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11/07/2006: "Northeast Echoes PATRICIA MUKHIM The Telegraph"


Northeast Echoes PATRICIA MUKHIM The Telegraph
Colours of ‘nationalism’ Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio is no pushover. On the contrary, he is what the yuppies would call a “cool dude”. Rio has learnt to wield his policy of equidistance from both militant factions (euphemistically called the Naga nationalist soldiers), as a double-edged sword. When the two rival factions National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and NSCN (Khaplang) recently launched into yet another turf war, akin to a pitched battle, Rio’s government decided to remain equidistant from the scene of action. His detractors are naturally baying for his blood. They have approached Governor Shyamal Dutta to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution and recommend President’s rule in Nagaland.
Rio’s acerbic remarks thereafter display a complete lack of sensitivity about the incident of October 26-28 this year when rocket launchers, snipers and AK rifles boomed in Zunheboto district and sent about 4,000 people scurrying for cover. Neiphiu Rio was, of course, not too far off the mark. He said when nationalist workers are fighting each other, how can a state force (government) perceived as ‘Indian’ and by definition ‘alien’, intervene in that free-for-all? While Rio would not mind thrashing the NSCN (K) rebels, he and his government would be pulverised if they happened to land a blow on an (I-M) mutineer.
Dismal future That tells us something about ideological affinity or the lack of it. No wonder Rio, in his smug wisdom, thought it wise to stay away from the theatre of violence. Why should he care if a few people died on either side of the divide and if there were civilian casualties too? Nationalism demands a price and Rio feels the Naga people should be ready to pay this price each time rival groups decide to engage in a bloodletting spree. There are Nagas who believe hoping for a settlement is a vain angst. Those who are in trade and commerce have had to pay through their noses to survive. Extortion demands, particularly from the NSCN (I-M), has all but destroyed Naga business. Other non-tribal traders say they survive because they recover all their costs from the consumer. In a sense they feel a deep sense of remorse in having to charge their customers far beyond the prescribed rates. No wonder you do not have consumer protection courts in Nagaland. Even the lowly vegetable vendor who earns a pittance, has to pay for her stall plus a tax to the NSCN (I-M). Nagas are beginning to wonder whether this battle of wits between Delhi and Naga ideologues will ever end. And what the end results would be if there really was a ‘solution’. They are beginning to articulate, albeit in muffled tones, whether life would be better then than it is now. And they certainly are very doubtful about the future.
Dying truths In a situation where diplomacy has become second nature and people have learnt the art of doublespeak so as not to offend anyone, truth becomes the first casualty. It is difficult to assess the current ‘Naga’ worldview as perceived by those born after the tumultuous years of killing and being killed. One wonders, and not wrongly, whether the young of this generation have a role in articulating their views even if those views fiercely contest those held by the elderly statesmen of Naga society. Are the ideologues themselves open to new ideas in the light of an ever-changing socio-economic and socio-political setting in the real Naga society, far removed from the comfortable lifestyles of the leaders in Amsterdam?
There seems to be a perception among Naga elders that the youth do not have enough wisdom to speak to the outside world about Naga nationalism. In fact, this nationalism has bred a group of spokespersons who have become repetitive. Most of them only air the views of the NSCN (I-M) because to do otherwise would bring horrible reprisals. There is, therefore, no fresh flow and circulation of ideas, no debate, and no dissent. A professor at the North Eastern Hill University (Nehu), speaking at a conference organised by Naga youths, said he did not want to comment on the Naga struggle, but what pained him the most is that Nagas no longer respect human life. Human lives, he said, have become as cheap as that of butchered animals.
Now that should tell us something about the collective consciousness of Nagas living outside Nagaland. They dare speak their minds because they are not in Nagaland. So can a repressive environment give birth to a liberal, sovereign Nagaland? Or does Naga sovereignty exclude liberal democratic ethos. If so, can people continue to live under such repressive regimes?
Many of us refer to the Taliban establishment as if it is in some distant hell. What we do not appreciate is that repressive regimes are born precisely because people dare not speak up for themselves. Will the Naga elders allow their young people the freedom to break away from narratives of the past? Why must they nurture the same feelings of bitterness and revenge or hope for something that is illusionary. Don’t they have the freedom to pursue their future the way they choose to without being made to feel guilty for not subscribing to the cause and perpetuating it?
Practical side The youth of today are pragmatic. They want to move on with life and secure their own future and that of their offspring. Perhaps they no longer even want to nurture the polluted air of idealism that their elders have been breathing for 60 years. If breaking away from the past will not be construed as a betrayal to the cause, then it is possible that we might see an entirely new shift in Naga political discourse. But that is what the leaders fear the most and so also the generation of elders who have learnt to live their lives in a set pattern pursuing the Naga dream. They would not know what to do if Naga nationalism is achieved. Very recently the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), smarting from allegations that the church has been a passive onlooker to the fratricidal murders brought out a dialectically crafted proposal for healing and reconciliation. Sadly, as soon as the booklet was released, the NSCN (K) accused the NBCC of cosying up to the Muivah faction and expressed their lack of confidence in this church body. But the NBCC need not take this allegation too seriously. Both factions of the NSCN have indulged in similar polemics whenever they have failed to co-opt any institution to their ideological moorings.
