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08/22/2006: "Khaplang modifies quit notice OUR CORRESPONDENTThe Telegraph"

Khaplang modifies quit notice OUR CORRESPONDENT nThe Telegraph
Kohima, Aug. 20: The Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland today clarified that its “quit notice” to Tangkhuls was directed only at “bloodthirsty criminals” and not the entire community.
Rebel leader Kitovi Zhimomi, ato kilonser (prime minister) in the NSCN (K) hierarchy, said though the council of kilonsers (ministers) had issued a “quit notice” to all Tangkhuls living in Nagaland, the community would not be targeted indiscriminately.
Zhimomi said the outfit would ensure that “innocent” Tangkhuls came to no harm. “We will not commit the mistake of harming innocent Tangkhuls. However, they should take precautionary measures,” the NSCN (K) leader said.
He asked “innocent” Tangkhuls to shift to safer places to avoid being mistaken for “criminals”.
In an oblique reference to the outfit’s rival faction, the NSCN (I-M), Zhimomi said his organisation stood for peace and unity among the Nagas but another section had “unfortunately” rejected such an ideal. This, he said, had fanned dissent in Naga society.
Zhimomi said the NSCN (K) would not sit idle and allow the NSCN (I-M) to continue to massacre them and the council of kilonsers had thus decided to fight any force perceived as inimical to the Nagas.
The NSCN (K) served its “quit notice” on Tangkhuls from Manipur on August 17, accusing them of masterminding terrorism. The group said the move was an attempt to preserve peace and unity in the state.
Supporters of the NSCN (I-M), whose secretary Thuingaleng Muivah is a Tangkhul, accused the rival group of trying to derail the peace talks with the Centre.
NSCN (K) to spare `innocent` Tangkhuls from quit notice The Imphal Free Press

Kohima, Aug 21 : Close on the heels of issuing "Quit Notice" to the Tangkhuls in Nagaland, the NSCN-K said none of the innocent Tangkhuls would be targeted except the criminals - "bloodthirsty people."

The NSCN-K Ato Kilonser (Prime Minister) Kitovi Zhimomi said the Council of Kilonsers had issued "Quit Notice" to the Tangkhuls living in Nagaland State but no innocent Tangkhuls would be targeted as this would aggravate the situation and that the organization would not like to fan the flames of fragile situation of the State.

The NSCN-K leader said they did not want to hurt the innocent souls who had done nothing wrong to the society in anyway and that the cadres would make all efforts not to commit mistake on the innocent Tangkhuls. However, he did ask the innocent Tangkhuls to take all precautionary measures to avoid any mistaken identity while carrying out operation against the "criminal Tangkhuls." "We will not commit mistake on innocent Tangkhuls, however they should take precautionary measures" said the NSCN-K chief.

He was of the view that if the innocent Tangkhuls could shift to safer places to avoid unintentional mistake, even though the NSCN-K would see that no blunder is committed upon the innocents.

Kitovi also said his organization was for peace and unity amongst the Nagas, but "unfortunately" there were some section of people who often rejected such formula and this had aggravated the situation in the Naga society. He further stated the outfit could not remain ideal while the NSCN-IM continued to kill them. And hence the recent decision of Council of Kilonsers was to retaliate such force inimical to the Naga society, he added.

Earlier, the NSCN-K issued a "Quit Notice" to Tangkhuls living in Nagaland from August 17 alleging that they were masterminding terrorism in the State. It further maintained that the Nagas had for a along time borne the brunt and cruelty of the "Tangkhuls" responsible for "masterminding terrorism" against the NSCN-K and the innocent Nagas.

However, several pro-NSCN-IM groups from several countries have come out strongly against such diktat and accused the NSCN-K of being used by inimical to Naga political struggle for self-determination and to sabotage the ongoing political dialogue between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM, Kitovi stated.

