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03/25/2008: "Rio blames DoNER for Nagaland woes OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"

Rio blames DoNER for Nagaland woes OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Kohima, March 24: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio today called for the abolition of the Union ministry for development of the northeastern region (DoNER), accusing it of favouring Assam at the cost of the state’s hilly neighbours.
Rio, back for a second consecutive term in government after elections under President’s rule, said Nagaland and other states of the Northeast could do with a separate development agency instead of having to vie with Assam for the DoNER ministry’s affections.
Set up in September 2001, DoNER was for the first few years of its existence a department whose main job was to co-ordinate with central ministries and development agencies. It was later upgraded to a ministry, now headed by Mani Shankar Aiyar.
Nagaland’s planning and coordination minister, T.R. Zeliang, said the North Eastern Council, too, had let down the region. The remarks came after the budget for 2008-09 was tabled in the Assembly. The chief minister said as much as 80 per cent of the budget allocation for the DoNER ministry was being channelled into schemes in Assam, leaving the rest of the states to fight for the “meagre leftovers”. He advocated radical changes for the DoNER ministry and the NEC to fulfil their objectives.
Zeliang, who quit the Rajya Sabha today to keep his Assembly seat, said Nagaland was not the first state to complain of bias and probably would not be the last. “The issue was raised by the North East MPs’ Forum on several occasions but nothing was done.”
He suggested that the DoNER ministry be replaced with a separate agency for tribal-dominated northeastern states like Nagaland. The first budget of Rio’s second term was a tax-free one, albeit with a deficit of Rs 425.77 crore. The chief minister, who like Tarun Gogoi of Assam has held on to the finance portfolio, said the estimated expenditure during the current fiscal would result in a negative balance of Rs 57.53 crore.
Coupled with the negative opening balance of Rs 368.24 crore, the year will close with the mammoth deficit projected in the budget. Rio said revenue had increased from Rs 106.03 crore in 2003-03 to Rs 210 crore in 2006-07, representing 98 per cent growth. But he said tax receipts were still far below 5 per cent of the GDP, which the Planning Commission has already warned Nagaland against.
“As we look around us and see the increasing areas that require government intervention and investment in creating public infrastructure, enhancing the quality of life and generating economic growth and employment, we all need to understand that our revenue mobilisation goes to fund such activities,” the chief minister said in his budget speech.
GPRN/NSCN’ disowns press statement morungexpress
Dimapur, March 24 (MExN): In connection with the news item that appeared on various local dailies ‘purportedly by Secretary, MIP GPRN/NSCN on March 23’, The ‘GPRN/NSCN’ today clarified that, regardless of the content and intent of the statement, GPRN/NSCN has nothing to do with it and outrightly disowned and denounced the news item, which it termed as misleading press statement which is ‘in fact a ploy to portray GPRN as antagonist’.
“The self assumed vindication against Th Muivah, Margaret Alva, Neiphiu Rio, Shurhozelie, KL Chishi and I Imkong etc and implicating various political parties is nothing but a scheme to disseminate discontentment and to ultimately fracture the ongoing Naga unification process,” a press statement issued by the Publicity Cell, GPRN/NSCN stated.
Stating that the very concept of the Naga unification is to encompass all the Naga people cutting across factions, party lines, tribes, artificial boundaries, individual bearing etc, the release asserted that ‘forging the office of GPRN/NSCN and issuing such statement to confuse the masses, create bitterness and ill will towards GPRN is but the ploy of an adversary’. The release further notified that the ‘Publicity Cell is the only official mouth piece, other than that no communiqué is to be entertained’.

