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03/20/2007: "NSCN-K ponders on who made the greatest sacrifice The Morung Express"

NSCN-K ponders on who made the greatest sacrifice The Morung Express

Dimapur, March 19 (MExN): NSCN-K Kilonser AZ Jami asserts that a time will come when posterity will know of the Naga that made the “greatest sacrifice” in the Naga struggle and “who is who.”
Reflecting on AZ Phizo, Jami stated that there is no denying the first president of the NNC undertook “many remarkable jobs” during his tenure for the cause of the Naga freedom. “But his political career was marred by his failure to condemn or abrogate the infamous Shillong Accord of 1975 and also allowing his dead body to bring from England to be buried in the Secretariat complex area owned by the Nagaland puppet state against which he vehemently opposed during his lifetime” Jami stated. These, the NSCN-K Kilonser stated, are “unremovable” scars in his “freedom politics”. This does not mean that the great sacrifices made by Phizo and his family members are being ignored “but that history and facts cannot be distorted,” Jami added.
Jami also noted that the Tenyimia community particularly the Angami and Chakhesang communities regard Phizo as a patriot and a great leader. However, the two communities are “swinging between the two factions of NNC and the two factions of NSCN.” The NSCN-K also assessed that “in spite of many political commissions and omissions made by Ao leaders” Yongongnangshi Ao (NNC) made sacrifices even greater than Phizo.
“Now ignoring the political principle of their leader Yongkong, where are the Aos at present” the Kilonser queried. “To be polite, the Aos always try to be the first and topmost beneficiaries of the puppet state” Jami stated adding that the Nagas rejected the offer of the Indian government during the 1964-67 talks “which was higher and better than what Issac and Muivah are proposing today.” It is high time the Nagas “come to their senses and rally” around the original political principle of the Naga mass movement, he opined.
He also cited an instance: Mohammed Ali Jinnah is called the father of Pakistan. “But recently some influential religious organizations had passed a resolution not to include Jinnah’s name in the list of the names of freedom fighters on the ground that he did not do remarkable works for Pakistan’s independence nether did he undergone even a single day in jail for Pakistan’s independence” he asserted. Likewise even among Nagas who “had not suffered enough” and “undergone imprisonment” for the struggle may not be included in the list of Naga freedom fighters “whosoever one makes lofty claims or howsoever high position one holds.” He stated. Many may be offended by this statement but the “truth” triumphs he added.
Tribal hohos discuss boundary issue The Morung Express
KOHIMA, MARCH 19 (MExN): In what can be termed as a novice initiative of settling border dispute between the two sister states of Assam and Nagaland, both sides have agreed to allow the tribal bodies to partake in the boundary commission meeting and help resolve the dispute. Nagaland Commissioner, TN Mannen after having a consultative meeting with the tribal hohos at the Zonal Council Hall, Kohima said that not only the government representatives, but also the people representatives of both the states will be allowed to take part in committee discussion.
The chairman of the local boundary commission has agreed to this idea of letting people partake in the committee meeting, said the Commissioner. This will help people to understand the nature of dispute and resolve it amicably. Tribal hohos from Mon, Mokokchung, Wokha, Dimapur and Kohima attended today’s meeting. Mannen termed the initiatives as the ‘healthy kind of thing’. The local Boundary Commission for Assam and Nagaland is likely to meet in the first part of May.
Protests outside Nagaland House against sanctuary encroachment Zee News Bureau Report
Kohima, March 19: Protestors, belonging to students and villagers of Zeliangrong Naga tribe, on Monday demonstrated before the Nagaland Assembly complex here demanding removal of encroachers from Ntangki National Park in Peren district.

The protestors demanded that all encroachments from the park should be removed to save the green belt from further depletion and 'random killing' of Widlife be put to a halt.

The demonstrators, who assembled under the aegis of all Zeliangrong Students' Union, came from interior areas of the district to protest against alleged inaction by the government despite 'continued encroachment' of the park for past couple of years.

The protestors also demanded evacuation of encroachers from Dhansiripar Sub-Division, in Dimapur district, asserting that the encroached land traditionally belonged to the Zeliangrong community.

Although Nagaland government declared a vast tract of green foliage, endowed with rich bio-diversity in the area, as Ntangki National Park in late 70s. The sanctuary, now spread over both Dimpur and Peren districts, has been denuded by both encroachers and timber smugglers, both villagers and police said. There were even reports that underground groups have set up camps inside the park with some of them engaged in timber logging business.

Nagaland Assembly`s budget session commences Bureau Report Zee News Kohima, March 20: The ten-day long budget session of Nagaland assembly has begun with the opposition Congress likely to corner the government over law and order and alleged corruption in official departments.

New Governor K Shankaranarayanan will address the House, while Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who also holds finance portfolio, will present the budget for 2007-08 on Saturday.

With the state going to polls early next year, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in its last budget is likely to announce some populist measures even as it has vowed to cut down fiscal deficit by resorting to pruning expenditure in the previous budgets. Meanwhile, members of All Zeliangrong Students' Union today staged protest outside the assembly complex, demanding to free the Ntangki National Park in Peren district from encroachers.

