02/24/2008: "Peace meet carries on with empty chairs morungexpress"

Peace meet carries on with empty chairs morungexpress

Dimapur, February 23 (MExN): The Naga Peace convention which is underway in DDSC Stadium has failed to inspire the imaginations of the people as the second day of the convention went off with only a handful of people and lots and lots of empty chairs at the stadium. An official of the convention lamented that because of the election process people cannot come. “People are willing to come but because of election disturbing, no,” he said.
Rev Pughuto Aye confessed that the turn out of the people was lesser than expected “since this election wave is going on.” However, he expressed hope that the people would be more in the evening programme and on Sunday. (Saturday’s evening programme witnessed the same handful of people). Rev Aye, however, said that peace and unity is the cry of many people big and small, but the Nagas are not coming out to work for it. Nonetheless Rev Aye said that surely peace and reconciliation will come in the Naga society, “We are praying for it and we are working it.”
Rev Dr Wati Aier, who is one of the speakers at the convention, said that he was not discouraged by the small turnout of people and expressed hope that something concrete will come out of the convention in the form of a resolution, though he did not elaborate what kind of a resolution it would be.
The Naga Peace Convention, as per pamphlets, was expected to be attended by all the frontal organizations, political parties, intending candidates and even the Naga underground workers. It has been organised in accordance to ‘divine revelation of bloodshed and turmoil’ in Nagaland to Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre’. However, the 2008 state assembly elections have played spoilsport to it.
“Instead of registering in the convention for 10 rupees, I would rather go to some political parties camps and stay there for some time and return home with Rs 500 free,” said a youth who attended the first programme, “It has been organised in a bad timing.” However, it is learnt that the Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre, has been in the divine revelation to organize the convention at the earliest or face the wrath of God.
Peace, the main poll plank in Nagaland morungexpress
Kohima, February 22 (ANI): If Assembly elections in Nagaland are all about strengthening democracy, it is also about ensuring permanent peace in the insurgent-affected state. Political parties and people hope that this years Assembly polls will resolve the Naga problem and usher lasting peace in the state. Most ticket seekers in the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF), the former ruling party in Nagaland, have sought to get the party’s nomination by advocating peace. The party has claimed that during its five-year rule in the state it tried to facilitate the peace process. It is looking for support from people on the same issue again. The party realizes that unless permanent peace is established in the state, no development can take place, and the huge potential of the people and the state’s resources will remain under utilized. “We have been committed to continue to strive for a solution to the Naga political problem. We will continue to play the role of the mediator to bring together the conflicting parties to conference table or for a political dialogue,” said Shurhozelie, the President of the NPF.
The Congress Party is propounding the same agenda. The party is claiming to be at the forefront in advocating peace in the state and bringing the conflicting parties on the negotiating table. The party is pinning its hope on the March 5 elections, and believes that for a better future and for a better result out of the Look East Policy, the five-decade old Naga problem should be resolved. “While we talk about the political agenda, I want to tell that the Congress party has been consistently following the policy of reconciliation, unity and permanent political settlement, acceptable to all the Nagas,” said I.Imkong, leader, Congress Legislative Party.
People too want concrete results. Ayanai, a professional, wants to make it big in life while living in Nagaland. For that she feels there is a need for a conducive atmosphere and rapid economic development. Rokose, a housewife, said: “Now it is election time, candidates are talking big, but we want to see real development. We want someone, who can bring peace and development.”
‘Cong using gross lies’morungexpress
Rajnath Singh, National President of BJP, during a press conference at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur on Saturday, February 23. (Photo/Caisii Mao)
Dimapur | February 23 (MExN): BJP National President, Rajnath Singh has said that the Congress party has no issue in the forthcoming election and is simply using propaganda based on misconception and ‘gross lies.’ Addressing media-persons at Hotel Saramati this evening, the BJP National President said that after assessing the people while touring the districts of Longleng, Tuensang and Wokha today, he is of the opinion that the BJP in Nagaland will perform very well in the coming elections.
Coming out hard against the imposition of President’s Rule in Nagaland, Rajnath Singh said the imposition of PR in Nagaland is yet another example of the Congress party’s intolerance towards the government run by opposition.
“BJP-led NDA in the centre and DAN government in Nagaland worked in tandem to bring the light of development in Nagaland, when we were having NDA government in Centre, we gave a package of Rs 1000 crore but Congress gave a package of President’s Rule,” said Singh. “Before leveling charges against the DAN Government, the Congress should come out and inform what it has done during the forty-five years of rule in the state,” said Singh. However, Singh said that the people of Nagaland understands the Congress party’s ploy which does not want permanent peace and stability in the region. He said that “the escalation of violence during President’s Rule shows that the situation in Nagaland is going out of control day by day”.
The BJP National President also said that the Congress party raises the issue of peace only during elections and during the days of power it gives step-motherly treatment to the people if northeast in general and the people of Nagaland in particular.
Underlining the need to have a non-Congress government in Nagaland, Rajnath Singh said that in the country, the public mood is changing fast and Congress-led UPA is losing its base, and asserted that the NDA led government is coming back to power in the next Lok Sabha election.
In this regard, Singh said that the DAN Government becomes the most favorable government which will be working with the Centre in the country.
Reiterating BJP’s belief in justice to all and appeasement of none, Rajnath Singh said that the BJP has highest regard to people of all communities and does not discriminate people on the basis of caste, creed, colour or religion. In this connection, Rajnath Singh said that the Congress is the most communal party which formulates its policies on the basis of religion.
“The Congress version of secularism is not only outdated but also perverted,” said Singh and added that ‘the followers of Jesus Christ’ know very well that what the Congress is doing is nothing but dividing the people in the name of religion.
To a query what the BJP thinks about the Naga integration issue, which has been included in the Congress manifesto and which is creating a lot of resentment in Manipur, the National BJP President averted a direct reply.
“I think all the Nagas groups must be united and there should be mutual dialogue with the Naga groups to resolve the political problem of Nagaland,” he said, “I think after the mutual dialogue, we can reach on a conclusion.”
Security forces step up vigil to ensure peaceful poll The Hindu
Kohima (PTI): With barely two weeks to go for the assembly election in Nagaland security forces were put on high alert and underground cadres asked to stay inside their designated camps, the Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IGAR) said on Saturday.
Columns of Assam Rifles personnel were on the move since last week both on vehicles and on foot to all assembly constituencies and polling stations for area familiarization, a release by IGAR office said here.
The paramilitary forces have identified the vantage points and sensitive areas were kept under surveillance, the release said adding the liaison with civil administration were made both at micro and macro levels across the state.
AR troops also commenced round the clock patrolling and were frisking of suspected vehicles, besides the two sectors under its command in Nagaland were to step up vigils to check movements of underground cadre with arms.
It also asked the underground cadre of all groups to stay inside their respective designated camps as per the agreed cease-fire ground rules.
Although AR are not directly involved in election duty, the paramilitary force with its 11 battalions in Nagaland would provide environmental security.
Private resolution : House for deletion of Lim clause in NPCC manifesto
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22: A private member resolution moved by the Opposition MPP to withdraw the 16-point agreement included in the election manifesto of the Nagaland Congress election as well as endorsement of the same by AICC secretary Siddharth Patil has been unanimously passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly today.

