SIKKIM OBSERVER Saturday March 21-27, 2015

GJM raises Gorkhaland demand with PM

 Modi reminded of his promise: ‘Gorkha ka sapna mera sapna hai’

New Delhi, March 20: In a bid to renew talks for a separate state of Gorkhaland, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) delegation led by party chief Bimal Gurung met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here yesterday and submitted a memorandum demanding formation of Gorkhaland.

The seven-member delegation, including Gurung, GJM general secretary Roshan Giri and senior leader and MLA Harka Bahadur Chettri, reminded him of his promise made in Siliguri during the Lok Sabha election campaign last year for creation of Gorkhaland. Modi had said, “Gorkha ka sapna, mera sapna hai (The dream of Gorkhaland is my dream)” last year and the BJP manifesto had assured of “sympathetically examining” the GJM’s demand for Gorkhaland, The Indian Express reported.

“We would also like to remind your good self that during your campaign meeting in Siliguri in 2014, you had stated that ‘Gorkha ka sapna mera sapna hai’. The statement had sent a wave of hope and encouragement among Gorkhas. We would also remind here that the BJP has in its national manifesto of 2009 and 2014 (please find copies attached) said that it will sympathetically examine and appropriately consider the long pending demands of the Gorkhas, the Adivasis and other people of Darjeeling district and Dooars region,” the memorandum stated.

After a thirty-minute long meeting with Modi, Gurung said in a Facebook post: “ The meeting was positive and fruitful and we are hopeful that the Prime Minister of India will fulfill the dreams of the Gorkhas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also appreciated the work done by the GTA in the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.”

The party has also mentioned in the memorandum that they have been an alliance of BJP for the past eight years and has always ensured the victory of the BJP candidate in Darjeeling since 2009. It further added that it supported BJP in states like Uttarakhand and Assam as well.

Gurung further stated that there was unrest among people as the GTA could not satisfy the aspirations of the people of Darjeeling and Gorkhas living in several corners of the country. “There is a strong feeling amongst the people of Darjeeling and surrounding areas that their aspirations have not been fulfilled while being a part of West Bengal. This sense of being deprived of social, educational and political empowerment can only be addressed by the creation of a separate state. Gorkhas are different culturally, ethnically and linguistically and find it difficult to identify with mainstream Bengal. Historically, Darjeeling was never a part of West Bengal,” the GJM leader said.

Solve fake Sikkim Subject Certificate issue, SNPP tells govt

Gangtok, March 20: The Sikkim National People’s Party (SNPP) has demanded immediate action from the Chamling Government on the issue of 31,000 persons residing in the State holding fake identity certificates.

Exerting pressure on the government on the issue the SNPP today held a dharna at the premises of the east district collectorate.

SNPP President Biraj Adhikari, who was present at the dharna, has demanded  constitution of Truth and Reconciliation Committee to settle the issue amicably.

He said 31,000 persons in the State were in possession of fake Sikkim Subject Certificates and Certificate of Identification (COI) and the government has not acted on it for over four years. This is not in the interest of Sikkim and bonafide Sikkimese, he said.

Old settlers welcome CM’s move on Residential Certificate

Gangtok, March 20: The Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim (AOSS) has welcomed Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s decision to issue Residential Certificate (RC) to old settlers of the State.

The Chief Minister’s commitment on the issue in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly on Monday has brought ‘joy’ to the community who have been residing in the State for decades and have made immense contribution to the State’s development, a release of the Association said. Chamling had promised that the government would bring out a notification for “issuance of Residentical Certificates before upcoming Municipal Polls,” to old settlers and their descendants residing in Sikkim before April 26, 1975, when Sikkim became part of India, the release said.

The Association has urged the government to spell out the ‘rights and benefits’ to be enjoyed by RC holders.

The Association has also thanked opposition Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)’s Gangtok MLA Pintso Chopel Lepcha for raising the issue effectively  in the Assembly.

Vivid Kala Academy observes World Sparrow Day

Gangtok, March 20: Two thousand students today observed World Sparrow Day here at Tadong Senior Secondary School. The function was organized by Vivid Kala Academy of Sikkim (VIKAS) and the Press Club of Sikkim.