Delhi’s monopoly bleeds power supply Bonnie Konyak Morung Express
Dimapur The power situation in Nagaland seems to be a “power-play” with 100 percent ‘power’ being ultimately controlled by the Centre through its agencies like the North East Electric & Power Corporation (NEEPCO) and NHPC who have a monopoly even over Doyang HEP which generates 75 MW of power, the exact requirement of the State. However, the Central Policy of power sharing has limited Nagaland’s share of the power from its very own Doyang HEP to a meager 7 MW while a large percentage of the power is distributed to other states in the North East while Nagaland has very little say in the use of the surplus power that may be generated from its own State. Terming the Centre’s policy of power sharing as an exploitation and a conspiracy of the Government of India, a source from the power department said, “Electricity means economic power, and this the Centre knows very well” and added that with the economic boom in India, very soon the power demand of mainstream India would shoot up to one lakh MW and right now North East was the only area in which there is still potential for power to be tapped. Due to this very reason the Centre is trying its best to take ownership of the state’s natural resources. An example of this agenda of the Central government is the project of 22.92 MW HFO based Thermal power plant in Chumukedima, a bye-product of Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit in 2003 the funding of which had been stopped by the Centre after a huge amount of effort and money had been put into it. A rough estimate of Rs 10 crores has already been wasted on the project which had been meant to meet the state’s power demand in during emergencies such as the one being faced by the State today. Departmental sources revealed that the Central government had demanded the project to be handed over to them when the department approached them for releasing the fund for the project and hence the department was unable to go ahead with the project for want of funds.
The departmental source said that the government of Nagaland needed to wisen up and develop its own internal generation of both hydro and thermal power and the proposed Hydro project at Tizu-Zunki of 150 MW should be taken up by the state saying “We can take it up if we have imagination without the state spending a single rupee.” Outlining the options that lay before the State like joint venture projects with intending power project developers or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) the State would not be held ransom by the Centre’s monopoly, and with the present universal demand for power the source added that all the state needed to do was strike the best deal. However under the present conditions, the power situation of Nagaland looks very bleak and the load shedding is likely to carry on until monsoon though the situation may slightly improve after completion of the annual maintenance work at the Likhimro HEP which is expected to be done by the end of March. But until the state government decides to step into the matter, the power department will have to continue in more or less the same manner with heavy load shedding during winter and maybe a slightly better summer that is, if the transformers does not break down from lack of maintenance.

Meanwhile, it is a no-win situation for the Nagaland Power Department struggling under immense shortage of technical and water resources in the State and with very little hope of productive intervention from the clueless bureaucrats and policy makers. Against the total power demand in Nagaland of 76 Megawatts (during peak hour), the total availability of power is just 30 Megawatts, which comes to less than half of the State’s total power demand. A source from the power Department revealed that the present load shedding in Dimapur and Peren is due to gross departmental negligence caused over the last few years.
The source further disclosed that the shutting down of the transformer has very little impact on the actual overall power supply situation because of the already existing shortage of power caused by the scarcity of water. It was however mentioned that the department taking advantage of this dire situation decided to shut down the transformer for maintenance work, giving the transformer its first servicing in 25 years, since installation in 1982. It is therefore misleading to claim that the supply of adequate power is being caused due to the shut down of the transformer, the source informed.

