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October 29- 04Dear November, readers, 2003; Owing NOW! to the 1 DISCOUNTED holiday season and the general GANGTOK, WEDNESDAY, October 29-04 November, 2003 mood of festivity which has AIR TICKETS permeated Sikkim, there is FOR INSTANT RESERVATIONS CALL: both a dearth of news as well as hands at work. This issue of NOW!, thus contains only 16 Pineridge Travels pages. There was always the Jet Airways Sales Agent option of skipping one edition, but countless phone-calls the last time NOW! took a week off The Oriental convinced us that we had to hit Mahatma Gandhi Marg the stands even with reduced Gangtok SIKKIM MATTERS VOL 2 NO 18 Rs. 5 pages. We return to our origi- Ph: 221182 / 221181 / 221180 NOW! nal size next week. -ed FOR THE ONE WHO BLESSED SIKKIM When the project was first mooted by the Chief Minister it had sounded too magnificent to be practical. But years of labour and lavish funds later, Sikkim’s thanksgiving to its patron saint, Guru Padmasambhava, is near- ing completion. The 108 ft. statue of Guru Rinpoche has many stories to tell, NOW! shares some of them... DETAILS ON pg 3 The Rangpo PHC had to call in extra hands from nearby primary health sub-centres to tackle the gastroenteritis outbreak there. SPECIAL OFFER!!! Every available space at this 10-bedded PHC was used to ac- commodate patients when the outbreak was at its peak. The Health ‘Good news for you first time in Department handled itself well. The situation is now under con- Sikkim’ trol. The outbreak has been confirmed as that of “mild type of LIMITED STOCK!!! cholera”. The disease is waterborne and since Rangpo relies on the reservoir at Jitlang, the needle of suspicion points there. A Bombay Saree & Dress Materials Health Department check has reportedly found the water at the DISCOUNT reservoir to be “unsatisfactory”... 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Trough your pa- The laws of the land depend on the Constitution NOW! per, I would like to reflect upon certain important of the country. The Constitution, in turn, is a code of SIKKIM MATTERS points as a question of first magnitude, both, for the conduct for the smooth running of a country and is assessment and understanding of the Central as well created and amended according to movements or Beyond Nathula as State governments. agitations based on the diktats and aspirations of the Instead of “confusing” the people over the Nathula majority members of the population. But, at the same It is interesting how Sikkim has reacted to the decision to reopen issue [which your paper has focussed upon], we must time, democracy is the rule of the majority and pro- Nathula for trade. Actually it is more disheartening than interesting. be grateful to SIBLAC for alarm- tection of the minorities. But the The Chief Minister, who should be in the know of things, recently ing everyone over the probable sorry state of affairs in Sikkim is admitted that he was not seeing Sikkim get as excited about the repercussions it will have on LETTERS that if you speak for your own pro- prospect of trade as should have been the case. Years of patronage by a more than generous Centre seems have induced indolence. At Sikkim and its people. tection and survival, you are “punished” in the so one end are Sikkimese who sit back with a “let’s see” attitude and at Sikkim is currently going through a transition called “victimisation” drive. the other extreme are those who feel that the only reason why Sikkim period in its demographic pattern. Given the present This, perhaps was not the true democracy for was being so lavishly pampered - China’s continued refusal to ac- pace of this change, within no time, the whole of the which the Sikkimese fought and secured so dearly knowledge the 1975 Merger - is now lost. Both attitudes reflect the genuine Sikkimese [Bhutias, Lepchas and Nepalese] in 1994. Such actions will have only counter reac- decadence that too much spoon-feeding inflicts. will be reduced to a microscopic minority in their tions. Let’s look at Sikkim’s propensity to allow opportunities to go to own homeland. So far as the unconstitutionality and waste. Being the largest producer of cardamom, Sikkim should More to the point, the opening of the trade route disproportionality of the 12 BL seats and a Sangha have been the hub of the spices trade. We are not. We continue will further boost influx, both, from the north and seat are concerned, the Supreme Court has already to rely on middlemen and work our economy by the maund when the ever-growing south ultimately leading to an upheld the constitutionality and legal validity and we should be negotiating by the shipload. Tea. Temi is a popular Assam-like political and identity crisis and the sub- has said while delivering its judgement: brand the world-over and yet we failed to take the business be- yond the slopes of Temi. With Darjeeling tea suffering the way it sequent frustration all over. Under such circum- “The degree of proportionality of reservation has is, Sikkim could have easily filled the slot left empty by the stances, no one will be actively able to sow and ripe to be viewed in the historical development and the neighbours. But that obviously required too much work. Tourism the fruits from it. As such, as has rightly been pointed rules of apportionment of political power that ob- is booming and yet those in the trade rely on agencies outside to out by SIBLAC, the identity-crisis already existing tained between the different groups prior to the feed traffic to Sikkim. The biggest names in the trade should have and such problems must be sorted out immediately merger of the territory of India. A parity had been been convinced to open offices in Sikkim and not just sublet and forever. SIBLAC, as best as I am informed, has maintained all through. The provisions in the par- groups to tour operators here. Private entrepreneurs are invest- never opposed the reopening of Nathula trade route, ticular situation and permissible latitudes cannot be ing in education in the less conducive environs of Siliguri and yet but just wanted to associate the problems lying with said to be unconstitutional...” we keep spending crores on buildings for rent or hotels for lease. it and resolve the same. The media must therefore I am quite convinced that the SIBLAC leadership With Nathula, Sikkim gets another chance to hop a ride on the place the truth before the masses through its correct of Tseten Tashi Bhutia and Nima Lepcha are prag- developmental bus which we have ignored too many times in the perspective and it is your fundamental duty as well. matically correct to protect the ever-eroding politi- past in favour of sustenance. Have no fear, Delhi will keep spon- Secondly, SIBLAC, to the best of my knowledge cal existence of the Sikkimese BLs through SIBLAC soring the Sikkimese. If for nothing else, then to keep a summer retreat that is peaceful. What Delhi cannot give us is self-respect. has never opposed the inclusion of other communi- with the Delhi-protest rally being a historic and re- That will come only with a prosperity fueled by perseverance. ties in the ST list, but has instead been very vocal markable example. The politicians in Sikkim must Sikkim has at least three years before trade resumes over Nathula. about demanding seat reservation for the genuine realise the fact that the Sikkimese people have to This time will be well spent if it discovers its skills and then grooms Sikkimese Nepalese. live cordially and unitedly with a sense of coopera- them to facilitate this trade and benefit from it. Fail again, and we But, of late, what appears is that keeping in view tion and confidence in each other. One should be can continue watching imported diligence siphon away the gains the very fundamental stand and critical activities of ready to help the other if need be if we are to have a that should have been ours even as we keep decrying how our certain communal outfits in Sikkim regarding the seat politically and economically strong Sikkim in the de- identity has been diluted. reservation provided for the BLs, the SIBLAC force- cades lying ahead. fully adopted its own course of action as the need of Jigdel Chewang Pintso, Baluakhani, Gangtok Through The Crooking Glass LEARN FROM HISTORY, DON’T BE BURDENED BY IT ccording to Transparency It is clear that the machinery of am delighted that my point of view expressed in recognition of Limbus and Tamangs as tribes being International, India has corruption which the poor are forced INOW! Vol.

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