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[Previous entry: "‘Solution can be possible only when the GoI respects the reality of Nagas' • T. Muivah, General Secretary, NSCN(IM)The ceasefire in the Naga hills still holding, he was here at the invitation of the Government to find a way to end the decades-old insurgency. Thuingaleng Muivah, the M in the I-M faction of the NSCN, the dominant Naga insurgent outfit, speaks to Shekhar Gupta, Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express, on NDTV 24x7’s Walk the Talk programme. Excerpts from the interview..."] [Next entry: "Naga peace talks on track: Centre"]

06/23/2005: "IM negates ‘dead end’ media reports"


IM negates ‘dead end’ media reports Newmai News Network
Dimapur, June 22: The GPRN/NSCN (IM) downplayed media speculations that the ongoing peace talks had come to a dead-end and said officials of the contending parties were well aware of the position and difficulties involved in the process.
A press release issued by the NSCN (IM)’s MIP today in Dimapur said the media speculation was “unqualified” given that neither the Government of India nor the NSCN (IM) had ever said the talks had come to a dead end or deadlocked.
The faction advised the media to strictly follow the journalistic ethics while filing a story on such a sensitive matter since distortion of facts could be both destructive and dangerous.
“Distorting facts and projecting the Khaplang group to a negotiating table will never work for the simple reason that this element is the brainchild of Indian Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The Naga people are very much aware of this fact,” the release said.
It said the question of threatening did not arise at this crucial juncture of peace process adding the strategy of the contending parties would always be to consolidate their own position.
The release further quoted NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah’s statement on slow progress of
the talks made at Dimapur airport on May 10, “This world belongs to the people who are prepared for the worst and plan for the best…we cannot be too presumptuous, so far we have made our position very clear to the Government of India; now they know and cannot deny. The ball is in their court”.

Talks on verge of collapse: Muivah by Navin Upadhyay
Thursday June 23, 2005, New Delhi:The Naga peace talks are on the verge of collapse after eight years of ceasefire and protracted negotiations. Bitter and disillusioned with the turn of events, the NSCN (IM) is getting ready for another phase of violent insurgency in the hills and jungles of Nagaland. "New Delhi should not make the mistake of taking us for granted. There is no attempt by the Indian Government to resolve the issue. We believe, they are trying to buy time and weaken us. But, they should not forget that our cadres are well-armed and equipped to launch another phase of violent struggle," NSCN (IM) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah told The Pioneer in an exclusive interview. By now, Mr Muivah along with NSCN (IM) chairman Issak Chi Swu have spent nearly seven months in India, holding discussions with top political leadership in the UPA government and its official interlocutors. But, the optimism of any breakthrough has been completely belied. On the contrary, there are signs that the gains of the past engagements of the successive governments since 1997 with the NSCN (IM) may have been completely squandered away. In the two-hour interview, Mr Muivah indicated that he had no faith in the present New Delhi dispensation to find a solution to the vexed Naga problem. He said he was suspicious that the government was pursuing a game plan of engaging the NSCN (IM) in the ceasefire and simultaneously undermining its cadres.

"They are trying to buy time. They are hoping the situation will improve on the ground so that the Indian Army can crush us. They don't realise it could have disastrous consequences. Are they ready to throw the entire north-east into a vortex of violence? Will Assam and Manipur remain peaceful if the guns boom in Nagaland?" he asked.
The angry outbursts of the man, who had been rated as one of finest guerilla fighters during his prime, cannot be taken lightly. It is no secret that the NSCN armed cadres are virtually running the state administration and thousands of committed young men are being trained in jungle warfare in camps located in Myanmar. Mr Muivah was particularly upset with the role of the Indian Army. "The Indian Army has been brutal and inhuman. Hundreds of innocent Nagas have been killed during the period of ceasefire. The Army has sided with our rivals to target our cadres and camps. This is nothing but betrayal," he said. Referring to the attempts of the Indian Government to persuade Myanmar to launch a crackdown against the Indian insurgents, Mr Muivah said it was part of the same game plan to undermine "our cadres".

