleted for Oscars

(Left) President Pranab Mukherjee presents best female actress award to Geetanjali Thapa for her role in Hindi film ‘Liar’s Dice’ during the ‘61st National Film Awards 2013’ function in New Delhi in May 2014.

Mumbai, Sept 26: Hindi film ‘Liar’s Dice’, a road drama about a tribal woman’s journey to find her missing husband, has been selected as India’s official entry to the upcoming Academy awards in the best foreign film category.

Directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Geetanjali Thapa and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles, ‘Liar’s Dice’ beat 29 other films to represent India at the Oscars 2015, Supran Sen, secretary general of the Film Federation of India (FFI) told PTI.

Sen said FFI, which nominates the Oscar entry from India every year, had received a record submission of 30 films.

Set in a village near the Indo-Tibetan border, the film’s story follows a young tribal woman whose husband has failed to return home after leaving to work in Delhi many months ago.

She decides to go to Delhi with her young daughter to search for him and on the way meets an Army deserter, Siddiqui, who realizing the perils of the journey ahead for them, decides to accompany them to their destination.

’Liar’s Dice’, Mohandas’ feature debut, was critically acclaimed in the festival circuits. It was selected at the Sundance Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam.

The film won the National award for best actress to Thapa and best cinematography award to Mohandas’ cinematographer husband Rajeev Ravi.

India has never won an Oscar in the best foreign film category. The last Indian film that made it to the final five nominees at the Oscars was Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Lagaan’.

’Mother India’ and ‘Salaam Bombay’ are the only other two Indian films to have made it to the top five. The 87th Academy awards will take place on February 22.

SPORT

Kalimpong’s Taekwondo Master Manoj Yonzone gets global recognition

Kalimpong, Sept 26: International Master Instructor, Manoz Yonzone, of Kalimpong recently returned from Korea after undergoing further advanced training in the Korean Martial Art of Taekwondo. He attended the 36^th Foreigner’s Taekwondo Masters Course during the month of July. The internationally recognized course was attended by more than 130 Master Instructors from over fifty countries.

It was conducted by the World Taekwondo Academy (Kukkiwon) at its swanky and world class modern sprawling complex located in Taekwondowon, Muju, Korea. This was the first time the course was held in/shifted to its recently opened new training complex. On previous years, the course was held in Kukkiwon, Seoul.

On the successful completion of the intensive course, he was issued a Global Taekwondo Teaching License by the World Taekwondo Academy.

Master Manoz Yonzone (5th Dan Black Belt, WTF) then travelled to Seoul, Korea where he again did an intensive month-long training in Taekwondo at the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy under the personal guidance and instruction of his Korean Grand Master Chang Seong Dong (9th Dan Black Belt, WTF).

He has been a practising student of Grand Master Chang Seong Dong since 1996. At the conclusion of this year’s Taekwondo training, Grand Master Chang Seong Dong designated Master Manoz Yonzone as the Certified Chief Instructor (West Bengal, India) of the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy which is recognized by the World Taekwondo Federation. Furthermore, as per the rules and regulations of the Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy, Master Manoz Yonzone was also promoted to 6th Dan Black Belt.

A B.Com graduate, Master Manoz Yonzone lives in Kalimpong and Mumbai. He is an alumnus of Mt. Hermon School and St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling. He continues to share his Taekwondo and martial skills and vast experiences of over 38 years with his extended Taekwondo family of students and fellow instructors.

Master Manoj Yonzone’s Martial Arts Details:

Number of years trained: 38 years

Styles Learnt: Budokwan Karate / WTF Taekwondo / Choi Kwang Do

Instructors:

BudokwanKarate :

– Sensei Puran Pal Nepali (4^thDegree Black Belt – India)

WTF Taekwondo:

- Master Pasang FoningLepcha (4^thDan WTF Black Belt - India)

- Grand Master Chang Seong Dong (9^th Dan WTF Black Belt – Korea)

Choi Kwang Do:

- Founding Grand Master Choi Kwang Jo (9^th Dan Black Belt – USA)

Martial Arts Certified Rankings:

- Brown/Black Belt (Budokwan Karate – India)

- 3^rd Dan Black Belt (Choi Kwang Do International – USA)

- 5^th Dan WTF Black Belt (Taekwondo –World Taekwondo Federation, Korea)

- 6^th Dan Black Belt (Taekwondo – Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy – Korea)

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October 12, 2014, 2:35 am

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Oct 11-17, 2014

Blog: jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

Sangoffering to Sikkim’s Guardian Deities during the recent annual Pang Lhabsol celebrations at the Tsuklakhang Monastery, Gangtok.

Modi unlikely to meet NSCN-IM leaders

New Delhi, Oct 10: In what may not go down well with the NSCN-IM leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unlikely to meet the Naga leaders and instead the Home Ministry has been told that negotiations will take place only at the level of the Central interlocutor RN Ravi, highly placed sources said.

The move by the Modi Government may come as a surprise because the NSCN leaders have as a convention, called on the Prime Ministers in the past.

NSCN-IM top leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Th Muivah have sent feelers several times for a meeting with Modi, The Sangai Expressand Assam Tribune reported. However, there has been no response from the Government to these feelers.

The two NSCN-IM leaders were politely informed that they should hold talks with the Government of India's interlocutor RN Ravi, who is also the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).

In the past NSCN-IM leaders had met former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, HD Deve Gowda, IK Gujral and Dr Manmohan Singh.

The meetings resulted partly because the NSCN-IM leaders insisted that they would hold peace talks only at the 'highest level'.

Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah. (left)

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh continued with the convention by meeting the NSCN-IM chairman and general secretary at the start of both his tenures.

In an apparent reflection of the current NDA government's more hard-line stand on all security issues, there has been no decision so far on a meeting between the two NSCN-IM leaders and the Prime Minister.

"There is an interlocutor in place and he is perfectly capable of handling the talks," a source said.

An NSCN-IM delegation led by Swu and Muivah held a preliminary meeting with Ravi, a former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau, on September 30.Since the meeting, other members of the NSCN-IM team have returned to Nagaland, while Swu and Muivah have stayed on in the capital.

It was not immediately clear when formal talks between the NSCN-IM and the NDA government would get under way.

Decade-old road projects on Indo-China border to be prioritized

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol over a footbridge built over a stream near the Line of Control (LoC), a ceasefire line dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan, at Sabjiyan sector of Poonch district, August 8, 2013.

New Delhi, Oct 10: With few roads in high-altitude areas, patrolling is difficult and the border has become vulnerable to Chinese incursions.With few roads in high-altitude areas, patrolling is difficult and the border has become vulnerable to Chinese incursions.The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is pushing for the speedy construction of roads along the border with China, that have been pending for nearly a decade, in the wake of the recent incursions by Chinese troops in the Ladakh region.

With few roads in high altitude areas, patrolling is difficult and the border has become vulnerable to Chinese incursions over the past few years. The home ministry's project for erecting 27 roads for the movement of troops from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), which guards the frontier with China, has been a non-starter as only three roads have been built so far, India Today reported.

The roads are to be constructed along the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. The plan envisages the construction of 804 km of roads and the project will cost an estimated Rs.1,937 crore.

"The Chinese forces have roads right up to their border outposts and our forces have to trek for days in some areas," said a home ministry official.

The project for constructing these roads was stuck because the Environment Ministry had not given green clearances, but now the NDA government wants to expedite the work and the required clearances have been obtained, officials said.

The project began in 2004 but not much work has been done so far. The Environment Ministry was reluctant to give environment clearances and the home ministry was unable to engage contractors.

"As of now, even the first phase of construction is not over. The project was divided into three to four phases. We are hoping after the recent stand-offs and the government claiming to be bold against China, the road construction will speed up," said an officer in the security establishment.

"Since there are no roads, our forces have to walk to border outposts. All the patrolling has to be done on foot, making the border vulnerable to incursions," the officer added.

Sources said there is also a need for dedicated air support for the ITBP to facilitate quicker movement of troops and for transporting rations and other materials.

The Home Ministry wants the Finance Ministry to also clear a proposal for building 54 new border outposts along the border. An in-principle approval was given to the plan by the previous UPA government just before the elections in April but no sanctions have been made so far.

HERMONITES FELICITATE GANGTOK MLA

Pays homage to MM Rasaily: ‘He was a patriot’

Gangtok, Oct 10: Gangtok MLA Pintso Chopel Lepcha, an alumnus of Mt. Hermon School (Darjeeling), was felicitated by the Hermonites on October 1, four months after he was elected to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly.

Chopel, along with 9 others, represents the opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in the Assembly. He represents the prestigious Gangtok constituency.

Ever since 1979 Hermonites have always been elected to the Sikkim Assembly: Athup Lepcha, OT Bhutia and NK Pradhan. They all became ministers. During the get-together the Hermonites expressed the hope that Chopel, too, will make it to the Council of Ministers some day.

The Hermonites also observed 2-minute silence in memory of Sikkimese Hermonite MM Rasaily, who passed away last month at the age of 89.

"Mr. Rasaily was a Sikkimese nationalist and a patriot. He stood for Sikkim during its darkest hour. We are happy and proud that he was a Hermonite," said Jigme N Kazi, journalist and author.

Visiting Hermonites Varongthip Lulitanond (Thailand) and Ravi Agarwal (Siliguri) also offered khadas to Chopel during the dinner get-together.

Sikkim Hermonite Association (SHA) President Karma Bhutia, retired chief engineer Uttam Pradhan, senior lawyer Udai P. Sharma and senior State Bank of India manager Thentok Lachungpa were among those who felicitated Gangtok legislator.

IHM’s Kunga Chukie gets State award for “Excellence”

Gangtok, Oct 10: Sikkim Institute of Hotel Management (IHM)’s final year student Kunga Chukie Namgyal Kazi was awarded the "Award of Excellence" for "Best Performing Student" for the year 2013-14 by the Sikkim Government's Tourism & Civil Aviation Department.

She received the award from the Sikkim Legislative Assembly Speaker KN Rai on the occasion of World Tourism Day (Sept 26, 2014) at a function held here at Mayfair. Ministers, ex-ministers, secretaries etc. were among those who were present at the function.

It may be mentioned that Kunga Chukie and her college friend Lhaden Wangmu Bhutia (Gensapa) in August this year bagged the first prize in the national culinary competition organised by the Spices Board and International Pepper Community in Kovalam, Kerala.

The two 3rd year students from IHM (Sikkim) lifted the prize comprising Rs 50,000, a trophy and certificate at the "Pepp It Up 2014" competition that attracted teams from 20 hotel management institutions across the country.

On this happy occasion, Kunga Chukie’s parents expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Tourism Department for the award and to the staff and students of IHM and also to the students and teachers of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), Gangtok, where Kunga studied. “All of you have contributed to this success,” a message by the parents in Facebook said.

PEOPLE&PLACES The Hermonites

It’s springtime for the Hermonites

By JIGME N KAZI

Beginning from mid-September last month in Kathmandu, the Hermonites – alumni of Darjeeling’s co-ed Mt. Hermon School (founded by American missionaries in 1895) – are on the move. The three-day revival of the alumni in Nepal attracted at least 52 Hermonites. For the Mount Hermon Alumni Association Nepal (MHAAN) it was a rare event in recent years.

Former Mayor of Biratnagar Ram Bhattarai was one of the prominent oldies who was among the MHAAN meet in Kathmandu. Anil Jatia, Bachan Gyawali, Sangeeta Prasai and Ashoke Pokharel were among the main organizers of the reunion, whose main aim was to revive the alumni body.

Kathmandu’s reunion was followed by a mini-reunion in Gangtok during Dusserah/Dassain. 1973 batch Hermonite Varongthip Lulitanond (Thip) has visited Sikkim at least 4-5 times in the recent past. This time he was accompanied by his batchmate Ravi Agarwal from Siliguri. The reunion get-together dinner on Oct 1 followed by a day-long trip to the Indo-Tibet border near Nathula in Tsangu and a rare treat by Sikkim Hermonite President Karma Bhutia at Mayfair resort was most relaxing and enjoyable.

Despite his busy schedule (Dassain) Thip’s batchmate Uttam Pradhan, as always, was on the driver’s seat during the Tsangu trip but missed the Mayfair treat! Arthur Pazo did well to arrange the permits to Tsangu, where the visitors were treated with sun, hail, rain, snow and a huge rainbow.

Thip says Hermonites meet should always be held in the hills and not in the cities. “Thank you to all…I’ll be back soon!” says Thip, who also joined the Hermonites at the Thimphu reunion (Oct 5-8)

The Thimphu reunion was basically organized for the batch of 1978-79 but others, as is usually the case, joined in. Corinne Brokken, Mala Sujan, Dheera Sujan and Varongthip Lulitanond were among Hermonites from abroad who were present during the occasion. Former MP from Nagaland Apok Jamir, Mukesh Singh Adhupia, Yasmin Mukand Chung, Ratnakar Bhengra, Thinley Gyari, Geeta Bikst, Nima Dhondup, Binod Bhutra, Bebashis Brahma and Karan Anand were among those who enjoyed the brief autumn bonding that took place in Thimphu and Paro.

To Bhutan’s Home Secretary and former Ambassador to Thailand Tsering Dorji, an active Hermonite, goes the credit of organizing the grand get-together in the Druk Kingdom. Autumn has returned to the hills but for the Hermonites its springtime!

Come November and we have the 1969 batch of Hermonites ascend to good old Darjeeling. I missed the Thimphu meet but will surely be one of the gatecrashers to this get-together in Darj. Had promised to have b’fast with James Lowangcha Wanglat at Keventer’s, still a favourite haunt for Hermonites.

Prahalad Prasad, Om Prakash Kanwal, Raaj Kumar Bhangar (Lakhotia), Punam Agarwal, Marcus (Bappa) Dam are among those expected to be there for the occasion. A visit to MH has also been planned.

The recently-revived Calcutta Hermonites, who seemed to be having bigger plans for MH, is planning a grand reunion in Darjeeling in December. Many from all over the region are expected to attend the get-together. Hashib Mondol is in-charge of the show.

Len Gangte and other Northeast Hermonites are planning to form the North East Hermonites Association (NEHA) in Imphal in January 2015. We are eager to form this club as there are many Hermonites all over the Northeast who are looking forward to formation of the association. “I’ll be there!” I told Len. And I will be there!!

Our school motto is “Non-Scholae Sed Vitae Discimus” (not for school but for life we learn). Most of these reunions are taking place 30-40 years after we last left our alma mater. We are now more than convinced that our foundation for life, friendship and camaraderie are strong and deep.

Therefore, the Hermonites’ motto “Closeness For Life!” and after life!! Hail Mt. Hermon!

NEPAL

SIKKIM

BHUTAN

SPORT

Ace footballer Hangu Norden is no more

Gangtok, Oct 10: The Sikkim Football Association (SFA) held a condolence meeting here at Football House on Tuesday to mourn the sad demise of Hangu Norden Lepcha, a renowned footballer of the State.

Hangu passed away at 2.15 a.m. on Tuesday morning at his residence here at Lall Bazar, after prolonged illness. He was 57 years old and leaves behind his wife Sonam Doma Lepcha and son Tashi Tseten Lepcha. He was one of the main coaches of Namchi Sports Hostel which was instituted with the main aim for "Search for More Bhaichung Project", a release of the SFA said.

Hangu was also the coach and main mentor of Nirmal Chhetri and Sanju Pradhan, who are the ISL players of India and one of the highest paid footballers of the country today. He was the Chief Coach of Football with Sports & Youth Affairs Department, Government of Sikkim, till 2011.

Thereafter, he took voluntary retirement. Even after taking VRS, he was one of the regular visitors of Paljor Stadium, Gangtok. He was often seen giving advice and tips to the young budding footballers, SFA General Secretary Menla Yetenpa said.

Hangu represented Sikkim in various national level football tournaments like Santosh Trophy for many years and brought laurel to the State. Earlier, while serving in Indian Navy in Mumbai he used to be the main player of India Navy team.

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October 20, 2014, 4:16 am

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HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN Oct 18-24, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

Don't threaten us, India tells China on Arunachal

Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir integral parts of India: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi, Oct 17: Nobody should "threaten or warn India," said Home Minister Rajnath Singh after China objected to reported plans by India to build a 2,000-km long road along the border in Arunachal Pradesh.

"India has grown in strength. Both sides should resolve the border issue through dialogue," said the Home Minister yesterday. Reacting to reports of the new road, China asked Delhi on Wednesday not to "further complicate" the dispute over the border.

"China has already spread their network of roads and rail network near the border. Whatever we make on our territory should not be a concern of China," said an unnamed official in the Home Ministry's border management department to news agency Reuters.

He was quoted as saying that the ministry was seeking cabinet approval for the road in Arunachal Pradesh and had preliminary support from the Prime Minister's Office.

"Before the border problem is solved, we hope the Indian side will not take any action that could further complicate the relevant issue, so as to preserve the current situation of peace and stability in the border area," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei.

In September, the government eased environmental and other curbs on building roads and military facilities within 100 km of the border in Arunachal Pradesh to hasten the construction of some 6,000 km of roads.

India is concerned about China's development of airports and extensive road and railway networks in Tibet, which can give Beijing the ability to mobilize troops quickly along the border.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are "integral and inalienable" parts of India and this has been clearly conveyed to China.

"The fact that Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are integral and inalienable parts of India has been clearly conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions, including at the highest level," Swaraj said in a letter to Congress MP Mullappally Ramachandran, who had voiced his concern over distribution of controversial maps by China to its military. The map showed Arunachal as part of China.

"China disputes the international boundary between India and China. In the eastern sector, China claims approximately 90,000 sq kms of Indian territory in the state of Arunachal Pradesh," Swaraj told Ramachandran in the letter.

PM Modi meets top military officers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with air force chief Arup Raha, navy chief DK Joshi,defense minister Arun Jaitley, and army chief Dalbir Singh Suhag, before attending the Combined Commanders Conference in New Delhi on Friday. (Pix:AP)

New Delhi, Oct 17: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met top military officers at the defence ministry War Room here on Friday, at a time when tension continues along the border with both China and Pakistan.

The Combined Commanders' Conference is the first meeting of the Prime Minister with all top commanders, including the three service chiefs, IANS reported.

