ARTICLES: 652,461 beacons shining brightly across the globe

BY BARUN ROY

In a rather frank conversation that I had with an old friend of mine I was put to a fix with rather conspicious questions- what will you achieve by all this? Where will your blogging lead to? Will Beacon Online make a difference – and if it does what kind of difference will it be? I will have to say that the questions really made me wonder – indeed what is the true ambition of this endeavour, this community blog of ours? Is it simply to report news, share tit-bits of information here and there so that people come to visit it or is there something more to it. In fact, reporting everyday, I wonder what good do they do – after all, things keep on happening, and people after reading them go back to their life and do nothing. All we need, it seems, is to be informed so that tucked away safe in our own world, protected by hypothetical protective walls, we get a license not to react, not to be responsible. Lets be frank, people keep on dying, girls and women keep on being sold like cattle in the market, drugs and spurious liquor keeping on flooding the market – the media blurts everyday about the evils of the society, the commentators comment and writers write but then are there any changes… or the more appropriate question, as it seems to be…do we really want things to change? Believe me, I am not preaching here… In fact, confronted by questions with no answers, I am wondering… dazed myself.

DARJEELING HILLS: “The Chicken Neck of India can only be protected by Gorkhaland” Bimal Gurung

THE HIMALAYAN BEACON [BEACON ONLINE] EXCLUSIVE

BY BARUN ROY

Bimal Gurung addresing to the people at Ambootia Tea Garden. Photo by Mohan Prasad -Himalaya Darpan

DARJEELING: ”Darjeeling Hills and Dooars Terai is surrounded by the international borders of four countries, Nepal, China, Bhutan and Bangladesh. This Chicken Neck area is being used by the terrorists to enter into India and carry on terrorist acts. The Chicken Neck of India can only be protected by the formation of Gorkhaland,”said Bimal Gurung, President, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM). Gurung was speaking to the people gathered from different constituencies of Kurseong at the Ambootia Tea Estate situated Komal Tar (ground). Adding further, he said, “We are all concious beings and hence we should not wrong others. We should not indulge in illegal activities and walk in wrong directions. In the independence of the nation many leaders have risen and led us to different directions but since the inception of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha on the 7th of October 2007, we have been able to unite the people under one flag and one platform. So much so that today Rajbanshis and Adivashis (tribals) have joined in with the Gorkhas for the struggle of Gorkhaland. Today, every one, from a child to an elderly are crying out – we want Gorkhaland. I must say something here in Ambootia – Race, culture and religion, they all have a specific place in our life, but Gorkhaland is for us all. If this is not so remember the land you are today standing on, that land will also be pulled out from under your feet. Even the six feet land needed for our burial will have to be requisitioned from the West Bengal Government. We have been grinded to the ground for last 61 years. We will have to love our mother to whom we owe our existence. Today our mother is crying out of pain and we have to take care of her and this is the message that I have disembarked on a journey from village to village, to share.”

Speaking about All India Gorkha League (AIGL) President, Madan Tamang, Gurung said, “People are indulging in defaming me. What if you call yourself an intellectual, you have not policy aimed at working for the good of the people. You are playing with the issue of Gorkhaland. The Bhutanese Refugees have been covered the entire banks of Mechi River. Where will you go tomorrow? Whatever you want to say, say. Whatever you want to do, do. I do not care. I am a Bulldozer, I am determined, I cannot be brought since I am the son of the soil. I never indulge in politics of lies. All I want to ask Gorkha League is that have you ever raised the issue of Gorkhaland since your inception? Now that someone is working towards Gorkhaland, it is not good to hinder. The Gorkha National Liberation Movement of the 80’s was the movement of Subash Ghisingh but the present movement is not that of Bimal Gurung, it is a People’s revolution. This party will not give birth to Member of Parliaments and Member of Legislative Assembly, this party will give birth to Gorkhaland.”

NATIONAL: The Army should respond immediately

FROM PRAGMATIC EUPHONY

…to these innumerable stories on Lieutenant Colonel Purohit and Malegaon blasts in the media.

Truth is the best propaganda and lies are the worst. To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful. It is as simple as that. ~Edward R. Murrow

The Malegaon blasts, Lieutenant Colonel Purohit and ATS continue to hog the limelight in the Indian media, both print and television. A Google News search would reveal 1000 to 1500 stories in the media depending on the keywords used. Most of these stories are sensationalist in nature – unverified, attributed to unnamed sources and typically virulent. While this is not to disabuse the ATS findings or the widely held notion that Lieutenant Colonel Purohit is the prime culprit in the Malegaon blasts, the question that really boggles the mind is – Why hasn’t the Army responded publicly to these stories and clarified its position on the matter so far?