War by Other Means Source: IMPHAL FREE PRESS Posted: 2006-08-22

The debate over who or what should constitute the rather ethereal notion of “civil society” gets all the more intriguing in a conflict situation, such as we are witnessing in Manipur. The question is, should “civil society” have a technical definition and be treated as constituting of the occupants of a space earmarked between the State and vested interests represented variously by the private sector and other power players, such as the militant challengers to the State’s authority and legitimacy, or else between mutually feuding non-state combatants. While this definition of “civil society” may not be everything, it is indeed a convenient one. The trouble however is, when there is a technical definition of this space, it invariably turns into a hotly contested space, and in fact often readily transforms into an extension of the conflicts they are supposed to be standing in between and arbitrating. Rather than be peace agents, they thus often come to fight, what Sanjib Baruah calls, “war by other means”. Manipur is familiar with this phenomenon. There can be no argument that the “civil society” space has been deeply fissured on sectarian lines. The latest demonstration of this was witnessed in the protest rallies and picketing by two different “civil society” women’s groups over the murder of the president of the All Manipur Students Union, AMSU, Moreh branch, but most confoundingly making diametrically opposite demands. As newspaper reports from Moreh town was testimony while the trouble lasted, one group wanted the killers nabbed and punished, the other group felt the coverage of the crime as well as the protests against it was biased against the community the killers belonged to. So then, where exactly is the “civil society”, or more pertinently, what is so very civil about this “civil society”? This is only the latest incident, but not by any means the only. In fact, such wars by other means are fought on practically every issue involving any two or more communities of the state’s multitude of communities. This sectarian division is also seen along other broader lines such as between the hill districts and valley districts, between the tribals and non-tribals etc. It is not uncommon to even hear of self proclaimed human rights organisations speaking two different and mutually hostile languages on many issues. It is as if there is nothing universal about such supposedly shared values as the powerful notion of human rights. How can any meaningful, problem solving discourse ever happen under the circumstance, is the ignored question.

The technical ear-marking of a so called “civil society” space leads to another familiar problematic situation. The conflicting parties themselves begin actually to contest for this space by putting up their “civil society” proxies, having realized how powerful these bodies can be in force multiplying their agenda through precisely the “wars by other means”. Again this is a phenomenon not unfamiliar to Manipur at all. The result is not only a complication of the conflicts themselves, but also a discrediting of this very same “civil society” space, ultimately tarnishing the image of the “civil society” movement itself. So much has already been written about how there is a fierce contest amongst conflicting parties to absorb even students’ movements to become part of their networks of organs. Some even float their own “civil society” bodies, and this is not difficult against the context of the definition of “civil society” as merely a matter of an organization positioned within a certain given space. As for instance, the minute a civil rights campaign body is formed, or students’ body is constituted, it is assumed that they automatically qualify to be classified as “civil society” regardless of whether they have any interest in civility. This makes the notion of “civil society” become vulnerable to be reduced to the status of mere tools of conflict. Must this not be considered a corruption of the popular understanding of the notion of “civil society”? We do think it must be, hence the need for a rethink on what “civil society” ideally should constitute of. As a thumb rule then, we do feel that the definition of civil society must have some qualitative elements over and above just the quantitative. The issue must be made to become a moral one as well. Only such an approach can make the discourses generated within this space have a vision beyond just the immediate or community interest. Otherwise, it would be forsaking its exalted objective position of being impartial arbiters wherever conflicts of interests arise, and instead become another means to “war by other means.”

