Nepali 2nd Largest Party To Sit In Opposition From Friday

FROM BERNAMA

KATHMANDU, Sept 5 (Bernama) — The Nepali Congress (NC), the opposition party in the Constituent Assembly (CA), will formally assume its role as the opposition from Friday, Xinhua news agency said quoting a report in the state-run newspaper The Rising Nepal Friday.

The CA secretariat is planning to allocate seats on the left side of the Speaker in the meeting hall in the International Convention Center in Kathmandu and it will probably be implemented from Friday after the Business Management Committee (BMC) of the parliament approves it, said CA secretariat spokesperson Mukunda Sharma on Thursday.

The CA meeting in the capacity of Legislature Parliament is going to begin on Friday afternoon, 20 days after the election of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”.

The Parliament, with most CA parties’ support except for the NC, had elected Prachanda as the first prime minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on Aug. 15.

Where Are They?

FROM GORKHAPATRA

By Nandalal Tiwari

Recently, different human rights organisations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), made public a list of those who were made to disappear during the 10-year armed conflict, from 1996 to 2006. They have shown that the whereabouts of nearly 1,300 people are still unknown. Of course, this is not the first time that the human rights organisations have come up with a list of the disappeared and demanded that the government take the issue seriously as well as steps, including setting up of a powerful commission, to establish the status of the disappeared. However, successive governments have so far been trying to evade the issue.

Cases of disappearances

The act of disappearing people started after the government began arresting people suspected of being members or sympathisers of the CPN-Maoist that launched an armed rebellion in February 1996. There were cases of disappearances during the 30-year Panchayat period, too, but they were few compared to the insurgency period. The numbers suddenly increased after the army was deployed to quell the insurgency in 2001. This is made clear by the National Human Rights Commission, which in 2005 said that it had received nine complaints of disappearance in 2000 whereas the number rose to 584 in 2003 alone.

A committee formed after the reinstatement of democracy in 1991 under the chairmanship of Hiranyeshwor Man Pradhan, who was additional justice of the Supreme Court, had submitted a report to the government a year after. This is the first committee in Nepal’s history set up to probe into the disappearances. The committee had probed into the cases of 61 persons who were kept in custody and made to disappear for acting against the partyless Panchayat system. The committee had reported that 37 of the disappeared were killed in custody whereas the status of the 26 persons remained unknown. The committee had recommended that the government take action against the security personnel involved in the act of disappearing. Unfortunately, the government never took steps to that effect, instead it promoted those police officers found guilty by the committee.

Language seminar concluded

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

Gangtok: “Nepali language has an unknown past. We have to think of our language in respect of its root”, said Dr Chudamani Bandhu from Tribhuwan University, Nepal. He was speaking as chief guest at the valedictory function of a four-day Seminar cum Workshop on Standardization of Spelling and Vocabulary in Nepali (Phase II) at Sikkim Legislators’ Hostel on September 4.

The seminar was organized by North Eastern Regional Language Centre, Guwahati, in collaboration with Sikkim Akademi and Department of Nepali, North Bengal University (NBU). Teachers and students from Tadong Government College, Darjeeling Government College, North Bengal University and other institutes attended the seminar.

Speaking on the occasion, President of Sikkim Akademi, Padmashree Sanu Lama gave emphasis on preservation, promotion and development of Nepali language.

Sikkim adopts bamboo mission

FROM SIKKIM REPORTER

By DB RAI

Gangtok: Sikkim horticulture department is going to implement Bamboo mission, which was mooted by Government of India a year back. The department has already started plantation of bamboos in 16 hectare land of the state, 4 hectare by public sector and 12 hectare by private sector party.

Speaking on the objective of adoption of the mission, Mr. K.K.Sing, director, horticulture department, said bamboo has multipurpose use. “The most remarkable feature of bamboo is that it develops the rural economy and the rural women can also participate in this mission with ease in spite of their household chores,” he said.

