[Previous entry: "Yaruiwo Isak Chishi’s speech at the opening of budget session of the Tatar Hoho on March 7."] [Next entry: "Nagaland CM Rio positive about Indo-Naga political solution"]

03/09/2006: "Minister salvo at NGOs"

Minister salvo at NGOs OUR CORRESPONDENT the Telegraph
Kohima, March 8: As Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio announced sops for women, his parliamentary secretary for women development Kaito Sema lashed out against organisations that have been criticising the go vernment for its alleged indifference towards women’s issues. Speaking at a function to celebrate International Women’s Day, Sema lashed out against women’s organisations for not having any “vision”. They should have a “vision” in place before holding discussions with the government, he added. He, however, did not elaborate on what he meant by “vision”.
The function, chaired by the chief minister, was organised jointly by the department of women development, State Social Welfare Board and the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society. Several disturbing facts were revealed about women’s status in the state at the meeting. It was disclosed that the state does not have a single woman in the state legislative Assembly and six out of seven women in Nagaland are victims of domestic violence. Hekani Jakhalu, a lawyer and director of an NGO Youth Net, said domestic violence is a common fact in the state. Cases of human rights violation against women are rampant, she said. “They are asked to keep quiet for the sake of their family.”
However, before leaving Rio refuted the allegations by claiming that Naga society has been, by and large, free from crime against women. A senior office-bearer of the welfare board said though there has been no comprehensive study by any NGO or the government on crime against women, there can be no denial of the fact that cases of human rights violation against women abound in the state. At the function, Rio announced his decision to constitute a state commission for women. He also said the final draft of the state policy for women empowerment is ready and will be circulated for discussion soon. State Social Welfare Board secretary Daisy Mezhür spoke at length on the institutional changes to bring about women empowerment. She, however, desisted from bringing up the controversial issue of women’s representation in the village development boards and village councils.
Non-Nagas resent identity card fees Iboyaima Laithangbam The Hindu Chief Minister says he was not aware of this