Mr Muivah is livid with New Delhi for its flirtations with the Naga National Council and the Khaplang faction of the NSCN. "RAW is using the Assam Rifles and the Army to target our cadres in collaboration with men of the Khaplang faction and the NNC. It is a dirty thing to do. But these groups don't count in the scheme of things. They have no support base," he said. After a long pause he referred to what former prime minister Narasimha Rao had told them about the Khaplang faction and the NNC leadership. "He had said these groups were in the hands of the government. The issue is not with them, but with you. We are talking to you because we know that Nagas are with you," Mr Muivah claimed. Mr Muivah pointed out that when they had agreed for ceasefire and negotiations, a three-point strategy was formalised between New Delhi and the NSCN (IM). These included starting dialogues without any precondition, at the highest political level, and outside India. "We have shown flexibility. We have come to India to carry forward the talks. We have agreed to talk to junior ministers. But the Indian Government is not willing to concede an inch of our demand. This can't go on. If the situation is allowed to drift like this, violence is inevitable. We will hold the Indian Government responsible for breakdown of talks," he said.
Talking about the history of Naga struggle, Mr Muivah began Nehru-bashing. "Nehru had said even if heavens were to fall, he would not concede the demand of Naga sovereignty. He had sent lakhs of troops to crush our agitation. Thousands of our men were killed and women raped. Our villages were burnt down. But they could not conquer our spirit," he said.
"Nehru expected us to place our history at his feet. But he did not know that Nagas could die, but not compromise their pride," he said. When Nehru had so strong views about the demand of Naga people, could NSCN (IM) expect the Congress-led UPA government to be flexible with them?
"So far they have not been. Let us see what the future has in store for us. But let me tell you: we are ready to live and die for our motherland, that is sovereign Nagalim."
Naga Hoho’s appeal to Tuensang leaders Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, June 22: The Naga Hoho, apex tribal council of the community, has urged leaders of two tribes of the border district of Tuensang to work for resolving the ongoing dispute over ownership of land at Tobu where nine government employees were kidnapped by members of a group and bodies of four later recovered. A delegation of Naga Hoho, Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and Naga Students Federation (NSF) recently visited Tobu area where the incident took place on June 7 and urged the government to find a solution to the crisis arising out of the murder after abduction. Meanwhile calling upon leaders of two tribes to come forward for holding a dialogue "without any prejudice", the Hoho alleged that successive governments had miserably failed to understand the "dynamics of the conflict" and were more or less engaged in "fire-fighting methods" and "appeasement policy".

