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January 3, 2015, 10:56 pm
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 Last and final reminder: Sikkimese Nepalese at the crossroads
By Jigme N. Kazi

(This article was carried in Talk Sikkimmagazine in January 2013. I am placing this in Facebook and in my blog to remind the people of Sikkim the political dilemma faced by bonafide Sikkimese, particularly Sikkimese Nepalese. If Sikkim’s political leadership fails to act decisively and promptly on preservation of the distinct identity of Sikkimese Nepalese we may soon witness the beginning of the end of Sikkimese unity and identity.)

   Reservation of seats in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly for Limbus and Tamangs on the basis of their status as scheduled tribes will hasten the death knell of the distinct identity of Sikkimese Nepalese in the former kingdom of Sikkim. As has been witnessed, dilution of Sikkim’s special status within the Union has been a gradual process and New Delhi seems to be succeeding in its efforts to erase whatever is left of Sikkim’s past.
   Despite its repeated emphasis on preservation of Sikkim’s special status as per provisions of Article 371F of the Constitution the political leadership in the State has unitedly demanded reservation of Assembly seats for the Limbu-Tamang community, who have been declared scheduled tribes in 2002. Is this move a bid to appeal to the Limbu-Tamang vote-bank or is our political leadership confused and directionless?
Interestingly, the Limbus and Tamangs, who belong to the Nepali community and were earlier bracketed among the OBC (other backward classes) in the State, themselves are vociferous in seeking Assembly seat reservation for their communities. Only last month (Jan 2013), the All Sikkim Limboo Krantikari Yuva Sangh called for an indefinite ‘Sikkim bandh’ to press their demand on the seat issue. The Sangh has appealed to all political parties, including the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), and social organizations to support its demand.
   It may be recalled that in 2006, the Sikkim Limboo Tamang Tribal Forum (SLTTF), while urging its representatives in the Assembly to protect the political rights of the two tribal communities, regretted that even after obtaining ST status they were yet to be given seat reservation in the State Assembly. The Sikkim Limboo Tamang Joint Action Community (SLTJAC) blamed the Chamling Government for not doing enough to ensure that seats in the Assembly are reserved for the two communities.
The demand for reservation of Assembly seats for Limbu and Tamang communities was raised in the Lok Sabha by BJP MP Balkrishna K Shukla, who was in-charge of Sikkim, in May last year.
BJP State unit President Padam Chettri said the people of Sikkim are grateful to the BJP for raising the issue in the Parliament. He alleged that even the two MPs from Sikkim have not raised the issue in the House and have “completely ignored the burning issue.”
   Interestingly, in reply to Shukla’s question on whether the UPA government is aware that the Sikkim Legislative Assembly does not have seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes of Sikkim and what action is being taken to “preserve and protect” the STs in the State Assembly, former Union Law Minister and senior Congressman Salman Khurshid said the 12 seats reserved in the Assembly were meant for ‘Bhutia-Lepchas’ as per the historic 1973 tripartite agreement between the Government of India, the Chogyal and political parties of Sikkim. Seats were reserved for the Bhutia-Lepchas on the basis of their ethnicity and not because they were tribals, Khurshid informed the House.
Khurshid, who is now the Union External Affairs Minister, said Assembly seat reservation for STs in the State would depend on the population of the Limbus and Tamangs on the basis of 2011 census. “Any increase/decrease in the present status could be considered only after wider debate from all the stake holders in the State of Sikkim,” Khurshid said.
   It may be noted that the Sikkim Limboo-Tamang Joint Action Committee had in 2005 sought deferment of the process of delimitation of Assembly constituencies in Sikkim till a special census is conducted to ascertain the population of the two tribes. In a memorandum to the Delimitation Commission, the Committee President PR Subba urged the authorities not to go ahead with the exercise till a census to update the population of the Limbus and Tamangs was taken up.
   In 2009, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram stated in the Rajya Sabha that any proposal for reservation for Tamang and Limbu tribes in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly can be considered only after compilation of results of the 2011 census
''At present no authentic population figures for Limboo and Tamang communities are available. If reservation for these communities is to be considered as per proportion of their population in the state, as recommended by the state Government, the same can be available only after the results of the 2011 census are compiled,'' Chidambaram informed the Rajya Sabha.
   The Minister also said there had been a proposal from the Sikkim Government to increase the number of seats in the Legislative Assembly, from the present 32, to a minimum of 40. A resolution passed by the State Legislature of Sikkim on September 16, 2004 also said that reservation be provided for Limbu and Tamang communities.
During his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last November Chamling stressed the need to address the issue for early resolution of Assembly seat reservation of the Limbu-Tamang community.
   It may also be recalled that in July 2008, Chamling tabled a White Paper in the Assembly on efforts made by his government in securing ST status for the Limbu-Tamang community and to secure Assembly seat reservation for them.
It now appears that another Assembly polls, scheduled for 2014, will come and go without seats being reserved for the Limbus and Tamangs. The UPA Government has stated in the Lok Sabha that until the population figures of Sikkim are made available on the basis of 2011 census the seat reservation issue would linger on. Even if the population figures are made known now more time will be needed to formulate a new seat arrangement in the Assembly, which will be followed by fresh demarcation of Assembly constituencies in the State.
   Perhaps this leaves us enough time to think over what we really want. Do the Sikkimese Nepalese prefer to be divided and gradually disintegrate in the near future? Or do they want to preserve their special status while also embracing their constitutional rights? The ball is in their court.
   Assembly seats traditionally reserved for Sikkimese Nepalese were done away with in 1979. Ever since, Sikkim’s political parties have been demanding restoration of their political rights. Why are our politicians speaking in two voices now? (Courtesy: Talk Sikkim, January 20, 2013)


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January 9, 2015, 9:06 pm
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BB Gurung never fails to surprise me
  
 This article on Sikkim’s former chief minister BB Gooroong (Gurung) was sent to The Statesman for its Northeast page on December 5, 2011. I was a contributor from Sikkim for this page but it was never published for reasons best known to the publishers. I’m placing this in the public domain to record my work.

  The man who always supported the status quo and became a part of it in a political career spanning more than fifty years surprised me again when I learnt that he remembered me during a media function here recently.
Bhim Bahadur Gooroong urged mediapersons in the State to read my first book, Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide, during a recent function where he awarded five local journalists with “Positive Journalism” grant. The grant came from the State Government.
     Gooroong (centre) during a media function in Gangtok in June 2010 (file photo).

Would Chief Minister Pawan Chamling approve Gooroong’s reference to my book during such an occasion when IPR Secretary KS Tobgay was also present and when I’m still in the bad books of the authorities? I really don’t know, but I feel that the former Chief Minister was freely expressing his views not caring for anyone’s views on his remarks, which the local media purposely ignored for reasons best known to them. Though Against the Tide was looked upon by many as an anti-Bhandari book the establishment has been treating me as one indulging in “negative journalism” in the past one decade or so. So, Gooroong, a former journalist, did a brave thing by asking the local media to read my book. But will they ever read and go against the tide? I won’t blame them if they don’t. There’s a big price to be paid for exercising one’s freedom in Sikkim. Everyone knows that but pretend not to.
 Another credit due to Gooroong from me is when he was the Chief Guest during last year’s function of the Sikkim Federation of Working Journalists (SFWJ), which I still head. During the function, six local journalists, including myself, were felicitated by the Federation, an affiliate of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ), with “Press Freedom” award for taking part in a press freedom protest rally in Gangtok on June 19, 1993, when the political situation was unfavourable towards freedom of expression and movement in the State.
When Chamling launched my book in Gangtok in February 1994 I was lucky. Within three months (it has nothing to do with my book) Nar Bahadur Bhandari, who was in power for nearly fifteen years at a stretch, was eased out of power. Dissident legislators within his party (Sikkim Sangram Parishad) used the income tax issue to throw him out. He never came back to power since then.
In May 1984, Gooroong, who earlier defected to the Congress (I) government headed by Bhandari, sided with dissident Congress legislators to go against Bhandari. The dissidents were successful and Gooroong became the Chief Minister – but only for 13 days!
In February 1982, Gooroong, then an MLA representing RC Poudyal’s opposition Congress (R),  led ten legislators – six  from the ruling Congress party and four from the opposition –  in a revolt against New Delhi by acknowledging former Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal’s second son Prince Wangchuk Namgyal as the 13th“Chogyal of Sikkim.” The revolt took place on the day of the Chogyal’s funeral on February 19, 1982.
   The sad thing with the old man is that the opportunistic tendencies in him got the better of him than his rebellious streak. Otherwise Sikkim would be a better place to live.