Kuki bodies call on Burma junta to intervene in plight of 400 villagers Source: Mizzima News
Moreh (Manipur), March 19: Kuki activists have urged the Burmese military junta to intervene and rescue over 400 Kuki villagers who were allegedly ‘deported’ by an India based insurgent outfit in cahoots with the Burmese Army to an unknown destination in Burma. The Kuki Students Organisation, the Kuki Women’s Union and Human Rights and Hill Tribe Council based in Moreh, lodged a complaint in this regard through the Chairman of the District Peace and Development Council based in Tamu, a Burmese town close to Moreh, reports from the border said on Saturday.
It is alleged that on March 12, armed militants of the United National Liberation Front backed by the Burmese Army ‘forcibly’ took away over 400 displaced Kuki villagers who were sheltered in the T S Laijang grouping centre (India) to an undisclosed destination in Burma. The villagers had originally come from over 15 villages under the Khengjoi hill range in Manipur’s Chandel district in the wake of continuous gun battles between Indian security forces and the UNLF, sources said.
It is learnt that the Kuki Inpi Manipur, an apex body of the Kuki community in the region had earlier submitted a representation to the President and Prime Minister of India urging intervention and rescuing the ‘deported’ villagers.
Meanwhile reacting to the charges leveled by the UNLF on Kuki bodies, Kuki Chiefs’ Association has asserted that the Kuki bodies were never under anybody’s directives to air the plight of its own people. N Mate, Vice President of the association in a statement claimed that the forcible capture of Kuki villagers from Laijang village grouping centre and taking them to an unknown destination in Burma by the outfit was never a blind allegation.
Upholding the peaceful and mutual understanding of the composite Manipur structure has been the principle of the Kuki bodies, besides upholding the age old cordiality amongst the people. The Kukis have shown patience till date, he added.
The captured villagers were in fact deported to Burma and subsequently brought back after civil and government machineries stepped in to ensure their safety, they further said.
Tips from rebels to break ice with Ulfa The Morung Express
Guwahati, March 19 (The Telegraph): Politicians and representatives of civil society will sit across leaders of militant groups later this week as part of a unique initiative to ensure convergence of views on the peace process with Ulfa.
The interaction with leaders of militant groups that are in ceasefire with the government is meant to help the government draw up a strategy to break the ice with Ulfa and draw up a roadmap for talks. Ulfa has been the most recalcitrant militant group of the region, turning down every opportunity for “direct” talks.
Representatives of the National Democratic Front of Boroland, the Dima Halam Daogah, the United People’s Democratic Solidarity and the Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam are expected to not only share their experiences of dealing with the government but also suggest measures for resuming peace talks with Ulfa.
Slated for Thursday and Friday, it will be by far the most novel attempt to end the impasse in the peace process between Delhi and Ulfa.
Disclosing the agenda today, chief co-ordinator of the People’s Committee for Peace Initiatives in Assam (PCPIA), Dilip Patgiri, said all militant outfits in ceasefire with the government would share their views with representatives of various political parties and other organisations.
“The aim is to evolve a broad consensus on ways to restart the peace process. It is the first ever all-encompassing conclave on the peace process, where political parties will share the dais with militant outfits to hammer out a peace formula,” Patgiri said.
The meet has been christened the Jatiya Sanmelan (national conclave). Patgiri said the main political parties, including the Congress and the AGP, had already agreed to participate in the conclave. Human rights activists from two other insurgency-hit states of the region, Nagaland and Manipur, will attend the convention.
Apart from political parties, representatives of various social organisations such as the Asam Sahitya Sabha and the All Assam Students’ Union will participate in the interactive sessions.
Army to conduct enquiry into alleged rape, proposed bandh called off The Morung Express
IMPHAL, March 19 (Agencies): The proposed 24-hour Manipur bandh by three students bodies was suspended as army authorities agreed to conduct a “staff enquiry” into the alleged rape of 18-year old school girl by a jawan of the 38 Assam Rifles at Kotlien and complete it within 15 days counting from Sunday (March 18).
The army further assured to cooperate in the police investigation into the charge. Earlier, three students bodies planned to undertake various types of agitations against the alleged rape of the student. However, the students bodies put a condition that the process of any enquiry related to the Kotlein incident should be outside the army camp in the presence of Kuki Mothers Association/Kuki Women`s Union members. The victim girl also desired that the enquiry be conducted at the residence of the village chief of Veitum Khullen, the students said.
They had earlier planned to launch a 24-hour bandh on Monday to be followed by economic blockade on the national highways if the state government failed to terminate the jawan of 38 Assam Rifles who allegedly raped the Kuki school girl on March 13 and take action on the subsequent assault upon protestors and mediapersons. An understanding was reached during a trilateral talk between the state government led by state chief secretary and DGP, inspector general of Assam Rifles (South) and representatives of the three tribal students` bodies, the All Tribal Students` Union Manipur, ATSUM, Kuki Students` organization, KSO and All Naga Students Association, Manipur, a statement issued by KSO said Sunday.
Several officials of both police and army also participated in the talks which was held at the chief minister`s bungalow today. During the talk an understanding was reached to institute staff enquiry alongside police investigation within a period of 15 days from today, the statement stated.
“Bearing on the line of the understanding, the proposed agitation stands temporarily suspended, in order to swiften the passage of law for evolving justice for one and all,” the organizations stated. A 18-year old girl, daughter of one Thehmang Haokip of Beitun Khullen located on nh-53 was allegedly raped by a personnel of the 38 Assam Rifles posted at Kotlien on March 13. Reports said that she was raped by the AR jawan while washing clothes at the village stream.
Sapermeina police have registered a case and medical examination of the girl, who suffered head injuries as the alleged rapist reportedly bashed her head against a stone while struggling with her.
The army authorities have been claiming that the alleged rapist was a deserter who had absconded his post. They had also pledged disciplinary action against him. Several women of the village also sustained injuries when they attacked the 38 AR post at Kotlien to demand immediate booking and punishment of the ar personnel involved, on the following day.
A team of journalists from Imphal which had rushed to the spot were also detained and assaulted by the AR troops at the post who accused them of instigating the mob. In the meantime, statements of condemnation of the alleged rape incident, and the events that followed continue to pour in from several organisations. The Joint Administrative Council, amgeo and amtuc, strongly condemning the alleged rape, said it was deplorable that the security forces which are tasked with defending the country were indulging in such despicable acts against their own citizens.
While calling for exemplary punishment against the personnel involved, the JAC also deplored the assault upon mediapersons who were covering public protests over the incident.
The JAC further called upon those responsible for the abduction of the SE, power department, Laishram Priyokumar to release him unharmed at the earliest on humanitarian grounds. It also appealed to all sections for cooperation so that state government employees can go about their jobs peacefully and without interference.
Meanwhile, the All Manipur Nupi Lup in a statement said a team of delegates visited Veitun Khullen today and met the rape victim`s mother as well as local villagers. Stating that it was surprisng that the culprit has not been punished till date, the organisation said the delay in administering punishment was unreasonable, and expressed fear that the authorities concerned were trying to suppress the matter. It warned further delay would only provoke public unrest.
The Momnu Eerikkhombi Lup, while condemning the incident, blamed the state government, asserting that the government`s indifference to the many previous such incidents of rape and molestation involving the security forces has encouraged the latter to continue committing such crimes with impunity. The organisation demanded swift punishments for the culprit involved, and also condemned the assault upon journalists in the wake of the incident. (The Imphal Free Press)
