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09/26/2005: "Fernandes hopeful on Naga Talks"

Fernandes hopeful on Naga Talks Newmai News Network September 25 IMPHAL: NDA Convenor and former Defence Minister, George Fernandes today expressed the hope that the ongoing peace talk between the NSCN (IM) and the Centre would succeed, but refused to give any of his commitment to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur while resolving the Naga political issue.
"The Centre is trying to find a solution to the Naga issue by holding talks with the NSCN (IM). The rebel group is also engaging people outside the peace talk for a solution. We hope the peace talk would continue and succeed," Fernandes who arrived in Imphal yesterday on a two day visit to strengthen his party JD (U) told reporters before leaving Imphal this morning. Asked about the question of Manipur’s territorial integrity in the face of the Naga demand for integration of contiguous Naga inhabited areas Fernandes said, "We have not reached that stage (question of changing boundaries). Territory lies in the future. At the moment every body is concerned more with how to bring peace," Fernandes said reacting to a question. Fernandes, however, made it very clear that he was strongly against breaking up of India’s territory. "I am for integrity of the country. The country should not be fragmented," he said in response to a question. The NDA leader also ruled out holding of a plebiscite, as being demanded by United National Liberation Front (UNLF). "You cannot have a plebiscite without changing the constituency. Our constitution does not provide for plebiscite. The constitution cannot be amended casually on the demand of somebody. It will have to be a serious amendment," he said.
The UNLF supremo Sanayaima in an interview in Hong Kong (which was carried as an exclusive by The Morung Express) asked India to hold a plebiscite to end the ongoing armed conflict in Manipur through democratic means. Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee during a press conference held at Leimakhong during his recent visit to Manipur had also flatly rejected the UNLF demand. Responding to a question on the demand for repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act Fernandes said that the Centre should not take any decision hurriedly on the issue. He said that there are various aspects to the issue. The government at the moment is looking into the recommendations of the Justice Jeevan Reddy commission report on what should be done with the act.
NPMHR raise pressing issues before NSCN The Morung Express News September 25 DIMAPUR, SEPT 25 (MExN): The Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has expressed dismay over the tardy nature of the present cease- fire between the government of India and the NSCN stating that it had failed to produce any substantial development in the political process.
"While the Nagas are committed to a peaceful solution to the Indo- Naga political problem, it is regretted that it is often reciprocated by the devious and insincere attitude of the Indian leaders. In such a trying time, the NPMHR makes its fervent request to all sections of the Naga society to remain firm and united in purpose", stated a press communiqué issued by Kekhrie Yhome and Lanusashi Longkumer Co- Convenor and Convenor respectively of NPMHR (Nagaland sector). Describing the 5th Naga Consultative meet, held recently at Bangkok from September 6-7, as an encouraging time for the Naga leaders to deliberate on the future beyond the present cease- fire, the statement pointed out that NPMHR had put forward many pressing issues which were discussed in a candid manner.
The NPMHR reiterated its concern over the unpleasant developments that had been taking place among national workers over the past eight years of cease fire."There can be no two opinions on the manner in which some of the NSCN cadres have been individually inflicting excessive use of power over the general Naga public. It is an irony that the struggle against the neo- colonial state repression and its war- machines for gross violations of human rights are now being casually perpetrated by certain elements who are supposedly the torch- bearers of the Naga struggle", NPMHR pointed out. Unless these unruly behavior are effective curbed, the NPMHR stated that there was the imminent danger of creating feelings of alienation among the general sections of Naga people, thereby creating confusion and weakening the consolidated support for the movement. Further, the NPMHR also expressed its strong disapproval on the non- regulated taxation on the Naga public and particularly to young Naga entrepreneurs.
"In this regard, we would like to recollect the commitment given by the Ato Kilonser Th. Muivah who said that tax from such entrepreneurs would be exempted, so that they would be given a chance to build a future of Nagaland. He also assured that the GPRN will endorse this measure immediately". In the light of this, the NPMHR has appealed for wider publicity of GPRN taxation policy for public awareness and to avoid unwarranted indulgence by certain irresponsible individuals for personal gains. The NPMHR also drew the attention of the Naga people to the fact that in the past half a century of the Naga struggle "against the brute neo- colonial forces", the Naga men and women had stood side by side in all times.
"Often the Naga women bore the brunt of the most gruesome violations of human rights at the hands of the colonial forces. The NPMHR feels that it is an opportune time for all the Naga citizens to recognize and acknowledge the immense contributions and sacrifices made by the women folks towards our society, and the national movement in particular. We strongly believe that our struggle is not only a struggle for self- determination, but it is also a struggle for a just and equal society", the communiqué stated. The NPMHR pointed out that it would be most unfortunate if tomorrow, after the settlement is arrived at, women having to struggle for emancipation and equality within the society. It therefore appealed for creating equal space for women by removing all unjust discriminatory practices which acts as impediments to the fullest development of Naga women.
