09/20/2005: "Human rights abuse draws concern NPMHR"

Human rights abuse draws concern Morung Expess DIMAPUR, SEPT 19 (MExN): The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) today issued a statement expressing concern over some of the recent developments taking place in the State. Issued by Nepuni Piku Secretary General, NPMHR Secretary, Dr. Lanusashi Longkumer Convenor, NPMHR Nagaland sector, and Phamring Anal Co-convenor, NPMHR South sector, the statement lamented the incident of suspected drunken driving leading to collision between a Tuensang bound passenger bus and a Bolero belonging to ADC (J) Mokokchung, Khalong, near Garampani, Karbi Anglong (Assam) on the 15th of September 2005. It denounced the unimaginable rage perpetrated on the innocent passengers by the officer’s two armed bodyguards who were also said to have been in an inebriated condition alike the said official. The incident saw the killing of Peter Yimchungru, a churchperson (CASA) and causing severe injury to the bus conductor besides creating a siege causing immense mental and emotional trauma to the innocents. The NPMHR condemned the abuse of power and demanded that a detailed, impartial and judicious enquiry be undertaken by the State government so that future recurrence of such abusive rage is contained.
The NPMHR also expressed its sympathy and solidarity with the family of the deceased and contended ex-gratia payments would not be sufficient enough unless the scourge of abusive power by public servants was checked along with appropriate penalty. Observing the frequent incidences of waylaying and arbitrary killings of innocent civilians by miscreants, the Naga rights vanguard averred that it was high time that the State Government initiate appropriate measures to restore the confidence of the people by removing the feelings of alienation through prompt and rational actions such as improving communication facilities and prudent monitoring of development projects/targets.
It also took serious note of the incident of the killing of Leidilhoulie Yhome, a four year old from Kohima Village by his own father in the presence of the deceased child’s step-mother on September 5, 2005. "This contemptible incident reflects the emerging attitudes and often abusive treatment of many (a) parent to their helpless innocent children behind the closed door in our present day Naga society" stated the NPMHR while adding that the State government and the community have the responsibility of educating and promoting ‘the rights of children’ and it being a part of basic human rights enjoyed by children around the globe,. Furthermore, the NPMHR appreciated the State’s agencies for initiating public consultations on different sectors of socio-economic, political and cultural life to ascertain the needs and choices of the Nagas. It, however, added that consultations have to go beyond symbolism to a more vigorous,democratic process which would allow more space for peoples’ participation on various areas affecting them. It also took note of the recent eviction drives undertaken by various State agencies to remove illegal encroachers from Government-owned land. The NPMHR appealed to the government to initiate a study on the issues of employment, retrenchment and rehabilitation pertaining to the past State-run projects which have run into difficulties besides, the imperative need to put into place a clear cut policy on the issue of ‘internally displaced persons/peoples’ issues caused by relocation of rightful land tillers/owners in the larger interest of the public. It cited the instance of large infrastructure-developmental projects, ‘so that livelihood issues regarding those displaced are attended to reduce humanitarian crisis which regenerates conflict’.
CCP appeals to naga factions to abide by ceasefire ground rules: New Kerala Kohima: The Consultative Committee for Peace (CCP) has appealed to all naga underground factions to abide by the ceasefire ground rules and to stop factional killings. According to official sources here, the CCP, constituted by the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government to expedite the peace process to bring unity among the factions, had a meeting at the Chief Minister's residential office yesterday. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and adopted six resolutions.