If such a definition is agreed upon, then the ambit of the space called “civil society” would become broaden considerably. It can and would then include many more people in other walks of life other than the organized “civil society” bodies, or professional members of the “civil society” acting as the watchdog of the establishment and society at large. Professions such as the journalism, whose credibility equally depends on neutrality, and who too draws its succour from its image as watchdogs of the society, would definitely come to be included. But the dangers of the larger civil society being drawn into the “war by other means” would remain, and in fact has proven to do so in many instances. Media reporting of the aftermaths of the Naga ceasefire extension beyond territorial limits in June 2001, by newspapers in Nagaland and Manipur for instance, many media observers now point out, were starkly different. The facts were the same, but the way the stories were told, displayed or nuanced, conjured up totally different pictures of the same incidents altogether. Unwittingly, the media too was drawn into the conflict and fought the same “wars by other means.” The challenge then is once again to restructure our notion of the contentious “civil space” so as to distinguish the tools of war from those of peace unambiguously.
Out of sight Nagaland Post Editorial
Current political hype and hyperbole in Nagaland rising to xenophobic cacophony may have muted the happening in the other Nagaland, called Eastern Nagaland which has been partitioned to erstwhile Burma, now Myanmar though it does not change whatever is happening there. The Nagas of Eastern Nagaland continue to face various hardships. They are not provided the means to free education while there is no way that the illiterate can even get jobs. Many Nagas from Eastern Nagaland come to Nagaland for education and support themselves or get sponsors or employment in some trade. Not only lack of basic education, the Nagas in Eastern Nagaland are also deprived of basic health care since health care centres or hospitals are non-existent. In fact the entire region of Eastern Nagaland is like a no-man's land since it continues to be neglected by the Myanmarese government. As it is the Nagas under Myanmar are living in almost primitive conditions where they have to trudge on foot for miles to Nagaland in order to buy salt or medicines. The areas of eastern Nagaland comprising of vast tracts of mineral-rich lands which is perhaps bigger than all Naga inhabited areas of India put together has never been under effective control of the Myanmarese government except the occasional forays by the military to remind the Nagas who rules the roost. The continuing military operation by the Myanmarese army against the Nagas and in particular the guerrillas of Khaplang's men in the NSCN, repeats the tale of death, destruction and misery upon the helpless people. Even without army operations, the Myanmarese army has been systematically targeting the Nagas since several decades back. Despite the deprivation and violation, the doughty 27 or more Naga tribes of Eastern Nagaland continue to reassert their Naga identity. Reports such as forced prostitution and change of religion from Christianity to Buddhism has been reported several times in the past. Torching of villages and forced groupings by the Myanmarese army on Naga villages is a rewind of the dark days in the then Naga hills. The Nagas of Eastern Nagaland have to look upon their people in Nagaland for help. While much is being made of the integration issue, the plight of Nagas in Eastern Nagaland is somehow forgotten. It would be only right if the plight of the brethren from Eastern Nagaland is also considered in the same level as that of other issues because they involve members of the same family.
NSCN-IM snaps oil supply line Nagareal.com
Imphal, Aug20 : Manipur has lodged a complaint with the Union home ministry against the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) for allegedly trying to extort a huge amount of money from Indian Oil, forcing the company to shut down its retail outlets across the state. An official source said chief secretary Jarnail Singh telephoned former Union home secretary K. Padmanabhaiah, who is now the government interlocutor in peace talks with the Naga group, and faxed a formal complaint to the Union home ministry yesterday. The government is likely to file another complaint with Lt Gen. (retd) R.V. Kulkarni, chairman of the ceasefire monitoring committee in Nagaland.

Of all the militant groups active in Manipur, the NSCN (I-M) has been the biggest thorn in the government’s side because it has been campaigning for the integration of Naga-inhabited areas of the region, including four hill districts of the state.

The Naga group, which has been engaged in a rough-and-tumble dialogue with Delhi for nine years, allegedly warned the Assam Oil Division of Indian Oil recently against doing business in Manipur until it paid the amount mentioned in an extortion notice.

Sources said the notice was delivered to the Indian Oil office in Imphal about a fortnight ago. With no oil tanker coming to Imphal since then, fuel stocks have run out. The few petrol pumps that were open until yesterday put up “out-of-stock” boards this morning.

“Supply of petrol and diesel from Assam stopped a fortnight ago. Petrol reserves at the government-owned depot at Chingmeirong in Imphal will last 16 days. The diesel stock will probably last 19 days,” a senior official in the state administration said.

Although oil transporters have not been directly threatened, tanker drivers fear that the Naga militant group will target them if they bring fuel to the state. Food and civil supplies minister Thoudam Devendra Singh discussed the issue yesterday with the chief secretary and Indian Oil officials. A source said the oil major informed the state government of the NSCN (I-M)’s alleged demand almost immediately after receiving the notice, but it was not until yesterday that Delhi came to know about it.

Devendra Singh said extortion by the NSCN (I-M) was in violation of the ground rules of its ceasefire with Delhi. He said the government team negotiating with the rebel group’s leadership should raise the issue at the earliest. [telegraphindia]
NSF drops demand on Jee issue Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR, AUG19 [NPN] : In an apparent breather for minister for IT &Technical Education Imkong Imchen, the Naga Students' Federation (NSF) has dropped its demand for review of the minister's tenure after the latter had reportedly written to the federation admitting his mistakes. The NSF which held a presidential council meeting Saturday at the NSF Conference Hall, Naga Club Building, Kohima, discussed at length on the JEE-MBBS imbroglio and decided not to press the issue further since the minister concerned had admitted his mistakes to the NSF besides urging the federation to review its earlier decision.

The House however warned of repetition of such mistakes is the near future. The House also strongly felt that the NSF officials should also be included in the JEE selection process in future.

