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09/08/2007: "Kuki killings fuel clash rerun fear OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Kuki killings fuel clash rerun fear OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Imphal, Sept. 7: The spectre of the nineties’ bloodbath between Nagas and Kukis in Manipur is looming large over the two communities as their armed groups gear up for a flare-up again.
The trigger for the build-up was the gunning down of 10 activists of the Kuki Liberation Army by the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) at Tangkhul Hundung in Ukhrul district, home of NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th. Muivah, on Monday. The Naga rebels also took away the weapons of the KLA members.
The Kuki community, including armed Kuki groups such as the Kuki National Organisation, the Kuki National Front and the Kuki Revolutionary Army, has unanimously condemned the “unprovoked killings”. Holkholun Lhungdim, the president of Kuki Inpi, Manipur, the apex body of the community in Manipur, warned that the NSCN (I-M) offensive could trigger an ethnic clash similar to that of the nineties.
The Kuki National Organisation said the killings had scraped the scabs of the nineties. Clashes between 1992 and 1997 had killed 900 Kukis, uprooted 359 Kuki villages and rendered thousands homeless. “The nineties flare-up was triggered by a turf war between the Naga rebels and Kuki armed groups. A similar situation is building up again,” it stated.
A resident of Imphal, T. Haokip, said: “We fear that a communal clash may erupt any time. But we hope that nothing of the sort would happen again.”
The NSCN (I-M) justified the killings by saying that “criminal activities” by the KLA activists had prompted them to take action against them. An NSCN (I-M) statement stated in Dimapur yesterday that the KLA had become a “public nuisance and an anti-social group” which was “nothing more than a counter-revolutionary force”.
The outfit alleged that the KLA members had hijacked two vehicles on Monday, compelling the “Naga army” to intervene. What followed was the result of the folly of the KLA activists, it stated. Other Naga organisations have maintained silence over the development.
To prevent any outbreak of communal violence, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh has instructed all Congress Kuki and Naga legislators to pacify their respective community leaders. Police and security forces were also alerted.
NSCN (IM) clarifies on Sept 3 incident Newmai News Network
The NSCN-IM while clarifying further on the Nagaland's Zangdi village incident said today that down the memory lane the September 3 rally on Jalukie Zangdi issue will keep on ringing the conscience of the people who were on the spot of the rally. It said that there is no doubt that the "NSCN leadership is all the more concern about the whole episode of Jalukie Zangdi lest they are misunderstood for having taken the issue in lighter view- despite the actual seriousness of the issue. But in the hour of such nature the best recourse has to be quickly enforced."
The NSCN-IM cautions that the nature of human reaction is unpredictable when in high degree of emotion. "And that was the exact scenario of the September 3 rally. Nobody can trust anyone in such madness of emotional melee. Things become all the more demanding to enforce extraordinary security measures when the opposite side of the rally was seen with lethal weapons and other equally deadly arms", asserted the statement of the outfit. It also stated that any human authority elsewhere when faced with such predicament could have gone for the same line of action and rather face the risk of negative remarks from the aggrieved party. "The question of bringing IRB to the spot of the rally armed with tear gases and lathis should be tolerated whatever unruly incidents that may have followed. On the question of submitting a memorandum to the Collective Leadership, the insensibility to the given situation with such huge number of vehicles entering the Hebron gate with not enough space to accommodate the vehicles became the stumbling block of the hour and nothing to do with showing disregard to the people’s sentiments attached with the memorandum", clarified the NSCN-IM statement.
The outfit then suggested that for the best interest of closing the issue amicably the episode is best forgotten and look towards a new chapter with a new meaning and a commitment to be more introspective with an eye on the inalienable customary right (law) and other legal aspects.
NSCN (IM) justifies killing of Kuki ultras Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 7 – At last, the NSCN (IM) has claimed responsibility for the killing of 10 Kuki Liberation Army cadres at Tangkhul Hundung village in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on September 3 last.

According to reports, NSCN-IM said KLA’s criminal activities has prompted them to take up such action. The Naga rebel group brought the abduction cases of a German NGO worker Wolfgang and Victor Keishing in its clarification.

The outfit’s Publicity cell said that creating terror or violence is not part of NSCN revolutionary spirit. “Standing by our avowed guiding principle, NSCN have equal respect and sympathy for the neighbour’s revolutionary groups.”

“But what is revolution if they become a source of public nuisance and come to the level of a mere anti-social group?”, asked the NSCN-IM.”

It accused the KLA saying “Unfortunately, this is the story of KLA today. For all practical purpose KLA has become nothing more than a counter-revolutionary force who practice an extreme and ruthless form of struggle without any convincing support to justify their peoples’ movement”.

While recalling the kidnapping of one German NGO leader few years back in Manipur, the NSCN-IM said that the crime was committed by KLA purely for ransom. Former Manipur Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha member Rishang Keishing’s son Victor Keishing was also kidnapped for the same purpose of extorting money.

This is no way for the KLA to justify their criminal act in the name of liberating their people from socio-political injustice, disclosed the NSCN-IM.