Attempted rape victim speaks out The Morung Express News
Dimapur: An altogether new story on the attempted rape and murder of Grace Khing by Vekheto, a head GB has emerged. When The Morung Express met the victim face to face, new facets to the incident were revealed. According to Grace and her family, no settlement on the case has been reached upon thus far. They have also strongly come out against the press release issued by Hewoto, Chairman of the Henito Village Council, Niuland, Dimapur wherein it was stated that the case had been settled for a sum of Rs 1500. According to them, the money forwarded was only the court fee of the Village Council. Grace had to say that Vekheto, who was a father figure to her, had admitted to the act when they had appeared before the Longwensunyu Village Council. Vekheto had reportedly said that he was drunk when he committed the act and that the devil was in possession of him. However, Grace had to say that Vekheto was driving his motorcycle normally and that she would not have accompanied him in the first place if she had found any indications that he was under the influence of alcohol. While showing her tattered clothes which were reportedly ripped off by the perpetrator, she said that there were no other youths with them and that if she had consented to Vekheto’s advances, she would not have displayed her torn clothes and would not be having injuries. She also said that she fought against the father of seven children for more than three hours. According to her, when Vekheto realized he could not overpower her for the purpose of rape, he became intent on killing her in order to protect his image. Vekheto is presently under the custody of the UT-1, NSCN (I-M) as the family members are of the belief that once the case goes to the Police it will gradually be downplayed.
Nagaland govt inks memo for new varsity Kohima | September 26, 2005 webindia
Nagaland and the World Institute of Building Programme (WIBP) have recently signed an agreement for setting up of a proposed Open Global Univesrsity (OGU) in Wokha district of the state. According to official sources here today, the agreement was signed between the commissioner and secretary of higher and technical education Rajiv Bhansal and WIBP president P R Trivedi recently at the office of the former. The headquarters of the univesrsity would be at Wokha district with branch campuses in Dimapur and Kohima. The univesrsity would start within a year and the proposed site had already been selected, the sources said. The university would offer only vocational and job-oriented courses and subjects relating to ecology, environment disaster management, bio-informations, geo-informatics, human rights, eco-tourism, intellectual property rights, media management, pollution control, MBA in insurance management and MBA in Green Business -- a first of its kind course in the country. In the second phase, bachelors' and masters' degree courses in medical labourtory technology, radiology, Emerging technology, physiology, occupational therapy, optometry, nursing, bitechnology as well as medicinal plantation would be offered.
Nagaland director of Higher and Technical Education Edward Lotha informed that the approval of the Nagaland Cabinet has already been secured and the pasing of the Act would be proposed in the next session of the Nagaland Legisltive Assembly. He further informed that the chief secretary of Nagaland had entrusted a committee, consisting of nine members, the task of looking further into the matter, based on the draft act. UNI AS RH SK RK1243
Assam, Nagaland plan to jointly handle on illegal migration Kohima, September Hindustan Times Waving aside their differences, Assam and Nagaland have decided to jointly handle the problem of illegal immigrants. The decision was taken during a border on Friday between the two states at Numaligarh, Assam.Informing the media, Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary TN Mannen, said both the states had agreed that the issue of illegal immigrant was a common problem and hence should be tackled jointly.
Both Assam and Nagaland have also agreed to share any information on illegal migration, he said. The meeting also agreed that the two states would initiate efforts for resolving the long-standing border dispute, for which a joint field team comprising officers of the rank of DIG and border magistrates from both states would attend to complaints by conducting on the spot verification and submit their report to both the state governments, he said. The meeting stressed on the need of formation of peace committees involving all communities on both sides of the border.
During the meeting, Nagaland also expressed its unhappiness over the alleged direct control of operation of the CRPF by Assam and stressed the need for joint control over the neutral force operating in the disturbed area belt, he said. Mannen also expressed unhappiness over the absence of some senior officials of the Assam government and the CRPF at the meeting.25, 2005
Unification and Sovereignty of the Nagas By: Waikhom Damodar Singh
The "Naga Revolt" under the leadership of late Zaphu Phizo was launched in the early 50s under the banner of Naga National Council, a revolutionary party which originated from two simple clubs established in the names of "Naga Club" in the year 1918, one at Kohima and another at Makokching as the "forums" for carrying out social activities for the tribal communities which, later on, had been converted into an organisation known as the Naga Hills District Tribal Council in the year 1945, immediately after the end of the second world war, with the "sole aim" of rendering some autonomy for providing better welfare and development services to the backward natives, the hill tribes of the district. The Naga Hills District then was a district under the erstwhile greater Province of Assam, and it was Charles Pawsay, ICS, the deputy commissioner of the district who established the above Tribal Council as he had great admiration for the local natives and very keen interest for their welfare and development for making them to live as the people of a much better society. Inspite of the simple objectives that the organisation so had in the beginning for improving the socio-economic conditions of the much backward tribes of the district, it became later on the "hub" of political activities of a group of extremists whose attitudes became more seriously changed as soon as Zaphu Phizo, an Angami Tribe born in Khonoma village near Kohima in the year 1900 (the village was called Thibomei by the Meiteis earlier and was once under the territory of the erstwhile independent State of Manipur till it was taken over by the British from Maharaj Chandrakirti Singh under an appeasing policy and had established there their garrison for the convenience of spreading of their power) joined the party after having lived in Burma from 1933 to 1944 and it was only after he joined the organisation that its name of the Naga Hills District Council had been changed into Naga National Council and that it became a much more active political party highly infused with deep anti-Indian feelings and ideas of living of the Nagas as a separate entity of people.Thus leaning more towards the "extremism" preferred and induced by the new leader Phizo, the Nagas of the Naga Hills District issued ultimately a very bold declaration in June, 1947 to the effect that the Naga Hills which was administratively a district under the state of Assam should cease to be a part of India when she attains independence. In fact, the anti-Indian attitudes and feelings of the Nagas of the district cast on them due to the high-handed and much inferior treatment done to them by the plains people, particularly of Assam, had already been brewing up since much earlier time and it was on the occasion of the visit of the Simmon Commission in 1929, which had come to India to study the ground for Constitutional reforms as strongly demanded by her people, that a party of Naga delegates openly expressed their strong anti-Indian feelings to them with fervent request to leave them (the Nagas) out from being considered as a part of Indian people. While such were the extreme and hostile feelings and attitudes that were then amongst the Nagas of the Naga Hills District the hill tribes of Manipur, namely the Tangkhuls etc. remained as quite loyal, simple and peaceful subjects of the state under the ruling of the king. During the period between 1947 and 1956, Phizo tried several times to convince the governments both in Assam and Delhi, of the earnestness of the Naga claim of having of their own independent sovereign country-to show genuineness of this, Phizo even conducted, though an unofficial process, an "unilateral plebiscite" by collecting signatures and thumb impressions from house to house from May to August in 1951, and according to it he claimed that over 99% of the people of the Naga Hills District voted for a separate and independent state of their own.