Regarding the usefulness of bamboo, he said its every part from plant to root is useful in making handicraft items which attract tourists. Mr. Sing also informed that horticulture department is not only encouraging the farmers to plant the bamboo but has also done systematic planning to merchandise it so that the local farmers would not be in loss.

“The bamboos produced by farmers under our guidance will be purchased by the department. Not only this, the department will very soon open outlets at Rangpo and Majhitar to for marketing the handicrafts of bamboo made in the villages by farmers,” he informed.

Sikkim team rain goals against Rajasthan in U-14 Subroto Mukherjee Cup 2008

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

NAMCHI, September 04: The Under-14 footballers of Namchi Sports Hostel have yet again proved its potential in football in the national level.

The U-14 team of Namchi Sports Hostel rained goals while playing against the IPSC Rajasthan in New Delhi and set a thrilling victory of 10 goals to nil.

At present, the Sikkim team is in New Delhi for the ongoing U-14 Subroto Mukherjee Cup 2008. The 16-member team from Namchi is playing the tournament under the guidance of their team coach Suren Chettri and Manger Amosh Subba.

While talking over the phone from New Delhi today, the Coach of the victorious team informed that the Sikkim team has impressed the sport lovers with their skill. “The players have also made their State proud by defeating Rajasthan in the national level tournament,” he said.

According to the coach, Karma Singhi and Dilli Ram Sanyasis scored four goals each while Richard Lepcha and Yona Hang Subba scored a goal each.

Tomorrow, the Sikkim team will play against Gujarat.

Relief materials from Sikkim leave for Bihar flood victims

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

RANGPO, September 4: Four truckloads of relief materials meant for the flood victims of Bihar left from Sikkim today.

Two trucks full of relief materials were from Gangtok and the other two were from Singtam. Volunteers also accompanied the relief materials.

Six trucks with relief materials have already left from Rangpo in the past few days.

The flood relief materials sent today from Gangtok were collected under the banner of Marwari Sewa Samiti.
From Singtam, a relief team of 22 volunteers went along with the trucks.

They will reach the relief camps at Purnia in Bihar on Saturday where the flood victims have been sheltered. Ready made food packets, drinking water, clothes, medicines and utensils have been collected in the relief materials which will be distributed to the flood victims.

The Singtam team is led by Rambhajan Prasad and Nischal Prasad and includes members from the National Human Rights Commission.

Conman brings dead mother to life in a loan scam

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, September 4: The dead was brought to life during a two year loan scam which resultant in the surviving family members cheated out of nearly Rs. 2 lakhs by a local fraud.

Only after the friendly loan arranger disappeared with their lifetime money, reality dawned upon Lingee resident Khem Lal Rai who filed a complaint with Singtam police yesterday.

In his complaint, the victim has accused Trilo Chand Dhakal (44) from Lower Sripatam, Yangang of cheating and forging him after promising free loan worth Rs.20 lakhs.

According to the complainant, the accused Mr. Dhakal had lured him and his cousin to provide free loans from loan officers in Siliguri a couple of years ago. He had claimed that he had good links with the loan officers and only documents of Sikkim Subject Certificate and original land parcha was required.

During this offer, the complainant Mr. Rai was in need of money and was tempted by the offer.

As per his version, Mr. Rai told the accused that the parcha was in recorded in the name of his deceased mother Utteray Maya Rai. At this juncture, the accused claimed that he had in past made several dead persons falsely alive and successful attained loan for his clients.

How safe is Sikkim?

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

By Shashibhushan Dwivedi

KISHANGANJ (Near Bangladesh Border), September 4: This question is being debated seriously if the present spike in violence in all the six districts of North Bengal and its nerve centre Siliguri is taken into account.

Sikkim is not insulated from these developments as it’s every social, business and financial activities are directly or indirectly related with Siliguri.

This question mark on the security of Sikkim has become a focal point of discussion in this part of the nation where more then half of the eight state’s northeastern geography is in the grip of one type of terrorism or the other. Linkages with the porous borders of Bangladesh which extends to large areas into this region have also been established in the unrest of this region.