Trade hellhole Today, the NBCC is perhaps the only institution that is equidistant from all warring parties and in whom the hope for bringing about a climate of sanity rests. Neiphiu Rio wants to go down in history as the man who bartered peace for Nagaland. Hence his government is doing everything except enforcing law and order. Dimapur has become a commercial hellhole where trucks carrying goods to Kohima and Imphal are heavily taxed by the government on one side and by the NSCN (I-M) on the other. People of Manipur have suffered tremendously from this obscurantist form of taxation. Each truck is demanded an exorbitant sum in order to enter Senapati, en route to Imphal and beyond. Prices of essential commodities, particularly of building materials, have skyrocketed. The same is the case in Kohima or Mokokchung.
The Dimapur mafia is perhaps comparable only to the Mumbai underworld. Yet while the government of Maharashtra hunts the underworld gangs, Rio turns a blind eye to the abominable methods of extortion practised by the militia in Nagaland. On its part Delhi is simply looking the other way even though ceasefire ground rules are violated with impunity by both factions.
The question is how far will civil society tolerate this daylight thievery, all in the name of Naga nationalism. Yes, Naga civil society will have to speak up and protest. If Naga nationalism means complete criminalisation of society, then I am afraid the Nagas are pursuing a lost cause
Remove NPSC chairman – NSF The Morung Express
Dimapur, Nov 6 (MExN): The Naga Students Federation (NSF), peeved at what it stated is the state government’s ‘miserable’ failure in applying redress in the Nagaland Public Services Commission (NPSC) bribery scandal, has issued an ultimatum demanding the removal of the present NPSC Chairman on or before November 12, 2006 and also invite the CBI to take charge of investigations into the matter.
“…the Federation has given sufficient time to the government to prove its commitment and improve the standard of the premier institution but failed miserably. The Federation wishes to draw your sincere attention for early intervention and removal of the present incumbent Chairman of NPSC on or before 12th November 2006 for being indifferent towards the public issue” the ultimatum addressed to the Chief Minister of Nagaland stated. The Federation sternly warned of an own course of action “if it fails to redress this genuine human problem” and that consequences, if any arises, shall not be placed on the students.
In the backdrop of the attempted bribery scandal, the NSF demanded a CBI’s inquiry into NPSC dealings inclusive of the past 20 years and that in spite of the “clarion call” discrepancies and anomalies continue to surface, the NSF lamented. The ultimatum highlighted these points: In 2005, a lady candidate was declared EAC but later denied to her, and replaced by another candidate who secured 19 marks higher “thereby humiliated and demoralized her”; an over aged candidate – by 2 years, 5 months and 25 days as on January 1, 2005 was allowed to appear the 2005 NPSC examinations “by the Chairman and Controller of Examinations”. Later, it was found that there was an error in his surname, his actual surname being “Longchar” but notified as “Walling”; in the recent NPSC results (2006) a candidate was declared as Deputy Superintendent of Police on October 10, 2006 but was declared Upper Divisional Assistant (UDA) ‘that subsequently affected four other candidates’.
In site of these facts, the NPSC chairman failed to initiate any measures to check “such mess” but considered them as human errors, thereby hushing them up, the ultimatum stated. “…and we found that he absconds whenever such serious issue surface related to the examinations conducted and thereby encourages the defaulters to continue under the guise of human error or clerical mistakes” the NSF stated while reminding of the Federation’s rejection of the government’s earlier decision of instituting the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) for investigations. However, when the findings came about, the government retracted its assurances “to prove to the people” and chose to remain indifferent, the NSF lamented while highlighting some of the Vigilance’s reports.
.Nagaland to start Nabard scheme H. CHISI The Telegraph
Kohima, Nov. 6: The National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (Nabard) has started the five-year Rural Sector Credit Plan (RSCP) in Nagaland this fiscal. It will culminate in 2010-11. The plan had been drawn up by Nabard at the behest of a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) committee set up to formulate a financial sector plan for the Northeast, under the chairmanship of RBI deputy governor Usha Thorat.
RBI governor Y.V. Reddy had constituted the committee following his visit to the Northeast in November 2005 to get an on-the-spot assessment of the development of banking services in the region. The committee was constituted to address the constraints of the region in a more focused and state-specific manner. Following the action plan that emerged from the recommendations of the committee, Nabard immediately kickstarted the RSCP in all northeastern states. Accordingly, Nagaland convened a state-level workshop to launch the plan.
The plan’s total outlay is Rs 94.44 crore with special emphasis on development of animal husbandry, fishery and horticulture in the farming sector and that of handicrafts, handlooms, bamboo and food processing in the non-farm sector. “The RSCP was formally launched by finance commissioner H.K. Khulu and the workshop is being attended by representatives of all banks operating in Nagaland,” said Nabard assistant general manager Tiakala Ao. However, the finance commissioner was unhappy over the attendance of government departments at the workshop. He urged the state’s banks to take the initiative of achieving targets set out in the plan, as Rs 94.44 crore is a very modest target. As only 5 per cent of the population has bank accounts, he felt banks should go in for more aggressive banking at the grassroots level. According to Khulu, one of the ways the banks can achieve this is by issuing more Kisan Credit Cards and general credit cards, particularly in the rural areas. He expressed concern that the credit-deposit ratio of Nagaland was only 25 per cent, one of the lowest among the northeastern states.