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February 4, 2015, 2:41 am
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I have accepted the death of my dream
By Jigme N. Kazi

Having retreated to my small corner – the fourth estate – after quietly bidding adieu to my two-and-half-decade-long struggle to fight for the common cause of all Sikkimese I reluctantly accepted the offer to give a piece of my mind during a day-long seminar  organized in Gangtok on January 28, 2010 by an enthusiastic group of young people who work under the banner of All Sikkim Educated Self-Employed & Unemployed Association.
The topic was “Article 371F” – a dead horse which still needed more flogging! – and many of those who were present and actively participated in the debate-cum-discussion were distinguished personalities in Sikkim’s social, political and intellectual circles.

(L to R) Jigme N Kazi, N B Bhandari, P M Subba and K N Upreti at the seminar on Art 371F in Gangtok on Jan 28, 2010
 Anti-merger veteran and former Chief Minister and President of the Sikkimunit of the Congress party, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, was there. His former Lok Sabha MP, Pahalman Subba, often regarded as the grand-old-man of Sikkim politics, who had fallen out with both Bhandari and his former colleague, the ‘Mandal Messiah’, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, was there.
Former Minister and senior Congress leader, Kharananda Upreti, the man who accompanied Ram Chandra Poudyal during the famous hunger strike at the lawns of the Palace in early April 1973 that led to the Indian-backed agitation, which culminated in the signing of the historic 8th May Tripartite Agreement of 1973,  ultimately leading to the ‘merger’ in 1975,  was also present.
Among the younger politicians present at the seminar were Padam Chettri, who only very recently took over the State unit of the BJP as its President, Biraj Adhikari, President of Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP), which still demands restoration of Sikkim’s pre-merger “Associate State” status, former Communist leader and now the Convenor of Matri Bhoomi Suraksha Sanghathan, Duk Nath Nepal, and former Minister and Convenor of Sikkim Bhutia-Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), Tseten Tashi Bhutia, who is regarded as one of the few vocal leaders of the minority Bhutia-Lepcha tribals.
Conspicuously absent from the scene were representatives of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, which often claims that it has restored democracy and removed fear psychosis in Sikkim after Bhandari’s dictatorial rule (1979-1994). The truth is Pawan Chamling is now faced with the same charges leveled by dissidents within his ruling elite.
 Yesteryears’ ‘revolutionary’ and one of the valiant soldiers of ‘democracy’, R C Poudyal, suddenly turned ill and failed to come! With his absence Poudyal missed a great opportunity to stand side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder with sons and daughters of Sikkim to save what is left in order to pass it on to the generations of Sikkimese yet to come.  Others were invited but fear of what may happen to them if they come chose not to grace the occasion.
 Let them live on hope and die in despair. There is no space for spineless walking corpses, who are neither black or white and who will surely fade away into nothingness, to mingle with honourable defenders of the Sikkimese cause during the time of crisis when the need of the hour for unity and solidarity – despite personal and political differences – has never been felt so much.
Added to this unique and historic gathering representing the multi-faceted Sikkimese society were Nagrik Sangarsha Samiti Coordinator and prominent critic of the establishment and member of the old business community, Prem Goyal, Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) activists, Gyatso Lepcha and Mayalmit Lepcha,  former District Collector, S P Subba, and former police officer, Jiwan Pradhan.
I not only offered my heartiest congratulations to the organizers of the 10-hour-long marathon session but also salute those who spoke out their mind and warmed our hearts and hopes. Together we made history on January 28, 2010, two days before the 28th death anniversary of the late Chogyal of Sikkim, Palden Thondup Namgyal.
I was certainly the odd man out as I did not belong to any political or non-political grouping. The organizers created the right mood for Sikkimese from all communities and from all walks of life to speak their heart out on an issue that is dear to them for a very long time. That the speakers – mindless  of who they were and what positions they held – spoke eloquently and with conviction and emotion on a wide variety of subjects on one-point theme – Article 371F – is indeed a rare treat for any viewers.
With tears in my eyes and heart full of burden I made my stand clear. “I have no wish to dethrone anyone or help anyone to get the top job. This is mainly because I have gracefully and very reluctantly accepted the death of my dream,” I told the gathering.
I made it plain that the casual and directionless manner in which the political leadership among the majority Sikkimese Nepalese tackled the Assembly seat issue in the past so many years led to the death of my dream of a united Sikkim, where all people live in perfect peace, harmony, freedom and prosperity and where the country’s security concerns were fully safeguarded.
New Delhi ought to realize by now that security, particularly in Sikkim, depends on the loyalty of its people, not just territorial acquisition whether by force or consent.
I took a dig as I often do when the opportunity arises on those who often make the right noises but the wrong moves: “I quit everything when some of my friends and former colleagues who are educated, have some political experience and feel for Sikkim and the Sikkimese could not look beyond Chamling and Bhandari despite the pressing need to stand firm and pursue our common objectives.”
I warned that activities of agents of division and disunity actively serving New Delhi, which seems least concerned about what is happening in Sikkim besides pumping huge amount of funds (and perhaps taking some back on the quiet) to its former Protectorate keeping the people perpetually drugged with power and money, will not only finish Sikkim and the Sikkimese people but greatly and surely endanger the country’s territorial integrity.
Didn’t I make it clear in my book, “Sikkimfor Sikkimese – Distinct Identity Within the Union” (published in Feb 2009) why Sikkimis facing a crisis of our own making: “Phony revolutions led by fake revolutionaries and democrats have created a system that thrives on lies, deceit and corruption. We are all victims of the ‘democracy’ that we longed for in1973 and 1993.”
We may blame the Centre for the gradual erosion of our special status and dilution of our distinct identity. But we, too, are responsible for failing to look after our long-term interests and live up to the hopes and aspirations of our people.

 My message during the seminar was sharp and incisive: “It will be too late to talk about Article 371F when battle tanks roll down Nathula pass and non-Sikkimese occupy seats of power in Mintokgang (CM’s official residence) in the near future.” 
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February 19, 2015, 12:19 am
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David G Stewart’s 92nd Birth Anniversary
THE ‘BOSS’ LIVES ON

Today, February 19, 2015, is the 92nd birth anniversary of our former Principal, David Garth Stewart. Had he lived he would have been 92 today. Rev. Stewart, who was referred to as ‘Boss’ in MH (Mt. Hermon School, Darjeeling), died in Auckland on December 12, 2014 at the age of 91.
Though Rev. Stewart is no more yet he lives on…in our hearts.
I have chosen Hermonite Kamal Haque’s tribute to this great man to celebrate his birth and life on this special day for MH and Hermonites.
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It has come as very sad news that our dear "Boss," David Stewart, passed away peacefully today (12th December 2014).  He was Headmaster of Mount Hermon between 1954 and 1963.  I know he had recently been very ill, but he lived to a good age and led a fulfilled life. 
Kamal Haque, a student of MHS between 1954 and '61, wrote this very fine tribute when he first heard "Boss" was so seriously ill.
A Tribute to David Stewart
By Kamal Haque
"Boss" was full of life, optimistic, always active. I do not remember him ever falling ill. He would inquire about every student and was known to visit the sick in the School Dispensary.  His sense of humour never left him. I shall mention below, some of these that I remember.
 His faith was very strong and he derived inspiration and strength from his noble mission, to spread the "message", do good to all, assist those who needed help. As a teacher, he felt imparting "Christian" values was just as important as motivating students to achieve high academic and moral  standards, so that they would be leaders  to their communities. He set an example for his students to follow. I think this was one of his greatest gifts to his students and all those who were associated with him.
David Stewart's contribution to MHS was immense. He developed the small school, in 1954/55, to become a large, multi-national, multi-ethnic  institution, with students from Thailand, East Pakistan, Burma, Singapore, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Finland, besides India, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada, United States, Sweden and other countries. MHS was the only co-educational school in Darjeeling, which was more difficult to manage than single gender schools. "Boss" managed this very well. True, there were a few "incidents" He handled these with skill and firmness, and set a high standard for  co-educational schools in other locations. He was kind, considerate but also firm. He did not hesitate to cane offenders for "serious" offenses. He later delegated this task to his deputy who had a "strong right arm."
 “Boss" believed in the saying " All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." He placed great emphasis on sports and culture, which was necessary to develop a " complete, all-rounder" individual. MHS had teachers for piano, violin and other musical instruments,  (I learnt to play the violin from Ms. O'Hara).  MHS was active in Choir singing, orchestra, piano recitals, debates, talent quest, plays of popular novels etc. "Boss" invited John Randell's Shakespeare Company (in which Shashi Kapoor was an actor/ member) to stay in MHS. A number of Shakespeare plays were performed at the School stage, which was witnessed by guests from Darjeeling/ other schools. "
“Boss" was very keen to promote sports and encourage students to play games. He was an experienced  football referee and led several trekking/ hiking trips.( I was in one that went to Sikkim).  "Boss" developed these standards/ values which was followed by his able successors.
    As I mentioned earlier, "Boss" had a  sense of humour. I remember him telling students sitting on the garden fence "You birds, hop off the fence". He liked students to be clean cut and would tell some to scrape the "fungus" from their faces. He related  that some friends decided to seek "guidance" from the Holy Bible. One person closed his eyes, opened the Bible and placed the pencil on a line. It was ".......and Judas went out and hanged himself...." The friends thought that was not suitable, so they tried again. This time the pencil rested on the line that said "..........and do so likewise."
He will live for ever in my heart. God bless David Stewart.
(Humayun A. Kamal, former Bangladesh secretary and ambassador. Known as "Kamal Haque" in MHS – courtesy UK alumni body)










