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08/11/2006: "Centre will not intervene in NBSE affiliation case’ Manipur Minister appeals to Naga NGOs to withdraw the campaign Newmai News Network"

Centre will not intervene in NBSE affiliation case’ Manipur Minister appeals to Naga NGOs to withdraw the campaign Newmai News Network Imphal | August 10
Manipur Education Minister, L Nandakumar Singh today said that the Union HRD Minister, Arjun Singh promised a ministerial delegation led by him that the Union Human Resource Ministry would not intervene in the school affiliation-demand by Naga organizations in Manipur.
The Ministerial delegation called on Arjun Singh in Delhi on August 7. The delegation also met Union Minister Oscar Fernandez, who is heading the Indian team that has been negotiating with NSCN (IM), the next day. The team also comprised Manipur’s Public Works Minister, Govindas Konthoujam, Lok Sabha MP Dr. Thokchom Meinya Singh and senior officials of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur. The delegation returned to Imphal yesterday.
Briefing media persons this afternoon on the delegations’ meeting with the Union Ministers the Education Minister said that both Arjun Singh and Fernandez gave the assurance that they would not interfere in the issue.
“The HRD Minister gave a patient hearing. He told us that education is a state subject and it is the state’s problem, which is to be solved by the state,” Arjun Singh promised the delegation.
The delegation also told Fernadez that Manipur government would strongly oppose any move to allow affiliation of Manipur’s schools to Nagaland board and also to teach Nagaland textbooks. The delegation clarified to the Central Ministers that the Manipur government does not impose Meitei script as claimed by Naga NGOs.
“We told the ministers that ten tribal dialects are being taught in schools. Besides, students are allowed to opt for Roman script if they do not want to opt for Meitei script. Fernandez demanded some data and I promised him to provide them, “Nandkumar said.
Nandakumar claimed that Naga NGOs have been “terrorizing” guardians to force them accept Nagaland textbooks. Guardians and school authorities are objecting to the proposal. Those who opposed the idea are being threatened, the Education Minister said.
The Minister appealed to Naga NGOs to withdraw the campaign saying that it would only damage the careers of thousands of students as Manipur government would not recognize the certificate of Manipur schools affiliated to Nagaland board. He however said that there is no report that schools in the four Naga dominated schools are teaching Nagaland textbooks. He said the government is ready to extend help to students in private schools of the four districts if they want to transfer to government schools.
FGN commander escapes life-attempt The Morung Express
Dimapur, August 10 (MExN): An FGN battalion commander was reportedly abducted by cadres of the NSCN-IM on June 21 at a store at Old NST, Kohima and an attempt to kill him was made after being stripped of all his belonging including Rs 12,000 in cash. According to Yanglise Sangtam, ‘19th Battalion 7 Brigade, Eastern Command’, he was abducted by NSCN-IM cadres and taken to New Market area to eliminate him. “They seized all my belongings i.e., Scooter, watch, jacket, pistol, hand grenade and Rs 12,000. After taking all my belongings they put death sentence check in my pocket by writing my name, father’s name and battalion unit address” stated Sangtam in a release. “Irrespecting (sic) the ceasefire they were about to kill me but by grace of Almighty God I escaped from their hand by jumping through the window.
While trying to run away from them, they fired seven bullets to kill me” he stated adding that such kind of act while the process of crucial peace talks is on, is unacceptable in Naga society. “We the NNC/FGN never determine to kill fellow Nagas but always trying to bring peace and tranquility I Nagaland. This (act of killing) is the handiwork of few people who are always after the blood of fellow Nagas” he stated.
Zunheboto tense after clash Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, AUG 10 (NPN): Situation in Zunheboto district and adjoining areas are reported to be very tense in the aftermath of yesterday's factional clash between the rival NSCN factions in which two NSCN (K) cadre were killed. Official sources said one cadre succumbed to his injuries bringing the toll to two. Sources also said restoration of normalcy would be difficult in view of the present prevailing situation in the area.
All eyes are now focused on the June 14 resolution in which NGOs of Zunheboto district under the initiative of Sumi Hoho brought about the hard earned peace agreement.
The final answer lies in the June 14 agreement but tolerance has its price, said an elderly leader.
Meanwhile, the NSCN-K has asserted that the rival faction should not paralyse its thin chance of future but should pave the way to NSCN-K. However, the choice leis with the Sumi people, the NSCN-K said. The NSCN-K in a statement also said it is prepared for any eventuality adding the dead of two patriotic souls cannot be buried just like that.
"Terrorists have to be taught a lesson," the statement asserted and called upon the Nagas to uproot them if "killing is the ambition of the rivals."
The NSCN-K further accused the state chief minister Neiphiu Rio of being the "black man in the history of the Nagas" for branding the ongoing peace parleys between the GoI and NSCN-IM as proceeding in the right direction. The NSCN-K said Rio should be "answerable to the Naga generations to come."
AAUD appeals
The Akuluto Area Union Dimapur (AAUD) has termed Wednesday's factional clash in Sutemi village as unfortunate and appealed to all underground faction to exercise maximum restraint in public places. AAUD president Inaka Assumi and general secretary Vitoho Chophy in a press release said such clashes in public places disturb the peaceful atmosphere and co-existence.
The union had convened an emergency of its office bearers and advisory board on Thursday to discuss the factional clash in which two NSCN-K cadre were reportedly killed by the rival faction.
5 UG groups announce boycott for August 15 Newmai News Network Imphal | August 10
Five rebel groups of North East today announced that they will boycott the Independence Day celebrations on August 15 and also called a general strike on this day from 1 am to 5.30 pm to enforce the boycott. The rebel groups are Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO), Manipur Peoples Liberation Front (MPLF), National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT), Tripura Peoples Democratic Front (TPDF) and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The organizations issued a joint statement in Imphal today.
The statement appealed to the people in the region to cast aside international differences and forge solidarity against the “common enemy” by making the boycott and general strike a complete success. The statement further said that the government of India has adopted a new tactic to suppress the ‘liberation struggle’ by offering “to discuss core issues” and not specifically mentioning the restoration of the sovereignty and independence in order to trap vulnerable organizations in the dialogue process. This bait has not found any taker, it added.
Affiliation may create more problems: NPCC Kuknalim.com
DIMAPUR, Aug 10:: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has expressed apprehension that any hasty decision on the issue of affiliation of schools in the four districts of Manipur to the Nagaland Board of School Education, NBSE...