The statement then specifically narrated the September 3 incident and said, “For closer understanding of KLA activities, on Wednesday the two vehicles used by KLA members were hijacked and not hired as alleged by KLA. NSCN was compelled to intervene and what followed thereafter is KLA’s folly.”

Many Kuki militants including Kuki National Organisation, Kuki National Front have condemned the killing of 10 KLA cadres. Even the Kuki Inpi Manipur, an apex body of Kuki community had been demanding a clarification from the NSCN-IM.

The KNO in a statement said the mass killing has come even though the memories of the killing of over 900 Kuki (mainly children, women and the elderly), uprooting over 359 villages and thousands rendered refugees from 1992 to 1997 are yet to dim while KNF demanded an explanation.

Counter response to NPCC- Nagaland Post
Apropos to Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) responds to Dr. Shurhozelie, president, Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF), the Nagaland People Front Youth Wing deems fit to give a befitting reply to some of the points raised by the NPCC.
With just few months to go for the assembly election in the state, the NPCC has once again waken up from their deep slumber to mislead the Naga people by applying the same methodology of enticing the voters through cheap propaganda and self aggrandizement. Indeed we feel pained to remind the NPCC that Naga people in general and the electorates in particular are fully aware of the misrule during congress regime and therefore it will not be wise enough to calculate whose government has done what for the welfare of all. With no issue left at their disposal, the NPCC has kicked-off their camping by making a tall claim of their involvement in the Naga political issue but the Naga people are not a horde of fools who would stoop down that low to listen to and to be convinced by such hollow argument. Time and again, we have been reminding the Naga people that the NPCC has already forfeited their rights to talk on the Naga issue as they has already made their stand clear that 16 point agreement (memorundam) is the final solution. The NPCC stand on this issue is loud and clear it can be undisputed substantiated by their infamous publication of the so called "Bedrock of Naga society". The NPCC's intention in putting hurdles to the Naga issue is not only through their maneuvering skill of writings and making outstanding speeches but it has been well exhibited in 1998 assembly election when all the political parties including the NPF (erstwhile NPC) willingly responded to the call of the Naga people to refrain from participating in the assembly election, Congress (I) (NPCC) is the one and the only party who participated the election, with the sole intention to derail the peace process. All section of the Naga society are systematically calculating and judging the activities of each government and political parties. As such, the tireless effort of the NPCC to touch the sentiment of the Naga people by mentioning the Naga issue in the election campaign will definitely be a futile exercise. We believe the Naga people will apply their best wisdom to take the right decision even in the coming election. There are lots more to emphasis but this may be enough for this purpose hence we will go further. Nevertheless we must thank the NPCC for giving us another opportunity to remind the general public.
As rightly mentioned in their statement, many of the developmental activities especially construction works, which are already completed and inaugurated by the present government, has been initiated their regime. Unlike them we do not wish to make false claim, but the fact remains that Congress government instead of completing the work has siphoned off the fund allocated for all these works. NPF has unequivocally stated that Naga issue is political issue and it has to be solve politically therefore it does not believe in simply confronting the Naga patriots who stands on behalf of us through thick and thin for the cause we all firmly believed. We only appeal to them to desist from killing each other rather to confront the dominion race/nations in unity. As far as NPCC is concerned, they consider the Naga issue as simply law and order problem and therefore they wish to see the situation only from law and order point of view, which is absolutely shortsightedness on their part. We appeal to every sections of the Naga society especially the civil societies whose contribution is immensely and still indispensable to contribute in their own way to prevail peace in our land.
Achamo Kikon, Press secy, Youth Wing NPF
India invites insurgent group for talks United Press International
NEW DELHI, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- India says it is open to talks with insurgent groups including the banned United Liberation Front of Assam to end violence.

"The government is open to talks with any militant groups, including United Liberation Front of Assam, provided they shun violence. The government has not received any formal proposal from ULFA for direct talks," Junior Interior Minister V. Radhika Selvi told Indian Parliament Friday.

She said a cease-fire agreement and suspension-of-operations pact were in operation with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), United People's Democratic Solidarity, Dima Halam Daogah, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and Achik National Volunteer Council.

"Several rounds of tripartite talks with UPDA, DHD and ANVC on their charter of demands have been held and the talks are inconclusive. A group of ministers has been constituted to hold talks with NSCN (I-M). The latest round of talks was held on July 7 this year," she said.

She said NDFB and NSCN (K) had not submitted their charter of demands to the government.