The federation in a joint press statement issued by NSF president V Pushika Aomi and presidents of other eighteen NSF-affiliated students' unions, informed that the House also expressed serious concern over the threat directed against the Federation, some other Naga civil societies and certain communities of the Naga family.

The House has appealed to the NSCN (K) leadership to review its policy for the interest of peaceful coexistence within the Naga family.

Further, expressing anguish over the delay of the affiliation process of all the private schools in the four Naga Hill Districts in "southern Nagalim" to the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), the House reaffirmed its commitment to vigorously pursue for affiliation of the schools till the mission was accomplished. To this end, the House has appealed to all section of the Naga society to support the affiliation process initiated by the Federation, the joint statement said.
Attack on Manipur church Nagaland Post
Imphal, Aug 21 (NPN): A senior columnist was killed and five others were injured in a firing by armed persons on a church when evening services were on in Churachandpur district of Manipur on Sunday.
Armed persons in combat dress drove up to the church at Vengnuom and fired on it at around 8 pm on Sunday, a PTI report quoting official sources said on Monday.
Columnist Thangkhanlian was killed and five others were injured in the firing, a source from Imphal told Nagaland Post on Monday. The PTI report, however, said Thangkhanlian was the Editor of a local daily "Voice of New Lamka". The injured were admitted to the Churachandpur district hospital where the condition of two was stated to be serious.
Meanwhile, a statement issued by the PIB claimed the gunmen were members of the Zomi Revolutionary Army (ZRA).
IOC in quandary over NSCN(IM) demand, fuel crisis continues The Imphal Free Press

imphal, Aug 21: Following the expiry yesterday of the deadline imposed by the NSCN (IM) on the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. to meet its monetory demand of Rs. 50 lakhs, the depot manager along with other officials of the Chingmeirong oil depot have abandoned their residential quarters inside the oil depot due to apprehension.

According to sources, the NSCN (IM) has served a demand note for a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs to the office of IOC, Assam Oil Division Imphal at the begining of this month, and set August 20 as the deadline for its payment.

Being unable to pay the monetory demands of the NSCN (IM) during the given time, the Chingmeirong oil depot has been closed for the last ten days. As a result, many oil pumps stopped sale of petrol and diesel due to drying of stocks..

In the meantime, in order to ease the situation an official delegation of the IOC from Delhi and Guwahati has been stationed in the state and has held several high level meetings with the chief minister, the sources informed. With increasing pressures from the NSCN(IM), the IOC and the state government have drawn the attention of the Central government to the crisis.

If necessary, it was decided to rope in Indian interlocutor Padmabhaiya to bring a settlement on the issue, the sources said, expressing hope that a solution may be possible within a few days.

On the other hand, most oil pumps of the state, despite having some stock, continue to refrain from selling to the public on account of apprehension. Likewise oil tankers are unwilling to take the risk of transporting fuel products from outside in the absence of any resolution.

