12/30/2007: "Resolutions declared for unity- Nagaland Post"

Resolutions declared for unity- Nagaland Post

In a Historic Summit officiated by the Eastern Nagaland People's organization (ENPO) on the 18th December 2007 at Tuensang, the following land-mark Resolutions were passed and enacted which was unanimously affirmed and pledged by the Summit House to be sincerely implemented, abided and upheld in the common interest and commitment for the unity of Nagas:
1. Resolved on 18th Dec. 2007 at 4 pm at Tuensang, the ENPO, ENNWA, ENNWU and NNC/FGN (non-accordist) under ENPO jurisdiction jointly resolved to support the unification of all Nagas regardless of Territorial Demarcation.
2. Resolved that there should be no bloodshed, threat, intimidation or any form of violence within ENPO jurisdiction inclusive of Naga territories of Myanmar. The ENPO shall not extend any public co-operation to any factions I groups for noncompliance of the above and ENPO shall also question the same. The ENPO shall appeal the same to all other Nagas.
3. Resolved that there shall be further such consultative meeting amongst the above groups, i.e., ENPO, ENNWA, ENNWU and NNC/FGN (non-accordist) under ENPO jurisdiction in regard to Naga unification and other issues as and when the situation and the need arises for the same.
We solemnly affirm and pledge to implement, abide and uphold the above resolutions in good spirit and faith.
Resolutions 1 & 2 shall be in line with the ENPO press releases recently in regard to Naga Unification and other related issues. The Longleng resolution dated 29/09/2005 shall also be the bases of resolution No.2 as resolved on 18/12/2007. Further, in accordance with resolution No.3, the Tribal Presidents and Colleagues of ENPO federating units, the President and Colleagues of ENSF, and Elders of ENPO shall be invited as desired and deemed necessary for consultations etc. in due course of any such emergency meetings and gatherings depending on issues and matters. The Summit was a prayerful call to the Naga National Workers from the Eastern Nagaland to earnestly deliberate on the issue of Naga unification and other related subjects and to independently share views, opinions and their endurance for the same.
Attending the Summit were National Workers from ENNWA (Eastern Naga National Workers Association) from the NSCN (K), ENNWU (Eastern Naga National Workers Union) of NSCN (IM) and the NNC/FGN (Non-accordist) from the Regions of Eastern Nagas.
Toshi Wungtung, Spokesman for ENPO (on behalf of the Summit Resolution Committee)
New Year greetings from NNC Kuknalim.com
THE NAGA NATIONAL COUNCIL Urra, Nagaland
London 29 December 2007

New Year message

I send my warmest greetings and best wishes to our people for the coming New Year - 2008.

We thank the Almighty God for His unfailing love for our people. Time and again whenever our people face a crisis in the midst of the unremitting Indian occupation army militarised tyranny and in need of help, He always open a way for the Naga people. Could the year 2008 usher in an episodic dawn? Let us look on the bright side in the coming New Year.

In our journey to fulfill the 16 May 1951 democratic mandate of the Naga people to be a nation, followed by the formal organic integration of the Free Nagas and the Naga National Council (NNC) enshrined in the Yehzabo of Nagaland in 1956, every New Year is a milestone. Our destination is the restoration of an independent Federal Republic of Nagaland free of foreign occupation army. In other words, the journey the people of Nagaland undertook is to uphold freedom and nothing can deter us from reaching our destination of a free much loved Nagaland.

The world is unlikely to come across a more blatant aggression in post-colonial era than that of modern India unremitting war against Nagaland since 1954. It was astonishing that instead of turning its back on centuries of subjugation by foreign rulers, the leaders of nascent modern India decided to trample on the freedom of Naga people. As a consequence of Indian aggression, over 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand) Naga people died and many people maimed in the inhuman hands of the Indian armed forces.

Contrary to India's flimsy claim of Nagaland on account of its 'British colonial legacy', at no time, including during the British rule over India, the Naga people share a common history with India. As for modern Nagaland, the Naga representatives led by A Z Phizo declared to the world that Nagaland will stay independent on 14 August 1947, a day ahead of Great Britain granting independence to British India. The Naga stand on independence is based on incontrovertible historical facts and by any standard unassailable.