Nipheiu Rio
IMPHAL: Many non-Nagas staying in Nagaland have taken strong exception to the casual manner in which Chief Minister Nipheiu Rio brushed aside the widespread collection of "identity card fees" by students. The Chief Minister said that he was not aware of collection of the fees. The NSCN(I-M), the insurgent organisation which has been holding peace talks with the Centre, has announced that all non-Nagas staying in Nagaland should possess identity cards, on payment of Rs. 120 each. However, reports said that some students' organisations have been extorting Rs. 250 each from the outsiders.
Police contention
Some police officers are reported to have said that there was nothing objectionable to the issuance of the identity cards in this manner. They contended that the NSCN(I-M) was not a banned underground organisation. Since it was running a "government," it had to earn revenue.
There is a constitutional clause which says that non-Nagas cannot own land in Nagaland. Besides outsiders do business in the State in the names of Nagas. Outsiders entering Nagaland for some days will have to obtain permit from the authorities on payment of a nominal fee. But it is seen that such permits are liberally issued and some non-Nagas are found possessing many permits. Non-Nagas of the north-eastern region or serving in Nagaland in Central and State Government offices are exempt from such permits. However, in the past, such employees and their family members had been bundled and carted away from Nagaland by some overenthusiastic students.
Rebels snap key ore transport line - Maoists kill four in village attack R. KRISHNA DAS The Telegraph
Raipur, March 8: Two days after killing eight villagers in the troubled Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, Maoists struck again today when they targeted a National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) facility and killed four persons in two separate incidents.
Both the raids took place in Dantewada district, where Naxalite violence has claimed several lives in the recent past. Continuing with their attacks on government establishments, armed rebels set fire to a conveyor belt at the NMDC installation in Bacheli, around 450 km from here, around 7 this morning.
Production is likely to remain suspended for the next two days, as the conveyor belt is the only mode of transporting iron ore to the loading yards from the mines. While sources speculated that the company could incur a loss of over Rs 10 crore, the company officials said the exact amount will be calculated in a day or two. Soon after receiving news of the raid, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans rushed to the spot. The fire, which damaged about 50 m of the belt, was doused after almost two hours.
“It was not immediately known whether the conveyer belt was exploded or set on fire,” said Dantewada superintendent of police Praveer Das. No one was injured in the incident. The repair work will start tomorrow morning and it would take at least two days to complete the process, an official said. Till then, the operations will remain suspended. Police recovered pamphlets from the spot in which the Maoists had warned of similar attacks in future. The rebels, who said they were opposed to the Centre’s assistance to the state for anti-Maoist operations, threatened the government with dire consequences if the Nagaland Armed Police and central forces were not called back immediately. The attack was carried out to disrupt the supply of iron ore from Bailadila, official sources said.
This was the second Maoist attack on NMDC in a month. On February 9, hundreds of Maoists had raided the corporation’s Hiroli magazine and carried away about 50 tonnes of explosives after killing eight security personnel and injuring another eight. The rebels, who have made villagers taking part in the government-backed peace mission and central installations their latest targets, blew up a train engine at Bhansi railway station in Dantewada. In the day’s other Naxalite attack, four persons were killed and six injured at Devarpalli, about 7 km from Konta, when armed rebels stormed the village early today. Ten persons were also taken hostage, sources said.
The victims were supporters of Salwa Judum, an anti-Maoist campaign of the Raman Singh government. The rebels attacked the villagers after cordoning off the hamlet. The bodies of the four slain villagers were later found near the village.
The raids took place in the backdrop of director-general of police O.P. Rathor’s visit to the area to boost the morale of security personnel in the violence-hit region.
Kalam studying Jaya Bachchan's MP status By Minu Jain, Indo-Asian News Service
On Board Air India One, March 8 (IANS) The Election Commission recommendation to disqualify actor Jaya Bachchan as a Rajya Sabha MP on the grounds she holds an office of profit was being studied, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said today.

"I have got the report from the Election Commission. I am studying it," Kalam told reporters accompanying him on a six-day, two-nation visit to Myanmar and Mauritius.

He refused to commit himself further on the issue that has been the buzz of the political world for the last few days.

Kalam was similarly noncommittal on a petition to him by news channel NDTV, urging him to seek a review of the judgement on the 1999 murder of ramp model Jessica Lal in which all the nine accused were acquitted.
"I am studying it," was all that he would say. Kalam condemned the Tuesday bomb blasts in Varanasi that claimed 14 lives.
"We as a nation are busy with the economic prosperity and peace of a billion people. We cherish peace," Kalam said, adding that he had sent a message to the state government asking it to assist the injured. He also dwelt at length on his goodwill visit to Myanmar and Mauritius, describing the first as a close neighbour and friend and the other as a close relative.

"Finally, we all have to connect," he said while responding to a question the possibility of constructing a road linking India and China. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said India was looking at linkages between countries in the Southeast Asian region.

"We are really looking at connectivity between all these nations by road and railways and also connectivity in terms of communications," he maintained. Promosing "a lot of announcements at the end of my journey to Myanmar," Kalam said the focus of his trip to the country, the first by any Indian president, would be bilateral relations. Infrastructure development, science and technology and agreements for economic assistance are on the anvil with Myanmar, which shares a 1,400 km border with India. Topping the agenda would be the means to transport natural gas from Myanmar to India.

Saying that he was looking forward to talks with General Than Shwe, Kalam said the Myanmar leader had agreed to help India in fighting insurgency. The Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland border Myanmar, making it a country of enormous strategic importance. One of the highlights of Kalam's journey would be a visit to the shrine of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadurshah Zafar.

"I have deep respect for him, because he is a poet and I also like poetry," Kalam maintained.