Pseudo Naga freedom fighters- Nagaland Post
It is very unfortunate for the Nagas in general that recently many Nagas have fallen a confused mess by hearing and seeing the high sounding phrases and make belief speeches and write-ups of the gangs of Isak Swu and Th. Muviah, posing as a standard bearers of Naga Freedom movement. But in reality, these gangs are terrorist and traitors . They only know how to terrorise the people by random killings and intimidations, extorting money to the tune of multi corers of rupees for their benefits and comforts and their children. Isak Swu and Thuingaleng Muviah has butchered thousands of Nagas in the name of Naga Sovereignty, but now, they had completely betrayed the Nagas and had already become private soldiers of Neiphiu Rio who is working as chief minister of Manipur, instead of chief minister of Nagaland.
Neiphiu Rio has sold out the Nagas to Manipur in many respects in collaboration with Th. Muviah and it is for sure, he will continue to sell the benefits and rights of the Nagas of Nagaland to the Manipuris. Now, it is up to the Naga people to examine and prove, whether it is true or not. But, be rest assured, the NSCN/GPRN will never be a part of such acts of treason and acts of unfaithfulness.
In the recent sponsored election in Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio and Th. Muviah through solemn understanding selected the candidates of different parties and groups who were to be selected and who were to be rejected. The I-M gangs mobilized their men throughout Nagaland state and played open and active role in the said election in support of their favoured candidates and killed many men who had gone against I-M's will. Instead of playing active role in supporting others, the I-M gangs they themselves should contest in the Indian sponsored elections and took part in the puppet Nagaland state government. It is a shame on the part of I-M men to claim as Naga Freedom fighters. These pseudo freedom fighter should immediately switch over to the Indian establishments formally and stop creating obstacles on the way of the struggle of the Nagas for freedom and Sovereignty. Neiphiu Rio and Shourozelie distributed NPF tickets on the advise of Th. Muviah and also I. Imkong and Margaret Alva distributed Congress tickets on the advise of Th. Muviah. Therefore, if some honest Congress leaders are disappointed with the Congress unexpected debacles in the last election then go to I. Imkong and Margaret Alva and talk to them.
In the recently concluded Indian imposed election in Nagaland, the NSCN/GPRN leaders conspicuously stayed away from the electioneering and maintained clean hands. The chairman, S.S Khaplang and Naga Army Chief Gen. Khole Konyak were already in the Eastern Nagaland, Gen. Khole withdrew all armed personnel who were in different operational commands and confined them at GHQs long before the polling day, so that they might not involve in the election.
The Honorable Ato Kilonser, N. Nitovi Zhimomi and Convenor of the Council of Kilonser, A.Z Jami left Nagaland and spent the time outside Nagaland long before the polling day.
Many Nagas expected that the NSCN/GPRN authorities would support the Congress Party in the said election. To nullify this expectation, the Naga National workers in every group should understand that, had the NSCN/GPRN involved in that election, certainly majority of the Konyak and the Sumi Congress candidates would returned from Mon and Zunheboto districts respectively as those districts are fully NSCN dominated areas. But officially, the NSCN completely stayed away from the election. What is the difference between Neiphiu Rio and the Congress leaders in the persons of I. Imkong and K.L Chishi who has secret agreements and understanding with Th. Muviah? We know who is who and what is what. NSCN leaders are not so foolish to be involved in such dirty games.
Recently, the so called MIP of the I-M gangs had accelerated their blackmail and hate campaign against the NSCN/GPRN through speeches and press write-ups. But time will tell who is who and what is what in the long run. Whatever may be said or written, the Trump card of Naga Freedom movement is in the hands of NSCN/GPRN. Therefore, Naga people should not get confused and wavered. Be steadfast and rally behind NSCN/GPRN for the sovereignty of Nagaland. The NSCN/GPRN will never betray the Nagas in their quest for freedom and Independence.
Secretary, MIP/GPRN, NSCN (unification camp).
Hagrama urges NDFB to place demands charter
From Our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, March 23 – Concerned at the incidents of killing, violence and atrocities disturbing peace in the BTAD region in the last few days, BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary today appealed to NDFB to place its charter of demands for the peace talks. Talking to mediapersons, he asserted that peace is a precondition for progress and development in this area and the present disturbance has to be checked by a concerted effort. He urged NDFB C-in-C to come for direct talks with Mohilary, placing the charter of demands to promote peace in the area.

He assured to extend all possible help and cooperation to NDFB to settle the issues with the Government with a pre-condition that the NDFB places the charter of demands.
Hagrama presents BTC Budget
KOKRAJHAR, March 24 – BTC chief and in-charge of finance in the Council, Hagrama Mohilary, today presented Rs 71,540 lakh Budget for the year 2008-09 at the Council. In his Budget statement, Mohilary said the plan expenditure for this year has been estimated at Rs 58,655.19 lakh while non-plan expenditure is estimated as Rs 12,884.81 lakh for all the 39 departments of BTC.