Appreciating the contributions of tribal hohos, churches, civil societies, political parties and NGOs to the peace process, the meeting appealed to them to work cohesively for strengthening the peace process in the larger interest of the nagas. Lauding the government of India and both the factions of the NSCN for maintaining the ongoing ceasefire, the CCP urged the Centre and the NSCN-IM to be sincere to the peace process.
Peace committee meeting held Morung Expess
DIMAPUR, SEPT 19 (MExN): The Consultative Committee for Peace met today and adopted a six point resolution. The meeting held at the residential office of the Chief Minister reiterated its stand of maintaining equi-closeness to all the Underground groups and playing the role of facilitator to the peace process by creating a conducive atmosphere for an early solution to the Naga Political issue. The CCP also congratulated the Government of India and the two UG groups of the NSCN for maintaining the on-going ceasefire. The CCP also urged the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) to show more urgency, transparency and sincerity in the on going peace process, and to expedite the peace process. The CCP appreciated the contributions of the Tribal Hohos, Churches, Civil Societies, the various political parties and NGOs to the peace process and further appealed to all of them to work together unitedly for strengthening of the peace process, and for the greater interest of the Nagas.
The CCP also appreciated the role of the print and electronic media in the service to the people and appealed to them to give correct, unbiased, positive and optimistic reporting. The CCP appealed to all groups of Naga undergrounds to abide by the ceasefire ground rules, bring to a halt fratricidal killings, to come together and work for common goal of all patriotic Nagas that is peace with honour. The CCP has also congratulated the Naga Hoho and other NGOs and Civil Societies for successfully organizing the Naga Integration Rally at Kohima on 31st August 2005, wherein, it mentioned that all participants across the length and breadth of Naga home land expressed their unequivocal support to the integration of Naga home land.
Pranab Mukherjee embarks on two-day North-East visit New Delhi Una
Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday left for a two-day visit to the North-East States to review the security scenario there with top Army officials. The Defense Minister is expected to visit Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. According to official sources, Mukherjee will arrive at the Indian Army's 3 Corps headquarters this evening. On September 21, he will visit Leimakhong and address the troops there. He will also hold talks with the Inspector General, Assam Rifles (IGAR-South). On the same day, Mukherjee will leave for Aizawl where he is scheduled to inaugurate an Army recruiting office followed by his visit to Tezpur where he will be briefed about the security scenario by the GOC, 4 Corps. On Sepember 22, Mukherjee will hold meetings with Army officials at Tawang and Tenga in Arunachal Pradesh. He will return to Tezpur on the same day and stay there overnight. The Defense Minister will thereafter leave for Hyderabad on September 23.

Consultative Committee for Peace meeting held
KOHIMA, Sept. 19: The Consultative Committee for Peace had its meeting on the 19th Sept. in the residential office of Chief Minister and adopted the following resolutions.
1. The CCP reiterates its stand of maintaining equi-closeness to all the Underground groups and playing the role of facilitator to the peace process by creating a conducive atmosphere for an early solution to the Naga Political issue.
2. The CCP congratulates the Government of India and the two UG groups in the NSCN for maintaining the on-going ceasefire. The CCP also urges the Government of India and the NSCN(IM) to show more urgency, transparency and sincerity in the on going peace process, and to expedite the peace process.
3. The CCP appreciates the contributions of the Tribal Hohos, Churches, Civil Societies, the various political parties and NGOs to the peace process and further appeals to all of them to wok together unitedly for strengthening of the peace process, and for the greater interest of the Nagas.
4. The CCP also appreciates the role of print media and TV in the service to the people and appeals to them to give correct, unbiased, positive and optimistic reporting.
5. The CCP appeals to all groups of Naga undergrounds to abide by the ceasefire ground rules, bring to a halt fratricidal killings, to come together and work for common goal of all patriotic Nagas, that is peace with honour.
6. The CCP congratulates the Naga Hoho and other NGOs and Civil Societies for successfully organizing the Naga Integration Rally at Kohima on 31st August 2005, wherein all participants across the length and breadth of Naga home land expressed their unequivocal support to the integration of Naga home land.