As the private member resolution moved by the Legislature Wing leader of MPP MLA O Joy and supported by party MLAs including RK Anand, Dr Ng Bijoy and Dr I Ibohalbi was tabled in the House, former Chief Minister and NCP MLA Radhabinod Koijam supported it.

Moving the private member resolution, O Joy said the remarks of AICC secretary Siddharth Patil endorsing implementation of the 16-point agreement raised in the election manifesto of the Nagaland Congress was an instigation towards disintegration of Manipur.

The AICC secretary should not have made such irresponsible remarks in the first place, the firebrand Opposition MLA, O Joy said, adding that it was also in violation of the laid down code of conduct of the election.

Reminding the House members of the earlier resolutions adopted by the Manipur Legislative Assembly for safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur seven times, O Joy pointed out that in the merger agreement of United Naga Integration Council with the Congress, it was clearly mentioned that the Congress party does not oppose the issue of Naga integration nor consider it as anti-party or anti-Constitutional.

Drawing the attention of the House for passing the resolution, O Joy contended that the issue in hand is of a more serious nature as it posed a threat to the territorial integrity of the whole North Eastern States as well.

Supporting the resolution, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi observed that the irresponsible remarks of the AICC secretary has the potential of inviting a social upheaval more severe than the June 18 incident.

Similarly, MLA RK Anand said the issue is a very sensitive one and should not be used for wooing the voters.

