Chronicle 2002
Lepcha Associations pull Members out of SIBLAC
The recent submission of a memorandum to the Central and State Government by the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee was the main agenda of an emergency meeting of the executive members of Sikkim Lepcha Association and the Sikkim Lepcha Youth Association. The reason behind the emergency session is apparently the fact that the signatures of the members of the aforesaid organisations are present in the memorandum but were not endorsed by them.
In the course of the meeting, Namgyal Lepcha, president of the Sikkim Lepcha Youth Association (SLYA), resigned from the steering committee of SIBLAC ostensibly as he was "preoccupied with far too many responsibilities" of his own community, the Lepchas. "The members of the SLYA have also asked me to quit the pressure group", he added.
The meeting decided to stick to the minimum 50 per cent reservation in the areas of job reservation, higher studies and seats in the State Assembly for Lepchas. They also reaffirmed that land transaction in the state should remain confined within their community.
Tribals tap Delhi Door for sole Rights
Four members of the Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC), an organisation comprising the two tribal communities of the state, are camping in New Delhi to regain the fading identities and rights solely enjoyed by the two communities in the state.
The delegation, including former MP from Sikkim Ren Leonard Soloman Saring, former land revenue minister Sonam Dupden, SIBLAC Convenor Nima Lepcha and Erung Bhutia, another active member of the body, has been demanding that the Scheduled Tribe Order, 1978, and the Representation of the People Act, 1980, be amended to restore the original identity of Bhutias and Lepchas in the state.
SIBLAC claims that the insertion of other ethnic groups like the Kagateys, Yolmos, Dopthapas, Chumbipas, Tromopas, Tibetans, Dukpas and Sherpas under the title of the Bhutias in 1978 had eroded the identity and the political safeguards of the community.
SIBLAC, however, added that they were not opposed to the Scheduled Tribe status given to these communities, only they should not be clubbed with Bhutias and the Lepchas.
This, according to them, took away the privileges guaranteed to the two communities under Article 371F of the Constitution. The body has been demanding that the issue be taken up during the winter session of Parliament when the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe Order Second Amendment Act will be discussed.
The Sikkim Assembly has 12 seats reserved for Bhutias and Lepchas in the 32 member House. The delegation has met Central Minister for tribal affairs Joel Oram and placed a memorandum. It is learnt that they have also spoken to former Speaker P. A. Sangma and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.
The group will also meet Chief Election Commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh on the delimitation of seats in the Sikkim Assembly. SIBLAC, while welcoming the decision of the state government to accord tribal status to two other communities in the state, - Limbus and Tamangs - has also demanded that separate seats be created for them.
Lepchas and Bhutias, who are the original inhabitants of the state, have presently been reduced to a minority.