Ladakhi Buddhists want end to violence in Tibet

Leh, Apr 18: Leh, Apr 18: The hunger strike of the Tibetan exiles settled in the Ladakh province has entered into 29th day today. They have been protesting against the Chinese government’s use of force on peaceful precisionists in Tibet in which many deaths have taken place and hundreds of monks injured and arrested. India settled over 10, 000 Tibetan refugees Choouglamsar village of Leh district in 1962 giving them land and financial assistance. They have been demanding freedom of Tibet from China and every 10th March hold protests against Chinese rule on Tibet. Muslim Tibetans also supported the call and held a protest rally at Kargil. When the Olympic torch arrived at New Delhi, Buddhists of Ladakh, in a show of solidarity with their Tibetan counterparts, observed complete Bandh called by Ladakh Buddhist Association and Ladakh Gonpa Association. The main rally protest was held in Leh in which over 15,000 people participated. The protesters assembled at Polo ground Leh where problems of Tibetans were highlighted and deepest sympathy and condolences conveyed to the families who lost their loved ones in the historical movement. The protestors demanded that an independent international fact finding committee be sent to Tibet to let the world know about the scale of violations of rights perpetuated against the people there. They also demanded that China should allow free press to visit the entire Tibet and put an end to the killings there, release all those arrested and engage into meaningful negotiations with Dalai Lama. Lama Lubzang Anchok, president LBA, thanked the Muslims who showed their unity with the victims and observing Kargil Bandh.

Buddhists protest cultural genocide in Tibet

LEH, Apr 17: Even as Tibetan refugees held large scale demonstrations against China in New Delhi to coincide with the Olympic torch relay, thousands of people led by Buddhists took out a massive rally here today in support of Tibetans.
Since morning, thousands of demonstrators had converged at the road leading to Polo Grounds here to hold a solidarity march in support of Tibetans’ demand for autonomy.
Snowfall in Leh had cancelled several flights for here yesterday.
"We are used to such weather swings... It will not deter us from carrying out our programme," the organisers had said yesterday. Though chilly winds continued throughout today, a clear sky ensured a pleasant afternoon.
Buddhist Monks led the demonstration, followed by school students, youth, women and local residents.
Hundreds of school students could be seen holding banners and play cards on the main road. The rally was led by Buddhist Monks associated with Ladakh Buddhist Association and Ladakh Gongpa Association.
Three decked up vehicles carrying huge portraits of the Dalai Lama were part of the procession which covered a distance of over three kms through the heart of the city before converting into an assembly at the Polo grounds.
The demonstrators raised anti-China slogans and appealed to the United Nations to take appropriate action against the Chinese "cultural genocide" in Tibet.
Slogans like ‘Jago-Jago Bharat Jago and ‘wake up-wake up, India wake up’ also filled the air.
Fifteen effigies of dead bodies also formed part of the rally.
These effigies represent the deaths of over 200 innocent Tibetans at the hands of Chinese security agencies in and around Lahsa’’ read a banner.
The rally-cum demonstration also gave chance to students to display their skills in Tattoo making. Most of the students had painted their cheek with pro-Tibet slogans. Some of them had even painted their heads with Tibetan flags.
Addressing the gathering at the Polo grounds, Ladakh Buddhist Assoication president Lama lobzang Angchuk said the Buddhists of Ladakh were with the Tibetans who were fighting for a just cause. "We must pray for those killed and maimed in violence there," he added.
"The presence of a large number of people only, shows how deeply hurt they are at the developments in Tibet," Mr Angchuk said.
Young children dressed in traditional clothes performed a prayer and recited a song of mourning. Another group of children held a street play at the venue about the killings of Tibetans in around Lahsa.
In a memorandum addressed to Presidents, Prime Minister, Nobel Laureates and the United Nations, the Ladakh Buddhist Association demanded an immediate dispatch of independent international fact finding committee to Tibet to find out the truth.
It also demanded to the international community to persuade China to allow free press into Tibet. The memorandum said the presence of international medical teams, such as red cross and medicines sans frontiers was necessary to take care of injured Tibetans.
Besides Leh, a total bandh was observed in Kargil, the other district of Ladakh.
Demonstrations were also held at Demchok and Chukshul the Indo-China border, Durbuk Block Head Quarters, Nyoma Block Head Quarters and other adjoining areas. Muslim dominated Drass also observed a total bandh. The Ladak Buddhist Association claimed. (UNI)