In the past nearly thirty years, under the Indian occupation army militarised tyranny of 53 years, rival Indian agencies funded sectarian proxy militias under the banner of socialism to carry out state sponsored terrorism with impunity. The Naga people will never forget over the years the treacherous sectarian militias dastardly murdered over three thousand of our people in national service and civilians. It is absolutely reprehensible for any Naga regardless of from outside Nagaland to kill another Naga or attempt to gag freedom of expression under the pretext of Naga sovereignty. On recent development in the proximity of Indian occupation army 3 Corp HQ near Dimapur, our people are rightly non-committal as to the unravelling in the rival camps. From our national perspective, those who contravene the Yehzabo of Nagaland, under whatever guise it projects itself, it is deemed fraud. If any Naga would love to serve Naga nation, meet our people in the Federal Government of Nagaland and ask how one can be of help.

Of late, compelling anecdotal muttering on Nagaland emanating from Delhi sound a departure from the usual humdrum and make interesting reading: 1) Why is the problem in Nagaland refuse to go? 2) Who is in charge - Indian army or state government or those nagging socialists or others? 3) Where does all the Indian money disappear? 4) Why the Government of India unwilling to engage in talk with the Naga government? 5) For many years our experts say the Naga government is moribund then who is the enemy? 6) Nagaland is bad news for Indian international image, etc. Evidently, Delhi is far from taking its often stated position on Nagaland seriously. Until there is a fundamental shift in Delhi's approach to why India is in conflict against Nagaland, the prospect for peace in Nagaland will remain elusive as the Naga stand is perfectly clear.
May God bless Nagaland. Urra uvie Adinno Phizo President
NPCC responds to NPF- Murder most fowl: NPF paying obituaries to demise of democracy Nagaland Post
Let us, for a moment, bow our heads in shame that the staunch regionalist and senior leader of the NPF President, Dr. Shürhozelie should so unabashedly try to justify his party's cruel murder of democracy on December 13, 2007, and without any compunction, try to put the whole blame on the Congress party. It is a matter of great embarrassment for all Nagas that the leader is bereft of any sense of shame, a phenomenon which is very strange to Nagas. Alas, power has not only gone to the heads of the DAN leaders, it has also corrupted their reasoning, and it appears that no amount of logic can convince them of their unethical deeds perpetrated in their attempt to hang on to power. There can be no arguments with DAN for the gross injustice they have done to democracy and democracy-loving citizens of the State and country.
We agree with NPF President that the office of the Speaker is hallowed and respectable institution in the Constitution. But that was before December 13, 2007. The DAN coalition has molested the dignity of the hallowed institution and it now lies in ruins, devastated and beyond salvage. And after having abused the hallowed institution, the DAN leaders have the temerity to accuse the Congress party of bringing the Office under vituperative attacks! The determination with which the DAN coalition is holding on to power is reminiscent of a salivating dog refusing to let go of a bone - it has shown that it would go to any extent, even to the extent of murdering the democratic norms and procedures, to hold on to the bone. Indeed, the Speaker's name will be scripted in bold letters in the Book of Notoriety of Nagaland Legislative Assembly for "assiduously protecting" the ruling dispensation; throwing all caution to the winds; and orchestrating the whole proceedings of the House as if it was a pre-Christmas party organized for little children by over-indulging parents! How very juvenile of the ruling dispensation to even for a moment think that the people of Nagaland do not know the difference between 31 and 23, or to assume that the people would be fooled to believe that the Speaker did not misuse his office to let the DAN Government remain in power. And look just who is talking about desecrating the Constitution and its foundations!