A large number of insurgent groups operate in the northeastern region of India. India accuses Bangladesh and Myanmar of providing shelters to these groups and has asked them to dismantle all the groups' camps.
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This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
Tension continues to simmer An act of betrayal : KLA By Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 7 : Coming out strongly against the elimination of ten KLA cadres by the NSCN (IM) at Tangkhul Hundung on September 3, the publicity secretary of the KLA Addy Kuki today said that the killing was an act of betrayal of the most despicable type.
Speaking to a group of select reporters at a base camp of the outfit today, Addy Kuki said that the KLA cadres along with KRA men and NSCN (IM) cadres conducted an internal operation pertaining to the KLA.
After the internal operation, the KRA cadres returned to their base camp while the KLA men and the NSCN (IM) cadres stayed put together at Tangkhul Hundung village for four days.
After spending four days together, the KLA cadres decided to return to their camp and since there was no transportation facility, they decided to trek it out.
However the NSCN (IM) offered to provide them the needed vehicles, said Addy Kuki and added that accordingly two Jeeps were brought by the IM men.
The KLA cadres were made to sit inside the second vehicle while the IM guys were seated in the Jeep in the front, informed Kuki. There was no question of the KLA cadres hijacking the Jeep.
As the vehicle in which the KLA cadres were seated was running short on fuel, the driver went out to look for the same with a jerkin. At that instant, the IM cadres who were in front opened fire and killed the ten of them on the spot, charged Addy Kuki.
The attack was carried out under the instruction of Capt Ayo Tangkhul of the NSCN (IM), he informed.
Accusing the IM of executing the killing under a pre-planned mission, Addy Kuki said that the primary objective was to take away the arms and ammunition of the KLA cadres.
Taking note of the failure of the IM group to respect the deadline set by the KLA to return the seized arms and ammos by September 7, Addy Kuki said that the matter is serious and added that the matter should be resolved through the Kuki customary laws.
If the IM group fails to reciprocate and return the arms and settle the issue through Kuki customary laws, then it will amount to inviting the bloodshed of 1992-93 to return, warned Addy Kuki.
Scoffing at the charges of the IM group that the ten KLA cadres were killed for kidnapping a German NGO worker as well as Victor Keishing, Addy Kuki questioned what punishment should be meted out to the NSCN (IM) which was responsible for killing hundreds of Kuki people including women and children as well as uprooting over 350 villages.
This was done despite the fact that the NSCN (IM) functions under the slogan, ‘Nagaland for Christ,’ he reminded.
Explaining, Addy said that the German National was taken captive as the NGO concerned was taking up development works only in Naga areas while neglecting the Kuki areas. He was taken into custody to question him on the disparity and no harm was done to him, he added.
As for Victor Keishing, he was kidnapped as he was responsible for killing a large number of Kuki people as a leader of the Naga Lim guard, charged Addy. Keishing was released after advice not to repeat his past.
Reacting to the charges that the KLA is anti-social, Addy Kuki reminded that the people as a whole had risen against the NSCN (IM) and razed Wungram Colony in Dimapur some time back. The Colony is home to a number of IM functionaries. KLA/KLO has never ever com- mitted any kidnapping or extortions on the National Highways, claimed Addy. It is the IM group which has been indulging in such acts, he countered and questioned who was responsible for the burning of oil tankers as well as harassing drivers on the highways.
KYF blasts NSCN(IM) for beastly massacre The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 7: The Kuki Youth Federation has blasted the NSCN(IM) for reinviting another Kuki Naga conflict in the state by killing 10 cadres of KLA on September 3 at Tangkhul Hundung village in cold blood.

The president of the Kuki Youth Federation C.S. Khongsai in a press conference held this aftenoon at Manipur Press Club Imphal, said the barbaric killing of the KLA cadres is a matter of major concern not only to the Kuki community but also to the Naga community, both of whom had re-established peaceful relations since the ending of the ethnic conflict of the 1990s. Apprehension has been created among both communities that the recent incident might trigger off another round of ethnic violence, he said.

He said, people of both communities belonging to Tangkhul Hundung and neighbouring Kuki villages are aware that the slain KLA cadres had been staying at Tangkhul Hundung village for the previous two days for a meeting as invited by the NSCN(IM), and that the KLA cadres were gunned down after they had boarded a passenger jeep on September 3 morning. This was witnessed by the Tangkhul Hungdung villager and many others, he said.

Questioning what the motive of the NSCN(IM) was behind the killing of the KLA, he also asked whether the NSCN(IM) is deliberately provoking the resumption of the old Kuki Naga conflict.

Reacting to the press clarification made by the NSCN(IM) today in various local dailies, in which the NSCN(IM) had mentioned the KLA`s kidnapping of a foreign national and the son of former chief minister Rishang Keishing a few years back, he asked why the NSCN(IM) has not made their objections clear at the time these incidents took place.

While observing that the NSCN(IM) had accused the KLA as extortionists, killers and a gang, he counter accused the NSCN of harboring all kinds of anti-social people, right from the murderer of Lungnila Elizabeth, to the killers of Mohini Martin and Hrunii Hubert and the murderer and would-be rapist of a young girl at Senapati.

The spokesman furtther questioned whether the NSCN is following the real ground rules of the cease fire agreement with the government of India.

It is not part of the cease fire agreement that NSCN(IM) should attack insurgent groups of neighbouring communities, he said, and asserted that such acts of the NSCN(IM) need to be monitored by the Centre and the concerned state government if the authorities wanted to maintain peace in the state.