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March 15, 2015, 6:36 am
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LEST WE FORGET
PALDEN THONDUP NAMGYAL
Remembering the Chogyal of Sikkim
Palden Thondup Namgyal, the 12th Chogyal of Sikkim, died more of a broken heart than cancer 33 years ago on January 30, 1982. Jigme N Kazi, then the Founder-President of Sikkim Students Association (Bombay) and now the Editor of Sikkim Observer, payed glowing tributes to the Chogyal in 1982 in his article in the Association’s annual magazine, Lukshyama,  of which he was the editor.
 This article was earlier republished in the Sikkim Observer and also in Kazi’s book, “Sikkim For Sikkimese – Distinct Identity Within the Union” (published in Feb 2009).
On the Chogyal's 33rd death anniversary (Jan 30, 2015), the article is being placed in Kazi's blog to remind the world  of the man who was much misunderstood and missed by his people nearly three and half decades after his death.

It is appointed for a man once to die and then the judgment. Every man is not a king, but every king is a man. Death is inevitable to all men.
A king must die, but his people live on and his hopes continue. A mortal man like the king achieves immortality when his people, his loved ones, and even his enemies acknowledge the greatness of his being and silently step into his shoes.
The 19th of February 1982 will go down in the history of Sikkim. It was not the funeral day of the late Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal of Sikkim; it was the day of resurrection of the Sikkimese people whose long suppressed spirit found utterance. He who goes out mourning will come back rejoicing. The 19th of February was such a day.
Over 30,000 people witnessed the happenings of the day. Some went away sad, some happy, and a few frustrated and defeated – determined to snub us down once again. The funeral day was a moment of reality. Truth cannot be suppressed for far too long. Sikkimwill never be the same again.
The forces that work against its people cannot ignore the impact of the day. What they saw cannot be denied. What they heard cannot be forgotten. For on that day the people spoke. Their silent speeches and silken scarves will forever be recorded in the minds of those who witnessed the greatness of that day. The very fragrance of the day will last for eternity.

The spontaneous way in which the people showed their love for their leader who fought for them till his last breath cannot be passed as ‘mere sentiments’ or ‘emotionalism.’ Emotions are vehicles in which human beings express their true nature. Elections rarely convey the real aspirations of the people. We in Sikkimhave witnessed this reality in the past few years.
The greatness of a man is known not by the use of flashy cars or three-piece suits; or even by the mighty mansions and highways that he has built. The greatness of a man, in the true sense, is measured by how much he is missed by his people after he is no more. The 19th of February proved to the world the love the people of Sikkimhad for their King, Miwang Chogyal Chempo Palden Thondup Namgyal of Sikkim.
We who live in Sikkimhave witnessed, in the recent few years, the attempts of some of our honourable members of the Assembly to topple the existing government. But all their ceaseless efforts to overthrow the controversial Bhandari Government have been futile exercises.  To overthrow any government is not an easy task. But if the right move is made by the right men at the right moment it is not an impossible dream. It was the ‘pro-Sikkim’ ‘anti-merger’ party (SikkimJanta Parishad led by N B Bhandari – editor) that put an end to the Kazi’s reign in 1979.
On 19th February 10 honourable MLAs of the 32-seat State Assembly took a stand which not only threatened the very existence of the Bhandari Government but challenged the validity of the 36th Amendment Act of the Indian Constitution which made Sikkim the 22nd State of India on 26th April, 1975. These MLAs had submitted a statement acknowledging Crown Prince Wangchuk as the13th Consecrated Chogyal of Sikkim.
Whatever may have been their motives behind the act one cannot deny the impact of such a move. It hit the headlines. It was gossiped in every corner of Sikkim. The Chief Minister, Nar Bahadur Bhandari, lost no time in dealing with the signatories of the statement and threatened to prosecute them on charges of sedition. Upon the move taken by the CM, almost all the signatories signed another statement withdrawing their signatures from the earlier statement.
What will happen now is a different matter. What has been seen is the fact that one single, solitary move by a few people in power can cause havoc. We do not need ten thousand angry demonstrators shouting slogans to say something; we only need one lonely crusader for the right cause.
One notable public figure, acknowledging the mood of the people, silently remarked to another distinguished visitor for the occasion, “It seems that he (Chogyal) has become greater after his death.”
The Chogyal did not die of cancer. His death was largely due to other factors which caused the dreaded disease. It was our cowardice, our disloyalty, our betrayal, and our jealousy that put an end to his life.

Let it be known in Sikkim and elsewhere, that he, Denzong Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, did not live for nothing; that he did not die in vain; that 19thof February was not the end of Sikkim and her people, but the beginning of a bright new day – the dawn of a new era.
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March 20, 2015, 9:09 pm
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INSIDE SIKKIM: HOMELESS IN MY HOMELAND
Finally the establishment is all set to crackdown on Sikkim’s ‘lone warrior’ who has been battling against all odds for over three decades to preserve ‘Sikkim for Sikkimese Within the Union’.
The East District Collector has now threatened to evict me and my family from our house and demolish our residence-cum-press building in Gangtok. The accusation is that I have encroached upon government land at the back side of my Observer Building. This is a false and baseless allegation though I admit there is some encroachment on all sides of my building.
These are testing times for me and my family and we need the support of all our well-wishers. However, we assure you that we will stand firm and resolute come what may. The litigation that began in 2000, when I became politically active, has been going on for nearly 15 years. It must now come to a decisive end. I’m ready and eager to face the challenge that lies ahead.
The world should know what is really going on inside Sikkim. If the establishment takes a decision based on equality, fair-play, rule of law and justice I am ready to accept it. If not this threat is an open invitation to come out of my ten-year-long self-imposed exile (2004-2015). I’m excited!
Cheers!