The students were made aware of the declining state of house birds, particularly the sparrows, dwelling in and around urban areas. Senior government officer Usha Lachungpa, the resource person, deliberated on the causes of declining affairs of house birds like sparrows and the importance of restoring the milieu that these house birds need. She said these birds are the one of those important factors that help keep the bio-system and the ecology in balance.

VIKAS President Kiran Rasaily stressed the need to make the World Sparrow Day a regular annual function in schools.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) chief and MLA PS Golay (right) with RN Chamling, independent MLA, and SKM legislators.

IDENTITY ISSUE

Holistic Approach Needed

Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has finally decided to issue ‘Residential Certificate’ to old settlers who were resident of the former kingdom.  April 26, 1975, the date when Sikkim became part of the Indian Union, has been made the cut-off year to identify them. This decision should have been taken a long time back and the fact that it has come after last year’s Assembly polls and just before the municipal polls smacks of political motivation.

It has been reported that there are more than 30,000 persons in Sikkim holding fake Sikkim Subject Certificates and a large number possessing fake Certificate of Identification. Perhaps many of those holding fake identity certificates would qualify as ‘old settlers’ and given certain benefits. Several political and social organizations have urged the government to solve the issue of those holding fake identity certificates in the interest of Sikkim and Sikkimese. Chamling ought to give a serious thought to this issue and take a more mature and practical approach on the identity issue of all those residing in Sikkim.

Controversy over definition of ‘Assamese’

Guwahati, March 20: The All Assam Students Union (AASU) and 25 organisations representing indigenous communities of Assam on Monday said the word "Assamese" in clause 6 of the Assam Accord meant all indigenous communities and all indigenous Assamese-speaking groups of the State.

They alleged that Dispur had tried to derail the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) by creating confusion over who is an Assamese.

The organisations met here as the controversy over the definition of Assamese deepened, The Telegraph reported.

To make their definition more transparent, they said those whose names, irrespective of caste, community or religion, were included in NRC 1951 were Assamese and eligible to enjoy safeguards as promised by Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

Before the  meeting, some of these organisations had certain reservations over the definition of Assamese.

This is required to provide constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the "Assamese" people under the Accord.

"Henceforth there cannot be any confusion over the issue. All indigenous communities and all indigenous Assamese-speaking groups of the state are entitled to get safeguards under the Assam Accord," said AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharjya.

Today's meeting assumes significance as some communities like the Bodos have refused to identify themselves as Assamese and suggested that the word "Assamese" should be replaced by the phrase "indigenous people of Assam" in the Accord.

Ulfa (Independent), led by Paresh Barua, said in a statement that all indigenous people of Assam and their children, who do not maintain any identity other than inhabitant of Assam and who identify themselves with the word Assam, are Assamese.

The militant outfit said accepting Assam Sahitya Sabha's definition on Assamese would be akin to making indigenous communities helpless by depriving them of their birthright and would also help people from other parts of the country take the safeguard of "indigenous people of Assam".

CM has misled people on BLs: BLPF

Gangtok, March 20: Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has misled the people on minority Bhutia-Lepchas of the State.This accusation has been made by the Bhutia Lepcha Protection Force (BLPF).

While referring to the Chief Minister’s recent statement made during a public meeting here, the BLPF in a statement refuted the allegation that the minority Bhutia-Lepchas (BLs) were ‘blackmailing’ the present government on various issues.

The general body meeting of the organization held here recently “took strong note of the baseless allegation” made by the Chief Minister on “blackmailing the government”, a release of the BLPF said.

While stating that “We, the Sikkimese BLs are always accommodative and open-hearted for we believe in the common efforts and destiny of the Bhutia-Lepchas and Nepalese of Sikkimese origin within the purview of Article 371 F of the Indian Constitution” the release said the BLs have raised various issues concerning the State’s cultural/ natural heritage and political rights with the Chamling Government.

However, the 13 ruling party’s BL legislators have remained unresponsive to the issues raised, the release said.

PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW

People Have A Right To Know

“Posterity will salute Chamling if fake identity certificate issue is settled”

Sikkim Observer makes public an important document on the issue of Sikkim’s identity certificate controversy. In a letter to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling last year former MLA Tseten Tashi Bhutia says there are about one and half lac persons in Sikkim holding fake identity certificates.