Vice president of the KYF, T.L. Hangmi further supplemented that, the charge of NSCN(IM) against the KLA of frequent harrassment of Tangkhul villagers within their operational area, was totally baseless as none of the Tangkhul villagers have been harrassed by the KLA, as reported by many Tangkhul villagers of the areas to the various Kuki apex organisations who are investigating the causes of the September 3 incident

He said the issue of the shameful and cowardly killing must be settled by the apex social bodies of both communities, and demanded that it should be resolved through Kuki customary law. Hurling charges and counter charges upon one another will not bring a solution, he added.

KLA activities invited executions: NSCN(IM) The Imphal Free Press

Dimapur, Sep 6: On the killing of 10 Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) cadres T.Hundung village on September 3, the NSCN-IM today clarified that the former's criminal activities has prompted the latter to take up such action. While owning responsibility on the September 3 incident, the NSCN-IM brought the abductions cases of a German NGO worker and Victor Keishing onto the picture in its clarification statement.

Issuing this clarification note to Newmai News Network tonight in Dimapur by the outfit's Ministry of Information and Publicity (MIP), the NSCN-IM said that creating terror or violence is not part of NSCN revolutionary spirit. "Standing by our avowed guiding principle NSCN have equal respect and sympathy for the neighbour’s revolutionary groups. More than anything else we have inspired them to take people interest as part of their liberation movement. Because revolution arises because there is oppression of peoples interests. But what is revolution if they become a source of public nuisance and come to the level of a mere anti-social group?", asked the NSCN-IM, while adding, "Revolutionary groups exist to bring socio-economic and political transformation. But no such historic event can ever take place when the very revolutionary groups earned the wrath of the people for its anti-people activities".

The statement then accused the KLA and said, "unfortunately, this is the story of KLA today. For all practical purpose KLA has become nothing more than counter-revolutionary force who practice an extreme and ruthless form of struggle without any convincing support to justify their peoples' movement".

The NSCN-IM also said that naturally, such group strives to use terror and violence to make their presence felt. But resorting to fraud and exploiting other socio-economic vulnerabilities should not be made the KLA’s affairs for existence. "They don’t live in isolation and it brings grievous harm to the revolutionary image of other groups. This is the tragic state of affairs within KLA. And the compulsion for NSCN to stop their anti-people activities which has also put the Naga national interest at stake. When NSCN’s spirit of accommodation is taken for granted and even daring to cross sword with us the option for NSCN is quite obvious", clarified the NSCN-IM statement.

The NSCN-IM statement further clarified that no revolutionary group of any standing will concentrate their activities in extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other fraudulence. "But this is KLA’s story and the truth has to be told today to clear the public conscience, particularly the Kuki community," asserted the NSCN-IM.

While recalling the kidnapping of one Germany journalist (NGO) few years back in Manipur, the NSCN-IM said that anti-revolutionary crime was committed by KLA purely for ransom. Former Manipur Chief Minister Rishang Keishing’s son Victor Keishing was also kidnapped for the same purpose of extorting money. This is no way for the KLA to justify their criminal act in the name of liberating their people from socio-political injustice, disclosed the NSCN-IM.

The NSCN-IM then philosophycally commented that revolutionary groups are motivated by human values and human rights. "But in the recent past KLA has become a source of physical and mental turmoil in the villages they operate, particularly in the area of the incident at Tangkhul Hundung. They created social nuisance and harassed the public beyond forbearance. This is no revolution for the people but counter-revolution because this messing up of revolutionary movement served the interest of the forces against revolution and NSCN cannot afford to close eyes on this wanton violation of people’s right of Naga villagers at the hands of KLA," alleged the NSCN-IM statement.

The statement then specifically narrated the September 3 incident and said, "For closer understanding of KLA activities on Wednesday the two vehicles used by KLA members are hijacked and not hired as alleged by KLA. NSCN Naga Army was compelled to intervene and what follows thereafter is KLA’s folly."

The NSCN-IM statement further accused the KLA and said that to the discomfort of vehicles plying on National Highway 39 KLA has been on the prowl to hijack vehicles. "The hijacking of JCBs was in the news recently. The hand of KLA is not clean in this crime, though the name of one Kuki group was exposed as the group behind. Their modus operandi was to hijack vehicles from the highway in collaboration with some like-minded Meiteis and take shelter in the Naga foothill villages to give the impression that it is the NSCN who mastermined the operation. As part of their ploy they go to the press to delink themselves from the crime.These are some of the few instances of the KLA’s sheer madness to survive but which other true revolutionary patriots abhor."

It then explained that the Kuki revolutionary groups are no enemy of NSCN-IM, adding, "naturally, NSCN has relationship with most of the Kuki groups including KRA".

The statement categorically said that by virtue of NSCN-IM's relation with KRA it does not warrant KLA to indulge in freewheeling movement that is not in consonance with NSCN-IM's revolutionary concept. "With NSCN still unconvinced of the political ideology of KLA except for its gang-like operation the operational style of KLA was considered nothing more than any anti-social group and thus far from any revolutionary group that deserve any respect", quipped the NSCN-IM.