Gangtok, Saturday, March 21, 2015
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April 5, 2015, 11:14 pm
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Observer building demolition: High Court grants stay, calls for records
Gangtok, April 3: The High Court of Sikkim has asked for records on land encroachment at Jigme N. Kazi’s Sikkim Observer building here at Nam Nang.
The State Government which demolished a portion of the three-storey  building last Monday and Tuesday has alleged that Kazi had encroached about 1600 sq ft of government land “at the backside” of his building where Chintan Bhawan is located.
Kazi, while acknowledging that the encroachment is on all sides of the building, has been stating that the allegation that all encroachment has taken at the backside of his building is baseless and mischievous.
After demolishing Kazi’s greenroom, a kitchen-cum-godown and a store room on the terrace the demolition squad demolished four rooms and four toilets on the third storey of the building.
Under the orders of East District Collector P. Verma eviction and demolition team led by SDM (East) KL Lepcha lay siege on Observer building on March 23 and 24. If the High Court had not intervened and given the stay order on Tuesday afternoon all sides of Kazi’s entire building would have been demolished.
However, realizing that the building was unsafe and unlivable Kazi and his family were forced to evacuate their belongings from the house on Monday night. The family took shelter at Prince Palden’s residence at Kazi Road where they will live temporarily until the final outcome of the writ petition filed in the High Court. The building is not only Kazi’s home but houses his press office and printing press.
On March 26 the High Court gave a written stay order and directed the parties to file relevant records showing the area of alleged encroachment. Kazi’s lawyer Udai P. Sharma has welcomed the court’s direction. Sharma is assisted by MN Dungel, Passang Tshering Bhutia and Yok Kumar Rai.
The government, the court of appeal and East District DCs have repeatedly ignored records showing the area and extent of encroachment. Records, which have been with the authorities for more than a decade, reveal that Kazi has not encroached on land belonging to PWD at Chintan Bhawan area, located at the backside of his building. The only area at the backside of the building used by Kazi lies outside the wall and fencing of the Chintan Bhawan premises which were of no use to the government.

Since 1998 and for 18 years Kazi has been requesting the government and the courts to regularize the encroached portion of the land. (Sikkim Observer, April 4-10, 2015)





























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April 8, 2015, 1:53 am
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"I’LL KEEP YOUR MEMORIES WARM IN MY HEART"
“Breathe then your benison
On me as I depart 
I’ll keep your memories warm in my heart”
(Mt Hermon school song)
Dear Mrs. Murray, Adrienne, Stephen, Bronwyn, Johny and family, We - the Hermonites all over the world are with you in this. He led a good life and we are blessed by his life. He lives on! Oh death, where is thy sting!
These photos are some of my unforgettable memories of the man who has had a great influence on me and most Hermonites of my generation.
Jigme N Kazi
President
Hermonite International (Hi!)


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April 11, 2015, 1:44 am
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HAIL TO FOUNDERS OF MOUNT HERMON SCHOOL

Estb. March 11, 1895, Darjeeling
After Mr. Murray passed away on April 7 (Tuesday) Hermonite Puii of Mizoram (India), now living in the USA, sent attachments of the special issue of HERMONITE magazine of 1978 in Facebook/Email.
In 1978 I was in my third year teaching in MH. It was Mr. Murray's last year in MH. He was its Principal after Late Rev. DG Stewart (died on Dec 12, 2014) left the school at the end of 1963. I was the editor of the 1978's annual edition of the Hermonite magazine which was dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. Murray's long service to MH. The magazine focused on the school's history. 
In the years that have gone by I noticed that Miss CJ Stahl's original photograph was missing among MH's Founders/Principals from the walls of our school lounge. It seemed strange that no one from the school took notice of this. I have also not come across her photo in Facebook/Google etc.
Therefore, I'm placing Miss Carolyn Josephine STAHL's original photo back in the public domain (Facebook and my blog:jigmenkazisikkim.blogspot.com, sikkimhermonite.blogspot.com). Miss Stahl's and photos of three other Founders of our school - Miss Knowles, Bishop Fisher and Rev Dewey - figure in my book - "Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide" (published in 1993) - and also in HERMONITES INTERNATIONAL Newsletter published by Sikkim Hermonites and edited by myself.

In 1978 I made special arrangements with Darjeeling's Das Studio to make copies of these historic photographs of our school's Founders/Principals. This effort for the school magazine seems worthwhile considering the fate of Miss Stahl's portrait. I'm placing the photographs in Facebook and my blogs with the hope that Hermonites all over the world will now have a record of our Founders/Principals. Also hoping that MH school authorities will take a note of this and do the needful.
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April 12, 2015, 3:59 am
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“SIKKIM FOR SIKKIMESE: Distinct Identity Within The Union”
By Jigme N. Kazi

“We shall fight in the Assembly. We shall fight in the Parliament. We shall fight in the Court and in the Press. If need be, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets. Wherever we are, whatever we do, we shall fight. We shall never surrender.”
                                          -   Jigme N. Kazi, Sikkim Observer, January 1989

For well over thirty years since the controversial merger of the former kingdom with the Indian Union in 1975, the Sikkimese people have been constantly demanding restoration of their political rights and preservation of their distinct identity within the Union and within the framework of the Constitution of India. They have adopted peaceful, non-violent and democratic means to achieve their objectives. And yet New Delhi has remained silent and unresponsive.
 “SIKKIM FOR SIKKIMESE: Distinct Identity Within The Union” is a record of Jigme N. Kazi’s own contribution in ventilating and recording the hopes and aspirations of the Sikkimese people – Lepchas, Bhutias, Nepalese - and  members of the other communities, who have been living in Sikkim for generations. The book is a collection of his work published in various publications, including the Sikkim Observer, which he edits, during his twenty five years as a journalist (1983-2008)
Beginning from 1983, Jigme N. Kazi has contributed to several local, regional and national newspapers and journals – The Nation, Eastern Express, The Telegraphs, The Statesman, Sunday, North-East Sun, North East Daily, Caravan (now Alive),The Independent (Kathmandu), Talk Sikkim and his own publications: Spotlight on Sikkim, Sikkim Observer, Bhoomiputra, Himalayan Guardian, Hill People and Common Cause. Kazi was the Sikkim Correspondent of The Telegraph, The Statesman, United News of India (UNI) and The Independent.

Jigme N. Kazi is also the author of Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide, published in 1993 and The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland, published in 2014.
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April 29, 2015, 4:21 am
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BALCHAND SARDA: A PERSONAL TRIBUTE
Sikkim has lost a great son
Before time passes and memory lapses I would like to record a few things that have impressed me about Balchand Sarda. Loved, respected and admired by a cross section of Sikkimese society, Balchad Sarda created history when he trounced former chief minister Nar Bhandari’s influential wife Dil Kumari Bhandari during the Assembly elections in 1985.
Bhandari’s newly-formed Sikkim Sangram Parishad (SSP) won 30 of the 32 Assembly seats leaving one to the Congress party (Late Kalzang Gyatso won from the reserved Bhutia-Lepcha constituency of Kabi-Tingda in North Sikkim) and the other to Balchand Sarda, who though he was a senior Congress leader, contested as an independent candidate and won from the prestigious Gangtok constituency. His poll victory was hailed as victory of the people.
Balchand Sarda was not exactly my friend. He was my late father Rinzing Namgyal Kazi (Lachen Yapla) and my uncle Ugen Paljor’s very good friend. But when I stepped into politics in 2001, when I and many of us felt helpless and betrayed by those who promised great things it was Balchand Sarda who was my constant companion and guide and shielded me through perilous times which are recorded in my latest book, The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland.
In the course of time we became intimate friends and shared many things, including a few pegs of  whisky when he lived at Gangtok's posh MG Marg. After I quit politics in the summer of 2004 Balchand daju, too, kept himself away from active politics. Gradually his health deteriorated and finally he couldn't even talk.
Mrs. Dil Kumari Bhandari congratulating Balchand Sarda after he won from the Gangtok Assembly constituency in March 1985.
Balchand daju often used to tell me, "Jigme, God is great." God took him away from us early on April  18th  morning and gave him peace. On his funeral held on April 19th Gangtokians gave a tearful and befitting farewell to its first Mayor and MLA.
But more than anything else those who knew him well Balchand Sarda was a man who had a big heart. He was generous, defiant, principled and dependable. Sikkim has lost a great son. The void - in our society and heart - will be difficult to fill.
I planted a Rhododendron sapling in his memory at a prominent place above Kazi Road, Gangtok, on April 20. I have named it "Balchandron".
Son of Het Ram Sarda, who settled in Sang busty in east Sikkim in 1929 under the patronage of Sang Kazi, the Sarda family first came to Sikkim from Hissar in Haryana (north India) in the 1920s and lived in Singtam, a commercial centre for south and east Sikkim. It was the period when full power was restored to the 11thChogyal Tashi Namgyal after the British, under Sikkim’s first Political Officer John Claude White, forcefully took charge of Sikkim around 1890 when Sikkim became a British Protectorate.
Balchand Sarda was a great friend and well-wisher of the indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha tribals of Sikkim and it is, therefore, fitting that the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) held a meeting to mourn his passing away. In a statement, SIBLAC said, “Sikkim has become poorer and lost a great son of Sikkim.”
As Chairman (Mayor) of Gangtok Municipal Corporation, Balchad Sarda allotted shopping premises to small traders in Lal Bazar at minimum rates. The prestigious Hotel Tibet site was also allotted during his tenure as Mayor. To show respect to the lowest members of government employees monthly salaries were first payed to safai karmacharis and then to other GMC employees.
Under his chairmanship GMC won the first Governor's Gold Cup Football Tournament. The first garbage collection and disposal system in and around Gangtok was started by GMC under Balchand Sarda’s  leadership. The first Municipal Corporation School was built at Old Children’s Park in Gangtok on his initiative as GMC chairman. Along with Ugyen Paljor, Balchand Sarda formed the All Sikkim Contractors Association for the benefit of local contractors after Bhandari’s Sikkim Janta Parishad formed the government in October 1979.
    (L to R) Jigme N Kazi, KC Pradhan, LD Kazi, BB Gurung and Balchand Sarda.
 70 is not age to die and particularly for a man like Balchand Sarda, who unlike most old settlers who are involved in trade and business, moved around with the locals – small and big – with grace and ease. He dined and wined with some of the most colourful characters of Sikkim’s political and social circiles. Men like former chief ministers LD Kazi and BB Gurung and former minister KC Pradhan, R. Wangdi (Sosing Yapla), Ragasha  Kungo etc. were his very close friends.