Coming up with his observations on the issue, NCP MLA and former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam suggested that the private member resolution should be passed and the decision of the State Assembly made known to the Centre and the AICC that Nagaland and Manipur would never see eye to eye on the issue of Naga integration and that Nagas would continue to press for their demand.

He further said that Nagaland would never be able to disintegrate Manipur and their demand for implementation of the 16-point agreement is not an agreement at all but just a demand.

India Government had never signed any agreement in this regard.

Nonetheless, he said, it would be sensible to take a decision as preventive measure.

In his response to the private member resolution, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh reiterated that the territorial integrity of Manipur will not be compromised at any cost.

Being a democratic country it is fair enough to listen to the demand.

However, no State can be set up based on community interest.

The Chief Minister went on to say that following the newspaper reports on the content of the election manifesto of Nagaland Congress, he had written to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, Congress president, Prithivi Raj Chauhan and Siddharth Patil making it clear that the people of Manipur would never agree to it. Siddharth Patil may not be a person who has a thorough knowledge of the North East, the Chief Minister said, while exhorting that the House should not have any reservation in passing the private member resolution unanimously. He further said that signing of the ceasefire 'without territorial limit' by the then NDA Government may not be intentional, thinking that the matter could be discussed afterward. Thus, with foreboding of violence, the agreement was withdrawn subsequently. After some modification, the private member resolution was unanimously passed by the House.
Global focus shifting to East: Jamir Source : NagalandPost

PANAJI, FEB 23: Governor of Goa Dr. SC Jamir has said that today there is a universal recognition of the fact that global focus has shifted from the West to the East and that the 21st century would be an Asian century.