Border vigil along Bhutan to be heightened By IANS
Guwahati, March 19 (IANS) India has decided to heighten security along its border with Bhutan by deploying 3,000 additional paramilitary personnel and both countries have stressed greater vigil along the unfenced boundary to check movement of separatists.
An Indian home ministry official said Monday that three more battalions of the paramilitary Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) would be deployed along the 643-km border India shares with Bhutan in addition to the nine battalions currently guarding the frontier.
'The decision to raise the strength of SSB along Bhutan was taken after Indian officials met the king of Bhutan, the country's prime minister, the home minister and other senior officials over the weekend in Thimpu,' the official told IANS.
The announcement follows fresh reports of separatists from India's northeast and West Bengal trying to set up bases in the Himalayan kingdom. The Bhutanese military in December 2003 launched an eviction drive smashing up to 30 rebel camps and claimed to have ousted the militants from their territory.
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), both active in Assam, and the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) from West Bengal had operated out of well-entrenched bases in Bhutan prior to the crackdown.
'We discussed all issues pertaining to border security. Both sides agreed to do our best to ensure border peace and maintain vigil so that no untoward movement takes place into Bhutan,' a senior Indian official has been quoted as saying by Bhutan's national newspaper Kuensel. The Indian officials' four-day visit to Bhutan concludes Tuesday. The two countries have also agreed to set up a mechanism to share intelligence inputs.
'In case any unwarranted movement is noticed, we will have this system in place which will allow us to exchange the information instantly rather than after a period of time,' the official said.
Indian intelligence officials say ULFA was again eyeing setting up bases in Bhutan. 'There is pressure mounting on ULFA in Myanmar. With our military conducting operations in Assam and adjoining states, the militants might again try to sneak into Bhutan,' the intelligence official said.
Grenade attack kills one in Assam By Reuters
GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - One person was killed and two others were wounded in a grenade attack by separatist guerrillas in Assam on Monday, police said. At least two rebels of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) threw a grenade in front of a shop in a crowded market in western Assam's Nalbari town, 70 km west of Guwahati.
"It is the handiwork of the ULFA," a senior police official in Guwahati told Reuters.
The ULFA has been fighting for an independent state for 26 million Assamese since 1979, a conflict that has killed 20,000 people. The rebels accuse the federal government of neglecting the state. Talks between the rebels' representatives and New Delhi failed to make headway last year, triggering a spate of violence.
Delimitation bomb Editorial Nagaland Post
With hardly twelve days before the deadline ends on March 31, it is not certain as how the state would be able to resolve the rising resentment and in some cases, stern warning of trouble if the DAN government went ahead with its draft proposal on 're-adjustment' of assembly constituencies in pursuance of the directive of the Delimitation Commission of India to implement the Delimitation Act 2003.Nagaland is to go to the polls in February 2008 and if the elections were to be held as per the re-adjustments contained in the draft paper, the scenario would have far reaching political ramifications for decades. It is not difficult to understand why the draft proposal on re-adjustments have elicited negative reaction from a cross section. One of the suspicions is that the proposals do not look like they were 'minor' in re-adjustment but undeniably reflects political interests of some sections. With time ticking fast before the deadline, the government now should not resort to an alibi about the lack of time since it has been aware about the time frame. The proposals in the working paper at first glance, is certainly a very major and not a minor exercise in re-adjustment. It may also be said that though a proposal may be based on sound reasoning, it might not always find wide acceptance as there are bound to be those who resist changes. However, to be fair to all, any proposal should have been discussed and debated in order to involve people's participation in decision making process. Interestingly, all the five nominated members of the state commission are from the ruling DAN coalition with no representative from the opposition Congress. Strange as it may sound, the opposition Congress has made no noise about the matter, perhaps preserving it to be addressed on the floor of the house. The present opposition seem to have little interest in addressing important issues to the people for unexplained reasons. The role of the opposition in a democracy is not confined within the four walls of the assembly but also to address pressing issues in public so as to let the people know as to where things have gone wrong and how to set them right. The draft proposal has already attracted ire of the public since a number of current assembly constituencies would virtually disappear and realignments undertaken with new nomenclature. Had it been in other parts of the country, there would be numerous Public Interest Litigation filed in the courts to address the issue. The Right To Information Act should be used in this matter and government made provide information as to what factors were taken into consideration before the proposals were more or less finalised. The last minute or academic exercise of seeking claims or objections would be defeated since the clock is about to strike and the greatest apprehension is that it would also set off another explosion.
Scribes' cameras confiscated By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Mar 19 : Two cameras were confiscated from reporters by bandh enforcers along the Moreh route, while the former were coming back to Imphal from the border town today.
Strongly condemning the incident, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union convened an emergency meeting today evening to discuss the incident. Two journalists from Imphal had gone to Moreh on March 17 to cover the bandh being enforced at the border town. With the bandh being enforced so strictly, the reporters, hired a Maruti van to return to Imphal today. However they were waylaid by the bandh enforcers at two points and their cameras were confiscated.
Narrating their tale, the two reporters said that they along with two Moreh based correspondents set out to return to Imphal from Moreh today with a written consent from the Hill Tribals Council. The HTC is among the organisations enforcing the bandh.
When the van carrying them approached Kondong Lairembi, bandh supporters stopped then and questioned why they were violating the bandh call. Despite showing the written permission from the HTC, the bandh supporters dismissed the paper and after checking the vehicle, confiscated a digital camera from one of the reporters and they were let off. Their trouble did not end there as they were again stopped by bandh supporters at Tengnoupal. On seeing the paper issued by the HTC, the bandh supporters stamped the paper with a seal of the KSO and let them off.
The reporters were again stopped at Molnoi village by bandh supporters. Ironically a security post is opened near the village. The bandh supporters then confiscated a video camera from the reporters. The bandh supporters asked the reporters to sign a paper to the effect that the incident would not be reported. Taking strong exception to the harassments meted out to the reporters, the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union convened an emergency meeting today evening and besides condemning the incident urged all not to repeat such acts in the future.
BJP demands white paper on ULFA talks City Correspondent Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, March 19 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assam Pradesh has asked Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to come out with a white paper on ULFA-Government talks and the expenditure incurred by the Government at the time of the National Games. Demanding the ruling Congress to make its position clear on the issue of resumption of talks with the banned outfit, State president Ramen Deka on Monday said before mediapersons that the people had a right to know why the peace talks had not taken off despite there being a government of the same party both at the State and the Centre. Calling upon the Government to keep in abeyance the exercise of delimitation, Deka said that the exercise without updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and resolving the problem of illegal infiltration of Bangladeshis, would go against the interests of the indigenous people in the State.