To

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Sikkim

Mintokgang

Gangtok-737101

East Sikkim

Dated: 25/08/2014

Sub:   Open Memorandum vis-à-vis Purification of Sikkim Subject

          Certificate / COIs

Hon’ble Sir,

Purify Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) Register:
The sacred document which was submitted / surrendered to Home Ministry, Govt. of India during the time of Sikkim annexation/merger in 1975 was Sikkim Subject Certificate (SSC) register on the basis of which, all the Sikkimese had become Indian.  Hope a copy of the same SSC register is lying with the Government of Sikkim today.

“As per estimates published by a local paper, in Sikkim we have:"
1. Fake Certificate of Identification (C.O.I) holders = 1, 19, 289
2. Fake Sikkim Subject certificate (S.S.C) holders     =     31, 180
                                                                           Total =1, 50, 469
Total of 1, 50, 469 “fraudster” or illegal and fake documents.

What we think today is;

       It is not only important but sense urgent and need of the hour to purify the SSC register in the interest of our future generation, else talking big about protection and safeguard of Sikkim and the Sikkimese will become a futile exercise that would imminently jeopardise our own posterity.

 This further becomes most urgent, significant and relevant given the present government of Sikkim’s priorities and insistence to the Sikkim Subject Certificate /COI on all its policies and programmes as being announced or formulated particularly with the inauguration of its present term of governance, which is most appreciable gesture on its part.

In fact, every State and government has the sacred responsibility of safeguarding its native people. The stand taken by the Government if really implemented both in letter and spirit, it will rejuvenate the effect and significance of SSC and COI and would go a long way in ensuring the socio-politico and economic state of the Sikkimese at-large. This shall certainly curtail the ever increasing influx thereby establishing a sense of pride and security amongst our Sikkimese people. If not, the illegal SSC/COI holders will get multiplied and one fine day original Sikkimese will be kicking out from their home land. So it’s now or never.

Therefore, we appeal the political parties of Sikkim to rise above politics. We don’t mind to come out openly in support of the Government if it’s really committed and wanted to eliminate, reject or withdraw the illegal Sikkim Subject Certificate/C.O.I. issued so far.

Political parties in Sikkim should understand that unless this is realized, whatever programmes/policies they come out with will never achieve its target which would only then be meant for securing a mere vote bank and accompanying politics.

Let’s accomplish this and posterity shall salute you and our generation with awe & veneration.

Submitted in the interest of Sikkim and the Sikkimese please

Yours Sincerely

 Tseten Tashi Bhutia. Ex-MLA

Contact; 9434144224

MISCELLANY

Why Satyajit Ray’s ‘Sikkim’ was banned

(Left) Indian film-maker Satyajit Ray with the Chogyal and Gyalmo of Sikkim at the Palace in Gangtok in early 1970s.

In 1971, Ray received a commission from Palden Thondup Namgyal, the Chogyal (king) of the tiny Himalayan monarchy of Sikkim, to create a documentary about his country. Back at that time, Sikkim occupied a curious place in Asian politics. It was a protectorate of the British Empire during the colonial years, but after World War II it was not eager to become a part of the new Republic of India. Rather than seek out independence, Sikkim signed a treaty with India that made it a protectorate of India – the kingdom maintained its autonomy while India assumed control of its defense and external relations. Most people in the West never heard of Sikkim until 1963, when Namgyal married Hope Cooke, a New York socialite. She became Sikkim’s queen, and it was her love of Ray’s work that brought the master director to Sikkim to create a documentary that was intended to attract increased tourism to the kingdom.

Ray took the duties of film’s narrator, using his rich baritone voice to detail in English the various scenes being presented. For the first half of the film, “Sikkim” is primarily a celebration of the kingdom’s topography and botanical pleasures. Working in color cinematography – this was not typical of Ray at this time, as he was still mostly rooted in black-and-white for his dramatic features – Ray captures the beauty of nature in a handsome manner. The only thing wrong is that it looks like any other nature film. Really, if you’ve seen one rhododendron, you’ve seen them all.

     Eventually, Ray has to acknowledge that Sikkim is more than a kingdom of rivers and flowers. When the people of Sikkim finally show up, Ray’s narration explains their heritage can be traced to the Himalayan lands of Tibet and Nepal. While Ray’s camera finds simple villages that appear to be lacking in most modern conveniences, the people seem content with their lives. Indeed, the film dotes on happy school children at their studies and in play, while Ray’s narration proudly notes that one-quarter of the kingdom’s revenue is used to finance free education. Namgyal and his American queen are briefly seen in the film, albeit from a distance. There is also a quick glimpse of a photo of Sangey Deki, the Tibetan who was Namgyal’s first wife until her death in 1957.