However, the then prime minister of India, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru vehemently disapproved the move of the few sections of the Naga radicals headed by Phizo. He declared his disapproval in the Lok Sabha by describing that such a demand of the Nagas of the Naga Hills District is "UNWISE, IMPRACTICABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE".

Thus having no other alternative the Nagas under Phizo proclaimed their "Federal Independent Sovereign Government" as a "de facto Government" on March 22, 1956 according to their own Constitution framed by hoisting the Naga National Flag, bearing red, green and white with great traditional ceremony and feasting performed at Phensinyu village in the Rengma Tribe area, soon followed by wide spread of armed violence on a planned scale resorted to by the heavily armed Nagas of the so called Naga Army who later on came to be known as Naga Hostiles. In order to check the outburst of the armed revolution or uprising so taken place in an unassuming proportion the Indian Army was immediately called in who appropriately dealt with the armed uprising and the very alarming and critical situation that had flared up was brought under control. The stern action taken by the Indian Army forced many revolutionary Nagas to go underground. Phizo himself escaped out through Mikir Hills and Shylet (erstwhile East Pakistan) and landed in London and lived under the care of one Reverend Michael Scott as an English citizen till he died there. The subversive activities of the Naga Hostiles then spread in alarming proportion over the areas of the hill districts of Manipur, namely Mao, Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel and later on of Assam and Arunachal. However, since the Naga people had undergone many unimaginable hardships and untold sufferings due to the armed uprising, a change in the attitudes of the Naga moderates led by Dr. Imkongliba Ao, P. Shilu Ao, Jassokie Angami etc. soon took place, in that, they preferred to resolve the issue in peaceful manner by immediately giving up the violent activities and their original plan and claim of "seccession from India", and therefore an agreement was arrived at in the larger interest of the Naga people of the Naga Hills Districts. The Government of India therefore granted the Naga Hills Districts to the status of another full-fledged State (the 16th) of the Indian Union which came into existence with effect from 1st December, 1963 as was inaugurated by S. Radhakrishnan, the former President of India with P. Shilu Ao as the first chief minister of the state. Thus, in due course of time the "flame of insurgency" in Nagaland and the revolutionary spirit and feelings of the majority of her people had died down to some extent but it continued to escalate and burn rather vigorously and on a wider scale affecting large areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal States, particularly after the emergence of a new group of Naga insurgents under the name of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), who walked out from the NNC organisation pioneered by Phizo as they strongly dissented and firmly opposed the so called Shillong Peace Accord signed in between the Government and the leaders of the pro-Phizo group of the NNC on November 11, 1975. The Shillong peace accord had taken place under the initiative of the then Governor of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura combined, Shri Lalan Prassad Singh (LP Singh), a retired ICS officer and formerly Union Home Secretary to the Government of India.

The splitted revolutionary group under the name of National Socialist Council of Nagaland was formed in early 1980 with Issak Swu as Chairman, SS Khaplang, A Burmese Homi Naga Tribe and Thuingaleng Muivah, a Tangkhul tribe, born and brought up in Manipur, Ukhrul district (Somdal village) as vice-president and general secretary respectively as a result of decisions taken in a meeting of the Naga National Council faction held in a place in the border area of Burma sometime in 1975 who sternly rejected the Shillong Accord and had defected from the NNC group challenging the further leadership of Phizo and his later on diverted policy. However disentive feelings started brewing up soon amongst the top leaders of the factional party on the ground that Issak Swu and Muivah were planning to start negotiations for a dialogue with the Government of India within the framework of the Indian Constitution by ousting Khaplang who was surely to oppose the move - it was on this highly suspected ground that a large column of Khaplang's men attacked Muivah's group, killing nearly 150 of them in a "dawn raid" launched in a place in the Nagaland-Burma border area - this incident led to a split of the party of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland into two organisations, one known as NSCN(K) group, and another as NSCN(IM) group. Before the spilt it was believed that the desires of Issak Swu and Thuingalen Muivah were only a rumour but the reality of their secret move had subsequently been proved correct as they had met later on the Prime Minister of India, namely, PV Narashimha Rao, first in Paris and later on in New York in 1995, HD Deve Gowda in Zurich in February 1997, Atal Behari Vajpayee in Tokyo in 2002, and they had since been carrying out the so called "Indo-Naga Peace Talks" saying that the process so taken up by both sides aims to keep a permanent "PEACE" in Nagaland and its adjoining States of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal.