(DIPR) Conflicting voices over NH-53 development Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 19: Even as the Highway Development Council has announced its plans to tour NH-53 from September 21 and mobilise the village chiefs and villagers living along the route to develop the highway, the Zeliangrong Youth Front, (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland) has urged the village elders, headmen/chiefs to abstain from enrolling themselves as members or office bearers of any organisation/associations floated under the name of developing the highway. In a statement, the Highway Development Council said that as per the decision taken on September 11, a meeting was held today wherein it was decided that a team comprising of representatives from different social organisations will tour the highway and see the development work being taken up there. The team will inspect the infrastructure such as the retaining wall, side drain, culvert etc and present a picture to the Government on their return. Discussions to develop the highway will be held with the village chiefs of villages lying along the highway as well as with civil societies of the area.
All willing persons who have submitted their names for the tour have been informed to gather in front of Hotel Excellency at 7 am of September 21 and to bring with them blankets, mosquito nets, plates etc. On the other hand, the Zeliangrong Youth Front has issued a statement stating that it has been the demand of the people to develop NH-53 for long. The main factor hampering the development of the route was the frequent interference from armed groups operating along the highway, said the statement and added that two bull dozers and a JCB were burnt down as the BRTF refused to cough up Rs 2 crores demanded by the armed groups. Engineers and staff of BRTF were also kidnapped often.All this while, the people who are shouting for the development of NH-53 now were nowhere in sight, charged the ZYF and said that the people will extend their cooperation to the BRTF and the Govt to carry out the pending work. Others should not interfere, it warned.
VHP for common civil code in country Tuesday September 20 2005 12:43 IST Newindpress
MYSORE: All India Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), Mohan Joshi said on Monday that the VHP would launch a massive campaign against religious conversion across more than two lakh villages.
‘‘Educational institutes and orphanages run by Christian organisations has become big business in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other states,’’ Joshi alleged. Addressing the media here, he noted that conversions were against the sovereignty of the country, and Parliament and State Assemblies should soon effect a law to ban it. Criticising American evangelist Benny Hinn’s convention held in Bangalore recently, Joshi said that such events gained momentum after the UPA coalition took charge at the Centre. More than 4,000 foreign Christian missionaries are involved in conversion activities across different states. He said that according to a 2001 census, there were about 2.34 Christians in India. They had been given adequate representations as five chief ministers in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh belonged to the community, he said, ridiculing the demand for more representation. He came down heavily on Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh for his proposed move declaring 50 per cent reservation for Muslim students in Aligadh University. The AP Government had also declared 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education and services. The UPA coalition is planning to extend such steps throughout the country, and such measures would create more caste divisions, he warned. He urged the Centre to abolish the minority commission and effect the Common Civil Code law. No democratic country in the world had ever given special rights to minorities, he added.
The Quiet Revolution The Rediff Special/Kin Bing Wu, Venita Kaul and Deepa Sanka India's elite educational institutions have been producing first-rate scientists, engineers, and managers who helped India's information technology sector take off during the 1990s. Far less visible is the more recent, quiet revolution in India's elementary education that, if successful, will equip an entire younger generation with skills to improve productivity and reduce the burden of disease, high birth rates, hunger, and poverty, while changing societal attitudes toward gender, caste, tribe, and disability. What India has accomplished is no small feat -- especially given that its population grew from about 840 million to nearly one billion between 1991 and 2001, with the number of children between the age of 6 to 14 rising by 35 million to 205 million.
Over roughly the same period, the gross enrolment ratio (GER) in primary education (grades 1) rose from 82 per cent to 95 per cent, and in upper primary education (grades 6) from 54 per cent to 61 per cent (see table). Available government data suggest that in that age group, the number of children not in school fell sharply from about 60 million in the early 1990s to 25 million in 2002, and this decline is continuing. While specific numbers in such a large federal system may be viewed with caution, the rough magnitude of the progress appears to be in little doubt.
Educating the masses
After primary education was made a national priority, enrolment --especially for girls -- showed dramatic gains.
1993
2002

(percent)
Primary education (grades 1-5 for ages 6-11)
Total gross enrolment ratios1
Among boys
Among girls

Upper primary education (grades 6-8 for ages 11-14)
Total gross enrolment ratios
Among boys
Among girls

Secondary education (grades 9-12 for ages 15-18)
Total gross enrolment ratios
Among boys
Among girls

Tertiary education (postsecondary to postgraduate for ages 19-24)
Total gross enrolment ratios
Among boys
Among girls
82
90
73

54
62
45

32
39
24

5.3
6.8
3.6
95
98
93

61
65
56

36
39
30

9
10.3
7.5
(percent of GDP)
Total public spending on education and training
Total public spending on elementary education and training 3.6

1.7 4.1

2.1
(dollars)
Public spending per elementary student
(constant 2002 prices)
25
44

Sources: Data from India's Ministries of Human Resource Development and Finance; and World Bank estimates.

