Sikkim Citizen Forum welcomes Foot Rally by Tibet Youth Club

GANGTOK, NOVEMBER 24: Sikkim Citizen Forum, a Gangtok based social
organization has welcomed the foot rally taken out by the Tibetan
Youth Club of Gangtok.
The Forum’s President ThuckChuk Lachungpa today said that the self
immolations by the Tibetan protesters in Tibet are disturbing and
alarming.
“The atrocities against Tibetans is the Human Rights Violation and we
strongly condemned the of the Chinese Government’ said Lachungpa
He said that there should be condemnations from all sections of the
society on such act.
The Sikkim Citizen Forum has also decided to distribute refreshments
at Labarbotey, near Kalimpong as a part of the solidarity towards the
Tibetan movement.

Tibetans to undertake peace march to Salugara

GANGTOK, 21 Nov: ( Sikkim Now)The Tibetan Youth Club [TYC] and the 5,000 plus strong Tibetan community living in and around Gangtok will be undertaking a peace march from Chandmari here in Gangtok to Salugara in Siliguri, West Bengal starting 23 November, informs Chung Chung Bhutia [president, TYC], while speaking to the media-persons here today.

“We will begin the peace march on 23 November from here in Gangtok and the five-day march will end on 27 November when we reach Salugara”, he added. Around 150 people from the Tibetan community [young and old] will be participating in the peace march.

“We are holding this peace march to protest against the atrocities being carried out against the Tibetan people in Tibet and also to express solidarity with the people who have self-immolated themselves for the Tibetan cause,” he said and added that the situation in Tibet was going from bad to worse. There is no freedom of religion or education and above all no freedom of speech for the Tibetans in Tibet, said Mr Bhutia and added that there is gross violation of human rights as well.

Speaking further on the peace rally, he informed that the rally will also be joined by Tibetans from Ravangla, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Mirik and Kurseong. While the people from Ravangla will join the rally on 23 November, others will join along the way.

“We plan to cover around 20 to 25 kilometers in a day and will also be making halts during the nights. On the first day we will halt at the Water Garden at 32 Number, the second halt will be at Tarkhola, then at Rimbi, next at Sevoke before reaching Salugara,” he informed. He also stated that such peace rallies were also being organized in the other North East states.

He has further appealed to the people of Sikkim to come forward and support the peace rally and has also asked them to join them in the rally. This is the first time such a peace rally by the Tibetan community is being organized in the state, he added.

“During our march, we will be addressing the people we meet in the different towns and villages we cross in the way and also hand out pamphlets regarding our issues,” he stated. Then on 28 November, we plan to take out a mass procession from Salugara to the SDM’s office situated at Court More in Siliguri.

As on date [till November], a total of 78 people have self immolated themselves since 2009, 17 having set themselves on fire this November alone. In India there have been three deaths and four attempted self immolations till now.

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Peace won't come through mere UN resolutions: Dalai Lama

Varkala (Ker),Nov 24 (PTI) Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today asked the humanity to make the 21st century an era of peace but said peace would not fall from sky or by "nice resolutions" at the United Nations. Addressing the 'Message Proclamation of the 80th annual pilgrimage of the Sree Narayana Mutt' at Sivagiri here, the Dalai Lama said peace would not come just by resolutions passed by the United Nations but through compassion and understanding of the views and concerns of other individuals. "The new era has just begun and 88 years are more to come. So, here is an opportunity for us to to make the century a peaceful one, the Nobel Peace Laureate said. However, he said peace will not come just by the United Nations passing resolutions or will fall from the sky. One should overcome anger and hatred. "Actually, anger and hatred come on the basis of fear," he said. Whether between community, individuals or nations, trust can be built only through compassion, he said, adding, exploiting and bullying others should be avoided. Spiritual leaders said though 20th century saw development in the field of technology and science, it was an era of violence and bloodshed. Technology and science also brought destruction and fear, he said. Quoting historians, the Dalai Lama said 200 million people were killed in the last century in violence, war and civil wars. Even nuclear weapons were used against human life."It is terrible," he said. "The 20th century can be described as the century of violence and bloodshed. Even nuclear weapons were used against human beings. So, we have to make efforts to make this century a period of peace. There is an opportunity to make this century a peaceful one," he said. "The United Nations's nice resolutions will not bring peace. Compassion is the alternative source of happiness and universal religion', he said. The Dalai Lama said the 21st century is also a century of development especially in the field of technology but technology would not bring peace. He also denounced corruption growing in many parts of the world including India and said "corruption is also one form of violence." He said India's tradition of 'ahimsa' (non-violence) and secularism were very much relevant in the present-day world. Relationship between individuals and nations should be made only on the basis of trust, he added. PTI 

China unveils its new leaders: Signals that continuity is more pivotal than change

Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 16th Nov 12

At the end of the week-long 18^th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping --- probably China’s president and Party head for the next ten years --- led seven men onto the crimson dais of the Great Hall of the People. This chosen group will comprise the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), the pinnacle of political power in the People’s Republic of China.

Xi’s elevation to party chief was on the cards, but a surprise development was his immediate appointment as head of the Central Military Commission, which oversees the influential People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Outgoing party chief, Hu Jintao, had been expected to continue as CMC head for two more years before handing over to Xi. Now Xi, who will oversee China’s security, will not have to look over his shoulder.

Behind Xi was Li Keqiang, who is expected to succeed Wen Jiabao as premier early next year. Li is from the “populist” political grouping, dubbed the “tuanpai”, which traditionally upholds the interests of farmers, migrant workers and the urban poor. Xi belongs to the “elitist” grouping, dominated by so-called princelings (descendents of powerful party elites), with careers in economic management rather than the rural areas that the “tuanpai” focus on. The PSC has traditionally featured members of both groups, under the slogan “one party, two coalitions.”

