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11/07/2005: "Muivah's comment condemned"

Muivah's comment condemned Newsfile Hindustan Times
Dimapur, November 6, 2005The Naga National Council (NNC) has condemned a recent statement of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) general secretary Th Muivah saying it had "compromised" the issue of "Naga sovereignty".
A statement issued by NNC general secretary Vizosielhou Nagi said that that the NSCN (IM) had compromised on the issue was clear from an interview Muivah recently gave BBC News. "It is a volte-face and complete fall from the sublime to the ridiculous, from Kuknalim to Jai Hind" the statement said.
The NNC however welcomed NSCN (IM)'s stand that it would withdraw from the talks and the ceasefire with the Union government and return to the jungles after January 31, 2006 in the event of the Union government's failure to accept their demands. Reacting to a media report, the NNC also said that it had never signed the "treacherous Shillong Accord of 1975". The statement further said that the NNC, the Naga political institution that was established in 1946, and the 'Federal Government of Nagaland' (FGN), which was formed in 1956, were separate political entities. "The FGN under the presidentship of the late Zashei Huire had signed the treacherous accord of 1975 but disowned it in 1996," the NNC said.
The NNC reiterated its stand for "Naga sovereignty" covering all Naga-inhabited areas including eastern Nagaland and vowed to continue its fight till this was achieved.
UNC thanks all for participation Newmai News Network
Imphal, Nov 6 : The United Naga Council has expres-sed its gratitude to all Naga elders and leaders for attending the Naga Peoples' Convention held on Nov-4 at Taphou Naga village, Senapati. A state-ment issued by its infor-mation and publicity secy S Milan made special me-ntion of UNC members & leaders expressing their profound gratitude to Naga Hoho president and his team, Outer Parlia-mentary MP Mani Chare-namei, sitting and former MLAs and ministers, tribal Hoho presidents, Naga Women Union, Naga Peo-ples' Movement for Human Rights, ANSAM, South Na-gas Union of Nagaland State, Naga Employees Federation, All Manipur Christian Forum, village chiefs and all those indivi-duals for their active parti-cipation and indepth deli-beration to reiterate the declaration of the political stand of the Nagas living in the present state of Manipur adopted in the last Naga Peoples' Con-vention of Aug 8-9, 2001 at Senapati. The UNC further expressed special thanks to Naga Peoples Organisation (NPO) for co-hosting the convention and the Tap-hou Naga village for the hospitality offered to the participants.
NE, J&K VCs meet at Kohima Kohima | November 06, 2005 Webindia
Goa Governor S C Jamir would inaugurate the second meeting of the vice chancellors of the Universities of the North East and Jammu and Kashmir to be held here from December eight. According to official sources here today the meeting would be hosted by Nagaland university (NU) and matters related to specific problems of higher education in these region would be discussed. The theme of the meeting would be "Vision and Action Plan for Higher Education in North East and Jammu and Kashmir".
Sources said Prof.Atul Sarma of Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh, Dr. S.S. Baghel of Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat, Prof. S.C. Saha of Assam University, Silchar, Prof.P.C. Deka of Tezpur University, Tezpur, Dr. Gautam Barua, Director, National Institute of Technology, Silchar, Dr. Kulendu Pathak of Dibrugarh University, Dr.G.N. Talukdar of Guwahati University, Prof. G.D.
Sarma of Nagaland University, Dr. Arvind K Sharma of Mizoram University, Prof. Mrinal Miri of North Eastern Hill University, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo of University of Jammu, Dr. A. Wahid of University of Kashmir, Prof., Anwar Alam of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Jammu, Prof. N K Bansal of Shri Mata Vishno Devi University, Jammu, Prof. A.K. Mukhopadhyay of Tripura university and Mr.L.C. Amarnathan of Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Science, Gangtok would attend the two-day meeting. UNI AS TJP AKP1139
Indo-Myanmar meetings for joint inspection of borders from Nov 8 Thingbaijam Dhamen

IMPHAL, Nov 6: As per the plan chalked out during the fifth meeting of the heads of the survey departments of Myanmar and India held on September 23 and 24, 2005, meetings of the teams from both sides for joint inspection, repair, restoration, reconstruction of boundary pillars for the season 2005-06 will be commence from November 8.

The meetings of the joint inspection teams are to be held at three different locations on the same day i.e. on November 8. The meeting to discuss the repair, restoration, reconstruction and maintenance of boundary pillars, 73,101, 114(1), 114(2), 114(3), 115(1), 115(2), 116 and 117 in the Manipur-Myanmar sector will be held at Moreh-Tamu gate at 11 am.