In the third week of July, a BSF jawan who was schedule to go on a leave was short dead by the Bangladesh Riffles near the border village of Miliksultanpur in Maldodistrict. In subsequent firing from BSF, three Bangladeshi were mowed down.

Officials had then said that the jawan who was killed had challenged cattle smugglers of Bangladesh and had killed two of them when they were trying to cross border and enter Indian side near Maldo district village.

Later, some smugglers who had escaped told the story to Bangladesh Riffles who took ‘revenge’ by killing this jawan who hailed from Kerala.

NH 31A blocked at 20th Mile

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

RANGPO, September 4: Sikkim’s lifeline, NH 31A was disrupted today evening as huge debris of slush and stones blocked the Highway at 20th Mile, near Singtam.

Traffic remained standard along the highway from 7 pm onwards due to the slide. Later, vehicles were forced to use the longer Rangpo-Duga-Singtam route to each their destinations. The vehicles have to travel an extra 12 kms through this diversion.

According to reports, the Highway will be restored only tomorrow.

If the problem persist, then it will also have affects on the Rangpo-Duga road which is under construction and slushy. Movement of heavy vehicles along this road may also bring further damages leading to eventually closure of this diversion route.

SHRP quits JAC on ‘benefit’ grounds Unity projection of Opposition in tatters

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK, September 4: Sikkim Himali Rajya Parishad (SHRP) today broke ranks from the Joint Action Committee striking a major blow to the purported claims of a united Opposition.

The party will be charting its own course from now on.

The decision to withdraw from the Opposition JAC was taken yesterday by SHRP chief Dr. AD Subba and announced today to media through a press release.

During a central executive committee meeting held yesterday at Dr.Subba’s residence in Karthok, Soreng, West Sikkim, SHRP came into a conclusion that there was no benefits in being attached with JAC.

Hence, SHRP is withdrawing itself from JAC and moving ahead its activities singularly on its own capacity, informs the release.

It may be recalled that the JAC had been formed few months ago among all the major opposition political parties and a couple of non political organizations to pursue a common agenda of ‘restoration of democracy in Sikkim’ and protest against the ‘undemocratic activities of the ruling SDF party’.

Roaring back to life

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

The vulnerable hill side of SNT Jhora near Coronation Bridge along NH 31A has faithfully awaken from its annual hibernation and become active this monsoons. The resurgence has eroded away the primary defences of the Highway taking down top coating of the road down the slide. Now, as the picture above shows, this stretch has become a slush pool forcing the vehicles to meander along a confined zone and daily traffic from Sikkim to Siliguri hangs on fate. Any further slides, the lifeline can easily be snapped at this stretch.

Soul Search

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India, Sri Lanka sign MoU on tea research

FROM THE HINDU

By Sushanta Talukdar

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

GUWAHATI: The Tea Research Association (TRA), India, and Tea Research Institute (TRI), Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, entered into a research collaboration and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cement their ties.

The MoU was signed by TRA Chairman C. S. Bedi, and G. Jayawardane, Chairman, Tea Research Board, at Tocklai Experimental Station in Jorhat in the presence of Sri Lankan Minister (Plantation) D.M. Jayaratne.

The collaborative research areas will include plant breeding, studies on maximum residue level, biological control of pests, mechanisation of field and factory operations, development of chemical index for quality tea, development of water harvesting techniques and development of soil health.

Through this MoU the strengths of both the institutes would be fully exploited and scarce resource for research much better utilised by preventing duplication of research in common areas.

DS helps Assam tribe set up eco lodge

FROM BUSINESS STANDARD

NEWS SHARED BY AARDEE

Men and women of the Singpo tribe of Inthong village in Margarita in Upper Assam are waiting for their first tourists. Their 20-room eco lodge with bamboo walls, frond ceilings and bamboo doors is ready to play host to travellers.

The lodge took eight months to come up. The initiative was taken by the Delhi-based closely-held DS Group, which has taken almost all its packaging and rubber-based industries to the North East. It is best known for its Catch brand of spring water beverages and Rajnigandhi pan masala.