"Lest the NSCN is misunderstood for the killing but it was the KLA who repeatedly throw challenge to NSCN and ultimately the final encounter day was brought before the NSCN and KLA when KLA on the fated Monday went too far for the NSCN to exercise restraint, and the KLA’s challenge has to be accepted though reluctantly", concluded the NSCN-IM's clarification note on the September 3 incident.
Jamir eyes Tuli for comeback Bonnie Konyak
With time running out for the next Assembly Election slated for early 2008, senior Congressman SC Jamir and former Chief Minister of Nagaland presently serving as Goa Governor appears all set to return to State politics and plans to contest the coming State Assembly election from Tuli Assembly Constituency under Mokokchung district. Highly placed sources in the State Congress party have disclosed the certainty of Jamir’s return to head the party in the coming Assembly elections. With this decision, Congress party managers are now scouting for a constituency for Jamir to contest from. And doing the rounds is Tuli Assembly Constituency currently represented by T. Tali an NPF legislator but elected on a Congress ticket during the last elections.
Interestingly, the NPF had yesterday revoked the suspension order of present Tuli MLA, Tali. It maybe recalled that the Tuli MLA had been suspended along with K Therie, Z. Obed and Vatsu Meru for participating in anti-party activities. When contacted by The Morung Express, Tali said that he had also heard of the former Chief Minister’s intention to contest in his constituency. He also said that ‘maybe’ Jamir’s return could have been another reason for the NPF Disciplinary Action Committee considering his case. “Because if he (Jamir) comes back, a new candidate will not be able to face him in the election” he said emphasizing that till today, his position was strongest in the constituency. Tali however seemed to resent the fact that Jamir was eyeing his territory for a comeback saying that everybody has their traditionally established areas and the Goa Governor would have been better off contesting in his village or Mokokchung town. “He is a seasoned politician, it will be a serious matter if he came here (Tuli) to be defeated”, said Tali.
Nevertheless, to put things into perspective on Tali’s political position in Tuli constituency, it will be of interest to note that the present MLA has been elected five times from Tuli. On three occasions, he was elected on a Congress ticket while in 1987 he was elected on a NPC ticket and the first time in 1977 he was elected on an UDF ticket. Significantly, the two times he lost an election from Tuli was when he contested on a non-Congress ticket. So the question is whether Tuli A/C is a strong bastion of the Congress party or is it the popularity of Tali’s leadership which counts.
Meanwhile, though the Congress party is hush-hush over the whole matter of Jamir contesting from Tuli, a party source said that Jamir’s return to state politics was confirmed and it was only logical that he chooses Tuli for comeback as his constituency since his son Apok Jamir was the MLA in his home constituency of 26 Aonglenden and Tuli had given Tali an astounding win under the Congress banner. Another highly placed source in the party said that the Goa Governor could not possibly announce his intention at the moment since he was the constitutional head of a state but not denying the queries made by this newspaper said that if Jamir chose to contest in Tuli, MLA Tali had no chance of winning the 2008 election.
However, it was informed that the DCC (I) Mokokchung has recommended one Imti Jamir from Kangtsung village as the Congress candidate for the Tuli seat and local Congress unit denied that Jamir was a contender for the Congress ticket though party workers from the district were also of the view that the ultimate decision would be passed by the higher ups in Delhi.
Meanwhile, a close confidant of the former Chief Minister revealed that Jamir and some citizens of Tuli Constituency had held a ‘closed door’ meeting at his residence on September 4 but the details of the meeting was not divulged. The confidant also disclosed that when Jamir comes back, he would hold a ‘major portfolio’ in the State Congress party. However at the moment, Jamir is said to be waiting on the Central Congress leaders, who were busy with the nuclear deal debate, to formally relieve him from his duties as Governor of Goa.
ZSUD supports Zeliangrong peoples’ demand to NSCN (IM) The Morung Express
Dimapur, September 7 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Students’ Union Delhi (ZSUD) today strongly condemns the August 28 incident in which the cadres belonging to the NSCN (IM) faction razed the houses belong to the Jalukie Zangdi village, under Peren district and supported the demand made by the Zeliangrong people to the NSCN (IM).
A press communiqué issued by the ZSUD General Secretary Grace Pamai and Vice President Thuiriang Panmei, while condemning the incident reiterates the demand of the Zeliangrong people.
The ZSUD demanded the immediate termination of the three NSCN (IM) officials who are responsible for the arson, immediate withdrawal and rectification of NSCN (IM) Chairman Isaac Chisi Swu’s ‘Acknowledgement Letter dated 30th May 2007 wherein it is mentioned that the land for the General Headquarter (GHQ) has been donated by Shikavi village’ and immediate withdrawal of the GPRN’s Order, ‘which mistakenly declared that Jalukie Zangdi village belongs to the Mias and Kacharis’.
The Union appeals to every right thinking individuals and organizations to condemn the barbaric act of the pseudo national workers who are responsible for inciting and creating communal tension. The ZSUD also strongly condemns the unwarranted use of force on unarmed peaceful rallyists by the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) resorting to blank firing, lathi-charges and use of tear gas, etc. to intimidate the Zeliangrong public who were organizing a protest rally to express their resentment over the August 28 incident, said the communiqué.
The ZSUD opined that any disputes can be sorted out through mutual understanding and deliberations.
“This kind of highly undemocratic and barbaric act is a threat to the unity and integrity of the Nagas” the communiqué said. The ZSUD also strongly condemned any steps that would take away Naga territories to shelter non-Nagas and added that the Zeliangrong people will not tolerate any form of forceful encroachment upon their ancestral land by anyone.
The ZSUD supported the view shared by the Angami Public Organisation (APO) recently that since time immemorial no other tribe ever existed between the territories of the Angamis and the Zeliangrongs. “The Zeliangrong people will keep a close vigilance on any vested groups with sinister designs over their territory,” the communiqué said.
The ZSUD also vehemently condemned any attempt to encroach upon Intangki Forest which has been declared as a National Park by the Nagas.
In this regard, the ZSUD condemned the “provocative statement of the Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) that demarcation of boundaries can be carried out as far as the victorious party can conquer”. “Does this mean that the WSYF is trying to conquer the Zeliangrong lands through might and muscle power? Such provocative statements are not expected from a responsible tribe such as the Sumis,” the communiqué said and added that if such brazenly forceful encroachment on their land is pursued further by anyone, the Zeliangrong people shall not remain mute spectators but take all necessary measures to protect and preserve their rights.
In this connection, the ZSUD appealed to all Zeliangrong Naga national workers to protect and uphold the rights, liberties and properties of their people, failing which they should be prepared to resign on moral grounds. “The Union also calls upon all Zeliangrong people to be always vigilant and stand united” the communiqué appealed.
The ZSUD also appealed to the NSCN (IM) collective leadership to immediately dispense justice and take necessary measures so that such unfortunate incidents do not recur in future, saying that such shortsighted programmes/actions of the NSCN would lead to loss of trust in the national workers which ultimately will hamper the Naga national struggle.
Delhi fiddles while the northeast burns Tarun Vijay






