Tourists attacked with iron rods - Darjeeling Hills & Dooers

lovish

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM........... Thats real shocking , i think these nepali's must be deported to nepal but before that Bangladeshi's must be deported back as there are 2-5 crore bangladeshi's in India and they are a real threat to India's Secaurity

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machadinha

Sure, let's ethnically cleanse the area, that should help.

Thing is after a few centuries of being there, these Gurkhas can hardly be considered Nepalis by nationality. They are your Indian countrymen, whether you like it or not. (btw You find yourself in interesting company here -- Don't many of the insurgents in the North-East violently agitate against, among others, Bangladeshi immigrants and refugees as their easy scapegoat? Always be careful what you wish for.)

A poignant litte detail in that Reuters article above:

While I hardly assume that actually rekindled the fire, it does go to show what sensitivities are at stake I think. Or one step further and ironically, this perception of being rated as second-class citizens lies exactly at the heart of the conflict I believe.

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sonal.pandit

I am supposed to reach sikkim on 13th June evening. I fear I will have to cancel my trip, I was so looking forward to

I was going to Sikkim from NJP, is that road the most affected by bandh?

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nayan

My father was supposed to go to Jalpaiguri on Sunday for business trip. As soon as I came to know of his plans I absolutely forbade him to go (that was yesterday). Thankfully, he has cancelled his plans.

I was feeling a little ambivalent that I may have scuttled his trip for little reason as he was going directly to jalpaiguri and not anywhere near darjeeling. but now I am really glad I forced him.

Bhaswaran

I am afraid that road is affected, as the road from Sukna to Melli along the Teesta rivers runs through the GJM dominated areas. Tuesday thrashing of seven buses happened on this road at Kalijhora, though they did not harm the tourists inside the bus then (they did that on Wednesday). However, they provided a 60-hour lease on traffic movement from today. Do not know what will be happening. This is mainly to facilitate the movement of the stranded tourists up in the hills, and you are planning to go up there. ALthough once you are in Sikkim, there is no problem, but the problem in on the way. However, if you can avail the Bagdogra-Gangtok helicopter flight (which is probably in skyrocketing demand this time), things are fine. Take a careful stock of the situation if you are going there and be prepared to cancel your trip even after reaching Siliguri/NJP. Think of some other places in lieu of Darjeeling-Sikkim.

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Darjeeling trip Video : "Darjeeling - The Queen of Hills" DVD

Bhaswaran

Simply not possible and will create more security problems. India remains like this - different people in a same country and will remain - and that is our pride and will remain our pride.

The problem must be dealt in other ways. Just remember that how many of those Gurkhas serve the Indian Army and how they fought valiantly in all the wars, and how those mountain people - The Gurkha and Naga soldiers helped us to win the almost impossible Kargil War at dizzy heights in recent times. Dont be selfish. They are Indian Cilizens and will remain our brothers. Dont blame the entire society for gimmicky business type politics of a few people.

Always remember - An entire community cannot be wrong or bad - not anywhere in this world. It is the misdeeds of a few that obviously get publicity - only to prove that bad men are few in this world - and that is why they get noticed easily.

sonal.pandit

yeah right I will need to think of some other options. Just praying God that this bandh gets over. So many tourists are getting troubled, I can Imagine what tourists are going through in west bengal at the moment.

Bhaswaran

Even if this Bandh gets over, keep your fingers crossed. They have a habit of calling indefinte bandhs out of nowhere and you could get into it. So, at least don't yourself walk into it. Wait for a few months - that I would advise - before planning here. If I am in your place, I would have cancelled a Sikkim-Darjeeling trip right now and instead gone to some other places. I don't think this is a ripe time to visit this area.

albertet

Wow, I have payed a flight to Mumbay for the 17th October (not possible to change dates or destination), and planned to go to Sikkim, but now, I do not know what to do...

If I finally decide to change my destiny and I want to go to Kaatmandu from Mumbay, what would you do, take a flight to Patna or Lucknow and then bus, or a flight to Katmandu from Mumbai, which seems expensive ¡¡¡

Hope you have ideas ¡¡¡

theyyamdancer

If I were you I would wait and see what happens. The Hills are so volatile, it might get worse or then again it might get better. I visited Darjeeling and Sikkim the day after the previous (9 days) Bandh. I have to say though that the current situation does look very serious.

I just cross-posted.

Well, maybe you should head to Katmandu instead. But check on the politics first.

Bhaswaran

People planning to go to Sikkim-Darjeeling area better forget it. Sikkim Government is busy evacuating tourists back to Siliguri. They have booking 200 extra buses for this.

And the latest development: Army has been called out in Siliguri as the situation is gradually getting out of control.

The army was called out to patrol streets of Siliguri and adjacent areas on Thursday following attacks on local people, tourists and police by the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha activists demanding a separate state.

GJM supporters attacked tourists and policemen, injuring 28 people and damaged 16 vehicles on Wednesday evening at Malbazar in neighbouring Jalpaiguri district, as two organisations observed a 48-hour bandh in this north Bengal town in Darjeeling district from Thursday.

Twelve tourists, being escorted by Forest Department personnel from a forest bungalow at Chapramari in Jalpaiguri district, were attacked by armed GJM supporters at Khunia More. The GJM supporters torched one of the vehicles the tourists were travelling in and damaged the other and also attacked local people at Malbazar town and stoned the police when they intervened.

Link: http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/12sili.htm

machadinha

Quickly escalating it seems, eh.

It's surprising after over a decade of silence. Bottled-up and unresolved tensions, you'd think.

theyyamdancer

In what way is the current situation the same/different from the turmoil in the area in the 1980s? Is Gurung the "new" Ghising?

Fan of India

Rajasthan / Sikkim / Darjeeling / Kashmir....!

The issues may be different - but the methods adopted by the agitators are the same - disrupt common and peaceful life.

Its high time that a stern view is taken of such incidents.

There should be some way in which the vote-bank politics is overruled. After all a group of people should not be allowed to take the general public / tourists and the nation to ransom!!!

machadinha

From what little I know, the situation was never resolved, merely abated through the granting of a form of greater regional autonomy. (To outside readers: Apart from local perceptions vis-à-vis the central government, the Darjeeling area couldn't be further removed geographically, culturally, and ethnically from its West Bengal administration which it falls under.) Which however never met the original demands.

I'm getting the strong feeling that this "sudden" eruption, or as it's presented to us, is rather symptomatic of a structural neglect of local sentiments and developments since.