Law and order problem: Huska Nagaland Post
Dimapur, Nov 6 (NPN): In a significant development that could have political ramifications, some ruling DAN legislators from Dimapur constituencies on Monday have said they did not consider the breakdown of law and order in the State as a political problem, as claimed by the ruling DAN government. JD (U) legislator Huska Sumi in a statement disclosed that the legislators had expressed this view at a meeting convened by DAN chairman and BJP legislator Dr. Hokishe Sema. The meeting was held to ascertain views on whether the breakdown of law and order in the State was a political problem or otherwise.
Huska said the DAN legislators had told Dr. Hokishe that it was "very much a law and order problem since the political issue is with the Government of India".
According to Huska, the legislators, as elected representatives of the people, felt it was their duty to ensure safety to the lives and properties of the people which was voiced in the form of a press statement expressing deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation. He said though the statement was over "governance" of the State, the NPF was "surprisingly contemplating to initiate disciplinary action against two NPF legislators". Huska said out of the forty-four legislators in DAN, only twelve were running the government, with the rest only endorsing the "omission and commission" of the DAN ministry without being given the opportunity to approve or disapprove He reiterated that senior legislators should express their concern when the lives and properties of the citizens were under threat. "It is the duty of the senior legislators to give correct position to the people of Nagaland," he pointed out.
View on NBCC’s proposal and comments- Nagaland Post Opinion
The recently released NBCC's proposal on heal-ing and reconciliation is the most appreciable document I have ever come across in the Naga affairs. This booklet is a must for every young Nagas to read and ponder the situation where we are in. I think the stories of political healing and reconciliation recorded by the NBCC should be role models for Nagas. It seems more blood are shed for more call to unity and reconciliation. More condemnation leads to more killings. We the younger generation have seen no hope to get peace and unity by any political solution.
But we are sure that there is nothing impossible for God. Our God is a trust worthy God. And by the power of Holy Spirit only the Naga society can be healed. So, we pray that, the Holy Spirit work through the NBCC's proposals. Since the church is the right body to lead in this path, we are happy that the NBCC have very serious concern for the rapid deteriorating Naga society and took the initiative. We will be agents of your proposals because we need to stand by it.
I also want to say a big thank you to Uncle Charles Chasie, for your valuable, timely comments (in a local daily issue October 18) on burning issues. You have brought the NBCC's proposals to such an extent that if any body misunderstanding the proposals, we the younger generation have no confidence in him/her to lead us for a bright future. Regarding the comments given by Thepfulhouvi Solo (in a local paper issued on October 20). Since you say "The NBCC's proposal arrived as old wine in unattractive old wine bottles", will you set up your own proposal for the Nagas? As new wine and as attractive as can impress any Naga citizen. Dear Sir, during my student life I was a listener to you. And to be honest, I really admire most of your speeches and write ups. You are also one of the senior most educated Naga officers. So we want you to lead us to the path of peace, healing and reconciliation. Because without these elements we see no future
Lastly, we the younger generations do not know where to go? Whom to follow? And whom not. Every body claim he is speaking the truth; he is on the right path. But when we look at the person or group claiming to be for the Nagas and speaking the truth, their actions are not trust worthy, because we know shedding our own peoples' blood will never ever solve our Naga problem. Its seems everybody is trying to the detect the other person's mistakes in order to take revenge. Its seems other peoples wrongs are their rights. The elderly says, we the younger generation do not understand their pains and suffering in the Naga struggle. Yes, we the younger generation have not come across the severe pains and sufferings including losing their love ones. But that should not mean the senior citizens should lead us to the same fate or worse, to make us understanding. We do not want to be like the Afghans or the Iraqis nor like the Palestinians in the present situation. But when we look at our Naga society, we are becoming no different from them. Therefore, we the younger generation, do not want anymore back lashing and brain washing articles for more division and more bloodshed. We want healing, reconciliation and peace on earth and not only when we reach heaven. Keviwhekho Zinyu. Punglwa Village.
Nagas boycott Manipur fest Nagarealm.com
Imphal, NOV06 : Governor S.S. Sidhu inaugurated the Manipur tourism festival at the Polo Ground here this afternoon amid a call for its boycott by the apex organisation of the Nagas in the state. The four-day festival, an annual event organised by the state tourism department to attract domestic and foreign tourists, this year focuses on bringing together the 30-odd communities residing in Manipur in a bid to strengthen their bonds. However, the publicity and information secretary of United Naga Council (UNC), S. Milan, has asked the Nagas to stay away from the festival, causing a “setback” to the organisers’ efforts.