The president then went on to recite the gist of what the emperor wrote when he was jailed in Yangon - nobody will come to me, nobody will light a candle for me.
"But I am going to do that," Kalam said emphatically.
Pointing out than in Mauritius he would be the chief guest at the island nation's national day March 12 - the same day on which Mahatma Gandhi started his historic Dandi March in 1930.

"So that's how close we are," he commented. Kalam said he was keen to push a comprehensive economic cooperation treaty between Mauritius and India, work on which was already on. --Indo-Asian News Service
Rio’s plea to women Correspondent The Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, MARCH 8 (NPN): State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday called upon the Naga women to overcome the bondage of traditional inhibitions and occupy their rightful place in the society. Speaking at a function on the occasion of "International Women's Day" at Hotel Japfu as chief guest, Rio said the Naga women were not only catching up with men but were also beginning to overtake them in certain areas. However, he said the onus for empowering the women lay on the women themselves since the government could only play the role of facilitator.
The Chief Minister said all specific problems of the women would gradually disappear if economic independence for women was ensured. Stating that vast majority of Naga women are still engaged in agriculture and allied sectors, Rio felt these needy women needed to be empowered through formulation of Self Help Groups all over the State.
"Women Empowerment has been an integral part of our government's Common Minimum Programme and to that effect we had created a separate Department of Women Development," he said. The chief minister hoped that Naga women would soon become equal partners with men in all areas of progress and development and in carrying forward the common dream of building a better society.
Rio disclosed the State government had already prepared the final draft of Nagaland State Policy for Women Empowerment for wider circulation and debate, which was likely to be finalized and implemented very soon.
Further, he disclosed that the Department of Women Development had drawn up a calendar of activities for the next twelve months, which includes seminars, workshops, advocacy, training and capacity building. The State Cabinet has decided and approved in principle to create a State Commission for Women for which the draft legislation for the purpose is under way," he added. Delivering the keynote address, Commissioner and Secretary, Department of School Education, SCERT, Social Welfare & Women Development, DK Bhalla, emphasized on capacity building and said it was very important to understand what choice "we make to make a difference in the society".
"A society without woman empowerment is like human beings having two hands and two feet for functioning but functioning with one hand and one foot," he said.
The Secretary of Nagaland State Social Welfare Board, Daisy Mezhür, spoke on the topic "Institution, Mechanisms for Advancement of Women" while Joint Secretary, Department of Law, Khanrinla spoke on issues of "Gender, Judiciary and Law Enforcement."
Others, who spoke at the programme, included Advocate and Director, Youth Net, Kohima, Hekani Jakhalu, Jasmina and Dr Vinito from NSACS.
Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism and Women Development, Kaito Ayeh, who chaired the function, disclosed that the Women Commission Bill would be tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Rising voices for fair rights -Tribes at crossroads The Telegraph