NPF President's claim that the Independent MLAs have joined the NPF and then the Congress party is most interesting in the sense that we have here an Honourable Christian legislator telling the world a blatant lie without blinking an eye! One wonders with what visage this lying Legislator would face the neighbours in the days to come. Or has he come up with another Commandment like "Thou shalt not lie - unless it is absolutely necessary to remain in power"? He seems to have conveniently forgotten that Independent MLAs extending support to any Government does not amount to joining the political party or coalition, and as such, does not attract the penalties of the Tenth Schedule. It would do well for the legislator to check out the Attendance Register in the Legislative Assembly whether they have been signing in the Independent Members' register or not. Even on the 13 th December 2007 One-day session, the Independent Members, including the Hon'ble Minister Imkong L Imchen, appended their signature in the said register. If the Congress party were as crooked and power-hungry as the DAN coalition, and if it had the twisted and erroneous reasoning that the DAN coalition has regarding the status of the Independent members, it would have filed a disqualification petition before the Speaker to immediately disqualify the Independent Member Imkong L Imchen by producing the Notification appointing him as a Minister. And going by the infamous precedent of the Speaker, he would have been restrained from casting his vote in the Confidence or No-Confidence Motions as he, the Speaker did to the other three Independent MLAs. However, being fully aware that these notifications appointing or relieving the Independent MLAs do not in any way support the claim that they have JOINED any political party, the Congress party has not done so till date.
The whole premise of NPF President's argument is based on the Circular of the Speaker dated August 21, 2006 which was, for obvious reasons, circulated on December 12, 2007. As pointed out by the CLP Leader, this circular was never discussed in the House let alone passed by all the Members as claimed. For the records, there was no sitting of the Assembly on August 21, 2006. Moreover, the Speaker cannot issue any directions to over-ride the Constitution or the Tenth Schedule. There is no amendment of the Rules of Business and Procedure of the House nor The Members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Grounds of Defection) Rules, 2003. Consequently, the Speaker should not have violated the Constitutional mandate by means of a circular issued by himself, with no backing of the House. All said and done, the Speaker's direction contained in the Bulletin dated 12th December 2007 clearly reveals the bias of the Speaker to ensure the survival of the Government at any cost. Since the Governor has a Constitutional obligation to uphold the Constitution and Rule of Law and cannot remain a mute spectator when the Government uses the House and seeks to devise methods to continue in office despite the fact it has lost majority, the Congress party had urged him to immediately dismiss the minority, illegal DAN Government without any delay.
Any voting in defiance of a whip will render a person liable to disqualification on grounds of defection if such act is not condoned within 15 days by the political party as per para (2) of the Tenth Schedule. Therefore, unless there is voting and vote is counted as being contrary to the whip or direction, how is it to be concluded that there has been such defiance unless it is counted as being contrary to the whip? It would be a "mere attempt" and there is no disqualification for "attempt to vote contrary to the whip." Such action of disqualification springs only after the action is completed, and not before. Therefore, the Rule to exclude the vote of such person who allegedly defies the whip apart from being arbitrary and unconstitutional is in direct conflict with the scheme of the Tenth Schedule. The DAN coalition, again, appears to have framed its own Commandments and rules and Procedures!
It is also a matter of surprise that the NPF President has now come up with an entirely new Constitutional position such as "Congress Speakers". It is unheard of in the Indian parliamentary democracy that there are such political party posts in hallowed institutions like the Assembly or the Parliament. Most probably, it is this mindset which has made them assume the Speaker in the Nagaland Assembly is not a "Congress Speaker", but an "NPF Speaker" and that they should misuse his office. No wonder the DAN coalition has used the "NPF Speaker" to assassinate democracy in Nagaland on December 13, 2007.
Vitsorel Lcho Member, Media Cell, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.
Cong roots for President Rule Nagaland Post

KOHIMA, DEC29 [NPN] : The Congress in Nagaland has reportedly submitted copies of a document to Union ministers and Central leaders including senior Congress functionaries in New Delhi, giving several reasons for imposition of President's Rule in Nagaland.

A copy of the document received here also dwelled on the poor position of the Congress party in Nagaland and the need to impose President's Rule. The document highlighted clause (b) of Article 371 A of the Constitution which provides special powers to the Governor exclusively for Nagaland to impose President's Rule or Army Rule in Nagaland. It stated that ceasefire agreements between the Government of India and three underground groups of Nagaland "have freed over 4000 sophisticated weapons" and that violation of ceasefire agreement ground rules were "daily affair since ceasefire agreements."