More than any civil organisation, the armed forces have historically known the value of communication, propaganda and counter-propaganda. Public diplomacy is a fanciful term used very often nowadays by the military to denote truthful propaganda and the Indian armed forces used it to great effect against Pakistan during the Kargil conflict. The Purohit-Malegaon case has continued to be the lead story for nearly two weeks now and the Indian Army, the one institution that has suffered the maximum damage from this story, has not officially reacted so far.

The two public responses, one by the Deputy Chief on the occasion of a Gorkha battalion moving to Congo, and the other by the Army Chief on a security visit to J&K, have been perfunctory at best. The ideal public diplomacy response should involve a detailed press briefing by a senior army officer, accompanied by a senior representative of the ATS (if feasible). This should give all out all the unclassified service details pertaining to Lieutenant Colonel Purohit, clarifications on the allegations raised in the media, and answer the charges purportedly framed by the ATS. Such a briefing is likely to be featured prominently in the Indian media and will dispel the many questions being raised against the army.

NEPAL: Nepalese Mandela driven to Nepal refugee camp

FROM SOUTH ASIAN MEDIA NET

KATHMANDU: A 45-year-old Bhutanese of Nepali origin, who was released from prison after 17 years by the Bhutan government this month, has been forced to take shelter in refugee camps in Nepal. The expulsion of Dhan Kumar Rai, dubbed the Nelson Mandela of Bhutan by Nepal’s media for his long imprisonment, comes after the coronation of a new king and Bhutan’s well-publicised plans of reform and modernization.

Rai, who arrived in Kathmandu for medical treatment Friday, is suffering from heart and mental problems.

One of the founding members of the exiled Bhutan People’s Party, he was earlier forced to leave Bhutan in 1989 when the Druk government began a crackdown on ethnic citizens, especially those of Nepali origin.

He fled to West Bengal in India where two years after his escape he was arrested by police from the Dooars area and handed over to Bhutan.

The 28-year-old was accused of sedition, terrorism and attempt to murder and was sent to the central prison, IANS reported.

Rai says there were 74 more Nepali-speaking Bhutanese prisoners in the same prison block.

Rai and three other political prisoners of Nepali origin – Manbahadur Moktan, Ratna Thapa and Indrajit Pulami – were released on November 1, five days before the coronation of Bhutan’s fifth king Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, reportedly due to pressure by the International Red Cross Society and other international human rights organizations.

However, he could not view the three-day lavish coronation ceremony. Rai was given 48 hours to quit Bhutan.

On November 5, he arrived in Khudunabari in east Nepal where his brother and other family members have been living since fleeing Bhutan in the 1980s.

NEPAL: First portable toilet for Everest

FROM TIMES OF INDIA

KATHMANDU: A young Nepali climber is seeking to popularise a toilet fashioned from a plastic bucket with a lid to promote eco-friendly climbing on Mount Everest.

Hundreds of climbers flock to the world’s tallest peak at 8,850 metres every year, with many simply squatting in the open or hunching behind rocks as the Everest base camp has no proper toilet facilities.

Dawa Steven Sherpa, who led an eco-Everest expedition in May to collect trash dumped by previous climbers, said his team used a plastic bucket as well as a gas-impervious bag designed to safely contain and neutralise human waste and keep in odour.

“It is portable and very secure,” Sherpa, 25, said. “I want to promote anything that manages human waste on the mountain.”

Sherpa’s team, during its month-long expedition, picked up 965 kg of cans, gas canisters, kitchen waste, tents, parts of an Italian helicopter that crashed 35 years ago and remains of the body of a British climber who died in 1972.

In addition, his team also brought down 65 kg of human waste produced by its 18 members, which it handed over to a local environment group at the base camp for management.

NEPAL: New Nepal Constitution by May 2010

FROM THE HINDU

By Prerana Marasini

KATHMANDU: The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal will have a new Constitution by May 2010.

The Constituent Assembly (CA) on Sunday decided to prepare the Constitution in 82 weeks. In April 2008, CA elections were held in Nepal and a two-year timeframe was set to draft the Constitution. The Constitution could be unveiled on May 28, 2010.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala has said the party would not accept the Constitution, if it is written without consensus with the NC.

