[Previous entry: "Centre and NSCN-IM next round of peace talks today Nagarealm.com"] [Next entry: "Govt apathy impeding Naga talks: Muivah"]

11/15/2007: "NISC condemns Wanching incident Says NSCN (K) is much more than a bunch of 'criminals' The Tangkhul"

NISC condemns Wanching incident Says NSCN (K) is much more than a bunch of 'criminals' The Tangkhul

Kohima, November 14: The Naga International Support Centre has condemned the brutal assault of 7 elders of Wanching village under Mon by the cadres of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) on November 9 last. The Amsterdam based NISC said such atrocious acts which are not yet officially or unofficially denied, taken distance from or flatly condemned by NSCN (K) leaders like Kughalu Mulatonu.
Mulatonu is also one of the top ranks in the Khaplang faction, dead against the rival groups, as well as Naga support groups. The assaulted villagers are undergoing treatment at Mon Civil Hospital. While several organizations have come out demanding befitting punishment against the cadres. A press statement received here today from Amsterdam said, "This is particularly remarkable because less than a week ago this leader strongly indicated that it should be the Naga International Support Center and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization who should initiate reconciliation talks between the NSCN-K (Khaplang) and NSCN-IM (Isak-Muivah)".

Under the circ'umstances the NISC said the Khaplang Group terrorizes its own people for nothing but "money and goods did not disown the culprits" and that the NISC cannot but conclude that the NSCN (K) is not much more than a bunch of 'criminals'. "And Mr. Mulatonu, the Naga international Support Center does not honor the wishes of criminals and human rights abusers to negotiate reconciliation towards peace and respect for each other which you so blatantly have broken time and again," the NISC said.

The Centre said until and unless the Khaplang Group does come to its senses and will commence to work for the rights of all Nagas and hence has sovereignty on the basis of the Right to Self Determination in its policies for the Naga People, it strongly condemned NSCN (K)'s actions and cannot trust it to sincerely come forward to achieve reconciliation for all concerned. "The Khaplang Group makes a mockery of the right to self determination and cannot be a credible partner until it mends its ways," it added.

"How low can you go, how deep can you sink to think that those who are not for you are against you? How utterly despaired must you be to stoop so low as to take it out on your own fellow Nagas and beat them black and blue when they cannot defend themselves? Stand up like real men of conviction and justify yourselves on the basis of what is right, not on the basis of your might," the NISC statement said.

The centre said NISC has been set up to focus attention on a very real but forgotten conflict. A conflict that resulted in a raging war on the frontiers of North East India and Myanmar, between the Naga peoples, India and Myanmar. It said landlocked and inaccessible to outsiders, because of India's travel restrictions, Nagalim, homeland of the Nagas, has been practically isolated from the outside world. This being the main reason why the international community knows little about a war that has taken the lives of approximately 200.000 people.

"The peace process needs support. The mouse Nagaland can hardly take on the giant India. The Naga International Support Center, a human rights organization, launches a publicity campaign, introduces the struggle of the Naga Peoples. NISC wants to make it known that the human suffering in Nagalim and the rest of North East India should stop" the centre said.

The NISC is being headed by Dr. Frans Welman, Secretary and Dr. Jacques de Kort as its chairman. (Page News Service)





Dr Lotha says Shrivastav’s belittling of Vajpayee’s contributions to Nagas unfortunate North East Press Service

Kohima, Nov 14 (NEPS): Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr TM Lotha criticized PP Shrivastav, Member, North Eastern Council (NEC) for his belittling the unprecedented economic package and contribution made to Nagaland by former NDA Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. The senior retried bureaucrat, during a public hearing on the North Eastern Vision Document 2020 at the Zonal Council Hall on November 5 last, said “Atal Behari Vajpayee’s commitment of 250 crores and 25000 jobs for Naga youth during his 2003 (Nagaland) visit is a promise unfulfilled and also a shame.”