According to the festival’s programme, Naga groups, including Tangkhul, Anal, Maring, Kabui, Tarao and Poumai, are scheduled to present a cultural programme at Polo Ground tomorrow. However, their participation is now fraught with uncertainty, following the council’s directive. “Earlier, the groups confirmed their participation, but now we are not sure (of their participation),” one of the organisers said. UNC president K.S. Paul Leo said the council would take action against any Naga group that violates the boycott. He told this correspondent that the boycott call was given in accordance with a decision taken by the council during a meeting at Taphou village in Senapati district on November 4 last year. The participants resolved to launch a non-cooperation and disobedience movement against the Okram Ibobi Singh government, which is opposing the demand for Naga unification.

The festival started on an exciting note today, with the tourism department sending a team of local residents on an expedition to Tharon cave in Tamenglong district even before the event was formally inaugurated. Over the next three days, the festival will showcase Manipur’s indigenous sports and culture, the highlight of which will be the boat race at Kangla moat. [KHELEN THOKCHOM, telegraphindia]
Hornbill festival Nagarealm.com
KOHIMA, NOV06: Hornbill National Rock Contest would be held as part of the Hornbill Festival, 2006 from December 1 to 7 at Kohima. The concert aims at promoting peace and understanding of Nagaland, according to a PIB Defence Wing release. The application forms are required to sent along-with demo to Dream Cafe Ser's Bazaar, TCP Gate, Kohima-797001, Nagaland. The last date for entry is November 14 and the application form may be downloaded from website www.hornbillmusic.com.
The event secretary of the concert may also be contacted at 0370-2290756 or 9436000044 for details. There would be attractive process for the band and for individual performance.
Nodal agency proposed for insurgency, terror in northeast Nagarealm.com Security chiefs in India's northeast Thursday proposed a new federal agency for effective networking of intelligence and policing to combat the twin threats of separatist insurgencies and Islamic militancy in the region.
'We have decided to strengthen real-time intelligence sharing and suggested the constitution of a Standing Committee on Terrorism, Militancy, and Insurgency at the national level to deal with the problems of insurgency, export of Muslim fundamentalism and terrorists to the northeast from Bangladesh,' said Dipak Narayan Dutt, police chief of Assam. He was speaking at the end of a two-day conference of police chiefs of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The meeting in Assam's main city of Guwahati, was also attended by police chiefs of West Bengal and Sikkim, as well as army, paramilitary, intelligence and federal home ministry officials.

'The conference emphasised the need for better inter-state police coordination to deal with the problems of insurgency and other organised crimes,' Dutt said. 'The conference focused its attention on the problem of cross border insurgency with special reference to Bangladesh, Bhutan and Myanmar.' 'We shall be putting forward all the resolutions of the conference to the home ministry for approval, including seeking help from Myanmar to bust camps where many of the northeast rebel groups have bases,' Dutt added. According to Assam's police intelligence chief Khagen Sharma, the outlawed Jammatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), an Islamic terrorist outfit blamed for the serial bombings in Bangladesh last year, was sending recruits to the northeast to destabilise the region. 'We have recently arrested two JMB cadres and have inputs to suggest that a large number of JMB activists have infiltrated into Assam,' Sharma said.

In the last five years, 198 people have been arrested for their links to various Muslim fundamentalist and terrorist groups backed by the JMB. 'A number of jihadi groups are working in Assam and the northeast under the umbrella of the JMB which is the main operational agency here,' the intelligence chief said. 'Maybe some of these elements were using madrassas as shelters to execute their plans although the managements of the Islamic seminaries might not be privy to their plans. We are keeping a close watch and have put some madrassas under the scanner.'

India's resource-rich northeast, wedged between Bangladesh, Bhutan, China and Myanmar, is home to more than 30-odd rebel armies with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy. More than 50,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in the northeast since India's independence in 1947. Many of the rebel groups in the northeast cooperate loosely, including sharing bases in adjoining states to escape security offensives in their areas of operation, the police chief of Arunachal Pradesh said. [IANS]
Voting Congress not the right decision: Nipamacha
‘Congress leaders endorsing formation of Greater Nagaland’ Sentinel
IMPHAL, Nov 6: Former Manipur Chief Minister W Nipamacha observed that it wouldnot be the right thing for the people of Manipur to vote in favour of the Congress party whose leaders were endorsing the formation of Greater Nagaland and compromising the state’s integrity for their own political gain in the coming Assembly elections.
The former Chief Minister and president of RJD, Manipur State council was speaking as the chief guest at a one day political conference of the RJD held at the residence of Ibomcha at Khurai Soibam Leikai, who is expected to contest the ninth Assembly for the Manipur Legislative Assembly from the Wangkhei Assembly constituency. The conference was also attended by among others, MLA S Natum Singh and also general secretary of the State unit of RJD.
Nipamacha went to say that the seed of disintegration of Manipur was sown way back by the veteran Congress leader Rishang Keishing who headed the United Naga Integration Council.
He also stated that the Congress did not oppose the formation of South Nagaland at that time.
The present leaders of congress are no exception, Nipamacha added, stating that no action had been taken so far against those responsible for greeted Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh with ‘Well come to South Nagaland’ banner at Senapati. He also cited the example of the release of NSCN (IM) leaders by according a grand reception after being arrested by the State police.
In the function a booklet by Ibomcha outlining how he plans to utilize the MLA local area development fund in the event of his election to the State assembly, was also released.(Agencies)
Naga body’s opposition to ‘public hearing’ on Tipaimukh dam Sentinel
Imphal, Nov 6: Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) (South Sector) has strongly voiced strong concerns against the forthcoming hearing on controversial Tipaimukh Dam in Churachandpur and Tamenglong this month.
NPMHR-South Sector convenor Phamhring Sengul recently that the Naga rights body would totally oppose the proposed ‘Public Hearing’ on Tipaimukh mega dam at Churachandpur slated for November 17 and also on November 22 at Tamenglong initiated by the Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB). The NPMHR has demanded that the project be withdrawn at any cost. “If the ‘public hearing’ is not called-off, NPMHR would carry out all sort of agitation immediately. ‘Public Hearing’ was aimed at public scrutiny of the project and transparency in environmental clearance system. The executive summary of the project have to summarize the project mentioning the socioeconomic benefit from the project, the environmental impact of the project, and the improvement measures proposed to minimize the negative environmental impact, if any. But the government has misused this democratic means for their own vested interest by cheating the people with their calculated motive,” said the Naga rights body. Phamhring Sengul then said that all information furnished in the ‘executive summary’ were manipulated. “There has been no ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ on the proposed project so far. The immediate impact will be on the ecological bio-diversity of the Barak river . The northeastern part of India is one of the only few green belts in the whole world. This has been proved by the regular visits of rare species of migratory birds and other animals. The endangered animals like the slow Loris, big cats and horn-bill are found only in this part of India,” said the NPHMR convenor.
The Naga rights body further stated that the executive summary did not mention the impact on bio-diversity. The catchments area as mention in the summary will affect in Burma 751 sq km, in Nagaland 728 sq km, in Manipur 9126 sq km and in Mizoram 2153 sq km respectively and vulnerable areas as mentioned are all manipulated calculations as percentage tally between villages and barren area are contradicting and misleading. “NPMHR is campaigning across the districts to collect the view and concern of the local community based leaders on various aspects related to environmental degradation, displacement, conflict etc due to such development taken up by the Government. NPMHR sincerely seek the support of all the communities in the North East region to voice against the Tipaimukh Dam and also bear with us in our agitation what-so-ever for the common future of the Global village. The Government should be held responsible for any untoward accident,” added the Naga rights body. A seminar christened as ‘One Day Leaders Workshop against Tipaimukh Dam’ organized by NPMHR (South) was held at Indoor Stadium, Chandel recently. The meet was attended by tribal leaders, women and student leaders, intellectuals, teachers, NGOs, advocates, sportsmen where social activists Aram Pamai and Samson Remei spoke on the negative implications of Tipaimukh dam and R Kasar spoke on behalf of the people of Mapithel Dam Affected Village Organisation. Representatives of All Naga Students Association (ANSAM) and Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWUM) also addressed the meeting on the various sociopolitical dangers posed by the mega dams. (Agencies)