Xinhua reports:

The government will hold talks with as many as 12 armed groups operating in the southern Nepal’s Terai within the next two weeks, according to Local Development Minister Ramchandra Jha.

According to The Himalayan Times, Mr. Jha declined to give the names of the armed groups .

 

DARJEELING HILLS: Destiny’s child…

FROM THE STATESMAN

Kurseong, Nov. 16: The GJMM president Mr Bimal Gurung said today while addressing a public rally at Ambootia Tea Estate in Kurseong, that he had been catapulted to the exalted public position from a humble background as destiny wanted him to contribute his mite to the movement for Gorkhaland. He also asked the hill people to close ranks to achieve the collective dream of a separate state.

Mr Gurung said that the hill people had given enough time to the mainstream leaders and hill based outfits to translate the hill dream into reality. ‘We have sought only a couple of years from the people to advance the cause of Gorkhaland to the point of its actual achievement. If the people are unhappy with our party and my leadership I am ready to step down yielding the place for a competent leader,” the GJMM leader said.

“We must be tough regarding the dissenting voices on the paramount issue of Gorkhaland. The leaders opposing us must explain to the people at large what they have done by way of advancing our cause over decades,” he said.

Referring to the recent statement made by the AIGL chief, Mr Madan Tamang, Mr Gurung said that the GJMM had served an ultimatum to Mr Tamang asking him to prove his statement alleging complicity of the GJMM big wigs with the representatives of the state administration by November 7. “In case he fails he must quit politics once and for all,” he added.

 

DARJEELING HILLS: ‘Gorkhaland’ needs a proper outlook

FROM THE STATESMAN

DARJEELING, Nov. 16: The Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) is initiating an all-India programme at Delhi to frame a comprehensive outlook of the general public towards the Gorkhaland demand. It has a series of programmes lined up for December which starts with a dharna and a public meeting at Jantar Mantar.

The programmes scheduled from 19 to 22 December include a seminar with other organisations and parties demanding separate states within the framework of India. “The CPRM representatives will leave for Delhi on 16 of December,” CPRM general secretary Mr RB. Rai said.

Emphasising the need for a national perspective, Mr. Rai said: “The groundwork in Darjeeling, Dooars and Siliguri is set but now we need to focus outside this region. We have to tilt opinion in favour of Gorkhaland in other states too. This can be achieved only by involving Gorkhas residing all over India”.

SILIGURI: Power fencing mulled to ward off wild elephants

FROM THE STATESMAN

By Bappaditya Paul

SILIGURI, Nov. 16: Unable to check the recurrent wild elephant raids on the fringe villages by patrolling alone, the Baikanthapur forest division in Jalpaiguri district is mulling a plan for erecting energised fencing around the villages with help from the civil administration and other local governing bodies.

The forest division has identified nine such villages, which are prone to the pachyderm raids. But on account of being ‘revenue villages’, all of these are deprived of the regular forest aids for protection against the menace. According to the DFO Baikanthapur, Mr Sailesh Anand, of the six forest ranges lying under the division, currently only two are having the energised fencing in place. This is even as the menace is prevalent all across and the forest staffs often find it tough to manage the situation.

“The problem is that the forest department can spend money on the notified forest villages alone and there is no fund available for the adjacent fringe villages even if those too are prone to wild raids. Keeping this in mind, what we are trying to do now is to convince the district civil administration and the zila parishad to divert some of their developmental grants for the erection of energised fencing and all, which would avert the wild foray and save lives and properties of the villagers they govern,” Mr Anand said. Putting the proposal to paper, the DFO is sending separate letters to the concerned authorities and hope to get a positive response soon.

“If the plan materialises, we would be able to save a number of human lives and huge number of paddy fields that fall prey to pachyderm attack every year. This will also help in bringing down the ever growing human hostility towards wild animals,” he said.

Magurmari, Salugari, Mechbasti and Gazaldoba are the four forest villages in Baikanthopur forest division that are currently protected by around 50 km of energised fencing. The nine revenue villages that the foresters want to have the same fencing include Manthadhari, Sikarpur, Dabgram, Farabari etc.

DARJEELING HILLS: NGO picks up singer to bridge societies

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

BY VIVEK CHHETRI

The interactive session in Darjeeling. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Nov 16: Efforts are on to build a common platform between the people of Nepal and Darjeeling to address common social and cultural issues.