The CSR Foundation has a dedicated Rs 2-crore annual programme for the development of communities in the North East.

The eco lodge might not be an altogether new experiment. Functionaries of the CSR Foundation say British Gas too had set up an eco lodge in Fening in Upper Assam and the project generated good income for the community.

“The idea is to make the communities independent. When they wanted more money to expand, we said that they should rent the lodge to tourists and generate money to expand it themselves,” says a functionary, adding: “We have no wish to kill their enterprise.”

It has plans for other parts of the North East as well. Three officials of the foundation have been tasked to identify the need and suitability of interventions in different parts of Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya.

“We have just started work in Meghalaya with a health camp. In Tripura, we have donated money to set up a government medical college. We are trying to help the communities without entering into any PPP agreement with the states,” says the functionary.

Gorkhas step up agitation in Darjeeling

FROM COVERT

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Major Durga Malla

FROM GROUND REPORT

By Dishank Jain

The Statue of Saheed Durga Malla at the precincts of Union Parliament [Govt. of India]

In the years between 1927 and 1937 a wave of nationalism was sweeping across the country .In the late 1920s a young Gorkha boy in Dehradun was highly influenced by the national movement. He was only fourteen but he regularly attended public meeting and dreamed for a free India. In 1930s when the civil Disobedience Movement started, the boy took active part in it. The British in retaliation to the civil Disobedience made all attempts to divide the people. Muslim fears of Hindu domination were encouraged .The legitimate and natural resentment   of the ‘untouchables’ which were finding expression through Ambedkar’s movement were played off against the nationalist demand for independence . The British also sought to keep the Gorkhas out of the national movement by propagating the idea that they (the Gorkhas) were the loyal servants of the British Empire.

This young boy who was so inspired by the national awakening was Major Durga Malla. Concerned at his active participation in the national movement his parents persuaded him to join the army in 1931. He was also on the run from the police for having participated in a demonstration. He allowed himself to be persuaged and joined the 2/1 Bn. of Gorkha Rifles.     Soon he was promoted to Signal Havildar .He was sent to the battle field in 1941. By September 1941 his battalion was in Malaya. In December, a group of Indian soldiers lost themselves in the jungle of Malaya .

Maiti Nepal to rescue 518 children from Bihar jail

FROM GORKHAPATRA SANSTHAN

Kathmandu, Sept 3: Maiti Nepal has begun rescuing around 518 children languishing in a Bihar jail of India.

Citing that they were being sent to Kuwait illegally, the Indian government has arrested them and kept at the jail. Releasing them on bail, we are bringing them in Nepal, Chairperson of Maiti Nepal Anuradha Koirala said.

According to her, they are being rescued by paying Rs 5,000 of each child to the Indian government.

The Indian government arrested the children who were being taken to Kuwait by brokers making their fake passports and citizenship certificates, Koirala added.

“Children are sexually exploited and are used as domestic workers abroad,” she said. “The Government of Nepal should ban Nepali women and children from flying to foreign countries from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.”

Acoustics Of Traditional Music Instruments

FROM GORKHAPATRA SANSTHAN

By Arhan Sthapit

TECHNOLOGY is supreme today. And, technology-aided synthesisers have significantly dominated the contemporary Nepali music world, as they significantly make the music arrangement job easier, and yield more fine-tuned output, according to music arrangers. Such electronically forged acoustics also suffer no problem in matching the ‘scale’ of music too. [Inset: Musical Instruments. Photo by Himalayan Handicraft]

Many music connoisseurs wouldn’t subscribe to the idea of going so easy and nonchalant with the true spirit of music, as far as the acoustics of music instruments is concerned. Therefore, there is an emerging trend towards using traditional music instruments to can create a magnificent and marvellous aura of music. It is in such music that one can find solace from all hardships, and take inspiration from. In arranging even commercial music, many arrangers love to have Nepali folk instruments well crafted for a better music output.