The service chiefs are expected to give elaborate presentations to the PM on the security scenario.

Top sources in the defence ministry said the recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and transgressions by China in the northeast will be in the focus during the conference.

Other issues like prepardeness of the forces and threat perceptions will also be discussed.

Burma media body oppose ban on Hakha Post

Yangon, Oct 17: The Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has expressed serious concern over the ban on a local newspaper by the province government of Chin in western Burma (Myanmar) and urged the Union government in Naypyidaw to allow the regular publication of the Hakha Post Newspaper.

Burma News International (BNI), an umbrella body of various progressive Burmese media outlets, said in a recent statement that the authorities had decided to ban the regional biweekly Hakha Post, which was published from the capital of Chin province, which is adjacent to India’s Manipur and Mizoram States, Asian Correspondent reported.

“BNI has learnt that since 29th September the Chin State government has temporarily forbidden publication of the Chin (Lai) language newspaper the Hakha Post Newspaper,” said the statement adding that the district authority called the editor of Hakha Postand informed him about the decision of Chin government (read State’s chief minister Hung Ngai).

The Hakha Post is one of over 20 local newspapers with limited circulations in the capital Hakha and the surrounding areas of the underdeveloped province of Burma. Sparsely settled, the mountainous province has a population of around half a million, most of them are Christian Chin ethnic nationals.

According to the Chin government the newspaper would not be allowed to publish until it obtains a legal publishing permit. BNI, while showing faith in the transition of Burma from a military dictatorship to a multiparty democracy, urged the highest authorities "to allow full access to journalists and give them freedoms and rights".

"There has been a lack of news reporting for many years, especially from ethnic regions. The government has a responsibility to ensure ethnic people receive news and information. Moreover the government must stop this sort of ban on free speech and ensure everyone has proper access to news", added the BNI statement.

Supporting the BNI initiative, the northeast India based media people’s forum JFA also appealed to the Burma President Thein Sein to look into the matter asking the Chin government to withdraw the ban on the newspaper immediately.

“Banning a regional newspaper will not serve any purpose to the Burmese authorities except spreading a negative impression about the regime and the nation as a whole,” said a JFA statement issued by its president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria.

The JFA, which has been consistently supporting the progressive media activists of Burma, also appealed to the pro-democracy Burmese icon Aung San Suu Kyi to take personal initiative to resolve the matter.

The forum strongly argued that if the Southeast Asian nation has truly adopted democracy the people in power there must stop their unwelcome opposition to the media.

Bhutan King & Queen visit Varanasi

Varanasi, Oct 17: Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck along with his wife Jetsun Pema offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and attended the famous Ganga aarti Dashashwamedh ghat, an official said in Varanasi.

The Bhutan royal also visited Sarnath, an important pilgrimage destination for Buddhists.

Autumn reunion for Hermonites in Thimphu

Thimphu, Oct 17: The Hermonites, alumni of Darjeeling’s Mt. Hermon School, from all over India, Nepal, Netherlands, Thailand and Australia arrived here last week for a three-day reunion during which they visited Paro and Punakha.

Members of the Bhutan Hermonites Association led by Home Secretary Tshering Dorji and Sonam Gyaltsen (Taki) organised the reunion. Dheera Sujan, who came all the way from the Netherlands, says she had a wonderful time and wants to come back again.

The reunion was followed by two reunions of the Hermonites in Gangtok and Kathmandu in Sept-Oct. While the 1969 batch of Hermonites are expected to meet in Darjeeling early next month the Kalimpong Hermonites are expected to celebrate the 5^th anniversary of their alumni body on Oct 31.

Calcutta Hermonites are coming in a big way to their alma mater in December. They have big plans for the school’s rejuvenation. This is likely to be followed up by the formation of the North East Hermonite Association (NEHA) in Imphal in January, 2015.

Bhutan royals grace Lawrence School celebrations

“This place is special to me as I met the queen for the first time here”

Bhutan king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck gives awards to students during Founder’s Day celebration of Lawrence School at Sanawar on October 4. (Left)

Shimla, Oct 17: The three-day 167th Founder’s Day Celebrations of the Lawrence School Sanawar, founded in 1847, concluded on October 4 with the ceremony of trooping the school flag and an NCC Parade by the students. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk, the King of Bhutan and his wife Jetsun Pema who is an alumnus of the school were the chief guests on the occasion.

Lt General KJ Singh, GOC-in-C Western Command and his wife Anita Singh were the guests of honour.

Expressing gratitude and addressing the students, the King shared his moment of joy to visit his queen’s school. “This place is special to me as this is here, where I met the queen for the first time. I am thankful to this school for giving her a wonderful education,” aid Jigme Khesar.

He further added, “I am happy to be here in the school, it is an extraordinary establishment. Many Bhutanese students come to Indian Institutes to take quality education, only to return with economic development. India has contributed a lot by promoting education in Bhutan. It is a bedrock of the Indo-Bhutanese friendship.”

Lawrence School, Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh (Left)

Not only this, but the King also urged the students to safeguard their culture and spiritual heritage. “We must learn about the world we live in, we must invest the best in medicine and technology. But it is equally imperative to protect our values and cultural heritage,” he added.

The school headmaster Praveen Vasisht read out the school annual report which included the achievements of the school in the allied fields of academics, sports, cultural and extra-curricular activities. Besides healthy exchange programmes, the school also made its presence felt in Round Square activities and community service. The chief guest felicitated the staff and the students on the occasion and later took a round of the school with his wife, who had passed out from school in 2008.

As the old batch mates shared their cherished experiences and fond memories of school, celebrities like Pooja Bedi, former Bollywood actress and television talk show host along with Omar Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir representing the batch of 1989 were also present during the occasion. All the old Sanawarians, at the end planted saplings near the chapel in the memory of their departed batch mates.

Himachal apple growers doing good business

State’s revenue from apples is over Rs 3,500 cr per annum

Shimla, Oct 17: Apple growers in Himachal Pradesh have all the reasons to celebrate as apple business in the State has gone up by Rs. 1,000 crore this year, despite low production.

The local markets in Narkanda, Shimla, Dhali, Solan and Parwanoo in the State are particularly doing well, as the revenue generated has shot up to Rs. 4,500 crore from Rs. 3,500 crore last year.

Despite low apple production this year, the apple growers have no reason to complain due to the flourishing business. On an average, one box of apples costs about Rs. 1,000 but this year the price has been varying from Rs. 1,000 to 2,200 per box, ANI reported.

"The economy of thousands of people here depends on the apple business, which generates over Rs 3,500 crore revenue for the people in the State. This year, Himachal Pradesh has witnessed a good apple business, adding more to the economy of the state," said trader Ram Mohan.

The growth in apple business is benefiting the state each year. We have done a good business, although, there has been a comparatively low production. However, farmers have grown apples of different varieties such as Royal Delicious, Golden, and Grimy this year," said Mohinder Satan, vice chairman Himachal Pradesh APMC Fruit Market in Shimla.

Editorial

‘LOOK EAST’

Settle Issues First

India’s ‘Look East’ and South East Asia’s ‘Look West’ policy for economic rejuvenation of the region cannot fully be achieved if the problems and prospects of the tribals of the region, who have long been ignored by the mainstream, continue to be ignored. Between the corrupt politicians/bureaucrats and gun-wielding insurgent groups in this region the ordinary people, by and large, face a bleak future. This must come to an end fast.

Democracy is yet to fully return to Burma but New Delhi, even under the new dispensation, has failed to take the initiative in the Northeast. Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi consult the stakeholders in Sikkim when he and Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to open the Nathula route for pilgrims? Security ultimately depends on the trust and confidence of the people, not merely acquisition of territory as is the case in Sikkim. Much is also at stake in Nagaland where the Naga issue still remains unresolved even when the people, including the NSCM (IM) and the State Government, are keen on further talks to resolve the issue. Look within before you look anywhere – East or West – and solve the pending issues at an early date.

Informal talks on for Dalai Lama’s return to Tibet

The Dalai Lama (centre) shares a moment with Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi (right) as fellow laureate Jody Williams looks on.

The Dalai Lama has said informal talks are continuing with the Chinese about a possible return to his homeland of Tibet, if only for a visit, and he has cautiously praised Chinese President Xi Jinping as a realist.

The Dalai Lama, 79, sat down for a brief interview in his temple in the north Indian town of Dharamsala before a celebration of the 25th anniversary of his Nobel peace prize, after a month of media speculation of a thaw between the exiled leader and the Chinese government.

The two sides have sparred for years over the future of Tibet. The Dalai Lama argues for autonomy for the Himalayan region he fled in 1959, while the Chinese accuse him of being a separatist. Just this week, another gathering of Nobel winners was cancelled in South Africa after that country wouldn't give the Dalai Lama a visa, reportedly under pressure from China.

Meanwhile, the Chinese have continued to increase their control over the Tibetan region, with a new railway line opening last month that will give greater access to its rich natural resources. Foreign travel is still greatly restricted. And more than 130 people have self-immolated to protest the Dalai Lama's exile, and call for freedom for Tibet, since 2009, including two during Mr Xi's recent visit to New Delhi.

Despite the recent tensions, speculation about improved relations between China and the Dalai Lama have been fuelled by remarks given by a Chinese Communist Party undersecretary who said discussions on the spiritual leader's return to his homeland were underway. In September, a popular Chinese website briefly displayed an article that said the Dalai Lama might return for a visit to a Buddhist shrine and meet party leaders.

The Dalai Lama also contributed to the media hubbub, praising Mr Xi as more "realistic" and "open-minded" than his predecessors while Mr Xi was on a high-profile trip to India in September. On Thursday, the Dalai Lama again praised Mr Xi for having "courageously tackled" the problem of government corruption. But he voiced concern over China's imprisonment of dissidents.

"The thing to say is that he's approached these problems more realistically," than other leaders in the past, the Dalai Lama said of Mr Xi. The Chinese leader's past praise of the Buddhist faith has also given the Dalai Lama hope they could find common ground.

"This is something new for a Communist Party leader to say something about spirituality," the Dalai Lama noted. "We'll see. I have some optimistic views. Still too early to say."

Some Tibet experts have scoffed at reports about an improvement in the relationship between China and the Dalai Lama, noting that China's strategy has long been to wait until the Dalai Lama dies to resolve the Tibet issue - as well as that of the holy man's successor. The Dalai Lama has said that his successor should be chosen by the Tibetan people, a desire which, if not honoured by the Chinese government, could result in widespread unrest.

The Dalai Lama and Tibet's government-in-exile launched a high-profile campaign in June to promote his "Middle Way Approach", which advocates for greater autonomy for Tibet but not complete independence. But finding complete support in the fractious Tibetan community around the hilly Indian town of Dharamsala has been difficult, according to Lobsang Sangay, the prime minister of Tibet's government in exile. Most younger activists from the Tibetan Youth Congress and others continue to call for independence for Tibet. (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Arunachal to provide inner line permit for Rajdhani passengers

Itanagar, Oct 17: Arunachal Pradesh is planning to provide ILP (inner line permit) on arrival of the Rajdhani passengers and have proper online ILP service.

Clarifying the 'misunderstanding' on ILP issue for the Rajdhani passengers, state Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi in a statement said, "What we intend is to have proper online ILP service and provide on-arrival ILP, just like on-arrival visa facility.

The CS further said that persons having valid Rajdhani train ticket and proper proof of Indian domicile will be able to avail such facilities. Arunachal Pradesh is planning to provide ILP on arrival of the Rajdhani passengers and have proper online ILP service. Tourism Secretary Joram Beda is working out details in this regard, he added.

The Indian Railways is contemplating to introduce Rajdhani Express service between New Delhi and Naharlagun from November next.

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November 6, 2014, 9:45 pm

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SIKKIM GIVES GRAND FAREWELL TO PRINCE JIGDAL TSEWANG NAMGYAL ON HIS LAST JOURNEY

The kuburof Late Denjong Gyalsey Kusho, Prince Jigdal Tshewang Namgyal of Sikkim, the youngest and the only surviving son of Maharaja Sir Tashi Namgyal (KCSI, KCIE -1914-1963), the 11^th Chogyal of Sikkim, bearing the Sikkim national flag, passes through (Nov 5, 2014) three prominent power-points in the former Kingdom: White Hall, Nehru’s Bust, and Mintokgang, Chief Minister’s official residence.

White Hall was built in the memory of John Claude White, British India’s first Political Officer (1889-1908) in Sikkim, during whose rule Sikkim gradually came under British domination, paving way for the kingdom’s ultimate absorption into the Indian Union in 1975.

While the bust of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was placed on this route after Sikkim’s ‘merger’ in 1975, Mintokgang was used as the official residence of the Indian Chief Executive, who wielded more power in Sikkim than the Chogyal during the Indian takeover in early 1970s. The Palace, situated in the same location across the Ridge Park, is about 300 metres south of Mintokgang.

The funeral day was declared a State holiday by the Chamling Government. The old business community, while declaring the Chogyals’ rule Sikkim’s ‘golden era’, closed down all business establishments in Gangtok and elsewhere in the State as a mark of respect to the departed soul. Prominent members of Sikkim’s political-administrative setup, including Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, Ministers, Chief Secretary R. Ongmu, were present during the funeral.

Prince Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal may have lived a quiet life; his death, however, brought him back to limelight and reminded us of who we are, what happened to us and our uncertain future.

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November 15, 2014, 12:53 am

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Nov 15-21, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

US favours dialogue, not independence for Tibet: Obama

Beijing, Nov 14:US President Barack Obama said he favours direct dialogue – not independence – to resolve the Tibet issue."We recognise Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China. We are not in favour of independence," Obama said shortly after announcing that US and China had reached a deal to curb greenhouse gases.

At a joint news conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping praised their landmark joint plan to curb carbon emissions, which includes targets for reduction of emissions in the United States and an ambitious first-time commitment by China to stop its emissions growing by 2030. Also highlighted were agreements on cyber security, trade and regional security.

Speaking on cooperation between the two nations Obama said, "When the US and China are able to work together effectively, the whole world benefits."

On the subject of human rights, Xi said China has made progress on human rights but said there was always room for improvement. Obama highlighted America's strong support for human rights of all people but said the US does not favour Tibetan independence from China.

This is not the first time Obama has said the US does not support Tibetan independence. On 21 February 2014, President Obama met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington DC, despite objections from China. According to a statement from the White House, Obama reiterated that the US position is that Tibet is part of the People's Republic of China and the United States does not support Tibet independence, Tibet Postreported.

Obama stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that gets results for China and Tibetans would be positive.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama told Obama in February that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume. Both agreed on the importance of a positive and constructive relationship between the United States and China.

Arms haul in Assam points to new Gorkha militant outfit

Darjeeling, Nov 14: A huge cache of arms and ammunition, meant to be supplied to a newly formed underground outfit of the Gorkhas in Darjeeling was seized in Assam on Saturday. Two people have been arrested in this connection.

They have been identified as Ganesh Chettri, resident of Baksa district of Assam, and Umesh Kami. The two allegedly have links with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland.

The discovery has led to increase in surprise checks along the West Bengal border, especially in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. Police are conducting surprise checks at all major thoroughfares, bus stands and other transit points here, The Hindustan Times reported.

The seizure comes at a time when the state is already battling cross border terrorism from Bangladesh and has become a hub for terrorist cells.

A team of the West Bengal police and intelligence agencies has reached Assam and is interrogating the arrested accused. “They were arrested on Sunday and have been charged under relevant sections of the Arms Act and the Indian Penal Code. They are being interrogated and will be produced at the Bongaigaon Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Assam on Monday,” Ranjan Bhuiyan, Superintendent of Police, Chirang, said. The police are expected to plead for their custody.

On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, a vehicle bearing a Darjeeling number plate (WB74A 4788) was intercepted in Chirang district of Assam while on its way from Dimapur in Nagaland to West Bengal. A routine search by the police led to the discovery of the cache of arms and ammunition.

The seized cache includes highly sophisticated M16 Rifle, seven pistols, including 0.32 and 9mm, 300 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 80 rounds of AK47 ammunition, 198 rounds of M16 ammunition and 16 rounds of bullets for 0.32 pistol.

Citation on Ganju Lama gate wrong: Statesman

Gangtok, Nov 14: Ningthoukhong, where the Late Ganju Lama of the 7^thGorkha Rifle, who won the coveted Victoria Cross for bravery while battling the Japanese during the 2^nd World War, is not in Burma/Myanmar but located in Manipur.

The citation on Ganju Lama’s plaques (English and Hindi) at the Ganju Lama Dwar (gate) here have erroneously shown Ningthoukhong as part of Burma, Yambem Laba, Manipur-based Special Correspondent of The Statesman, has said in an article in the newspaper (Nov 10, 2014).

The citation reads: “On 12^th Jun 1944, the Japanese put down an intense artillery barrage lasing an hour on own positions north of the village Mingthoukhong in Burma.”

“It is also not known whether Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling, who inaugurated the gate on 1 November 2013, read what was written on the plaque. It was like describing Amritsar to be in Pakistan. Ningthoukhong is just 30 km south of Manipur’s capital, Imphal, on the way to Loktak Lake,” the article said.

The citation on the plaques describe how “on 12 June 1944, Rifleman Ganju Lama of the 7th Gorkha Rifles, thwarted a major Japanese artillery assault by five medium tanks that overran a number of British/Allied bunkers at Ningthoukhong where the Gorkha soldiers also fought hand to hand with their khukris and the Japanese wielding samurai swords.

It goes on to describe how Ganju Lama, in spite of having a broken wrist and wounded, took the initiative, without regard for his own personal safety and knocked out two Japanese tanks with his projectile infantry anti-tank gun. He continued to fire on the Japanese, killing a number of them and maiming others, before he was evacuated. And for this he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest honour for valour beyond the call of duty, awarded by the British Crown to soldiers serving under it,” the Statesman article said

Making Sikkim Subject Certificate mandatory will safeguard ‘distinct identity’, check influx: Sangha MLA

Gangtok, Nov 14: Responding positively to the Chamling Government’s decision to safeguard the rights and interests of bonafide Sikkimese possessing Sikkim Subject Certificates, Sangha MLA Sonam Lama said such steps would go a long way in safeguarding Sikkim’s ‘distinct identity within the Union’ and checking influx.