So far so good, well done! one would say most heartily to the NSCN(IM) group for their coming to good senses now, particularly to Muivah for his initiatives taken in this regard as the general secretary of the organisation showing now all the good gestures though a pretty good time have been wasted during which heavy bloodshed and loss of many precious lives had occurred. But what is not fully appreciated is about their rather "reversed" or "diverted" move coloured with more "communal tinge" with which they are very arrogantly pressing the Government of India for building up a "domain" for a people of very much heterogeneous "conglomeration" under the coverage of rather a very superficial and unnatural "appellation" of very recent origin called "Nagas". Their move for "unification" of the different heterogenous groups of hill tribes inhabiting in Manipur, Assam and Arunachal states who speak different dialects of their own and are really of non-congruous groups for the purpose of creation of a greater Nagaland state, be it within the embit of the Indian Union or outside it, may be considered surely to be a futile attempt to make or to work out the arithmetic "two into or plus two to FIVE" which is something not possible at all to work out. So also their demand of sovereignty of Nagaland as an independent country of its own is considered to be something which is not feasible at all from all points of view, particularly from the financial point of view unless it is funded by some International sources which appears again something not at all thinkable, and therefore it is in the context of the above candid reasons that both the aspects of their demand have been "rejected outright" by the Government of India though they are still very vehemently and threateningly insisting for a quick finalisation of the matter saying that the claim of the Naga people is their "birth right" which cannot be denied at all by any force under the sun. It has been said very loudly in the recent Naga rally held at Kohima public ground on 31st August that "unification" of the Nagas is very much permissible under the Constitution of Indian - while all will say "yes to it" provided the move is within its framework still one would like to point out very frankly of the fact that the Constitution of India does not at all provide any "room" for effecting "redrawing of the boundaries of her states" merely based on "communal" or "secular" grounds, what it provides is only for "reorganisation of the areas" of two or more states to be done purely on the basis of "administrative convenience" as had been done very recently in cases of some of the states like Uttaranchal, Jharkhand etc., and that too purely on the "mutual agreements" of the states concerned.

Such being the condition mandatorily laid down then does not "unification of the Nagas" inhabiting in Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal states for the purpose of bringing them under one administrative unit as is persistently demanded for require the "mutual agreements" of all the above state governments who will be involved in the process? - to answer the question one will certainly say a "big YES" again as the agreements to be arrived at only in between the Government of India, the NSCN(IM) group and a few of their supporters - the Hohos, the NGO groups and the students' organisations etc. will not at all fulfill the constitutional requirements highlighted as above. In any case it has been opined by many legal experts that the redrawing of the age-old "territory" or "boundary" of the state of Manipur, at least, cannot be touched by the normal provisions contained in Article 3 of the Constitution of India unless the same is consented by the "majority of her people" which numbers more than some 18 lakhs out of the total population of some 23 lakhs i.e. even if it is hypothetically accepted or assumed that all the non-Kuki hill tribes of the state opt in favour of the move of unification their number cannot exceed at all to go beyond, say, even six lakhs - perhaps this is the point based on which the honourable Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh very thoughtfully had said firmly that disintegration of the boundary of Manipur cannot be done without the due consent of the majority of the people of the state, and also as had already been said earlier by former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee during his visit of Kohima in October, 2003 - the Prime Minister had said clearly before a large gathering of a public meeting held at the State capital that integration of Naga inhabited areas could be achieved only if there is "consensus" among the "states".

Lastly, it may be pointed out that, as of latest, the NSCN(IM) general secretary, Th. Muivah has reiterated in the 5th Naga people's consultative meeting held at Royal Rose Bangkhapi in Bangkok on Tuesday, 6th September that a "solution to the Naga issue cannot be acceptable under the constitution of India or within its Union" though he has hinted that it is acceptable to the outfit a "federation of India and Nagalim" of a much bigger territory outside the ambit of the Indian Union. If this is the clear and firm stand of the outfit then where is the question of disintegration of the areas of the Naga inhabited areas of the states of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal within the provisions of the Constitution of India ? Rather their stand, it seems is still sticking to the same original plan i.e. "cessation from the Indian Union" and to exist as a separate independent country of its own as a "defacto right" which cannot be effected at all or allowed to be claimed as their is no provision in the Constitution of India permitting to do so unlike of the Constitution of Russia etc. It is in the context of the above highlighted facts that the Government of India, perhaps, remained absolutely adamant to oblige the NSCN(IM) with their hard pressing demand of "unification and sovereignty of the Nagas" though they (the Government of India) are prepared to go out of their way to grant greater autonomy to the Nagas within the ambit of the Indian Union giving the state hold over all matters except defence, external affairs, currency and communication and also in having its own flag, new nomenclature of the Assembly as "Tatar Hoho", ministers being called as "kilonsers" and a separate constitution of their own "within" the country's existing constitution as a very special case which is something that cannot be found any where in the world - such are the unique specialities that the Government of India has quite agreed to accede to the Nagas who, actually, have been offered "more than" what they normally require to have - this is the strong contention of the Government of India.