would lead to misunderstanding between people of the two states. The NPCC expressed concern over the issue in a release dispatched to the local papers based in Nagaland, a report from Dimapur said. The release also highlighted the problems to be faced by the students with the sudden imposition of NBSE syllabus without any infrastructure or knowing the norms of NBSE.
It stated that it would also adversely affect outside students if the NBSE syllabus is suddenly imposed and questioned the wisdom of the Consultative Committee for Peace (CCP) in resolving the request to the Union ministry of human resource development (MHRD) to consider the appeal of the Nagas living in contiguous Naga inhabited areas of Manipur for affiliation of their schools to the NBSE. Questioning whether a particular state board of education has the authority to exercise in another state`s education matters, it asked if the state government was prepared to provide stipends and grant-in-aids to students and schools of the hills districts after affiliation.

It further felt that one has also to look into the constitutional aspect of introducing "our regional languages in school syllabus of other states."
The release also demanded that the NBSE should come out openly with norms and rules if private schools from outside the state "can get affiliation", whether those schools would have examination centres in their areas and the practical difficulties and limitations in exercising powers on schools outside the state.

It recalled that some years back a student hailing from the hill districts of Manipur, whose parent is an official employee in Nagaland and who topped the merit list of HSLC exam conducted by NBSE, was denied awards on the basis that she was not a Naga from Nagaland.
"Affiliating the private schools of those places may only lead to misunderstanding between people of the two states. There may be conflict of minds amongst the students who are studying in government schools and private schools with different states` syllabus," the release signed by its president Hokheto Sumi said. It also conveyed the Congress` respect of the desire and sentiments of the people of both states and cautioned the state government that affiliating the private schools of another state would add more problems to the state. (Imphal Free Press)

Manipur schools adopting NBSE syllabus will be derecognised, says edu minister The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Aug 10: The state education minister has affirmed that the frontal organisations of the Nagas which were under the active dictate of the NSCN (IM) must be held responsible for the consequences of the expected loss of students careers in the four hill districts inhabited mainly by Nagas in connection with the move for the affiliation of private schools in these four districts to the Nagaland Board of School Education, NBSE.
The education minister disclosing this at a press conference held this evening at congress Bhavan in Imphal, further mentioned that, at no point of time, there will be any possibility of the private schools adopting the syllabus of NBSE in the state as per the rules of the nation.

The minister further said that the state government is well aware of the fact that some of the Naga frontal organisations including the student bodies have been forcing the students and parents of those studying in the private schools in the districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel to start learning the textbooks prescribed by the NBSE under the keen dictate of the underground NSCN (IM). This has created a major apprehension since the last few months in the state. On the other hand, the state government has its own education policy which the neighbouring states and even the centre have no right to interfere in, he said.
Apart from this the state government has its own clear cut stand to derecognise the private schools which have started teaching textbooks prescribed by the Nagaland board as also the equivalent certificates provided by such private schools, the minister added.