I will remember Balchand daju mainly because when we were tested   and tried in the furnace of affliction he stood firmly by my side and in the interest of Sikkim and Sikkimese and refused to be cowed down. When others bowed down, got bought over and betrayed us Balchad Sarda stood like a rock and refused to yield till his last breath. I salute him and will remember him till my last breath.
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May 7, 2015, 9:54 pm
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Ram Prasad (1949-2015)
A PROMINENT OLD SETTLER OF SIKKIM

Late Ram Prasad (popularly known as Deojee Prasad), son of Lt. Deojee Prasad, born on January 28, 1949, passed away on  April 23, 2015.His Anthyesthi Kriya falls on May 9, 2015 (Saturday).
Ram Prasad began his schooling at Soldier’s Board school, located below Paljor Stadium Road, Gangtok, and thenmoved to Tashi Namgyal  Academy (TNA). At Soldier’s Board school his  Headmaster was Mr. Pradhan (father of Late M. K. Pradhan,  locally known as Khambu OC).  VN Langer, TNA’s most prominent Principal, headed the prestigious institution when Ram Prasad was a student there. His music teacher was Pariyar and his language teacher and also his favourite teacher was  Late Lobon Rinzing Lama of Kazi Road, Gangtok. His House Captain (House – D) was his favourite Agya, Late Sherap Palden of Tathangchen, Gangtok, who later became a minister in the Bhandari Cabinet (1979-1984).  
During his school days Ram Prasad was a good 100 meters runner and an excellent athlete. He was very fond of sports, especially football. He never missed a single football match from the 1st Governor’s Gold Cup to the last in 2014. His brother, Bijay Kumar Prasad, represented Sikkim’s 1st State football team at Santosh Trophy as a goalkeeper. He used to play football at the Palace ground in Tathangchen with the Late Crown Prince, Tenzing Namgyal.
Late in 1967, Ram Prasad got married to Late Shail Devi who belonged to Simchuthang (Manglay, near Yangang in South Sikkim.  Shail Devi was the great granddaughter of Sirju Ram and granddaughter of Nagina Ram and was the daughter of Ram Prasad Ram, who were a great businessmen of Manglay Busty, South Sikkim. Her ‘Meeth’ father was Namphrik Mondol of Ben-Namphrik, South Sikkim. Coincidently, Late Ram Prasad’s name and his father in-law’s name was the same.
 Ram Prasad is survived by two sons, Ajit Kumar Prasad and Amresh Kumar Prasad and four daughters . He also has two brothers, Bijay Kumar Prasad and Bikash Kumar Prasad, and three sisters.  His two grandsons are Raj Aryan Prasad and Raj Armaan Prasad.
 Ram Prasad’s great great grandfather was Lt. Dhanna Shah who first came to Sikkim in1850s and settled at Penlong, near Tashi View Point in North Sikkim. In Penlong  Dhanna Shah established himself as manufacturer and retailer of distilled liquor. This business was followed by his great grandfather Kali Charan Shah and his great grand uncle Babu Ram. Their descendants, Jibodhan Shah and Manobodh Shah, continued with the same business. A Trade License of 1930 issued by the Sikkim Durbar is a prized possession of the Prasad family. By 1930s the Prasads were not only the manufacturer and retailer of distilled liquor they also had the exclusive right to sell imported liquor in the Kingdom of Sikkim.
Later, Ram Prasad’s ancestors shifted to Singtam Bazaar in East Sikkim and opened a grocery shop. After the disastrous fire in Singtam Bazaar Ram Prasad’s family moved to Deorali Bazaar, below Gangtok, in 1954. Most of Ram Prasad’s family properties and valuable documents were burnt during the fire in Singtam.
The family properties in Singtam are presently managed by one of Ram Prasad’s cousins, Chandrika Prasad. After Ram Prasad began his business in Gangtok it was his cousin, Ram Naresh Prasad, who looked after the family’s Deorali business and properties.
Ram Prasad’s father Lt. Deojee Prasad and uncle Shivji Prasad opened a ration shop at Gangtok  Bazaar, now known as Mahatma Gandhi Marg. Late Deojee Prasad opened another shop under the name “Deojee Prasad Ram Prasad” (DR). Their business flourished and all of Kazi Road, Tathangchen and 80 % of government employees were their customers. The Prasad brothers even supplied ration to the Palace and also to those residing at J. N. Road and Yatung in Tibet.
Ram Prasad had a very successful life as a businessman. In the early 1990s he was the whole seller of rice, which was managed by himself and his father. Later he converted his business into travels and transportation agency under the name of “Plaza Tours & Travels” which was managed by himself and his two sons, Ajit Kr. Prasad and Amresh Kr. Prasad.
 Ram Prasad always looked for excellence, was well motivated and enthusiastic at whatever he did. In his travel and transportation business he was the first person to introduce luxury taxi and to make Toyota Innova Taxi popular in Sikkim.
 Ram Prasad was well known for his commendable contribution towards Sikkimese society. He was the Founder-President of Food Merchant Association of Sikkim. He was also the Vice-President of Sikkim Chamber of Commerce for more than 12 years. Ram Prasad was the Founder -Member of Bihari Kalyan Samiti. He was also one of the sponsors of Burial Graveyard in Ranipool, East Sikkim.
With his passing away Sikkim will miss one of the most prominent members of the former kingdom’s old settlers who mixed freely and friendly with all residents of the State.


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May 25, 2015, 10:35 pm
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Judgement & Justice
GIST OF JIGME N. KAZI’S OBSERVER BUILDING, NAM NANG SITE CASE

Jigme N. Kazi’s Observer Building site dispute at Nam Nang, Gangtok, which began in 1998, has been going on for 18 years. The case has been built on an allegation against Jigme N. Kazi levelled by Urban Development and Housing Department (UD&HD) and upheld by Buildings & Housing Department (B&HD) and various authorities, including courts.