Aiyar to open CII’s fourth leadership summit in Delhi:
New Delhi: Petroleum and Natural gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar will inaugurate the two-day fourth Leadership Summit being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the Hotel Maurya Sheraton here on Tuesday and Wednesday. The theme of the summit is “Changemakers” . B Muthuraman, Managing Director, Tata Steel, will address a session on “People: The Heart of an Enterprise” on September 28, while Sam Pitroda, Chairman and CEO, WorldTel, USA will address the closing session on the same day. Among the issues that will be addressed are “Changing the World: How can we do it?” where Graham Leicester, Director of International Futures Forum, a body that develops ideas and philosophy about how to make sense of today’ s complex world, will showcase a model of how partnerships in business, government and communities are interlinked to face and solve intractable problems or challenges. In this session, Graham will share some of his learnings on how to make long-term sustainable change in a complex world. R.S.Pandey, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture will speak on Communitisation Before Corporatisation: Insights from Nagaland.

Corporatisation of basic infrastructure is something that India has been attempting and struggling with for many years. While its merits are recognized, there are many roadblocks in its implementation. Pandey will talk about his experience with this issue in Nagaland. To achieve holistic, national development, India needs thousands, maybe lakhs of change agents across the country in diverse fields including civil society, corporate arena, government, etc. We call these change agents - Change makers or fireflies. This session will showcase some of the outstanding work being done in producing sustainable change in our country and the people behind this change. The objective of the session is to draw learnings from these change makers about what motivates them, what they believe are the preconditions for change and how are they able to bring about the desired change. Over the past few years, CII has engaged multiple stakeholders from differing backgrounds in a dialogue to develop potential future scenarios for India. More recently, economic research organizations have been involved in analyzing the emerging scenarios and their implications for India. In this session, these scenarios will be shared with the participants and inputs will also be invited.
Centre releases Rs 392 crore to State for flood relief Newindpress
BELLARY: Chief Minister N Dharam Singh said the Centre had released Rs 392 crore to Karnataka towards flood relief and in this lion share of Rs 139 crore is earmarked for Belgaum district. For Bagalkot Rs 50 crore, Gulbarga Rs 34 crore, Bijapur Rs 24 crore, and Raichur Rs 23 crore released to concerned Deputy Commissioners. Addressing media at JVSL Air Port, he said Rs 392 crore is highest ever relief received from Centre and the State had contributed Rs 50 crore to this. Dharam said he had requested Centre, at the recent meeting of Naxal affected states conference, to sanction funds on par with the Nagaland to curb Naxal violence.

He also urged to depute Central forces, provide high tech gadgets to unearth earth bombs. Dharam said Naxal problem is socio-economic, hence the Government would concentrate more to resolve this problem. It would also take steps to prevent youths from joining naxalism. Development activities on a large scale would be taken in all naxal affected areas, he said. Dharam said the Centre had advised states to form joint task force with neighbouring states. 5th Pay commission: Dharam said once the 5th Pay Commission submits its report, the Government will take action.
Consultative Group wants talks with PM The Morung Express
Guwahati, SEPT 25 (PTI): Demanding talks at the Prime Minister’s level, the People’s Consultative Group, formed by ULFA to initiate the process of dialogue with the government, today urged the Centre to stop all operations against the banned outfit. The PCG also took exception to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement that no decision had been taken on ceasefire with ULFA, terming his comment as "untimely and unwarranted". "Definitely we want to talk with the Prime Minister," PCG member Arup Borbora told PTI over phone from Guwahati when asked with whom they want to talk with. Borbora, son of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Borbora, said the PCG wants a halt to all operations against ULFA for the sake of creating a conducive atmosphere for talks. "ULFA has not launched any offensive for the last couple of months. Any operation against the outfit will only deteriorate the situation," he said adding the ongoing Army operation against the extremists at Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in upper Assam was "unwarranted". The Defence Minister on Thursday had said "unless and until the ground rules are framed and both sides - Centre and ULFA - agree for a ceasefire, negotiations cannot be held."
Nagaland's tea in reckoning for western market Kulnalim.com DIMAPUR, Sept. 25: Rich, naturally flavoured tea produced at NI Jamir Tea Estate located at Nagaland's picturesque lush green hill of Mokokchung may well end up in the western market for tea drinkers looking forward to beating the chilly winter with a pleasant sip of hot, refreshing tea. Tea produced at the sprawling NI Jamir Tea Estate at Sichung under Mokokchung is to soon go under the hammer at the world renowned Guwahati Tea Auction Centre, where brokers jostle and sniff for the best tea for exports. Mokokchung's tea venture to the world market took wings after drawing favourable response from the GTA's powerful tea brokers' community on its strength and flavour.