Narrating the outcome of the recent meeting of the delegates from the state led by him with the Union minister for human resource development, Arjun Singh, he said, he along with state works minster T Phungzathang and Lok Sabha MP T Meinya met the Union minister on August 7 at New Delhi, during which they were clearly informed by the Union minister that he had not given any commitment to the Naga bodies of the state on the affiliation issue.

The education minister further said that the Naga bodies under the strong dictate of NSCN (IM) submitted their report to the union HRD ministry that the Naga students were forced to learn Meitei Mayek in the schools. However, during the meeting with Arjun Singh he had made it clear that as per the state education policy the tribal students were given optional subjects to choose for the matriculate and class XII exams. He said the state government had never forced the tribal students in the hill districts to learn Meitei Mayek. The education minister further mentioned that on August 8 the same state delegates met the general secreatry, north east in-charge Oscar Fernandez of the Congress and narrated the same points. Recollecting the recent reports over the issue, the education minister L Nandakumar further mentioned that the state government had heard of the strong pressure and threats being given by some of the Naga apex bodies like UNC, TKS and ANSAM to the guardians of students and private schools in the four hill districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong to accept their move for learning of textbooks prescribed by the NBSE. in this regard the state government will take necessary action, he said adding that there is still no offical report of teaching of textbooks prescribed by the NBSE in any of the recognised private schools in the four hill districts of the state.

