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03/04/2006: "CM seeks GBs’ support for peace"

CM seeks GBs’ support for peace Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, MARch 3 (NPN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday appealed to the Gaonburas (GBs) to join hands with the administration and police for a peaceful Nagaland. Describing GBs as members belonging to the highest and oldest surviving body of the Naga customary law, Rio said GBs are a link between the administration and people.
"As great responsibilities were bestowed upon them, they (GBs) should deliver proper and balanced judgment as expected by the people", Rio while speaking at the inauguration of the Kohima Town GBs' Union Court building at Daklane.
He said the GBs had been given due recognition and power since the British days and therefore are "a vital limb of the government. They have a great responsibility towards maintaining law and order in the State".
He called upon the GBs to use their wisdom and to cooperate with the district administration and police in maintaining law and order in the State. He said while the Supreme Court and high courts functioned on the basis of facts and figures, Gaonburas relied on wisdom and common sense while giving judgment to settle disputes.
He also said GBs need to work without being hampered so as to preserve the identity and traditional and cultural heritage of the Nagas. Rio reminded that "The GBs should not be elected, but selected for they command respect. They should not be reduced to the status of a government servant as they are the embodiment of the customary system of the Naga society."
He disclosed that the office of the Commissioner, Nagaland will start a 'GB's Welfare Fund' in the form of fixed deposit account. Earlier, parliamentary secretary for law and justice Yitachu said as per the Naga customary laws, the decisions of the GBs were deemed as final no matter what the Supreme Court of high courts said.
Yitachu, himself is a lawyer, said the decision of a Gaonbura should be honoured by all. Speaking on the occasion, parliamentary secretary for land resources and development Kipili Sangtam urged the GBs to use their wisdom and give their best to the people.
Ex-MLA Abao Kire, who donated the land for construction of the building, said GBs were guardians of their respective areas. Kohima DC Mr. R. Ramakrishnan, who also spoke, reiterated that the ban on burning of jungles would continue to remain in force throughout Kohima district. He also asked the public to refrain from burning jungles, adding it could cause serious loss of public property and disturb the ecological balance in the region.
Parliamentary Secretary Kaito, SP Kohima K. Martin Pienyu, APO president Mhiesiezokho Zinyu, KMC chairperson Menuovilie and KMC councilors also attend the function.
DMC thriller nearing climax Dimapur NGOs ask DC to go ahead with no-confidence motion the Morung Express
THE NAGALAND People’s Front high command will be arriving at a decision on the current Dimapur Municipal Council imbroglio soon. The party’s President, Dr Shürhozelie told The Morung Express that a pronouncement on the issue would be made after taking into consideration what the fact-finding team dispatched by him would state.
The President, who is also Planning and Coordination Minister, had earlier sent NPF heavyweights Blaise Iheilung, R Paphino and Pulozu to study the ground realities of the imbroglio.
DMC Chairperson Y Vikheho Awomi informed that the fact-finding team has already left Dimapur for Kohima and that a decision would be made soon. The top brass of the NPF will now decide whether the proposed no-confidence motion against the incumbent DMC chairperson should be allowed to take its course.
Meanwhile, showing concern for the current impasse in the Dimapur Municipal Council, the Naga Council based at Dimapur today convened a meeting where members of different civil societies and leaders of various tribal Hohos were invited. Speaker after speaker averred that the present entanglement should be unwound at the earliest possible time as the public is bearing the brunt of the mess. The conglomerate decided to issue a Joint Public Appeal to all DMC members to wriggle out an amicable solution within a short time frame. They also decided to ask Dimapur Deputy Commissioner KN Ngullie to “conduct the said meeting of 10th March as scheduled and in true democratic norms.” An appeal to the Chief Minister asking for his intervention into the matter is also to be made.
“That in the event of the impasse being unresolved despite the best efforts, the Government should consider the option of dissolution of the DMC. However, in order to avoid burdening the general public with a fresh election exercise, this option should be resorted to only after exhausting all possible avenues,” resolution number four said.
The general opinion, though, was that the public bodies comprising of NGOs cannot directly intervene in the proceedings as it is outside their purview.
A speaker opined, “If the civic body is sick, the people are also bound to fall ill.” Another said: “The problem persisted since the beginning (of the inception of DMC). Party lines should be crossed in the effort to improve the condition of the public.” Four resolutions were passed after the consultations.
India, US relations can change the world: Bush the Morung Express