Visiting Nagaland makes you feel different. You have to procure an inner line permit to enter. The permit demands to know why I am going there, where I shall stay and to be sure about my credentials I needed a guaranteer to vouch for me, my safe conduct and return within the stated period. Issued by the deputy commissioner's office this permit is governed under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873. Yes, 1873.
The British left India in 1947. We are celebrating the 60th anniversary of that freedom obtained after our motherland's division and the massacres that followed. Still, I needed a permit, something that the British began to isolate these regions in the name of 'protecting' the local indigenous people. The same procedure is also in vogue in Arunachal Pradesh.
So, we, legitimate Indians, are required to obtain a permit -- another name for a 'visa' -- but these states are reeling under the heat of illegal Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh, who, obviously do not need to get an permit to enter, buy land, marry local girls and become so dominant that even the state authorities feel afraid to oust them.
Arunachal Pradesh's student bodies recently compelled Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu to take action against the Bangladeshis. So what did he do? He pushed a couple of thousands to Assam and the matter ended. In Assam it created a furore. The Muslim bodies, specially the All Assam Minorities Students Union, threatened to oust Hindus from Muslim majority districts like Dhubri, Goalpara and Barpeta, so Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi 'certified' that all those ousted by the Arunachal Pradesh government are Assamese and shall be accommodated in Barpeta!
The situation is so serious and Delhi's apathy so mindboggling that the people have lost all hope. The All Assam Students Union, which spearheaded an unprecedented movement in the 1980s to oust Bangladeshi infiltrators, has in utter desperation said that in the next ten years Assam may have a Bangladeshi chief minister. Strong and alarming words indeed. But neither the media nor the political parties paid any attention.
Assam has been transformed beyond recognition. The state's cultural identity is symbolised by the great reformer and rejuvenator Srimat Sankar Dev. His birthlace in Dhing, near Bardowa, is a must-visit pilgrim centre for every Assamese Hindu. Now the Dhing assembly constituency has 90.02 percent Muslims. No prizes to guess how this Hindu pilgrim centre became a Muslim majority town because of the Bangladeshi influx.
Assam's latest political star is Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, a perfume tycoon, who formed a new political party, the United Democratic Front, in 2005 and won 10 seats in the 2006 assembly election, surprising everyone. Previously he used to remote control other secular parties. Now he has taken the reins in his hands.
Assam and other northeastern states have become more volatile than Kashmir, but Delhi's page three media and corrupt polity don't see beyond their immediate concerns.
After Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, it is Nagaland's turn now. Bangladeshi jihadi factories supplying men and material are creating havoc from Itanagar to Kohima and Hyderabad. They are there before everybody's eyes, yet no government has shown a steely resolve to identify them and send them back. Aliens are turned into voters for political gain. The lines dividing traitors and patriots are getting blurred. Patriotic people need permits, they are made to live a refugee's life, but aliens feel quite confident and vocal to aggressively enter our country, bomb it and yet find sympathies in the corridors of power.
In Nagaland, people are sandwiched between the insurgent groups and the Bangladeshi influx. The headquarters of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah group) is in Hebron, 30 odd kilometres from Dimapur. Everywhere, while going to Kohima one can see posters demanding 'quick results of peace talks' and a greater Nagalim which they want in the name of Christ -- a separate independent country. According to government sources there are about 75,000 Bangladeshi Muslims in Nagaland today.
I had come to attend a seminar organised by a daring tribal organisation, the Janajati Vikas Samiti, which had invited about 80 participants from the northeastern states. Nagaland Home Minister Thenucho inaugurated the conference. Former state secretary C M Chang headed the organising committee. It was incredible to see so many tribal leaders engrossed in what can be termed a free discussion on the problems Nagaland faces -- Bangladeshi infiltration being the foremost.
Minister Thenucho was forthcoming and said this problem has to be seen as a demographic invasion. 'The Naga people may be soon reduced to miserable sufferers by these infiltrators, who may appear as an asset for providing cheap labour and easily available hands for menial jobs. But look what they have done elsewhere and there is no guarantee that they will not do the same here. Today they work as labourers; tomorrow Nagas will have to work for them, if we do not stand up and say no to them,' the minister said. He was serious.
The only problem is the Centre does not share their anxieties. Nothing that binds Naga society with the rest of the country has ever been encouraged and strengthened. Natwar Thakkar started his Gandhi ashram in Mokukchang but could never expand his mission of spreading Gandhi's sublime thoughts beyond that.