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the Minister termed as “unfortunate” the remarks made by Shrivastav and further questioned whether he was referring the “unfulfilled promise” to Vajpayee or the present UPA Government headed by Dr Manmohan Singh.

Dr Lotha reminded the NEC Member that it was the former NDA Prime Minister Vajpayee who gave this unprecedented economic package amounting to Rs 1053 crore when he officially visited the State on October 29, 2003. “We still insist that the present UPA Prime Minister announce even 1 crore economic package for the Naga people,” he stated adding, “We will be happy.”

The senior State BJP leader also disclosed that as soon as the DAN came to power in the State on March 6, 2003, Vajpayee had given Rs 365 crore to the State to wipe out the accumulated deficit of the previous Congress regime. The Congress leaders and for that matter Mr Shrivastav should be rather happy for at least wiping out their accumulated deficit, he pointed out.

The Minister also highlighted the major works completed and already taken up with the Vajpayee’s economic packages viz Agriculture, Village Industries, Horticulture, Floriculture, Medical Plants, Bamboo Products and Bamboo Mission, Tourism and Transport, development of infrastructure of Nagaland University at Lumami and Kohima Campus, Tourism Circuit to link areas in Northern Nagaland, particularly Mon district, Regional Information Technology, Second Phase completion of Indira Gandhi Stadium, completion of Sainik School, up-gradation of District Hospitals, Rural Employment Generation Program, development of eco-friendly municipal waste treatment plants at Dimapur, Kohima and other towns, etc. Many of these in fact remained as White Elephant and it was only after Vajpayee started paying special attention for the overall development of the State, things got moving in right direction, he added.

Dr Lotha also said that it was again Vajpayee who had even created a history of sort becoming the first Indian Prime Minister by not only inviting the collective leadership of the NSCN (IM) to India to have wider consultation with leaders of all political parties and leaders of Indian civil societies and Naga societies but also declaring the “uniqueness of Naga identity.” “This has actually paved the way for taking the leaders of parties concerned to a very systematic and logical scale for finding a lasting political solution,” he explained. “Had Vajpayee continued to remain in power, by now the major problem of the political issue would have been solved. Unfortunately, the BJP-led NDA lost power at the Center.”

The Minister also said Shrivastav should remember that Vajpayee as Prime Minister visited the State on October 29, 2003 and he had to leave office in May the following year after his NDA lost power at the Center. During these seven months Vajpayee as Prime Minister had changed the face of Nagaland which was neglected for decades by the previous Congress regime. It was only after his award of economic package to Nagaland, many developments, as already highlighted above, took shape. Unfortunately the road and 25000 jobs for Naga youth as promised in the economic package remained unfulfilled due to the non-release of funds by the Congress-led UPA Government, he stated. “However we still hope that good sense prevail to the leadership of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Center in fulfilling whatever was given to Nagaland during Vajpayee time,” the Minister asserted.

Government of the People’s Republic of Nagalim Ministry of Information & Publicity Press Release 15th Nov. 2007

Following the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights this is no time to sit and watch but a time to activate ourselves by educating our own people on the collective right of the Nagas to self determination to the lands, territories and resources, culture and intellectual property; the right to free prior and informed consent of the Indigenous People’s for any state intervention into their environment and the right to determined what is the desired kind of development for Naga Communities.

The follow up action from the Nagas is far from what is actually expected. Except in Mokokchung and Ukhrul Districts, other areas are yet to wake up.

There are certain international organizations across the world who are enthusiastically taking part to speak up and to defined the indigenous people’s rights, and to exploit this declaration with forward looking approach-to demand the implementation of rights promulgated in the declaration which the Government of India has also signed and to raise awareness of their own rights as the indigenous peoples.

Unlike the era hidden from the world and now facilitated by the changed information transformation the outside world particularly the highly influential Human Rights Organizations with UN level association, the world at large knows too well that Nagas have been suffering long enough from political injustice, discrimination and marginalization. The UN Declaration is therefore a big stepping stone for the Naga peoples to prod the Government of India into action to address the situation indigenous peoples are in.