The gist of the case is as follows:
1.       In 1996 a site measuring 1089 sq. ft. was allotted to Jigme N. Kazi’s Hill Media Publications, publishers of Sikkim Observer, an independent English weekly established in 1986.
2.       Due to various reasons Kazi encroached some portion of the land/space on all four sides of his building. The space – and not land – encroached on first and second storeys of the building is around 1,400 to 1,600 sq. ft. On the ground floor the encroached area is less than 300 sq. ft.
3.       On 20.12.2000 UD&HD alleged that Kazi had encroached 1,628 sq. ft. of land at the back side of the building which was to be used for Chintan Bhawan’s banquet-cum-conference hall. (Annexure – I)
4.       In his letter to the East District Collector, dated 05.04.2001,  Principal Chief Engineer-cum-Secretary, B&HD, alleged Kazi had encroached an area of land measuring 1,628 sq. ft. “at the back side his building which falls under the Assembly complex.” (Annexure – II)
5.       In his show cause notice to Kazi, dated 07.06.2001, Principal Chief Engineer-cum-Secretary, B&HD, alleged: “...you have encroached upon an area measuring 1628 sft. of land beside the allotted site.” (Annexure – III)
6.       While sketch map on site encroachment provided by UD&HD and accepted by B&HD show that area encroached is on all four sides of the building, the two departments alleged that the encroached area (1,628 sq. ft.) of land falls at theback side of the building. UD&HD map shows that the encroached area at the back sideof the building and outside the retaining wall and boundary fencing of Chintan Bhawan is only 834.75 sq. ft. and not 1,628 sq. ft. as alleged. (Annexure – IV)
7.       The contradictory and misleading information provided by UD&HD and B&HD and upheld by the courts is false, baseless and mischievous.
8.       When the case came up in East DC court (Prescribed Authority) in 2005 Kazi asked for re-inspection of the site to show the encroached portion. The Commission formed by the DC undertook a joint inspection of the site. The report of the Commission pointed out that an area of 1,449 sq. ft. and not 1, 628 sq. ft., had been encroached on all four sides. However, DC’s order did not take note of the Commission’s report and ordered for demolition of the encroached area. Commission’s report and sketch map is annexed as Annexure – V.
9.       In 2003 Kazi’s Review Petition in the Sikkim High Court pointed out that only 834.75 sq. ft. and not 1,628 sq. ft. had been encroached at the back side of the building. But the court failed to take note of this plea and upheld its order of 2003 that the area measuring 1,628 sq. ft. of land at the back side of the building should be vacated and handed over to government for construction of banquet hall. Such a huge area of land at the back side of Kazi’s building is non-existent.
10.    Though the same facts of the actual area of encroachment was presented to the Law Department’s Appellate Authority it did not take note of them and upheld the earlier orders of the courts and dismissed the petition in June 2014. Kazi came to know of the order only on March 6, 2015.
11.    When the encroached portion of the building was demolished on March 23, 24, 2015 the authorities failed to find 1,628 sq. ft. of encroached land at the back side of Kazi’s building. Sketch maps and photographs show areas demolished on all three sides of the building. (Annexure – VI)
12.    The Sikkim High Court, while staying further demolition of the building, called for all records of the disputed site. The records show that Kazi had not encroached 1,628 sq. ft. of land at the back side of the building. The encroached area of a few feet wide which is on all sides of the building is of no use to the government. As per law the encroached portion may be regularised as done in similar cases.
13.    There have been many judgements in the case but justice has been denied.


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June 19, 2015, 10:36 pm
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The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland
By JIGME N. KAZI
Publisher: Hill Media Publications
Price: Rs. 525/-

   Sequel to his previous book, Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide (published in 1993), Jigme N. Kazi’s new book, The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland, highlights the downfall of the Nar Bahadur Bhandari regime, which ruled Sikkim for a decade and half (1979-1994), and subsequent events in the former kingdom leading to formation of Pawan Chamling-led Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) government in December 1994.
   The book, released in 2014, delves deeply into social, religious and political issues – Assembly seat reservation, income tax, Rathongchu hydro power project, scaling of Khangchendzonga, Gurudongmar lake controversy, Opposition unity – that the Chamling Government confronted during its first three successive terms in office (1994-2009).
   The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland also seeks to highlight how and why the author – a journalist – left the safe confines of his profession and joined active politics. Was he after ‘power politics’ or did he truly struggle for ‘people power’ to triumph in Sikkim?
   In his recent book, Sikkim For Sikkimese,the author reveals his professional and political struggle of two and half decades (1983-2008) to safeguard Sikkim’s ‘distinct identity within the Union.’ In The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland Jigme N. Kazi shows that he can use the pen and the sword with equal flare and ferocity. His personal confrontation with those within and outside his political circle on diverse issues makes it a must-read book for those who are looking for unique insights into how the political elite of established political parties play the game of survival.
  More than anything The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland reveals how one can fight head-on and take on the powers-that-be for the common cause and come out unscathed and with one’s credibility intact.
   Published by Hill Media Publications, Gangtok, the 276-page book priced at Rs 525/- is available at Observer Building, Nam Nang, Gangtok, Sikkim and at the local books shops in Gangtok and Darjeeling.

AVAILABLE AT:
Observer Building, Nam Nang, Gangtok, Sikkim
Kandoika, New Market, MG Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim
Good Books: Old Market, MG Marg, Gangtok, Sikkim
Jainco: New Metro Point, 31A National Highway, Gangtok, Sikkim
Rachna: Development Area, Gangtok, Sikkim
Oxford Books: Chowrasta, Darjeeling
Bulk copies available at Observer Building, Nam Nang, Gangtok, Sikkim.










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August 23, 2015, 5:37 pm
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REMEMBERING MR. GRAEME ARMSTRONG MURRAY (August 24, 1931 – April 7, 2015)
ON HIS 84th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Today, August 24, 2015, is our beloved Principal Mr. GA Murray’s 84th Birthday. Mr. Murray passed away on April 7, 2015 and this is his first anniversary without his physical presence.  And yet we know he is with us in spirit and remember his friendship and contribution to our alma mater Mount Hermon School  and cherish his memory.

 On this auspicious occasion we also remember Mrs. Murray and the entire Murray family and wish them well. Our love and gratitude to the Murrays as always. Hail Mt. Hermon!


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August 31, 2015, 11:36 pm
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A Thousand Years Struggle To Preserve “Sikkim For Sikkimese”

   The time has come for the Sikkimese people, irrespective of caste, creed and community, to stand up for their rights, assert themselves, and be heard. We have for long placed much hope on the political leadership in the State to come to their senses and build a strong, stable, peaceful, prosperous and united Sikkim, which is not only in the interest of Sikkimese people but also those who have been living in the State in the past so many decades and for the country’s security interest in the region.
   It has now become more than clear that the combined political leadership in the State has failed to live up to the expectations of the people. The corrupt, communal, immoral and dictatorial forces in the State in the past so many years and months have virtually turned Sikkim into a den of thieves, a place where the Sikkimese people and others living here have been forced to live in great humiliation and indignity.  The Sikkimese people, comprising of the three ethnic groups – Lepchas, Bhutias and Nepalese – instead of being masters of their own destiny, have virtually become foreigners in their own homeland.
Pix: Courtesy -  www.bayultour.com

   The democratic movement of the people for restoration of freedom, democracy and justice in the State of Sikkim has now turned sour. Instead of forging ahead with clear vision and determination to set things rights the political leadership from almost all political parties are giving undue importance to petty matters. This is a clear indication that the hopes and aspirations of the Sikkimese people have been sacrificed to fulfill the greed, ambition and self-interest of a few individuals at the top.
   Corrupt and communal forces, aided by an evil nexus of bureaucrats, businessmen and politicians, who have in the past so many years trampled over the rights and interests of the Sikkimese people, are once again flexing their muscle and making their ugly presence felt in State politics. They are determined to stay in power at whatever the cost. It is at such times as these that we ought to remind ourselves of the need to place our long-term interest before short-term gains and make a determined effort to “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty”, democracy and justice.
   Let us remind ourselves at this point of time that the real issue in our State is a fight between those who wish to wipe us out and remain perpetually in power at whatever the cost and those who have for long suffered and endured the system that thrives on lies, deceit, and corruption. The people in general today may be fooled into believing something else but we believe and are convinced that the real issue and the real fight in Sikkim today is not between this or that party or between this or that community. The real issue and the real fight is between the rich and the poor, between the haves and have-nots. A microscopic section of the elite, who have usurped power and perfected the intricate art of corruption and communal politics, are a class of their own, and do not belong to any particular community. They want to remain at the top forever.
   This is not possible. We cannot take this nonsense any longer. It is time that the Sikkimese people from all communities and from all walks of life and age assert themselves and take a firm and united stand and say in a loud and unequivocal voice that “Enough is enough’. The need of the hour is unity and solidarity amongst the Sikkimese people to preserve “Sikkimfor Sikkimese.”
   By forming the Organisation of Sikkimse Unity (OSU) we have declared a thousand years war against those who wish to destroy the unity, identity and communal harmony of the Sikkimese people and the nation’s security interest in the region. Other organizations and individuals may involve themselves in petty matters and contest elections. We who belong to the Organisation of Sikkimese Unity (OSU) will fight for the basic rights and interests of the Sikkimese people no matter how long and hard the battle is. We shall fight in the Assembly. We shall fight in the Parliament. We shall fight in the Court and in the Press. If need be, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets. Wherever we are, whatever we do, we shall fight. We shall never surrender. Never.