For the boundary pillars located at the Nagaland-Myanmar sector, the meeting of the teams consisting of representatives of both the countries will be held at border pillar no. 131. In the meeting the two sides will discuss the border pillars 131, 133(10, 133(2), 133(3), 145, 146,147, 148, 149, 150,151 and 152. For the boundary pillars 185 and 186 in the Arunachal Pradesh-Myanmar sector, the meeting will be held on the same day at border pillar 185.

The joint inspection team of both the countries are likely to consider the marking task of the no construction zone from the zero line along with the task of inspection, repairing, restoration and maintenance of the boundary pillars as will be taken up in the ensuing field season to avoid repetition.

The proposal for the acceptance of 10 metres `no construction zone` on either sides of Indo-Myanmar boundary was initiated by the representatives of the ministry of home affairs, government of India to the Myanmar authority during the directors of survey level talks in September last year. The proposal was agreed to by the Myanmar officials and suggestions were given for marking the zone during the joint inspections. In the later part after the meeting the ministry of foreign affairs of Myanmar also received proposals to put up a fence between border pillar 79 and border pillar 81 in Manipur-Myanmar sector. As a reply to the intimation of the government of India, the Myanmar side requested the Indian side to provide a sketch of the proposed site in order to carry out the joint observation of the site in accordance with agreed minutes of the fifth meeting of the heads of survey departments of Myanmar and India held at Yangon in September 2004.

During the course of joint inspection, if any other pillars along the international border line between the two country are detected to be damaged or missing, the correction measures in regard to those pillars will also be undertaken as a part of the ongoing exercise in their respective sector as agreed in the recent talks. The same will also be focused on the meetings of the joint inspection teams.

The joint inspection team meeting is to discuss the record of inspection, repair, construction and maintenance etc. and sketch of boundary pillars with reference to important details prepared during the survey as maintained by the teams on the proforma as agreed. It may be noted that in view of the limited period available for field operation and due to difficult terrain the joint inspection team were allowed to operate from the country from where the pillars can be easily approached.
The security and support/assistance for the teams is the responsibility of the respective governments in whose territory the survey teams are operating.

Art forms of NE hill areas vanishing: Giri Kuknalim.com
SHILLONG, Nov 06: Different art forms of the north-eastern hill areas were gradually vanishing or dying, according to Helen Giri, member of Sangeet Natak Academy. Speaking at a workshop organised by the students of Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication (SIMC), Pune here, Giri said every hill area of the North-east has its own expression of art in the form of traditional dance, song or textile. But all these are vanishing or dying gradually.
Taking exception to the use of ‘tribal’ word before any art form, Giri, who heads the Centre for Cultural and Creative Studies at the North Eastern Hill University, said: “Why can we not use the word hill music or rural music?”
Stressing the need for having professionals to introduce music in visual media, Giri said originality was a must for working before the camera. If any visual was bereft of creativity, the viewer would not see it for the second time. The day-long seminar ‘Footprints 2005’ titled ‘Telly wonder: news, music, career 24x7’ was to focus on emerging trends and career opportunities in news and music industry on television. Inaugurating the event, eminent social worker Maya Ingty asked the budding scribes to be fair, judicious and follow the right path. – PTI