Gogoi sets preconditions for ULFA talks Govt for “frontal assault” against ULFA The Morung Express
Guwahati, Nov 6 (PTI): In the aftermath of the twin blasts here, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said the state government viewed the situation “very seriously” and the proscribed ULFA has to give up arms and violence as a precondition for talks. Visiting the blast sites at Fancy Bazar and Pattharquarry areas of the city and the two hospitals where the injured were admitted, Gogoi told reporters that though the doors to peace were open, the ULFA would have to give up arms and they should stop violence completely. “The government has taken this development very seriously and has intensified security operations. More security forces would be deployed in Guwahati and the rest of the state,” he said. Visibly upset during visits to the blast sites, he admitted that the government failed to provide security and protect the common people.
“Yes, I have to admit that we have failed to provide security but we have taken this development very seriously and operations against the militants have been intensified,” Gogoi said. Coming down heavily on the militants, Gogoi said the banned outfit used the ceasefire period granted by Centre in August last “to their advantage by indulging in largescale extortions and arms collection. They betrayed the government’s goodwill and used that time to regroup.”
Meanwhile, Assam promised a ‘’frontal assault’’ on ULFA for Sunday evening’s twin blasts which claimed 13 lives and injured 57 others even as condemnation poured forth from all quarters. Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajay Sinha, who reviewed the ground situation, confirmed the outfit’s involvement. Police also confirmed ULFA’s involvement in the blasts, which occurred at about 1835 hrs at the city’s main commercial areas. The Governor visited the site in the afternoon and said the government would tighten the security. He was also in favour of a strong action against ULFA. The government had assured free treatment to the injured besides, a grant of Rs 50,000 and announced Rs 3 lakh compensation to each of the deceased families. Chief Secretary S K Kabilan indicated that the state government would take necessary action. Union Home Secretary V K Duggal reached Guwahati from New Delhi take part in the crucial Unified Command structure meeting to against ULFA. However, ULFA rejected the claim of its involvement. Meanwhile, the opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) led the political quarters in condemning the incident. Stopping short of demanding President’s rule in the state, AGP spokesperson Apurba Bhattacharyya said the Gogoi-led Congress government should be removed from power. The state BJP also condemned the blasts and said civilians should not be killed in the fight between the government and insurgents. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) also criticised the ULFA for their ‘’inhuman act’’ and demanded adequate security for people. AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjya said, ‘’The government has failed to protect the people’s life and property.’’ The People’s Committee for Peace Initiative in Asom (PCPIA), spearheading a movement for resumption of peace talks with ULFA, also condemned the killings. Guwahati witnessed a ‘bandh’ in response to a call given by the Kamrup Chamber of Commerce. Shops and business establishments in most parts of this capital city remained closed.
NESO stokes inner-line debate The Morung Express
Guwahati, Nov. 6 TELEGRAPH): Taking a stand contrary to what policymakers, prospective investors and tour operators have been advocating, a conglomerate of student organisations of the Northeast have made a case for extending the inner line permit system to all states of the region.
Inner line permits are at present required to enter only Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland. The North East Students’ Organisation (Neso), which raised the issue during its fourth annual conference in Agartala last week, today said the entire region must be covered by the inner line permit system to safeguard local cultures and people from “the onslaught of outsiders”. Neso chairman Samujjal Bhattacharyya said the Northeast required a “Kashmir-like constitutional shield” in the light of the threat to the indigenous population’s rights to land and resources.
Just the other day, the outlawed Ulfa threatened to strongly resist attempts to explore oil in the Brahmaputra basin and, in a more rhetorical vein, declared that it would no longer allow Delhi to exploit Assam’s natural resources. It said the state did not have “unlimited” reservoirs of “natural wealth” and Delhi must stay away from whatever is left. Neso’s demand for an all-encompassing inner line permit system may have, however, disappointed more people than Ulfa’s statement.
Arunachal Pradesh governor S.K. Singh is one of those who have been advocating the withdrawal of the inner line permit and restricted area permit systems — the latter is applicable to foreigners visiting the region — to encourage more investment and tourism. Ironically, the same set of student leaders insisting on the extension of the inner line permit system — seen as a hurdle in the way of industrial development — decided during the four-day Neso conference in Agartala to mount pressure on Delhi to declare the entire region as a special economic zone. The Neso leadership also called for the constitution of a special education commission to find ways to stop “brain drain” from the region. “The lack of high-quality technical institutes is forcing students to migrate outside the northeastern states every year to pursue higher and specialised education,” it said. The Neso conference also discussed the perceived threat to the region from jihadi groups.
Assam police chief D.N. Dutt told the media last week that the Bangladeshi jihadi group responsible for the serial blasts in that country in August last year has made inroads into the Northeast. Dutt said the Jamatul Mujahideen, one of two radical groups banned by Bangladesh last year, was co-ordinating the activities of all jihadi groups operating in the region with the help of foreign agencies. Neso secretary-general N.S.N. Lotha said Delhi must initiate “strong action to tackle this problem immediately”.