It also stated that "factional war in towns and villages and killing amongst themselves and the civilians, destroying public properties by way of burning villages…" were evidences before the Governor. It mentioned that underground organisations had taken lots of preparation for the forthcoming elections and added that the NSCN (I-M) had decided to support like-minded leaders, which ever party they might be from, to form coalition state government. According to the document, the underground group had also identified certain Congress candidates to stop them from winning.

It also predicted that this would reduce the Congress to about 20 in the House of 60. The objective of the NSCN (I-M) was to form coalition government and a weak government so as to keep control, the document stated. In an indirect attack at the Nagaland Governor, the document stated "Governors are chosen based on their past experiences and wisdom, they are expected to exercise their individual judgments, blanket opposition to use of Article 356 is wrong." "If the Governors cannot live to the expectation of citizens in upholding the Constitution provisions who should be responsible to the nation?" it added.
Rio expresses pain Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, DEC 29 (NPN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has expressed pain over the atrocities and abuses being carried out against members of the Christian community in different parts of the country especially in the State of Orissa.
A press release issued by Commissioner & Secretary to Chief Minister stated that Rio was of the view that such activities were detrimental to the secular spirit of the Constitution and against the secular foundations of the country. "He expresses condemnation on behalf of the State Government and on his own behalf while urging all secular and right thinking forces to unite and overcome those sections that are polarizing the country on religious lines," the release added.
The Chief Minister also appealed to all law enforcing agencies to immediately address the problem of lack of protection to the Christian community and take all necessary measures to ensure that Christians were protected.
Bandh hits traffic along Indo-Myanmar road Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Dec 29 – Normal vehicular movement along the Singjamei sector of the Indo-Myanmar road in Manipur was been affected for the second dayon Friday.

This was because of the12-hour bandh imposed along the highway by the newly-floated Joint Action Committee for the immediate and unconditional release of Salam Indrajit Singh, Section Officer, Education (S) Engineering Cell.

Peeved at alleged inaction of the State Government for safe release of Indrajit, abducted by some unidentified persons suspected to be rebels on December 15 last, the Committee has prohibited all development works being taken up by State Government in Singjamei area from Thursday.

Indrajit’s wife, Salam Bimolsakhi had already appealed to all concerned to release her husband safely on humanitarian ground and taking into consideration the fate of their small kids even if Indrajit had committed some mistakes.

According to police sources, no formal report has been submitted to relevant police station on the abduction of Salam Indrajit either by the family or the Education (S) Dept.However, police have registered a suo motto case in connection with the abduction.

Meanwhile due to the 12-hour bandh on the Singjamei-Moirangkhom sector of the Indo-Myanmar road or NH-39, the normal flow of traffic had been severely affected as almost all the private, passenger and goods carriers in particular were forced to take another alternative route for the day.

As a part of the protest agitation, the road stretching from Singjamei chingamakhong to Loklaobung junction along NH-39 was blocked from dawn-to- dusk.