A delegation of the Kathmandu-based Progressive Model Women Society, an NGO, today extended an invitation to Prakriti Giri, a finalist of a reality show Chote Ustaad, to perform in Kathmandu, soon.

“The event will be of an international standard and also an occasion to build a bridge between the people of Kathmandu and Darjeeling,” said Kamal Prasad Regmi, advisor to the society.

The 14-year-old Prakriti Giri also expressed her willingness for a first time performance in Nepal. “I want to go and perform in Kathmandu,” she said.

However, with her itinerary packed till January 15, the organisers have decided to host the concert according to Prakriti’s wishes. In fact, a hairstylist from Kathmandu, Neel David, had announced earlier to sponsor the release of the singer’s first album.

Gagan Gurung, a singer from Darjeeling who was present during a small interactive session organised at the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall today, raised questions on whether society would simply take up the responsibility to felicitate singers.

Prakriti is currently on a whirlwind tour to the hills to attend felicitation programmes. “It is time for the society to start thinking and to work towards helping the young singer achieve bigger goals. Felicitations are needed but a bigger contribution from society is also needed,” said Gurung.

DARJEELING HILLS: Asok warns of replay – I am just a medium to achieve Gorkhaland: Morcha chief

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Gurung addresses the gathering at Ambootia on Sunday. Picture by Vivek Singh

Siliguri, Nov. 16: People spearheading the movement for Gorkhaland will face a Subash Ghisingh-like situation one day, Asok Bhattacharya, the Bengal urban development minister, today warned.

“Once Ghisingh (the GNLF chief) was worshipped like God and the hill people used to follow him whatever he asked them to do. When he had ordered them to worship stones, they did so. The situation is same in the hills now. When Bimal Gurung (the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president) directed the people to wear dawra sural and chowbandi choli, they obliged him,” Bhattacharya said.

The CPM leader said the GNLF leader’s popularity was at the top when he was leading the Gorkhaland movement. “But nobody knows where he is now. If he was the true leader, he would not have faced such a situation.”

Bhattacharya, who was addressing a gathering at Salugara, 7km from here, said: “Same will happen to those who are presently organising the (statehood) movement in the hills, because they are also doing what Ghisingh had once done.”

Changing number plates, blocking the roads, not allowing opposition leaders to speak and threatening them to leave the hills cannot be called a democratic movement, Bhattacharya said.

DARJEELING HILLS: Quit threat by Gurung

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Bimal Gurung, President Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, flanked by (L to R) Roshan Giri and Benoy Tamang. Photo by Barun Roy. From Beacon Online Archives.

Ambootia (Kurseong), Nov. 16: People in the hills should remain united till Gorkhaland is achieved, Bimal Gurung, said today. The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief has also threatened to step down if they are not happy with his party’s performance.

When other political parties were given more than 20 years to achieve Gorkhaland, the Morcha had asked for two-three years to fulfil the demand. “If people have problems to wait, I have nothing to say,” Gurung said. “If they are not happy with our party’s work and want Bimal Gurung to step down, he will do so happily.”

Gurung was addressing a gathering of around 5,000 people here, 10km from Kurseong town.

Describing himself as not a leader but “just a medium” for the people to achieve Gorkhaland, the Morcha chief said other political parties had been demanding Gorkhaland for many years. “Can they cite one instance when they had taken a delegation to Delhi and Calcutta to press for a separate state? But our party in just over one year has taken the demand to Delhi and Calcutta. People should realise this and remain united till the demand is met.”

Gurung accused the opposition parties of derailing the statehood movement. “But I am not afraid of them. If they call me uneducated, I have no problem. I have already told you (people) to believe me and I will bring Gorkhaland for you,” Gurung said apparently targeting Madan Tamang, the ABGL president.

Pradeep Pradhan, the Morcha vice-president, asked other parties to join his outfit and work together. “Once the demand is met, we can fight against each other,” he said.

DOOARS TERAI: Tiger census in Neora Valley park

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Training programme for tiger census in progress. Pictures by Biplab Basak

Alipurduar, Nov. 16: An “intensive” tiger census will be carried out in all sanctuaries and national parks in north Bengal this year.

The exercise will, however, not be conducted at Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) as it was done there last year.

At Neora Valley National Park, foresters will start the counting of the big cats from November 20 and continue till 25. In Gorumara National Park, Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kalimpong forest division, the census will be conducted in December.