What lies in store for tribal women? A Telegraph file picture
Noted writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi in an introductions to one of her books calls her Palamau a “mirror of India”.
When one looks deeper into the tribal belts of Jharkhand, one discovers many more such mirrors, which she will no doubt talk about too, if she takes part in the seminar “Tribal Women in contemporary India”, which will coincide with the congregation of tribal women in the state capital on March 17 and 18 under a social group Sangharshrathrat Adivasi Mahila Manch.
As one of the invitees, along with others like Nandini Sundar, professor from Delhi School of Economics, Sadhna Sinha, professor of Delhi University, writer Joya Mitra, Radha Iyer, a lawyer from New Zealand, among others, one does expect some insights from her, being not just a tribal activist, but also a woman.
For the focus is not just on tribal groups, but on their women, who continue to be marginalised, in spite of their very significant contributions to their families and social life.
At a time when strong tribal upheavals are taking place not just in Jharkhand, but in neighbouring states, too, over issues like tribal displacement and social, cultural and economic exploitation, it’s not surprising that a need is being felt to group together their women power, too.
And a formal announcement in this regard is likely to be made at the congregation, which does give an opportunity to take a fresh perspective on the issues, while looking back at some of the problems that have plagued them for ages.
To start with, one has some facts, not that they are startlingly revealing, which the Manch has put together in a rough survey report prepared to be presented at the meet.
When the report says that tribal women are still oppressed by “male chauvinistic practices” one’s well justified in asking what’s new about it. It’s something that’s well known, and sadly, not much protested either by society.
But if nothing else, it’s at least a refresher course, to remind one that while the world celebrates women’s day, there are women in remote belts, who still have no rights over their forest and cultivable lands. Towards which their contribution is no less than their men folk, as pointed out by Chandmuni, spokesperson for the Manch.
And according to another activist of the Manch, it’s not because these women do not have the will or courage to put up a fight.
“Tribal women are actively struggling against their exploitation throughout the country. History has been a witness to the militant struggles continuously waged by tribal women. Though away from cities and mainstream women’s movements, the courage and sacrifice of these tribal women are of great significance to all those who believe in social change,” he says, emphasising that it’s not lack of awareness or timidity that’s always the reason behind their sufferings.
Which, going by this report, and of course many others like these, is unquestionable. Deprived of health and educational facilities, the literacy rate among them is as low as 14.5 per cent, and:“ Though the government boasts of having welfare schemes and anganwadis, tribal children are dying in thousands due to malnutrition each year. Hundreds of tribals die of malaria but the government tries its best to hide these facts.”
Sexually abused by contractors, government officials and the police, they are also being increasingly lured to cities by touts and agents, an easy task, considering many of them are being displaced from their ancestral lands. Displacement apart, another allegation in the report is that there is a move to saffronise the tribal communities. All of which are causing tremendous changes in their traditional way of living, and the tremors of these changes are bound to be felt by all, directly or indirectly.
While it’s still to be known how strong the tremors are, the Manch claims that there’s an awakening and tribal women have given a clarion call to fight the landlords, money-lenders and the “state machinery of the ruling classes”, who have been exploiting them for long. And that they are in the forefront of the Naxalbari and Srikakulam movements.
The report, which also focussed on movements launched by tribal women, points out that the awakening is not unique to Jharkhand, but has been growing in other contemporary movements in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Maharashtra, too. It also says that:“Tribal women have active organisations in the north eastern states like Nagaland and Manipur. In the Narmada Valley, Kashipur and Kalingnagar, too, tribal women are agitating against imperialist backed projects and that by trying to crush these agitations with intense and brutal repression, the state has made its anti-tribal stand clear.”
With these facts and figures in hand, the Manch hopes to look for solutions. Salman Ravi
Bid to forge closer ties with Myanmar - Talks held on trans-border movement OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph


Singh: Optimistic
New Delhi, March 8: India and Myanmar have begun discussions for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the trans-border movement of people living along the international border.
There is already an understanding between the two neighbours which allows visa-free movement of people from both sides. But while India allows Myanmarese citizens to travel upto a distance of 40 km inside the border, Indian citizens are permitted to venture upto only 16 km.
“An MoU on the above issue is currently being discussed by the two countries,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informed the Lok Sabha in a written statement in reply to a question by Mahadeo Rao Shiwankar and Ashok Kumar Rawat.
Singh, however, did not specify a time frame within which the pact may be sealed.
As part of the Look East Policy, efforts are on to establish a closer relationship with Myanmar. Several projects to improve connectivity in the country through construction of roads have already been taken up by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which is in addition to plans to set up more trade marts in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
The need for a visa-free regime is mainly due to the fact that the same tribes like Nagas and Kuku-Chin-Mizo communities are found inhabiting the border region. The interaction between them is both economic and social which necessitates frequent visits from both sides.
An agreement could also help resolve disputes that arise from time to time involving the border communities. Not long ago, Myanmarese security forces allegedly committed atrocities on the residents of Ukhrul in Manipur.
Singh said Myanmar has agreed to a suggestion offered by India regarding facilities for joint interrogation and consular access to Indian insurgents apprehended in the neighbouring country.
Singh added that both sides have agreed to furnish details of Myanmar and Indian nationals arrested on drug-related issues immediately after their arrest so that follow-up action could be taken up simultaneously.
The Right to Deny Information (Tehelka)
The Central Information Commission has been a big disappointment so far. Mihir Srivastava examines the chaos and mismanagement that characterise its functioning
NGOs and individuals who have sought the CIC’s help to access government information feel that, so far, the whole exercise has been a non-starter. “CIC is an administrative mess. It is in a state of non-functioning,” claims Arvind Kejriwal of the Delhi-based NGO, Parivartan, which campaigns for transparent and accountable governance.
Facts support Kejriwal’s contention. The CIC received 216 applications in the last four months, and so far, its four commissioners with their support staff of 18, have managed to clear only 10 cases. By contrast, the Public Grievance Commission, which performs the same role in Delhi, and draws its power from the Delhi Right to Information Act of 2001, has decided on 214 appeals between October 1, 2005 and February 15, 2006. It has just one member, with a support staff of six, who deals with RTI applications only on a part-time basis. “If CIC is going to function at this dismal pace, applications are going to pile up, there will be a long waiting period (and), the efficacy of CIC as a supervising body will be severely undermined,” says Kejriwal.
In fact, there have been major administrative lapses in the way the CIC has been going about its work. “I was not getting response to the complaint I filed with CIC, and there was no clear word from the staff on the status of my complaint. So I decided to use the RTI Act to seek the list of all the applications and complaints received by the CIC,” says Manish Sisodia, an RTI activist.
The list given to Sisodia came with a rider: “While every attempt has been made to include all applications, there is possibility of overlooking application and complaints made by e-mail.” The obvious question here is whether a complaint sent by e-mail will be considered by the CIC.
As a subsequent check revealed, a number of filed applications were not in Sisodia’s list — including three filed by Arvind Kejriwal, and one each by Shekhar Singh and Madhu Bhaduri. None of these applications was e-mailed — each one was submitted in person. “It is a serious situation if the CIC is not able to keep a record of complaints and application it has received,” says Kejriwal. “My application could not be traced, it has been lost by the CIC.”
“There is still no system and procedure in place. There is no clear word from the commission as to where the application will be registered, when the notice will be sent, and when the hearing will take place,” complains Shekhar Singh, convener of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), which helped draft the RTI Bill.
The selection of the information commissioners has also not been done according to the criteria specified by the Act, at least not in spirit. According to the RTI Act: “(the) Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners shall be persons of eminence in public life with wide knowledge and experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance.” But, four of the five information commissioners, including the CIC, are retired bureaucrats. Former chief secretaries of the respective states head most sics. “There is conflict of interest involved in appointing retired bureaucrats as information commissioners,” says Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