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(Jigme N. Kazi, Chairman, Organisation of Sikkimese Unity (OSU), issued this appeal to the public through this column, On My Own, on October 24/29, 1994, prior to the Assembly elections in November, 1994. As the message was still relevant, the appeal was published again in October, 1999, prior to the Assembly elections in Oct-Nov, 1999)


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September 9, 2015, 2:18 am
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Jigme N Kazi made Sikkim unit president of All India Patriotic Forum
CALLS ON FORUM PATRON-IN-CHIEF JUSTICE MN VENKATACHALIAH, THANKS HIM FOR VERDICT SAFEGUARDING BL AND SANGHA SEAT


GANGTOK, 29 Apr: Author and journalist, Jigme N Kazi has been made the president of Sikkim unit of the All India Patriotic Forum (AIPF). The main objective of the Forum is to “bring patriotism back to the forefront of consciousness in all citizens” with special focus on the youth of the country.
A press release informs that former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, Justice MN Venkatachaliah is the Patron-in-Chief of the Forum. Other prominent members of the Forum include Gen. (Retd.) SF Rodrigues, Lt. Gen (Retd.) and former Governor of Assam and JK SK Sinha, former Judge of Supreme Court N Santosh Hegde and former Chief Secretary of Sikkim KS Rao.
Kazi has also been made a member of the 11-member National Advisory Council of the Forum. Sonam Dorjee, a senior teacher of Tashi Namgyal Academy (TNA), Gangtok, has also been appointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Forum’s Sikkim unit.
The release mentions that Mr Kazi also called on Justice Venkatachaliah this week where he thanked the former CJI for the Supreme Court’s historic verdict in the Assembly seat case. In 1993, Justice MN Venkatachaliah had given a historic verdict upholding reservation of the Bhutia-Lepchas and Sangha seats.
Mr. Kazi also presented his books – Inside Sikim: Against the Tide and The Lone Warrior: Exiled In My Homeland – to the former CJI. (Ref: Sikkim NOW April 2014)
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November 4, 2015, 6:55 am
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Hermons On The Mount


My alma mater, Mount HermonSchool (MHS, often referred to as MH), Darjeeling, did not start with a bang. For Miss Emma Knowles, a Christian missionary from the US, who founded Queen’s HillSchoolin Darjeelingway back in the latter part of the 19th century, it was an uphill task. Funds were low and competent and dedicated teachers were even more scarce.
MH was first called ‘Arcadia’ when it was first established in a bungalow below Chowrasta facing Lebong in 1895. Three years after its founding a massive earthquake in 1898 killed thirteen of its students when the school building collapsed. Failures did not deter Knowles. She had faith in God Almighty to provide for all her needs.
A few years later, Knowles shifted the location of the school to below Mt. Everest Hotel near the railway station and renamed the school – Queen’s Hill School (QHS).  In the turn of the 20thcentury, QHS (the old schools buildings are still there) shifted to the present location below Singamari. The school was expanding and needed more space. It was again renamed Mt.HermonSchoolin 1929. The present MH campus originally had 100 acres. It has now only about 80 acres. The rest is history.
I have great love, affection and regard for my alma mater. Even after nearly three decades since leaving MH my passion for the school has not diminished. MH not only gave me a sound educational foundation but also gave me the much-needed training and experience to become a qualified teacher. What MH taught me has withstood the test of time. And that is why I recently dedicated my second book, “Sikkim For Sikkimese” to “My teachers who taught me how to read and write and aim for higher things in life.”
Hermonites:We Hermonities are a peculiar breed. Commented a Northpointer, who at times get invited to our ‘reunions’: “Your get-togethers are very different and informal. I enjoy it. We get stuck in protocols.” My reaction to this has been: “We are Protestants, you chaps follow the Jesuit Order. We are comfortable with disorder!”
 When Hermonite NK Pradhan was recently inducted into the Chamling Cabinet as Human Resources Devlopment (HRD) Minister it was time to party again. “NK” (Senior Cambridge 1968), fourth time winner of the Assembly elections, during our get-together in Hotel Tashi Delek (one of our favourite haunts) rightly acknowledged, “We Hermonites should feel proud that we have many Hermonites in high places.”
One of the oldest active members of the Sikkim Hermonites Association (SHA), formed in 1983, is former Secretary, Tashi Densapa, who is presently the Director of the world-renowned Namgyal Institute of Tibetology (NIT), which is one of the three such institutions in the world for study and research on Tibetology and the Himalayan region.
Hermonites, by and large, are a versatile lot. Our definition of “high places” is not confined to “government service.” Even on this count we have several big shots. Our Association’s President, Karma Bhutia (Senior Cambridge ’72), is Principal Secretary and Chief Engineer. Senior Hermonite Nim Lhamu Ethenpa is also a Secretary and another senior Hermonite Tempo Bhutia is not only the Managing Director of SITCO but also the President of the Sikkim Football Association. And the list could go on and on…
Besides myself, one of the Hermonites who has been giving a tough time to the establishment is Athup Lepcha, former Minister who now heads the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) as its President. The ACT is against big hydel projects in the Dzongu region of North Sikkim, largely inhabited by the Lepchas, widely regarded as the original inhabitants of Sikkim. The Lepchas are now a fast-vanishing tribe and a prominent Hermonite is leading the movement fighting for their survival in the land of their origin.
Karma Bhutia rightly noted during the dinner hosted by the Hermonites to felicitate “NK”: “Where in Sikkim would you find a member of the Opposition like Jigme enjoying the company of a Cabinet member of the ruling party?” Even if others don’t follow our example we still need to set the right trend.
 “NK daju” must recall the times he used to lead groups in singing patriotic songs during Independence Day (August 15) functions in MH. The song sung in Hindi went like this: “Insafki dagarape /Bacho dekhao chalke/Ye desh hai hamara/Neta tume ho kala ke” (the song exhorts children, who are the future leaders, to tread the path of justice)
Now that “NK” himself has become a pucca neta he must try to always tread the path of justice. We, particularly the Hermonities, will judge “NK” not only by his loyalty to his government, party leadership, and the people but by his commitment to ideals and principles that give birth to great institutions and nations. What is the use of our unique educational background and experience if we cannot set high standards in public life?
White House connection: Luckily, Hermonites now have a live connection with the most powerful man on earth – the USPresident, Barack Hermonite Obama! Only last week Obama appointed Hermonite Barbara Nichols-Roy’s South Indian husband (now settled in the US), Vinai K. Thummalapally, as the USAmbassador to the small Central American country of Belize. (see page 1 for details).
The Nichols-Roys, originally from Shillong, are known to most Hermonites of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. “NK” is familiar with Marian Nichols-Roy, the eldest daughter of Stanley and Helen Nichols-Roy.
For Barbara and Vinai, Obama is not only their former college classmate but they also helped to raise funds and campaigned for him.
Says Barbara,“We are very honoured and privileged, proud and humbled, all at the same time, to have been a part of it and to know that we played a part in Obama'shistoric success.”
Vinai’s appointement naturally gave an opportunity for global Hermonites to get in touch with each other. I’ve already congratulated Vinai and Barbara on behalf of Sikkim Hermonites and Hermonite International (Hi!) and also hinted for a global Hermonites’ meet at Belize to which she replied, “Thank you, Jigme.”
Press freedom: Earlier this week, I met one of my former colleagues in the media who participated in the historic rally for Press Freedom in Gangtok on June 19, 1993. We were supposed to meet again and chalk out a plan to strengthen Press Freedom in Sikkim. He did not turn up. Therefore, I take upon myself to strengthen our resolve and float a body known as “Sikkim Press Freedom Forum” (SPFF) on this special day – June 19, 2009 to mark the 16th anniversary of our rally. If the opportunity comes we hope to observe June 19 each year as Sikkim Press Freedom Day.
This body ought to have been formed last year when several journalists belonging to Hamro Prajashakti, an independent Nepali daily, were brutally assaulted by unknown assailants at their work place. Though my advice went unheeded the need to safeguard Press freedom in our Sikkimstill persists.
My message and statement issued during the rally on June 19, 1993, which was carried in my book, “Inside Sikkim: Against the Tide” (released at the Press Club of India in New Delhi in December 1993 by former External Affairs Minister, K Natwar Singh, and launched in Sikkim in February 1994 by Pawan Chamling, the present Chief Minister of Sikkim) is still relevant:
“Let me remind you today that media-persons and media organizations cannot alone ensure and protect the freedom of the Press. In the final analysis, it is the people who have to come forward and provide the much-needed protection to journalists and safeguard freedom of the Press.
But we, as journalists, must make our stand very clear. We must stand firm and resolute in our stand. While our opinions as journalists my differ on various issues and matters, we cannot and must not allow vested interests or our own selfish motives to creep in and deprive us of the opportunity to stand erect and united on the issue of the Freedom of the Press. It is not how many of us are here today to support the cause of the Freedom of the Press that matters, but how much faith, sincerity and dedication that we have in the righteousness of our cause.”
Free Suu Kyi: June 19, 2009 also marks the Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s 64thbirth anniversary. Though her National League for Democracy (NLD) won the 1990 general elections in Burmathe military junta unjustly put her under house arrest. The pro-democracy leader has already spent 13 of her last 19 years under house arrest.
Barack Obama recently called for Suu Kyi’s “immediate and unconditional” release even as several world leaders mounted pressure for her early release. We, too, join them in their endeavour to seek her early release. In fact, only last week I floated the formation of a global body – “International League for Democracy” (ILD) – to  pressure the authorities for Suu Kyi’s early release through the pages of this paper. I’m hopeful and positive that the Hermonites will turn this solo into a chorus till the world community takes notice and forces democracy and justice to prevail in Burma.
My last week’s appeal on the Burmese leader read: “Sikkim Observer joins freedom-loving individuals and organizations throughout the world in celebrating the birth anniversary of this gentle rebel and urges everyone to put more pressure on the authorities for her early release. It proposes formation of International League for Democracy(ILD) to achieve this objective and to fight for freedom and democracy for all people all over the world and at all times.”
Change has indeed come to America; change must also come to Burma. India’s future Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi, (for June 19th is his birthday, too), must know that India’s Look East policy will remain a distant dream if the situation in Burmacontinues to remain unchanged. Moreover, India must regain her rightful place in the world community and exert her moral authority on bigger issues such as freedom and democracy.
The voice that spoke these words in her famous “Freedom From Fear” speech must not be silenced forever: “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.”
How true are these words in our situation in Sikkimin the past so many decades.
(This is an article by Jigme N Kazi in his Sikkim Observer in May-June 2009)