In a press statement, Lama, who is one of the ten legislators of the Opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) said “I congratulate and thank the present government” for making it mandatory the production of Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) or Certificate of Identification (CoI) by Sikkimese women seeking to avail of certain benefits from the government.

During a recent meeting of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) Legislature Party it was

decided that SSC or CoI be made mandatory for those who wish to get government jobs, trade

licenses and government benefits.

It was also decided CoI would be issued only to girls/women born in Sikkim marrying Sikkimese and not to women from outside the State marrying Sikkimese men.

The decision by the ruling party to introduce work permit system for non-Sikkimese working in the State has been welcomed by the Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP).

SNPP President Biraj Adhikari said his party not only “endorses the government’s effort” but “expects concrete rules to implement this initiative at the earliest.”

Tibetans in India entitled for central, state welfare schemes: Gyari

Gangtok, Nov 14: The Home Minister of the Tibetan exiled-government Dolma Gyari has welcomed the Centre’s recent decision to entitle Tibetans residing in India to become beneficiries

In what is considered to be a landmark decision, Government of India recently formalised the Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014.

Gyari, who was here recently for a women’s empowerment function, said she received a copy of 7-paged document concerning the policy.

The Tibetan Rehabilitation policy makes clear the entitlements of Tibetans relating to their welfare in India. The guidelines include the extension of land lease agreements, and the benefits available to the Tibetans under central and state government welfare schemes. The policy also grants Tibetans the right to undertake economic activity and pursue any job for which they are professionally qualified; these can include nursing, engineering, accounting, medicine, etc.

There are over 100,000 Tibetans living in India and for the first time the Indian Election Commission allowed India-born Tibetans to participate in the general election this year, and has given them the right to apply for an Indian passport.

Chogyal rule, ‘golden era’: old settlers

“Namgyal Dynasty gave us respect, security”

Gangtok, Nov 14: Indian-origin old settlers of the former kingdom of Sikkim have unanimously

acknowledged the pre-merger Chogyal era as the ‘golden era’ of Sikkim.

Paying rich tributes to the youngest and the only son of Chogyal Sir Tashi Namgyal, Prince Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal, who passed away here on October 30 at the age of 86, the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce, during its condolence meeting said the members recalled the Chogyal era as the ‘golden era’.

RC Mundra, President of the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim (AOSOS), in a press release said members of the Association, who have been living in Sikkim since 1880, “expressed deep grief” on the demise of the former Prince.

“Several members recalled the golden time of the Namgyal Dynasty,” the release said and added, “We are indebted to the Namgyal Dynasty for giving us respect, affection and full security during their regime.”

As a mark of respect the business community closed down all business establishments in the capital and other parts of the State on the funeral day, November 5. (see OBITUARY on page 4)

Editorial

WELCOME INITIATIVE

Benefits For Tibetans

After inviting the exiled Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oath-taking ceremony in New Delhi recently the Modi Government has now allowed Tibetan refugees in India to become beneficiaries of various welfare schemes in the country. While this will not only help the economic condition of the one lac plus Tibetan refugee residing in India the new initiative will also go a long way in giving a sense of security and belonging to the Tibetans, who left their homeland after the Chinese occupation of Tibet in latter part of 1950s.

So far majority of Tibetans residing in various settlements in the country rely on themselves, the exiled government and the international community for their livelihood. The new policy of the Indian Government, aimed at aiding their economic condition is, therefore, a big bonus. It has come at a time when the Tibetan refugees are legally permitted to become Indian citizens. The BJP has always been sympathetic to the Tibetans and their cause and its concerns for them have now taken a tangible shape. This indeed is a welcome step in the right direction.

Korean, Thai delegates visit Sikkim

Former Thai Minister Nalinee Taveesin (centre) at Enchay monastery, Gangtok, recently.

Gangtok, Nov 14:Appreciating and congratulating the successful X-Himalayan Expedition 2014 led by well South Korean adventurer Junghun Park that culminated in Sikkim last month, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Ugen T. Gyatso hosted a dinner for the expedition team here at the Mayfair Resorts.

The X-Himalaya expedition after completing their expeditions through the mountainous terrains of Pakistan, Tibet and Nepal, started their expedition here in Sikkim from 10 October 2014.

A team of climbers, film crew for documentation and a few friends, the expedition led by team Leader Junghun Park summitted Mt. Tingchingkhang while at the same time paragliding atop eastern and Sikkim Himalayas, an official release said.

The team included four South Koreans with Junghun Park as the team leader. The others included Dehea Park, Jaemjn An, Hyun Jung Kim and Sikkimese adventurer and paraglider Raju Rai.

The X-expedition included trekking, mountain biking, climbing and paragliding.

Junghun Park the team leader is a world renowned alpinist and is not new to Sikkim. The Minister lauded the efforts of the team member in promoting adventure, an integral part of tourism.

Gyatso who also holds the portfolio of trade and commerce over an extended dinner invitation also hosted the Thai trade, commerce and tourism delegation led by Dr. Nalinee Taveesin, former Minister and permanent representative attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, Royal Government of Thailand.

The delegation had reached Gangtok after touring Darjeeling. During the cordial interaction between the Thai delegates and Sikkim officials, closer ties between Thailand and Sikkim in trade, commerce and tourism were discussed and to take the efforts to the next level as there was already an exchange of tourism between the two for several years including pilgrimage tourism which was gradually growing over the years. The delegation included Thai trade and commerce captains as well as entrepreneurs and members from the Trade and Commerce Ministry.

Taveesin, who has a very impressive educational background with several degrees from the USA, including one from the prestigious Harvard University and Edward S. Mason Fellow of Harvard Kennedy School of Government, also studied in Darjeeling (Mt Hermon School).

NIT director Densapa recovering from septicemia attack

(Right) Densapa (left) at NIT, Gangtok. (file pix)

Gangtok, Nov 14: The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT) Director Tashi Densapa, who was admitted to a hospital in Delhi recently, has regained his health and is recovering.

Densapa suffered from a sudden and severe attack of septicemia and was rushed to Delhi after a brief medical check-up in Siliguri in September.

The former secretary is likely to return home next month for a while, sources said.

Family sources said Densapa is now out of danger and is gradually regaining his health. He is said to be still very weak.

Septicemia, formerly called blood poisoning, is an infection caused by the presence of bacteria in the blood. The onset of septicemia is signaled by a high fever, chills, weakness, and excessive sweating, followed by a decrease in blood pressure.

Chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger widespread inflammation. Inflammation may result in organ damage. Blood clotting during sepsis reduces blood flow to limbs and internal organs, depriving them of nutrients and oxygen. In severe cases, one or more organs fail.

In the worst cases, infection leads to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, called septic shock. This can quickly lead to the failure of several organs -- lungs, kidneys, and liver -- causing death.

Parliamentary panel visits Nathula

Gangtok, Nov 14: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence led by former Uttarakhand chief minister BC Khanduri visited the Indo-China border trade post at Nathula in east Sikkimlast month.

He was accompanied by former Prime Minister HG Deve Gowda and Sikkim Rajya Sabha MP Hishey Lachungpa.

The Committee comprises of nine members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and senior officials of the Committee, Defence Ministry.

The team inspected the road and other infrastructure to Nathula along the Indo-China border.

The visit comes in view of the recent decision of the Centre to open Nathula for pilgrims to travel to Mt. Kailash.

OBITUARY Gyalsey Kushon Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal

Sikkim missed the touch of a brilliant mind

By TENZIN C. TASHI

Denjong Gyalsey Kushon (Younger Sikkimese Prince) Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal was born on August 23, 1928 at the Palace, Gangtok. He was the youngest son of Their Highnesses, the 11^thDenjong Chogyal Tashi Namgyal and Maharani Kunzang Dechhen Tshomo Namgyal. Following his demise on October 30, 2014 at the age of 86, perhaps it is the end of a genteel era of Sikkim’s history.

Gyalsey JT Namgyal was affectionately known as Gyalsey Georgela. Sikkim was then under British rule, and the Sikkimese royal family had cordial relations with the British Political Officer for Sikkim, Bhutan and Tibet who was based in Gangtok. The strong British influence - P.O. Charles Bell personally groomed his father, Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, to take over the reins of the administration of the kingdom - explained why the royal children had British nicknames.

Gyalsey Georgela received a fine western education at the most prestigious of educational institutions in India and abroad: St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling; Bishop Cotton School, Shimla; St. Stephen’s College, Delhi; and Christ Church College, University of Oxford. He was a brilliant student and proved his academic genius by consistently topping his class. He topped St. Stephens where he majored in History Honours. He was only 17 years when he graduated from college. He earned further laurels by making it to the elite Christ Church College at the University of Oxford.

The last journey begins at Late Prince's residence, Tashi Gartsel, Gangtok.

It is from his letters sent home from Bishop Cotton School to his father that much of his innate goodness of nature emerges. These are still carefully preserved in the Palace files. He was a conscientious child, always applying himself diligently to his school work; this discipline, coupled with his natural intelligence, always resulted in high marks and glowing testimonials from his tutors. The young prince always made it a point to reassure his father that he was working hard and topping the class and hoped it pleased his royal father. His many report cards show that he was equally adept at all the many subjects he studied.

He was also a talented artist, much like Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, and always signed off every letter home with a pencil sketch as varied as two boxers or a horse. Additionally, he was a fine equestrian and enjoyed horse-riding; there is a yellowed clipping from a Shimla newspaper tucked away in the Palace files announcing that the Prince of Sikkim had won an award for his excellent horsemanship.

Prince Jigme Namgyal

Although his elder brothers, Crown Prince Kunzang Cholay Namgyal aka Paljor Namgyal and Prince Palden Thondup Namgyal were also studying at Bishop’s concurrently, they were 7 and 5 years older to him respectively. Like typical elder brothers, they seem to have considered their young brother something of an impatience and were glad, they wrote, that every weekend, ‘George has again been invited to his friend’s home, and we have not even seen his face.’ On his part, young Georgela, shy and academically inclined, apparently ran away when he saw his older and more physical brothers. Interestingly, while the two older Princes routinely wrote home to their father asking him to send more money for festivals and birthdays, it was young Georgela who stoically averred that he still had money left over and would not need more to be sent. This despite getting the princely sum of five rupees to his brothers’ fifteen or twenty.

Following the untimely demise of Crown Prince Paljor in WWII in 1941,

Princess Gawa Namgyal and Princess Hope Leezum Namgyal

Palden Thondup Namgyal became the heir apparent and Georgela was being groomed to assist him in the administration of the kingdom. Upon completing his studies in England and returning home, Georgela became the first Development Commissioner of Sikkim.

Prince Palden Namgyal

Mr. K.C. Pradhan, former Chief Secretary of Sikkim, reminisces: ‘My immediate reflection of him was Dewan Rustomji in his grey bakhu standing on top of the stairs of lower Secretariat waiting for Georgela and the latter walking briskly up the stairs. Dewan Rustomji had made it a point to give him a lift to go to the Palace for lunch every working day. He was Development Commissioner then and his office was located in the same floor along with Forest and Agriculture. He was brilliant and we were often told his grasp of subjects and notations in files were superb, besides which he was a voracious reader. Dewan Rustomji loved him and was keen he should get fully involved in Sikkim administration.’

Indifferent health issues cut short Gyalsey Georgela’s career in the administration. His mother decided it was time he married. She threw a garden party at ‘Arunachal’, the Kalimpong house of his sister, Princess Pema Tsedeun Yabshi- Pheunkhang, where she had invited about 10-12 prospective brides for him. Gyalsey Georgela dutifully checked out all the young ladies but made no comment. It was only when they had returned home to Sikkim that he announced his choice, the beautiful young daughter, Sonam Yangchenla aka Soyangla, of the aristocratic Tibetan family of Namseling.

Princess Hope L. Namgyal

The Maharani was a little puzzled that he had chosen someone so young, 18 years his junior. But such is what we Sikkimese call ‘thamzi.’ After getting engaged in 1960, Gyalsey Georgela and Lhacham Soyangla were married in 1961. They had two children in quick succession, son Jigmela in 1962 and daughter Gawala in 1964. Gyalsey Georgela was plagued by health issues for much of his subsequent life. It was thamzi that he chose Lhacham Soyangla as she is the true embodiment of the title ‘Lhacham’ which means heavenly consort. Her infinite patience, unwavering commitment and lifelong dedication to her late husband is the stuff legends are made of. It was only because of her steadfast presence and staunch devotion that the Prince lived so long and defeated so many bouts of illness that required hospitalisation.

Due to his health issues, Gyalsey Georgela was often confined to bed rest and hence led a quiet retired life in his Development Area residence, Tashi Gartsel. Lhacham Kusho recollects, ‘He was such a nice, kind man. He never harmed anyone. He never spoke ill of anyone.’ His daughter Gawa Yangchenla avers that he was a kind and compassionate father and much loved and adored by his grandchildren. When he was well, he used to joke with them. Even when ill, he was affectionate and caring. Those that knew the departed Prince vouch that he was always unfailingly courteous and large-hearted.

In true Buddhist tradition, Gyalsey Georgela thus left behind this lasting legacy of kindness and compassion. He touched the hearts of all who knew him and loved him.

Danny Denzongpa

Wednesday, November 5, is the day of his funeral. The Government of Sikkim has declared it a state holiday. His mortal remains will be consigned to the flames on the slopes of the Lukshyama royal crematorium where all the members of the Namgyal dynasty have traditionally been cremated. And his gentle legacy will reverberate through every Sikkimese heart that beats there and waft into collective consciousness.

(Tenzin C. Tashi is a Senior Researcher at the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT), Sikkim)

SIKKIM GIVES BEFITTING FAREWELL TO PRINCE JIGDAL TSEWANG NAMGYAL

ON HIS LAST JOURNEY

Homage to Symbol of Sikkim’s ‘golden era’

The kuburof Late Denjong Gyalsey Kusho, Prince Jigdal Tshewang Namgyal of Sikkim, the youngest and the only surviving son of Maharaja Sir Tashi Namgyal (KCSI, KCIE - 1914-1963), the 11^th Chogyal of Sikkim, bearing the Sikkim national flag, passes through (Nov 5, 2014) three prominent power-points in the former Kingdom: White Hall, Nehru’s Bust, and Mintokgang, Chief Minister’s official residence.

Bollywood actor Danny Denzongpa, the Late Prince’s son-in-law, and Bhutan’s model-turned-actor Kelly Dorji, a member of Bhutan’s royal family, were also present at the funeral procession. Prime Minister of the Tibetan exiled government Lobsang Sangay also paid his last respects to the departed soul at Tashi Gartsel, residence of the Late Prince in Gangtok.

Prince Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal may have lived a quiet life; his death, however, brought him back into the limelight and reminded us of who we are, what happened to us and where we are heading.

Sikkim school team wins East Zone basketball tourney

Gangtok, Nov 14: Sikkim’s Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) for Scheduled Tribe, Gangyap, West Sikkim, has won the Under 19 East Zone Basketball Cluster 1 Championship (CBSE).

The EMRS basketball team has just returned from Guwahati after participating in the CBSE Under 19 East Zone Basketball Cluster 1 Championship that took place from the 25th – 27th of this month. EMRS had taken both the boys as well as the girls teams for basketball, Principal-cum-coach Sidharth Yonzone said.

The boys beat Gurukool School, Guwahati, in their 1st game but lost to St. Francis, Narangi in the quarter final game but put up a brave contesting fight led by their captain Pema Chewang of class XI.

On the other hand, the girls’ basketball team which had been champions for the last 4 years were playing their first CBSE tournament without 8 seniors who have passed out from school earlier this year. Led by Tshering Eden Bhutia (XII) & Vice Captain Diki Doma Bhutia (XII), the duo made sure that EMRS retained their 5th championship as in as many years.

They played Axel Public School in the quarter finals after being awarded a bye in the first round and beat them 59 -02 in a shortened game.

In the semi-finals, they demolished Delhi Public School, Guwahati 87 -06 with Tshering Eden scoring 30 and Diki scoring 26.

They faced St. Francis in the finals. St. Francis had earlier defeated the home team MBRS by some 40 points and had promised a contesting finals. But the girls of Gangyap just swept through the finals thrashing them, 86 – 04 with Tshering Eden scoring 35 and Diki scoring 34.

The team has now qualified for the Nationals which is to be held in the first week of December in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

Schools from Nagaland, Meghalaya and Assam had taken part in this CBSE Cluster 1 meet.

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November 28, 2014, 8:58 pm

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RN Chamling finally takes oath

Assembly pays tribute to Prince Jigdal Namgyal

Gangtok, Nov 29: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s younger brother Rup Narayan Chamling, who was elected to the Assembly from Rangang-Yangang constituency in south Sikkim recently, last week took oath of office.

Speaker KN Rai administered the oath to the newly elected during the Assembly session here last Friday.

RN Chamling contested as an independent candidate from the constituency vacated by the Chief Minister, who contested from two constituencies in south district. The by-election was held in September this year.

Rup Narayan Chamling defeated Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) candidate Kumari Manger, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Bikash Basnet, and the Congress’s Bishnu Prasad Adhikari. The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, which had a poll alliance with the BJP, opted out of the fray.

The Speaker and the Chief Minister in the obituary reference on the passing away of Late Gyalsey Kushyo Jigdal Tsewang Namgyal, former Prince of Sikkim, expressed their deep and profound sorrow on the sad demise of late Prince, the youngest son of Lt. Chogyal Tashi Namgyal who passed away on 30th October 2014.

The Chief Minister, during the obituary reference, said the late Prince was fondly remembered as Gyalsey Georgela, who received his education at the most prestigious schools in India and was a brilliant student and majored with history honours. He was a man of the people who loved him profoundly for his simplicity and modesty.

After completing his education, the late Prince became the first Development Commissioner of Sikkim and initiated various developmental works and made immense contribution in shaping the state in the right direction. His demise has created a huge void in the Sikkimese society, he said. He also prayed for the departed soul and expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

As a mark of respect to the departed soul, the House also observed a two-minute silence.

During the two-day session, three new Bills were introduced: Sikkim Agricultural, Horicultural input and Livestock Feed Regulatory Bill, Sikkim Determination of Lease Bill and the Sikkim Anatomy Bill.