Located some 20 kilometres away from the historic town of Mokokchung in the midst of picture postcard green landscape, the NI Jamir Tea Estate has transformed itself into a full-fledged tea factory, feeding on fresh tea leaves plucked from small tea gardens mushrooming all around. No wonder, today it has transformed itself into a state-of-the-art tea-making factory with technical support from the Tocklai Tea Research Centre in Jorhat, and SBI and Radha Tea Company in Golaghat, Assam.
Sungkum Jamir, the proprietor of NI Jamir Tea factory, which could as well give Nagaland its first global tea brand well worth the name, says that they are in touch with the Guwahati Tea Auction authorities as well as brokers, and are trying to explore the market. "We have met Guwahati Tea Auction authority and brokers to explore the market and have decided to send tea produced here," he said. Though his Tea Factory in Mokochung had been producing tea in a small scale for some time, what brought about this new dawn of prospects for his tea brand, was the favourable response from brokers and producers in Assam. While now, no one is ready to take a shot at what price, the tea produced in Mokokchung would fetch, initial tea brokers' report to the SBI indicates that the bidding price band could well cross the general market prices.

"With the gardens located at an elevation of some 4,500 feet and above, and with a climate ideal for tea cultivation, tea from Mokokchung will be of a quality and flavour similar to that produced in the hills of Darjeeling", said Samir Phukan, from Radha Tea Company, Golaghat. Sungkum further added that his factory's tea making process and the finished tea produce churned out from his factory received a shot after he had learnt about improved tea making process from experts. Surjya Phukan, an IITian who had done a brief stint at Germany's Deutsche Bank, said that that initially there were some shortcomings to making good tea here, including improper tea leaves plucking. "These were soon set right with training of the tea farmers, technical inputs from experts and investment support from the bank. The organic culture of farming and cultivation here should also boost its image worldwide", said Phukan. Revered for his pioneering role among the burgeoning tea growers of his small hometown, Sungkum Jamir disclosed that what made him take to tea making was the realization of its prospects in his hometown. "I realized tea cultivation is both income generating as well as labour intensive and set on this venture", he added. The success story of Sungkum's tea venture has spread so fast that it has inspired many in the villages around to take up tea plantation. "Over five villages with more than hundred fifty small tea growers are into tea plantations. We realized its prospects and compared it to the diminishing returns we had to face under jhum cultivation," said a tea grower from the same village. (ANI)
Naxalism and civil wars of India The Morung Express
The problem of Naxalism has to be addressed by ensuring effective and sustained police action against the Naxal violence and, at the same time, accelerating socio-economic development of the affected areas.’’ – concluded the first meeting of the Standing Committee of Chief Ministers of the Naxalite affected States of India in New Delhi on 19 September 2005. The meeting chaired by Home Minister Shivraj Patil reportedly decided to make the Inter-State Joint Task Forces functional "very quickly" to facilitate coordinated anti-Naxalite operations. As the first step, the States will appoint nodal officers for coordination with each other as well as with the Centre. Despite its rhetoric on socio-economic development, the Central government and the State governments once again have taken more of a militaristic approach to address the Naxalite problems. The total annual outlay committed from the Centre and States for modernisation of police, which basically means buying more arms or raising more forces for anti-Naxalite operations, is about Rs. 2,000 crores. In comparison, the central government decided to allocate meager Rs. 2 crores per annum per Naxal-affected district for development activities. According to the 2004-2005 Annual Report of the Ministry of Home Affairs, "at present, 76 districts in 9 States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are afflicted with Naxalism. CPML-PW and Maoist Communist Centre-India (MCC-I) have been trying to increase their influence and operations in some parts of three other States, namely, Tamil Nadu, Karanataka and Kerala and also in certain new areas in some of the already affected States".
Raging civil wars Unfortunately, the Standing Committee of Chief Ministers of the Naxalite affected States of India failed to discuss the counter-Naxalite measures, which have been creating virtual civil wars amongst the people living in the Naxalite afflicted States. Bihar has been infamous for the caste wars between the Maoists and the Ranvir Sena, a private army of the upper caste landlords. In the past 15 years, an estimated 1,000 people have been killed by Ranvir Sena in 300 incidents. The Naxalites have, on their part, perpetrated equally chilling massacres. [1] The killings continue. However, unlike the Naxalites, the Ranvir Senas are not banned under the law. The security forces of Jharkhand, which was part of erstwhile Bihar, soon emulated Bihar model for countering the Naxalites. The State police created Nagarik Suraksha Samiti (NSS), a counter insurgency group to confront the Peoples War Naxalites. The NSS have perpetrated a series of killings. The People’s Union for Civil Liberties in its inquiry report of May 2004 held the members of the NSS responsible for lynching to death of about 13 alleged members of the Peoples War Naxalites at Longo in Dumuria block in East Singhbhum district between 7 and 22 August 2003. Prominent NSS members, police officers and Central Reserve Police Force officers posted in the village allegedly masterminded the lynching. The victims were allegedly administered drugs in the food and water served to them that made them drowsy. Police officials, along with NSS members, and some local villagers overpowered them and tied up. The information was then transmitted to the district police headquarters, and after receiving approval of higher authorities, the alleged Naxalites were beaten to death between 5.30 am and 7 pm of 7 August 2003. A photographer, however, managed to take pictures of the victims with their hands and legs tied. The ropes used in tying up the slain youths were found to be the ones normally available with the police. The involvement of police became apparent as the district authorities immediately rushed to the village after the massacre to congratulate the villagers.