The tribal council urged the state government to explore all possible means to find a solution to the crisis, since any further delay could only result in more violence in the area. The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), the apex church organisation in the state, expressed dismay over the June seven incident and appealed to the tribes to work for maintaining peace in border area. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio earlier sent some of his ministers on a fact-finding mission to the area after an emergency meeting. – PTI
Perpetrating a parallel on a different kettle of fish
By: D. Sivaram (Taraki) Source: NortheEastern Herald
The United National Front (UNF) government is carrying on with the talks as though a political settlement to the conflict is possible. We have argued on many occasions in these columns that the fundamental provisions of the 1978 constitution will not permit any solution to the ethnic conflict that goes beyond the 13th Amendment in granting regional autonomy to the Tamil people. Today we have sufficient reason to believe that the UNF leadership is fully aware of the fact that it is not possible at all to implement a settlement that can meet the ‘basic political aspirations’ of the Tamil people under the provisions of Sri Lanka’s constitution. If this is the case, how does the UNF see the future of the peace process?
Although we do not know what’s in the minds of UNF strategists who are handling the peace talks, we can safely venture to say that in theory and in practice they can, under the specific circumstance we have described here, expect the LTTE to get irreversibly inured to peace; build a strong and large peace constituency among the Tamils which the LTTE would increasingly be disinclined to oppose; expand the ‘democratic’ space in the northeast by encouraging diverse groups and parties to contest elections there in the future; ultimately make the LTTE ‘see’ or realise the futility of searching for a federal solution. There are many parallels in other parts of the world where the condition of extended military stalemate (sometimes lasting over 2-3 generations) have impelled separatist movements to drop secession from the agenda of their peace talks with states; and long periods of negotiations and peace thereafter have induced them to settle within the status quo instead of insisting on a radical restructuring of the state in lieu secession.
The most current instance of this phenomenon is closer to home. The Nagas in India’s northeast have been waging an armed struggle for an independent sovereign homeland for almost five decades. Nagaland was conquered by the British late in the 19th century and was annexed to India. The Nagas declared independence a day before the British formally granted India its freedom. Gandhi, however, convinced them to remain within the Indian union temporarily for ten years. He told them they would be free to leave at the end of the period. But 10 years later Jawaharlal Nehru refused to honour Gandhi’s pledge and insisted that Nagaland was an inseparable part of the India. (Some of Gandhi’s detractors argue that he shrewdly bought time for India to prepare the ground for effectively opposing Naga independence).
The Nagas, being a war like people, began a ferocious armed struggle to achieve their freedom from Indian rule. The Indian army was sent in to crush the rebellion but it inevitably got mired in the longest counter insurgency campaign in the annals of modern warfare. The Indian armed forces have lost more soldiers in Nagaland than in Kashmir. The Naga struggle acquired a cross border and trans national dimension as its militants set up training and supply bases in Burma amid allegations in India that they were getting support from China and Pakistan. Nevertheless, Indian counter-insurgency experts took the long-term view to eventually wear down the armed Naga separatists. In 1997, Delhi brought about a ceasefire and started a process to prepare the ground for peace talks with the Naga independence movement. In 2000, it unveiled a policy of rapprochement with Myanmar’s ruling Junta, with a view, among other things, to deny the Nagas their rear base. Direct talks between Delhi and the Naga independence movement began this year in January when the leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland met Vajpayee. Delhi believes that the great majority of the people of Nagaland have been sufficiently convinced that war is futile, which in turn would act as a deterrent on Naga independence movement, preventing it from going back to war. Delhi’s main aim, however, is to expand the ‘democratic’ space in Nagaland so that parties other than the Congress (I) would be able to contest elections for the state assembly there. Currently, the discredited Congress (I) led by S. C Jamir is the sole party in the Nagaland legislature. Congress (I) has none to oppose in the state assembly because all the militant groups of the Naga independence movement have been boycotting elections while regional parties and all Indian parties couldn’t find credible local candidates to contest the polls.
As a crucial aspect of the current peace deal, Delhi has got a commitment from the Nagas not to disrupt or call for a general boycott of any future election in the state. Counter-insurgency strategists in Delhi believe that this would encourage diverse parties and groups to contest elections to the state assembly and Parliament, thereby expanding the constituency of those in Nagaland who have a direct stake in the Indian Union or, in other words, the status quo. The longer the Naga independence movement is locked in talks, the lesser would be the chances that the local population would countenance a return to war which, in turn, would create a suitable environment in Nagaland for expanding the constituency of direct stake holders in the Indian Union through elections and other means. If the number of these direct stake holders in the status quo and their support networks among the local populace expand sufficiently, then the compulsion in the Naga independence movement to insist on a radical restructuring of the Indian Union in lieu of Naga secession would be reduced to a negligible level, according to counter insurgency experts.
Then of course a long period of peace talks would offer inevitable opportunities for Indian intelligence agencies to widen direct contacts and engineer splits in the movement, buy over leaders, subject the Naga population to peace time psyops, foster ethnic and tribal divisions, induce corruption in the ranks of the militant groups etc., In the same manner Indian counter insurgency experts succeeded in containing the two decade long armed struggle by the Mizo people to establish the independent state of Mizoram and in eventually co-opting Mizo secessionists into the Indian Union. Delhi first brought about a military stalemate in Mizoram, then locked the Mizo independence movement into prolonged peace talks, induced it to drop the demand for a separate state and, later, its demand for a radical restructuring of the Indian state and eventually inveigled the Mizo leadership into accepting a solution within the parameters of the Indian constitution.
Given the specific circumstances in which the peace talks between the LTTE and the United National Front government are taking place, the application of a parallel strategy on the part of the Sri Lankan state and its international backers appears inevitable. As we have reiterated, it is apparently quite clear to the UNF leadership and its constitutional experts that a federal solution to settle the conflict cannot be granted in any form within the parameters of Sri Lanka’s constitution.
Therefore in continuing the talks without acknowledging this reality, the UNF is obviously and inexorably committing itself to the well tested strategy for containing and co-opting a separatist insurgent movement into the status quo, sans any radical restructuring of the state. The only hitch in all this, however, is that the UNF and its backers seem to often forget that they are dealing with the LTTE, which is a different kettle of fish.
Discrimination against People’s Movement: letter to Nisc