Following Li, in third place, was Zhang Dejiang, the party fire fighter who was sent to Chongqing to clean up after the spectacular downfall of Bo Xilai, and his wife’s arrest and sentencing for murder. As the third-ranked leader, Zhang will chair the National People’s Congress, China’s nominal parliament.

Addressing the delegates, Xi identified intra-party corruption and “bureaucratism” as “severe challenges” for the Party. “We must make every effort to solve these problems. The whole Party must stay on full alert,” said Xi.

But the PSC’s composition did little to suggest that reform was in the offing. The party’s two most prominent reformers --- Li Yuanchao and Wang Yang --- who were watched closely as bellwethers of party intentions, have been left out of the PSC.

A surprise big winner in the behind-the-scenes jostling for control of power is former President Jiang Zemin, now 86, who was critically ill last year and written off by many as a seriously power player. Four of Jiang’s protégés --- Zhang Dejiang; Yu Zhengsheng; Wang Qishan, and Zhang Gaoli --- have made it to the PSC, leaving him with greater power over China’s future direction than outgoing chairman, Hu Jintao.

But Jiang’s protégés might remain in a majority only for the next five years. In the 2017, five of the PSC members, including all four Jiang protégés, would reach retirement age. In contrast, both Hu’s allies seem set to continue after 2017.

Jiang, an unapologetic economic reformer who had brought China into the World Trade Organisation and built a strong economic relationship with the west, has apparently criticized the current fourth generation of leaders --- Hu and Wen --- for backtracking on economic reform and, thereby, slowing China’s growth.

Chinese diplomats visit Sikkim to expedite release of Chinese national in custody here

GANGTOK, 21 Nov ( Source:Sikkim Now) Three Chinese diplomats were in Gangtok recently to expedite the release of fellow Chinese citizen languishing in the State Jail at Rongyek here. It is now learnt, and verified, that the sole purpose of their visit was to arrange for the release of the trader from Tibetan Autonomous Region taken into custody at Sherathang trade mart and now facing trial on espionage charges in Sikkim. The matter is now in the Courts. Media reports coming out of New Delhi had suggested that the diplomatic delegation was in Sikkim to reaffirm China’s acceptance of Sikkim’s status as an Indian state. This was obviously not why the delegation was here.
During their daylong visit to Gangtok on 19 November, the diplomats visited the state jail and met with Langki Jiancen, the 20-year-old who is in custody under the Official Secrets Act for having allegedly taken photographs of restricted areas at the border while travelling in these parts as a trader engaged in border trade.
In fact, what prompted the diplomats, who had arrived from the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, was the report suggesting that Mr. Jiancen had opted not to be pushed back to China. When produced before the courts at Gangtok in late October he had been further remanded to judicial custody for a period of 2 months.
Interestingly, the accused had reportedly made known that he was not in favour of being deported or pushed back into China.
The refusal to be pushed back, as reported, must probably stem from the unpleasant prospect of being grilled for days on end by Chinese authorities on the other side once he is pushed back into Tibet. While the court is yet to give its final order it is being speculated that the plan of the Chinese national is to be ‘handed over’ to one of the Tibetan associations in the state for ‘deportation’ via Rangpo and eventually end up in Dharamsala.
The Chinese delegation from the Embassy are required to check in on their citizens caught in situations as Mr. Jiancen finds himself in, assure his return and more importantly report back to Beijing on the status as well as the efforts put in by them to secure their citizen. The three-member delegation included Minister Counsellor Fan Fei; Second Secretary, Hao Jian and Second Secretary, Jian Zhen.

Trade through Nathu La to close on 29th NOV for this season

The Indo China Border Trade via Nathula is scheduled to close on 30^th November, 2012 as per the Office Memorandum no. 4/12/2003-Infra(ii) dated 30/3/2007. However, for the current year 30^th November, 2012 being a non trading, the approval has been obtained from State Government to close trade on 29^th Nov. 2012 being a trading day.(Source DIC-East)

PIN numbers you should never ever use revealed!

ANI – Thu 20 Sep, 2012 4:45 PM IST

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Sydney, Sep 20 (ANI): People who choose their 4-digit pins from birth dates, a year in the 1900s, or an obvious numerical sequence, are more likely to make it easy for a thief to crack the password, a new research has said.
Researchers at the data analysis firm Data Genetics have found that the three most popular combinations, "1234," "1111," and "0000", account for close to 20 per cent of all four-digit passwords.
According to The Age, every four-digit combination that starts with "19" ranks above the 80th percentile in popularity.
Also quite common, in the US at least, are MM/DD combinations, those in which the first two digits are between "01" and "12" and the last two are between "01" and "31", the study said.
Therfore researchers say that choosing your birthday, your birth year, or a number that might be a lot of other people's birthday or birth year makes your password significantly easier to guess.
On the other end of the scale, the least popular combination, 8068, appears less than 0.001 per cent of the time, the paper said.
Rounding out the bottom five are "8093", "9629", "6835", and "7637", which are all nearly as rare, the study concluded. (ANI)

India: Demographic Advantage edging out soon ???

India has a lot of things going for it in its bid to be the economic power house. Its demographic advantage is certainly the most important of these advantages we believe. However, if report by a United Nations body is to be believed, this advantage would run out sooner than expected. As per the body, India's median age is projected to go up rapidly to 31.4 years by 2026, a huge jump from the 20.2 median age witnessed in 1981. Falling fertility rates and increased longevity are the key reasons being cited for this trend. If this is indeed true, then it is time policymakers start factoring demographics into their policymaking we believe.

Source: LiveMint