1Gross enrolment is the ratio of the number of children enrolled in primary education, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that corresponds to the nationally defined ages for primary schooling. A gross enrolment ratio in excess of 100 per cent typically reflects the inclusion of underage as well as overage students who have entered school late or repeated grades.
The expansion of primary education -- driven by major policy changes along with higher demand for schooling stemming from economic growth and globalisation -- took hold all across India. Historically, India's southern and western states had always been far ahead in education of the large northern states, which accounted for most of the out-of-school children. Over the past decade, however, many poorly performing states began to make real overall advances -- the primary GERs in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh were well over 90 per cent, although the ratio remained at 74 per cent in Bihar. The southern states, the states on the east and west coasts, the Himalayan states, and the northeastern states -- except for Assam and Nagaland -- were either approaching universal primary enrolment or had already achieved it. Increased access for girls and children of disadvantaged groups accounted for much of the improvement. The overall GER for girls was 92 per cent and over 95 per cent for children of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes -- the most disadvantaged groups, which make up 18 and 9 per cent, respectively, of all primary school-age children.Given the momentum built up over the years, India will, in all likelihood, meet the education Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education -- which calls for all children of primary school age to participate in the school system and complete primary school. This article explores India's quiet revolution.
From elite to all India's education development since Independence can be divided into three phases.
Phase 1: Educating the elite to build national capacity. From Independence in 1947 through 1986, education policy emphasised building national capacity for self-government and self-sufficiency through elite education. The states were mainly responsible for financing and providing education, which led to mixed results as commitment varied between states. Initially severely constrained, public spending for education rose from below 1 per cent of GDP in 1950 to 3.4 per cent in 1986.
Phase 2: Making primary education a national priority. In 1986, the Government of India (known as the Union Government) launched the landmark National Policy on Education, which resulted in a series of pilot projects on a large scale. Following the World Conference on Education for All in 1990 in Jomtien, Thailand, India opened up to external assistance for primary education. The most extensive external partnership, involving the World Bank, the United Kingdom, the European Commission (EC), the Netherlands, and UNICEF, was the District Primary Education Program in 18 large states, covering about half of India's 600 districts with low female literacy rates. The program created active partnerships between the government and civil society organisations and strengthened coordination in the areas of planning, training, and research. Financial management and procurement systems, procedures, and checks and balances have been put in place, making it possible to scale up in the next phase. Between 1993 and 2002, total public spending on education rose steadily from 3.6 to 4.1 per cent of GDP, higher than the average spending of 3 per cent of GDP among low-income countries. Elementary education expenditure rose from 1.7 to 2.1 per cent of GDP, accounting for over 60 per cent of the growth in public expenditure on education in this period. As the economy grew about 6 per cent annually over this period, resources increased in both relative and absolute terms and spending per elementary student rose from $25 to $44 despite higher enrolment. The Union Government's share of total public expenditure on education rose to about 15 per cent, with the states covering the remainder (see chart).
Phase 3: Universalising elementary education. In 2001, India launched the National Programme of Universal Elementary Education, known in Hindi as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), and amended its Constitution to make quality elementary education a fundamental right of every child. The program is designed so that by 2007, all children, including children with disabilities, will have completed primary schooling, and by 2010, upper primary schooling -- a much stiffer requirement than the MDG of universal completion of primary education by 2015. The SSA program combines centrally set targets and norms for planning and costing with decentralised management, bottom up planning, community mobilisation, and social audits. With the Union Government contributing 75 per cent and the states 25 per cent, SSA funds annual work plans submitted by states and districts to meet the targets.
To ensure that central funds are not used to substitute state spending, SSA obliges the states to maintain spending for elementary education in real terms at the 1999 level and to match growing central funds above this level. The expected incremental SSA cost of $3.5 billion for 2004 would add another 9 per cent per year to the total resources for elementary education. Three external partners (the World Bank, the United Kingdom, and the EC) contribute $1.05 billion to the Union Government's share. SSA finances civil works, salaries for additional teachers, alternative schools in sparsely populated areas, bridge courses for dropouts, innovations, teacher training, school and teacher grants, and community-based organisations to provide on-site support. To tackle gender and social inequalities, SSA subsidises the cost of providing free textbooks to all girls and all students of scheduled castes and tribes, special facilities for girls (such as early childhood education centres for alternative sibling care and girls' toilets), and grants to districts to support students with disabilities.
SSA also funds a national component for capacity building, technical support, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, dissemination of good practices, and media campaigns. The program is designed to emphasise participation, transparency, and public accountability. It requires that every state take a baseline household census of children to ascertain their age, gender, social, and education status. Once the Project Approval Board agrees to the states' and districts' annual work plans, funds are released to the states for implementation. The funds are overwhelmingly spent at the community level, and their sources and uses at the school level are required to be posted publicly.
Since its 2001 launch, SSA has focused its efforts -- with initial signs of success -- on enrolling children who have never enrolled and in bringing dropouts back to school, while at the same time taking in new age groups and improving the quality of educational inputs. SSA is complemented by another national program, the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, that provides daily school meals to all primary school students, thereby providing not only the needed nutrition but also incentives for poor children to enrol in and complete school. SSA enjoys non-partisan political backing, as evidenced by major budget increases under both the present and previous Union Governments. The prime minister of India is the chair of SSA's National Mission, ensuring the highest-level attention.
Risks and challenges As India has vastly expanded enrolment, it now needs to reduce high teacher and student absenteeism, lower repetition and dropout rates, and improve student achievement. In 2002, an early assessment of public school student achievement in grade five suggested huge differences within and across states.