At present, the state government apart from acknowledging the existing situation of scarcity of the fuel products due to the closures of oil pumps and oil depot, has not taken up any immediate alternative steps at present. Meanwhile, official of the state FCS department mentioned that, there is still 660 KL of M/S (petrol) in stock at the Chingmeirong oil depot against the daily average consumption of 60 KL per day and 1875 KL of HSD which against the daily consumption of 125 KL per day. Further, there is enough stock of SK oil for 37 days and the only problem is non-release of oil from the depot.
BSF confirms B’desh militants’ role in NE Nagaland Post
SHILLONG, AUG 18 (UNI): The Border Security Force (BSF) today confirmed that a 'strong nexus' between the al-Qaeda, Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Muslim militants of Bangladesh and in North East India were trying to foment trouble in the North Eastern part of the country.
''We have definite reports of Students Islamic Movement of India and Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam (MULTA) have linkages with Al-Queda and LeT in Bangladesh,'' Inspector General of BSF Jyoti Prakash Sinha told UNI here.
Mr Sinha's statement assumed significance in the backdrop of the recent Mumbai blast especially after security agencies established the SIMI cadre's links with the Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami.
Mr Sinha, who recently took over as the BSF IG In-charge Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Nagaland (AMM&N) frontier revealed that the BSF have also established links between SIMI and MULTA with Jamiatia Islamic of Bangladesh, Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh and Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami.
He said the close understanding between Al-Qaeda, LeT and Muslim militants of Bangladesh and North East India was mainly for forming a ''Greater Bangladesh'' in Indian territory.
The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Bangladesh is instigating youths in India to achieve their objective, the IG asserted.
In order to achieve their goal, Mr Sinha said, the militants based in Bangladesh recruited impoverished Muslim youth from Asom and indoctrinated them with Islamic fundamentalism.
''These youths after being indoctrinated are pushed back to India to unleash terror for the creation of a pan Islamic state,'' he said.
However, the BSF IG said that adequate steps have been taken to thwart these anti-nationals elements.
''Of late, we have deployed additional troops along the Indo-Bangla border to prevent terrorists sneaking inside the country,'' Mr Sinha said.
Boatmen in Dhubri district of Asom have been instructed to carry the Indian flag on their boats for identification purpose and to check infiltration, he added.
PREPAK hails unification Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Aug 21: The proscribed PREPAK has hailed the unification and the collective decision adopted on August 12 by seven Kuki armed groups who have been settling in Kangleipak (Manipur) since ages.
A statement issued by the Department of Publicity and Propaganda conveyed firm belief that the establishment of a united front by Kuki armed groups would be a big step forward towards a united revolutionary front in Manipur.
Kuki brothers who have been working as militant organisations under various groups would now be able to build a common history based on common origin, customs and traditions following the agreement of the different groups to come under a single roof, observed the statement. It also exuded confidence that the divisive political administra- tion presently plaguing Manipur could be effectively defied by working collectively and sincerely for a political ambition and for the cause of the people.
Moreover, the unification of the seven groups would be a major achievement towards ensuring due rights and justice to the Kuki brothers and also to peaceful co-existence.
It further construed that the unification of Kuki armed groups was a big achievement in the revolutionary struggle of Manipur.
The initiative of the United Front is the harbinger of Kangleipak's politi- cal integrity and sovereignty, it noted while cong- ratulating the leaders of the new front.
ULFA mediators to meet Narayanan tomorrow Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Aug 21 – Taking the ongoing peace process in Asom a step forward, two mediators between the ULFA and the Government will meet top officials here on Wednesday, second time within a week, to discuss “major issues” ahead of the proposed direct talks between the banned group and Centre, reports PTI. Assamese writer Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukan, a childhood friend of ULFA “commander-in-chief” Paresh Baruah, will meet National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Home Secretary V K Duggal on Wednesday and are expected to apprise them about the ULFA’s views on the holding of direct talks.

“We will meet again on Wednesday. All major issues, including the release of five jailed leaders of ULFA, would figure in the meeting,” Goswami told PTI.

Goswami and Phukan had meet Narayanan and Duggal on Friday last and reviewed the progress made after the June 22 meeting between the ULFA-nominated People’s Consultative Group and the Centre.

Significantly, on Friday itself the banned group had announced ‘cessation of hostilities’ in Asom for the first time in its 27-year armed campaign for a separate homeland.

The announcement came following August 13 decision of the Government to suspend all operations by security forces against the militants in a goodwill gesture to bring ULFA to the negotiating table.

The mediators are likely to press for a clarification from the Centre on ULFA’s demands for the release of five of its jailed leaders, tracing missing cadres in Bhutan and the key demand of sovereignty for Asom.

Our Special Correspondent adds : Dr Goswami and Rebati Phukan, the two convenors of the peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) are carrying forward the peace process. Dr Goswami said the meeting would broach the subject of extending the suspension of operation for a further period. The Centre halted army operation on Independence Day-eve unilaterally for period of 10 days.

Human chain against terror at ISKCON temple Assam tribune
LONDON, Aug 21 – Thousands of devotees formed a human chain at the Hare Krishna Temple in Watford last night to pray for peace and the victims of war and terror, during the annual Janmashtami festival.

The devotees at Bhaktivedanta Manor International Society for Krishna Consiousness (ISKCON) temple situated outside London also paid tributes to those died in a grenade attack on the Krishna temple at Imphal in Manipur during the Janmashtanami celebrations on August 16.

“We are all here to pray for those who are suffering from war and terror around the world, but our thoughts and prayers should also go now to those who died and injured during the Krishna festival in the ISKCON temple at Imphal on August 16,” temple President Gauri Das said.