Vital road to Ladakh reopened in record time

Srinagar, April 15: The vital road link between Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar and the landlocked Ladakh region of the state was thrown open to vehicular traffic on Tuesday after remaining closed for winter months.
It is for the first time that the 434-km road has been reopen as early as mid-April. It used to be generally opened for traffic in June. Last year also, the opening of the road was advanced to May 1, which was then the earliest time to have the highway thrown open after prolonged closure during winter.
Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad flagged off a fleet of Srinagar bound vehicles from zero point near Gumri across Zoji-la, marking the earliest annual opening of the Srinagar-Leh highway after remaining closed for the winter. He met engineers, workers and jawans of Beacon and Himank projects of the Border Roads Organisation maintaining the highway and appreciated their efforts to ensure its early opening. He said, "This is an important road link as it connects the Ladakh region with rest of the state and country." He added that its early opening has significance for the people and hoped that this would help dispatch of essentials sooner to this mountainous region and also promote tourism activities.
The major mountainous and most difficult portion of the road from Sonamarg (2,740 metres) lying at the foothills of Zoji-la to Leh (3,510 metres) traversing through Fatula (4,119 metres) was constructed by the Project Beacon.
Project Beacon keeps the stretch from Srinagar to Gagangir (72 km) open throughout the year while Project Himank keeps the stretch from Leh to Drass (147 km) open throughout the year.
Zoji-la (pass) was closed on December 10, 2007 when the region began receiving heavy snowfall. The "summer snow clearance" along the road began on February 21 this year.
Later speaking at a public rally at Drass, the second coldest inhabited place in the world and about 146 km northeast of here, the chief minister the all-time earliest opening of Srinagar-Leh highway was indicative of how much the state and the Central governments were concerned about taking steps to mitigate the difficulties of the people of Ladakh region.

Cultural genocide in Tibet: Dalai Lama

MCLEODGANJ (HP), Mar 16: The Dalai Lama today accused China of unleashing a "cultural genocide" in Tibet and demanded an impartial international probe into the situation in violence-hit Lhasa.

Addressing his first press conference here in the wake of the violence in the Tibetan Capital since Friday, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader said that India has a few limitations as far as China is concerned and was "too cautious" on the Tibet issue.

The Indian Government, the 73 year-old monk said, had "hostile views" on certain actions of Tibetans but "we should not pick up one particular incident". He did not elaborate.

The Dalai Lama, a Nobel peace laureate, demanded an international probe into the Chinese crackdown against protesters in Lhasa, saying "some respected international organizations can find out what the situation is in Tibet and what is the cause."

He said the investigations should be independent and unbiased.

He favoured holding of Beijing Olympics in August, but reminded China that it should play a "good host."

Replying to questions, he said "Tibetans’ protests in Lhasa is borne out of China carrying out a sort of cultural genocide in Tibet intentionally or unintentionally."

On whether he could contain the violence, which, according to Chinese authorities, had claimed 10 lives, he said: "I have no such power.... I do feel helpless."

Expressing concern over China serving an ultimatum to protesters to surrender by Monday midnight, he said "while the Chinese authorities are bent upon crushing the agitation with the help of the Army, Tibetans in Lhasa and other places are equally determined to continue the agitation".

Denying China’s charge that he was behind the violence, the worst since 1989, the Dalai Lama said that he was "completely committed" to non-violence and favoured a "middle path" which he said was also supported by some Chinese officials and scholars, whom he did not name.