It is interesting to observe that the ban imposed by the Manipur government against the "Solidarity Rally Towards Naga Unification" is ironic in its own nature. This nature is classically another form of discrimination against People’s Movement. The question is how can Secular People’s Front government of Ibobi Singh could go against the wishes and aspirations of its people that too when its people elected them to position of power and authority? The government should have adhere to the interests, wishes, aspirations and freedom of its people and allow them to hold peaceful rally rather than sticking to its own vested interests. Do Ibobi Singh know the distinction between the politics of power and the politics of people’s movement?

The reality is that his government and administrative machinery across the State has committed a social crime against social justice and social harmony by their wrong decision to impose restriction and by banning this People’s movement against the rally in the hill districts of Manipur. The government should have struggle for social integration rather than wedging the divide of exclusion between the plain and the hills peoples. But the ultimate count down is that the People’s Politics always comes out victorious in the end. In this light, Ibobi Singh’s government is totally a failed government infested with all corrupted minds of politicians, media blackmailing and the ills of bureaucracy. His government must resign immediately to pave the way for the people to fulfill their precious freedom and achieved their honourable status and dignity.

The politics of declaring Integrity Day by the Manipur government and subsequently embroiled given the status of State Holiday is in itself complicating the fragile situation further. The motive and design of the Manipur government seems to be tilted towards a confrontational and inviting unwanted history to unfold. Though history repeats history it will be very unfortunate to witness for the human civilization of progress and development with all peaceful co-existence and harmony. If it is happen then this will prove that the emotion of 2000 years back will remain the same even today with all its joys, cries, sorrows, love, hate, anger, sadness, anguish, etc…. Ground realities will unfold more concretely in the days to come if correct measures are not taken care of and employ instantly to pre-empty any eventuality.

Sincerely yours, Tsiiruii-e Bangalore
Poor manning a hitch along Nagaland border From our Correspondent
SARUPATHAR, June 22: Though there are no reports of any escalating tension in the A, B and C sectors under Dhansiri subdivision in Golaghat district, the lack of adequate administrative staff is proving to be a serious obstacle towards the effective monitoring of activities along these inter-state border areas. Sources said that a block development officer is manning sector ‘A’, while sectors B and C have been put under the charge of a single border magistrate. There are about 269 villages in all the three sectors. The state Government has set up 13 border outposts, but the absence of even the basic amenities there has crippled their functioning. Sources said that power is available only at sector C. "The BOPs at the other sectors do not even have drinking water facilities, let alone electricity," the sources said, adding that the other infrastructural facilities are also in a state of disarray. Official sources said that the combined population of all the three sectors is 1,10,000. While Sector A has about 22 villages, sectors B and C have 163 and 84 villages respectively. However, the numbers of villages are subject to change as they keep growing every now and then. It may be mentioned here that all the three sectors are within the jurisdiction of 94 Sarupathar legislative Assembly constituency. Sector A has its headquarters at Homeland, while sectors B and C have their headquarters at Rengmapani and Umiamghat respectively.
Sources told The Sentinel that about 90 per cent of Sector A is dominated by Naga settlers. There area a few Karbi, Kachari and Nepali villages, the sources added. There is equal presence of both Nagas and Assamese in Sector B, the sources said and added that only Sector C is substantially under the occupation of the natives of Assam. Official sources said that there is very less revenue land in the three sectors as they are hedged by reserve forests. While Sector A has the Diphu reserve forest, Sector B is lined by the Nambor reserve forest. Rengma reserve forest lies in Sector C. Most border areas are drought prone, the sources said.
Meanwhile, there is widespread apprehension that if the current state of ‘apathy’ with regard to the administration of the three sectors is allowed to continue, Naga encroachment will take a turn for the worse. The NSCN (IM)’s demand for integration of all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas has already queered the pitch of the long-drawn border row between Assam and Nagaland. The Assam Government, while manning the borders along A,B and C sectors, must remember that it is guarding the rear of the State which is highly vulnerable as the Nagas are directly facing towards it, the sources said. "So there is hardly any room for leniency in this regard," they cautioned.
Mystery over abduction & murder of four persons linger

Kohima, June 20: The Konyak Union has alleged that the NSCN (I-M) was involved in the abduction and murder of four people in Tobu on June 7. The four were victims of inter-tribe rivalry and among the nine persons abducted by gunmen suspected to be from the Chang tribe. Soon after the incident, police recovered a “command sheet” of a self-styled “self-defence force” of the Chang tribe. The fight for supremacy over the Tobu area between Konyak and Chang tribes has been raging since 1986.