The two-day festival attracted over 75,000 people and was featured by colourful costumes, bazaars, plays, songs, dances, multimedia shows and meditation sessions. – PTI

Is State system obsolete ? — Dilip Gogoi Assam Tribune Editorial
The post cold war period has been witnessing certain significant changes in the State- centric international system, results of which are far reaching. In this emerging environment, the traditional notion of State sovereignty is eroding due to number of factors like the changing power structures, information and communication technology revolution, fragmentation of nation States, increasing role of transnational actors, role of market economy and emergence of new sub- national and transnational challenges. This transformation appears to encompass a three stage process incorporating the decline of national sovereignty, escalation of global interdependence and the proliferation of anarchic conflict.

All these developments have posed a challenge to the State-centric international system which is believed to have come from both above and below. From below, I mean the states often face challenges from their own people, living within the State which questions state legitimacy to govern and the capability and capacity to rule. This is demonstrated in the form of secessionist, ethno-nationalist, and autonomy movements and sometimes in the form of religious fundamentalism.

A number of challenges come from above as transnational actors’ ie.MNCs, NGOs and supra -national organisations make territorial national boundaries permeable by linking people together across the globe. Due to globalization and information and communication revolution, we are witnessing a number of transnational entities which functions cutting across national boundaries and thereby threatening State sovereignty and limiting the State activities.

These present developments help us to draw three assumptions- firstly nature of the competition between states has fundamentally changed. Traditionally State competed for control over territory and the natural resources. Now they are increasingly competing for market share in the global economy. Secondly, the form of competition between States has changed by seeking economic alliances, not military one. And finally, the State authority over society and economy is undergoing another period of diffusion. State is coming to share authority in economy arena with transnational entities i.e.WTO, IMF, World Bank and various civil society organisations.

One of the most remarkable developments of globalisation is the increasing role of MNCs. MNCs now dominate most of the world’s market. Some of such examples are General Motors and Ford in the automotive industry, Esso, Shell, BP in oil industry, McDonalds fast food chain, AT&T and CNN in communication sector. Lots of such examples can be drawn from banking and finance, insurance and service sectors. The most significant development is that MNCs are now recognised as symbols of concentration of economic power. It seems MNCs are often in a position to alter State policies in its favour. Some MNCs have become so powerful that their annual turnover is higher than the GDP of most of the host nations. Thus, developing countries have become vulnerable with each passing day.

Further evidence of globalisation is found in the growing importance of international and supra-national bodies such as UN, EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, APEC etc. The policies and conditional ties of IMF, World Bank and WTO on developing world are much more discriminatory. IMF offers soft loans for structural adjustment with conditionalities. These conditionalities include reduction of expenditure in social sectors, cut down in employment, reduction of government subsidies etc. which are sometimes not acceptable because these are essentially domestic in nature. Thus, states lose their freedom to decide their future.

The revolution in information and communication sectors and advent of high tech weapons, nuclear and ICBMs revolutionise the security discource. This development makes territorial boundaries irrelevant in State security system. New technologies of disseminating information have revolutionised communication across national boundaries. With hundreds of satellites rotating round the earth orbit, the secrecy of the State is no longer intact. As for instance, USSR could not conceal from the world “the Chernobyl disaster” because it was photographed and transmitted by a France commercial satellite. Neither China was able to prevent Tiananmen Square incident to be figured in global media. Media can draw attention worldwide with a short span of time and form public opinion if there is a major violation of human rights as happened in Iraq and on going crisis in Lebanon.

Non-governmental international organisations are functioning in the grass roots of the world in a manner similar to NGOs within individual states to build civil society. NGOs operating at the international level perform wide range of activities relating to human rights, women, children, environment, poverty eradication, refugee protection etc. Some of them have very wide networks and are powerful enough to influence the decision making process of individual States. The Green Peace, Amnesty Internationals, Medicines sans Frontiers, WWF are such examples of NGOs activism across national boundaries.

Despite all the challenges to the State system, the importance of the nation-States and its territorial independence and desire to maintain State sovereignty doesn’t seem to have diminished. Even movement for national self determination within multi- national States represents a negative psyche of deprivation on one hand and on the other hand in positive side, a quest for recognition as nation-state.

Another aspect of nation-States is its resilience, its capacity to survive odds. History shows alliances, power politics, conflict and cooperation among States have often been short lived. Even UN recognises state as primary and most important actor in international system.

All challenges are actually not real threat. Because most of the international organisations or regional arrangements are rooted in efforts of States and have their existence rooted in the consent of member States. Their decisions and recommendations are meaningless unless implemented by the member States themselves. Such global regimes are conceived as tools for State pursuits of national interests.