On whether he would use his good office to ask his fellow countrymen to halt the protests, he said "the situation in Tibet has become volatile and only a miracle power can control it, not me".

"I have reached a stage of semi-retirement and at age 73, I am looking for full retirement," he said.

The Dalai Lama, who offered prayers before talking to the press, said "we want genuine autonomy and not independence (from China)."

On the death toll in Tibet, he did not give any definite figure claiming that different sources had varying figures which went up to even 100. "I do not know."

He was also of the view that some trusted group should go to Tibet and see how it happened.

Holding that he was being made a "scapegoat" by the Chinese authorities, the Dalai Lama said whether Beijing admitted or not, there was a problem in Tibet.

He said "there is an ancient cultural heritage that is facing serious danger" and that China was imposing "political education" in monasteries there, much to the dislike of the monks.

He said in order to achieve peace, China was using force in Tibet. "They (China) simply rely on using force in order to simulate peace, a peace brought by force using a rule of terror," he said.

The Dalai Lama said he has been receiving phone calls and e-mails from Tibetans asking him not to stop them from continuing with their agitation in Lhasa.

He blamed the local Chinese authorities in Tibet were responsible for the "non-solution" of the problem.

"While educated Chinese very well understand our viewpoint that the only solution to the Tibet issue is by granting genuine autonomy, the local Chinese authorities nourish a negative attitude," he said.

The spiritual leader said he was of the opinion that "genuine harmony and unity between the Tibetans and the Chinese can be established only on the basis of trust and this shall come from the heart".

Recalling the direct talks between his envoys and the Chinese Government, which began in 2002, the Dalai Lama said the negotiations have been facing "difficulties" since February 2006 with Beijing "hardening" its stand on the Tibet issue.(PTI)

LoC Kargil (2003) part 2

Ladakh attracts more foreign tourists

Jammu (PTI): World's highest inhabited plateau Ladakh in the Jammu and Kashmir is a foreigners' delight as it receives more tourists from abroad than domestic ones every year.
"Ladakh is hot favorite tourist destination for foreigners. The cold desert - Ladakh is being visited more by the foreign tourists than domestic ones annually," officials of state tourism department said.
A record 50,185 tourists visited Ladakh in 2007, an increase of 16 per cent as compared to 2006's figures of 43900, they said.
"Of them, 28178 were foreign tourists and 22007 domestic. Every year, more foreign tourists visit Ladakh than domestic ones, as foreigners love Gompas and rock carvings dotted across cold desert," tourism officials said.
Similarly, 43,900 tourists visited Ladakh in 2006, out of which 26,070 were foreigners and only 17830 were Indians.
"Low intensity Kargil war and tension between India and Pakistan has had a negative impact on tourism in Ladakh over the years," a Leh-based tour operator said, adding that things are improving now.
Ladakh also known as Moonland, has always attracted foreigners, who had always outnumbered the domestic tourists since 1974, when frontier region of J&K was opened to them.
Wrapped in the golden silence of rocky terrain, Ladakh is a repository of myraid cultures, traditions, heritage spots, scenic sites and religious influences.
It has 30 to 40 odd ancient Gompas, two to three high altitude lakes, two dozen naked peaks for mountaineers, two dozen mountain reeks, markets etc, he said.

LOC Kargil (2003), a movie based on the war that actually happened in Kargil between India and Pakistan