India tends to reward rote learning, and there are no international benchmarks for judging education standards. At the national level, periodic assessments of student achievement are planned. It is vital that the test instruments be valid, reliable, and well designed. Participation in international comparative assessments should be used to improve and strengthen the technical capacity for measuring quality. Some states are taking steps to focus on quality. Madhya Pradesh has a system of tracking each child's achievement in each subject for diagnosis, remedial education, and teacher training, and the results of state-wide examinations at the end of grades 5 and 8 are reported to the state legislature, putting the focus on learning outcomes. Meanwhile, sustaining improvement in the teaching and learning process, increasing the time-on-tasks, and devising specific strategies to address special needs are essential. Multigrade classrooms, common in rural areas, require far more learning materials and teachers than are currently provided. With 17 official languages and more than 300 spoken languages and dialects in India, tribal children need help to overcome language barriers.
Lessons for others? Could India's experience help guide other countries striving to reach universal primary education? Five lessons come to mind.
First, successive Union governments have provided strong leadership in defining national goals and setting time-bound targets -- elimination of gender inequities, full participation of disadvantaged groups, universal completion of elementary education, and establishment of minimum standards for inputs across and within states.
Second, to advance these national goals, India's Union government -- aided in part by external assistance -- not only sustains massive transfers of resources but also requires the states to commit resources to meet the goals through the matching fund mechanism.
Third, SSA combines central leadership with decentralised planning and implementation. It provides ample flexibility to design locally specific strategies. It encourages partnerships with non governmental organisations and requires community oversight to ensure transparency and sustainability.
Fourth, investment in school meals has raised enrolment and helped retention, while providing much needed nutrition to poor children.
Fifth, substantial efforts were put into institutional development and capacity building while the education programme was rapidly expanded. This approach provides room for innovations (such as the provision of alternative schools, which brought flexibility to a rigid system, and the use of community-based teachers) and enables successful models to be developed for large-scale implementation.
References: Government of India, 2001, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: A Programme for Universal Elementary Education Framework for Implementation (New Delhi).
_, various years, Economic Survey (New Delhi).
_, various years, Selected Education Statistics (New Delhi).
Govinda, R, 2002, India Education Report, Oxford University Press (New Delhi). Kremer, Michael, Karthik Muralidharan, Nazmul Chaudhury, Jeffrey Hammer, Halsey Rogers, 2005, Teacher Absence in India: A Snapshot, Journal of the European Economic Association, forthcoming. World Bank, 2004, Elementary Education Project Appraisal Document, Report No 27703-IN (Washington).
Kin Bing Wu is the Lead Education Specialist, Venita Kaul is a Senior Education Specialist, and Deepa Sankar is an Education Economist in the World Bank's South Asia Human Development Department. Wu and Kaul are co-task team leaders of the World Bank project supporting SSA. The article first appeared in Finance & Development, June 2005, Vol 42, No 2, published and copyrighted by the International Monetary Fund.
Ukhrul rights group alleges NSCN court of being biased Sothing W A Shimray Morung Express
UKHRUL (MExN): In a rare case where a minor girl was accused of stealing 8016 carats of gold, the Naga People’s Movement for Human Right Ukhrul unit along with the President of Kamphasom Shanao Long, advisor of Tangkhul Shanao Long and other social activist of Ukhrul District charged Ato Longphang Court (customary court of the northern Tangkhuls) and the Tangkhul region of GPRN/NSCN of serious discrepancies in dispensation of justice. The accused, P. Kahaowon of Hango Kaphung was accused of stealing a camera, coins, 10 pieces of gold and above all 8016 carats of gold from the master of the house, K.Yarchipem of Phungreitang, where she stay as helper, last year. The case was initially handled by the Tangkhul region of GPRN/NSCN but was later referred to the customary court.
The statement handout of the right’s group and women’s organization charged the Ato Longphang Court of trying to penalize the helpless orphan girl solely on the basis of the complainant without investigating and verifying the facts. Citing discrepancies in the proceedings of the case, it was stated that the girl was summoned by the Chief Judge of the customary court in his letterhead even before the case was filed by the complainant, and the Deputy Chief Judge of imposing fine to two other relative of the girl for not attending the court where in fact they were not given any summon letter. It also said that relevant court documents were never given to the accused girl contravening the actual practice of serving it to both the parties, and dictating the girl to plead guilty. Without mincing words, the statement also charged the Tangkhul region of GPRN/NSCN of illegal detention of the minor girl for 47 days contravening the universal practice of being tried by a Juvenile court and taking statement under duress. The statement further said that the girl was resorted to physical and mental torture in detention, even threat to life, by the house owner, which is an offence in the eye of the law. At the same time, it questioned the legality of keeping 8016 carats of gold by an individual. The handout categorically pointed out that the statement was made as they were unable to bear the discrimination meted out to the poor orphan girl by justice dispensing authorities and appealed for referring the case to a competent court.
Perspective POLICY/DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS, PEOPLE AND HUMAN INTEREST PERSPECTIVE A colorful innings in politics Former Manipur Chief Minister and present Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing talks about his personal life to Witoubou, Editor of Newmai News Network.
Witoubou: What has been the driving force behind your colourful innings in politics?
Rishang: The main driving force behind my activities is the Holy Scripture from the Bible. Jesus Christ told his followers that people should love one another as He has loved us. We have to serve our fellow beings with love because serving others is serving God.
Witoubou: But politics is a game of betrayal and in trying to grab power, you yourself had taken on your opponents and betrayed your fellow politicians while trying to topple many past Governments. How can you say of love for fellow beings now? You sound contradictory.
Rishang: Yes, toppling game is very a much part of politics. I did it because I felt that my programme were better than my opponents. I wanted to save the people. I wanted to rescue the people from drowning in the deep sea. So I did not want to leave my people to incapable hands. So keeping this in mind, I tried to grab power. I’m not power hungry but I want to serve my people with my good and useful programmes.
Witoubou: What has been your greatest achievement as a public leader?
Rishang: In spite of my many enemies, the poor people from the rural area have great love and affection for me. And I feel that this is my greatest treasure and achievement. People want to listen and hear whatever I say. Whatever I say has touched a person’s heart. So this is another achievement of mine. I can at least win the confidence and regards of people whenever I interact with them. I consider this is a sort of consolation for me.
Witoubou: Who has inspired you the most?
Rishang: I happened to join politics on the eve of India’s achievement of Independence. In 1945, I was in Calcutta. That was the time when many leaders including Jaya Prakash Narayan were in jail. And these leaders were Socialists and they were for the poor and the have nots. These leaders inspired me most. That was the reason I got attracted to the Socialist Party at that time.
Witoubou: You were also at one time associated with Jawaharlal Nehru. Don’t you rate him?