“In the original Bill, we had sought a retired high court judge to head the CIC and sics. The Chief Justice of India was to be part of the appointment committee, along with the prime minister and leader of the opposition. This was shot down by the government in the final draft,” says Singh. “The RTI Act is (about fostering) a new mindset in the way people interact with the government. But if you appoint erstwhile bureaucrats, who essentially have the same dna, as information commissioners, the whole objective gets defeated,” argues Madhu Bhaduri, a right to information activist who is a retired bureaucrat herself. Bhaduri, served in the Indian Foreign Service for 30 years plus, and happens to be a batchmate of Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah.
“The only advantage of having bureaucrats as commissioners is that they can put to use their rich experience in government in putting in place procedures and practices,” says Singh. Kejriwal, however, is pessimistic. “But that too has not happened. I see it as a bureaucratic conspiracy to dislodge this Act,” he says.
It is evident that the bureaucratic apathy has seeped into the CIC’s functioning. The second decision delivered by the commission clearly shows shows that it is out of its depth. The decision was on a complaint filed by Madhu Bhaduri on December 16, 2005, against the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
The CIC did not inform Bhaduri on time when her application was going to be heard, and passed its order ex-parte. “I was not informed about the date of hearing. In fact, I was told by a friend that the order had already been passed and was posted on the CIC website. They (CIC) did not think it necessary to give me a hearing before deciding the matter, basing it entirely on the submission made by DDA. I received the copy of the order only 10 days later,” says Bhaduri.
But that is not all. One of Bhaduri’s complaints against DDA concerned the organisation’s refusal to accept any request for information under the RTI Act unless it was filled out in a form issued by DDA for the purpose. In a review of her petition, the CIC agreed that the RTI Act does not mandate that a request for seeking any information from a government organisation has to be made out in a prescribed form. It can just as well be written down on a plain sheet. But, at the same time, the CIC held that DDA or any other government body was free to issue forms for the purpose.
Bhaduri points out that this is clearly an instance of a muddled ruling. “What is the point then in introducing a form, allowing each organisation to have its own form, and create another bureaucratic hurdle?” she asks.
The applicants also complain that that the commissioners favour government agencies. CIC Wajahat Habibullah explains the problems in the CIC’s functioning, as teething troubles and promises that all will be in order soon. Looking at the first four months, he has his work cut out for him. (Tehelka)
Nagaland Post
A disturbing picture
What is happening in the Nagaland University is most unfortunate as it cannot be ignored. Agitations, sit-in demonstrations, picketing etc have virtually disrupted its functioning. The Nagaland University Teacher's Association (NUTA), the Post Graduate Student's Union(PGSU),Nagaland University Non-Teacher's Staff Association have been demanding a probe into various allegations against the Vice Chancellor and other officials touching almost the whole gamut of the system of finance, management and administration of the University. The issues were widely publicized through the local newspapers more than a year back. The teachers and students had demanded CBI probe into various irregularities to the Ministry of Human Resources Development and also urging the Visitor (President of India),to recall back the vice chancellor. The merits of the case rests on the plea that the allegations were based on authentic documents pertaining to the case of assets worth around Rs.20 crore procured during past years which are untraced. The other is gross financial irregularity committed allegedly by the vice chancellor Prof.G.D.Sharma and other officials in making several fixed deposits of the Rs.7 crore allotted for recruitment of teachers for the proposed engineering college and management institute. The interest accrued out of the deposits was over Rs.31 lakh. Prof. Sharma was reported to have replied to the MHRD, when complaint was lodged, that the amount could not be utilized as no suitable local candidates were available for recruitment. If so, then it was in itself a perjury and totally unbecoming of a person supposed to head a sacrosanct academic body. There are also several complaints against Prof.G.D.Sharma over alleged favoritism and nepotism etc. The point is that Prof. Sharma was unacceptable to the teachers and students in the very first place as they deemed him to be too" junior" in experience for such a high post as the vice chancellor of a University. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)under the then NDA had apparently not taken various complaints against the vice chancellor and some officials over alleged maladministration, corruption and machinations and manipulations seriously. Whether this was because the coterie had stymied these queries or because the incumbent had backing ? As a consequence, of the goings-on, the teachers and students had compelled the vice chancellor to tender his resignation on February 28 and which he did. However, the university teachers who went to New Delhi discovered that Prof.Sharma had on March 2, again withdrawn his resignation. It may also be pointed out that Prof.Sharma has so far, tendered three resignations. As of today, the entire functioning of the University has come to a grinding halt and for which thousands of students are suffering. On the other hand, it needs to be reminded that all the blame cannot be apportioned to one person. If it is so, then it would be like attempting to treat the symptoms and not the disease.