LUTF urges PM to hasten grant of UT status

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Stating that a reign of terror had been let loose by the State Government in Leh, a delegation of the Ladakh Union Territory Front (LUTF) today urged the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to expedite granting Union Territory status to Ladakh.
Led by Thupstan Chhewang, MP and LUTF President, the delegation called on Dr Singh and urged him to include the Bhoti language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and open the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage through Leh.
It pointed out that Bhoti was spoken by almost all inhabitants of border Himalayan regions in the country. The elevation of the language would boost their "confidence and self-esteem." The opening of Leh route for the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra would usher in prosperity in Ladakh, the delegation said.
Making a strong case for UT, the delegation pointed out that the Congress-led State Government was treating the duly-elected Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC-Leh) with utter contempt. It stated: "A reign of terror and repression has been let loose against us. The police has been set upon on us as a clearly pre-meditated strategy to browbeat us into submission."
It referred in this regard to the forcible closure of the headquarters of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), framing of false criminal including murder and attempt to murder charges against its office-bearers, police assault on an elected LUTF councillor, disrespect being shown to the Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the LAHDC and a campaign of calumny against the LUTF chief.
"We continue to be deprived of many financial and legislative powers. Our experience has been worse with key police and administrative officials remote-controlled from Srinagar. They hardly show any appreciation of basic tenets of democracy and our distinct and unique ethnic and linguistic identity. How can policemen or bureaucrats be allowed to ride roughshod over a democratic dispensation? How can they treat our social and religious organisations with utter contempt? Their wrong-doings have strengthened our resolve to keep striving for Union Territory to strengthen what we regard as our umbilical chord with New Delhi, the deleagation said."
The members of the delegation were: Tsering Dorjey, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Leh). Sonam Wangchuk Norboo, MLA, Nubra, Tsering Angdus and Tsewang Tondup (Councillors), Lobzang Nyantak (senior LUTF leader), Dorjey Stanzin, Stanzin Delik, Tsering Angchuk, Jigmet Namgyal, Sonam Tsering, Nawang Norboo, Chotar Tsering, Tsering Paldan, Tondup Spalzang, Phunchok Stanzin,, Sonam Dorjey and Dorjey Namgyal (all councillors).

Losar celebrated in Leh and Kargil district

KARGIL Dec 9: Chairman LAHDC greeted people on occasion of Mela Losar.As per a press note,Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaie wished that the festival would bring peace and prosperity to the state. Executive Councillor health and tourism department Sonam Namgyal also felicitated people of Leh, Kargil and Zanskar on the occasion.

Buddhists in Ladakh renounce family planning

Wary of rising Muslim population, Buddhist apex body in Ladakh urges community to produce more children

SRINAGAR: Buddhist leaders say their population is declining due the family planning norms adopted by its community, while the Muslim population was showing an increase because of their refusal to adopt these initiatives owing to their religious directives.
A new dimension to the embroil has been added by the recent whip issued by Buddhist leaders urging their community members to renounce family planning programmes and produce as many children possible, in order to undo the demographic changes being effected in the area.
Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), an apex body of the Buddhists, has also shot off a letter to the Jammu and Kashmir government asking it not to implement family planning programmes in the region. “The Ladakhi race has limited population in the country and there is apprehension of its extinction. Hence, you are requested not to apply small family norms in the district as a special case,” said Dr Sonam Dawa, president of Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) in a letter written to J&K’s minister of health and medical education Mangat Ram Sharma.
Dr Dawa cautioned the government about the family planning camps in the area. “In the recent past, there have been certain cases of public resentment during the family welfare camps in the area. So you are requested to direct the department concerned not to hold family planning camps in the district,” he said.
According to 2001 census, the population of Ladakh’s two districts-Kargil and Leh-was 2.36 lakhs. Muslims form the majority with 47.40 percent of the population and Buddhists are behind them with 45.90 percent. The growth of Muslims was also better at 31.52 percent against 29.97 percent for the Buddhists. Muslims are in majority in Kargil district while Leh is dominated by Buddhists.
“There have been many factors responsible for our dwindling population. We have been adhering to family planning norms with the result that our population has been declining, while Muslims do not adopt the directives,” said Dr Dawa. LBA has now asked all its monks to preach against family planning.
Muslims on the other hand, have rubbished claims that they were responsible for the dwindling population of Buddhists. “Many Muslims are adopting family planning norms. It is an individual decision and we cannot force anyone,” said Asraf Ali, president of Anjuman-e-Islamia, Leh.
Ali noted that Buddhists being more educated and more prosperous take up family planning because they want smaller families.