The second half of the film highlights an annual religious that celebrates the victory of peace and prosperity over the forces of evil. The chanting of Buddhist monks and a solemn dance ceremony are the key features of this observance, which Ray presents in a straightforward and unemotional manner.

Now, you may be wondering what’s wrong with this type of a film? It all seems rather pleasant and maybe a bit quaint. Indeed, it is so polite that it makes Rick Steves’ travelogue shows look like Al Goldstein’s “Midnight Blue” in comparison.

Well, there was a slight but significant problem with a single scene. Ray included a very brief shot of some poor people hunting for food that was deposited in a dumpster behind the Chogyal’s palace following a royal banquet. When the monarch saw this, he was livid and immediately ordered that the film would be banned until Ray edited the work. By this time, however, Ray was already working on other projects, and some time passed before he could return to cut the offending scene out of his documentary.

By the mid-1970s, however, things in Sikkim were far from travelogue-level jolly. The Chogyal’s popularity was reaching new lows among his people, and rioting in front of the royal palace in 1973 sparked a conversation among the Sikkimese about becoming a part of India. Two years later, the Indian military rolled into Sikkim under the pretense of restoring law and order. The peasants that turned up in Ray’s film as happy subjects of the Chogyal would turn out at the polls in 1975 for a referendum that called on Sikkim to become a state within India. The monarchy was abolished, with the Chogyal leaving to move in with his wife’s family in New York.

By the time Ray was finally able to re-edit “Sikkim,” the Indian government owned the rights to the production. Government censors took a look at “Sikkim” and felt uncomfortable because the film depicted a happy little land and did not show any of the circumstances that led to India’s absorption of the kingdom. Not only did the Indian government ban “Sikkim” from being seen locally, but it ordered the destruction of its negative and all known prints so it could never be seen elsewhere.

In the early 1990s, a global effort was launched to preserve Ray’s films, many of which had been in advanced states of deterioration. “Sikkim” was the most obscure of the films to be rescued – it was never publicly screened and no copies were known to survive in India. A global search located three surviving prints – one in Sikkim that was too battered to be projected, one in the possession of Hope Cooke in New York and one in a London archive. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences coordinated a digital restoration, but for years no one could legally screen the work because of the ban by the Indian government.

In 2010, the Indian government finally lifted its ban on “Sikkim” and the film’s copyright was transferred to the Art & Cultural Trust of Sikkim, an organization that took control of the Chogyal’s holdings following his departure from the kingdom. The film has since been shown at several Ray retrospectives and film festivals and it has been made available on an Indian DVD release. But in the U.S., the film remains mostly unknown except for its weird history.

     Sandip Ray, the filmmaker’s son and a director in his own right, would later lament in an interview about why this film sparked so much controversy and was kept from view for decades. “We do not know why the film was banned for so long,” he said. “But it is not a political film and has no propaganda. It is about the flora, fauna, the natural beauty and diversity of the Himalayan kingdom.”

And while the younger Ray is grateful for the restoration, he admits that his father’s work can never be properly appreciated.  “I remember that the original film had excellent colors,” he said. “But unfortunately, now it is lost. However, the present version is viewable.”

Unauthorized postings of “Sikkim” can be found online at YouTube and DailyMotion. To date, these offerings represent the only chance for wider audiences to witness Ray’s work. And, for the moment, let’s be glad that the Indian government doesn’t try to block these postings – after 35 years under harsh government restriction, this harmless little movie deserves to have an audience. (Film Threat - Bootleg Files)

RELIGION

Reincarnation of Bokar Rinpoche is found in Sikkim

 The Official Statement on the Recognition of Bokar Rinpoche’s Reincarnation:
21 January 2015
To give a brief explanation of the search for and identification of the reincarnation of the glorious guru, Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche:

When the supreme guide and master Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche passed to nirvana, enthroning his supreme nirmanakaya reincarnation became a responsibility that none of the branches of Bokar monastery could shirk. After his passing away in 2004, the traditional forty-nine days of puja were held. At the request of Mirik Monastery, His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje came to Mirik and presided over the last day of the puja. The following day Khenpo Rinpoche Lodrö Donyö along with the monastery’s khenpos, lamas, chant masters, officials including the general secretary and managers, and teachers as well as the monastic and lay communities associated with the monastery offered the Gyalwang Karmapa a mandala and representations of body, speech, and mind. They then fervently requested the Gyalwang Karmapa to identify Bokar Rinpoche’s reincarnation through his wisdom. The Gyalwang Karmapa graciously consented, and they were filled with limitless joy.