To be in Kohima is still considered a matter of fear, pregnant with life and death questions. There is no icon of India that can be seen here. In the early 1980s a Gandhi statue was installed in Kohima, only to be desecrated and destroyed soon. 'Nagaland doesn't need any Indian's statue' was the decree issued by the insurgents.
Almost everyone, from IAS officers to traders and teachers, have to cough up a part of their earnings to the insurgents. Their 'freedom days', 'republic days' are celebrated in full public view with the media from Kolkata and Delhi in attendance. Presently there is a ceasefire between the NSCN (IM) and the Indian Army, but rumours are afloat that this period has been better utilised by the insurgents to reinforce its battalions with new recruits, procure better weapons and resources to press for its demand for an 'independent 'Nagalim', which seeks to 'add' parts of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to its fold.
This has enraged Manipuri and Arunachali tribals and a tribal war cannot be ruled out if the Naga insurgents' demand is given any sympathy.
The press is lively but cocooned in its own world. "We have never been invited to join any prime minister's party on his foreign visits, Delhi and Kolkata papers reach us very late, after a day or two, that too the dak edition,' said Geoffrey Yaden, editor of the Nagaland Post, the main daily newspaper in the state. "They don't understand us properly, they write to please their egos. Nobody has the time and interest to understand our people or to make serious efforts to create bridges and strengthen national feelings here. Are politicians sitting in Delhi are bothered about us or the nation?" he lamented.
I know it is very difficult to have a Delhi leader or social activist or cultural tsar to find time for a northeast visit. How many of us would go to Manipur or Nagaland or Arunachal for a family trip? Do we know that the most scintillating lakes, mountains, rivers and forests are in the northeast, bettering even Kashmir's panorama? Unfortunately the northeast has yet to register in our minds as markedly as Hardwar, Manali, Goa [Images] or Rameshwaram.
Corruption to the northeast's politicians is 'taught' by politicians in New Delhi. Even to get a central grant released for these states, central ministers and their durbaris have to be suitably 'pleased'. The grants that go to the northeast finally come back in large parts to the Delhi durbar through traders, contractors, commission agents and sanctioning ministers. The rest is divided amongst local 'beneficiaries', including the insurgents.
In view of the infiltration threat faced by Nagaland and other northeastern states, an observation by E Ramamohan, the former director general, Border Security Force, who was with me in Kohima, should be an eyeopener. He warns about the insurgent groups' long-term planning for 2015 -- "Today there are several Islamic fundamentalist insurgent groups in Assam, all created with the help of the Director General Forces Intelligence of Bangladesh and Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence. The main groups are the Muslim United Liberation Front of Assam, the Muslim United Tigers of Assam and the Islamic Liberation Army of Assam... what is most interesting that these Islamic fundamentalist groups have not started operations so far. Interrogations of the suspects and intelligence reports have revealed that they are in a preparation phase. Motivating and recruiting cadres, training them in Pakistan, stockpiling arms and explosives for the insurgency is their present strategy. The target is (to launch an assault) in 2015."
Why can't we understand that India shrinks from every inch that is occupied by Bangladeshi infiltrators in our territory? In less than 100 years India has shrunk like no other nation on earth.
We lost Taxila, Karachi, Dhaka. Post independence, we lost 1.25 lakh square kilometres of land to Pakistan and China. Beijing [Images] still eyes Arunachal Pradesh.
Then Indians lost lands and homes in the Kashmir valley and became refugees for the 'sin' of supporting India. Now, jihadis, Maoists and church-supported insurgents want their share. Where will this all lead to? All the power, position, money and glitter weigh nothing before the question of the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity. At least in the northeast, people feel nobody listens to their woes in Delhi.
Tarun Vijay is editor of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh weekly PanchjanyaGovernor spots an Ulfa split
- ‘Nobody to talk with us’ SAMIR K. PURKAYASTHA The Telegraph
Haflong, Sept. 7: Governor Ajai Singh has a simple question for those still expecting someone from Ulfa to respond to the government’s offer of talks: who?
The retired lieutenant-general ruled out talks with the militant group in the immediate future, saying it lacked cohesiveness and was, therefore, not in a position to reciprocate the government’s peace overtures.
“Who will respond (to the peace overtures)? There is nobody. It is a disintegrated force. Had it been a cohesive force, someone could have responded,” he said at a news conference at the circuit house here last night. The larger implication of his statement was that military operations against Ulfa would not end in a hurry. Playing down Ulfa attacks in recent times, the governor said these were isolated incidents involving a militant group “on the run” only to make its presence felt. He claimed law and order in the state was “good in general”.