In the backdrop of this ground reality where awareness campaign is still to take off in the true sense of the necessity the seminar on indigenous people’s rights at Mokokchung to be organized by the Concerned Senior Citizens Forum of Mokokchung is very encouraging. We lauded the forum for taking positive steps and other areas in Nagalim should take the cue with the sense of urgency to works in line with the UN Declaration.

Issued By:- Ministry of Information & Publicity

Nearly 50% of sexual assault in National Capital happens to NE girls The Tangkhul
Dimapur, November 14: Nearly 59% of sexual assault in Delhi happens to girls from the Northeast. However, hundreds of cases go unreported and very few stories of racial discrimination meted out to the Northeast people living, studying and working in national capital and its surroundings cities have caused great fear to the Northeast communities.
According to Madhu Chandra, Spokesman, Northeast Support Centre & Helpline, New Delhi, racial discrimination in the form of rape, sexual assault, landlord harassment, non-payment of salaries by employers, and suspension from job without proper reasons are few examples, but after the launch of Northeast Support Centre and Helpline on October 20 last, reports of discrimination to Northeast people have been pouring in almost daily. Looking at the recent 18 sexual assault and rape cases to NE girls and dozen other form of harassment to the people from Northeast India appeared in Media, almost 50% of them happened to Northeast girls and women. Most of them traumatize without anybody to help them. Delhi is not safe place for girls and women even in broad daylight and now the situation has worsened, Chandra said adding, the police are reluctant to work on it if it is to do with Northeast people.
"The culprit takes more courageous when police forces left them go free. The public watch as a mere spectator if we defend ourselves and judge us as outcaste and uncivilized," he added.
"Such is the case when I broke a finger of a man in a crowded bus when he grope and try to squeeze my buttock. When I threatened to gouge his eyes out next time I was left with a comfortable space in that crowded bus by the public inside with a clear message that there is one insane, uncivilized, wild North East girl among the well mannered ladies and gentlemen. No one judges him but they make a point to recognize me as an outcaste," says a girl.
The mindset of the general public and particularly of police personnel needs to change in the way how the cases are taken for the people of Northeast India.
The North East public leaders, Bureaucrats and political leaders need to be sensitized about the fact that Northeast boys and girls who have migrated to national capital in search of better education, employment and future carrier, are facing high amount of discrimination. The matter of discrimination meted out to Northeast people has to be notified to Delhi and Central Government to ensure safety measurement.
When every culture, tradition and races of vast and world's largest democratic nation is regarded and protected then only the beauties of diversity in unity will be visible and the strength of Unity in Diversity will make sense. (Page News Service)
Naga International Support Center, NISC Nagarealm.com

A human rights organization, Amsterdam, November 14 2007

Violating Human rights Khaplang terrorists strike, Credibility, sincerity of the Khaplang Group at stake Under auspices of the Khaplang group, see article below, seven village leaders were brutally assaulted and the village terrorized.

The Naga International Support Center condemns these atrocious acts which are not yet officially or unofficially denied, taken distance from or flatly condemned by leaders like Molatonu. This is particularly remarkable because less than a week ago this leader strongly indicated that it should be the Naga International Support Center and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization who should initiate reconciliation talks between the NSCN-K (Khaplang) and NSCN-IM (Isak-Muivah) Under the circumstances where the Khaplang Groups terrorizes its own people for nothing but money and goods did not disown the culprits, the Naga International Support Center cannot but conclude that the Khaplang Group is not much more than a bunch of criminals. And Mr. Mulatonu, the Naga international Support Center does not honor the wishes of criminals and human rights abusers to negotiate reconciliation towards peace and respect for each other which you so blatantly have broken time and again. Consequently:

Until and unless the Khaplang Group does come to its senses and will commence to work for the rights of all Nagas and hence has sovereignty on the basis of the Right to Self Determination in its policies for the Naga Peoples, the Naga International Support Center strongly condemns its actions and cannot trust it to sincerely come forward to achieve to achieve peace and reconciliation for all concerned. The Khaplang Group makes a mockery of the right to self determination and cannot be a credible partner until it mends its ways.