US President George W. Bush meets rural women discussing ways to empower themselves to a better life during a visit to the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agri University in Hyderabad, Friday. (AP Photo)
NEW DELHI, MARCH 3 (PTI): US President George W Bush Friday said the relationship between India and the United States was “closer than ever before” and it has the power to transform the world.
“I have come to India as a friend,” he said addressing a select gathering here at Delhi’s historic Purana Qila.
Bush said India has to lift caps on foreign investment and further open its markets to US business.
Observing that India and the US would lead the way in meeting the global challenges, he said the biggest challenge was energy.
On the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal reached on Thursday, Bush said both sides agreed on the plan to implement this “historic initiative” which would strengthen the economy of both countries. Beginning his address with a “namaste”, Bush said he was “dazzled” by the ancient land, which was the birthplace of many great religions which live side by side peacefully.
“You are inspired by the past and you can see the future. India is a natural ally for us,” he said amid applause from the gathering. He said the United States intends to open a new consulate in Hyderabad and an American Centre in Delhi.
He also noted the contributions of people of Indian descent to American life and had a special mention for astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who lost her life in the Columbia Space Shuttle crash in 2003.
Bush said that for every nation divided by race, religion and culture, “India offers a hopeful path”.
“The world has benefited from the example of India’s democracy... it is a global power,” Bush said.
The US President also praised India’s efforts towards rehabilitation in Afghanisation.
The US President said both India and his country stood side by side in the fight against terror.
Factions clash at Hongpoi village Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, MARch 3 (NPN): The NSCN (K) on Friday claimed that it killed two NSCN (IM) cadres and injured another three at Hongpoi Village in Mon district on March 1. The NSCN (IM) dismissed the rival faction's claim, as a "distorted" campaign and without "reality."
Top NSCN (K) official C. Pattan told Nagaland Post that two to three NSCN (IM) men "got killed while being chased after by NSCN (K) cadres at Hongpoi Village in Mon district on March 1 around 10:30 am."
"On being chased after, the NSCN (IM) cadres fired upon our boys. In the ensuing encounter, two NSCN (IM) men were killed and another three injured. However, there was no casualty on our side," Patton claimed.
He also said the NSCN (K) arrested an NSCN (IM) cadre, Langpho Konyak, son of late (Lt.) Kainyem Konyak, in a place between Mon and Tizit on February 28.
"He was released on March 1 on humanitarian ground and on the condition that he would not rejoin the NSCN (IM)," he added.
Meanwhile, talking to Post over phone, top NSCN (IM) official Kraibo Chawang rejected NSCN (K)'s claim about killing any of his boys on March 1. He categorically said, "what the NSCN (K) claims is totally distorted and without reality."
Meanwhile NSCN(I-M) deputy kilonser Kraibo Chawang said "The NSCN (K) always claims that it has killed our men. But none ever sees their bodies. You have to go with the reality."
On the arrest of Langpho, Kraibo said "the NSCN (IM) does not bother about it."
Patton also said the NSCN (K) killed 10 to 12 Myanmarese armymen and captured two G3 rifles and about 10,000 rounds of ammunition at Kazhai in Eastern Nagaland recently.
"About 300 Minyarese armymen attacked a 100-strong NSCN (K) group at Kazhai and killed three of our boys", Patton said.
‘N-deal may set bad example’ Assam Tribune
BEIJING, March 3 – The historic Indo-US civilian nuclear deal may set a “bad example” for other countries to follow, the Chinese media commented today, a day after Beijing urged more nations to accede to the NPT as “nuclear-free members”, reports PTI. “There are concerns that the move will set a bad example for other countries as India has refused to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) after it conducted nuclear tests in 1998,” the official Xinhua news agency noted.