Sikkimese protested against ‘merger’ in 1975

By N G Dorji Khangsarpa

In 1975 near the last days of the reign of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, the last king of independent and free Sikkim, when it was more than evident that Sikkim was to be “merged” with India, the people of Sikkim and particularly those of Gangtok and the surrounding areas, finally threw away the shackles of fear and for two glorious days staged a major rally against Indian intentions with Sikkim.

The second day rally was short-lived after Indian Army personnel, especially some Gorkha Rifle units and Assam Rifles jawans staged a flag march from the Palace ridge down to Tadong army camp. This even as the CRPF personnel were busy firing tear gas canisters and lathi-charging the people gathered for further protests.

The first day’s rally, however, saw at least four thousand people (a massive gathering in those days of a Sikkim with a barely 200,000 lakh population) march up to Mintokgang, which was then used as the residence of B S Das, who was supposed to have been brought to assist the Chogyal of Sikkim, but was working more on the orders of New Delhi. The protestors shouted anti-Indian slogans and demanded that Sikkim be left alone.

Since the rally was one of the biggest gathering of Sikkim’s population during the last days preceeding the merger, the majority of Indian print media and a few foreign ones carried stories and posted pictures of the rallyists gathered at Mintokgang within the next few days.

However, the headings and captions for that particular picture more or less, read: “People of Sikkim from all walks of life surround the palace demanding merger with India”.

Similarly, with regard to the now famous Gurudongmar Lake and the recent controversies vis-a-vis Guru Rimpochhe and Guru Nanak I have the following opinion:

Prior to 1975 very, very few people actually went there, Sikkimese or otherwise. I have been given to understand by older Lachenpas and Lachungpas that before 1947 there was no Gurdwara at the Gurudongmar Lake.

After Independence from the British almost 40% of the Indian Army consisted of Punjabis/Sikhs, as the British had recognized and preferred them as a martial race. It was no wonder that after the 1950 treaty between Sikkim and India, the first units of the Indian army to enter Sikkim were the Punjab Regiment and Sikh Light Infantry.

Though their forward base was at Chungthang, the Sikhs would patrol the barren North from camps situated all over North Sikkim.

One such camp was near Gurudongmar Lake, where they set up a Gurdwara. Suddenly, near the end of the twentieth century we are told that Guru Nanak had travelled to Sikkim and was responsible for Gurudogmar being named after him etc. etc. (N G Dorji Khangsarpa is editor of The Encounter newspaper)

FIX ACCOUNTABILITY

CBI Chief Cannot Go Scot-free

Noted advocate Prashant Bhushan, who represents the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), has rightly lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi Government seeking registration of an FIR against CBI Director Ranjit Sinha under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA). Bhushan, who sought a thorough investigation against Sinha, alleged that Sinha had attempted to influence various cases including the 2G scam and coal block allocation scam after meeting the accused persons or their representative at his residence at 2 Janpath in New Delhi.

On Bhushan's plea, Supreme Court has removed Sinha from 2G case last week for his interference in 2G case. Bhushan is convinced that offences of bribery can be established by a thorough investigation and has sought for a "thorough and impartial" investigation against Sinha, who is due to retire next week. The petition has alleged that the CBI Director had "deliberately" tried to save certain influential persons from prosecution in the 2G scam, coal scam, etc by abusing his position. Those safeguarding corrupt elements in power must be thoroughly exposed and accountability fixed if India is to forge ahead.

Japan assures China it will stay out of projects in Arunachal

The Japanese side has clarified that its cooperation with India is not in disputed areas between China and India: Beijing

Beijing, Nov 29: China said last Tuesday that it had received a "clarification" from the Japanese government saying Tokyo would not involve itself in infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

Responding to reports in India which said the Border Roads Organization (BRO) had given 'strategic' projects to the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) along the China border, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Japanese government had made clear that it would not involve itself in projects in 'disputed areas' between India and China. Officials clarified this included Arunachal Pradesh, which China has territorial claims on.

"The Japanese side has clarified that its cooperation with India is not in disputed areas between China and India," Hong said.

While China and Japan have recently been grappling with tense relations over disputed East China Sea islands, relations have begun to thaw after Chinese President Xi Jinping met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Beijing last week, on the sidelines of the APEC Summit. Both sides signed a four point agreement to cool tensions.

India's BRO has sought help from the JICA to push forward long-overdue infrastructure projects in India's Northeast. The JICA has been roped in to provide assistance for a number of road projects. According to the Japanese agency's website, it is currently involved in various projects in the Northeast in Sikkim, Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.

The Japanese government's clarification suggests that at least in Arunachal - and along the strategically significant China border where India's infrastructure is especially lagging behind that of its neighbour - the BRO will have to move forward without Tokyo's assistance.

Sikkim’s Karma Bhutia felicitated, places India on Global IT software landscape

PM Modi’s“MakeInIndia” campaign gets a boost from Sikkim

Gangtok, Nov 29: Sikkim-based Demi Solutions founder Karma Bhutia was felicitated and awarded “Best Exhibitor” at CeBIT India – Bangalore ITE.biz, the biggest Information Technology event held in India with over 600 brands and more than 300 exhibitors and over 1 lakh visitors and participants from over 35 countries.

Bhutia has been invited to participate and showcase these innovations and solutions at CeBIT - Hannover Germany, which will be held in March 2015.

CeBIT is the World’s leading Business IT and ICT event held annually in Hannover in Germany. This year for the first time CeBIT tied up with BangaloreITE.biz to launch the CeBIT India a 3-day event from the 12th – 14th November 2014.

In this event, STPI a lead sponsor hosted 127 MSME units from 21 states across the country at STPI “MakeInIndia” pavilion to showcase the potential of the IT/ITeS/ESDM start-ups in India. This is to enable the prospective investors for supporting the “MakeInIndia” programme, which was recently launched by Prime Minister. Narendra Modi.

As part of “MakeInIndia” pavilion Karma Bhutia – an entrepreneur/innovatorwith expertise in eGovernance, BigData, Cloud Computing, Mobility & Product Innovation -showcased Demi Solutions’ frugal innovation built and developed in Gangtok.

Demi Solutionssetup India’s first 3D Printing and Prototyping Lab in Gangtok and it has filed the first patent/intellectual property in software technology in the whole North East region.

Bhutia, Founder of M/s. Demi Solution said, “Firstly, I would like to thank Department of IT, Government of Sikkim and STPI for recognizing our work and nominating us to showcase our products & offerings to people from other states in India & to the World at CeBIT India. We at Demi Solutions take immense pride in showcasing Sikkimese grit, ingenuity and innovation that has been highly appreciated by participants, delegates and exhibitors from all over the world.

This is a proud moment for Sikkim/Sikkimese and the people of the North East region of India that we have finally etched a mark on the Global IT software landscape. I’d also like to thank my team for their dedicated effort in helping build these amazing solutions.”

Among the awardees were IT software conglomerates like Cognizant, Infosys, TCS, Wipro, GoldmanSach, Ernst & Young, SAP, HP and DELL.

Earlier on 3rd November 2014 , Karma Bhutia received the Finalist Award at the 5th eNorthEast awards held in Aizwal Mizoram in the “eGovernance & citizen service delivery” category.

Thank you!

The family of the late Denjong Gyalse Kushon J.T. Namgyal is truly touched by and deeply appreciative of the outpouring of sympathy and support we received in the wake of his demise.

While it is not possible for us to thank everyone individually, we would like to place on record our heartfelt gratitude to all those who condoled with us in the time of our bereavement and extended much support during the funeral.

The late Gyalsey Kushon was not able to lead much of a public life. Despite that, all of Sikkim gave him such a poignant and emotional farewell. Mere words are thus inadequate while trying to convey how overwhelmed we were by the massive support we received all the way to Lukshyama.

We would like to thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister for declaring a public holiday on the day of the funeral, as also all the shopkeepers for keeping their business establishments closed to express their solidarity.

We are grateful for all our friends, family and well-wishers for rallying around us and for all the kindness and commiseration.

To all the many people, too innumerable to mention here, who supported us in every way, we wish to reiterate our earnest gratitude.

ENVIRONMENT

TASHIDING HYDRO POWER PROJECT

The fate of Sikkim's sacred river hangs in balance

Sikkim High Court wants Central Govt to decide on controversial hydel project in West Sikkim

By S. Dutta

Having drastically curtailed the width of eco-sensitive zones in Sikkim, the MoEF seems intent on ignoring local sentiment as well as environmental norms in order to push forward the Tashiding HEP on the sacred Rathong Chu river. Soumik Dutta reports on the latest in the case.

The judgment in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) demanding the scrapping of the 97-MW Tashiding Hydro Power Project (or Tashiding HEP) on the sacred Rathong Chu River in West Sikkim, was pronounced on World Environment Day, 5 June 2014 by the Sikkim High Court.

The petitioners in the PIL, both of whom were from the Buddhist minority community of Sikkim, demanded the scrapping of the project, citing violation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, apart from gross violations of the report of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) and the Supreme Court order of 2006 in the Goa Foundation case.

The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, extended to Sikkim in 1998, details a list of sacred shrines, rivers, lakes, caves, mountain peaks and even sacred groves in Sikkim and strictly specifies that no construction or development projects should be allowed to be undertaken in the vicinity of these places.

There is a notification by the Sikkim government that reiterates the provisions of the Act and also identifies the Rathong Chu as a sacred River, along with the Tashiding Monastery on its banks that is deemed ‘extremely sacred’ and revered by the Buddhists.

The judgment pronounced by the division bench of Chief Justice N K Jain and Justice S P Wangdi passed the ball to the court of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), asking it to take a final call on the matter within six months from the date of the order.

However, given the recent notifications from the MoEF on the matter of eco-sensitive zones and buffer areas, this judgment does not bring any cheer to those protesting the project on the holy Rathong Chu.

The history of the Tashiding HEP and protests

The genesis of protests against hydro power projects on River Rathong Chu in Sikkim dates back to the mid-nineties, when the Sikkim Democratic Front Party (SDF) government under Chief Minister Pawan Chamling had decided to go ahead with a proposed 30 MW Rathong Chu hydropower project on the River, despite tremendous pressure to scrap the said project, mainly on religious grounds.

Rathong Chu is considered to be a ‘sacred’ river, the water of which is used even today for an annual Buddhist festival – Bum Chu, at the Tashiding Monastery. This has been an important Buddhist tradition since the time of the erstwhile Chogyals (Kings) of Sikkim from the Namgyal dynasty.

The earliest protests were led by prominent citizens in the state, and supported by Buddhist associations, monks from almost all the prominent monasteries of Sikkim and devout Buddhists from across the state.

Eventually in 1997, under scathing criticism of infringement on cultural and religious rights of Buddhist minorities, the Chamling government decided to scrap the project. Ironically, the same Chamling-led SDF government allotted another project on the River Rathong Chu, a little further downstream, in the year 2006. In fact, the project capacity now was enhanced from 30 MW to 97 MW! While the earlier project was called the Rathong Chu HEP project, it was now rechristened the Tashiding Hydro Power Project.

Regulatory lapses

The Tashiding HEP is presently operating in violation of guidelines issued by both the Central government and the Supreme Court.

According to the Supreme Court order in force in the Goa Foundation case, there can be no construction within a 10-km radius of any national park; the Tashiding HEP being developed by Shiga Energy Private Limited (part of the Dans group), however, falls well within the 10-km radius of the Khangchendzonga National Park.

The MoEF incidentally came out with a draft notification dated 3 February 2014, by which the width of the buffer zone around Sikkim’s lone national park and four wildlife sanctuaries has been reduced from 10 kilometres to between 25-200 metres!

Moreover, while this particular project received Environmental Clearance (EC) from the MoEF on 29 July 2010, neither the project developer nor the state government has obtained statutory clearance from the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) under the MoEF.

The NBWL standing committee, which sent a fact-finding team to Sikkim in July-August 2013, had in fact warned the environment ministry in August 2013 that at least six hydro-electric projects in Sikkim were coming up without mandatory clearance. These include the proposed Teesta V Project, and the ongoing Teesta III, Dik Chu, Panan, and Tashiding projects.

Damming and damning the Teesta

While clearance has still not been granted, construction activity continues at the project site. The High Court had earlier stated in its interim order in a PIL against the Tashiding project that this would be at the risk of the project developer.

Documents in possession of this correspondent reveal that the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) had written to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Sikkim in May 2013, about the status of the Tashiding HEP.

The letter, issued by Mr. Vivek Saxena, DIG Forests (WL), MoEF, sought to know "... whether the construction of the 97 MW Tashiding HEP in West Sikkim is already underway,” and directed, “if yes, the same may kindly be stopped immediately until further orders as they do not have necessary recommendations of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife." Despite this, construction continued unabated.

Concerned officials in the Forest Department consistently avoided enquiries seeking clarification in this regard. Officials in the Energy and Power Department meanwhile denied any knowledge of the said communiqué, stating that the Forest department had not forwarded any such letter to the Power department.

Protests by civil society fall on deaf ears

Meanwhile, on 20 August, 2014, the president of the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT), Mr. Tseten Lepcha served a legal notice to the Secretary, MoEF on the same issue.

ACT is an NGO fighting for the cause of the Teesta River and Sikkim’s fragile environment. The said notice, a copy of which is available with this correspondent, has challenged the draft notification of the MoEF issued on 3 February 2014 as mentioned above. The notice has called for an interim buffer zone of at last 7 to 8 km, instead of the 200 metres as proposed by the MoEF.

The notice also made clear that any failure on the part of the MoEF to reconsider its earlier decision and proceed arbitrarily would compel the ACT to take further appropriate legal action.

In a memorandum to the MoEF, objecting to the same notification, the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) alleged that the proposal would facilitate unrestrained exploitation of natural resources to the detriment of the state's ecology and heritage.

“The draft lacks scientific assessment and overrides the findings of the National Board of Wildlife, which is part of the ministry and comprises a panel of academics,” SIBLAC convener Tseten Tashi Bhutia told this correspondent.

“Any project on the Rathong Chu is not acceptable to us since it is on the waters of the most sacred river according to Neysol and Neyig Buddhist texts. The water of Rathong Chu is used by the Tashiding Monastery for the annual Holy Bum Chu festival,” says Tseten Bhutia, adding that despite so many representations over the Tashiding project and the sensitivity of the issues involved, the Indian government had remained adamant and aloof.

“How can the MoEF decide on the Places of Worship Act and its possible violation?” asks Bhutia, questioning the recent order passed by the Sikkim High Court of the Tashiding PIL.

The angst of the people notwithstanding, with the MoEF notifications in place, the fate of Tashiding HEP and that of other HEPs in Sikkim, operating in violation of environmental norms, appear to be secured favourably as far as the government and project developers are concerned. Environment, ecology, indigenous people, their culture, identity, religion and in fact, very existence have taken a back seat.

BOOK Review

Mothers and daughters stretch India’s social boundaries

The Jewel Daughters

By Nina Harkness

278 pages. Trade paperback $14.00. Kindle $2.99.

Like her debut novel A Sahib’s Daughter, this new title by Ms. Harkness is a multigenerational and multicultural exploration of life during and after India’s period as a British colony. Spanning forty-five years, it has as one area of interest the relationships between Indian natives and British tea plantation administrators, revealing the cultural and racial social structure during a period of change.

The central character is Cara Powell, daughter of a Welsh Presbyterian pastor in Shillong, a small city known for its beautiful rolling hills and as a regional administrative center. The pastor dies when Cara is fourteen, and her mother Beula, an orphan of mixed race, struggles to raise her on a slim pension from the church. Fearful for beautiful Cara’s future, Beula is anxious to marry her off. Rather than encourage a relationship with a local boy, Avon, she insists on a marriage to the self-centered and ill-tempered Scottish sahib, Gerard McKenzie, manager of a tea plantation near Sonari in the state of Assam.

McKenzie takes Cara to Sonari, but he never takes her in marriage. McKenzie is both crude and cruel. Cara’s life with him provides some degree of luxury, but she is disrespected and abused. A man of little education and no tact, he eventually finds himself overwhelmed by social change, labor agitation and other changes in the tea business, and especially by the responsibilities of domestic life and fatherhood.

Cara raises three daughters. Two are her children by McKenzie. The third is the daughter of a neighboring indentured laborer named Saptamita, who has returned McKenzie’s attraction to her. However, this woman realizes that both she and the child would be better off if the girl (McKenzie’s one year old daughter) was taken into the McKenzie household and raised as Cara’s daughter.

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Pix of Nina Harkness's books

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HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN Dec 3-9, 2014

Nepal Maoist leader forms new party, calls for ‘armed struggle’

Netra Bikram Chand

Kathmandu, Dec 2: Former secretary of the Mohan Baidya-led CPN-Maoist Netra Bikram Chand on Monday officially announced the formation of a new party, the fourth Maoist party to enter mainstream politics since the former rebels joined the peace process in 2006.

The new party, Communist Party of Nepal Maoist CPN (Maoist), declared Nepali Congress as its prime enemy. Chand blamed UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidya of undermining the bloodshed of more than 10,000 people and deceiving commoners by joining hands with ‘enemies’ to weaken Maoism within the country.

The party, leaders said, was the need of time to sustain the legacy of ‘people’s war’ after the UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist ‘diverted from their principles’. The leaders claimed that the party could go as far as undertaking an ‘armed struggle’ in order to protect ‘national unity, integrity, sovereignty and rights of people’, The Himalayan Timesreported.

Chand’s document on ‘unified struggle’ talks of launching a new revolution with the support of rural peasants and urban working class (middle class) along with other marginalised communities.

Nearly a third of the CPN-Maoist leaders, mostly young ones from the People’s Liberation Army, have joined the party.

The party further demanded an ‘all party conference’ to resolve contentious issues of the constitution writing process. The party also asked to nullify all unequal treaties signed between Nepal and India, including the1950 treaty.

Build centres of learning, not temples: Dalai Lama to RSS

New Delhi, Dec 2: Sharing dais with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and VHP patron Ashok Singhal at an event recently, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama said India should remember and reinforce its great tradition of tolerance and religious harmony and think about why it has more temples than centres of learning.