The “command sheet” found on June 7 had names of 32 activists of the self-styled force with names of their villages and the weapons they carried. “We suspect that this paper was deliberately dropped to misguide us. Surprisingly all the 32 activists mentioned in the sheet were from 32 different villages. However, only about 16 people were known to be involved in the crime,” said a police official. The NSCN (I-M) has denied involvement or knowledge of the self-styled force. The sheet of paper was signed by one “commander-in-chief” and one “general sergeant major” of the self-styled force.

There have been allegations that the NSCN (I-M) is helping the Changs as they had allegedly switched loyalty from NSCN (K) to the former. The police have not been able to make any headway in the abduction-murder case even after almost a fortnight since it occurred. Police sources, however, did not rule out involvement of the NSCN (I-M). “Some of the outfit’s activists allegedly got involved in the crime under the cover of the self-styled force,” a sources said. However, any early arrest in the case is unlikely, the sources added. According to the “command sheet” of the self-styled force, it possesses weapons like AK-47, US carbine, M22, M21, M16, SLRs and G-3 guns. The Konyak Union has demanded that the government declare the self-styled force a “terrorist outfit”. The tribe registered a protest by gathering in large numbers in Mon town on June 8.
Some miscreants had also attacked a special Nagaland Armed Police contingent in Tobu town, accusing them of inaction in the case. [telegraphindia]

India, Myanmar to explore ways to make border peaceful India Monitor
Yangon, Nov 03: India today announced a 57 million US dollar line of credit to Myanmar which gave an assurance that it would not allow its territory to be used for anti-India activities and agreed to explore ways of joint effort to make the border peaceful. During wide-ranging talks Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had with top Myanmarese leader and Senior General Than Shwe, Yangon shared concern on terrorism and the insurgency problem in the Indian North Eastern region.

"No anti-India activity on Myanmar soil will be allowed or accepted," the senior general, who is chairman of the ruling state peace development council, told Shekhawat who arrived here yesterday on a five-day visit to this country.

The line of credit would be used for improving Yangon-Mandalay railway line. It was also decided to hold ministerial-level talks in New Delhi on the proposed India-Myanmar-Thailand road project.

Yangon also agreed to allow an India-Hanoi car rally mooted by Prime Minister Atal Bihri Vajpayee last month to enhance people-to-people contacts with ten-nation Asean to pass through its territory, official sources said.

The two sides discussed in detail the insurgency problem in the North East which was hampering growth of trade across the border.

"We will discuss how joint efforts can be intensified to make India-Myanmar border peaceful," Foreign Secretary Kanlwal Sibal, who is accompanying the Vice President, said while briefing newspersons on the "cordial and friendly" meetings Shekhawat had with the Myanmarese leadership.

Sibal said both sides voiced satisfaction over the talks and saw "prospects of further improvement in bilateral ties".

The Myanmarese leadership briefed Shekhawat on the internal political and economic situation in the country and its seven-point road map for restoration of democracy.

"We are watching with friendly interest the progress towards restoration of democracy and reconciliation," the Foreign Secretary said.

Asked about New Delhi's reaction to the seven-point roadmap, Sibal said, "We have no prescription but we are interested in democracy in our neighbourhood."

Addressing the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry here earlier in the day, Shekhawat said a climate of peace and tranquility was an essential pre-requisite for enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

"Incidents of bombing in Bali, Jakarta and Mumbai require us to fight the menace of terrorism together. Terrorism has assumed a trans-national character. It has become increasingly clear that we have to pool our resources and efforts to curb and eliminate this dangerous phenomenon in all its manifestation," the Vice President said.

Asserting that Myanmar has a "special place" in its 'look east' policy, Shekhawat sought doubling of the trade turnover between them to one billion us dollars in the next three years and said joint projects in areas of information technology, telecom, hydrocarbons, light engineering goods, food processing and pharmaceuticals held promise.