OPERATION SADBHAVANA – A Culture of Peace Process

(I visited Ladakh and a few border areas and saw for myself the project “Operational Sadvavana”, I met a number of villagers, school children and women in particular to know more about the unique developmental process, and I thought at once that many people outside India may not know the effort of an Indian Army General towards a culture of peace process in Kashmir, so I decided to write a paper about it.)
The contemporary world is witnessing an increasing assertion of rights and privileges on the basis of religion, ethnicity and nationality. Religious fundamentalism together with ethnic conflicts and terrorism have appeared on the international arena with remarkable force, and pervasiveness. The traditional idea of the term security has become outdated. We have to redefine security not only in terms of military power but also in terms of economic power/ role it plays due to its extensive spill over effects on other vital issues of nation state. A question can be raised at this stage---Security for whom? And how do we achieve it?
A phrase often used by the Kashmiris, when asked about their indifferent attitude towards the rest of the country is “hum to mile thae ---ap ne alag rakha (we joined but you kept us separate )”. To some extent, it holds true in the case of Kashmir. The need to break the geographical and political isolation of Kashmir from rest of the country should be the uppermost objective. The construction of railway lines to the Valley should have been taken up as a part of greater political strategy long ago. There is a strong need to remove the “ you ---feed ---me” type of attitude among the Kashmiris. The economic aid and investment must be geared to allow Kashmir’s economy to grow from below. The model for development must be found in order to have a systematic and sustainable development in the state.1
At the heart of the Indo-Pak conflict are two constants: One, the political usefulness of a war-like situation in both countries, and two, mutually sustained mindsets which recognize war as the only real solution. India and Pakistan are all the time vulnerable to the urge to fight. Peace-time life carries a sense of drudgery for millions of people in both countries. Military preparedness and the news of impending war have the unfortunate capacity to give both the young nation-states an instant sense of purpose. One can’t help recalling a time when India derived a sense of purpose by acting as a force for world peace during the seventies, it started to lose that self-identity, even as the failure of the national development project of the sixties became all too apparent. A new national identity began to take shape alongside the models available in the cold war-ridden world. Hunger, poverty and illiteracy gradually ceased to inspire the state planning apparatus. The desired self-image of a military power served a cohesive political role.2 Both countries have used education and the media to reinforce hostile mindsets. In Pakistan, school text books openly teach prejudice towards Hinduism and equate India with Hindus, belittling India’s struggle for secularism. Elite public schools have a better record, but their products either migrate or learn to live on the margins of a fluid, routinely manipulated public space. That journey to the margin of a rapidly shrinking political space is just beginning for the Indian elites whose children have been dutifully raised on the staple of scientific temper in a corrupt, chaotic political milieu. The simplistic, secular textbooks they have studied fail to contextualise Partition in a rational universe, leaving adequate room for the belief that Pakistan is neither a legitimate historical entity, nor a functioning nation. Here lie the roots of a common elite perception that India can emulate what Israel has done to the defenseless Palestine. Senior Dutch sociologist W F Wertheim has rightly bemoaned the absence of a peace economy in the lone superpower the world has now. If only rich countries would consider stopping the sale of expensive weapons to poor countries, they can bring about the stability and peace they love so much. It is the arms sold by the US, UK, Russia, France and a few others that have brutalized life across the Third World from Chile to Liberia to the Philippines. Yet, for India and Pakistan, a phased disengagement with the arms trade offers the only realistic countdown to peace. 3
So how do we define peace? To me, a fruitful definition of peace has to include both the absence of direct violence and the absence of indirect or structural violence. Yet this is a rather negative way to define peace, and several peace researchers and peace educators have attempted to arrive at more positive definitions of the term. Garcia (1981) holds that one of the most attractive definitions of peace and peace education for a broader and more realistic scope is the following one given by Mario Borelli :--- By peace we mean the results in any given society of equality of rights, by which every member of that society participates equally in decisional power which regulates it, and the distribution of the resources which sustain it. (Garcia, 1981, p.-165) So by peace we mean the absence of violence in any given society, both internal and external, direct and indirect. We further mean the nonviolent results of equality of rights, by which every member of that society, through nonviolent means, participates equally in decisional power which regulates it, and the distribution of the resources which sustain it.
The more up-to-date definitions of peace with the UN system to not define peace only as the absence of war and violence, but as the presence of justice. Peace is defined in more positive terms. This view was well expressed at the General Conference of UNESCO at its eighteenth session (Resolution 11.1): “Peace cannot consist solely in the absence of armed conflict but implies principally a process of progress, justice and mutual respect among the peoples designed to secure the building of an international society in which everyone can find his true place and enjoy his share of the world’s intellectual and material resources.”
Many would, however, still advocate that the Kashmiri struggle has reached a stage of no return, but in reality, the people in the Valley are most disenchanted and disillusioned not only with the unending spate of militancy but also for the fact that they have become a pawn in the game of power politics between Pakistan and India. Almost every family has lost a son, forcibly taken across the border for training. The women have fallen victim to rape and sexual molestation at the hands of the terrorists. The executions of numerous Kashmiris, including some prominent citizens, have left a bitter taste. The power struggles among the militant groups have led to kidnapping, looting, raping and killing of fellow beings. The local militants have resorted to forced marriages with girls belonging to socially higher and economically better off families. This has generated disenchantment among the average Kashmiri. 4