Red alert along border in Assam Nagaland Post
Guwahati/New Delhi, Nov 6 (IANS): The Indian government Monday tightened security along its porous frontier with Bangladesh suspecting the involvement of foreigners in the twin blasts in Assam that killed 14 people even as a separatist bomber linked to the explosions was shot dead by police.
"We know the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was behind the bomb blasts in Guwahati. We are trying to find out if they have been backed by Islamist militants in neighbouring Bangladesh," said a senior intelligence official in New Delhi. A police spokesman in Assam said a four-member team of ULFA rebels challenged a security team near Patharquarry, one of the two locations of Sunday night's blast, on the outskirts of Guwahati. "There were four rebels taking shelter in a farmhouse and when we reached the spot they challenged us with grenades. We retaliated and the encounter lasted for more than 30 minutes," said Rajen Singh, deputy police chief of Guwahati. "One of the militants was killed and the other three managed to escape. We believe the dead rebel to be one of the bombers involved in Sunday night's explosions," Singh told IANS. The joint police and paramilitary team recovered 12 grenades and some explosives from the dead militant. Police in two separate raids arrested 12 ULFA supporters from Guwahati city Monday.
Two powerful explosions rocked Guwahati one after the other Sunday evening - one at the crowded Fancy Bazaar area and another at Patharquarry on the city outskirts. Fourteen people were killed and 38 wounded in the blasts. The ULFA is yet to own up the bomb attacks. Rattled by the explosions, the Assam government held a series of high-level meetings. A meeting of the Unified Command Structure to review the security situation is to begin Monday evening.
"A composite team of the union home ministry is arriving in Guwahati to take stock of the situation and work out strategies," Assam governor Lt. Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh told reporters. Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal will chair the meeting of the Unified Command.
"This is nothing but an act of desperation with the ULFA killing innocent civilians. We are stepping up security and take all possible steps to thwart possible rebel attacks," Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said. Both the chief minister and the governor visited the injured in hospitals. "The twin blasts have caused panic and people are now scared to even move out of their homes," said Ram Bharatiya, a textile merchant in Guwahati. "The bomb at Fancy Bazaar was kept on a bicycle and this is one of the latest modus operandi of the ULFA to keep explosives to target innocent civilians," said Assam Police (Intelligence) chief Khagen Sharma.
Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk general strike Monday to protest the separatist bombings hit normal life in Guwahati. Markets in the city remained closed and the streets wore a deserted look.
The 12-hour strike that began at 6 a.m. was jointly called by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, the Kamrup District Chambers of Commerce and the Purvottar Hindustani Sammelan - a socio-cultural group of Hindi speaking people in Assam.
Guwahati blast toll rises to 14 Sangai Express
Guwahati, Nov 6: The toll in yesterday's twin blasts here rose to 14 with two more persons, including a child, succumbing to injuries while shops and markets downed shutters today following an impromptu bandh to protest the attack. Official sources said most markets remained closed in response to the 12-hour bandh called by the Kamrup Chamber of Commerce, which has been supported by several commercial and social associations.
Guwahati Senior Superintendent of Police Nitul Gogoi told PTI that the toll in the blasts went up to 14 with a one year infant succumbing to injuries this morning.
The blast in the Hindi-speaking commercial hub of Fancy Bazar has claimed nine lives.
In the other blast at Pattharquarry in the Noonmati area, four died yesterday, while another succumbed this morning. Meanwhile, explosive experts from the Forensic Laboratory here collected evidences from both the sites to analyse the exact type of material used in the timed explosive devises (PTED). The more than 50 injured, including some in criticals condition, are admitted in the Gauhati Medical College Hospital and Mohendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital and are undergoing treatment, he said. PTI
Unified Command to intensify CI Ops
Guwahati, Nov 6 : The Unified Command Structure in Assam today decided to intensify counter insurgency operations with a shift in strategy to achieve quick success against ULFA, official sources said. At a meeting chaired by Assam Chief Secretary S Kabilan following yesterday's twin blasts here which claimed 14 lives, the Unified Command structure, comprising the army, paramilitary forces and State police, reviewed the law and order scenario in the State and decided to intensify operations particularly in upper Assam and parts of lower Assam. It decided to tighten security and intensify patrolling along the Indo-Bangladesh border and stressed the need for greater coordination between the army and the police. The police was asked to take timely action on intelli-gence inputs provided by the armed forces. The situation in North Cachar Hills district, where nine railwaymen and contrac-tors were killed recently, was also reviewed at the meeting and it was decided deploy additional forces there. The meeting was attended by Assam Director General of Police D N Dutt, GOC-4 Corps Lt Gen B K Lidder and senior officials of CRPF and other paramilitary forces. PTI
ULFA behind twin blasts: Governor By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Nov 6 – The ULFA was behind the twin blasts that occurred at Fancy Bazar and Pattharquarry areas in the city last evening. But the incidents were only ‘stray’ in nature and were motivated to put fear psychosis in the society by establishing the fact that the militant outfit was still in existence. The outfit is also deploying paid men to cause such tragedies. This was the observation made by Governor Ajai Singh at a press conference here today.