Delivering the keynote address at the valedictory function of the 3rd Building A Better Asia Future Leaders’ Dialogue, which was attended by youth leaders from about a dozen Asian countries, Jamir said the concept of the 21st century being the Asian century was commonly and rightly attributed to the historic meeting between the Chinese leader Deng Xiao Ping and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988.
“The most important component of this concept is without doubt the astounding economic growth in the Asian continent, particularly China and India. Arising from this rapid economic growth is the increasing political, demographic and cultural power that Asia now wields. Over the years, Asia has been setting the global agenda in many areas instead of being a mere participant and is emerging as a big brother playing its rightful role on the world stage,” he said.
Pointing out that growth rates of China and India have ranged between 8 to 10% over the last few years, he said by harnessing the skills, energies and abilities of over 2 billion people, these two nations have developed economies that can soon rival those of USA and Europe, apart from offering a huge domestic market for other countries.
Quoting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address during the ASEAN Business Advisory Council at Kuala Lumpur in 2005, Jamir said the Government of India’s Look East Policy was “not merely an external economic policy, it was also a strategic shift in India’s vision of the world and India’s place in the evolving global economy. Most of all it was about reaching out to our civilizational neighbours in South East Asia and East Asia.”
The Look-East policy has moved ahead successfully since the beginning of this century and India’s bilateral trade with ASEAN countries which is at about 20 billion dollars is growing at an impressive rate of 25% per annum, he said.
“Now India, through this policy, also seeks the development of India's Northeast region, as this region is a natural gateway to South East Asia. We realise that the best antidote to the problems of this remote region is growth and development, which can be best achieved by encouraging trade and commerce in this part of India. There are immense possibilities and mutual benefits for both India and other countries of S E Asia,” the Goa Governor said.
Being the largest continent in the world, a peaceful and progressive Asia is the key to progress and prosperity of not only this continent but also of other continents, he said.
“We have many things in common and a shared future for the common good of all should be our objective. We cannot let political, social or cultural tensions dilute or destroy our common bonds. Globalisation has erased man made boundaries and it is now time for us to come closer in every sphere. Economic growth has helped in getting us closer to sharing wealth and progress,” he opined.
He hoped that this initiative in Goa will help in taking this process forward.
Rio himself is a defector: Ranji Correspondent Nagaland Post
Kohima, Feb 23 (NPN): Reacting to various statements made by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio who had described the Congress party in the state as a “home of defectors”, AICC secretary Rani Thomas said Rio should not be saying so since “he himself is a defector from the Congress.”
Talking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here, Thomas said those who had left DAN to join the Congress were victims of Rio’s deception and style of functioning.
He further said the Congress was responsible only for tabling the no confidence motion against the Rio ministry on the floor of the house on December 13, 2007 and not engineering any defection. Ranji said Rio had enticed those who were not given Congress tickets for the March 5 election with promises of money to fight on the NPF ticket.
In some constituencies, Rio was supporting both NPF and Independent candidates. “This is the fate of his own legislators”, the AICC secretary alleged.
He also dismissed allegations by NPF that Congress was suffering from leadership crisis. Ranji said the Congress has more than five candidates who were chief ministerial material – capable, sincere, efficient and responsible leaders and added that the best among them would be chosen as the chief minister. He disclosed that the chief ministerial candidate would be chosen by elected members. In contrast, Thomas said NPF was a “one man army”.
Thomas said people of Nagaland were frustrated with the last five years of “misrule by then DAN government”. Of all failures of the DAN, he highlighted negligence in various areas particularly road and electricity.
Speaking on the same lines of the AICC chief Sonia, Ranji also promised that the Congress would make Nagaland an IT hub of Northeast. The Naga youths have tremendous potentialities in this field, he said.
Earlier on Friday, Leader of Congress Legislature Party, I. Imkong castigated the DAN government for its lackadaisical attitude towards the rural areas. He said the people were yet to see the light of the day in terms of development.
“The DAN government has been the most corrupt government ever in the history of 44 years of Statehood,” Imkong had claimed. He had said DAN’s height of corruption was revealed at Monyakshu where a total of Rs.26 crore was shown against various projects and schemes in the works programme under the DUDA, the details of which were submitted by the local public leaders, while in reality, there was no implementation of the said works.
The Christian state of Nagaland: Is it theocratic or secular? Nagaland post
Carl N. Degler, in his book titled 'The Age of The Economic Revolution", had vividly described as to how industrialization and the way in which it transformed the American Society and Thought.
Neither big community nor small community can afford to ignore problems or promises of living as individuals or communities. Human wants are unlimited and keep on growing but the labour-saving helps are found always lacking. Ignorance, illiteracy, diseases and poverty remain as the lot of the vast majority.
In the midst of frustrating human problems being faced by the newly found country to make the lives of the people a developing community was a real big problem.