India, China troops hold peace meet in Ladakh

LEH, Oct 20: Indian and Chinese troops, as a part of confidence building measures and ‘Peace and Tranquility Agreement’ of 1993 between the two countries, held a peace meeting on the border in Chushul sector of eastern Ladakh region today.
With an objective to develop long lasting friendship between the two border forces, a mechanism of border personnel meetings and holding of flag meetings has been institutionalised. Today’s meet was held at Indian Border Personnel Meet Hut in Chushul sector. Both sides were represented by nine officers.
The Chinese delegation was received by the Indian delegation leader, Brig Surinder Singh. After the reception, the Indian national flag was hoisted and both the Indian and Chinese delegation saluted the tri-colour. In a formal meeting held in atmosphere of mutual trust, greetings were exchanged by both the sides. Both the sides agreed to join hands in contributing towards maintaining peace and tranquility in the region.
The Chinese delegation was treated to a cultural programme by the troops of Chushul garrison. The delegation was enthralled by the rich culture heritage of India and soaked in a spirit of bonhomie and friendship. They also enjoyed the Indian and Chinese music and resorted to foot thumping in the lovely afternoon. Later, both the sides exchanged pleasantries and gifts to commemorate the occasion.
As the curtain came down on the celebrations, the visitors saluted the tricolour and were escorted back to the Line of Actual Control by Brig Surinder Singh.
The friendly interactions between the two border forces have played a significant role in promoting and strengthening bonds of friendship, mutual trust and confidence between the two armies.

Tearful adieu to Sheikh Mirza

LEH, Oct 16: Renowned Muslim Cleric of Leh Sheikh Mirza Hussain, who died in Srinagar, was today given a tearful adieu when his mortal remains were brought for burial here.
A large number of people from different shades attended his funeral procession. Prominent among them were Power Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora, Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC Leh Chering Dorje, Executive Councillor Health Dorje Mutup, MLC P Namgial, MLA Nubra Pintoo Norboo, Deputy Commissioner Leh Dr M K Bhandari, Executive Councilor PWD, LAHDC Kargil Nasir Munshi, MLA Zanskar Mohd Raza and Councillor Agha Mukhtar.
Leh Bazaar remained closed for half day in the memory of the religious leader.
Sheikh Mirza dedicated his life not only in preaching of Islam in Ladakh but also played prominent role in social activities especially in promotion of secular amity.