Finally, the state education minister, clarifying on the recent reports of acceptance given by the five Naga MLAs, including some Naga MLAs from the ruling congress, to the moves of the Naga bodies damanding affiliation said that these MLAs had given their personal views and did not represent the view of the congress party or the state government.
UNLF claims, SF refutes Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Aug 10 : The proscribed UNLF today claimed that three per-sonnel of the 16 Assam Rifles under 26 Sector were killed when the Assam Rifles troops attacked an MPA camp at Khenjoi in Chandel today. A spokesman of the outfit informed the press that the AR troops attacked the camp of the MPA at Khenjoi today at about 2 pm. The attack was however thwarted and in the ensuing gun fight three AR men were killed, claimed the spo-kesman. The PRO of PIB Defence Wing however refuted the claim of the UNLF and said that the troops did not suffer any injuries or fatal casual-ties. Operation is still underway, he added.
What ails Manipur? By Lt Col. H. Bhuban Singh (Retd) Sangai Express editorial
The above is the question, I am asking to myself repeatedly. There are now many ailments inflicted on Manipur, like taunting our Chief Minister with festoons like ‘Welcome to South Nagalim’, corruption at high places, insurgency, failure of power supply for months when transformers are under repair, supply of dirty and unhygienic water by Public Health Engineering Department and its carefree wastage into drains by the public, fear of territorial disintegration of Manipur, frequent economic blockades, bandhs and hartals, deteriorating law and order situation, drug menace and consequent spread of HIV/AIDS, bad roads and bridges, rising unemployment level etc, etc. An article like this containing about 800 - 1000 words cannot deal with all the problems, indicated above. Therefore, please allow me to pick up only three problems which I consider commanded high priority. These are:-
(a) Territorial integrity of Manipur.
(b) insurgency problem, and
(c) Drug menace and its concomitant HIV/AIDS and social disorder.
Now, let us take up ‘territorial integrity’. Public opinion on this differs. One school of thought believes that if some of our tribal brothers and sisters want to break away, let them do so. Why quarrel and antagonize them? They argue that there are so many small States and Union Territories in India, which are not only existing but thriving too. For example, the State of Goa, Daman and Diu with 1426 square miles of territory, having two MP (LS) is an advanced State. “Goanese are playing big roles in mainstream India. Oscar Fernandes is a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers and is also representing the Prime Minister in peace talks with NSCN (IM). Pondichery with 185 square miles of Union Territory is doing very well. Lakshadweep (old Lacca-dive), Minicoy and Amin-divi Islands is also a Union Territory, with one MP (LS). Some small islands have a half square mile of area and are just a dot on the map. But they have produced a Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers. Your shine or dimness depends entirely on your calibre and performance, everyone will opine. So, let a clean valley State of Manipur with about 870 square miles remain. What is the problem? There is one single problem - that is NSCN(I-M) and their agenda of Nagalim which envisages of an independent or, semi-independent country of nearly 1,00,000 square kilometres. They want to expand Naganess to areas which were earlier non-Naga. The bluff of affiliation of schools to NSBE of Nagaland instead of BSEM (Board of Secondary Education Manipur), paying of house-tax to Government of India direct, and display of disrespectful banner of welcome to Manipur Chief Minister at Senapati and Ukhrul, are all converging to the Nagalim agenda.
According to social evolution theory, about which I had written earlier, mankind started life on this planet in caves and dug-outs. Because of fear of wild animals and other enemies, groups of families of brothers, cousins, uncles etc stayed together forming a clan. Several clans together formed a tribe. Now, since mankind communicate with one another, howsoever small the tribe may be, they developed a language. To perpetuate tribe history, customs, laws etc, some progressive tribes developed a script with which they wrote on stones, copper plates, papers made out of barks of trees etc. Though many such tribes might be fighting among themselves for supremacy, but because they had common historical and genetic origin, they formed a sub-nation or a nation. Genghis Khan united all Mongol tribes and sub-nations to form the then great Mongol nation which conquered almost the entire known world in the thirteenth century, when North America, South America, Australia were unknown and Africa, though known then, was not explored. Therefore, traces of Mongol culture, tradition and ethnic content etc will be found now in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and in some Slovakian countries of Europe. Coming back to Naga-lim agenda, I shall have the cheek to say that there is no tribe known as Nagas. British rulers called a conglomerate of various tribes as Nagas and Hill district known as Naga Hills District of Assam. Because, they all spoke different languages, they developed a common language called Nagamese, which is a mixture of Hindi and Assamese, then spoken by Assamese Babus who worked in civil administration of Naga Hills District. Therefore, the Naga nation, without a common language is a myth. Nagas meaning the Lothas, Aos, Angamis etc exist today as peoples who live in Nagaland, just like Apa-tanis, Daflas, Mishims, Adis, Monpas etc are all Arunachalis now. Incidentally, Arunachalis have scored a point over us by having Hindi or English as their State languages. Almost all Arunachalis speak workable Hindi, and they communicate among themselves in Hindi.
Another aspect is that the Nagalim agenda has international support. There are now established platforms known as Naga International Support Centres at London, the Hague, Cologne, and recently Berlin too. American Baptist Church, Atlanta is active for Naga cause. Washington has Carter Institute of Emery studies. There are also well-known domestic supporters of NSCN(I-M) cause in Delhi too, who openly plead for amalgamation of Ukhrul and Sen-apati to Nagaland, on give and take principle; to pro-gress with the peace talks. This will be only give, no take. Suicidal, it will be. Incidentally, I am not sure if cease-fire is extended to Manipur, the extension of which caused the June 18 uprising. A few years back, some. NSCN (I-M) leaders with weapons were caught by Manipur Police at Tamei. Delhi intervened and they were let off honourably. Recently on 25 July, 2006, NSCN (I-M) cadres overpowered Ukhrul policemen and fled with arrested colleagues from the court complex of CJM, Ukhrul.
This needs explaining as to how armed NSCN(I-M) cadres existed at Ukh-rul. Can’t North Block and South Block see through the grandiose Nagalim project of over 1,00,000 square kilometres of area? Phizo cried for independent Naga Hills only and died in London. But because of his long distance pressure guided by unseen hands, he was able to amalgamate Tuensang Division of erstwhile NEFA to Naga Hills and the district came to be known as Naga Hills and Tuensang District. That was around 1957. All quiet for some time. Then pressure again for full-fledged Statehood within the Republic of India. A magnanimous a climb-down from independence, so thought India. Thus Naga Hills and Tuensang District was granted Statehood in 1963, whereas Manipur earned Statehood after years of agitation only in January 1972. Inclusion of Dimapur railhead from Assam to the new State of Nagaland was foreign brain.
Now, Phiizo’s vision was picked up by Isac and Muivah. They will die after a decade or two, but perhaps after adding Ukhrul and Senapati to a small Nagalim, provided GOI appeasing. Then, there will be some peace, but not for long. After sometime the Naga cause will flare up being picked up by someone else. Inch by inch they will move ahead. There is no hurry for them. So, after a peaceful period of twenty or thirty years, greater Nagalim project will get revived with stronger foreign support. Then perhaps, Chandel and Churachandpur districts will go the NSCN way. Things will continue like this till the Reangs and the Chakmas of Arakan Hill Tracts become converted as Nagas. Once the rebels capture the sea-port of Chittagong, American ships will get berthed there and neither India nor Bangladesh can do anything.