"The India-Myanmar joint trade committee has proposed to raise the turnover to USD one billion in the next three years through expansion and diversification of trade. This is a challenging but feasible task," Shekhawat said addressing a luncheon meeting hosted by Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry here.

Shekhawat, who is the first Indian Vice President to visit Myanmar in 16 years, said while the committee would focus on removing impediments and providing an appropriate framework at the policy level, a dynamic private sector, apex chambers of commerce and leaders of industry should achieve the target.

Observing that trade, including border trade, was a vital component of their relationship, he said the Tamu-Kalay Road was a symbol of joint endeavours between the two neighbours.

Shekhawat extended an invitation to Gen. Shwe on behalf of President A P J Abdul Kalam and Vajpayee to visit India. The invitation was accepted by the Senior General and dates for it would be decided later as per mutual convenience.

India and Myanmar had last night signed two agreements on enhancing joint education and research programmes and exempting visa requirement for diplomatic and official passport holders. Shekhawat also held talks with Vice Senior General Maung Aye, who is second in the hierarchy in Myanmar's military junta.

Bureau Report

India attaches high priority to its ties with Myanmar India Monitor
Mandalay, Nov 05: Observing that India attaches high priority to its relations with Myanmar, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today said with a number of cross-border projects taking off, it would help enhance trade and increase economic opportunities for people in the border areas. Addressing the Indian community here, Shekhawat, who is on a five-day visit, said India and Myanmar shared deep-rooted spiritual and cultural affinities which provided a firm anchor to their bilateral relationship.

"India attaches high priority to relations with Myanmar and its people. We wish to see a stable, peaceful and prosperous Myanmar and a vibrant relationship between our two countries," he said.
Mandalay occupies a place of its own, not just in the history of Myanmar, but also in the history of India`s struggle for independence, he recalled that Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and several other freedom fighters were incarcerated in this city.
He remembered the remarks of Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to this city in 1929 that Mandalay was a place of pilgrimage for Indians. Indeed, it was a common saying in those days that the path to swaraj, that is freedom of India, passed through Mandalay, he said. Shekhawat said India has fascinated the rest of the world since time immemorial. The cultural ethos of India has the capacity to stay deep-rooted in the minds of the people, no matter where they live, he said. Observing that cooperation between India and Myanmar has acquired a truly multi-dimensional character, he said the two sides were today cooperating in diverse fields, ranging from culture to science and technology.
He said the reopening of the Consulate General of India in Mandalay last year was in itself an "important milestone" and a manifestation of the relationship between the two countries. It was a concrete expression of a mutually shared political commitment to increase bilateral exchanges to mutual benefit, he said. Bureau Report

India threatens world order by Harish Dugh India Monitor
New Delhi: The $600 billion Indian economy is set to make a huge splash on the international front. Set to expand at a phenomenal 6+ per cent in the near future (8.2 per cent in 2004) the unleashing of the Indian behemoth on an unsuspecting world has governments in the first world worried.
Not that the USA is in for an overnight coup. Considering that the USA GDP is pegged at $11 trillion (2003) it will take India quite a while to overhaul the world leader. Having realised that their business interests are endangered, numerous agencies in Europe and USA have been commissioned to find out the nature of the threat as well as the deadline when India will start hitting them where it hurts.
From the IMF to America's National Intelligence Council which represents a number of governmental spy agencies including the CIA, to the US Chambers of Commerce representing three million companies and even England's Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown have been forced to plead with their countries' businessmen to start preparing for the "growing strategic threat' to their markets. While India has already laid the basic foundation for its quantum economic leap, especially in the tech sector, the only thing that is acting as a weight is the fact that India does not have the money to pep up its infrastructure including electricity generation, railways, telecom and highways. In fact, India is set to drive its economic growth on the back of its technology.