Stop Army action: ULFA emissaries to Centre The Indian EXPRESSEBRIEF People’s Consultative Group (PCG), the conduit between the United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa) and the Government of India, has called for an immediate halt to the Army’s counter-insurgency operations in Assam if the peace talks, now in a nascent stage, were to continue.
Yesterday at a rally in Nalbari, 70 km from here, the PCG members virtually launched a campaign seeking an immediate end to the Army operations.
Five members of the PCG attended the rally, and one of them, Lachit Bordoloi, stated that an agitation would be launched if the Army did not respond to the demand.
‘‘The Army has been acting in a provocative manner to derail the peace process,’’ alleged Bordoloi, who is also advisor of Manav Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), a human rights group.
The ULFA has been ‘‘more restrained’’ than the Army, and the Army should understand that, Bordoloi said at the rally. He also pointed out that the Ulfa had not been indulging in any violence since August 15 in the hope that the government would respond suitably.
‘‘But, while the Prime Minister has opened up a peace dialogue, the Army is still killing members of the rebel group,’’ Bordoloi said.
Meanwhile, the principal talks facilitator between New Delhi and the the outlawed outfit, Indira Goswami, has said that the government was yet to clarify as to what had happened to several Ulfa members who went missing during the Bhutan operations in December 2003.
‘‘Several Ulfa cadres have been missing since the operations. Besides, the Ulfa has been demanding the release of several top leaders currently lodged in different jails in order to carry forward the peace process. I have conveyed this to the Prime Minister,’’ said Goswami, a Jnanpith Award winner and Delhi University professor.
Local artists stand for Karbi Anglong victims NET News Network Guwahati, Nov 6:They are the most beloved section of the society who enjoy accolades for almost every thing they does but this time they have realized that it is their time to do something for the public. The recent massacre in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam has given the local artists an opportunity to stand united for the affected population of the district by participating in a rally to collect cash and kind from the public. The rally would be organized under the banner of All Assam Jana Sanskriti Parishad (AASP) and Karbi Cultural Society (KCS).
Artists like Dilip Sarma (singer), Khagen Mahanta (singer), Amar Hazarika (singer), Biju Phukan (Actor), among host of other artistes from the regional industry will participate in the rally. The rally would begin on Nov 6 and continue till Nov 18 and the celebrities themselves would give whatever funds collected to the affected in KA on Nov 19. Speaking on the occasion, Khagen Mahanta, the veteran singer said that it is time to do something for the people of the state in whatever way one can. “We artist will always remain grateful to the people because it is their love which makes us what we are today. So, it is important that we express our gratefulness in trying times likes this,” Mahanta added. Dimasa and Karbi have been living in harmony from time immemorial which compels me to think that there is a third party responsible for this carnage”, the veteran singer opined.
Manipur rebel supremo in security net NET News Network
Guwahati, Nov 6: Termed as one of the major success recent times, commandoes of Manipur police on Sunday nabbed the chairman of People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK). According to a police source, based on a specific tip off, commando team of state police rounded off the Irom Leikai locality in Imphal (West) and nabbed 63-year-old Meisnam Biren alias Achanba along with another fifteen at around 1:30 this afternoon. PREPAK is one of the three constituents of Manipur People’s Liberation Front (MPLF). The other two sister rebel groups are UNLF and RPF.

BJP demands President’s rule in Manipur From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Nov 6 – Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded imposition of President’s rule and holding of fresh election in Manipur.Speaking to newspersons at BJP Manipur Pradesh office prior to his departure for New Delhi today, Venkaiah Naidu, vice president of BJP said, “a nation wide campaign will be launched to impose President’s rule in Manipur. We will highlight the happenings in Manipur in the coming Parliament session also”.

“As there is no suraksha for the citizens, there is no meaning to continue the present government in Manipur, Naidu, who is here to attend the two-day BJP Chintan Baithak(brain storming session) since Saturday, said. “Article 356 of the Constitution needs to be imposed and a fresh election conducted as and when there is a conducive atmosphere”.

Saying that everyone including the Ministers in the Congress- led Ibobi ministry are ‘helpless’, former BJP president said “this is the total collapse of the administration”.

He also accused the Central and State Governments of failure to take appropriate measures in addressing hardships faced by the general public when the essential commodities were very scarce due to imposition of the 52 days economic blockade on the National Highways. He gave a clarion call to BJP workers and loyalists in this tiny border state to be prepared for the forthcoming Municipal councils and State Assembly elections likely to be conducted in February 2006 and early part of 2007 respectively.

On the insurgency issue, he asserted any issue can be discussed and wishes of the people should be respected. He, however, advised the party leaders to take up important state issues and expose the misdeeds of the State and Central Governments. Slamming the Congress party, Naidu, who is also a Rajya Sabha member, said the Gandhi family run political outfit is besieged with internal problems like lack of next line of leadership contrary to the BJP filled with many leaders capable to leading the nation. Sharing his view on the present crisis at New Delhi, he said that Congress party has been “ill-advised” adding, it is no Natwar Singh alone but the Congress party. The senior BJP leader also stated that the Congress effort will not succeed. BJP is going to stage nationwide campaign in this regard from November 8 to 15.Expecting a good chance of BJP in North East states in the coming polls, Venkaiah Naidu said, “BJP will be a deciding factor in Assam where the people are angry and frustrated over the present rule.” BJP leaders national general secretary (Organisation) in-charge Sanjay Joshi, North East in charge V Satish, state unit president Th Chaoba, MLA M Bhorot and several prominent party figures also attended the two-day session.

Jamir chalks out economic blueprint for NE Assam Tribune
MOKOKCHUNG, Nov 6 – Goa Governor and former Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir has embarked on a six-point agenda for economic development of Nagaland and called upon north-eastern states to rechristen their strategies to acrue benefits from the Centre’s look east policy for overall socio-economic prosperity of the region. Presenting a “vision statement” for economic growth of Nagaland in special and the North-east in general, Jamir asserted that the vision before the naga people should be to achieve economic development by capitalizing on its main strength.
Speaking at the silver jubiles celebration of Ao Senden (Ao tribal council) here yesterday, the longest serving Chief Minister of Nagaland, said it is no longer economically or socially sustainable for the state to remain isolated and called upon all Nagas to come out of their shells and face the reality.