However, he described the ULFA as a totally disoriented force today and claimed that the acts of sabotage perpetrated by the militant outfit were on the wane because of the resistance offered to such acts by the society and the media as well. The media offensive against the acts of violence perpetrated by the militant outfit after the Dhemaji blast paid off, he said, adding, gone are the days when the society used to get panicked by such acts of violence. He announced that the State Government had taken a serious view of the incidents and certain steps were going to be taken by it to contain such activities. He admitted that it was very difficult to stop such incidents of violence. But at the same breath he maintained that such acts could be minimized. Media should launch an attack on terrorism. For, society provides oxygen to terrorism. If that is squeezed, terrorism cannot survive, he said. He disagreed with a suggestion that the incidents of violence occurring these days betrayed that the police and other security forces failed in combating the militants, saying, “ I don’t take it as a failure of the police or the security forces. Police is doing an excellent job. The security forces nabbed some of the important leaders of the outfit recently. ”

In reply to a question as to whether the Army should be called in to look after security matters in the city, he said that the Unified Command would have its decision on the issue. He also clarified that he was ‘not qualified’ to comment as to whether the negotiation process with the ULFA should be continued. “It relates to Government’s policy,” he said. However, he pooh-poohed the idea of dialogue in reply to another question, shooting back –“What is happening in Nagaland? For nine years the dialogue is continuing there. Do you want to go that way?” He maintained that the society of the State was strong enough to ensure that militancy ceased to exist in it.
Blasts draw widespread condemnation By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Nov 6 – The twin blasts in the city triggered by the suspected ULFA militants have drawn condemnation from almost all organizations and sections of the State’s people. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in a statement here this evening, said that the incidents of violence taking place in the State during the recent days had created serious concern among the people. The acts of violence perpetrated by both the Government and the ULFA had made the common people vulnerable to repression. Many of them have meet with the tragic end to their life. But violence and counter-violence can in no way be the solution facing the State, said the students’ body. It has made an appeal to both the Government and the ULFA to resolve the contentious issues through dialogue in a violence-free atmosphere.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has described the present situation as a result of the arrogance demonstrated by both the ULFA and the Government towards solving the issues through negotiation. It has also condemned the yesterday blasts and asserted that such acts of taking the common people to ransom could not solve the issues raised by the ULFA.

But the regional party, in a statement here, maintained that due to the lack of sincerity on the part of the State Government to convince the anti-talk faction of the militant outfit of the relevance of resolving the issues across the negotiation table resulted in the present conflicting situation. It also demanded removal of the present State Government from power to ensure security to the life and property of the people and initiative on the part of the Prime Minister to carry forward the process of negotiation with the ULFA. The Joint Council of Trade Unions, Assam has also expressed deep concern at escalation of extremist violence in the State in the recent period. It has condemned the yesterday blasts in the city. Such gruesome acts of violence in no way serve the cause of the State and its people. Rather, such acts impede development of the already backward State and aggravate the miseries of its people, it said in a statement. Voluntary organization Save Guwahati Save Guwahati has also condemned the incidents and called upon the ULFA to shun violence and to settle the issues across the negotiation table amicably.

The Uttar Purva Prant of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) expressed the doubt that the Pakistani ISI might be involved in the recent acts of blast in the State. It has also alleged that the Government has failed in ensuring security to the life and property of the people. The city unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has described the yesterday incidents as the products of the Congress’ policy to appease the minorities and to support terrorism. The Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti has made an appeal to the militant outfits to stop all acts of violence that affect the life of the common people. The Loka Jagaran Mancha has called upon the people to fight terrorism unitedly. It has also demanded steps to bring the culprits involved in the incidents to book and also to compensate the victims of the incidents adequately.

All Assam Lawyers’ Association and the Guwahati Lawyers’ Association have condemned the twin blasts that occurred in the city yesterday. Representatives of the associations, SP Deka, Pallav Hazarika and P Dastidar visited the homes of some of the victims today. They have demanded proper treatment and adequate compensation to the victims. Abhijit Sarma of the Assam Public works has condemned the incidents and said in a satirical vein that Paresh Barua was successful in targeting and killing the innocent people. He also demanded that organizations like the PCG, MASS and the PCPI should come out in the open condemning such incidents.

The Delhi-based Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) has condemned the city blasts. It has described these incidents as dastardly acts of terrorism. ACHR director Subhash Chakma said that no political ideology or demand could justify such acts of terrorism, which targeted innocent civilians. “The deliberate targeting of civilians violates provisions of international humanitarian laws and all armed opposition groups must ensure respect for all international humanitarian laws,” he said. The ACHR has demanded that the State Government should take measures to bring the culprits to justice and adequately compensate the victims.
Bomb detected at Manipur govt official’s residence Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Nov 6 – A major tragedy was averted today with the timely detection of a powerful bomb near the gate of the private residence of a Manipur government official this morning, official sources said. Unidentified persons planted the bomb at the gate of the private residence of Additional Chief Engineer (Irrigation and Flood Control department) L Manihar Singh at Kwakeithel area near here, they said. Experts later defused the bomb, sources said, adding that the motive behind the incident was not yet known.
Police has said it is looking into the possibility whether the incident had anything to do with the demand of money by the militants from the official. – PTI
Manipur too can gain from tourism industry: Governor The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Nov 6: "In spite of insurgency, more than a million tourists visit Kashmir. Why can`t Manipur have a flourishing tourism industry?"