The Dalai Lama was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day World Hindu Congress (WHC) organized with support from RSS and VHP. The conference was organized with the objective of bringing together Hindus at a time "when the community is beset by very serious challenges and is standing at a critical crossroad".

"We are all equal. Born the same way. Sometimes we forget the sameness of humanity and talk of divisions. In terms of we and they... We need sense of oneness among seven billion people of the world," the Tibetan leader said. He pointing out how all wars and violence are created by man and "unfortunately religious faith also causes problems".

Dalai Lama credited India for all the knowledge that Tibet and Buddhists have, but said, "Ancient India was our guru. Not modern India, it is too westernized ... It is not enough to carry on puja and rituals. This nation produced great thinkers. Now in every corner there is a temple. But places where one can think or discuss are rare."

TO MT. KAILASH THROUGH NATHULA IN 2015

Gangtok, Dec 2: Indian pilgrims would be able to visit Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet through the new route of Nathula in east Sikkim from next year, state tourism department officials said here on Saturday.

Things are progressing at a very fast pace and the Centre and the Sikkim government are aiming at having the first batch of pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar using this new route in June 2015, the official claimed, PTI reported.

India and China had signed a bilateral agreement on the Nathula alternative route on September 18 this year. The route through Nath la will augment capacity and reduce hardship and journey time, enabling many more to undertake the yatra, the official said. More than 1,600 pilgrims, moving in 10 batches, are expected to take the Sikkim route next year and preparations are underway to ensure that the June deadline is met, the official informed.

Two senior officials from the ministry of external affairs were recently in Sikkim to examine the state’s infrastructural preparedness and to finalise other nitty-gritty.

Nepal indigenous groups to unite on federalism

Padma Ratna Tuladhar (left) and Nagendra Kumal

Kathmandu, Dec 2: The Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)) and Padma Ratna Tuladhar-led Adibasi Janajati Rastriya Andolan (AJRA) have forged a deal to launch a combined agitation to press for the issues of indigenous groups, including ethnic identity -based federalism.

The two sides issued a joint statement informing about their plan to launch an agitation at a time when the federation is said to have back off from agitation, Kantipur reported.

In a meeting coordinated by the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists Association (FoNIJ) at NEFIN’s office on Monday, Nefin Chairman Nagendra Kumal and AJRA Chariman Tuladhar have signed the joint statement issued after the meeting.

“Both Nefin and AJRA has agreed to join hands for protest programmes to ensure ethnic-identity based federalism in the constitution drafting process,” read the press release. The press release has further stated that the subsequent talks will be held to decide the structure and programmes of the protest.

NEFIN is an umbrella organisation of 56 ethnic communities while AJRA is a cluster of various ethnic organisations, sister wing of political parties, Janjati leaders of other political parties, experts and individuals, among others.

Second Sino-Nepal trade route opens

The new route is linked with the China’s railway project

Kathmandu. Dec 2: In a major boost for bilateral trade between Nepal and China, one more cross-border trading route has come into operation. With China officially opening the Gyirong Port on the Rasuwagadhi border on Monday, the second land route has opened for bilateral trade.

For long, the Tatopani border was the sole trade transit with China. The new route has historical importance as it was a busy trade link between Tibet and Nepal during the Lichchhavi and Malla periods. Besides, the newly opened route is linked with the Chinese government’s railway project.

During the fifth Nepal-Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee meeting in Lhasa in September, the Chinese side had agreed in principle to extend the Qinghai-Tibet railway to the Nepal border. Hari Prasad Bashyal, Nepal’s consular general in Lhasa, and Dong Mingjun, vice-chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region government, jointly inaugurated the facility.

The Friendship Bridge connecting China with Nepal.

China briefly opened the route in August when the Tatopani border was shut due to landslides along Araniko Highway. Nepali importers rerouted their shipments from China via Rasuwagadhi for some time. China closed the route before Dashain citing the lack of infrastructure on its side. According to Chinese authorities, the customs, quarantine and immigration offices have come into operation.

China plans to scale up its trade ties with Nepal as a new bridge to improve the connectivity between the two countries through Tibet was to be opened in October this year.

The bridge is in Gyirong Valley in the prefecture’s Gyirong county and will also help revitalise Tibet’s Gyirong Port, Director of Gyirong Customs, Wang Long told state-run China Daily.

China is developing Gyirong to make a major land passage between Tibet and Nepal. Currently, Nepal and China rely on Rasuwa Gadhi bridge built by Switzerland for trade and also for visitors to cross over.

But the bridge is not sufficient as trade and travel volumes between the two countries have increased in recent times.

Besides the bridge, China also plans to connect its new railway lines being built from Shigatse up to India, Nepal and Bhutan borders by 2020.

The Beatles’ ashram in Rishikesh lies in ruins

(Left) Rishikesh yoga Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the Beatles.

Dehradun, Dec 2: George Harrison died on November 29, 2001, of lung cancer. He was cremated in Los Angeles and his ashes later scattered in the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Much water has flowed down two of India's holiest rivers 13 years since.

But in a nondescript ashram, overrun by creepers of Uttarakhand's Rajaji National Park, one of the defining legacies of Harrison and The Beatles continues to live on.

Situated by the Ganga, the 'Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram' of Rishikesh — known the world over as the Beatles ashram — is where the "band more famous than Jesus Christ" dabbled in transcendental meditation under the tutelage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the spring of 1968. More famously, the Beatles ashram in Uttarakhand is where the iconic 'White Album' was born. The album sold 9.5 million copies in the United States alone, The Times of India reported.

Today, a few Beatles devotees, mostly Western tourists, seek out the ashram to pay their respects. Chris Cheul from England is one of them. With a guitar in his hands and 'Dear Prudence'— one of the more memorable singles from the White Album — on his lips, Chris walks around the abandoned ashram, "soaking it all in".

"I am a die-hard Beatles fan," he says, "and I couldn't stop myself from coming here once I heard that the Beatles were here for three months and wrote some of their most beautiful songs."

As per official records, the UP forest department, in 1961, leased out 15 acres for 20 years to Mahesh Yogi to set up the ashram. The lease expired in 1981 but Maharishi had moved base by then. The land was taken back and, two years later, handed to the national park. Locals claim it was abandoned around 1977 and has failed to gain the administration's attention ever since.

Much like Chris, many people visit Rishikesh just to visit the ruin. A couple from Australia who learned meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi himself are among them. "The transcendental meditation works," says John as Sussane nods her head. "Otherwise we wouldn't have been practising it for the past 41 years. We came to the ashram in 1973. It was beautiful and serene, but now all that remains is overgrown vegetation. The Beatles association by itself attracts so many fans to this ashram even today. Something really needs to be done about it."

Editorial

UNITY IN DIVERSITY

Modi Faces A Daunting Task

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged the people to be vigilant and guard India's unique unity in diversity, which gave it strength, and asserted that its rich heritage could never be divided on ideological lines. Modi’s call will be tested on how his party handles the delicate issue of Article 370 concerning Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP will be forced to come out openly on this sensitive issue whether it sits in the Opposition or forms the government after the poll results are out.

So far the Modi Government has done commendable job as far as tackling corruption in high places. Decision making processes are faster, government officials are made to work and accountability has been sought from appropriate authorities. Even on foreign affairs Modi has shown the world that he can lead India to a better future. As the Modi wave sweeps across the country winning many Assembly polls the real test of his leadership quality would be to build an India that reflects the age-old heritage of unity in diversity. In a real sense India’s unity is based on its diversity.

Centre to form panel on Gorkhaland

BJP, Cong, TMC against division of Bengal

Darjeeling, Dec 2: The Centre’s recent assurances to Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) on formation of a committee to examine the demand for Gorkhaland state has given a fresh lease of life to hill politics.

"I am happy to inform to all our supporters that Shri Rajnath Singh, Hon'ble Home Minister has agreed to set up a committee to examine our century old demand of Gorkhaland," said Morcha chief Bimal Gurung last week.

Gurung’s statement came after a meeting of top level GJM delegation with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in presence of Morcha-backed Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia.

Reacting to the Centre’s assurance, BJP West Bengal State President Rahul Sinha said, "We will never support any split within the state."

Sinha knows well that formation of Gorkhaland statehood may give BJP assured win in Darjeeling, but, that will ruin BJP throughout the whole state as almost none in the other 41 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal have any support to this separate statehood demand, The Economic Times reported.

Moreover, the States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) is the specified body constituted by the Central Government in 1953 to recommend reorganization of state boundaries.

“There should not be any need of any other committee," said senior Congress leader S Malakar. Leaders from TMC, the ruling party in West Bengal, have also criticized Singh's statement.

In Delhi, Morcha said the delegation reminded the Union Home Minister of the BJP’s promise in the election manifesto to “sympathetically examine and appropriately consider” the demand of the hill people.

In response, the party said, Singh agreed to form the committee and also requested the Morcha to postpone its Delhi dharna, scheduled to start on December 18.

“On Rajnath Singhji’s request, the GJM has decided to postpone the three-day Delhi Dharna and ask the Central Government to expedite the formation of the committee to examine our demand for Gorkhaland,” Morcha said.

It may be recalled that former Darjeeling MP and expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh in May this year alleged that the BJP was not serious on the statehood issue.

"It is sad BJP has not fully accepted the statehood demand of the Darjeeling hills. It is a reality that the state BJP will never agree to a division. Bengal has already seen two divisions and does not want another,” Singh had said.

St. Paul’s School celebrates 150^th anniversary

The school, founded in Calcutta in 1823, was shifted to Darjeeling in 1864

St. Paul's School was founded in Calcutta by Archdeacon Corrie at the instigation of John William Ricketts, a local Anglo-Indian leader, and opened at 11 Park Street on May 1, 1823. The school was moved to its present Jalapahar estate in Darjeeling in 1864 with 31 boarders and a few day scholars. At that time, at approximately 7,600 feet above sea level, it was the highest school in the world. A number of its students fought in both World War I and World War II.

Bishop Foss Westcott, Metropolitan of Bengal, Burma and Ceylon, played an important role in the growth of the school. The Maharajah of Burdwan also made important donations. Over the years a number of estates were purchased and merged with the existing school estate. The Mount Vernon Estate, known as Dawkins, was purchased at the beginning of the 1900s and the Terpsithea Estate in 1955.

The school's original purpose was "to supply a good education at a moderate cost to the sons of Europeans and East Indians", and it remained almost exclusively white until after World War II. After Indian Independence in 1947 it became a school for wealthy Indians and attracted wealthy students from other Asian countries, as of 1960 especially from Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The school celebrated its 150^th anniversary in Oct-Nov this year.

There is a ‘hidden agenda’ in Sikkim, BL body tells Centre

Gangtok, Dec 2: The Centre has been asked to take a serious note of the ‘hidden agenda’ of a section of the people in Sikkim to do away with the former kingdom’s special status within the Union.

A seven-member delegation of the Bhutia Lepcha Protection Force (BLPF) led by its President Phigu Tshering Bhutia has urged the Union Government to safeguard Sikkim’s religious, social and political rights and interests as per Article 371F of the Constitution.

“We have also appraised the Government in the Centre about the Hidden Agendas to do away with the rights and benefits enjoyed” by the minority indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha tribals, a release of the BLPF said.

BLPF President Phigu Tshering Bhutia

While condemning the Burman Commission report, the BLPF said the content of the report dilutes political rights of all Sikkimese, particularly of the Sikkimese of Nepali origin. Issues relating to crapping of mega hydel projects in west and north Sikkim have also been raised with Central leaders, the release said.

The issue of restoration of the political rights of Sikkimese Nepalese through seat reservation in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly also figured in the talks and memorandum submitted to various authorities at the Centre.

Brahmaputra dam won’t hurt India’s Northeast: Beijing

Beijing, Dec 2: China on Monday promised to take "full account" of concerns about its new hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra in the river's downstream areas, which include India's northeastern region. The dam will not come in the way of flood-prevention efforts undertaken in the downstream areas, it said.

On Sunday China had announced the completion of the first phase of construction on the 500MW Zangmu hydroelectricity dam on the Brahmaputra, in its Tibetan region across the Indian border. This is one of the five dams China has planned on the river, which is called Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet, The Times of India reported.

"We'll take full account of concerns of downstream areas," Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokeswoman said. "The hydropower stations that China has built will not affect flood prevention and ecological systems of downstream areas."

India has repeatedly expressed concerns that intense dam-building activity on the Brahmaputra would make downstream areas, including Arunachal Pradesh, vulnerable to flash floods. Besides, the dams will give China the powers of a 'water tap manager' in the river's upstream areas. India's position is especially vulnerable since there is no water treaty between the two countries.

But Hua said China was in full "cooperation and communication" with the downstream areas. She said during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to New Delhi in September, it was India which "thanked China for the provision of hydrological data and assistance in emergency handling" of the river situation. "On the exploration and utilization of trans-boundary rivers, China has been adopting a responsible attitude, and we ensure exploration goes hand in hand with protection," she said.

Hua said China looked at the Brahmaputra issue in the context of the "bigger picture of China-India relationship". The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding for enhancing cooperation in the field of trans-boundary rivers in 2013, Hua said.

China has built the $1.5 billion Zangmu Hydropower Station at a height of 3,300 metres above sea level on the 'Roof of the World', raising concerns among environmentalists that damming the river will upset rare water species and upset the fragile ecological balance in that part of the Himalayas.

ADB reluctant to fund border road projects in Arunachal, Ladakh: Congress MP

Japan assures China it will stay out of Arunachal projects

New Delhi, Dec 2: A Congress member contended in Lok Sabha last Thursday that Japan is now backing out of funding the border roads in Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, a project on which China has raised objections and questioned what the government would do now.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Ninong Ering claimed that following an agreement between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at APEC, Tokyo has now become against the funding, PTI reported.

He recalled that the Asian Development Bank has been reluctant to fund the project due to the Chinese objections.In such a situation, he sought to know how government would go about early completion of the border roads at a time when the Border Roads Organisation has drawn a roadmap.

Beijing: China said last Tuesday that it had received a "clarification" from the Japanese government saying Tokyo would not involve itself in infrastructure projects in Arunachal Pradesh.

"China has noted the report and has checked with the capable authorities," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told reporters, in response to a question on the issue raised by an official Chinese media outlet at a regular press briefing. "The Japanese side has clarified that its cooperation with India is not in disputed areas between China and India," Hong said.

Bhaichung conferred AFC 'Hall of Fame Award'

Manila, Dec 2: Former Indian national football team captain Bhaichung Bhutia was Sunday honoured with the AFC Hall of Fame Award on occasion of the Asian Football Confederation's 60th anniversary here.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter presented the award to Bhaichung on the Awards Night here. AIFF president Praful Patel was also present as were a host of other dignitaries from all over the footballing World.

Moments after receiving it, Bhaichung said the award was not solely for him "but for Indian football".

"It is an honour to be accepting this award not on my behalf, but for football, for India and for all Indian footballers who have to struggle against all odds to prove themselves every single day," he told www.the-aiff.com.

"This is an award for Indian football," he reiterated.

"When I first started playing football as a kid, I never imagined where the game would take me. As I moved up through various stages of my playing career - from a teenager with East Bengal to captaining the national team - I had to face obstacles at every single step of the journey," he recollected, IANS reported.

"But I loved the game. So, I stuck to it and every challenge I faced only made me push harder. I know most Indian players today still face many of the same challenges I did, and this award is for the passion and dedication that makes them continue to play the game," he said.

"Bhaichung has been the flag-bearer of Indian football in over 100 international matches. He deserves this award for sure. My heartiest congratulations to him," Patel said.

"AIFF has been keen on using his experience and post retirement, Bhaichung has been closely associated with AIFF and we expect to work closely for the development of football in the country,"

Patel added.

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December 14, 2014, 9:57 pm

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Dec 13-19, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

Sudhanshu Saria’s His New Hands gets Remi Gold award

Siliguri, Dec 12: Budding filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria’s His New Hands was recently awarded the prestigious Remi Gold prize for Best Dramatic Short at the 47th WorldFest-Houston festival.

The film had its World Premiere in Competition at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival 2014 recently.

Siliguri’s Sudhanshu Saria, or Suds, has worked as an entertainment executive in Los Angeles for the past seven years. In his various positions handling acquisitions – development and distribution – he has helped bring various film and television projects such as The Tudors

(Showtime/BBC), Fragments (Kate Beckinsale, Forest Whitaker), The Ideal (William H Macy, Meg Ryan) to fruition.

Suds received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film and Photography from Ithaca College, New York, USA. His previous work, premiered at film festivals like Hollyshorts and the Oscar qualifying Rio De Janeiro International, has taken him to the Berlinale Talent Campus and gotten him featured on shows on NPR and Good Morning America.

Sudhanshu Saria

His New Hands, his most recent short, had its World Premiere in Competition at the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival 2014 and most recently was awarded the prestigious Remi Gold prize for Best Dramatic Short at the 47th WorldFest-Houston festival.

It was screened at Sarasota, Omaha, Chennai and Johns Hopkins Film Festivals, was selected by the makers of the Red camera for their annual showcase of the best films shot on their camera, and was awarded the Best Cinematography prize at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai.

His New Hands, “ featuring acclaimed actor Andre Royo ( The Wire, The Spectacular Now), is a Faustian tale about the price of pursuing one's dreams set in the Old South,” says Saria and adds “The film was funded via crowdfunding and our donors are from all over the world. We shot the film in Los Angeles area and post-produced it entirely in Mumbai.”

I Am Here, a feature-length screenplay he wrote, was selected for the International Finance Forum at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.

Love , his feature writing and directing debut, is currently in post-production. As he climbs from peak to peak, Suds will surely live up to his college, founded in 1892, motto: “Commitment to Excellence.”

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December 14, 2014, 10:27 pm

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Dec 13-19, 2014

Golay missing as Chamling celebrates his rule in Sikkim

Gangtok, Dec 12: As the ruling party celebrates its 20-year rule in the former kingdom Opposition leader Prem Singh Golay seems to have gone missing again.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) President and legislator’s disappearance and his reluctance to keep in touch with his party leaders and MLAs has resulted in a serious leadership crisis within the party.