Witnesses testify as rally protest ‘rapes’ Correspondent &Staff Reporter Sangai Express
Lamka, Mar 8: : A massive protest rally was staged at Churachandpur district headquarters today to denounce the alleged rape of Lungthulien, Parbung and Torbung women folk by cadres of an underground organisation.
during the protest march held under the aegis of Joint Women Organisation, churachandpur the rallyists, including a large number of students, carried placards and banners written ‘Joint Women Organi- sation strongly condemns the rape of Tipaimukh Hmar women by UNLF cadres,’ 'Joint women organisation wants a strong Government that protects the life of innocent civilians’, ‘Hey UNLF is rape your goal’ etc.
The protest march starting from Churachandpur public ground and snaking through IB Road, Tiddim Road assembled near the Deputy Commissioner’s office located at Tuibong where a memorandum was handed over to the DC for submission to the Chief Minister.
Churachandpur district SP was also present when the memorandum was handed over.
One person who claimed to be an eye witness to the sordid rape recounted the incident at the public ground, while another two eye witnesses gave their testimonies to DC AK Sinha.
Effigy of the Chief Minister was also burnt by the protestors.
briefing mediapersons after the rally, president of Hmar Women Association JL Sawimi stated that a formal complaint would be lodged to the police besides intimating the national Human Rights Commission and Manipur Human Rights Commission on the issue.
Listing demands of the women body, she said Government forces be deployed in areas where the incident took place on priority basis, experts be pressed into service to clear landmines planted in nearby villages, rehabilitation of the victims, payment of compensation to the tune of Rs 5 lakhs each and stringent punishment to the guilty.
Talking to The Sangai Express on the sideline of the protest march, CCpur SP Lahri Dorjee disclosed that Parbung police have registered 10 cases and firm instruction have been issued to the officer- in-Charge to be present at the affected village.
He, however, maintained that statements of the victims had not yet been recorded as they had moved to Mizoram.
two eye witnesses - Levis Hmar (21) and Khawphuithar Hmar (21) of Lungthulien village - were also produced before media persons.
according to Levis the UG cadres descended at the village after dusk and assaulted the menfolk after forcing them to lie flat on the ground.
After separating the men, some women were taken towards the nearby bushes and inside the houses from where cries were heard, she said. She, however, could not recall the particular day when the incident took place.
On being questioned, the two girls conveyed that assaulters identified themselves as UNLF cadres and added that they (villagers) had never expected such behaviour as UNLF cadres had always been kind and considerate whenever they stayed at the village. When urged to comment on clarification/denial issued by the UNLF which was carried by State dailies today, president of the Hmar Women Association contended that she personally was not a witness to the alleged incident but was conveying what she had been informed by the affected villagers.
On the other hand one Zoramlien (55) of Lungthulien village who also addressed the congregation informed that the villagers ran out from their homes on hearing gunshots at around 8-9 pm of January 16 and saw the underground cadres. He, nevertheless maintained that he personally did not witness any unruly conduct from the intruders.
meanwhile, the women organisation’s memorandum forwarded to the CM also contained names of eight victims of landmine blasts and nine villagers who suffered varying degree of injuries in the said blast.
During the rally leaders of various women organization called on all to condemn the incident which was nothing short of defiling womanhood. Despite the fact that Tribals and Meitei are living under the same roof and are engaged in inter-community marriage it is a disgrace that tribal women should be raped in such inhuman action. “Earlier traps were set to kill wild animals, but now traps are being set all around to destroy our lives; raped and assaulted as if we are animals,” thundered one of the women. Addressing rallyists who turned up at his office to submit a memorandum, DC CCpur AK Sinha said, he had referred the matter to the highest level. He also expressed solidarity with the people and shared their grievances and promised to address them in as far as his capacity sanctions.
Kalam’s Myanmar visit to boost ‘Look East’ policy Assam Tribune
YANGON, March 8 – Seeking to give a new impetus to India’s ‘Look East’ policy, President APJ Abdul Kalam arrived here today on a three-day visit to Myanmar during which the two sides will firm up accords on enhancing cooperation in energy and space, reports PTI. Kalam was warmly received at the Yangon International airport by Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than Shwe after the President’s arrival here on the first leg of his two-nation tour which will also take him to Mauritius.