The Governor of Manipur Dr SS Sidhu said the above while inaugurating the first-ever four days long state tourism festival at Mapal Kangjeibung here today amidst cultural and ritualistic music from the different communities of Manipur. In his speech, the Governor said that Manipur has the potential for a successful tourism industry and that "it is high time we realise that Manipur can no longer be left behind in development". The Governor pointed out that Manipur lagged behind around 15 years in development from other states of India. Calling the entire Northeast `a paradise unexplored`, the Governor observed that tourism is the fastest track for socio-economic development of any state and that its role in poverty alleviation is well-recognised the world over.

He also highlighted the need for identifying Manipur`s unique selling points for tourism like Kangla, Loktak Lake and said that tourism in Manipur is aimed at giving impetus to art and culture, rich bio-diversity, handicrafts and handloom, indigenous sports and eco-tourism.
The guest of honour, Dr M Nara said that keeping in view the potential of tourism in ushering development, the PAP (Protected Area Permit) should be lifted and Manipur should welcome foreign tourists. Power Minister Francis Ngajokpa said, "If we want to develop tourism in our state, each of us is responsible to bring peace at individual level with our neighbor, our tribe, etc."

The president of the inaugural function T N Haokip, tourism minister, said that the theme of the tourism festival is `communal harmony and peaceful co-existence through tourism`. There was also a presentation of multi-cultural musical ensemble called Yaiphabi a presentation on the spirit of womanhood of Manipur through music. There were musical presentations of the Meitei, Tangkhul, Kuki, etc. too.
Toll 14; shops down shutters; ultra killed in city encounter
Gogoi admits security failure By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Nov 6: A day after the near-simultaneous blasts that claimed 14 lives and left over 50 injured in the busy Fancy Bazaar and Noonmati areas of the city, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today for the first time admitted that the State Government has failed to provide security to the people of Asom.
“Yes, I have to admit that we have failed to provide security but we have taken this development very seriously and operations against the militants have been intensified,” the Chief Minister, who rushed back to the State from New Delhi this morning, told reporters while visiting the blast sites and the two hospitals where the injured have been admitted. “The government has taken this development very seriously and has intensified security operations. More security forces would be deployed in Guwahati and the rest of the State,” he said, adding, “There is no justification in such dastardly killings. They cannot gain anything through violence. The people should come out to protest such acts.” Indicating that the anti-insurgency operations in the State would be intensified in the wake of the blasts, the Chief Minister, without naming any outfit, said even when the peace process seemed to make an headway, they were engaged in extortion and killings. Even now, he reiterated, if the outfit gives up violence, the government is ready to sit across the table. Gogoi told a news agency last night that “initial investigation reports suggest that the blast could be the handiwork of ULFA”.
Meanwhile, with three more persons, including a one-year infant, succumbing to injuries, the toll in yesterday’s twin blasts in the city rose to 14, while shops and markets here downed shutters following an impromptu bandh called by the BJP and Kamrup Chambers of Commerce to protest the blasts. Almost all the business establishments remained closed in response to the 12-hour bandh which has been supported by several commercial and social associations.
Two of the injured in the Fancy Bazaar blast — Rajesh Das (17) and a one-year infant, Suresh Shah — died at the GMCH today. Another, Mazida Begum, who sustained critical injuries in the Noonmati explosion, also succumbed to her injuries.
Over 50 people are undergoing treatment at the GMCH, MMCH, GNRC, Downtown and Central Nursing Home, and as many as seven of them were said to be in critical condition.
Meanwhile, explosive experts from the Forensic Laboratory here collected evidence from both the sites to analyse the exact type of material used in the programmable time devices (PTDs).
While the police is yet to stumble upon any concrete evidence and track the culprits, IGP (SB) Khagen Sarma said the PTD was kept in bicycle. “Planting explosives in bicycles is the latest modus operandi of the ULFA to target innocents, ” Sarma told reporters here.
Police said security has been beefed up in and around the city, with police and paramilitary forces keeping a close over the vital installations and vulnerable places. Bomb detection squads have been also pressed into action. Meanwhile, an ULFA militant was killed in an encounter with police and 14 hand grenades were seized in the Noonmati area of the city early this morning. On a tip-off about three insurgents holed up in a house inside the forests on Santipur hill, the police went there in the early hours. Seeing the police, the ultras opened fire. The police retaliated killing one of the militants on the spot, while the two others fled, sources said.
A hand grenade was recovered from the slain insurgent and 13 other grenades were found inside the house. The identity of the deceased was yet to be ascertained.
Unified Command to intensify operations By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Nov 6: The Unified Command has decided to intensify counter-insurgency operations with a shift in strategy to achieve quick success against the ULFA. At a meeting chaired by Asom Chief Secretary S Kabilan in the wake of yesterday’s blasts, the Unified Command Structure, comprising the Army, paramilitary forces and State Police, reviewed the law-and-order scenario in the State and decided to intensify operations particularly in upper Asom. It decided to tighten security and intensify patrolling along the Indo-Bangladesh border, besides stressing the need for greater coordination between the Army and the police.
The police was asked to take timely action on intelligence inputs provided by the armed forces.
The situation in North Cachar Hills district, where nine railway men and contractors were killed recently, was also reviewed at the meeting and it was decided deploy additional forces there.
The meeting was attended by Asom Director General of Police DN Dutt, GoC-4 Corps Lt Gen BK Lidder and senior officials of CRPF and other para-military forces.


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