Many within the top rank of the party, realizing Golay’s inability to take on the Chamling Government head-on, are believed to be looking out for another person to lead the party, which has 10 legislators in the House of 32. Some members of the party leadership, including some MLAs, have expressed their willingness to join the BJP. However, the BJP, while having an alliance with the SKM, doesn’t seem too interested in fishing in troubled waters.

Presently, SKM legislators have camped themselves in Delhi. One reliable source said they have or will petition the Supreme Court requesting the apex court to allow the CBI to probe into corruption charges against Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and his Cabinet colleagues.

Despite Golay’s lack of presence in the State his MLAs have done remarkably well in voicing public grievances ranging from water shortage, bad roads to ‘organic Sikkim’.

While the Congress party in the State has almost become non-existent, the Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) seems to be reduced to making occasional press statements. And in the meanwhile the Sikkim Liberation Party (SLP) leader DN Nepal is quietly going to the rural people with its message for change to safeguard ‘Sikkim for Sikkimese’. (also see page 3)

Khambu Rais to demand ST status during winter fest

Siliguri, Dec 12: The Khambu Rights Movement under the aegis of the All India Kirati Khambu Rai Association has decided to celebrate the community’s traditional winter festival ‘Sakela’ at Dudhay under Kurseong sub-division on December 14 in keeping with their demand for Scheduled Tribe status under Article 342 of the Constitution.

The Khambu Rais of Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills and also Assam, has been demanding the central government for tribal status.

At a press conference held on Thursday at the Siliguri Journalists’ Club, All India Kirati Khambu Rai Association national convener Mahesh Rai said the objective behind holding the festival is to showcase the community’s rich culture and tradition as well as to demand for ST status, The Echo of India reported.

Thousands of Khambu Rais from across the nation will be participating in the festival and performing Sili Dance, Bhumi Puja and worshipping Mother Nature. According to Rai, the association has submitted a deputation to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry and the Registrar General of India on the tribal status issue.

When asked if they are willing to accept the development board being offered by the state government, Rai said, “Tribal status is conferred by the central government. Hence we are demanding for such a status and have not thought about accepting a development board.

Editorial

TWO DECADES

Nothing Has Changed

As Sikkim’s Pawan Chamling completes 20 years in office this week the measure of his success or failure must be seen by what he initially set out to achieve and what the people expected of him in the early 1990s. Chamling himself realized why people supported him even as they were becoming more and more restless and frustrated with Nar Bahadur Bhandari’s fourteen-and-half years’ (1979-1994) ‘misrule’. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) chief made no secret of his desire to liberate Sikkim from dictatorship, communalism and corruption. Alas, twenty years down the line the Chamling Government is accused of the same things; the only addition being that casteism has been added to the chain of accusations leveled against the present dispensation.

The saddest thing to note at this point of time is that even after the SDF’s claim on restoration of democracy, when it came to power on December 12, 1994, the democratic rights of the Sikkimese people on Assembly seat issue have not yet been met. It was expected that after democracy was restored democratic and constitutional rights of the people should also be restored. Today the Chamling Government has forgotten the Assembly seat issue even as the Sikkimese people face an uncertain future. We still live in fear and the rule of law has been replaced by one-man-rule once again. Chamling’s recent move to safeguard the rights and interests of bonafide Sikkimese – an initiative that has been applauded in certain quarters – should have begun twenty years back. Many even doubt his motive and method on the issue. Chamling’s claim on development and peace are two areas that the ruling party may want to boast about but only the Sikkimese know how hollow these claims are. And yet the farce goes on and the Centre, even under Modi, continues to reward the Chamling Government in more than one way. Perhaps the people, who do nothing about the way things are and expect someone to free them, deserve the government they get. In Sikkim, nothing has changed since 1975, 1979 and 1994.

China Never Signed The Simla Accord

By NORMAN LEACH

The Simla conference 1914

For the British, with an empire “on which the sun never set”, there were always treaties to sign and allies to work with. The gathering war clouds in Europe could not be allowed to interfere with trade and commerce in the rest of the empire.

On 24 March 1914 the British, Tibetans and Chinese sat down to formalize an accord that had been in the works since early 1913. Negotiated between the representatives of Britain, China and Tibet- the Simla Accord (named after the region where it was signed) was to establish the borders of Tibet and China and the form of government in Tibet.

Tibet first came to the attention of the British in the mid-19th century as they laid out the borders for north-east India. Tawang, an important trading town, was discovered to be within the borders of Tibet. The government in London, recognizing the importance of the town attempted to come to treaty arrangements with both China and Tibet.

There was some hope this could be accomplished as the British had earlier formalized treaties with the Qing regime in China confirming the boundaries between Tibet, Burma and Sikkim. The challenge for the British and Chinese was that the Tibetan government did not recognize China as having sovereignty in the country and rejected the treaties.

Britain responded by sending troops into the country in 1904 to force a treaty with the Tibetan government. By 1907 Britain and Russia had officially recognized Chines suzerainty (not full control but controlling influence) over Tibet.

The region settled into a routine, relatively independent existence until the Qing government sent troops into Tibet in 1910 to establish full Chinese control. The British responded with their own troops moving into the Arunachal Pradesh to rule the region under the North-East Frontier Agency. Through treaties with various tribal leaders the British effectively surrounded and limited Chinese rule in Tibet until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1913. Tibet then declared itself independent, expelling all Chinese government and military personnel.

Sir Henry McMahon, 1862-1949.

The new government in China rejected the Tibetan declaration of independence and the British quickly pulled together a conference in Simla to resolve the issues. The British delegate, Sir Henry Mcmahon proposed dividing Tibet into “inner Tibet” and “outer Tibet.” Inner Tibet included Tibetan-inhabited areas in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and would be under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government. The rest of the country “Outer Tibet,” would remain autonomous.

The Accord also proposed boundaries between China and Tibet and between Tibet and British India.

The Chinese government and its representative Ivan Chen had grave concerns about the borders between Tibet and China as defined in the agreement. When Chen returned to China for consultations the British sign a separate trade agreement with Tibet.

Chamling completes 20-year rule

PM Modi congratulates Chamling: “admirable accomplishment”

Gangtok, Dec 12: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling completes 20 years in the office today. He formed the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government on December 12 in 1994 after defeating the Sikkim Sangram Parishad and Congress party.

He is also set to become the country's longest serving chief minister, breaking the record of late Communist leader Jyoti Basu who was chief minister of West Bengal for more than 23 years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated Pawan Kumar Chamling on completing 20 years as the Chief Minister of Sikkim.

"I congratulate Shri Pawan Kumar Chamling on completing 20 years in office as Sikkim CM. It is truly an admirable accomplishment," Prime Minister Modi tweeted, ANI reported.

The ruling SDF has won 21 out of a total 32 seats on the plank of promoting peace, security and development. Ten seats have gone to Opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) while one is an independent.

Chamling was born on 22 September 1950 in Yangang, South Sikkim to Ashbahadur Chamling and Asharani Chamling. Chamling is also a Nepali language writer and recipient of the Bhanu Puraskar (2010) awarded by Sikkim Sahitya Parishad.

He was elected as the president of Yangang Gram Panchayat in 1982. In 1985, he was elected to the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for the first time. After being elected for the second time from Damthang constituency, he became the Minister for Industries, Information and Public Relations from 1989 to 1992 in the Nar Bahadur Bhandari cabinet.

After a series of major political upheavals in Sikkim, Chamling formed the Sikkim Democratic Front on March 4, 1993. The Sikkim Democratic Front won the 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009 State Assembly elections under his leadership on the plank of peace prosperity and development.

NCERT book shows Sikkim, JK as separate countries

Gangtok, Dec 12: The NCERT social science book for Class VI, Social and Political Life-I, has redrawn the map of India in a way the Pakistani generals and Chinese mandarins would approve of.

In a map on page 30, Jammu and Kashmir appears to be outside the periphery of the Indian state, shaded as it is in a colour similar to that used to mark neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India Today reported.

On the preceding page, Sikkim and the North-east are marked as separate nations.

It may be mentioned that while JK became part of India on October 27, 1947, Sikkim joined the Union on May 16, 1975.

Says Lokesh Chandra, the recently appointed head of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), "These are factual errors which shouldn't be looked at through any ideological prism. The mistake should be corrected without delay and those responsible for it cornered."

NE body demands more incentives for hotel industry in Sikkim

Gangtok, Dec 12: Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI) has demanded more fiscal incentives from the Sikkim government to make the State attractive destination for hotel investments.

HRAEI had organised an interactive meeting of hoteliers and restaurateurs of Sikkim in Gangtok recently to understand the issues of the industry in the State as part of the Association’s third executive committee meeting.

Citing the good example of Assam, which has recently announced their Industrial Policy 2014, Sudesh Poddar, President, HRAEI urged the Sikkim government to follow suit so that the State can become a favoured destination for tourism investment. He demanded VAT exemption, luxury tax exemption, and entry tax exemption for goods brought into the State from outside for construction of hotels.

“Tourism is one of the most important vehicles for economic growth of Sikkim. God has gifted this State with limitless natural beauty and it is one of the most sought after tourism destination in India. Thus, we intend to draw the attention of the state government to key issues which are stumbling blocks to growth of hospitality industry in the State.”

Kailash Mansarovar: route better through Uttarakhand than Sikkim, Rawat tells Swaraj

Dehradun, Dec 12: Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday met Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj in Delhi and informed her about the State’s concerns on start of the new route to Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the country other than the traditional route from Uttarakhand.

The Chief Minister asked Swaraj to ensure that the State does not lose its sole right to conduct the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. He said Uttarakhand was capable of providing better Kailash Mansarovar yatra route to pilgrims than the newly opened Nathula route from Sikkim, The Tribunereported.

The Chief Minister pointed out that it was only through the Uttarakhand route that pilgrims come across Chotta Kailash and Om Parwat, which are part of the traditional pilgrimage and thus, the Uttarakhand route holds much of religious significance.

Rawat disclosed that Uttarakhand was trying to reduce the distance of trekking route in the Kailash Mansarovar yatra, which will reduce the total travel time by four to six days. He said two new roads were also being built to facilitate the travel of pilgrims. “The state is also considering the start of Heli service for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims during the rainy season,” he said.

Rawat said regular helicopter service could also be provided to pilgrims from Pithoragarh district headquarters to Nabidhang.

PEOPLE & PLACES Sikkim

Winter fest to fetch maximum tourists

Gangtok, Dec 12: With a winter carnival and a film festival lined up this week, the tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim is trying to turn December into a peak tourist season.

Organised by the state Tourism Department, the six-day Sikkim Winter Carnival will start from December 14 where various cultural events, music shows, arts and crafts exhibitions and adventure activities like para-gliding, mountain biking and rock climbing would engage tourists.

Coinciding with this would be the 'Small Town Film Fest' which will showcase over 26 films by independent film-makers from all over the world over a four-day period.

Organised by Cafe Fiction, the festival also features works of three directors from Sikkim.

Another unforgettable moment for travellers would be the showering of flower petals from a helicopter flying over the Himalayas during one of the events.

Tourism department officials said they are expecting a 30 per cent increase in tourists this December.

"December is not our peak tourist season but we want to portray Sikkim as a round-the-year tourist attraction. The Himalayas have a different charm in the winters and we are banking on that. With so many activities planned for tourists we are expecting a 30-40 per cent hike in the number of tourists in December," Pema L Shangderpa of the department of tourism and civil aviation, PTI reported.

Contact: OBSERVER BUILDING

Nam Nang Road, Gangtok

SIKKIM

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December 15, 2014, 1:18 am

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A Tribute to Rev. DG Stewart: A man after God’s own heart

“Jigme, Can you tell me anything about the present situation? I seem bereft of information. I heard an indirect report that the school had started again this year, but with only 100 boarders, and that it was deeply in debt.”

This is what Mr. Stewart wrote to me on June 27, 2012 in my email. He was concerned about Mt. Hermon (MH) thereafter, too, and perhaps till the very end.

I am happy and proud of the fact that I was in MH in class 2 during his last year as Principal in 1963. I believe it was him or Mr. Murray who asked me, “Do you like the school?” when I entered the school building for the first time in 1963 from the front porch. I said, “Yes.”

And for 16 short years (1963-1972 – student (1974-1975 – TTC) and (1976-1979 – teacher) I lived in MH and had a good time. I am a part of MH and MH is a part of me.

I remember him as a football referee – he was very strict – and when he used to come to the school dining room to announce the name of the Saturday night movie. When he used to say, “And the movie is technicolour” he used to get a loud applause from us. Those days most of the movies were black & white.

When Mr. Stewart visited MH in the latter part of 1970s he spoke about the need to have men and women of ‘integrity’ in today’s world in the school chapel. He was a great speaker and he spoke with much conviction.

I spent more time with him when he came for the school’s centenary celebrations in 1995. Mr. Stewart, along with other former teachers and students, wanted the school Managing Committee to seek induction of Hermonites in the Committee to help the school to forge ahead.

Thereafter, we kept in touch with each other till the very end.

When I think of Mr. Stewart I often compare him with King David of the Old Testament. Like the warrior-king of Israel Mr. David Stewart, too, was “a man after God’s own heart”.

God sent him to MH in the 1950s when the school was floundering and by the time he left it in 1963 our school was adjudged the best boarding school in India.

If we as Hermonites have contributed anything significant to society it is because we have been touched by this mighty man of God.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”. (Psalm: 23)

My family with Mr. DG Stewart in Darjeeling during Mt. Hermon School’s centenary celebrations in 1995. My wife Tsering, son Tashi and daughters: Yangchen and twin daughters Sonam and Kunga (only part of the head of one of the twins is seen in the pix) are seen in the picture.

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September 5, 2014, 9:37 pm

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SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday Sept 6-12, 2014

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

TEACHERS’ DAY AWARD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani with Sikkim’s Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA) Principal Kuldip Singh Heran (back row right) and other teachers on the eve of Teachers’ Day (Sept 5) in New Delhi. The teachers/principals have been selected for National Award on Teachers’ Day.

Battle between ‘people power’ and ‘money power’ has begun, says RN Chamling

PK Chamling

Gangtok, Sept 5: Unfazed by his brother and Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s threats, Rup Narayan Chamling, says the ensuing by-polls in the Assembly constituency of Rangang-Yangang in South Sikkim, is a battle between dhan shakti (money power) and jan shakti (people power).

The Chief Minister reiterated during his election campaign in Yangang on Wednesday that his younger brother did not have his “blessings”, that he never discussed about contesting the by-polls with him, and that if he wins he would not be taken into the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). Chamling, instead, urged the people to vote for SDF candidate Kumari Mangar.

“SDF will not take Rup Narayan should he win. The doors of SDF are closed forever for him”, Chamling said and added, “My brother does not have my blessings. He is also my opponent, do not be fooled by his misleading statements.”

In response to this RN Chamling reacted, “This is a fight between money power and people power. The SDF umbrella is almost broken and rusted. It needs to be changed.”

“I have been forced to contest after seeing SDF using all its power against the innocent people. SDF has brought in all its ministers, MLAs and senior leaders here to trample the aspirations of the people of Rangang Yangang,” he said at a public meeting in his constituency.

RN Chamling

If the SDF succeeds in convincing the people that its real candidate is Mangar and not RN Chamling, locally known as ‘Rupen’, then the fight would be between Chamling’s brother and his party’s official candidate.

However, BJP’s candidate Bikash Basnet is likely to put up a tough fight given the fact that he is backed by both the BJP and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) to which he belonged before he switched over to BJP just before the by-poll process began. In fact, Basnet gave a tough fight to Chamling from Rangang-Yangang during the recent Assembly polls.

The seat remained vacant as the Chief Minister retained the Namchi constituency. The Chief Minister is originally from Yangang, where members of his family still reside.

Sikkim Lokayukta to probe corruption allegations against SDF ministers: Subba

Gangtok, Sept 5: The Lokayukta will inquire into all allegations of corruption against 18 former ministers of Sikkim afresh, despite the clean chit given to them by the Justice R K Patra Inquiry Commission.

Law Minister R B Subba told the Assembly that the cases automatically stood transferred to the Lokayukta as the Lokayukta Act was now in force in Sikkim, PTI reported.

The State unit of the Congress had levelled allegations of corruption against 22 former ministers of the SDF government in 2010. A commission of inquiry, headed by Justice (retd) R K Patra, was set up by the State Government to look into the allegations.

The commission's report was tabled in the Sikkim Assembly this week. Of the 22, the commission had "not fully accepted the explanations furnished" by four former ministers - Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, N K Pradhan, T T Bhutia and Menlom Lepcha. These are all ex-ministers of the ruling party.

Law Minister RB Subba

The commission had directed the state government to "inquire into certain aspects" of allegations levelled against them. Subba told the Assembly that the Lokayukta would look into the allegations against these four ministers separately.

"In effect, allegations against all the 22 have been forwarded to the Lokayukta for further inquiry," he explained.

The Law minister said he himself had received summons from the Lokayukta to appear before him on September 16.

No talks being held with Beijing: Tibetan PM

Dharamsala, Sept 5: The head of Tibet's government-in-exile has rejected a claim by Chinese authorities that the Dalai Lama is in talks with Beijing through his envoys about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

"As we have always been transparent, right now there isn’t any official contact or dialogue taking place [with the Chinese leadership]," Tibet’s Prime Minister-in-exile Lobsang Sangay told Radio Free Asia.

"If dialogues are to take place, as we stressed earlier, it would be between the envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and representatives of the new Chinese leadership," he said. "It has been like this before and will remain like this in the future."

China’s government in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) claimed last week that the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, was in discussions with Beijing through his “personal envoys” but the talks were only about the possibility of his return to Tibet.

Wu Yingjie, the deputy secretary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party's Committee for Tibet, had told a group of Indian journalists on a special visit to the TAR capital Lhasa that the talks with the Dalai Lama were “ongoing and always smooth, but we are discussing only his future, not Tibet’s.”

Talks held on Tibet’s status between envoys of the Dalai Lama and Beijing were stalled in January 2010. There has been no progress in the discussions since then despite calls from U.S. President Barack Obama and other world leaders for a resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue.