India attaches great importance to its relations with Myanmar as New Delhi has high stakes in that country, particularly as it was the “gateway” to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

While remaining engaged with Myanmar, India favours restoration of multi-party democracy there and early release of pro-democracy leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

“For various reasons it is important for India and Myanmar to remain engaged. While we remain engaged does it mean that we don’t care about democracy in Myanmar. No,” Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters.

With hydrocarbon-starved India interested in energy supplies from wherever it can get, the two sides will sign an agreement on evacuation of natural gas from Arakan port of Myanmar, either through a pipeline via North East or Bangladesh.

An option of coverting the gas into Liquefied Natural Gas for shipping is also under consideration as it would be cost-effective considering that the distance was not too much.
ONGC drilling work suspended From our Correspondent Sentinel
AGARTALA, March 8: Oil Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has deferred drilling work in Bay of Bengal off the Sagar Island of Sunderland in Eastern India with the objection from Environment and Wildlife Protection bodies. Highly placed sources in ONGC said that they had taken all out initiatives to start off sore drilling in the Island and a ship was allotted for the purpose but finally it was suspended a few days back, as a group of environmentalists requested them to reschedule the work.
According to sources, the environmentalists pointed out thousands of Olive Ridley comes in the Island for breeding during pre-monsoon months where ONGC identified the site for drilling. Once drilling in the Island starts the species face serious threat and their reproduction activities will be hampered”, they contented. Finally, ONGC was compelled to stop drilling work temporarily and as a result, it calculated about hundred crore rupees that was invested for transportation of equipment as well as creation of basic infrastructure, sources said. Meanwhile, ONGC planned to further expansion of drilling sites in Tripura and has identified about 20 sites in Western and Southern part of the State. It had already drilled 115 wells and found gas in 55.
The management has decided to set up at least three gas collection centres at in the State and initiated work for laying flow lines to connect all the gas wells and trunk pipe line to ferry the gas to the power plant and small scale industries in Tripura. They however, indicated that the capacity of Palatana, gas-based power plant, might be increased to 1100 MW in view of the availability of gas in the State, expected to be operational by mid 2008.
It may be mentioned that at present, ONGC is investing Rs 160 crore in Tripura every year but incurring annual loss of Rs 75 crore. Its daily production is 1.5 million cubic metres, less than one-third of its present production potential. Surveys undertaken by the PSU showed that Tripura has an estimated 26 billion cubic metres of recoverable gas reserves underground.
Make stand clear on burning issues: AASU By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, March 8: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) is preparing a set of questionnaires for the political parties of the State to clear their stands on the burning issues of the State before the Assembly elections. The political parties’ responses to the questions on issues like the foreigners problem, amendment to the Foreigners Act, unemployment, insurgency etc., according to AASU leaders, will help people make the right choice in the election.
Talking to The Sentinel, AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya said today that the student body had no influence, whatsoever, on any political parties. It was the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) to decide who should get AGP tickets in the Assembly election, he said, and added: “If the AGP wants to make it to Dispur, it has to give tickets to those who have maximum chances of win, and if they don’t want, they can give tickets to whoever they like. It is the prerogative of the parties to decide, and the student body has no role, whatsoever, to play here.”
He said that if the present breed of AASU leaders set a precedent by influencing political parties in their decision making, a lot of problems might be created in future.
Though Samujjal reiterated that the student body had no influence on the political parties in the State, yet sources said that AGP ticket aspirants continued to move AASU leaders to get their berths in the candidates’ list of the regional party ‘booked’ or at least they believed that the student body had much to do in the decision making of the regional party. Samujjal’s closeness with his one-time colleague in the AASU, Sarbananda |Sonowal, may also be one of the reasons behind the AGP ticket aspirants to have such a mindset.