In the late 19th century, the Triumph of democracy, science and economic revolution had come to the inhabitants of America. It indeed gave them a hope to make their lot much better. The Economic Revolution had demonstrated to the people that The Revolution could help eliminate their economic backwardness.
Most Americans did not abandon their religious interests but they relegated religion to a more remote part of their minds while they busied themselves with the material world. One sign of the new secular interest was the decline in the influence of the Church ministry. The Church was the intellectual bank and the ministers were the leaders of the community. But by the close of the 19th century, men who were trained in the worldly affairs took over the leadership. The most striking example of secularization of the society during the last decades of the 19th century was provided by the churches themselves, as they redefined their missions to fit the New World of cities and factories.
Secularization of Protestantism :
The greatest secularizing force in the 1800s was The Economic Revolution. For the most part of the 19th century, American people and their culture were overwhelmingly Protestant. Beginning from The second half century immigrants of Catholics and Jews began to change the pattern.
In 1946-when a youth delegation of the Naga National Council visited Lakhuti Village, a remote village in those days, we met an Italian Missionary who was a Roman Catholic; it was dismissed as a minor issue. Slowly, as the Baptist churches were giving way to secularization, the Roman Catholic Churches kept on growing in many parts of Nagaland. When I visited Changki in 1958, I was fortunate to meet a great man of God, Rev. Nikenmeri Ao. He said in tears that the Nagas must not allow the Roman Catholics to come to Nagaland. I told the old man that I knew of no law in India that could stop the people to become Catholics, if they choose to. Later, Rev. Longri Ao came to meet me and discussed the problems of the spread of Roman Catholism in Nagaland. No law can stop the Nagas becoming Roman Catholics. Perhaps, the RCs provide the people with good and better education and care for their physical needs more than the Baptists do. Before you ask the people not to become RCs and to stop opening of good schools, the Church leaders should stop sending their children to RC schools in Shillong and other places. Baptist Churches must start schools and colleges so that the Naga students may receive good education.
As it happened in America, in Nagaland too, the church has become complacent merely by being a Christian state, and covenanting it to belong to Christ-as 'Nagaland for Christ' and proclaming it as a Missionary Country-it has become secularized and is becoming more and more materialistic. The new ways of life in the towns are a serious challenge to the churches. The churches and the leaders are alarmed by the crimes, immoralities, corruptions and diabolic designs all over the state. The church does very little to attract the Youth and the believers in general, rather it does much more damage to alienate them. These are the ground realities.
Social Gospel :
As it happened in America, in Nagaland too, the church is becoming more and concerned in economic and social issues.
There is an awareness in some of the church leaders that they are no longer satisfied with the outlandish method of sermons and seminars, there must be a fresh and broader religion, they opine. The belief that a hungry man has to be fed before he could be expected to pray is a realistic recognition that the spirit cannot be reached when the flesh is neglected. The responsibility of the Church to care for the welfare of the believers and therefore the Church must be socialized and secularized. It should speak about social ethics. The social Gospel must stress on the public morality, problems of poverty, unemployment, low wages, disparities, secular solutions must be found for these secular problems.
The old time religious answers to human problems are no longer tenable. The modernist thinking is to switch over to a new Christianity that will emphasise from individual salvation to the religious conditions of man. This is Satanic Ingenuity to shift the main and supreme Text of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Diabolic Designs of the Devil. These are the New proponents of secularism that would off-set the supreme purpose of the church on earth-the Church of Christ against which the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Church of Christ was given the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. The socio-economic and political emancipation, was not assigned to the church though these issues are not to be ignored by it. It is evident from the Bible that God expects Christians to partake of both physical and spiritual food and He promises to supply both. The main purpose of Christ instituting a Church organism was however, to make all nations of the earth as His disciples and to teach all things He had commanded the church to do. That is to save the lost world and to teach the Word of God. The Christians have faith in Jesus Christ who is the Head of the Church; He is The Centre of Christian faith and this is the Christian religion.
As Christians, we are great respectors of Christian religion and the Church. We love the creeds, the rites, formalitisms, ceremonies and traditions of the Church. In the midst of all these religious formalisms, traditionalisms, ritualisms, however, Christians are becoming totally disconected with the main issue of Christian religion- The Way, the Truth and the Life . The Lord Jesus Christ is totally crowded out of the Church activities.
Once upon a time, in the African jungles, one white man asked a native guide: "Is this the way?" The native replied, "There is no way, I am the way". We are reminded of the Lord Jesus Christ who said: "l am the Way". He is indeed the true way of Christian religion. He also said, "Follow me". We are asked to follow Him, not a set of principles, formalisms, traditions, doctrines, rules or a theological philosophy, but to follow Christ and to abide in Him, to walk in the Way-Christ. He spoke of false prophets who will come to the Christians in sheeps clothing who will mislead the Christians in Matt. 7: 15,12.