Lt Gen. Singh said Ulfa had taken several hits in the past month with security forces keeping up the pressure on its units. He even berated the media for ignoring these small victories in the larger war on militancy. “You (the media) do not see the successes. In Upper Assam, the Ulfa took several blows and four of their top leaders surrendered.”
A group of 14 Ulfa militants laid down arms before the police in Guwahati yesterday. Most of them were members of Ulfa’s combat wings, the 28 and 709 battalions.
The governor lauded the people for their defiance of militants. “I have seen people moving about as usual after a blast or any other such incident without being cowed down,” he said.
On the state of law and order in North Cachar Hills district, Lt Gen. Singh said he had been focusing on development strategies since taking over the reins of the autonomous council in mid-June. He indicated that elections to the council, postponed indefinitely after its chief executive member Purnendu Langthasa was shot dead on June 4, could be held on December 12.
The governor said rail and road projects in the district were progressing well and that harassment and intimidation of contractors and workers by militants were “history”. The rail bridge that collapsed a couple of months ago will be reopened on September 22.
ULFA's new tactic: hiring drug addicts, students as bombers By IANS
Guwahati, Sep 8 (IANS) In a disturbing development, the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has adopted a new modus operandi in their terror strikes - hiring students and drug addicts to carry out explosions.
The fact came to light earlier this week when police arrested 21-year-old drug addict Kamaleshwar Das, who has confessed to planting a bomb fitted to a van on Sep 1 in a city market. The explosion killed one person and wounded 25 others.
'I did it for money... I now regret having done such a thing,' Das told IANS while being produced in a local court here. He had bought the van about a fortnight ago in the western Assam town of Nalbari and drove the vehicle down to Guwahati before assembling the explosive and parking it in the crowded Bamunimaidan market. The entire mission was funded by the ULFA with Das being paid Rs.8,000 for committing the crime.
Police said this was Das's third assignment to plant bombs in the city at the behest of ULFA. 'Das is among youths who come from poor families and are being targeted by the ULFA to plant explosives and carry out such attacks by luring them with money,' Rajen Singh, additional police chief of Guwahati told IANS.
'Youths like Das are ready to do anything for money and the ULFA capitalizes on such vulnerable boys and girls.'
In parts of eastern Assam, the ULFA has managed to hire several young students for carrying out subversive attacks. 'This is a fact. The ULFA has of late been hiring students to trigger blasts,' said an army commander requesting not to be named. Police arrested three students from different parts of the district earlier this year on specific charges of colluding with the ULFA.
'These students are used by the ULFA to carry out grenade attacks and other explosions in public places in return for money and things like mobile telephones, cars and motorbikes,' the commander said.
In January, locals in the oil township of Digboi in Tinsukia district caught an ULFA bomber, Jolen Moran, after he lobbed a grenade, injuring a shopkeeper. Moran was later shifted to a hospital with multiple injuries after a big crowd thrashed him soundly.
'Interrogations revealed that Moran was a student of Class 12 and was staying at a rented accommodation. His entire expenses were borne by the ULFA,' a police official in Tinsukia said.
Two of Moran's friends are absconding and police are on the lookout for the duo, both said to be ULFA linkmen. 'We have arrested three ULFA cadres aged 18 to 25 who were working on behalf of the outfit in the guise of students; besides, the group was using some village youths as well,' the police official said. A study by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), a New Delhi-based security think tank, said Assam has surpassed Jammu and Kashmir in terms of civilian casualties in terror strikes this year.
Of the 604 civilian casualties in terror attacks across India between Jan 1 and Aug 3 this year, 168 were from Assam, followed by 124 from Jammu and Kashmir.
'This is a real dangerous trend with Assam now witnessing a new form of terrorism where militants or terrorists are striking innocuous civilian targets to get maximum mileage without really confronting the mighty Indian security forces,' said Nani Gopal Mahanta, coordinator of the Peace and Conflict Studies department at Gauhati University. The state has witnessed close to 50 explosions since January, most of them at crowded marketplaces, besides a systematic pogrom against non-Assamese people, particularly targeting Hindi-speaking migrant workers.
'This is a very easy form of terror to place bombs in crowded markets using hired people, and ethnic cleansing of the non-indigenous people located in fringe areas. This is nothing but indiscriminate terrorism bereft of any ideology,' Mahanta said.