Deka said that the Congress Government had failed on several fronts including appropriate utilization of central grants. “ The Congress Government had come to power riding on promises to boost the pace of development in the State. But the wheel of development has got stuck, with the government’s outstanding loan increasing to Rs 17,437 crore,” said Deka.

The State president further said that it was a miserable show on the part of the Government when it came to utilization of the amount of Rs 3500 crore that came from the Centre. “ The State government had not even utilized 60 per cent of the grant,” rued Deka.
Criticising the Rs 2836.28 crore deficit State budget, Deka said that the government had made itself a laughing stock by reducing taxes on items like cashewnut, afforded by a rich man and increasing taxes on the common man’s livelihood sustenance like bamboo and supari.

Pointing that the dismal power scenario, poor road communication, agricultural backwardness, etc were indicators of the failure of the Government, Deka said that in 2004-05, Assam ranked 28th in terms of its performance and its position was further relegated in 2006, as it stood at the 29th position in the State Score Card.
Deka observed that to ensure development in the State, there was a need for a single window system. The party has decided to approach the Governor on the issue of a single window system in the State. On the other hand, Deka castigated the Congress Government for not giving due importance to women welfare. “ The 1991 census showed 21.6 per cent of women in employment, the 2001 census showed the percentage going down to 20.7,” informed Deka.

Deka said that the party had demanded of the Centre to grant ST status to Koch Rajbonshi, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai Ahom and Tea tribe at the earliest.

NDFB extortions on the rise in Rajapathar area Our Correspondent Assam tribune
DIPHU, March 19 – Cases of extortion targeting mostly Hindi and Bengali-speaking people in Rajapathar and its neighbouring areas have registered a significant increase under Howraghat PS in Kargbi Anglong, but most of them go unreported due to sense of insecurity prevailing among the villagers.
The number of such cases have increased over the part one-and-half years the villagers said.

The NDFB cadres are operating in the area take shelter at Belguri, Magurmari and Beltola areas of Kaki forest and serves extortion notice on to the villagers of Shympathar, Maleshbasti, Begnaati, Hathidandi, Nadikinar etc. Citing the example of latest case of the area on the condition of anonymity a villager said that he sold his paddy to pay the extortion amount to the NDFB while many marginal farmers of this area sell their domestic animals of mortgage their land to pay extortion amount to the NDFB just to sarve their lives. These are big gangs involved in the extortion with the aid of the local people and due to a sense of fear and remoteness the villagers do not contact police. This has sown a seed of insecurity among the poor villagers of the area. The NDFB cadre do not even spare marginal farmers, the villegers said. The extornists demand as much as 5,000-25,000 and any bargain with them to lessen the demanded amount leads to physical torture or dire consequences. An official of Hindi Bharti Chhatra Sanstha was shot dead by NDFB and his brother sustained bullet injury last year, the villagers said.

Due to political insecurity and a fragile security system such incidents are on the rise the villagers said, emphasising the need for the government to strengthen its intelligence network and increase security. The continuous threats to this particular community may force them to quit the place, one of the villagers said. “There is not only physical harm and economic loss, but we also undergo a lot of mental torture due to such incidents” the villagers said.

Move for AFSPA repeal defeated in house The Imphal Free Press

imphal, mar 19: A private member`s resolution to urge the Union government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, AFSPA 1958, was defeated by a voice vote in the state Assembly today. The private member`s resolution was moved jointly by MLAs Radhabinod Koijam of the NCP and RK Anand and I Ibohanbi of the MPP in the afternoon session of the Assembly today.
The Opposition members also produced copies of the report submitted by the Jeevan Reddy Committee formed to review the AFSPA 1958 to the Central government before the House.