Sangay, a Harvard-educated lawyer, was elected Tibet’s exile political leader in 2011 after the Dalai Lama relinquished his political role as the leader of the government-in-exile, ending a tradition spanning centuries of the Dalai Lamas holding both spiritual and political authority.

MM Rasaily hailed as a ‘Great Son of Sikkim’

Gangtok, Sept 5: Forty years after he was sidelined and punished by anti-Sikkim, pro-India authorities in Gangtok for his principle stand against Sikkim’s ‘merger’ , Madan Mohan Rasaily, who passed away here on Wednesday, is being hailed as an “upright person” and a “great son of Sikkim”.

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling described Rasaily (89) as “an upright person with impeccable integrity”. He said Rasaily’s demise is “an irreparable loss” to Sikkim.

Recipient of Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim, and Pema Dorjee (for dedicated service), conferred by the Late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in 1974, Rasaily studied in Mt. Hermon School and completed his Senior Cambridge (class 11) in 1943.

He held many posts in the State Government, including Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary. He was with the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front for a brief while in the 1990s after his retirement from service in 1988.

He is survived by his wife Rani Mala Rasaily, two sons and two daughters.

Editorial

SIKKIM BY-POLLS

Drama Or Revolt?

Hardly anyone takes Pawan Kumar Chamling seriously these days. And he knows it and yet he carries on with his usual bluff. Fortunately or unfortunately, no one believes Chamling when he says his younger brother does not have his blessings and is not his ruling Sikkim Democratic Front’s candidate for the up-coming by-polls. Rup Narayan Chamling himself says he is not the ruling party’s candidate for the Rangang-Yangang Assembly constituency by-polls in South Sikkim. ‘Rupen’, as he is known locally, will find it very difficult to convince the voters that he is not with his brother and the ruling party. Because of these factors the ruling party’s official candidate Kumari Mangar is facing a difficult situation.

The Chief Minister has openly declared that ‘Rupen’ will not be taking into the ruling party even if he wins. While skeptics will have to wait for the polls to be over to find the truth there is a section who believes that CM’s younger brother has revolted against him and his party which has been ruling Sikkim for over two decades. Chamling has sent a full brigade of his party workers to camp in Yangang for the by-polls. Come what may he has to win the seat which he has vacated. Otherwise the ruling party may see a further division of its support base. Already PS Golay’s Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), which has 10 of the 32 seats in the Assembly, is waiting in the wings to wage another assault on the ruling dispensation. SKM’s former candidate of this Assembly seat, Bikash Basnet, who is now the BJP’s candidate for the by-polls, may be lucky if SDF votes get divided and his own vote share remains intact.

Mamata to set up CMO in Darj, thrust on development

Darjeeling, Sept 5: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said she would set up a small office in the Darjeeling hills to facilitate administrative work for the people of the region.

“I have decided to set up a small office in the hills to be manned by an official from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO),” Banerjee, who is on a three-day visit to Darjeeling hills told reporters in Kalimpong.

She said the office in Darjeeling would help in disbursing funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief fund to the people of the hills.

“The Uttarkanya office (secretariat in north Bengal) in Siliguri is functioning well and will continue,” she said.

Banerjee also announced that four hydel power units would come up in the region, while one medical college would be set up under the PPP model in Kurseong.

The chief minister also held a meeting with the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders over the transfer of departments to the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha, senior GJM leader Roshan Giri said.

Giri, who was present at the meeting along with five other GJM leaders, said the issue of disbursement of funds from the state to the GTA Sabha also came up for discussion.

Emphasising on exploiting the unexplored areas in Kalimpong for increasing tourism in the district, Banerjee said that thrust would be given on developing new tourist spots in the region for boosting the local economy. "Darjeeling is becoming saturated. There are a lot of unexplored areas in Kalimpong. We have already set up Lamahatta eco-tourism. We are giving stress on home tourism." she told a meeting in Kalimpong on Wednesday.

Chinese TV satellite targets PoK, Sikkim

New Delhi, Sept 5: Indian telecom operators and broadcasters have raised concern over the latest satellite Asiasat-8 launched recently by China which has been designed to keep the border areas of the country away from signals being beamed by these operators and broadcasters.

The operators and the broadcasters point out that the Chinese satellite is not only the most powerful launched so far, but has been designed to take the northern border of India and North East territories out of India beam., agencies reported.

These have been made a part of the China beam as if these are a part of the Chinese territory. The territories, which have been earmarked as part of the China beam include the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. The satellite was launched by China on August 5.

Reports suggest that the move from China came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the possible SAARC satellite by India to bring the SAARC countries closer.

Asiasat-8 has been designed as a commercial satellite offering VSAT/DTH, Internet and telecommunications capacity for various users in India and China. However, hidden in its design is to establish its signals on Indian territory, which China has been disputing and claiming as its own.

Lok Sabha member of Parliament from Maharashtra Hansraj Gangaram Ahir has written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the perils of the satellite to India.

In his letter Ahir has urged the Home Minister to come out with a notification banning the use of this satellite by any Indian Telecom, VSAT or DTH operator.

Ahir has pointed out that the new Chinese satellite will allow anyone in PoK, Ladakh, Leh, Nepal, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and all along the northern border of India and North East to use this high-powered satellite to establish two-way communications from India which will be inaccessible to Indian security agencies and poses grave security threat to the country.

OBITUARYMadan Mohan Rasaily

The Jewel of Sikkim

Born on 22nd September 1928, the fourth son of Manbir Singh Rasaily, Finance Secretary to His Highness, the Maharaja of Sikkim, Sir Tashi Namgyal, Madan Mohan Rasaily studied upto Class IV at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School, Gangtok, and went to join Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling, as a boarder, from where he completed his Senior Cambridge in 1943.

He pursued his B.Sc. at St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, and later shifted to the Government College, Darjeeling, when they introduced the subject Botany. Before going for his higher studies he taught Science and Geography at Sir Tashi Namgyal High School for sometime as there was no subject teacher available at that time.

From the year 1955-58 he underwent Higher Forestry training at Indian Forest College, Dehradun. After successful completion of his training he came back and joined the Sikkim Forest Department as Assistant Conservator of Forest on 1st of March 1960. He became DFO, East when Arjan Singh was the Conservator of Forest on deputation from Punjab. He took the charge as Head of Forest Department as Conservator of Forest after the tenure of Dakman Lama.

He served as a bureaucrat for 35 years. Working in tandem with the vision of the 12th Chogyal of Sikkim, His Highness, Palden Thondup Namgyal, he helped to set up the State Trading Corporation of Sikkim, the State Lottery (for aiding Development Plans), the Sikkim Jewels, the Sikkim Time Corporation and the Sikkim Supreme Factory at Singtam. At the time of Chinese invasion in 1962 he was entrusted with the work of Civil Defence Commissioner.

He was also the Auditor General of Sikkim till 1974. During his tenure he held the responsibilities of Auditor General as well as Secretaries of different Departments like Trade, Industries and Commerce, Tourism, Education, Motor Vehicle, Home and also as Director Vigilance. He retired from the service in 1988 when he was posted as Home Secretary. Apart from the committed service to Sikkim, he was also involved in other activities. He was one of the founding members of the Rotary Club in Sikkim.

He was an avid footballer and played for the school team, college team and also the town team which consisted of officers serving the Chogyal of Sikkim. He accompanied the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal in his visits to Switzerland, UK and also Birendra of Nepal.

He also helped strengthen the Sri Satya Sai organization of Sikkim as its President and also helped in designing and completion of the Sai Mandir at Baluwakhani, Gangtok. He was conferred the Denzong Thu ki Norbu (The Jewel of Sikkim), the highest civilian award of the then Kingdom of Sikkim. He received this award in the year 1974 from His Highness, the Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal. He also conferred the Pema Dorjee medal, for his dedicated service. He retired from Government service in 1988 when he was Additional Chief Secretary-cum-Home Secretary.

Tributes to a true and loyal ‘Son of Sikkim’

Rasaily was an upright man: Chief Minister

The Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in his condolence message said that MM Rasaily, who held the high esteemed post of Secretary Home and many other departments in his service career, was known for his professionalism and his able administration.

“Shri Rasaily was an upright person with impeccable integrity and his demise is an irreparable loss to the state” the Chief Minister said.

He was loyal to his motherland Sikkim

With all respect and veneration, we the monks of Sikkim remember great son of Sikkim, Madan Mohan Rasaily on his passing away, early morning today.

The monks and people of Sikkim shall always remember late MM Rasaily with fond memory of his love for Sikkim. We believe he preceded every Sikkimese official, both amongst his contemporaries and present as far as loyalty and love for the motherland is concerned.

Sherab Tenzing Lepcha

General Secretary

Monks of Sikkim

His love and loyalty for Sikkim inspires us

“On the passing away of Shri Madan Mohan Rasaily (Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’), former Home Secretary of Sikkim and Ven Dorje Loben Sonam Angay Lama of Sumin Monastery early morning today, I express my heartfelt condolences to the members of the family of the deceased.

Shri MM Rasaily’s contribution and sincerity towards the delivery of his duties are legends in our Sikkimese society. A blue-eyed figure of Sikkim, his loyalty to his duty and motherland shall surely become a source of inspiration for all of us.”

Sonam Lama

Sangha MLA

He stood firm, we salute him

“The passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily has left an irreparable vacuum in the Sikkimese society, particularly the one who loves Sikkim. The conferring of Sikkim’s highest Civilian Award of Sikkim ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and others as ‘Pema Dorje’ simply speaks the volume of the very principles and ordeals with which he delivered his responsibilities in high public office, officially and socially.

We particularly appreciate his love for the Sikkim and the Sikkimese people by means of never accepting the coveted IAS which otherwise would have had invited three more non-Sikkimese officials, an exemplary act which abundantly lacks amongst all his contemporaries as well as that of today’s.

We salute the pious stand that he undertook as Sikkim’s Home Secretary during the hour of her trials in the mid-1970s.

On the passing away of Mr. MM Rasaily, ‘Denzong Thuki Norbu’ and ‘Pema Dorje’, this organization bow it’s held in high veneration and respect.

Pintso Bhutia

President

National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO)

FESTIVALS

Indra Jatra: A festival in honour of Lord Indra

Indra Jatra celebrations in Kathmandu.

Indra Jatra: This festival named after Lord Indra - the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal in August/September. It is the biggest religious festival celebrated in Kathmandu, Nepal.

This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with much fanfare.

On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays homage to Goddess Kumari. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask.

The celebrations consist of two events. Indra Jātrā is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images and tableaus in honor of the deity Indra, the king of heaven. The other event is Kumāri Jātrā, the chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari.

Family members deceased in the past year are also remembered during the festival. The main venue of the festivities is Kathmandu Durbar Square. The celebrations last for eight days from the 12th day of the bright fortnight to the 4th day of the dark fortnight of Yanlā, the eleventh month in the lunar Nepal Era calendar.

Indra Jatra was started by king Gunakamadeva to commemorate the founding of the city of Kathmandu in the 10th century. Kumari Jatra began in the mid-18th century.

Since 2010, this festival is also celebrated in Sikkim by the Newar community.

Pang Lhabsol: A religious festival unique to Sikkim

Pang Lhabsol festival at Tsuklhakhang Monastery, Gangtok.

Pang Lhabsol, a festival commemorating the conservation of Mt. Kanchenjunga as the guardian deity of the State, is unique to Sikkim. It has its origin in the Lepcha people's belief that the mountain is their place of origin. It is also believed that the festival has its roots in Lhatsun Chenpo's (the propagator of Buddhism in Sikkim) vision.

It also commemorate the treaty of brotherhood between the Lepchas and Bhutias, where Kye Bumsa the then Bhutia leader signed the brotherhood treaty with the Lepcha Chieftain Thekong Tek at Kabi Lunstok in North Sikkim in the 13^th century.

Subsequently, after the formation of the Namgyal Dynasty in Sikkim Chador Namgyal, the third Chogyal of Sikkim, introduced the "pangtoed" dance and dedicated it to Kanchenjunga as a war deity. The spectacular Pangtoed or warrior dance was choreographed by Chogyal Chador Namgyal, which is said to have appeared to him in a vision.

Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity. (file pix by Late Yarpa Paljor Tashi)

Pang Lhabsol combines masked dance with warrior dance, giving the festival an inherent drama, which surpasses that found in other Buddhist festivals. There are resplendent costumes and colorful masks, and the choreography is spectacular. Kanchenjunga itself is represented by a dancer wearing a red mask mounted with five human skulls, on top of which are mounted flags.

Mahakala, Kanchenjunga's Supreme Commander, wears a black mask, while the warriors who accompany them are attired in the traditional Sikkimese battle dress, complete with helmets, swords and shields. The dramatic entry of Mahakala, the protector of the dharma, or faith, is one of the highlights of the dance. It is Mahakala who commands Kanchenjunga and Yabdu to defend the faith and bring peace and prosperity to Sikkim.

Mahakala chham during Pang Lhabsol celebrations.

A week prior to the dance, the lamas of Pemayangtse monastery in west Sikkim, where the festival takes place, offer prayers, invoking Dzonga - the popular local name for Kanchenjunga - to protect the land and look after the people.

Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Rabong, South Sikkim.

To this day the mountain god is invoked and prayed upon at Pang Lhabsol to continue protecting Sikkim. The festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the 7th month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to late August/early September.

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December 19, 2014, 12:00 am

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Sikkim Hermonites pay rich tributes to former Mt. Hermon School Principal DG Stewart

(L to R) Jigme N Kazi, Arthur Pazo, Raaj Bangar, Punam Agarwal, Uttam Pradhan, NK Pradhan, Tempo Bhutia, Udai P Sharma, Ram Gopal Pradhan, Shuva Pradhan and OT Bhutia. (Pix by Tashi RN Kazi)

Sikkim Hermonites paid rich tributes to their former Principal Rev David Garth Stewart, who passed away peacefully in Auckland, New Zealand, on December 12, 2014.

At a condolence meeting held in Gangtok (Sikkim) on December 16, 2014, grateful Hermonites, alumni of Darjeeling’s Mt. Hermon School (founded in 1895), said Rev. Stewart who passed away at the age of 91 was a ‘man of God’ , whose dedication and commitment to the school when he was its Principal (1953-1963) raised the standard of the school and brought it to becoming the best boarding school in India in 1961-62.

Former Minister and senior Hermonite NK Pradhan said Rev Stewart was not only a towering personality, a great orator, but cared for each and every individual in the school. “We are what we are because of MH (Mt. Hermon) and we are grateful to Mr. Stewart for his love, affection and care.”

Reading from the Bible (Psalm 23), Jigme N Kazi, President of Hermonite International, said Rev Stewart, like King David in the Bible, was a “man after God’s own heart”.

Kazi, who also taught in MH, said, “God sent him to MH in the 1950s when the school was floundering and by the time he left it in 1963 our school was adjudged the best boarding school in India.” He added, “If we as Hermonites have contributed anything significant to society it is because we have been touched by this mighty man of God.”

Arthur Pazo, grandson of Gangtoks Pastor, Late CT Pazo, and Ram Gopal Pradhan prayed for the departed soul while Udai P. Sharma and Sikkim Hermonite Association (SHA) Vice-President Uttam K Pradhan also spoke on the occasion.

Among those present during the condolence meeting, where a two-minute silence was also observed, were Tempo Bhutia, Raaj Kumar Bangar, Punam Agarwal, OT Bhutia and Shuva Pradhan.

SHA President Karma Bhutia attended the funeral service in Auckland on December 16.

A Tribute

Rev. DG Stewart: A Man After God’s Own Heart

By Jigme N. Kazi

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”. (Psalm: 23)

This is what Mr. Stewart wrote to me on June 27, 2012 in my email. He was concerned about Mt. Hermon (MH) thereafter, too, and perhaps till the very end.

And for 16 short years (1963-1972 – student (1974-1975 – TTC) and (1976-1979 – teacher) I lived in MH and had a good time. I am a part of MH and MH is a part of me.

Thereafter, we kept in touch with each other till the very end.

When I think of Mr. Stewart I often compare him with King David of the Old Testament. Like the warrior-king of Israel Mr. David Stewart, too, was “a man after God’s own heart”.

God sent him to MH in the 1950s when the school was floundering and by the time he left it in 1963 our school was adjudged the best boarding school in India.

If we as Hermonites have contributed anything significant to society it is because we have been touched by this mighty man of God.

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December 23, 2014, 2:53 am

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REV. DG STEWART REMEMBERED BY GRATEFUL SIKKIM HERMONITES

These photos are of Sikkim Hermonites during their condolence meeting in Gangtok on Dec 16, 2014 of former Mt. Hermon School Principal, Late Rev. David Garth Stewart, who passed away in Auckland, New Zealand, on Dec 12, 2014.

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December 23, 2014, 11:50 pm

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DG STEWART: OUR 'MH' DAYS

When the Late Mr. DG Stewart left MH (Mt Hermon) at the end of 1963 most of the staff members of the school were foreigners (see 1963 Staff pix).

In the school staff pix of 1964 we see Mr. Murray stepping into Mr. Stewart’s shoes.

Mr. Stewart visited MH in 1978, my second last year in MH as a teacher. He was the Chief Guest for Speech Day in November 1978. In the same year in another photo we see Mr. Stewart with some ex-students on the staff. There were 13 ex-students on the staff in 1978. These two photographs appear in the annual Hermonite magazine which I edited. The magazine was dedicated to Mr and Mrs. Murray for their 24 years of service in MH. Mr Murray retired at the end of 1978. It was my best year as a teacher in MH.

I got hold of these precious pictures from UK Hermonites’ website and I want to thank them, particularly James Sinclair, and share these photographs with fellow Hermonites.

Jigme N Kazi

(MH – 1963-1979)

Sikkim (India)

Gangtok, Dec 24, 2014-12-24

Blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com

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December 28, 2014, 12:37 am

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KHANGCHENDZONGA

Kalam Puraskar 2012

Conferred by Press Club of Sikkim

Acceptance Speech

Jigme N Kazi

July 17, 2012

Hon’ble Chief Guest, Secretary IPR, Press Club Advisor, President Press Club of Sikkim, distinguished guests and friends,

On Receiving the Award: I feel very privileged to be here today to receive the Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar award from the Press Club of Sikkim on its decadal foundation year. I am told by the Press Club that it had “unanimously decided” to confer this award for my “outstanding contribution and dedication” made during the last three decades (1983-2012) in the field of journalism.