ULFA, Govt engaged in blame game By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Aug 10 – The future of the move to bring the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table has become uncertain with both the Government and the militant outfit blaming each other for the delay in carrying forward the peace process and official sources admitted that both sides would have to show some flexibility for the success of the move. The People’s Consultative Group (PCG), formed by the ULFA to hold initial parleys with the Government to pave the way for direct talks, blamed the Centre for the delay in carrying forward the peace process and said that the Government would be solely responsible if the peace process fails. On the other hand, official sources maintained that the Government is keen on talks but for the success of the move, the ULFA would have to show some flexibility.

Highly placed official sources said that the ULFA should get in direct contact with the Government to carry forward the peace process and it would be difficult for the Government to accept the conditions put forward by the outfit without any direct communication. The PCG alleged that in the last round of talks between the Government of India and PCG, the Government assured to consider favourably the demand for release of five jailed leaders of the ULFA in consultation with the State Government, but now the Government imposed fresh conditions for the same.

However, official sources said that it would be difficult for the Government to release the jailed leaders of the ULFA without receiving any direct communication from the outfit. “The Government is answerable to the people of the country and if the ULFA backs out of the process after the release of the jailed leaders, the Government would have to face the consequences. The ULFA must send a formal communication assuring that it would come for talks to enable the Government to favourably consider the demand for release of the jailed leaders,” sources added.
Condition of women in Mizo society ‘pathetic’ Sentinel
AIZAWL, Aug 10 (UNI): Teachers and fathers are the main perpetrators of psychological torture against adolescent girls and ‘never married women’ in Mizoram.
The latest report about 'Crime against women in Mizoram' conducted by the Aizawl-based Human Rights and Law Network (HRLN), sponsored by National Women’s Commission, revealed that teachers and fathers were involved in most of the crimes against women in the State.
The researcher, Ms Lalhlimpuii, said here today that the condition of women in the Mizo society was very 'pathetic' as psychological violence takes place most often in homes and school settings and the male members of the family and teachers are involved in such crimes.
“It is concerning that Mizoram has the second highest crime rate against women in the NE states. On an average, police registers one case in three days. This shows that women in the Mizo society face great problems”, Ms Lalhlimpuii said. She said the most common form of violence against the adolescent girls was being pushed or shoved or pulled by the hair whereas i was use of weapons or a threat to use a weapon was the common form of violence for ‘never married’ women in Mizo society.
Reacting to the report of sexual exploitation and rapes committed by teachers community, Mizoram Secondary Teachers Association lambasted the researchers and urged them to carry out extensive study on the issue before accusing any particular community. The research also revealed that eve teasing was a big problem faced by adolescents and never married women in the State. 75.81 per cent of adolescents in the research had experienced eve teasing while 42.63 percent of never married women experienced it.
According to police record, the crime rate against women had steadily gone up between 2001 to 2003. While cases registered in this respect were 114 in 2001, this rose to 136 in 2002 and to 219 in 2003.The report said, instead of lodging complaints and reporting the incidents against women to the authority, people used to make compromises or conciliations between them on the Christian principle of ‘forgive and forget’, which is the main obstacle to reveal the exact statistics of women atrocities in Mizoram.
Stress on unity among different ethnic groups Sentinel
IMPHAL, Aug 10 (Agencies): An open discussion on ‘Demand for an informal adoption of Nagaland Board curriculum and syllabus by some schools in Manipur and future of students involved’ held recently at Imphal organized by AMSU and DESAM resolved to appeal to all sections of the people of Manipur to refrain from entangling in ethnic politics with education so as to prevent future damage to the students community.
After minute discussions and deliberations, the open discussion resolved to urge the Government of Manipur to settle the matter immediately and positively with transparency. It also resolved to organize mass campaigns throughout the state with a view to bring about love, understanding, sympathy, peaceful coexistence and unity among communities through mass media, group discussion, street corner meetings etc. The open discussion also resolved to urge the concerned authority to make a comparative analysis of the curriculum and syllabus including textbooks prescribed by the BSEM and NBSE for taking up further course of action.
Among other resolutions arrived at the open discussion, a joint task force of AMSU and DESAM is to be formed for materialising all the resolutions. Earlier, giving the key note address of the open discussion, LC Santosh of DESAM said the matter of adopting Nagaland Board textbooks in schools in the four hill districts of the state needs to be discussed extensively at the present time to arrive at an amicable solution to avoid any unfortunate incidents in future. It is highly questionable whether the students in four hill districts really want to affiliate their schools to Nagaland board or whether the students are being instigated by some communal forces, Santosh said maintaining that there was no dearth of forces trying to sow the seeds of communal hatred amongst different communities in the State.