Radhabinod Koijam, while moving the resolution, observed that the AFSPA has been inherited from the British colonial regime and used to suppress any movement for self-determination after Independence. The transformation of the afspa from the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act and its confinement alone to the North East and Jammu and Kashmir denotes total negligence and step motherly treatment by the Indian government, which has brought the people to a stage of near-revolt.

He maintained that under the shadow of the act, the people of the region have been living under fear and repression amidst the innumerable human rights violations committed under cover of the act. While flaying the state government for failing to fulfil the public`s desire for repealing the act, Radhabinod said its predilection to use armed forces to suppress insurgency despite knowing that insurgency can be solved only by political dialogue and not through arms will not have a positive result. Reiterating that the excessive powers granted to ncos under sections 4 and 6 of the Act has led to any number of human rights violations, he demanded an end to violence on the part of the government if it considers the people of Manipur to be citizens of India.

He stressed the need for the people`s representatives to take strong decision to urge the Union government to repeal the AFSPA 1958

Opposition MLAs rk anand, I Ibohanbi, o joy Singh, Dr Ng Bijoy and Morung Makunga supporting the resolution took the common stance that the afspa has not brought any positive solution to the insurgency problem, but rather has become counter productive. They warned that a strong sense of alienation has come up among the citizens of the state owing to ill treatment by the security forces who are unable to see the people of Manipur as citizens of India Many inhuman crimes have been committed under cover of the Act, and people have begun to turn against the Indian union because of the failure to safeguard fundamental rights, they pointed out.

Chief minister o ibobi, in response, said the spf has no desire to retain the act even for a single minute in the state, but due to continuously deteriorating law and order situation and occurrance of multiple incidents of kidnapping, extortion and harassment of common citizens by the insurgent groups, the state government has retained the Act under the aegis of the Central government/ He said the afspa will definitely go if the situation in the state improves, and reiterated that the state government alone cannot tackle the burning insurgency problem.

While asserting that the government is taking up many strategies to resolve the insurgency problem, he sought the cooperation of the public representatives to bring a fruitful end to insurgency in the state. Though the CM and other Ruling members appealed to withdraw the private members` resolution, the Opposition members remained firm, and the motion was finally put to voice vote where it was defeated.