The conflict between the Naxalites and the counter-Naxalite groups recently led to the massacre of 15 civilians and injury of six others at Bhelbadari village under Giridih district of Jharkhand by the Naxalites. Over 100 armed Naxalites reportedly raided the village near Bhinwaghati under Deuri police station on 11 September 2005 and indiscriminately attacked the villagers. Those killed were alleged members of the Village Defence Committee, an anti-Naxalite front. The armed clashes between the Naxalites and counter-Naxalites is no longer restricted to Bihar and Jharkhand. A large number of private armies under the guise of anti-Maoist groups have sprung up in Andhra Pradesh. Some of these vigilante groups are Fear Vikas, Green Tigers, Nalladandu, Red Tigers, Tirumala Tigers, Palnadu Tigers, Kakatiya Cobras, Narsa Cobras, Nallamalla Nallatrachu (Cobras) and Kranthi Sena. The Nallamalla Black Cobras, formed after the Maoists shot dead Maktal Congress legislator Narsi Reddy in Mahbubnagar district on 15 August 2005, have been responsible for a series of killings of the alleged Maoist sympathisers. Nallamalla Black Cobras killed Dalit activist, Alladi Ravi in Prakasham district after he went missing on 17 September 2005. His body was found lying at a deserted place in Chimakurthy mandal of Prakasham district on the night of 18 September 2005.
Earlier, an activist of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, Kanakachary was killed in Mahbubnagar district on 24 August 2005. The president of Kula Nirmulana Committee of Prakasham district, Mannam Prasad was killed on 10 September 2005. The Andhra Pradesh police, infamous for fake encounter killings, are reportedly backing the vigilante groups. After the imposition of the ban of the Naxalites following the killing of Narsi Reddy, the Andhra Pradesh government went a step further and decided to raise a Girijan Battalion with a strength of 1,260 tribal people. The battalion would include 10 reserve inspectors, 30 sub-inspectors, 45 assistant sub-inspectors, 277 head constables and 820 constables. This will pit the tribals against the tribals. In the Bastar region of Chattisgarh, the leader of the opposition in the State Assembly, Mahendra Karma has started "Salwa Judum", a peace movement against the Naxalites by the tribals. The Maoists have retaliated with killings.
Positive responsibility of the State Undoubtedly, the violence by the Naxalites and counter-Naxalites violate the Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and provisions of the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court. The government must take effective measures to bring the culprits to justice. However, the government cannot also be oblivious to its positive obligation to protect civilians at risk of attacks from the Naxalites. Instead, the security forces have been encouraging formation of vigilante groups, which increases the risks of civilians being attacked by the Maoists. This is also creating civil wars. And all the districts afflicted by the Naxalite movement are inaccessible, poor and primarily inhabited by Adivasis and the Dalits. While the call for accelerating socio-economic development of the Naxalite affected areas is welcome, it is difficult to comprehend as to how economic development will be undertaken in areas which do not have basic infrastructure. Naxalism finds acceptance in these areas because of extreme poverty, unemployment, the collapse of the edifice of the state structure in terms of providing access to basic human needs and atrocities by security forces and forest officials. Land reforms are indispensable to address the Naxalite problems but did not figure in the strategy of the governments to combat the Naxalites. The government continues to treat Naxalism on adhoc basis – as mere law and order problem. The adhocism is clear from the failure to introduce the Draft Forest Rights Bill of 2005 because of the opposition from a few environmental extremists and the Ministry of Environment and Forest. Unless the government takes rights based approach, Naxalism will continue to survive.
Naxalism – the symptom of entrenched discrimination and failure of the State to make fruits of development reach those who need it most – cannot be resolved by military means or creating virtual civil wars. Had the Centre and State governments decided to spend Rs. 2,000 crores per annum for undertaking development programmes including land reforms in the Naxalite affected areas, Naxalism would have gradually vanished.The counter-insurgency operations, which are characterised by human rights violations, and tacit support to vigilantism, will only further intensify the conflict. (This is an analysis from the Asian Centre for Human Rights)
There is a sense of peace in Manipur: Fernandes The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Sep 25: "Plebiscite does not figure in our constitution and if somebody wants it, the constitution needs to be amended." This was stated by the visiting former union defence minister George Fernandes, president of JDU and sitting MP of Lok Sabha at a press conference held at Hotel Imphal today when he was asked by the mediapersons about his views on the plebiscite proposed by an insurgent group in Manipur.He also observed that insurgency will take its own time and expressed his wishes to the NSCN (IM)-GoI talks` success. Speaking on the issue of territorial integrity he conveyed that it is a very sensitive issue that any government should handle with utmost care. When asked about his stand on the territorial integrity of north eastern states in the face of Naga peace talk, he said, "I am for the territorial integrity of the country. This country should not be played with."