Eid celebrated at Leh, Kargil

LEH, Oct 13: Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervour at Leh and Kargil.
In Leh, the main Eid-ul-Fitr congregation was offered at Imam Dargah under the Imamat of Sheikh Ghulam Hadi wherein thousand of Shia Muslims participated. Special prayers were offered for world peace, prosperity, communal harmony and brotherhood among different sections of the community.
Addressing the gathering after Eid-ul-Fitr Namaz, Ashraf Ali Barcha, president Anjuman Imamia Leh felicitated all Muslims of Ladakh region on the auspicious occasion and said that festival would bring the message of universal peace, tolerance, brotherhood and compassion.
In Kargil, two big congregations were held at Islamia School and Jama Masjid in which thousands of Muslims offered Eid Namaz under the aegis of Sheikh Mohammad Mussa Sharifi and Sheikh Mohammad Mohqiq. They prayed for the peace and prosperity in the region and the State.
Edi-ul-Fitr was also celebrated at Jaffaria Masjid Drass, Sankoo, Tai Suru and Shakar Chiktan blocks.
The Chief Executive Councillor LAHDC Kargil Haji Asgar Ali Karbalaei greeted the people on the occasion.

10 killed, 14 injured in Kargil truck accident

KARGIL, Sept 21: Ten labourers were killed and 14 others sustained injuries, four of them critically, when a truck carrying them skidded off the road and plunged into 200 feet deep gorge near Namkila on Leh-Kargil road under the jurisdiction of Wagan Police Post early this morning.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK02G-4645 was on its way from Leh to Srinagar when near Namkila the vehicle plunged into a deep gorge killing 10 labourers on the spot and wounding 14 others including conductor and owner of the truck.
On the recept of information about the accident, a police party from Wagan Police Post rushed to the spot and started rescue operation with the help of local people. SSP Kargil Gareeb Dass rushed to the spot and supervised relief and rescue operation.
It took about four hours to the rescue teams to bring out the injured labourers as well as dead bodies from the gorge. All the injured were rushed to local hospital and 10 of them were, later, shifted to District Hospital Kargil for specialised treatment.
The condition of four of them was stated to be critical when reports last came in.
The deceased have been identified as Methi Ram (driver of the vehicle), a resident of Nanak Nagar Jammu, Ram Lal Rai, son of Jagdev Rai, Mehtu Nissar, Mukesh, Janardhan Kumar, Harinder Madho, Nand Lal, Virender Ram, Hari Har and Piju Bhagwan, all the residents of Bihar.
Of the 14 injured, 10 have been identified as Mohd Ramzan of Doda, Ravinder Kumar of Bihar, Amar Chand of Kishtwar, Hilal Ahmed of Sopore, Mishri Ram, Shrawan Kumar, Manoj Kumar, all the residents of Bihar, owner of the truck Gurcharan Singh, son of Lekh Singh of Jammu and Riaz Ahmed of Doda.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed shock over the tragic road accident near Namkila on Kargil- Leh road.
The Chief Minister expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
He issued instructions to the health authorities for providing best possible medicare to the injured for their speedy recovery.

Siachen glacier thrown open to public

Sept 12: Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield and an inhospitable terrain, has been thrown open to public.
Trekkers can now go up to the icy heights of the second largest glacier in the mighty Karakoram Range in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, a dreaded place till four years ago because of continuous shelling from Pakistan.
A group of 20 intrepid civilians—teenage girls, NCC and Military Academy Cadets, housewives and corporate executives—would form the first batch to tread the glacial heights, where snow never melts, from September 19, Army officials said here today.
Though the Indian and Pakistani troops are at points across the 72-km long glacier, almost at eyeball to eyeball confrontation, peace has prevailed in the snowy heights for the past four years ever since a cease-fire is in force.
The group sponsored by the Army Adventure Cell and Indian Mountaineering Foundation would trek from the base to Kumar Camp located at a height of 16,000 feet,on the mid-glacier.
On their four day trudge across the glacier, the civilian trekkers would be guided by 10 Army glacial experts.
Though guns have fallen silent danger does lurk in the form of giant crevasses and shifting ice formations.
" We plan to open the glacier to similar civilian trekkers on a regular basis from next year", Army officials said.
Significantly, the move to throw open the glacier to public comes two years after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his maiden visit had expressed a desire that efforts should be made to turn the place into a "mountain of peace".
The first public trekking group would be in glacier from September 19 to October 11.
" The group would gather at Leh and undergo a weeklong acclimatization before reaching the Siachen base camp by road " Army officials said.
At base camp, they would undergo another spell of conditioning before venturing out to the glacier itself. The trekkers would set up four staging camps before reaching the Kumar point in the middle of the glacier.
For future trekkers, officials said that the upper age limit would be 40 and all adventurers would have to be medically and physically fit.
The trekking adventure, officials said, could be a prelude to throwing open the glacier even to foreign expeditions and climbing groups.
Four major climbing groups from various armies have approached the Government for clearance to attempt some over 7,500 peaks straddling the glacier.