The Nepal government has listed about 60 indigenous nationalities each having their own ensemble of music instruments played in different times, seasons, festivals and moods. It is, however, observed that only a very few of their folk instruments have been used in modern Nepali music.

Remembering Gopal Yonjan

FROM GORKHAPATRA SANSTHAN

By Ananda P Srestha

On 20 May 1997, Nepal lost a worthy son who in the short span of his life did his country proud. It is now a decade since he passed away. The person in question is Gopal Yonjan. The legend that he was in his lifetime as a music composer, director, lyricist and music arranger has left an unfathomable void in the Nepali field of music which even after a decade since his passing remains to be filled and which it seems will probably be so for quite some time to come. His untimely death at the age of 54 is a sad reminder of the adage “all those god love die young.” [Inset: Gopal Yonjan. Photo by Music Nepal] .

It is now a decade sans Gopal Yonjan in the Nepali music scenario and it will not be an overstatement to say the absence has been acutely felt. His compositions and those composed by other lyricists that his music brought to life are constant reminders of the fact.

Besides, these songs conjure up memories of the not too distant, but golden past when the famous mitjus’ Gopal Yonjan and Narayan Gopal virtually dominated the Nepali music scene. The timelessness of such pieces like Malai Maf Garideu, Galti Hazar Hunchha, Ay Malai Maya Garne Haru, Kehi Chotle, Lau Suna Ma Bhanchhu, Chumera Pana Bhari, Yeti Chokho, Samhala ghumtoharu, Aankha chhopi Narou, Malai Zindagiyo Lagdachha, Timro Jasto Mutu Meropani, Sara Din Arulai, Birsera Pheri Malaina Hera etc.etc.bear testimony to that
fact.

Gopal Yonjan with a studious bent of mind dedicated his entire life in studying and researching all forms of Nepali music. His compositions are therefore, versatile and do not confine to any type or genre. In this connection Gopal’s Ritu Ranga, released a couple of years ago deserves special mention; the CD brought out by his wife Renchin with much difficulty long after his death, dedicated to promoting peace and understanding.

In Black and White

From Gorkhapatra Sansthan

Sarkar urges Centre to seal Indo-Bangla border

FROM NORTH EAST NEWS AGENCY

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar have asked the Centre to seal off the porous Indo-Bangla border to prevent infiltration of militants from Bangladesh.

More than 100 camps of North East-based militants, including the United Liberation Front of Asom, National Socialist Council of Nagalim(Issac-Muivah) among others are operating within Bangladesh.

“The decade-old insurgency problem in Tripura and North-East as a whole could be sorted only if our areas with Bangladesh are fenced,” Sarkar told a team of visiting journalists at Agartala.

Not only fencing, the Chief Minister said, the government needs to augment the security in the border.

India shares a 4,095 km-long border with Bangladesh, including the longest in West Bengal at 2,216-km, part of which is porous, riverine and unfenced, and prone to frequent infiltration and skirmishes.

“Our misguided youths are being trained as militants inside Bangladesh with the help of ISI and CIA,” Sarkar claimed, adding that these two external intelligence agencies have been working against India, especially in the North East long before India liberated Bangladesh from East Pakistan.

“It’s no more a secret and everyone knows about the working relationship of the Pakistani and American intelligence wings,” the former student leader-turned Chief Minister said.

Asked about a possible dialogue with the militant groups operating in his state, Sarkar said his government was open for talks with the proscribed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF).

Centre backing rival groups: NSCN(IM)

FROM NORTH EAST NEWS AGENCY

Even as the situation in Nagaland is highly charged following the increasing cases of factional clashes among the Naga underground groups, NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu hinted the breaking down of ceasefire while accusing the Government of India of supporting the rival groups. Isak Chisi Swu also predicted that “we are heading for explosive situation” while adding, “Our people are apprehensive of a large scale human rights violation in Nagalim in the event of breaking down of cease fire. We are heading towards exlosive situation. In such critical junction UNPO must not remain a silent apectator”. [Inset: Men from the Naga Army of the Republic of Nagaland. Source: NSCN]

The NSCN-IM chairman said this while delivering a speech at the IX General Assembly of the Unrepresented Nations People’s Organisation (UNPO) held at Brussels in Belgium.