At the same time, he said the Budget has been kept in proportion to the same amount of total receipts. A break-up of the total receipts is as follows: Tax revenue Rs 600.00 lakh, non-tax revenue Rs 717.65 lakh and the rest of the amount by way of grants-in-aid and contribution to a huge figure of Rs 70,222.35 lakh for this year.

Emanual Mushahary, EM, Department of Education, BTC, introduced the Bodoland Non-Govt Educational Institutions (Regulation of management) Bill, 2007, and Singha Ram Boro, EM, Department of Co-operative Society, also tabled the Village Council Multipurpose Cooperative Society Bill, 2008, for BTC. According to BTC’s official sources, the Budget session will continue till March 26 next.
‘Killing of innocent is not revolutionary’ Morung Express
Dimapur, March 19 (MExN): The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) under the leadership of Isak and Muivah while condemning the recent spate of killings of non-locals in Manipur by certain valley based underground organizations, expressed its strong displeasure and shock at the spate of killings of non-locals. “It is beyond comprehension why the situation was taken to such extend that necessitate such mass killings. And NSCN therefore, condemns the killing keeping in view the interest of peaceful co-existence, locals and non-locals”, stated a press note issued by the MIP.
It stated that in any revolutionary movement “killings of innocent people leave indelible remarks that never fit into the revolutionary scheme of things” and that “because revolutionary organization without attaching high value to human lives, lost its credibility in the eye of the people, friends and foes”.
In the face of such wanton killings, the MIP stated that Nagas take pride to the historical reality that “no innocence Indians were victimized in such an inhuman manner during our search for freedom in the last more than 60 years in spite of the merciless activities of Indian authorities and their armed forces”.
“But the irony is that as much as the Nagas respect the human rights of every Indians we have not received the due political seriousness that confront between the Indian and the Nagas”, the MIP stated while pointing to the more than 60 years of struggle and ten years of political negotiation. “This is a long period. And this is a sheer suppression of Naga Human Rights to Self Determination”, the MIP noted.

Republic Day celebration
The MIP has informed about the 28th Republic Day to be held on March 21 at its Council Headquarters. A press note issued by the MIP informed that the program starts at 8:30 am with Ato Kilonser Th. Muivah as Chief Guest and Bendang Mayang President Naga Hoho as Guest of Honour. All Central authorities, Departmental Heads and officers of GPRN are requested to attend the occasion, the MIP informed.

Encourage Peace Studies Source: IMPHAL FREE PRESS

Tragedies should be avoided, but if they have occurred, you might as well learn some vital lesson from them. They must make you rethink and reassess old ideas and beliefs in order that the society is better equipped to face similar challenges in the future. Paradoxical as it may sound, there is something to be gained from the tragedy that the state went through, or is going through as the case may be, by way of fresh insights into evolving administrative mechanisms and structures to contain the engaging issues of ethnicity and identity. The mass slaughter of migrant labourers in the past few days have added another indelible scar to the soul of the place, but ethnic friction in the state is hardly a two dimensional affair. If the government is not prepared, more disastrous explosions of communal violence in the near future are not at all impossible. Internal economic migration is one thing, but there is also the question of migration from neighbouring countries, most notably Bangladesh which has been a major issue in many neighbouring states, most notably Assam, but also including Meghalaya and Nagaland too. Manipur falls in the same belt, and there is nothing to stop this becoming an explosive issue here too.

It is now history that if the then Hiteshwar Saikia led Congress government had been a little more sensitive about the migration issue and not tried to make political mileage out of it, things in Assam could have been a lot different, and perhaps even the gory climax in 1983 culminating in the horrendous Nellie incident in which 3300 Bangladeshi migrants were massacred in the matter of a single night’s raid may not have happened. The incident, it may be recalled, was consequent upon the then Assam government insisting on holding election amidst protests by the All Assam Students Union, AASU, and others demanding the deletion of the names of “illegal” migrants from the electoral roll first. Saikia had even insisted that there were no “illegal” immigrants in Assam much to the chagrin of the agitators. Condemnable and undesirable as the Nellie massacre was, it needs to be also pointed out that the script of the story is still changing, and for the good or the bad, there can now be no question of another massacre of migrant settlers in the Morigaon area where Nellie is located, for according to news reports about a recent recall event of the tragedy in its 25th year in New Delhi, in which a book on Nellie was also released, the migrants are now in an overwhelming majority.