Identifying natural beauty, unique community life and organisations, natural resources are the strength of the state Jamir, however, cautioned that any economic growth model for Nagaland should necessarily be ecologically sustainable, and at the same time, should not adversely affects the unique tribal culture. Underlining the importance of geographical location of Nagaland and other north eastern states, Jamir said although the region was yet to be explored economically, the day is not very far when the economy of India, China and south-east Asian countries would eventually have to merge with the north-eastern state, particularly Nagaland.

“At the rate at which global economies are growing it is an historical imperatives that this region will be the converging points of three major growing economies of Asia. In such a situation, we should now decide where to place out priorities, whether out talks of independence, sovereignty and nationalism which in any case is a 17th century European concept,” Jamir insisted. Stressing on urgency for focusing six areas on priority basis by the state, Jamir admitted that though as Governor of another state he prefered not speak about politics here, yet it was inescapable to speak about the fate of the Nagas in general and not only of the Ao community on the occasion.
Expressing deep pain over continued killings and violence in Nagaland, Jamir called upon the people to confront the truth about the causes and factors that have today plunged naga society under fear psychosis. Jamir said though Nagas speak eloquently about unity and progress of all the tribes yet, on the contrary, killings have been accepted as “pride under the plea of continuting a political movement”.
“We have to shed fear psychosis, which has gripped us in the last few decades. We must let-go of our narrow mindedness and suspicion of the outside world. We can simply continue to be victims of violence, or we can be progressive, liberal minded and forward looking and take Nagaland to the hights of economic glory,” Jamir asserted. Jamir identified tourism, handloom and handicrafts, horticulture and floriculture, education and sports are the priority areas for the state. “We have to develop the region as a whole. In fact, we must reform our thinking towards more avenues of economic collaboration with other NE states instaed of remaining limited to the political arena,” he asserted. – PTI
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader I Imkong, speaking on the occasion, asked church leaders, politicians, bureaucrats, village councilors and teachers to ponder over seriously whether they were performing their duties honestly and sincerely for the welfare of the society. Earlier, Nagaland chief secretary Talitemjen Ao, participating in the two-day jubilee celebration at Mokokchung town hall, insisted on work culture and ethics in government departments and called upon the young people to explore possibilities of self employment in different fields as jobs in the government sectors already reached saturation point. – PTI

Non-cooperation movement by GSU in Garo Hills today From Our Correspondent. Assam Tribune
TURA, Nov 6 – The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) along with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) have decided to go ahead with its eleven hours non-cooperation movement in the three districts of Garo Hills on Monday.

This decision was taken at a large public rally at Chandmari playground on Friday morning. The movement will begin from 5 am and conclude at 4 pm the same day and the student body has given an appeal to government employees, school and college students, and the trading community to participate in the movement.The public has also been asked not to ply their vehicles on the roads as a token of protest against the government’s continued attempt to bifurcate MBoSE.

The GSU president Andreas T Sangma informed the gathering that the all Garo Hills non-cooperation movement on Monday is being undertaken to show the Meghalaya Government that the people of Garo Hills stands by its demand for maintaining of status -quo on MBoSE. He said that the earlier demand by the students body for a review of the SLC report had ceased to exist after the gruesome incident on September 30. The students body has also outright rejected the government appointed magisterial enquiry into the twin incidents and is seeking the judicial probe be initiated at the earliest. However, the GSU has put forward a condition that prior to the beginning of the judicial probe all the government officials involved in the firing incident must be first placed under suspension. The demand for the resignation of the 24 MLAs continues to stand and heat is on the Tura MLA Billykid A Sangma to step down following a mass signature campaign initiated by the students union at the Chandmari field. JAC critical of Purno’s statements: Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee of Garo Hills have been highly critical of the recent statements given by former Tura MP and NCP leader Purno A Sangma who had sought the bifurcation of all government departments so as to be headquartered at Tura.

P A Sangma had demanded that should MBoSE be bifurcated all departments located at Shillong must also be split in two and headquartered at Tura. He had also demanded that the winter session of the State Assembly must be conducted at Tura. JAC chairman Sengrak Marak questioned the rationale of Sangma for attempting to sideline the core issue of MBoSE. Sengrak Marak said that although Sangma’s demands are genuine, yet, the time is not ripe for it because the focus of attention is now on retaining MBoSE completely at Tura. “It appears that P A Sangma is bargaining to get these demands whereas we are fighting to retain the Board,” said Sengrak while reiterating that there can be no bargaining on MBoSE.