                                                                                                                           
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Article 1

November 28, 2015, 12:41 am
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HAIL MT. HERMON!
Regretfully, I now confirm that I will not be able to make it for NEHA (I believe over 200 Hermonites will be present) meet this time. Some of you already know the main reason – domestic affairs. The 18-year-old legal battle regarding demolition of my house in Gangtok has reached a decisive phase with the Sikkim High Court allowing me one last time to settle the issue with the State Government.
I know this news is most disappointing and hard to digest for some of you, including myself. However, the show must go on. The main objective of such a gathering is to have a good time, deepen your friendship and stay in touch with each other in future.

For discussions on MH and Hermonites I would like to make the following suggestions:
1.     1.1.   We cannot do much for MH in a more meaningful and lasting way unless the Managing Committee, which runs the school on behalf of the Methodist Church in India, takes the Hermonites into confidence and interacts with us from time to time. As far as the Hermonites are concerned we are willing to help MH in more than one way. But the authorities must be more responsive and transparent in their dealings with MH and Hermonites.
2.     2.   Alumni bodies all over the world must be strong and united. Membership needs to be enlarged with an active nucleus. Interactions between various alumni bodies and Hermonites in general must be regular.
3.    3.    NEHA’s priority should be to form chapters in each Northeast states. This process could be initiated during the present meet.
4.      4.  The All-India Hermonites Association should be revived. I suggest that we float a South India Hermonites Association (SIHA) during the NEHA meet. We have already spoken to some Hermonites from South on this.

5.      5.  Hermonites International (Hi!) was formed in 2005. It should become more active and representative. There should be only one global body for the Hermonites. Since I’ve headed Hi since its inception someone else should now takeover.
6.   6.     Despite our sincere efforts to revive MH in all ways the authorities have not responded to my application for the post of MH Principal. If my candidature is not acceptable I’m ready to withdraw from the race to allow any other Hermonite for the post. We cannot wait forever.
7.      7.  MH is a great educational institution and Hermonites are a special and unique kind of people.  We must preserve, protect and promote our rich heritage.

8.     8.   Hail Mt. Hermon!




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Article 0

December 31, 2015, 1:45 am
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2015: A TOUGH & CHALLENGING YEAR
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
                                                                                                 —Martin Luther King, Jr.

After a decade of living in quietness and solitude (well almost), 2015 was packed with events – making it one of the most memorable and eventful years of my life. The situation at the home front was most fluid throughout the year. I now realize that my family members and I in particular have been living away from our home in Gangtok most of the time ever since the partial demolition of our house in the third week of March 2015  by the powers-that-be.

2014 ended on a sad note with the passing away of my mother-in-law Ama Yangchen, who was living with us, in November 2014, followed by the death of our beloved former Principal, Rev. DH Stewart (of Mt.  Hermon School, Darjeeling), in New Zealand in the month of December. In April 2015, another former Principal of our alma mater, Mr. GA Murray, also passed away.
Their passing away and the deaths of our family friend and former Gangtok MLA, Mr. Balchand Sarda, and my brother-in-law, Sonam Gyatso Chingapa (Yap Saila of Ben, South Sikkim), and Khenzong Anyola during the year, were very personal losses to me and my family. We will continue to miss them but will cherish their loving memories.
However, despite these sad and trying moments we were able to lift up our spirits mainly due to our own inner strength, the blessing of the Almighty, and the tremendous love, affection, support and sympathy shown to us by our family members, relatives, friends and well-wishers.
As the year passes by I want to particularly thank Sikkim’s Ponpola and his wife Kesangla, Princess Hope Leezum and her husband and my cousin Wangyal Topden for graciously allowing me and my family members to stay in their home when it became virtually impossible for us to live at our place after the demolition. Thank you for being there for us when we needed the most.
As summer gave way to autumn our twin daughters, Sonam and Kunga, gradually moved away from home after 21 years. They are now graduates and learning to live and work on their own. This is another phase in our life which is hard to face but accept we must. It is both a joyful and painful process.
Resuming old ties with people like Suresh Pramar, my mentor and journalist who introduced me to journalism in 1983, and Mani Kumar Subba, former Assam MP, is a good thing that I was able to do this year.
Now a word about my extended family: the Hermonites. Surprisingly, even as we were in the midst of ‘turmoil’ the Hermonites, once again, made concerted efforts to make me Principal of Mt. Hermon in order to save the school. However, the authorities kept mum and because of this I have decided to close the chapter from January 1, 2016.

To all Hermonites, thank you for your concern for MH and the support to my candidature. We know that our dreams are buried in our wounded heart and we must gradually learn to accept the reality of the situation. Now no one, including God, can accuse us of complacency on MH affairs. We must move on.
Despite these developments Hermonites continue to join hands to have a good time by themselves. The small reunions at dinners, weddings etc. and the big splash at the North East Hermonites Alumni (NEHA) meet in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur in the first week of December this year all go to show the tenacity, camaraderie and the spirit of MH and Hermonites. We are indeed unique and rare – the salt of the earth! Hail Mt.  Hermon!

Special thanks to Hermonites Krishna Goenka and Mahesh Singh for being there and for their help and cooperation while my family was in the process of finding a home away from home towards the end of the year.
2016 is bound to offer more surprises and I’m ready to face anything. But I hope it will be a less eventful and quieter year.  I want to spend more time with myself, my family, and my close friends.
Cheers and Happy New Year!





















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