Rishang: Yes, after coming to Parliament, I came in contact with Nehru, Maulana Azad, and other prominent leaders. When I looked at them, all of them were transparent and there was a keen desire from core of their hearts to sacrifice for the country. These leaders never had thought for themselves and their vested interest. Nobody talked of corruption or entertained thoughts of corruption. Fortunately, this had a profound effect on me and this has remained forever in my thought and mentality. This remains as a driving force in my activities in public life.
Witoubou: Tell me your transit point from Socialist Party to the Congress Party (INC).
Rishang: When I went to Jawaharlal Nehru and told him that I wanted to identify my nationalism with the Congress Party because at that time A.Z Phizo’s movement was there, Nehru held my hand and said, ‘come and join’. Nehru then said to his colleagues, ‘Let him remain as an associate member of Congress Party’. In 1980, Indira Gandhi asked me to lead the Manipur Government. Then I asked her how I could become the Chief Minister of Manipur as I belong to a small minority community. Then Indira Gandhi said, ‘No, in democracy to win the confidence of the people is important and that is the only way’. So I became the leader.
Witoubou: Did you at any time tell your long association with Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to Sonia Gandhi?
Rishang: Yes, I have told her about my close association with Nehru and Indira Gandhi a few days back in New Delhi. I told her how I joined the Congress Party and how the political atmosphere was at that time.
Witoubou: So these made you to remain loyal to the Congress Party but your opinions had also been ignored by your colleagues, isn’t it?
Rishang: Well, whatever may be the case; I will never allow anybody to destroy the Congress Party. The Congress led Government here can do whatever they like to do. Even if they don’t want to listen to me or accept my opinions, I would not mind. But I will not allow anyone to break the Congress party. I remained a Congressman alone twice. One was during Yangmasho Shaiza’s time and the other was during Radhabinod’s time. I was all alone – a lone MLA and a lone Congress man in the Assembly.
Witoubou: Well, who is your political mentor?
Rishang: I would consider Jaya Prakash Narayan and Pandit Nehru. They would remain as my mentors.
Witoubou: Had not you been in politics, what field of life you might have trodden?
Rishang: I find it hard to say. But I’m sure I would be serving people in one way or the other.
Witoubou: But you were a humble school teacher?
Rishang: When I had just passed Matriculation, one Dr Cook asked me to finish my graduation. He also told me that he would sent me to America to do my graduation and come back to serve as school teacher at Jorhat in Assam. But I did not follow Dr. Cook’s request. After my graduation I went to Ukhrul to become the first graduate headmaster in Ukhrul area in a Junior School in 1949. Then in 1952 I fought the elections for the Lok Sabha seat. That was how I joined politics.
Witoubou: Other than yourself, which Chief Minister of Manipur of past and present you think as an ideal one?
Rishang: Well, I don’t find anybody as ideal Chief Minister. This doesn’t mean that I was the best Chief Minister. No Chief Minister of Manipur, past and present have lived up to the people’s expectation. Instead, all of them have built houses in New Delhi, Calcutta etc.
Witoubou: Can you single out anyone from the past and present MLAs who can be considered as an ideal and exemplary figure?
Rishang: Politicians with high degree and qualifications do not make good politicians. Today, we have many MLAs who hold Ph.D degrees, University degree etc but this long tail of qualifications is not going to help them. We hardly find any good MLA in Manipur. More than qualifications or degrees, the skill to work, the will to sacrifice, honesty, and sincerity are more important to make a good politician because politics in its true sense is service to the people. One has to consider oneself as the father or a parent of all the people. Spirit of sacrifice is very important. I don’t accept high degrees and university degrees to be the yardstick to grade a politician. You need special skills to become a leader.
Witoubou: Kindly define politics in your own version.
Rishang: Politics is a game of sacrifice. Politics is service to the whole people. There should not be any narrow outlook when you are in politics. Politics becomes dangerous when you think of your own family, your own clan, your own community. So we should avoid thinking in narrow terms.
Witoubou: Do you feel that there has been any threat to your life from some angles?
Rishang: Yes, I have many enemies. If anybody comes face to face to confront me, then I will try to convince him. But if anybody is hiding in the jungle to shoot me then, I pray to take care of me.
Witoubou: If there is an offer for Governorship of any State, will you accept the assignment?
Rishang: No, no no. I will never accept to become a Governor even if I’m offered the post. You know, Governors don’t have any work. It is only an ornamental job. The Governor’s main task is to go and inaugurate this and that thing. Anything the Governor says has no value. Whereas even if I don’t become a Minister or Chief Minister people will listen to me so long as I’m doing social work.
Witoubou: Have you at any time harboured the thought to become the President of India?
Rishang: No, I have never harboured such things.
Witoubou: Suggest a panacea to check the ethics of today’s politics.
Rishang: Today, you speak something and do something else. So speaking and working should go hand in hand. Then only things will improve. Honestly and sincerity should come to the fore in every politics.
Witoubou: But in politics, it is said that an honest and a humble man is not a good politician. To be in politics one has to be shrewd and cunning.
Rishang: That is true in the case of Manipur.
Witoubou: Well, tell me your daily routine.
Rishang: I normally get up at 5 am. Sometime I want to go for a morning walk around my compound but the visitors are already full in my house. I sleep at 11 pm everyday. I sleep only for six hours.
Witoubou: Any sort of meditation?
Rishang: I regularly read the holy Bible before I go to sleep and in the morning. That is my meditation.
Witoubou: You are now 84 years old but you still have the look of a 50 year young man, so your food habit must be the factor.
Rishang: I’m a small-eater. I eat very little. If there is meat curry, I just take one small piece of it with little rice. I’m a non-vegetarian, but I mostly eat vegetables. But I eat enough fruits. I eat lots of bananas. I have liked bananas from my childhood. Fruit is a major part of my food. Daily I must eat not less than five bananas. Morning and evening I eat bananas. I am fond of it. I think these bananas keep me healthy.
Witoubou: Any drinks or that sort…?
Rishang: I don’t smoke or drink. I never take wine. I don’t chew tobacco or pans. I avoid all these things.
Witoubou: The first graduate headmaster at a young age with very good looks. So kindly throw some lights about your romantic life.
Rishang: I’m morally sound. I am not after women. I am very conscious with keeping my character clean. I keep a good distance from women in that way. I felt conscious to stand in front of a cinema hall even in my early days because people would say ‘Look he is standing in front of a cinema hall’. So I don’t want such name. I controlled myself from indulging such thing.
10 Army personnel feared killed in KYKL attack The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Sept 19: In an attack by suspected cadres of the underground KYKL 10 personnel of the 5/8 Garhwal Rifles posted at Bishenpur were reportedly killed. Two of the Army personnel were confirmed killed and another six were injured in the encounter at upper Ngaryan hills range some 15 km south west of Bishenpur district this late evening. Police sources said that bodies of eight more dead soldiers were lying at the spot. Army officials were unavailable for comments.
The proscribed KYKL claimed that the attack was carried out by its army wing Meeyamgi Yawol Lanmi under the second special operations command and the cadres involved in the attack had returned safely to their base camp. A spokesperson of the said outfit also claimed that in the attack at least nine personnel of the security forces were killed and seven suffered casualties.