Addendum – Upon reading the justification of the Khaplang group published in the Nagaland Post today NISC expresses amazement over the frustration by its cadres for not being able to subdue its adversaries and says aloud to the K-Group: How low can you go, how deep can you sink to think that those who are not for you are against you? How utterly despaired must you be to stoop so low as to take it out on your own fellow Nagas and beat them black and blue when they cannot defend themselves? Stand up like real men of conviction and justify yourselves on the basis of what is right, not on the basis of your might.

For more information visit www.nagalim.nl or write us an email nisc@nagalim.nl
Victims testify of NSCN (K)’s brutality The Morung Express Village Council Chairman of Wanching village displays marks of the inhuman beatings by the NSCN (K) cadres. (MExPix)

DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 11 [MExN]: Pained, hurt and mostly confused by the violence meted out on them by cadres of the NSCN (K), the seven village leaders of Wanching are still trying to figure out why they had been assaulted in such an inhuman way. Having been referred by, Mon Civil Hospital for better medical attention, the Village Council Chairman, Village Education Committee Chairman, Head GB and other four heads of the village are undergoing intense medical examination here at Dimapur. Giving out horrifying details of the fateful night of November 7, the VC Chairman said that they had been bound with their hands behind their back and beaten with bamboo sticks and gun butts for more than two hour, from 9 PM to 11:10 PM.

The chairman and the Head GB stated that there had been no provocation for the physical assault. They confirmed earlier news reports that the cadres had demanded 50 Kgs of rice, 10 chickens and Rs. 20,000 which was provided to them but in the absence of chicken, 2 ducks and a pig was arranged. However, in spite of all that a curfew was imposed in the village from 8 PM to 4 AM and the cadres forbad anyone from coming out of their houses. The village leaders were then summoned, and as soon as they entered the appointed house, the cadres shut all the windows and doors, tied their hands behind their back and started beating them with bamboos and rifle butts. “There was no questioned asked, no reason given to us. They just started beating us” stated the Head GB. “They locked us inside the house and hit us, and whoever cried out in pain was hit harder”, stated one of the victims. The victims of the harassment, who are also the village heads disclosed that their only demand to the NSCN (K) authorities is to handover the culprits to the village, otherwise the village would not cooperate with the group at all.

NSCN (K) justifies Wanching incident Nagaland Post Correspondent

Mon, NOV13 [NPN] : The NSCN (K) Tuesday said it had punished the seven Wanching villagers of Mon district for “treachery”. In a statement, the NSCN (K) said personnel of the PAN raided the village following reports that some activists of the rival NSCN (I-M) faction were taking shelter in the village for some time.
The faction said when it asked the villagers about the NSCN (I-M) activists, they tried to mislead the personnel of PAN by hiding and facilitating the escape of the rival activists under the cover of darkness.

The NSCN (K) said the truth was established when the PAN spotted two fleeing members of the rival faction and killed one of them after a chase. According to NSCN (K), the other rival member managed to escape. The NSCN (K) said some villagers were “chastised” later for the treachery. The faction also claimed to have killed one “Lt” Sakuyanger during an encounter with members of the rival faction at Chuchuyimpang village of Ao Region on the intervening night of November 12 and 13

KYKL cracks culture whip, warns two students The Sangai Express By Our Staff Reporter