If we study Rom.l:20-25, we find that in course of, time, many Churches turned to naturalistic religion. The Churches in those days changed God into a lie and started workshiping idols made like corruptible man. They changed the truth of God into a lie. If we study history of modern Churches, we discover that many Churches and Christians are following a sort of natural humanistic religion. This is a flase and counterfeit religion not a divine one. In many parts of the christian world today, some Christian intellectuals are deliberately trying to nullify the Divine Plan of religion. There is a consisting teaching, the hamer of which is being driven to the minds of young theologians that the Holy Bible is just one of the treatises and not the Word of God. It is accused of being too dog-matic and that a second opinion is necessary. The Bible is the Revelation of God and it reveals the creation of man, the fall, the sin, the death and man's justification by faith in the blood of Christ.
Any other concept, other than this, that rejects the Divine Plan of Salvation is a counterfeit religion. These days, there are many counterfeit christians who are substituting Christ for good social works. As a result, naturalistic and humanistic religiousity is beginning to come into the churches. The old time church of which Christ was the head and the Holy Spirit was the Director is no longer true of the modern Churches. Today's Churches are becoming secularized in many ways which are a dangerous trend. There seems to be a widespread and growing theological denial that Jesus Christ is The incarnate of God. This is rejection of Christ as the Son of God. In many countries deliberate attempts are being made to recast The gospel of Jesus Christ. Satanic Bibles are also published, and Satan Churches are set up. In 1 Tim.4:11-12, Paul warned that some Christians would give up the Christian faith by obeying spirits and would follow the teachings of the demons. Right in front of our eyes, this is happening.
The Holy Bible clearly differentiates Christian faith (religion) from that of the mere religiosity. Once the absolute authority of the Bible is rejected, Christian religion will be polluted by idolatrous beliefs.
When the Jewish turned to naturalistic religion, their sanctified Jewish religion became polluted with idolatrous religion like Baal, Chemosh and Dagon. Likewise, false religious teachings are offsetting the true Christian faith. Christ is the Christian faith, and Christian religion is Christ. Christianity is Christ-centred. Christ is God- manifest. Jesus said, "One greater than the temple is here". Christ is bigger than the Church-He is the Lord over all the church systems and activities. All these will vanish but Christ will remain.
All of us as Christians, love the Church and love to envolve in all its activies. We love the Cross and we assert that we are saved by the Cross. The fact is, we are saved by Christ who died for us on the Cross. One greater than the Cross is here-Jesus Christ. We believe in a Resurrected Christ not in the resurrection. One greater than The resurrection is here. The believers in The Church are not the centre of it, Christ is. The church make its activities its centre, Christ is crowded out of its systems. The church that makes Christ as its centre is The greatest serving institution. The church history proves it. If the church is made an end to itself, it becomes a complete negation of the Christian faith. The Churches are interested in caring and thinking about the GOURD, as if ,it were of its own concern. God’s GOURD is for the Church, the Church has no business even to, think of it. God's interest for the church was the great Nineveh where 6 lakh people were going to perish. The supreme task of the church is the Nineveh of the day- the Gourd is God's concern for the Church. God is telling His Church: "My concern is your Gourd, Your concern is Nineveh". Nineveh first, then comes The Gourd. Christians are trying to change the Order. The church has to evangelise the World-"Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every creation" Mark 16:15.
The exposition of the Bible in a naturalistic way as humanistic gospel cannot satisfy the spiritual hunger of the believers. The fundamentals of the theological exposition of the Bible cannot replace the Fundamentals of the Lord Jesus Christ. The devil is The arch counterfeiter of Christian morality.
Counterfeit of self-righteousness is another the devil uses to decieve many Christians; hypocricy is another pride Satan uses as make-belief. The forces of anti-Christ are invading the Churches as never before. A day is soon coming when Christ is going to say: "And then will I profess unto them (very good and religious christians), I never knew you: Depart from me, ye that work iniquity". Mtt.7:23. Inspite of many good works inspite of being very honest religious people, Christ will reject them. These words of Christ are the most horrible words ever to fall upon the human ears!
There are many states in India which are secular but much more impressive as Christians in their way of life and morality. Nagas consider Nagaland as a Christian state; covenated Nagaland for Christ; and to send out 10,000 youth as missionaries. We have blasphemed the name for Christ, we have miserably and shamefully failed to uphold the basic principles of Christian way of life, we have violated all the covenants made with God. We have turned all God's mercies and blessings into curse!
"For of Christ, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen". Rom. ll :36. Which side are we - Christ or the Secular ?
R. C Chiten Jamir
BJP seeks more security along NE border City Correspondent Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Feb 22 – The national president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rajnath Singh today called upon the Government of India to increase surveillance in the borders of North East in view of reported infiltration of Maoists from neighbouring Bhutan. Addressing media persons in the capital city after completing his hectic campaigning schedule in Meghalaya, Singh said that with Bhutan paving its way to democracy and its royal army taking a tough stand against the Maoists, Assam was emerging as the destination of the Maoists who were facing the heat from the Royal Bhutan Army.