At the same time, it pointed out that the deal will allow India access to uranium, US civilian nuclear technology and bring India out of “nuclear isolation.”

The China Daily, the leading English-language newspaper gave front-page coverage about the Indo-US nuclear deal
18 hour bandh called in Manipur Newmai News NetworkMarch 3

Manipur police blocking the protestors at Imphal’s Keishampat junction this morning when the protestors tried to storm into the assembly hall to highlight the alleged molestation of a girl by police commandos in their custody. (NNN)

IMPHAL: Several public organizations of Manipur called an 18 hour general bandh throughout the state beginning today midnight to protest against alleged molestation and ill-treatment of an arrested girl in custody by police commando personnel attached to the Thoubal district police.
Maibam Naobi (22), who was released through the court last night, alleged that commando personnel molested and subjected her to inhuman treatment after she was picked up from the house of Khundrakpam Vikash on February 21. She had gone to attend the funeral of Vikash, a PLA cadre who died during an exchange of fire with a police commando team in Thoubal district last month. Naobi was a friend of the PLA cadre. Naobi said that the police commandos took her at different places and molested her several hours on the first day of the arrest. She was also severely tortured. The commandos allegedly forced her to take off her clothes at gunpoint.
The torture continued the next day, she said. The allegations that she was molested by the commando personnel kicked up an angry protest from several public organizations today. A Joint Action Committee formed against Naobi’s arrest and more than 100 NGOs strongly condemned the police brutality in a meeting held in Imphal today.
The meeting resolved four resolutions including a demand for immediate resignation of the O. Ibobi Singh led Secular Progressive Front ministry and punishment of all the commando personnel involved. The NGOs including student organizations, women bodies and human rights groups called an 18 hour general strike from today midnight till 6 pm tomorrow. The meeting also demanded removal of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Thoubal District, who sent Naobi to police custody. The meeting charged that the CJM sided with the police and did not record the complaints by Naobi that she had been molested by the commandos.
After the meeting, there was a protest march towards the State Assembly Secretariat, where the budget session was in progress. Police however, stopped and dispersed the protestors by firing tear gas shells and exploding mock bombs. Nearly ten persons were injured in the police action. One of them was admitted to the RIMS with injuries in the eye. Earlier in the day, ruling member N. Biren Singh of the Congress (I) and Opposition Member, L. Ibomacha Singh demanded in the House a thorough inquiry into the allegations made by the girl. Raising the matter during zero hours Biren Singh said that the charges were very serious and shocking.
Supporting the demand, Ibomcha Singh said that the release of the girl without any condition by the court was welcome but that an inquiry should be carried out to find the truth. If the charges leveled against the commando personnel were found to be true, action should be taken against them to restore the confidence of the people on the police force, he said.
Indo-Burma rail link study completed The Morung Express
Imphal, March 3 (Agencies): The Indian State External Affairs Minister E. Ahmed said that a feasibility study on a rail link connecting India and Burma had been completed.
Ahmed told India’s Parliament that the study was the first step towards the realisation of a rail link stretching from New Delhi to Hanoi.
The feasibility study recommended the construction of a rail link between Tamu, Kalay and Segyi at a cost of Rs 1339.02 crore (10 million) and the rehabilitation of an existing line from Segyi to Chaungu Myohaung at a cost of Rs 283.959 crore.
Ahmed also said that the construction of a link between Jiribam, Imphal and Moreh in India would cost Rs 2941.08 crore and that it could be completed by March 2010.
The Morung Express
Culture as Education Today's Editorial March 4
At the core of all historical processes, education and educational institutions has been a primary mover in shaping the discourse of human relation and the relationship between states, which in turn has reshaped the educational discourse. Education is neither a value-free activity nor a value-free process. It is value laden and stands to mould human behavior, human response to the elements around and shapes the discourses of society towards an intended direction, which could either be liberating or suppressing. The recognition of the existence of this internal contradiction is essential in understanding the role of education in societal transformation.