Thabal Chongba which riled the KYKL underway at B’lore

IMPHAL, Nov 14 : Taking a serious note of a Thabal Chongba organised by the Manipur Culture Development Association, Banga- lore at Nandlal Football Ground, Austin Town on November 10, the proscribed KYKL today said that the event was nothing but presenting the culture of Manipur in a vulgar manner to the outside world.
In a statement issued to the press today, the outfit said that the named association is formed by students of Manipur in Bangalore and the Thabal Chongba was organised as part of a Culture and Sports Meet.
The Thabal Chongba was an eye sore to anyone who loves and cherishes the culture of Manipur, said the outfit and added that it amounted to selling the culture of Manipur to others.
The event conveyed the wrong notion that the Manipuri people are an uncivilised lot with no moral values and social mores, asserted the outfit and added that the dresses worn by the girls were also an eye sore. Most of them were dressed in hot pants and teeny weeny tops, it added.
Even when the youngsters were taking a break from the Thabal Chongba, the girls and boys could be seen holding hands and leaning against each other, which is totally against the accepted social practise of the people.
As the event was or-ganised by the named asso- ciation, its president Nin-gombam Somen of Wang- jing and secretary Kang-bam Krishna should surren- der by November 20 or else they will be punished, it warned.
The outfit further said that the event was organised purely for financial gains and explained that a sum of Rs 70 was charged per head. Around 700/800 people were present. Even if there were only 700 people, the total amount works out Rs 49,000, said KYKL and added that they must have made a neat profit given the fact that even the light system was very poor at the Thabal Chongba ground.
Urging parents to keep a sharp look out on the conduct of their children, the outfit said that parents and guardians should not rest contented just by sending their children and wards to study outside Manipur.
At least 80 pc of the students sent outside Manipur return home a spoilt lot.
Pharmacies are ready to sell drugs and tablets to the students from Manipur because it does not harm their kids, said KYKL and added that at least 50 pc of the students at Bangalore have motor cycles, which are not needed at all. Parents shou-ld also take care to see that they do not ply their children with excess amount of money.
Why do so many youngsters from Manipur prefer to go to Brigade Road in Bangalore and why do they spend their evenings in the parks, questioned KYKL.
The harassment meted out to girls from Manipur in Delhi has touched the raw nerve of the people here and there is no guarantee that organising such a Thabal Chongba will not encourage the people in Bangalore or South India to follow suit, it reasoned.
The KYKL will not remain silent spectators when the culture of besmirched by students or anyone outside the State, said the statement.
Henceforth, KYKL has banned organising Thabal Chongba in other parts of India by students from Manipur. The students can learn the positive aspects of westernisation, but the minute they start aping their sartorial taste such as skimpy outfits, then it would sound the death knell of society, KYKL predicted.
. Hagrama not a factor in NDFB talks: CM
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Nov 14: The State Government today came under a scathing attack from the united Opposition in the Assembly on the law-and-order front and peace talks with various militant outfits that are under ceasefire agreements with the Government. The Opposition even accused the State Government of not initiating peace talks with the NDFB, which is under a ceasefire agreement with the Centre, only to appease Hagrama Mohilary and his colleagues in the BPPF(H). Due to lack of political will on the part of the State Government, peace talks with the ULFA, NDFB, DHD and other outfits are still a nonstarter, the Opposition said.
In his reply, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said: “The NDFB hasn’t yet submitted its charter of demands to the Centre. This is considered as the major impediment for the peace talks to start. We have even threatened the NDFB of giving a second thought on the ceasefire with it if it doesn’t submit its charter of demands to the Government so as to pave the way for peace talks. The Hagrama factor has nothing to do with peace talks between the government and the NDFB.”
On peace talks with the ULFA, Gogoi said: “The door is still open for the outfit for talks with the Government. It was because of the State Government’s pressure that the Centre agreed for talks, and the Army announced a unilateral ceasefire. The condition of releasing the top five jailed ULFA leaders was on yet another condition — that the rebel group should agree to sit for direct talks with the Government.”