Also, India's very low R&D-spend is affecting its desire to spread its wings. The reason is not that the funds aren't there, the fact is that the money is being directed to unproductive sectors of the economy. To get its infrastructure up to par with Asian giants like China and perhaps Japan, India needs $150 billion till the year 2015. Not a huge amount by any standards but in an era of countervailing political pressure on the decision-makers for vote garnering and lining their pockets, getting that amount from the greedy hands of the assorted politico-bureaucrat nexus will be difficult. Anne Krueger, First Dy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund has even gone to the extent of saying a double digit growth is possible provided Indian politicians can stop bickering and find the right mix of policies to attain that goal. All said and done, the question in the end is not whether India will rise, the query is actually when the sub-continental giant will reach its place in the Sun. Expressindia invites you to contribute to this series, you can send your articles on ‘Is it possible for India to become the most developed country by 2050’, in not less than 300 words. Mail at biju@expressindia.com. We will publish the selected articles on our website. (Source : Press Trust Of India)
Manipur shutdown over Assam Rifles killing By Indo-Asian News Service
Imphal, June 23 (IANS) A strike to protest the killing of a civilian by paramilitary troopers affected normal life in Manipur Thursday, officials said. The 19-hour shutdown began Thursday midnight and was called by the powerful Apunba Lup, an apex body of 32 social organizations of Manipur.
"Shops, businesses and government offices remained closed while vehicles kept off the roads," a police official said. The strike was called to protest the killing of 29-year-old Pheiroijam Keshorjit, a local businessman, in an alleged gun battle with the paramilitary Assam Rifles near state capital Imphal Monday. The Assam Rifles claimed Singh was a member of the outlawed Kangleipak Communist Party rebel group and that he was killed in a skirmish with its troopers. Local residents and Manipur's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Parijat Singh, however, accused the Assam Rifles of killing Keshorjit in a fake gun battle. Keshorjit was the minister's nephew.
"The troops have no right to summarily execute anyone. Keshorjit was innocent and he had no links with any underground groups," Singh said. The Assam Rifles has ordered an enquiry into the incident. "We shall continue with our protests and intensify them if the killers of Keshorjit are not brought to book and punished," Apunba Lup leader M. Ongamba said. Manipur last year witnessed violent protests for months after Assam Rifles troopers allegedly raped and killed a woman while she was in their custody. During the wave of violence and protests, a man died after setting himself on fire and a group of women drew international attention to the cause by demonstrating naked outside the Assam Rifle's main camp in Imphal. The Apunba Lup held massive protests across Manipur, bordering Myanmar, demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which gives sweeping powers to the Indian Army and Assam Rifles to shoot on sight and arrest people without a warrant. Bowing to pressure, the Manipur government announced partial lifting of the law from certain areas in August last year but the move failed to end the protests. A panel set up by the central government to review the use of the law and to study demands for its repeal submitted its report earlier this month. But the central government has said the anti-terror law is required in Manipur where some 20 rebel groups are active with demands ranging from secession and greater autonomy to the right to self-determination.
AMSU endorses Apunba Lup’s general strikeThe Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, June 22: All Manipur Students Union has endorsed the 19 hours general strike called by the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup which will come into effect 12 this midnight. Announcing that the AMSU will take active part in tomorrow’s general strike, the students body in a statement asked all its units to actively support the strike. The AMSU statement further said that the killing of Keshorjit by the Assam Rifles has once again unveiled the state terrorism being perpetrated by Indian Army towards the people of Manipur. Condemning the killing of Ph Keshorjit by the Assam Rifles, the Manipur University Students Union has charged the Indian Army of sustaining random killing of innocent civilians and raping women in the name of fighting insurgency in Manipur.
Asserting that unity and concerted efforts amongst civil society organisations are needed to get the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 repealed, the MUSU appealed to all civil society organisations to shun organizational interests. Asserting that the university has a great role to play in brining a solution to the social problems facing the state, the MUSU said it will wake up academicians of the Manipur University, who have been remaining silent on issues confronting the state. Meanwhile, the Kangleipak Communist Party has clarified that the outfit has no relation whatsoever with Ph Keshorjit alias Loketomba of Ngongada, who was gunned down by 19 Assam Rifles troops in its custody on June 21.
A statement issued by publicity and propaganda secretary of the KCP maintained that Keshorjit ran a pharmacy and did small contract work from time to time. Regarding the detention of Keshorjit in Jail in 2002, the statement further clarified that his arrest was made in connection with the recovery of some documents relating to KCP from his pharmacy which however were kept in his shop by junior cadres under the command of one Nganba Mangcha of the outfit.