I believe that by conferring this award to this long-time black-listed man, who is forced to live in self-imposed exile in his own homeland, the Press in Sikkim is sending a clear message to those who care to listen. And that message is loud and clear: the Press in Sikkim wants to be more free and independent and those in power and the people at large should take note of it and respect its stand.

I enjoy doing what I do – be it eating, taking a walk or writing. I seek no reward and recognition in doing these things even if what I do benefits those around me.

People often criticize me of being stubborn and always swimming against the tide. Let me remind them of what US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin said: “Only dead fish go with the flow.” Living with walking corpses all these years has been a very painful experience. It is better to be exiled in foreign shores than having to undergo constant suffocation at home. However, if this is the cross that I was born to bare then I must live with it whether I like it or not.

Yes, we have more journalists and more newspapers today than when I started in this profession 30 years back. But I’m not too sure whether we are more free, objective and independent in our reporting. What is more important in life is quality, not quantity, and this also applies to the Fourth Estate, particularly when so many people depend and look up to the Press to make the right decision.

Sikkimese Society: If we cannot uphold certain basic and fundamental values of human existence such as freedom, democracy, justice, self-respect and the rule of law we miss the opportunity that life offers to each one of us. The first indication of a society’s degeneration is when individuals live and work only for themselves. Sikkim is on the verge of being a dead and decadent society. Our constant efforts to camouflage ourselves will not work in the long run. We will be fully exposed when the time comes.

We locals often distance ourselves from the byaparis, the business community, for encroaching into our economic and political rights and interests. Little do we realize that while they sell potatoes, tomatoes etc. we are the real byaparis. We have sold our king, our flag, our country, our distinct identity and political rights. Not content with this we are still selling our hills and valleys, our lakes and rivers, our land and people, our religion and culture, and worse of all our self-respect and dignity. Is it really worth sweating it out for such people?

Sikkim Politics: Me and my kind have lived through this bitter period in Sikkim’s history. In our efforts to fight for the common cause we have brought down five chief ministers and made four chief ministers in the past so many years. We did this for a good cause and without any selfish motive. We are not to be blamed if our political leadership continuously fails us and lets us down the moment they come to power.

I took leave from the Fourth Estate at the end of the year 2000 to make my personal contribution to Sikkim politics when I was convinced that those we backed were betraying us and the issues we raised for petty considerations. Unlike many others, I could not hang around and hide myself safe and secure in a small corner when I was convinced that we were being led to a dead-end street. I left active politics after three and half years in August 2004 when I was fully convinced that I was heading nowhere and those around me were still deeply involved in petty politics. There is no future for Sikkim and the Sikkimese if our political leadership – ruling and opposition – fails to rise above mundane things and continues to mislead the people while making great promises.

It is futile to fight for the distinct identity of Sikkim within the Union if the leaders of our larger community are not sure of who they are, whom they represent, and what they really want. Nepal’s political situation, where ethnic communities are being reduced to a minority in the land of their origin, has still not opened our eyes. This is because while our head is still not clear our heart is full of greed. When will we ever live in a place where the mind is without fear and the head is held high? When will this non-stop looting stop? Corruption has reached a point of no return. Disillusionment has set in and this seems to be irreversible. These are dangerous trends in a sensitive and strategic border State like Sikkim.

India’s Role in Sikkim: Even if our political leadership has failed us time and again,India must live up to the expectations of the Sikkimese people. If it continues to ignore the hopes and aspirations of those who sacrificed their country so that this nation may live in peace and security there may come a day when Sikkim will become a hot-bed of international politics. We may not see that day but that day is not afar if India fails to honour its commitments made to Sikkim and the Sikkimese people during the takeover.

The gradual dilution of our distinct identity, political rights and social harmony originates from New Delhi. The erosion of our unique and distinct cultural identity, the systematic manner in which seeds of division are sown in our social fabric, and finally the destruction caused to our fragile environment and ecology cannot and must not be easily condoned. We cannot blame our leaders only; we, too, have shamelessly become agents of division, disunity and destruction. We have sown the wind; we will surely reap the whirlwind.

Hope and Gratitude: I’m grateful to the Press Club of Sikkim for recognizing my work and honouring me on this very special day. This is the time and the moment to renew our pledge for a strong, united, free and independent Press in the State.

On this special day I want to remember those who have helped me in my three-decade-long career. Some of them are late Chukie Tobden, Suresh Pramar, Devraj Ranjit, Tenzing Chewang and Pema Wangchuk. I also owe a deep sense of gratitude to the Chamling Government and to those who worked or in any way associated with my printing press and publications.

Living the way I did is a risky business and I want to say how happy and grateful I am to my wife Tsering, her parents, and my four kids – Tashi, Yangchen, Sonam and Kunga – for letting me live my life freely and dangerously for so long.

I hope my endeavours will light up your path and help you to bear the burden of being free and independent in a hostile climate in the days and years to come. My message to you on this day comes from Rev. Jesse Jackson: “Stand up, don’t bow! Stand up, don’t bow!”

On Myself: French Emperor Napoleon Bonarpate (1769-1821) once said: “There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit.”

I have already said “I have accepted the death of my dreams” a few years back and I stand by it.

However, I have filed my petition in the court of Khangchendzonga, Sikkim’s Guardian Deity, to seek justice – for Sikkim, the Sikkimese people and for myself. I am still patiently waiting for the verdict. That this award should come at this time and in the name of our Presiding Deity is not only very auspicious but meaningful as well.

Thank you all, both for this wonderful award and your determination to preserve the integrity, independence and freedom of the Press in Sikkim.

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December 28, 2014, 12:42 am

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SIKKIM OBSERVER July 21, 2012

Press rewards Kazi for three-decade contribution to journalism

Honour ‘merger terms’, Kazi tells Centre

Gangtok, July 20: Senior journalist Jigme N Kazi said his acceptance of this year’s Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar award, conferred by the Press Club of Sikkim here on Tuesday, was proof enough that the Fourth Estate in the State is trying to set itself free and improve its image as a strong and independent institution.

Kazi, also a writer, was conferred with the award in recognition of his “significant contribution” towards “development of journalism” in the State in the past three decades.

Kazi, editor of Sikkim Observer and Himalayan Guardian, was conferred the award for his “outstanding contribution and dedication made during last three decades in the field of journalism,” according to Press Club Working President Vishnu Neopaney’s letter to Kazi informing of the Press Club’s “unanimous decision” to confer the award on its decadal foundation year.

The “Most Promising Journalist” award went to Bishal Gurung while Mohan Lama, Darjeeling correspondent of Sikkim’s Samai Dainik, was also felicitated by the Press Club. Gurung is the State correspondent of Hindustan Samachar news agency.

Theatre activist and senior journalist CK Shrestha of Kalimpong, who was the Chief Guest for the occasion, urged the media in the State to remain united in “thought” and side with the people in all situation. “Merely reporting will not do. You must tell the truth,” Shrestha said.

While IPR Secretary KS Tobgay assured the Press that the government would positively look into all the problems faced the media in the State, Press Club advisor CD Rai, who was the chairman of the function, said Kazi not only deserved the award but his writings were “balanced.”

While urging the media to remain strong, free, united and independent, Kazi called on the people, including the authorities, to respect and respond positively to the urges of the media to remain free and independent.

“I believe that by conferring this award to this long-time black-listed man, who is forced to live in self-imposed exile in his own homeland, the Press in Sikkim is sending a clear message to those who care to listen. And that message is loud and clear: the Press in Sikkim wants to be more free and independent and those in power and the people at large should take note and respect this stand,” Kazi said in his acceptance speech.

Kazi, who has authored two books, “Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide,” and “Sikkim forSikkimese”,also appealed to the Centre not to ignore the “hopes and aspirations” of the Sikkimese people and honour the terms of Sikkim’s ‘merger’.

“Even if our political leadership has failed us time and again, India must live up to the expectations of the Sikkimese people. If it continues to ignore the hopes and aspirations of those who sacrificed their country so that this nation may live in peace and security there may come a day when Sikkim will become a hot-bed of international politics,” Kazi warned.

SIBLAC, NASBO pat for Kazi, Press Club

Gangtok, July 20: The Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) has congratulated writer-journalist Jigme N Kazi for being conferred with this year’s Khangchendzonga Kalam Award by the Press Club of Sikkim.

This is “an honor overdue since long back,” SIBLAC General Secretary Pem Tshering Lepcha said in a Press statement.

The organization, which represents the indigenous Bhutias and Lepcha tribals in the State, also thanked the Press Club of Sikkim for “rightly nominating” Kazi for the award.

It said Kazi’s “spirit and quality” of “fighting with wisdom” was “outstanding and simply awesome.”

SIBLAC Convenor and former Minister Tseten Tashi Bhutia and National Sikkimese Bhutia Organisation (NASBO - 371F) President Sonam Kaleon met Kazi, who received the award at a function here on Tuesday, at his residence here and offered traditional khada to congratulate him.

The Sikkim-Darjeeling Unification Forum (SDUF) General Secretary Shankar Hang Subba also offered a khada and congratulated Kazi here last week.

Padam Chettri, President of Sikkim unit of the BJP, also complimented Kazi for his achievement.

Sikkim Observer May 5, 2012

Editorial

PRESS FREEDOM

We Mourn The Closure Of Gangtok Weeklies

Ever heard of Female Journalist Association? We have one in Sikkim by that name and surprisingly while other media organizations are busy entertaining the public and at times playing the role of a public relations body, the Female Journalist Association has urged the State Government to give a better deal to Gangtok weeklies in matters regarding release of government advertisements. The IPR Minister CB Karki has again assured the Press that the government would respond positively on the issue. Perhaps it will do something this time as the next Assembly polls are nearing.

Sadly the death of several credible Gangtok-based weeklies and other journals in the past few years is something that free societies should be worried about. Weeklies such as Weekend Review and Mid-Week are no more. We mourn their untimely death or indefinite closure. The Sikkimese and Sikkim Observer (Nepali edition) are also off the newsstands for a long time. Journals such as Talk Sikkim and Hill Peoplehave been forced to shut down due mainly to financial constraints. In such a scenario the claim that the Press in Sikkim is free and vibrant has no basis. Quality is what people are looking for in the media and this is in short supply in today’s Sikkim. A casual glance at which newspapers are getting government advertisements and how often will reveal the state of the Press in Sikkim. Let the facts be revealed and the truth will be out in the public domain.

July 14, 2012

SIKKIM OBSERVER Editorial

TAKING A STAND

Local Press: Regaining Lost Ground

The editor of this paper –whether he likes it or not – finally gets some kind of recognition. The question being asked is not ‘why’ he is getting the award but ‘why now’. This question is relevant and needs to be explained. When the President of the Press Club of Sikkim, Bhim Rawat, rang up Sikkim Observer editor Jigme N. Kazi last week and told him that he was being awarded this year’s Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar award by the Press Club Kazi wanted to know why he was being conferred with this award and at this time. Was it politically-motivated or has the local Press come of age, Kazi asked. Rawat’s two colleagues, Joseph Lepcha and Bishnu Neopany, both senior journalists in the State, met Kazi and reiterated the Press Club’s recent efforts to regain the local media’s independent image. While appreciating the new development within the local media, Kazi informed them that the Press Club and its members should be ready to face any consequences for associating themselves with a ‘black-listed journalist’, who has been living in self-imposed exile in his own homeland for nearly three decades mainly because he refuses to be ‘bought over’. Kazi is among the few public figures in the State who has kept his credibility intact – personally, professionally and politically (he ‘flirted’ with politics for a while in early 2000s but for a good cause)

However, Kazi’s decision to accept the award will surely evoke mixed reactions. While one gentleman close to the editor said, “They had the guts to give you the award,” (to which the editor replied, “You have judged well.”) one senior journalist said, “The Press Club is not as independent as its members claim.” Another senior journalist commented: “They have finally come to their senses and rewarded you.” And yet one contractor from North Sikkim, who is close to Kazi, said, “Does this mean you have Chamling’s blessings?” The fact of the matter is that in Chamling’s Sikkim all those who do not bow down to the powers-that-be are harassed or ignored. Anyone or any organization that tries to identify itself with those who fail to toe the official line are perceived to be digging their own grave.

While the image of the local Press, by and large, is not too impressive there are those within the Fourth Estate in the State who are not happy with the way the Press has been projected and perceived in a State where dissenting voices find it very difficult to be heard. And yet the people depend on the Press and expect it to ventilate their grievances all the time and take on the high and mighty at times. The Press, too, depend on the people to react and respond to situations. It also expects the people to come to its aid when it is being attacked and hounded by the authorities. The sad part of the story is that people keep mum when the Press is under pressure. Did you even take the trouble to talk to Hamro Prajashaktijournalists who were beaten up in their own work places in Gangtok on July 4, 2008? Did you care to call on this editor when his press was ransacked in early 1990, his Press vehicles set on fire in October 2001 and June 2004 in front of his printing press building in Gangtok? And which newspaper-reader even bothers to take a casual glance at the ongoing economic suppression of many local newspapers, including this paper, in the State? If the local Press is trying to set itself free help and support must be given by the people at large. By accepting the award Kazi has, once again, made his stand clear and sided with the foot soldiers of freedom and democracy in Sikkim. The local Press, too, has spoken – loud and clear.

HIMALAYAN GUARDIAN July 28, 2012

‘Black-listed’ Kazi finally gets recognition, appeals for Press freedom

“India must live up to the expectations of the Sikkimese people”

Gangtok, July 17: Journalist-cum-writer Jigme N Kazi was today honoured with this year’s ‘Khangchendzonga Kalam Puraskar’ award by the Press Club of Sikkim.

Kazi, who has authored two books, “Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide,” and “Sikkim forSikkimese”, also appealed to the Centre not to ignore the “hopes and aspirations” of the Sikkimese people and honour the terms of Sikkim’s ‘merger’.

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December 28, 2014, 11:27 pm

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MADAN TAMANG

Let us shed tears for the lone warrior killed in battle

Jigme N Kazi

I never got to meet him and was terribly shocked to learn of his death through a friend. It was a terrible mistake, a shameful act, and the hill people will suffer from the absence of the lone and uncompromising voice that always spoke the truth – fearlessly.

When the dust settles down and emotions die with the passage of time what really matters in the long run is that the Gorkha warrior died in battle for the right cause – for freedom, democracy and Gorkhaland.

Madan Tamang was born on June 1 (less than two weeks before his 63^rdbirthday), 1948 in Meghma village near Manebhanjang in Darjeeling at the Indo-Nepal border. After his schooling (St. Robert’s) and college (St. Joseph’s) – both in Darjeeling– Tamang plunged into politics and joined the All India Gorkha League in 1969. He held the post of General Secretary of the League for ten years (1972-1981) and in 2001 took over the party as its President.

Tamang quit the League in 1981 and formed his own political outfit, Pranta Parishad, whose prime objective was creation of a separate state for the Gorkhas. He left the Parishad in 1990 and formed the Gorkha Democratic Front. When the Front merged with the League in 2001 Tamang became the President of the party, a post that he held till his death.

All along his forty-year political career Tamang kept his democratic credentials intact while relentlessly, often at great personal risk, pursuing his political objectives, which mainly revolved round political and economic rights of the Gorkhas in India. His contribution towards the inclusion of Nepali/Gorkha language in the 8^thschedule of the Constitution has been widely acknowledged. The fulfillment of this demand gave the Indian Gorkhas a sense of dignity and belonging.

Tamang could have – and many feel that he should have – joined Subash Ghising in the ’80s when the Gorkhaland movement was at its peak. Many again felt that he should have joined Bimal Gurung but he did not. He had his own reasons for hacking a lonesome path. We all know that while Ghising succumbed to pressure and accepted a Council instead of Gorkhaland, Gurung is all set to settle for an interim set-up, which Tamang says is a permanent arrangement.

Most Gorkha leaders in Darjeelinghills are serious about the statehood demand. They only differ on the method of achieving this goal. Tamang and his colleagues in the party and other Opposition leaders want to adopt a more peaceful and democratic means to achieve their cherished goal.

RB Rai of the CPRM rightly pointed out when they formed the Democratic Front recently: “We need Gorkhaland but before that we need democracy.” Hill people and their leaders need to first establish their democratic credentials before they decide to run a state. Only fools rush where angels fear to tread.

My counsel to Gorkha leaders from Darjeeling who meet me has always been this: “You people are demanding a homeland. We are almost homeless in our own homeland! Be careful of leaders who promise great things but fail to deliver.”

A few months back I spoke to Madan daju for the first time on the phone. I wanted to meet him during my next visit to Darjeeling. His immediate response was, “Are your Jigme N Kazi? When are you coming? We must meet.”

Unfortunately, the meeting did not take place and this is one of my life’s few regrets. I have spent sixteen formative years in Darjeeling and hold my head in shame that this thing should happen to such a leader.

Since May 21, 1998 me and my family members always make a point to remember my late father who passed away on this day twelve years ago. When we lit 108 butter lamps on May 21, 2010 I also prayed for the one who was slain on that day. Madan daju will always be remembered along with my dad from now on. May his dreams live on and soul rest in peace. (Sikkim Observer, May 23-30, 2010)

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January 1, 2015, 9:29 pm

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Let’s Move Ahead And Look Beyond The Horizon

To My Dear Readers,

Firstly, let me wish you warm Greetings from Sikkim for the New Year. Happy New Year and may all your hopes and dreams start unfolding from the first day of 2015.

Thank you for your good wishes and support; let us look forward to many more years of sharing and caring.

From now on I wish to let my readers know more about what I am and have been doing in the past three decades in this exclusive blog. So far I have been updating my readers on what has been reported in my two weeklies: Sikkim Observer and Himalayan Guardian. Henceforth the Observer and Guardian will have separate blogs: sikkimobserver.blogspot.com and himalayanguardian.blogspot.com.

My blog will continue as jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com; it will be more personal and I hope you will soon come to like what has been carried on this page.

Happy New Year!

Jigme N. Kazi

Gangtok, Sikkim

January 2, 2015

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