According to reports, the personnel of the 5/8 GR on their routine patrolling along the Ngaryan road were suddenly attacked by the suspected cadres of KYKL when the troops reached upper Ngaryan area. The attackers reportedly used heavy and sophisticated weapons. The security forces also retaliated the attack and there was an heavy exchange of fire from both sides which lasted for about half an hour, from around 7 pm to 7.30 pm. As the Bishenpur police could not immediately rush to the spot the exact number of personnel killed in the attack could not be officially confirmed. However first information report said that atleast eight personnel died at the spot.

Seven injured personnel were evacuated at once from the spot and were given first aid at the Bishenpur district hospital but one of them expired there. After the remaining injured personnel were evacuated to RIMS emergency ward one more personnel succumbed to his injuries. Doctors attending on the injured personnel stated that the condition of one more personnel is serious. However, other were stated to be out of danger. A late report said heavy reinforcement of security personnel reached the spot for search operations in the vicinity.

Kuki ceasefire The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Sep 19: The Kuki National Organisation has said that it had entered a ceasefire with the government of India in August 2005 seeking to resolve the problems of the Kuki people within the framework of the constitution of India. A statement issued by PS Haokip, president KNO said the organisation stands to honour the ceasefire with the central government and is anticipating speedy progress in reaching a suitable solution.
Stating that the Kuki National Army, Kuki National Front (Zougam), Kuki National Front (Military Council) and United Socialist Revolutionary Army, have now formed the armed wing of KNO, the statement also said that all Kuki organisations willing to be part of the movement to find an amicable solution with the government of India are welcome to join the organisation.
Senior ULFA leader nabbed in Rajasthan NET News Network Sangai Express Guwahati, Sept 19: The banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) received a major setback today after Rajasthan state police arrested one of its dreaded leader Biju Chakraborty from Amber Jaipur area this afternoon. A police source from Rajasthan informed northeasttribune.com that Chakraborty who was staying in a rented house since the last three months was found possessing a 9mm pistol and a cash amount of rupees of three lakhs. The source further informed that Chakraborty's wife Polly was also arrested along with the ULFA leader. The duo were reportedly running a readymade garment shop in the region since the last three months. Chakraborty, who was the Operational Commander of ULFA's dreaded 109 Battalion was later made in charge of 27 Battalion making him responsible for lower Assam including Guwahati. The arrested leader hails from Rankuchi village of Tihu in lower Assam’s Nalbari district. Meanwhile, Rajasthan police have taken the outfit leader into remand and plans to hand him over to Assam police very soon.