“It is a matter of grave concern that the Maoists are entering Assam after the Royal Bhutan Army has dismantled many of their camps,” said Singh adding that the Governments both at the State and the Centre should realise the gravity of the problem and beef up security.

“The situation might go out of hand if the Government overlooks the Maoist issue,” warned Singh.

Singh further said that the Maoists were gaining in strength in 170 districts in the country, but the central government was still to take a strong stand against the Maoists.

The BJP president who will next move to Nagaland in connection to the Assembly poll campaigning said that he was optimistic about his party’s performance in the three North Eastern States, Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. He said that in Tripura, the saffron party would open its account and in Meghalaya, the party would emerge as a balancing force. “In Nagaland, the BJP would be in a position to form a coalition government,” he said.

Referring to the prevailing situation in Assam, Singh said that the State government had failed in every front right from mitigating the woes of the consumers to improving internal security.

Singh warned that the woes of the consumers would be further compounded in the coming days, as all the essential commodities would see a price rise to the tune of 23 to 40 percent. He said that the hike in petrol and diesel prices was a sign that the prices of the essential commodities would sky rocket.

In the matter of an understanding with the main opposition party in the State, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) before the parliamentary elections, Singh said that the matter was yet to come up for consideration by the leadership.
ULFA desperate, say intelligentsia and Assamese--- ANI
By Peter Alex Todd, Guwahati, Feb 22 : People and intellectuals in Assam want peace and have decried the United Liberation Front of Ahom's (ULFA) attempt to disrupt normal life on some pretext or other as an act of desperation.
The banned separatist outfit recently called for a twelve-hour-long shutdown to protest the arrest of Lachhit Bordoloi, an ULFA appointed peace negotiator, on the charges of conspiracy to hijack a plane.

ULFA never protested against killing of its own people and now when it's modus operandi and its intention to hijack a plane is exposed, it resorted to the tactics of blocking all activities in the state.

"I believe this kind of statement being given by ULFA is more out of desperation. Because recently many of its cadres have been killed particularly in Khunari district and also many of its front ranking human right activities have been arrested in Assam. So, I believe the situation in which the process of an amicable settlement of ULFA's issue is gradually becoming thinner," said Nani Gopal Mahanta, a political scientist. After the arrest of Bordoloi last week, ULFA decried the move by the State Government as an attempt to derail the peace process.
"There can't be any alternative to peace. Both the government of India and ULFA must realize the fact that people of Assam, today are praying for peace," said Mahanta.
AR slays six UNLF cadres By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Feb 23: Troops of the 24 Assam rifles eliminated six cadres of the proscribed UNLF in an early morning encounter at a Chandel district location today. According to a release of PRO IGAR (S), troops of the 24 AR of 26 Sector AR carried out a well planned operation in the general area 5 kilometres south west of Thangbung Minou on the intervening night of February 22-23. The shoot-out site is informed to be located about 10 km south of Moreh police station and near Border pillar No 75.
Consequently, based on reliable intelligence, a group of UNLF cadres was tracked by the AR troops, detailed the release while informing that the encounter broke out with the fleeing UGs at around 4.30 am resulting in the slaying of six hardcore UNLF cadres.
Further stating bodies of all the slain armed activists have been recovered, the PRO listed one AK-56 with 50 live rounds, two M-16 along with 36 live rounds, one lethod with a lethod fire case, one UBGL with one live round, one 9mm pistol with nine live rounds, a 7.62 mm pistol with eight live rounds and one radio set as the recovered weapons/items from the deceased UGs.
“This incident is surely bound to lower already sagging morale of the UG outfit who are fleeing after they were evicted from Samtal Salient in the recent past,” observed the PRO’s statement.
Further confiding that after fleeing from Samtal area UNLF has established camp in Myanmar area and planning operation from across the international boundary against security force posts, it disclosed of the IG plans being intercepted consequently leading to the successfully launched operation.
Assam Rifles is endeavoured to continue the pressure on the UGs in the days ahead, the PRO affirmed.
Bomb blast in Mae Sot, 13 injured Mizzima News
At least thirteen Burmese nationals were seriously injured when a bomb exploded this morning in the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae Sot, where thousands of Burmese migrants live.
The explosion took place at about 8:35 a.m. (local time) near a dustbin on the outskirts of town, opposite Myawaddy in Burma.
Mizzima correspondent Aung tin, who visited the site, said, "The explosion took place about five minutes after truck no. 3 came to dispose of waste. There were about 30 people at the dustbin. The explosion was quite strong, some received injuries to the eyes and face." Among those seriously injured are: Zaw Oo, age 31; Khin Thanda Oo, age 16; and Daw Nweh, age 50.
Others sustaining wounds from the blast include: Zaw Min Tun, age 25; Daw Mee, Age 50; Saw Htwe, age 20; Aung Moe, age 8; Phoe Da, age 30, who was hit in the eye; Cho Pyone, age 28; Than Ngwe, age 45; Chit The, age 10; Ko Win, age 39; and a man of age 60.
All the victims were rushed to Mae Sot hospital's emergency unit. The dustbin, which covers at least four acres of land, is used for dumping waste from Mae Sot. Burmese migrant families living near the dustbin make a living by collecting plastic and other useful material, which is then resold. Regularly, from 12 midnight to 8 in the morning, trucks arrive to dump waste collected from town. At least 300 Burmese nationals, mainly from the cities of Rangoon, Pegu, and Moulmein, reportedly reside around the dustbin. On February 14, Karen rebel leader Pado Mahn Sha was assassinated at his residence in Mae Sot.

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