The committee representatives lamented that despite several appeals to the State Government and the Department concerned to take up some concrete steps so as to secure safe release of Indrajit, the authorities still remained indifferent. They also appealed to all civil organisations, Meira Paibis and the general public to help secure safe release of Indrajit. The Committee is further prepared to launch more intense agitation.
India's Halt to Burma Arms Sales May Pressure Junta By Glenn Kessler Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, December 30, 2007; Page A29
India has halted all arms sales and transfers to Burma, a development that could increase international pressure on the military junta that brutally crushed the pro-democracy "Saffron Revolution" led by monks this fall.
The Indian government's decision has not been officially announced, but diplomatic sources said it has been privately confirmed by New Delhi to top U.S. officials in recent weeks. In a little-noticed statement, first lady Laura Bush noted the decision in a video teleconference she held on Dec. 10 in recognition of International Human Rights Day. Ticking off actions taken by countries around the world in response to the crackdown, Bush said, "India, one of Burma's closest trading partners, has stopped selling arms to the junta."
A spokesman for the Indian Embassy in Washington declined to comment.
Burma, also known as Myanmar, is regarded as one of the world's most repressive nations. The National League for Democracy, the party of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, won a landslide victory in the country's last elections, in 1990, but the military leadership refused to recognize the outcome. Suu Kyi has been under house arrest or in prison on and off since then.
But in September, massive demonstrations led by Buddhist monks threatened the junta's rule, until the army arrested thousands of monks and democracy activists. Of the thousands arrested, 700 remain behind bars along with 1,150 political prisoners already in detention, according to Amnesty International. At least six members of the 88 Generation Students, a leading pro-democracy group, were arrested last week, the State Department said.
Before the protests, military ties between India and Burma had appeared to be on a fast track. Military contacts had increased in early 2007, with New Delhi seeking help battling Burmese-based insurgent groups operating on its northeastern border and also attempting to counteract China's growing influence in the Burmese economy. Indian and Burmese military forces began conducting joint operations, and Indian officials indicated they would grant Burma's request for military equipment.
In one sign of cooperation, India began discussing the transfer of military helicopters that Amnesty International, in a July report, said are "highly likely to contain components, technology and munitions" originating from European Union nations and the United States, undermining embargoes by those countries.
"India's relationship with Burma has expanded pretty dramatically in the past few years," said Michael J. Green, a former top Asia adviser to President Bush who is now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that Southeast Asian neighbors of Burma had complained to Bush about India's deepening military ties with Burma. "They expect it of China, but India is a democracy," Green said.
He said India's decision to end arms sales to Burma is "a big deal for U.S.-India relations. I think they are shifting." More broadly, India's move may put pressure on China, currently Burma's largest trading partner and arms supplier, experts said.
Last week, a bipartisan group of 48 senators, led by Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), signed a letter to Bush urging him to support an international arms embargo against Burma, in the form of a U.N. Security Council resolution. "No responsible nation should provide weapons to a regime as reprehensible as the one found in Burma," the letter said. Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said, "We support an arms embargo against Burma and have been engaged in discussions with various countries on the matter."
China is one of the nations holding veto power at the United Nations, and few expect it to support the arms embargo. But analysts said that India's decision could force China to think of options short of an arms embargo to pressure the Burmese junta.
In the 1990s, China became Burma's most important trading partner, according to Amnesty International, providing more than $2 billion worth of weapons and military equipment, including tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery pieces such as howitzers, antitank guns and antiaircraft guns, some sold at below-market prices.
"The Chinese clearly are sensitive to the emerging role they are playing," Durbin said in an interview. "We have an obligation to continue to remind them we need their help in stopping some of the outrages in the world."
A top European envoy last week also urged China to use its influence in Burma, specifically to end the house arrest of Suu Kyi. "Any sign from the Burmese authorities to progress on this path will be welcome, and the Chinese intervention is fundamental," Piero Fassino told reporters at the end of a three-day trip to China.
In her year-end news conference last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that "when the monks were in the streets, that there was an energy in the international community to try to do something about it," but now that momentum has dissipated. "It's our responsibility, along with others, to try to keep a focus on that effort," she said. "We will return again and again to the Security Council to discuss this issue. We will return again and again to those states that have influence, like China, to move this forward, because there needs to be a process of political reconciliation."
Three injured in ULFA bomb blast Outlook (PTI)