Commenting on the allegation made by Gurudas Dasgupta, sitting CPI MP, at a function of the 12th AITUC meet held yesterday, that the NDA was voted out due to its communal politics and bad economic policy, George Fernandes retorted that recently a leader of the Shiv Sena, who was branded as a communal leader, joined the Congress party and was willingly accepted as a secular leader. He said that in the name of secularism the Congress party is carrying out all kind of atrocities. Expressing strong resentment against the Congress leader who called him "kaffan chor" during the coffin scandal, when he was barred from speaking in the Parliament for 2 years, he said that the Congress party is a "bunch of liars who can never speak the truth". George Fernandes who left Imphal for his onward journey to Chennai this afternoon also briefed the mediapersons on wide ranging topics covering his visit, his party, the issues of insurgency and peace talks, and communalism in Indian politics at Hotel Imphal. Stating that the main purpose of his visit was to have fruitful discussions with party colleagues and meet long time friends, George Fernandes asserted that he was not here to discuss any political or specific subjects. He said that based on his interactions with party colleagues and other people he had the impression that "there is a sense of peace in this area and I am happy about it".In today`s press briefing Shiv Kumar, general secretary and spokesman of JD (U) and the state party president were also present.

Common people hit hard by Army action From SC Pathak assam Tribune
TINSUKIA, Sept 25 – What actually is going on inside the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park? This is the question that has been haunting the people of Assam for the past one month since the Army took control of the park on August 31 last and put the two main forest villages, Laika and Dodhia, with a population of about 10,000 under seige. The people of the villages depend on fishing, cattle farming and agriculture and it is alleged that they have been robbed of their fundamental rights by the Army action. Their main mode of transport is the country boats, which have also been seized by the Army and the people have been deprived of their means of travel for the last 15 days or so. The Army moved in to take control of the park after issuing a notice to the Divisional Forest Officer-in-Charge of the park on the plea that a counter-insurgency operation would be launched there and it is believed that the Army had definite information about the presence of a strong contingent of ULFA militants inside the park. At the initial stage of the operation, the Army claimed to have recovered two abandoned camps of the ULFA, but after that, there is no definite information about what actually is going on in the Park and the plight of the people held under seige could not be ascertained. Suddenly, the ULFA claimed that 12 of its cadres were killed inside the National Park and the bodies were thrown into the river. In the meantime, some people of the area were allowed to come to the mainland and they narrated their nightmarish experience following the operations. The Army also recorded the names of those allowed to come to the mainland and they requested the media not to publish their names fearing action by the Army. Interestingly, the district administration has also kept quiet about the whole incident.
According to Army authorities, only three militants including Achinta Saikia, the finance secretary of the 28th battalion of the ULFA, were killed during the operations. It is also alleged that huge amounts of money were recovered from the possession of Achinta, as it is believed that the ULFA collected huge amounts of money recently from the area. The Army also asked the forest personnel to vacate their posts and accordingly, the Forest department withdrew its staff on September 14. Even the members of the People’s Consultative Group, constituted by the ULFA to hold talks with the Government of India, were debarred from entering the National Park. The entire episode had irked the people of the area and a dharna was staged in front of the office of the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner on September 22.

ULFA won’t be allowed to create trouble in Bengal’ Assam Tribune SILIGURI, Sept 25 – West Bengal government will not allow creation of an Assam-like situation in the State, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee said today. Addressing a public meeting here, Bhattacharjee said the Greater Coochbehar Peoples Association (GCPA) leaders, who had no knowledge of the history and geography of Coochbehar, were out to create trouble with the backing of ULFA and disturb the ongoing process of development in North Bengal. The Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), backed by the ULFA, which had tried to create terror in North Bengal a few years ago, was almost finished, the Chief Minister said. “Their leader, now staying in Dhaka, is trying to revive his organisation, but will not succeed. The ULFA is patronising the GCPA to create fresh trouble in North Bengal which the State government will not allow,” Bhattacharjee said.

Five persons, including three policemen, were killed in violent clashes between GCPA supporters and the police in Coochbehar on September 20. GCPA is demanding statehood for the district saying that the conditions under which the erstwhile princely state was merged with India after Independence had been violated. Referring to the recent police firing in Coochbehar, Bhattacharjee said, “I might have done wrong by asking police to keep quiet towards the hunger strikers.” – PTI
Fernandes warns to tread cautiously on AFSPA NET News Network
Imphal, Sept 25: Former union defence minister and Janata Dal(U) president George Fernandes has caution the central government not to make hasty decision on AFSPA as it is a serious issue that need to be tread cautiously. The Janata Dal(U) president is in a two day visit to Imphal on assessment tour the state unit. He left for Imphal this evening for Chennai. Before his departure, while meeting reporters at Imphal Ashok today, he said, AFSPA issue is a delicate issue and it need to be tacked very cautiously. The government while looking for solution must not make any hasty decision. He added that as an NDA convenor, he feels insurgency is a serious matter and it will take time to solve the problems. Defending the huge deployment of army and paramilitary in the state, he said in fact insurgency is also a form of terrorism. But at the same time he is more concern about how to bring peace in the state. Replying question on the underground UNLF proposal for a plebiscite, the former union defence minister said, constitution does not provide a room for that. Answering cautiously not to spark any unwanted fire, he hope the peace talk between NSCN (IM) and GOI succeed but however on the question of breaking the territorial integrity no one can give an exact answer on that as it lies in the future. It is a sensitive issue. But on the other hand he believes the territorial integrity of the country must not be compromised. Coming back the nodal point of his tour, he said he had specially come to Imphal to Asses the JD (U) state unit. He had several meeting with his office bearers and members for better performances in the election.