Transnational entities and MNCs are not always threat to the State system. The challenges posed by these actors are not permanent. They simply cannot ignore State as it is the State which provides security and working environment. It would be a mistake to assume that globalisation necessarily means the eclipse of the nation-State as an economic actor. Globalisation has tended to alter the importance of economic policy rather than making it redundant. If capital can be transferred across the globe in the flick of a computer screen and financial markets react to crises on the other side of the world, it is necessary in the part of national government to work harder to make their societies more globally competitive.

There is a widespread view that nation-States are weakened by the globalisation process. But it can be also argued that the State is being or has been weakened by changes related to globalisation and it has been strengthened by precisely these global changes. The increased permeability of national economies and societies may pose new challenges to the nation- States so as to generate their restructuring rather their irrevocable weakening.

Therefore, so long as the nation-State is defined as autonomous economic community, it becomes difficult to avoid the conclusion that all nation- States are necessarily weakened by globalisation. Though the sovereign State has come under increasing attack from various fronts, it remains the most important actor on the global stage. One could have imagined changing role of the State, development of new kinds of State and growth of new relationship among them rather than a world without States.
(The author teaches Political Science in Cotton College, Guwahati)

CCpur furious over church shooting The Imphal Free Press

LAMKA, Aug 21: Anger ran high in Churachandpur today over last night`s firing incident at Vengnuam, New Lamka, which left one dead and five others seriously injured (it was erroneously reported yesterday that two persons had been killed), even as the state government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. There were widespread acts of protest in the town with youths burning tyres randomly on the streets, blockading roads and burning effigies of the Army captain who led the troops involved in the incident while the Churachandpur District Students Union imposed a total bandh in the district. Shops and market places, government offices and schools remained shut owing to the bandh, while streets wore a deserted look with no vehicles plying. Security forces on patrol in the town were greeted with placards reading `Rajputana Rifle militants we dont need you`, `Go back RR`, `We don`t need militants` sponsored security forces` etc. District and security authorities remained on alert to deal with any untoward situation, with the DC, AK Sinha, SP, ld lhatoo and the 41st BSF CO Daljeet holding frequent meetings at the Churachandpur police station.

S Thawngkhanlian, 35, son of Rev S Ginjam, was slain while Niangzaching, 22, wife of Chingousuan, Lianzamang, 21, Songkhanlun, 16, Khamkhanlal, 16, and Thangmuanlal, 22, all residents of the New Lamka area were grievously wounded in the incident. Locals blamed troops of the 3 Rajputana Rifles, alleging that they had fired upon churchgoers attending Sunday evening services at the Evangelical Baptist Convention church, Vengnuam, New Lamka.

The deceased, Mr. S. Thawngkhanlian was also the Editor of a local Newspaper the `Voice of New Lamka`. Reports meanwhile said the RR troops involved had nabbed two UNLF cadres yesterday, and were using them to search for other underground cadres when the skirmish occurred yesterday evening near the Vengnuam church. The Zomi Students Association, Zomi Students Federation and Zomi Human Rights Foundation issued statements strongly condemning yesterday`s incident, drawing parallels with the August 16 attack on devotees at the ISKCON campus in Imphal. The All Manipur United Clubs Organisation, in another statement condemning the incident, denounced it as an act of state terrorism and urged the public to stand united against excesses of the security forces.
In the meantime, the state government has instituted a magisterial inquiry into the incident following talks with representatives of the CDSU this evening. The CDSU on its part agreed to call off the Churachandpur district bandh from tomorrow. As per the memorandum of understanding signed between representatives of the CDSU and the state government in the presence of chief minister O Ibobi, apart from instituting a magisterial enquiry into the incident, the government also gave a commitment to take necessary action on the findings of the inquiry

Further, the government agreed to pay ex-gratia to the family fo the deceased and the injured persons as admissible under the rules within a period of 15 days. The CDSU had originally demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, and payment of Rs 5 lakhs as ex-gratia to the family of the deceased. In the wake of the signing of the MoU, the state home department issued orders designating the Churachandpur district magistrate, AK Sinha, as inquiry authority, and charging him with ascertaining the facts and circumstances leading to the incident and to suggest remedial measures to avoid a recurrence. The inquiry is supposed to be completed within a period of one month. In the meantime, three of the wounded have been brought to Imphal for treatment.