For people to achieve their humanization, they need to know their history. There needs to be realization that for liberation of the human mind and spirit; re-humanization and re-building of society, education cannot obscure, much less deliberately avoid, erase or distort a people’s history. Culture is an essential element of the history of a people. In fact culture is the product of a history just as the flower is the product of a plant. Culture, therefore is history itself. Any education system that distorts a people’s history is in effect destroying culture. The denial of a people’s history is the denial of culture itself.
Culture is a dynamic process by which human creates through knowledge and action. It is through the power of culture that a society bridges between where things were (history), where things are now (present) and their yearnings of what they wish to be (vision). It constructs a process where people are empowered as individuals and as a community to proactively engage in becoming the change they envision both at the personal and collective level. Culture wants life in all its richness; it demands and asserts freedom. Culture indeed is a way of life and is the essence of communication which is to know and understand. The liberation of the thought from its present condition requires a society to rediscover their consciousness and to locate their humanity in the context of a struggle for dignity. In other words the process of education is calling upon all to take into account their true history and their past and also be willing to accept that there indeed is a future by aiding and empowering each other.
For education to be vibrant in Naga society there is also a need to make Naga culture into a living form. So far, Naga culture has been reduced to handicrafts, artifacts and the museum; all of which are static forms of a commodified culture, but not culture itself. A richer and dynamic understanding and perception of culture needs to be rediscovered; an understanding of culture that reflects Naga values, worldviews, ethics and self-worth. In essence the foundation of an applicable education demands that Naga culture in its richness if fully embodied in the consciousness of the society.
The Cobra Fields: Andhra’s Secret Wars ©Copyright 2005 Morung for Indigenous Affairs & JustPeace-All Rights Reserved.
Former Naxalites are being armed in Andhra Pradesh to take on underground Reds. Civil rights groups allege this is a covert war being waged by the State
Civil rights activists are in the grip of terror in Andhra Pradesh. Scores of them are on the hitlist of killer gangs freely roaming the state. Operating in the names of Nallamalla Black Cobras, Kakatiya Cobras, Naxalite Victims Association and Narsa Cobras, these gangs have already killed four activists, made abortive attempts and issued countless threats to many others. Those targeted include lawyers, writers and left-wing intellectuals. The police is yet to make a single arrest in connection with the incidents so far.
The suspected assailants, former Naxalites, allegedly enjoy the support of police. “The attempt to create private militias to attack the activists of the legal fronts of the Naxalite parties and civil rights activists is nothing new. Initially, policemen in disguise carried out the attacks and threats. Now they are using former Naxalites to do the job. Some of them were encouraged to form paramilitary gangs after they developed differences and left the organisation. Some were contacted when they were still in the party and paid to kill their comrades and come out with weapons and form counter-insurgent gangs,” says K. Balagopal, general secretary of Human Rights Forum. The Forum has, in fact, made a fairly exhaustive study of the fratricidal war unfolding in the state. Similar tactics had been used overtly by the Jammu and Kashmir government to fight terrorism in the state when it created the Ikhwan force manned by surrendered militants.
Some of the former Naxalites are dreaded gangsters (see box). Kathula Sammaiah, for instance. He was a terror till he died in a plane crash in 2001. “He was one of those who could organise a press conference with a firearm in his hand,” says KG Kannabiran, national president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), adding, “The situation in Andhra is as bad as Bihar, with mafia killings going on, but for some reason it has not caught national attention.” Nayeemuddin and Jadala Nagaraju are the most dreaded in the business now. Known to operate under bizarre names, activists suspect their hand in the recent murders and threats issued in the name of Cobras.