GUWAHATI, Three persons were seriously injured in a bomb blast by ULFA in the heart of Guwahati city tonight. ULFA militant hurled a grenade from a flyover in the Athgaon area the city at around 7.30 PM. The police said the three persons injured were waiting in front of a tea shop when the bomb fell near them. The injured admitted to G M C Hospital here were identified as Abdul Samed and Fakruddin Mazumdar of Hajai in Central Assam and Raj of Kamarpatti area adajecent to the blast side. Senior police officer rushed there, cordoned off the blast side and launched a massive manhunt to nab the ultras.
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Assam peace facilitator hints at fresh talks with ULFA By IANS
Guwahati, Dec 30 (IANS) A prominent peace facilitator in northeastern India has lent fresh hopes Sunday to the start of negotiations in the new year with one of the region's dreaded separatist groups to bring about a possible end to a 28-year-old violent uprising that has killed thousands of people.
Indira Goswami, a well-known Assamese writer and facilitator for talks between the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the government, has said New Delhi might fulfil one of the major preconditions of the rebel group that may set the stage for possible peace talks soon.
'Senior Congress leader and party general secretary for Assam Veerappa Moily has informed me that the government may take a decision by Jan 3 on the ULFA's demand for release of five of its detained leaders from prison,' Goswami told IANS.
'If things move on track, Assam may see the peace process once again gaining momentum in the New Year,' Goswami said.
In September 2005, celebrated novelist Goswami was chosen by the ULFA to head an 11-member peace panel called the People's Consultative Group (PCG) to prepare the ground for possible direct talks between the rebel group and the government.
The PCG held three rounds of exploratory talks with central government leaders, one meeting being attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself, but the effort collapsed over conditions and counter-conditions put up by both sides.
While the ULFA insisted on the release of five senior leaders from jail to enable them to meet and decide on the course of the peace talks, New Delhi stuck to its demand that the rebel group give it a written assurance that it was indeed interested in entering into peace negotiations with the government.
The PCG has since become defunct but Goswami, in her individual capacity, continued exploring possibilities of bringing the peace process back on rails and has been keeping in touch with Moily, the All India Congress Committee's pointsman for Assam.
'Moily is a veteran leader and understands and appreciates Assam's problems. He has been taking a personal interest in re-starting the peace process with the ULFA,' Goswami said.
She said the New Year should bring about a change in Assam's situation.
'If the peace process with the ULFA resumes and the two sides are able to sit for direct talks, other rebel groups too would come to the negotiating table. The peace effort must be taken to its logical end by trying to arrive at acceptable solutions,' Goswami said.
The ULFA has been fighting for a 'sovereign, socialist Assam' ever since the group was formed by six radical Assamese youth in 1979.
Cabinet orders probe into unsanctioned work allocations by Khuga Dam officials; Recruitment of 1501 police personnel okayed The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Dec 29: The state Cabinet has decided to launch a departmental inquiry against engineers of the PHED in charge of the Khuga Dam multipurpose project for sanctioning of work orders worth about Rs. 29 lakhs without authorisation for some works which are not included in the project, according to a highly placed source.
The Cabinet met this afternoon at the chief minister`s official bungalow with CM Ibobi Singh in the chair.

According to the source, the concerned engineers, without the consent of the government, were found to have given work orders to some contractors and agencies for an amount of around Rs. 29 lakhs for various works including construction of retaining wall and construction of roadside drainage system during 2005-06, which were not included in the project.
A total of Rs 11 lakhs out of this has already been withdrawn by the contractors. However, after the government came to realise the illegal diversion of funds, the remaining amount has been frozen.

The Cabinet meeting today took a serious view of the matter and has decided to conduct a departmental inquiry against the involved engineers. The Cabinet also decided to recover the already encashed amount of Rs. 11 lakhs from the concerned engineers on the basis of the findings of the departmental inquiryThe Cabinet has also approved the recruitment of 1501 fresh police personnel for augmenting the strength of 25 police stations in the state, out of the existing 32.

The new personnel to be recruited including 20 inspectors, 80 sub inspectors, 95 ASI, 84 head constables, 805 constables and 81 constable drivers, plus 11 women inspectors, 30 women SIs, 29 women ASIs 53 women head constables and 123 women constables.

This is intended to strengthen the police forces in the state in both the hlls and avalley districts as part of a strategy to control the deteriorating law and order condition in the state. The Cabinet also gave its approval for the installation of a statue of Thangal General at the traffic island at the Konung Mamang.

It also approved the Manipur Wakf Rules 2007 and has decided to go ahead with the establishment of Kangpokpi division PHED. Further the state cabinet has also decided to cancel the irregular regularisation of 28 staff deployed in the remote sensing section of the state science and technology as per Supreme Court ruling. The staff concerned will be allowed salaries only as per their contract.

Nagalim.NL News

12/30/2007: "Resolutions declared for unity- Nagaland Post"