Migration into Manipur is also happening from the Burmese side. The demographic profile of the south eastern region of the state is also in this way in a flux. This shift however has not been as conspicuous because of the similarity and affinities of the tribes living on either side of the border. All the same, it would do well for the government to take stock and keep track of developments. Demographic changes, especially when it is too quick has always proven to be more than what the social organism can absorb without causing dangerous social trepidations. It is a sensitive issue, but one which must not be left unaddressed. Perhaps a total ban on immigration is not possible or the suitable answer, but the state must know its absorption capacity and decide on plans of action. If not for anything else, then at least for the sake of avoiding dangerous tensions in the future, it must introduce some regulatory mechanism.

Then there are also the traditional frictions between communities within the state, largely on account of incompatibilities of notions of land and ethnic homelands. Instead of rubbishing these issues outright, the government must sit down and begin the process of finding administrative and structural remedies. Maybe it could even think of partnering with the Manipur University to do peace studies on which policies can be based, for instance by offering scholarship for doctoral researches into these issues. Maybe it could also enlist the support of NGOs with established academic credibility in this project. At no cost must the issue be neglected any further.

Good-governance tag for strife-torn Karbi
Samudra Gupta Kashyap
Posted online: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 0015 hrs Print Email

Guwahati, March 24: Karbi Anglong, one of the two hill districts of Assam, which has been in the news for ethnic clashes, militancy, abductions and attack on Hindi-speaking “outsiders”, has something good to talk about: the district’s administrative headquarters has been awarded an ISO 9001:2000 certificate.