Peter Anal Nagalim :Meiteis are liars. They dream one thing today and call that thing true historical fact tomorrow. The so-called History of Manipur is full of lies.
The Burmese invaded Meiteis' 800 square miles Meiteiland time and again, but that does not mean Meiteiland is a part of the Burmese empire. Likewise, if a handful of armed Meitei marauders ventured into a part of Nagalim for some days that does not mean this part of Naga Homeland should be a part of the Meitei empire. The British found Manipur a land of 800 square miles.
Nagalim is a contiguous land inhabited by the Nagas since time immemorial. However hard they may try through editorial writings and other forms, land-greedy Meitei hyenas can never change the Nagas in their love for unification of the people and land. India has paid a heavy price in the past fifty years for miscalculating the national stand of the Nagas for their nation's territorial integrity and right to self-determination. Like the hyenas, Meiteis of 800 square miles took the fullest undue advantage to fill their pockets through maximum corruption and cheating. The Meiteis must pay the due compensations to the Nagas, and one of them is to wisely recognize the God-given right of the Nagas to live together under one administrative roof.
Gogoi: Safety first, trade later Influx, smuggling raised in NEC Our Staff Correspondent
SHILLONG, June 22: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today urged the North Eastern Council (NEC) to take up vital security-related issues in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs before the borders are thrown open for international trade as envisaged by the Centre’s ‘Look East’ policy. While addressing the second meeting of the restructured NEC which started here today, Gogoi said that issues like influx of the foreigners through the porous borders, support to subversive activities of underground organizations by neighbouring countries, smuggling and other anti-social activities in border areas need to be taken up seriously by the Council.
Along with the Chief Ministers of the other north-eastern States, Gogoi also raised the issue of release of backlog money of the pending projects at the meeting.
Gogoi, while referring to the backlog due to Assam under the 10th five-year plan, said, "Although Assam was to receive Rs. 781 crore from a fixed amount of Rs. 3,500 crore, till May 2005, i.e., after the expiry of more than three years, we have received only Rs. 360 crore. This amount is only 46 per cent of the 10th plan." Gogoi also talked about the proposals for the development of roads, two projects in the power sector and one in the transport sector, which await clearance. He also voiced his concern over the delay of the Council to release the Rs. 25-crore financial assistance to the State for the development of the infrastructure of the ensuing National Games to be held in Assam in later in the year. The Assam Chief Minister appealed to all the other Chief Ministers to impress upon the Prime Minister to enhance fund allocation to the north-eastern States as well as the NEC. "Restructuring NEC would be meaningless if sufficient fund is not allocated towards the development of the region," he added.
Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang also raised the issue of pending schemes. He called for immediate consideration of the 8 schemes for the State that included control of siltation and pollution at Umiam reservoir, setting up of the 132 KV SC transmission line from Agia to Nagalbibra, construction of the second circuit 132 KV single transmission, integrated fishery development programme, afforestation in critical catchments areas of the hydro electric power project areas, community based eco-tourism for Mawphlang sacred groves, development of Marngar lake in Ri bhoi district and revival of poultry farm in Machanpani. Joining the bandwagon Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga lamented on the ‘lack of clarity and direction of the Council’. "We do not have clear-cut ideas as to the scope of schemes and projects that will find acceptance," stated Zoramthanga, adding, "it is largely a case of hit and miss in so far as submission of proposals for funding is concerned."
North East is fairly peaceful: Kyndiah NET News Network
Shillong, June 22: The restructured North Eastern Council (NEC) today stayed away from discussing hardcore security problems afflicting the region and rather prodded on “Economic security, job security and psychological security”. Informing this to media here in Hotel Pinewood after the conclusion of the daylong 2nd meeting, Union tribal affairs and DoNER minister P. R. Kyndiah said, “We need to have economic security, job security and psychological security to make the society fully confident”.
Refusing to brand NE as insurgency infested area, the union minister from the region rued that National media has distorted the actual picture of the region. He however added that governors and chief ministers of the various North Eastern States would now share intelligence on vital aspects of security confronting the region. The minister also informed that today’s meeting, attended by governors of all eight NEC member States and chief ministers of six States barring Manipur and Sikkim discussed the broad parameters of securit


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