How to save Meitei identity By Dr Mohendra Irengbam Sangai Express
Simply speaking, it is not simply simple.
Among the Nagas at large the quest for Nagalim has become a leitmotif of Naga nationalism, straddling Naga and Meitei political divides. Meiteis have to confront the reality of the threat i.e. the spectre of Naga nationalism. By Nagas I am referring to Nagas of Nagaland in particular and a few Nagas of Manipur in general. Manipur has some sub-castes of Nagas who want to unite with the Nagas of Nagaland. But it is not everybody’s cup of tea. For instance, Reishang Keishing, MP does not want to. The late Yangmasho Shaiza did not want to but his younger brother, the late Lungshim did. Gaikhangam, a Kabui Naga MLA wants to but Kabuis of Majorkhul or Shaheb Manai or Keishamthong do not. The rest just follow the political trend of some of their leaders. This is a fractured Naga nationalism. Meiteis meanwhile have lost vigour and the urge to fight from years of inactivity. Every skilled or unskilled job such as electrical works, plastering, joinery, plumbing, laundry, hair-dressing etc are done by outsiders such as Biharis, Orriyas, and other non-Manipuris. Rickshaw pulling is left in the able hands of Muslims.
The most enterprising work for a Meitei is to open a small shop, which does not compromise his social dignity but without an iota of ambition to prosperity. This is not however a description of Meitei women. I am no wide-eyed innocent either. I bear the same inferiority complex which tends to over assert itself. Years of mendacious contentment (eikhoidi khudei ama shetlaga pangnung nungngaiba jatni) and lack of determination to succeed in life has brought the juggernaut of Meitei valour on the skid. We have become couch potatoes. The rise and fall of Meiteis is complete. We have become Thainagi Hanuman - figure of the past, now a paper tiger.
As we do not have a natural impetus to be hard working and believe in the ‘theory of least tendency’ (haying taura loire), Meitei nationalism remained dormant until it was suddenly jolted by the June 18, 2001 uprising because of the proposed renewal of ceasefire ‘without territorial limits’ between Naga insurgents and GoI. The rebellion destroyed the notion that would have underlined a subtle recognition of the four districts of Manipur by the Indian Government as parts of Nagaland or Nagalim.
The home truth about Meiteis.
We are losing touch. We need to stand up now and be counted. The jargon-riddled paean of multi-cultural Manipur is falling by the wayside. The apologist younger Meitei generations are unsuccessful in importuning the Naga tribals in Manipur. The Meitei zeal of expanding his audience gets up some Naga people’s noses. It is time for Meiteis to unmuzzle. One cannot woo a girl who says she does not love him by sending flowers and saying sweet-nothings. If she changes her mind she will come back to him because of his sincerity.
Why do Nagas hate Meiteis?
It is because of their history, nothing unique. The Ark of the Covenant is carried on from about the time of their great-great grandfathers. That was about the time of young Thangal Major and Lt Col. Johnstone (later Maj. General). As a young student I had a few brushes with Naga students at Dimapur Railway station just because I am a Meitei.
Why? Here is my puckish reply. Let me quote James Johnstone (as everybody does) in his "Manipur and Naga Hills" Page 22. In 1832 CE Capt Jenkins and Lt Pemberton escorted by Rajah Gambir Singh’s Manipuri troops, forced a passage through the Naga Hills with a view to ascertaining if there were a practicable route into Assam. This was how the Imphal to Dimapur road via Naga Hills later became a reality.
In page 23, “the Manipuris in former days (before his time) did penetrate into Naga Hills and exacted tribute.” All the villages have Manipuri names in addition to their own. After a period of lull during the Manipuri-Burmese War of 1819-25 “it was re-asserted, and Gambir Singh reduced several villages to subordination, including the largest of all, Kohima, at which place he stood upon a stone and his foot-prints sculptured on it, in token of conquest, set up at a prominent position, together with an upright stone bearing carved figures (kangla sha) and an inscription.
“The Nagas greatly respected this stone and cleaned it from time to time. Whenever a Manipuri visited a Naga village he was treated as an honoured guest, at a time when a British subject could not venture into the interior without risk of being murdered.” I saw this feet-sculptured stone before it was destroyed by Naga students in the fifties. “Nagas regarded Mani- pur as the greater power of the two, because her conduct was consistent; if she (Manipur) threatened she acted. One British subject after another might be murdered with impunity, but woe betides the village that murdered a subject of Manipur. A force of Manipuris was instantly dispatched, the village was attacked and ample compensation exacted.... many of the Nagas began to speak Manipuri, and several villages paid an annual tribute.”
The Naga animosity towards Meiteis is thus driven by a weird psychology- Freudian concept of revenge. It is at best a shade odd and at worse an act of self-indulgence. The characters of their leaders run the gamut from eccentric to certifiable. Lest anybody jump to conclusions, let me explain. The Romans destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem but Jews do not hate Italians. The British treated Indians worse than Indian dogs (a British dog is treated and fed with a daily meal, the cost of which will feed an average 6 Indians) but we no longer hate them. It is history. The bigger and more powerful fish always eat the smaller fish. I am not for a moment saying that the Naga nationalism has risen from the ashes of Meitei hatred. It is more deep rooted than that but it certainly has prefabricated their dream of a greater Nagaland by dismembering large parts of Manipur so that Meiteis die a smouldering death. This sobering thought should make Meiteis feel ‘as good as death warmed up’. The re-demarcation of Manipur’s boundary as drawn in the present day map was done on December 13, 1873 CE. Nagas want to change it ex-parte. They have already begun to refer to the northern parts of Manipur as southern Nagalim, ex nihilo as if they have created this geographical area from nothing. But from historical perspicuity, the northern boundary of Manipur should be the district of Kohima
Why Naga Nationalism?
Naga nationalism has accrued from their desire to carve out a Naga identity in the post independent India. They feel they are not Indians. When some Naga leaders went to meet Nehru to talk about an independent Nagaland, Nehru retorted by saying that he would put one Indian solder for every tree in Nagaland., to prevent them seceding. Having sapped up that an independent sovereign Nagaland is a utopian dream, NSCN-IM dreamt of greater Nagalim within India. In a BBC interview in 2001, Th Muivah tacitly indicated that he has an expansionist aim. Besides, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly since 1993 approved the formation of a Nagalim.
The distillation of Naga nationalism. It is their Christian education and imbibitions of Christian culture and not exclusively, its ethnic uniqueness. It is indeed a great ethnic challenge to the modern nation state of Manipur. — To be contd