Moving a cut motion against the Home Department on the law-and-order situation and the peace process with various militant groups of the State, Opposition Leader Chandra Mohan Patowary said: “The State Government is losing its control over the Unified Command Structure. While the Government talks of political solution to the problem of militancy, top Army officials air comments that have negative effects. The NDFB is under a ceasefire agreement with the Government, but the State Government takes no steps for peace talks with the outfit only to appease Hagrama Mohilary and his colleagues in the BPPF(H). Now the NDFB serves extortion notes from its designated camps.”
Patowary further said: “There may be two reasons behind Assam Cricket Association (ACA) secretary Bikash Baruah appealing to the ULFA for peaceful holding of the November 5 India-Pakistan cricket match in Guwahati. Either Bikash Baruah might have appealed to the ULFA with support from the State Government or he had no faith on the security bandobast of the State Government for the match. It’s for the State Government to make that clear.”
On the multi-crore-rupee Assam Police battalion scam, Patowary said: “If the Government cannot trace an absconding SP, its ability to trace other criminals is doubtful.”
CPI-M MLA Uddhab Barman, Mission Ranjan Das of the BJP, Kamali Basumatary and Tazendra Basumatary of the BPPF(H), Dhrupad Borgohain of the CPI and Aditya Langthasa of the AUDF took part in the discussion.
In his reply, the Chief Minister said: “The State Government did not approve Bikash Baruah’s appeal to the ULFA. Anybody can appeal to the ULFA at his or her personal level.” He said there is huge rush of investors into the State, but the State Government is not going to acquire vast areas of lands to hand them over to the investors. “The investors have to make the arrangement of land themselves,” Gogoi said, and added: “Had there been no insurgency problem in the State, the rush of investors would have been more.”
Indian role in Myanmar wins praise from junta Indo Burma News
November 14, 2007: (Telugu Portal) India has won praise from both the United Nations and the Myanmar military over its quiet diplomacy of pushing the junta into reconciliation talks with various opposition groups to end weeks of unrest.
UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari has thanked New Delhi for prodding the country’s military rulers to talk to him after they initially sounded hostile to any foreign intervention to end Myanmar’s internal troubles. At the same time, India made it clear to the junta that only negotiations with everyone in the opposition, not just the jailed Aung San Suu Kyi, would bring an element of stability to the country. But the Indian government has refused to heed calls by Western powers, in particular the US, to impose economic sanctions against Myanmar, saying that the isolation of the junta would only make matters worse.
The junta, led by its head Than Shwe, has also appreciated New Delhi’s stand, although the Indian moves - less publicized, unlike China’s — have disappointed the vocal Western countries and sections of Myanmar’s opposition figures.
India has told the junta that besides Aung San Suu Kyi, it needs to engage with different ethnic groups in Myanmar, particularly the more restive ones and those capable of unleashing violence.
New Delhi has also informed other countries - located near and far - that its dominant concern vis-a-vis Myanmar with which it has a long and porous border, would be its own (India’s) strategic interests. India does not want any dramatic destabilisation of Myanmar in the name of democracy that would inject unrest in that country and possibly help separatists in the Indian northeast to take sanctuary there. It realises the need to carefully balance its interests - gently nudging the junta to make peace with those in the opposition while continuing India’s multi-faceted economic linkages with Myanmar.
The Indian diplomatic offensive followed weeks of mass unrest and a military crackdown in Myanmar that saw many killed and thousands jailed following a fuel price hike in August.
Unlike in 1988 when similar mass protests also shook Myanmar, India did not denounce the military junta this time. Instead, it took days before issuing its first public statement.
By then there was intense Western pressure on India - and China - to get tough with Myanmar. Both were berated for their military and other economic links with the junta.
Although publicly India did not say much beyond urging the Myanmar rulers to reach out to the opposition, it quietly pressed the military to open talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years. It also asked the junta to meet UN envoy Gambari, who has just ended a six-day visit to Myanmar during which he met Aung San Suu Kyi and also the country’s new Prime Minister, General Thein Sein.
The junta was also told, in so many words, that it needed to change.
At the same time, the Indian establishment realises that the Myanmar military cannot be wished away as it is one of the pillars of the country and has brought peace to a country torn by decades of ethnic unrest. India also has no intention of downgrading its economic relations with Myanmar that cover various sectors - from IT to infrastructure.