Alipurduar MP Joachim Baxla looks at a monkey that was injured by a vehicle on NH31C on Sunday. Baxla informed foresters and vets from Rajabhatkhawa started treatment to save the animal. Pictures by Anirban Choudhury

“Yesterday, we had a training programme at Murti under Wildlife II Division and we discussed how the census will be conducted. We have planned to set cameras in the sensitive areas to take photographs,” said S. Patel, chief conservator of forests, (wildlife), north.

Although the camera trap had failed in BTR – elephants had damaged the cameras after seeing the flashlights – it would not perhaps create any problem at Neora Valley since the number of pachyderms was less there. “We will conduct the census intensely and try our best to make it successful,” Patel said.

The day-long training programme was attended by representatives from different NGOs in north Bengal and the foresters.

During the training, the participants were shown how a pugmark could be collected properly and how the footprints of a tiger could be differentiated from those of a leopard, an official said.

Another method of the census is to collect tiger excreta and send them to Dehra Doon for DNA tests.

For the 88sqkm-long Neora Valley park, 21 teams will be formed and each will have seven members. The park is spread from 3,500ft to 10,000ft height. According to the 2004 census, 15-16 tigers live in the park.

Neora Valley is connected to a national park in Bhutan. “There is a chance of tigers entering from the Bhutan side. So we will be careful to avoid any controversy,” Patel said.

SIKKIM: Trishakti assures help for Sikkim flora & fauna

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Lt Gen. P.K. Rath, the general-officer-commanding of the Trishakti Corps, has assured the Sikkim government that the army will help the state preserve the rich diversity.

The general called on Sikkim governor Balmiki Prasad Singh and chief minister Pawan Chamling on his first visit to Gangtok last week.

He requested the chief minister to consider an army proposal for allotting additional land and early clearance for the construction of some roads, including the Toong-Chatten road.

Chamling assured him of help to expedite the process.

The chief minister impressed upon Lt Gen. Rath the importance of double-laning the NH31A, connecting Siliguri with Gangtok. The official told Chamling that the highway was essential for the armed forces as well.

lThe president of the Trishakti Army Wives’ Welfare Association, Abha Rath, opened Women Empowerment Centre at Kupup, a far-flung village in Sikkim, amid gaiety.

Anshul Chachra, the president of the Black Cat Army Wives’ Welfare Association, highlighted the significance of the project.

The centre was set up to equip the women of the village with vocational skills like sewing, knitting, computer training, type-writing and also impart them knowledge on health, sanitation and women and child care.

Uma Pradhan, the director of the family welfare in the state health department, R. Ongmu, the advisor in the rural management and development department, Raj Kumar, the officer-in-charge of the Garrison Reserve Engineering Force, Sandeep Chander Prakash, the medical officer of the Sherathang primary health centre and panchayat heads of the villages were present.

SIKKIM: Gangtok venue for soccer meet

FROM THE TELEGRAPH

Gangtok, Nov. 16: Sikkim will host the Manchester United Premier Cup football tournament for the eastern and north eastern region from November 18 to 21.

The tournament for Under-15 boys will be organised by the Sikkim Football Association (SFA).

According to SFA general secretary Menla Ethenpa, the event will see the participation of eight teams – Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Chirag United S.C, Kalyani Municipality Academy, Eastern Sporting Union, Manipur, Silchar Football Academy, Assam, Sikkim Football Academy, Namchi and Snow Lion Football Academy, Sikkim.

Sports and youth affairs minister P. S. Gholey will be the chief guest at the inauguration, while Indian soccer skipper Bhaichung Bhutia will be the guest of honour.

Bhaichung will be reaching Gangtok tomorrow for the inaugural function. Speaking to The Telegraph, Bhaichung said the winner at the national-level would participate in the Premier Cup in England with teams from other countries.

According to Ethenpa, two teams, which will qualify in this zone, will play in the final round to be held in Goa where they will take on the winners of other four zones in the country. The team sailing through the Goa round will be taken to Manchester in the U.K.

“It is a great honour for Sikkim to organise this prestigious tournament for the first time,” Ethenpa said.

“Since, there will be no entry fee, we would like to see all football loving people in Sikkim to come forward and cheer your favourite teams,” he said.

The Manchester United Premier Cup is the Nike’s annual initiative to groom footballers in India. The group stages are being held in three centres – New Delhi, Gangtok and Goa.