State Director General of Police (DGP) Swaranjit Sen however reportedly remarked that police were not snake charmers to catch cobras (see interview). His remarks have sparked angry reactions from activists whose lives are under threat. “All these gangs, whether they call themselves Cobras, Green Tigers or by any other name, are sponsored by the state. They are acting on instructions from state police,” says cultural activist and revolutionary singer Gaddar. In last few months, Gaddar has received letters from the Cobras asking him to stop praising the Maoists or face death. The letters have one message: “You escaped death last time. This time you will not be lucky. We will cut you into pieces if you don’t stop your singing.” In 1997, Gaddar survived an attempt on his life when unidentified gunmen shot at him. The Green Tigers owned up responsibility for the attack, but police have still not made any breakthrough in the case. This doesn’t surprise activists, who allege that Green Tigers is a front for policemen. They point out that Javed, a suspended police constable, was arrested in Warangal for threatening activists in the name of Haribhushan, leader of Green Tigers. He was arrested in 2004 around the time when the government and the Maoists were engaged in a dialogue. “It was the only action ever taken against any person associated with these gangs,” says Balagopal.
The talks, however, ended in failure and the government reimposed the ban on the Maoists in 2005. “The police did not want the talks to succeed. They were unnerved by the success of the Guthikondabilam public meeting of the People’s War (now merged with Maoist Communist Centre of India and known as the CPI-Maoist) in which over six lakh people attended,” says Kannabiran.
The recent spate of killings and threats against activists began as retaliation for Congress legislator Narsi Reddy’s murder on Independence Day last year by suspected Maoists. Two days later, a statement was published in the press in the name of Narsa Cobras containing a list of activists who have been marked for killing. A week later, K. Kanakachari, an executive member of the Patriotic and Democratic Movement, whose name figured in the hitlist, was hacked to death in Mahbubnagar. The Cobras warned activists to stay away from his funeral procession. Those who defied were included in a revised hitlist issued by the Cobras.
On September 10, Mannem Prasad, district president of the Struggle Committee for Annihilation of Caste, was murdered in broad daylight in Singarayakonda, Prakasam district. Nallamalla Black Cobras claimed responsibility for his murder. On September 14, Kilinga Rao was killed in Ambatipalli in Karimnagar district, and on November 28, Munaiah, a dalit activist of Democratic Teachers Federation (DTF) was brutally hacked to death at Alipur in Mahabubnagar district.
Though the murdered activists were all members of legal organisations, they were not in the good books of the police because of their vigilant human rights work. In its report on the series of murders, based on a field visit, the All India Fact-Finding Team, comprising activists from different parts of the country, notes that police had detained two activists while they were waiting to receive Mannem Prasad’s body. When the duo explained to police that they belonged to Mannem’s outfit, the cops reportedly shot back that their organisation was nothing but a front of the Maoists.
On November 23, at about 10.30 pm, unidentified persons attacked the house of Professor S. Seshaiah, general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee (APCLC) in Anantapur district and set fire to the car parked in the portico and damaged furniture lying on the verandah. Seshaiah and his family members had a narrow escape as the assailants could not break open the iron-grilled door. The police found a letter outside the house the next morning purportedly signed by the secretary of Rayalaseema Tigers claiming responsibility for the attack.
Seshaiah believes the police planted the letter to fend off allegations that they were behind the attack. “Several people visited my house the whole night and the following morning. None of them spotted the letter. Only the police team that arrived at about 11 in the morning found it. It was drizzling the whole night, but the letter was dry. All attacks against the activists are taking place under police guidance. I believe the police wrote the letter and planted it to show that they did not have any hand in the incident,” says Seshaiah.
Threats have been issued to several others. N. Venugopal, a journalist and literary critic, received threatening calls from the Cobras after he moved the Lokayukta — an institution for lodging complaints against public servants — against the home minister, DGP and the Additional DGP (Intelligence) for their failure to act against the Cobras. “The threat from the Cobras clearly established the nexus between public servants and them. There was no way anyone else could have known about my complaint,” says Venugopal.