NDFB justifies armed struggle to get ‘freedom’ ‘The bloodshed was not in vain’ From our Correspondent Sentinel
NALBARI, Sept 19: Justifying the bloodshed during the NDFB’s struggle to get "freedom" for the Bodo people living in Assam, the outlawed organization, after its announcement of ceasefire with the Government of India, said that "Lives of innocent people have to be sacrificed in any such freedom struggle against the government." In a well-attended public meeting organized by the NDFB at Barama in Nalbari district recently, B Sanmkhour, ‘secretary general’ of the outfit assured the Bodo people that, "Freedom will at last come to the Bodo people after the NDFB’s struggle for long years."
In the public meeting presided over by Ram Das Boro at Barama HS School, the ‘secretary general’ claimed that the Bodos have already been recognized as an "active" community in the world. During his address, Sanmkhour referred to some events of the world history where a lot of human lives had to be sacrificed on the way to attain "freedom".
"The NDFB has arrived at the ceasefire agreement with the Government of India after a 19-year-long struggle for amicable solution to the problems of the greater Bodo community and to bring peace and progress in ‘Bodoland’ areas", he mentioned. Speaking on the origins of the various tribes of the north-eastern region, he claimed that the Bodos are the origin of Dimasa, Sarania, Deuri and Rabha tribes. He also appealed to the intellectual section in particular and the people in general to cooperate and offer suggestions for solution to the problems of the Bodo people.
B Bengrai, spokesman of the NDFB, addressing the public meeting, said that they would have to sit with political parties here to prepare for the talks with the Government of India. "The NDFB, which started the arms struggle to attain freedom, has now realized the adverse effect of such struggle and hence they announced ceasefire," he said. B Suchranggra, ‘chief staff of army wing’ of the NDFB, B Detsung, ‘finance secretary’, B Bodosa, ‘commandant’, B Dintilang, ‘deputy chief’ of NEFB, Ramesh Das, president of Sarania Karchari Students’ Union, Tulsi Manas Rabha, adviser of All Rabha Students’ Union Assam, Gangadhar Ramchiary, former president of ABSU (Ramchiary unit), Ajit Boro, former MLA of Barama and Jogen Chaudhury, former vice-president of PTCA were among others who spoke on the occasion. Earlier, B Bodosa, ‘commandant’ of the outfit explained the objective while many grassroots cadres attended the public meeting.
Meet today to welcome NDFB truce From our Correspondent Sentinel
GOREWSAR, Sept 19: To welcome the ceasefire declaration of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), a meeting will be held on September 20 at Naokata Milan Higher Secondary School Playground in Bagsa district. Maya Ram Kachari, retired teacher, Naokata Milan ME School will preside over the meeting, while the programme will be inaugurated by Anjali Daimary, lecturer, Barama College. The central leaders of the NDFB will be present in the meeting as distinguished guests. The other delegates to be present in the meet are Lachit Bordoloi, chief advisor of the MASS, Bhraman Baghary, convenor, central committee, Peace Forum and Prabin Boro, president, AASU, among others.

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09/20/2005: "Human rights abuse draws concern NPMHR"