The speech of Isak Chisi Swu which was dispatched to Newmai News Network last night appealed the UNPO not to remain a silent spectator at this juncture.

Mizoram leads world in four types of cancer

FROM NORTH EAST NEWS AGENCY

The picturesque Mizoram has the highest occurrence of four types of cancer in the world and the cause is extensive consumption of tobacco, experts said. “Mizoram led the world in the number of cases of Hypopharynx cancer (Male), Tongue cancer (Male), Stomach cancer (male & female) and Esophageal cancer (male),” Dr Eric Zomawia, head of the pathology department in the Civil hospital here said.

“Aizwal has the highest number of cancer patients in the state followed by other districts like  Serchhip, Champhai, Lunglei and Mamit,” said Zomawia. About 40 per cent of the cancer can be prevented by changing lifestyle of the Mizos, opined the doctor. Extensive consumption of tobacco by both the genders coupled with consumption of smoked meat, leads to high incidence of cancer, he said.

Dr Jane R. Ralte, officer-on-special duty and head of the Tobacco Cessation Clinic in the Aizawl Civil Hospital, also confirmed the fact that excessive tobacco chewing and smoking, highly prevalent among Mizos is one of the cause of high rate of cancer in the state. “About 1,85,557 members of the church consume tobacco, which accounts to 77 per cent of the total members of the church. Out of this, 47 per cent are women,” Ralte said quoting a study done by Mizoram Presbyterian Church Women Ministry in 2004.

M’laya seeks solution to uranium mining

North East News Agency

Faced with stiff opposition from students’ bodies and political parties to a proposal to mine the state’s vast uranium reserves, the Meghalaya Government has set up an all-party committee to find an “amicable solution” to the issue. “We are for an amicable solution to the uranium mining issue. We are trying our best in this direction,” Chief Minister D D Lapang said. [Inset: Uranium Mining. Photo from Seekingalpha]

“The all-party committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and comprising 14 MLAs, is taking into account all aspects of the project. The committee will hear the views of all sides and is expected to submit its report soon,” he told here.

The uranium mining project at Domiasiat in West Khasi Hills district, estimated to be worth Rs 814 crore, has been strongly opposed by the hill state’s People’s Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement, both members of the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.

Asked whether his government would abide by the recommendations of the all-party committee if it opposed the mining, Lapang evaded a direct reply and said, “There are national interests and we (Congress) are a national party.” He said after his return to Shillong from the national capital, he would ask the panel to expedite its work. The influential Khasi Student’s Union, Meghalaya People’s Human Rights Council and Langrin Youth Welfare Association have also opposed the project, saying it poses health and environmental hazards. As assembly elections are due in Meghalaya early next year, the setting up of the committee is believed to be a move by Lapang to pre-empt any effort to make uranium mining a poll issue.

“China’s claim over Tawang untenable”

North East News Agency

Asserting that Tawang is an integral part of India, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu has said China’s claim over the tract was untenable.

“Tawang is an integral part of India. China’s claim over it is untenable,” the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister said.

“There is no question of a border dispute with China on its claim over Tawang,” Khandu, who was leading a delegation that met Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at the headquarters of Tibetan government-in-exile, said after the meeting.

The Chief Minister said there were no discussions on China’s claim over Tawang with the Dalai Lama. The delegation, including Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister J Garlin, PWD Minister Chohana Main and MP Kiren Rijiju, expressed unhappiness over the situation prevailing in Tibet. Khandu said he was here to express solidarity with Tibetan leadership over the recent events in Tibet. He said they have come to invite the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh. “Since I am a Buddhist, I have come to invite my guru (the Dalai Lama). He has agreed to visit the State sometime in November or December,” he said. [Inset: Map of Tawang. Photo by Kolkata Birds]