Corruption : Manipur's tragedy Sangai Express
It was no doubt an interesting topic, “Which of the two is the bigger issue — HIV/AIDS or Corruption,” and hats off to the Regional News Unit of the All India Radio, Imphal for conducting bringing up such an interesting topic to seek a public opinion. As the opinion poll demonstrated so lucidly, it was corruption which won hands down with as many five out of every six opinions received giving the thumbs up to corruption. As reported in the State dailies, the opinion poll was conducted from October 2 this year over a period of 18 days and listeners were invited to send in their opinions to the All India Radio. The opinions were received from a cross section of society ranging from those in positions of power and influence to the men on the street and while we do admit that the opinion poll cannot be termed definitely conclusively, it nevertheless shows a trend, a trend that the people of Manipur are more worried about corruption than HIV/AIDS. The HIV virus has already taken a heavy toll on the Manipuri society with many a young lives being snuffed out at the prime of their life leaving many orphans and widows not to talk about parents who have been left devastated. HIV not only kills but can also deal a heavy blow, both economically and socially on the afflicted as well as the immediate family members. What is more alarming now is the fact that HIV infection is today no longer confined amongst the intravenous drug users but also to the general population. This is a dangerous trend and apart from sports and culture, HIV is one factor for putting Manipur on the global map which is nothing to be proud of.
However despite the heavy toll that HIV/AIDS has taken, despite the fear that this disease sparks, despite the fact that the people of Manipur are literally sitting on a keg of explosives in the form of HIV/AIDS, it is interesting to see that of the 750 respondents who gave their opinions to the poll conducted by AIR, more than 90 pc felt that corruption the bigger issue. More than anything else, this should awaken the policy framers and the suited booted officers and political leaders of the rot that has besieged Manipur because of corruption. The opinion poll suggests in more than one way that the people of Manipur are sick and tired of the large scale corruption that has eaten into the vitals of all Government machineries. The fiasco surrounding the Education Department, the palm greasing that is needed for any work to be done at Government offices, the stories of how it takes months to move a file from one table to another if the right hands are not greased, the story of missing bitumen, the increasing allegations against some political heavy weights by social organisations of gross misuse of developmental funds etc are all pointers to the depth that Manipur has sunk. Even when it comes to the point of tackling the menace of HIV/AIDS, the ugly head of corruption always looms somewhere. The bigger tragedy is while concerted efforts are being taken up across the world to tackle the menace of HIV/AIDS, the powers that be in Manipur are happy to let the status quo continue so long as they can fill their private coffers
Army clarifies, explains stand Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Nov 6 : Reac-ting to news reports of a Leimakhong-based Army Captainled secu-rity personnel barging into the Yurembam power sub-station and forcefully shutting down the power supply to Imphal area on Nov 2, the Army authorities today reiterated that it is against its personnel misbehaving with the general public and es-pecially state officials.
This particular incident involving Capt Pillai is a case of an officer ex-ceeding his brief be-cause of his in-experie-nce and limited service of only one year and due to the perceived sense of grievance, because Leimakhong had been subjected to a power blackout for 15 hours on the eve of Diwali, said a PIB (De-fence Wing) statement today. It also informed that Army authorities have taken due cogni-zance of the incident added that disciplinary action is being proce-ssed against the Army personnel concerned as per the laid down norms of Service.
KA violence a conspiracy’ From our Correspondent: Sentinel
Diphu, Nov 5: KAANCHASDOM and KAASDCOM in a joint press release did not rule out the involvement of a third force in the ongoing ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong. The release has said that the violence between Karbis and Dimasas was the result of feud between DHD and UPDS and was a calculated act of conspiracy triggered by vested interest. The release appealed to the Karbis and Dimasas not to be swayed by rumours and instigations for the sake of peace.
Echoing similar sentiments, the Janajati Faith and Culture Protection Forum (JFCPF) criticized the concept of greater Nagalim propounded by NSCN (IM) which proposes to include Karbi Anglong in its fold. The Forum said that the people of Karbi Anglong are by and large against the formation of greater Nagalim. The Forum demanded that the Government should take immediate steps to ensure smooth relief operations, to mobilize government agencies for building confidence among the affected people to enable them to return to their homes. The organization has also demanded a CBI inquiry in unearthing the involvement of an ‘external or third force’ behind the ethnic flare-up.