He then wrote to cm YS Rajasekhara Reddy: “Nallamalla Cobras and Kakatiya Cobras, apparently sponsored and maintained by your government’s police department, seem to be after my blood, making three threatening phone calls within the last four days. I would like to propose to you that it would be better if they kill me right in your office to enhance the prestige of our state in maintaining law and order and dealing with difference of opinion.” Venugopal says the calls stopped coming after that.
The Cobras are not sparing women activists either. On August 28 last year, Rammohan Kobra, who claimed to be the secretary of Narsa Cobra state committee, in a press release demanded the activists of Andhra Pradesh Chaitanya Mahila Samaakhya (APCMS), a federation of women’s organisations, to resign from their posts or face execution. The next day, Sujatha, APCMS secretary, got a call on her mobile from one Ravi, who said he was calling on behalf of Nallamalla Black Cobras. When Sujatha asked him what he wanted, he replied, “Your death” and hung up. The calls persisted for some time. “We informed the police and the state human rights commission but to no use. Police could not nab the culprits, but the calls ceased,” says B. Jyothi, president of APCMS, another target of Cobras.
How the threat calls ceased to Venugopal and Jyothi remains a mystery. It has only reinforced the suspicion that the Cobras are actually doing someone’s missive, possibly the police’s. Balagopal has reasons to believe so. “Often, the abusive phone calls made by the Cobras has revealed awareness of facts that only the police know. Secondly, threats in the name of Cobras have been issued after injury or insult caused to the police or to their old favourites like Nayeemuddin. Thirdly, the police has been gleefully inactive in the face of blatant violence in the name of the Cobras.”
Civil rights activists had been targeted in the state earlier, but never in such gruesome manner. “The recent murders have been most brutal. Victims have been axed and the axe is left implanted in the victim’s body. Clearly, the intention is to terrify the activists, so that they would not stir out of their homes,” says Kannabiran.
T. Purushotham of APCLC, who had exposed several fake encounters, was killed in 2000, and a year later, Azam Ali of the same organisation was killed. In January 1985, Gopi Rajanna, an APCLC activist, was shot dead at Jagtial in Karim Nagar district. In September 1985, A. Ramanantham, APCLC vice president, was shot dead in his clinic at Warangal. In September 1986, J. Lakshma Reddy, state executive member of the APCLC was shot dead and in December 1991, N. Prabakar Reddy, convenor of Warangal district committee of APCLC met with the same fate. “Barring Gopi Rajanna, who was shot dead by RSS members, the other three were shot dead by policemen. No arrest was made in any of the cases, and the cases have now been closed as undetected,” says Balagopal. If the Cobras are not nabbed, more precious lives are sure to be lost, and as activists say, the state government will be held responsible for it.
New proposals to expand Indo-Myanmar trade
From Our Correspondent
IMPHAL, March 3 – Manipur Commerce and Industries Minister Ningthoujam Mangi on Thursday disclosed some new proposals to expand the Indo-Myanmar border trade.

Replying to a question in the ongoing budget session of the Manipur Assembly, Mangi said: “Even the Indian parliamentary team agreed to our proposal.” The seven-member Indian parliamentary team which visited Indo-Myanmar border in February this year also agreed to the proposal of expanding the volume of the ongoing border trade, the Minister said.

Presently there are 22 exchangeable goods items under the trade agreement. They are mustard seed, pulses and beans, fresh vegetables, fruits, garlic, onion, chillies, spices, bamboo, tobacco, minor forest products, betel nuts and leaves, tomato, food items for local consumption, roated sunflower seeds, reed broom, sesame, resin, coriander seeds, soyabean, katha and ginger.

“But now the government proposes to include some new items in the list of the trade agreement,” minister informed the House.

According to mango, bicycles and its parts, life saving drugs, cosmetics, fertilisers, textiles, pan masala and Indian made zarda, etc. are in the list of new proposal goods items for existing border trade.

However, another Opposition member L Ibomcha of Federal Party of Manipur requested the Industries Minister to drop the controversial ‘Indian-made zarda’ from the list. Mention may be made here that the Indian parliamentary team led by former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj who visited Manipur few weeks back had proposed to establish an institute for Indo-Myanmar geology study in the northeastern India.