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India ISO 9001 2000 Quality Operations Management
In fact, Karbi Anglong is the fourth district in the country, and the first in the Northeastern region, to have won this certificate with Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a Netherlands-based organisation selecting it for handling public grievances, establishment and public facilitation services in the district.
While the certificate was formally handed over to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi by Rupam Baruah, operations head of DNV in the Northeast, Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner M Angamuthu said even as the process for introducing quality management system was in progress, the district authorities had started clearing on an average 300 requests and grievances of the public on a daily basis.
“For a district that is backward and has a large tribal population, access to basic services itself was a big problem. But after streamlining the deputy commissioner’s office and making all the employees computer-literate, we have been able to clear most requests for issue of caste or tribe certificates and other documents to the public within the same day,” Angamuthu said.
Strengthening relations with Myanmar Indo Burma News
March 18, 2008: (The Financial Express) India shares an abundance of economic interest with Myanmar today, particularly in the backdrop of India’s Look East Policy. Myanmar is important for India because the country holds over 1.5 million People of Indian Origin (PIO)—largest outside India.
Why is Myanmar so keen to renew its relationship with India? First, heavy migration of mainland Chinese people over the last few decades has forced Myanmar to seek an alternate partnership in the region. Second, Myanmar does not want to experience any more the awful side of free trade–the dumping and transit ground of cheap foreign goods and services.
Instead, Myanmar wants to enjoy the good side of globalisation–to become a prosperous nation. Third, India has been providing higher market access to Myanmar, which has been helping them to build resource-based domestic industry and to enjoy comparative advantages of its energy resources. Finally, military ruler of the country wants to give a taste of democracy to its people from 2010 onwards.
How is the relationship then growing better and better between India and Myanmar? India is witnessing rising trade in goods with Myanmar. India is now Myanmar’s fourth largest trading partner, next to Singapore, China and Thailand. The bilateral trade in goods was about $750 million in 2006, up from $227.23 million in 2000, of which India’s export to and import from Myanmar were $38 million and $612 million respectively.
India’s import from Myanmar is about 4.5 times higher than its export to that country. India sources mostly raw materials from Myanmar, of which two commodity groups, namely, edible vegetables and related products, and wood and wood products, share 63% and 34% of India’s total import from Myanmar, respectively. Compared to import, India’s export to Myanmar is diversified, mostly finished goods, such as pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, electrical machinery and equipment, among others.
India provides higher market access to Myanmar, compared to China (see table). Myanmar’s export to India ($555.10 million in 2006) was higher than Myanmar’s export to China ($229.70 million in 2006). India has also provided over $50 million Line of Credit to Myanmar in the past five years in order to help that country to expand its exports to India. However, the Myanmar’s trade structure with China will change completely once export of gas to China is resumed later this year.
India’s trade and investment with Myanmar will increase if barriers are removed. First of all, even though the two countries share a border they do not trade at the border. India–Myanmar should resume full-fledged trade at the border. Compared to ocean trade, border trade in value terms has been only 1% ($3.5 million in 2004) of the total bilateral trade.
The present form of border trade is restricted and not the MFN type. Border trade between the two countries is conducted at Moreh (India)–Tamu (Myanmar), which was opened in 1995. The second border trade point at Zowkhathar–Rhi, opened in 2004, is not active. To improve border trade, India has offered assistance to construct the Rhi-Tiddim and Rhi-Falam roads along the Chin-Mizoram border.
India is relatively restrictive to Myanmar’s exports. India’s weighted average tariff in 2005 on imports from Myanmar was about 17.48% with the exchange of 270 tariff lines, whereas the same in case of Myanmar on imports from India was only 2.62% with the exchange of 2,071 tariff lines. India’s higher tariff is negating the distance advantage and escalating trade costs.
Indian investment in Myanmar is very small till date. Only one Indian company, Tractors India, has set-up a manufacturing unit in Myanmar. However, in order to attract overseas investments, Myanmar has to carry out large scale, domestic reforms in the money and banking sector. Otherwise, wage, resource and locational advantages will not generate any substantial dividend to Myanmar.
Modernisation of Land Customs Station at Moreh in Manipur would pave the way in formalising the informal rent-seeking local Economy. In this regard, the proposed Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Moreh is certainly a good beginning. At the same time, India and Myanmar also need to simplify customs procedures and agree to the transit arrangement following their commitments in WTO.
Setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the border will give a boost to the local Economy at both sides of the India–Myanmar border. This will attract FDI in resource-based industries, such as newsprint, wood and wood products, agriculture and food processing, among others.
Cross-border projects are essential to foster mutually beneficial cooperation. In order to take the bilateral relationship forward, India has major responsibilities. India should link Manipur and Mizoram with its mainline railway corridor (NF Railway) and help Myanmar re-establish its railway network. Without a modern and harmonised railway system in Myanmar, India’s dream to link Delhi with Hanoi or to hook up with the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) will be unfulfilled.
India has shown keenness to modernise the. Myanmar railway network. In 2003, during the visit of India’s vice president to Myanmar, the offer of a $57 million Line of Credit (LC) was announced for upgradation of Myanmar’s railway network from Yangon to Mandalay.
There is some progress on Kaladan multimodal transportation project. Coming month will see the BTU (Build, Transfer and Use) agreement signed for $120 million Kaladan project. When completed, it will give an ocean access to India’s Northeast (starting with Mizoram) at Sittwee port in Myanmar.
Sittwee is 250 km from the Indian border on the north-western coast of Burma, where the Kaladan River joins the Bay of Bengal.
Overland connectivity is another important aspect of bilateral relation. India is implementing BIMSTEC Highway, which will provide an uninterrupted transportation linkage between South and Southeast Asia through India’s Northeast and Myanmar.
The successful upgradation of the 160-km Tamu-Kalay-Kalewa road (northern part of this highway) by India is a good beginning.
Myanmar has an abundance of offshore natural gas resources. Current engagement between the two countries in the energy sector is limited, but opportunities are plenty. The Essar Group is about to start drilling test well to explore natural gas at an inland block in Myanmar’s western coastal Rakhine state later this year.
OVL and GAIL are already involved in similar activities at Blocks A-1 and A-3 in the same offshore area in partnership with South Korean Companies. India and Myanmar are working together for the development of a hydroelectric project at Tamanthi. This project has the potential of generating between 600 mw and 1,000 MW of electricity.
As India considers its future role in Asia, the rise of Myanmar would then represent a positive opportunity to advance this country’s Asian and global interests.
It would be in India’s strong interest to see Myanmar develops a lasting growth. Offering membership in SAARC to Myanmar will certainly build mutual trust and confidence. Building a deeper cooperation with Myanmar should be one of the India’s highest priorities.