During the decade that has since passed, they have made their request again every year. The lamas and students from Dharma centers in Asia and the West, and Rinpoche’s devoted students from India, Nepal, and Bhutan repeatedly reminded His Holiness in a variety of ways, but aside from receiving his consent, the requests bore no fruit.

At a meeting of the Kagyu Monlam working team after the conclusion the Thirty-First Kagyu Monlam in January, 2014, the Gyalwang Karmapa said for the first time that he hoped everyone would be able to meet the reincarnation of Bokar Rinpoche during the Thirty-Second Kagyu Monlam. Everyone was filled with great hope. On the thirtieth of January, during a celebration of the Tsurphu New Year, the Karmapa gave a letter identifying the reincarnation, which reads:

In the north of the hidden land of Sikkim, in front of a mountain shaped like a lhashötorma there is the six-year-old son of a father whose name has a ta and a mother whose name has an a. If he is recognized as the reincarnation of Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche, it will be beneficial for the teachings and beings.
30 January 2014

Several senior monastery officials were immediately appointed as a search committee, and based on the letter, they identified three lists of children, the names of whose parents, the topography of whose birthplace, and whose ages mostly matched the identification letter. But when presented to His Holiness, he gave no specific instructions on what to do or who it was.

During the Thirty-Second Kagyu Monlam held in Bodhgaya in December 2014, there was a great expectation of seeing the reincarnation’s face, but it did not come to pass.

On the sixth of January, after the Thirty-Second Monlam was completed, the Gyalwang Karmapa specially invited Khenpo Rinpoche Lodrö Donyö to a dinner gathering for the Monlam working team, which was also attended by the two heart sons. After the meal, the Karmapa said with great delight, “Though I had hoped that Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche’s reincarnation would be able to come to this year’s Monlam, the timing did not work out. But we should be able to bring him to the upcoming Arya Kshema Winter Dharma Gathering, and Khenpo Rinpoche should go bring the reincarnation to Bodhgaya.”

On the eighth, Khenpo Rinpoche departed for Gangtok, accompanied by a party including Khenpo Gawang as a representative of the Tsurphu Ladrang. They arrived there on the ninth. In addition to the identification letter from last year, they based their search on the Gyalwang Karmapa’s advice to search in the village of Dimkhyim in the North Sikkim district. The Gyalwang Karmapa had also recently provided new, more detailed maps and diagrams of the reincarnation’s birthplace and information about the number of members in his family. Khenpo Gawang and the general secretary searched in Dimkhyim and found one boy who matched all of the criteria. They relayed the information to His Holiness, who told them to wait while continuing the search.

On the twelfth, His Holiness said that the boy who had been identified a few days earlier should be brought to Khenpo Rinpoche, so the boy was brought to the Norkhill Hotel in Gangtok where he was staying. With boundless delight, Khenpo Rinoche blessed the reincarnation by touching his head and hands with the previous Bokar Rinpoche’s Shakyamuni statue that had been his support for his vows and the blessed image of Tara that had been his support for meditation. He also performed a cleansing ritual. His Holiness told them that same evening to come to Bodhgaya quickly, so they departed the next day for Bodhgaya, arriving on the morning of the fifteenth.

As related above, throughout the process the Gyalwang Karmapa used his wisdom and great compassion to identify the reincarnation of Bokar Rinpoche without mistake, fulfilling the wishes that everyone from Bokar monastery and its associated branches as well as all of the faithful disciples from dharma centers around the world have held in their hearts for many years. It is due solely to the compassion and bodhichitta of His Holiness that the reincarnation has been recognized—were one to fill the entire universe with jewels and offer it to him, it would not repay even a fraction of his kindness. All the disciples of Bokar Rinpoche, monastic and lay, bow with body, speech, and mind and join their palms at the crowns of their heads to express with a single voice their thanks for his unsurpassable kindness.