Directions of “Look East India Policy” By Aribam Uttam Sharma Sangai Express
The latest issue of the Journal Alternative Perspective is in circulation. “For those who came late” it is a quarterly of the Centre for Alternative Discourse, Manipur and edited by Thingnam Kishan Singh. It deals with economy, polity, history and culture of Manipur in particular. The latest issue is the last of the collections of writings on “Look East India Policy” (LEP) of the Indian Government. The issue is for the July-Sept quarter of 2006 (a slight delay here).
Alternative Perspectives was formerly Alternate Frames. The name change has been due to problems in registration of the journal: it was found that the name Alternate Frames had already been registered by another Journal. “What’s in a name…” as the bard of old would say; the content is what matters and whether one accepts the conclusion or not it cannot be denied that what the Journal seeks to debate is relevant.
The first in the collection Understanding Underdevelopment: A Contextual Reading of India’s Look East Policy and Manipur by Thingnam Kishan Singh, seeks a historical explanation of the economic backwardness and dependency of Manipur. According to him, the British’s imperialistic, exploitative attitude towards its colonies are responsible for it. And perhaps one could find the hint that LEP is nothing but the extension of the British’s development of its colonies in terms of roads and other allied infrastructures as the means for more organised and bigger exploitation of the region towards India’s ends.
Ajiulimai’s essay Development and Discontentment in the North East: Perspectives on India’s Look East Policy is the most balanced of the collection and the least polemical. It acknowledges that if proper planning and implementation is made the policy could very well lift us from the sorry economic situation of Manipur and the entire North East. But there is doubt whether it would be properly monitored and implemented. The doubt is well placed because the cosmetic policies of the past regarding the region due to its false promises had done more harm than good. They have proved to be a cause of the palpable discontent in the region.
Indo-Myanmar relations in the greater perspectives of India’s Look East Policy: Its implications in Manipur by Langpoklakpam Suraj Singh studies LEP in the context of India’s security concerns. Indo-Myanmar relationship is an important factor in India’s policy perhaps more than the economic betterment of the people of North East. The policy is more of a strategy for security; namely the containment of China and the many insurgent groups of North East India based in Myanmar, it would suggest. Indrakumar Kon- thoujam in his Manipur and India’s LEP: Roots and Beyond points the enthusiasm of LEP to Manipuri’s to the belief of Nongpok Thong Hangba entrenched in Meitei psyche. He very much concludes that it is to an ill wind that the door is going to be opened which would sweep us away from our roots. This is echoed by Hanjabam Isworchandra Sharma in India’s Look East Policy and Manipur’s Economy. It is likely that Manipur would be the sacrificial lamb. This conclusion he backs up with data that strongly infers the scenario. Drug traffic of larger volume and kinds, HIV/AIDS, obliteration of what is left of cottage industries, influx of people from other regions of India as well as other Nationalities, are just some of the problems that concerns the thinkers in this issue of the journal. The spectre of free trade rings alarm for the writers and reveals their leaning towards anti-free trade. The unanimous verdict is plain. LEP as it stands is bad for the region and in the present situation of North East’s economic, political or otherwise conditions spells disaster.
This issue entitled ‘Manipur & India’s Look East Policy’ has the subtitle ‘Polemics & Perspectives’. There certainly is Polemics in fair amount but one could not help the feeling that Perspectives as found in the collection is limited. In all these writings there is agreement in the views, more to my chagrin. This, I think is because the discussion on the theme is long drawn out in four volumes. There is attempt to approach the issue from different perspectives to deliver comprehensiveness of debate, but one could not help feeling tired over the overlaps in content and conclusion. I just wish there was a single conclusion that says, Yes to LEP!
We have the right to be suspicious of the policy makers in the centre. Having said this, it would be better to move out of that attitude once in a while and realise that things are not black and white, but rather shades of grey. It would be prudent to be cautious while judging such policies with enormous consequence for the region. But that conviction, overriding proper judgement and arguments found in certain sections of the writing is also an enormous folly.
Academic circles, intellectuals and students would certainly find this Journal worthy of its commitments. Policy makers too would equally find it worthwhile. It is important that they do so. It would be equally enlightening for us laymen also. “The Journal aims to provide critical and constructive evaluation of the existing conditions and circumstances surrounding the North East. It also offers informed debates on the issues crucial to the material realities in the region. Alternative Perspectives represents the recognition of the historical necessity of accepting the twin challenges to critique and to explore various alternatives for ushering in a new order.”
This aim of the Journal is a refreshing idea that promises a respite from the slow intellectual death of our collective mind. The idea is definitely an alternative to the violence that also believes in bringing about a new order; but at what expense? Ushering a new order minus gunpowder, minus our right to think, sans repression of our expressions is possible only when we are part of the debate that the Journal stands for.

Militants call the shots Nagarealm.com
A shocking detail revealed in a recent high level report by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) makes a mockery of the government's effort to control insurgence in the North-East after several years of trying to combat insurgency. The report indicates that the government's effort to bring normalcy to the region has proved ineffective and futile.

This is mainly due to the government's stance of keeping the top leaders of top militant group happy without giving any consideration to the grass-root problems persisting in the region. In set up meetings with top leaders of Nagaland's biggest militant group -- NSCN-IM -- the government represents a serious image that is eager to bring normalcy to the North-East. However, away from the flashbulbs, the Centre's policy of keeping the militant groups happy, has been a huge disaster since it failed to control insurgency.

According to the statistical figures shown in the report, ULFA collects funds in the range of Rs 25- 50 crore from Indian citizens only through extortion. NSCN-IM has even left ULFA far behind. Ironically, this militant outfit pulls the biggest farce by talking to the government in Delhi and collecting up to Rs 200 crores in extortion. Moreover, the three militant groups in Manipur take home funds to the tune of Rs 55 crores in extortion. The report further mentions that all the efforts and sacrifices of the Army in the North-East has reportedly gone waste since the bureaucrats and the politicians are hands in glove with the militant group, who under the cover of talking to the Indian government are running a parallel economy in the region.

For example, in some areas, Grade 1 government employees pay up to one third of their salary as taxes to the militants. Vehicle tax is charged for everything on wheels -- from Rs 1000 for a taxi and Rs 7000 for a tourist bus. Shockingly, even ministers and MLAs pay tax to militants.

Now, the moot question is -- does the Centre care for the plight of the common man? The Home Ministry needs to answer now whether the so called peace process with groups like the ULFA and the NSCN mean anything or the ordinary citizen in the North-East is still a pawn in the hands of the gunmen.

TIMES NOW IMPACT
And after Times Now brought evidence of how militants in the North-East are taxing even government employees to fund their activities, the opposition NDA has decided to raise the issue in the parliament. Commenting on the issue, Sushma Swaraj, BJP spokesperson said:" One of the electronic channels -- TIMES NOW -- had aired a story on extortions in the North-East. However, the government has done little on the issue despite the fact that the government's national security advisor has acknowledged the fact. We have decided to raise the issue in the Parliament." [Navika Kumar, TIMES NOW]