American tourist found dead

LEH, Sept 4: An American tourist was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a hotel in the heart of the town today.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Leh, Alok Kumar said that an American citizen, Robinson Michel Forbes, had been staying in the Auspicious Hotel since Sunday. "When the tourist didn’t open the door of his room despite repeated knocks by the hotel staff, the hotel Manager become suspicious", he added.
Later, the matter was brought to the notice of the police personnel, who entered the room by breaking the door. The tourist was found dead on the bed but there was no visible injury on the body, the SSP said.
The body was, later, shifted to general hospital where the post-mortem was conducted. The body has been kept in the mortuary.
"We are trying to ascertain the cause of American’s death", Mr Kumar said, adding "the American Embassy has been informed about the incident".
An inquest proceeding under Section 174 CrPC has been initiated in this regard.

Ladakh Festival begins with great fanfare

LEH, Sept 1: A record number of 42,000 tourists visited Leh till ending August 2007 and about 70,000 tourists were expected to visit Leh by end of this year.
This was stated by Chief executive Councilor LAHDC, Tsering Dorje while inaugurating Ladakh Festival-2007 at Leh Polo Ground. Besides thousands of local people about 2000 foreign tourists attended the function.
While extending welcome to tourists, the CEC Mr Dorje said true objective of Ladakh Festival was now bearing fruit. Pointing towards foreigners, he said that the sublime and smiling faces of Ladakhi people will find at every spot in Leh city and other villages to greet them. He urged the tourists to visit Leh in the coming years with their friends.
EC Tourism, Tsewang Rigzin in his welcome address dwelt at length about the festival and their recent press briefing at Srinagar and meeting with the Tour and Travel Association at Srinagar.. He said Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council was giving its utmost attention in making the Festival more attractive and putting it at World Tourists Map.
Director Tourism Kashmir Farooq Ahmed Shah, the guest of honour on the occasion, said that State Government was making every effort to put Ladakh Tourism, ahead of all. He said during Tourism Expo held recently at Behrain and Dubai, the tourism potential of Ladakh was given its due focus. He said Prime Minister’s special package under which Rs 20 crore each were given to set up Tourism Development Authority at Leh, Kargil and Zanskar, which would further give a boost to the tourism.
Deputy Commissioner Leh, Dr M K Bhandari, who is also chairman of the Festival committee, extended vote of thanks. A grand cultural procession and function was held on inaugural day of festival which will last for full 15 days.

6 killed in car accident near Nyimo (Leh)

Aug 30: At least six persons were killed and 10 others injured when a vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a 70-feet gorge in Leh district.
The ill-fated vehicle bearing registration number JK07-0880 was on its way from Kargil to Leh when it rolled down into a gorge near village Nimo. Driver of the vehicle reportedly lost control while negotiating a sharp curve.
On the receipt of information, a police party swung into action and brought out occupants of the ill-fated vehicle from the gorge. All were rushed to hospital where six of them were pronounced as brought dead.
The condition of four injured was stated to be critical when reports last came in.

Celebrating 60 years of independence... Hindustan zindabad !