06/10/2008: "‘Let us Unite…Now’ morungexpress"

‘Let us Unite…Now’ morungexpress

Dimapur, June 9 (MExN): Pointing out that the Nagas owe a better future to their children, people and nation, the Naga Hoho today send out a clarion to the people to unite, and open a new chapter in this phase of history. The Naga apex said it is time to do away with the old page of past ‘policies’ and open a new chapter, work together to seek new ideas and initiatives to face challenges of the future. A Naga Hoho statement received here today reminded that Nagas can no longer afford to do what they have been doing.
Naga Hoho says it is time to chart a new chapter, ideas and vision Also, in a subtle sign that the Naga Hoho has begun setting its foot in its deserved place as the apex Naga entity, the statement also mentioned charting a new course “for the Naga Hoho.” Relatively, the hoho also said that the greatest challenge of the people today is the challenge of restoring peace and confidence-building amongst the Naga tribes. This is a challenge needing confidence-building and peace-based on mutual understanding of tribes and capabilities.
“We cannot afford to keep doing what we have been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our nation a better future. And for all those who dream of that future today, we appeal – let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for Naga Hoho and our people” the Naga Hoho stated through its resident Keviletuo Kiewhuo and general secretary P Chuba Ozukum in a statement.
It is about time, the Naga Hoho reminded, the people reinvent the nation and restore the Image of the people before God and the world. “Leaders of Nagas, this is our moment - this is our time; our time to turn the page on the policies of the past; our time to bring new initiatives and ideas to the challenges we face; our time to offer a new direction for the country we love. No matter how long we may take or the journey may be difficult, the road may be long. Let us face this challenge with profound humility and remake this great nation so as to enable us to look back and tell our children that this was the moment we ended a conflict and restored our nation and image of the people before God Almighty and the outside world” the statement said.
Unmistakably referring to the disease of tribal one-upmanship in Naga politics and the drive to prevail over the other, the Naga Hoho said that the greatest challenge facing the Naga race is the challenge of peace and confidence-building among different Naga sections. The Naga hoho echoed: “Today, the greatest challenge facing the Naga people is the challenge of peace and confidence building among different sections of fellow Nagas based on understanding each other’s tribe and their capabilities. For too long, we have viewed the size of our population as a social and political liability for which enough blood have been shed and shattered our dream for a common future.
The Naga nation today, the Naga apex said, is found that all the groups and individuals are labeled with certain stigma one way or the other, divisions and categories and petty bickering. “No matter how strong or weak one may be, educated or uneducated, skilled or unskilled, the challenge before us is to ensure that each and every Naga citizen is an asset. Every individual’s life is so dear and precious to all rational and so also eliminating one person from the same family is irreparable” the hoho reminded.
The hoho assured not to give up hope to stop bloodshed among fellow citizens “designed by occupational forces” with “vested interest and anti-Naga people.” Highlighting these points the hoho fervently appealed to all in concern to end immediately all forms of killings between the Naga underground workers and groups. Relatively, the hoho has demanded for a stop to the culture of targeting innocent public, civilians and travelers through various forms of “threat perception” and intimidations.
Also whichever groups are involved in abduction and killing of innocent civilians should step out openly “as a true Naga.” The hoho alluded to the pain and trauma of children and kith and kin of victims whose whereabouts are yet to be informed.
Further, the Naga Hoho advised, politicians and political parties and their machineries should work cohesively based on the principle of good governance towards crafting a welfare state. The hoho appealed that thee political entities should stop encouraging detrimental elements in the state from creating unwarranted human suffering. Mass-based civil society and churches are appealed to perform their duties judiciously with the beacon “united we stand divided we fall.”
For the underground workers, the Naga Hoho had this appeal: “The leadership of every Naga national organizations, governments to retrospect every single killing because our armed Naga boys are committed and they should not be used to commit sin against men and God in the pursuit of freedom.”

People face ceasefire blues in Nagaland Kishlay Bhattacharjee NDTV
(Dimapur) Ceasefires with militant outfits have always been a tricky business. While the government forces are on a ceasefire, it's the people who are caught in turf wars and a legitimised extortion racket.

Militants for the first time admit to NDTV that they do violate ceasefire ground rules while the army says that extortion will continue.

In a basement of an ordinary-looking house in Dimapur, the NSCN meets regularly. But their state-of-the-art weapons are displayed quite openly.

They're also equally open about admitting that they don't always play by the rules.

''We also violate ceasefire. According to ceasefire ground rules, we are supposed to be confined to our camps but that's not at all practical. However, ban on shooting, killing can be implemented provided the government of India has the will to implement it,'' says Isak, Spokesperson, NSCN Unification Faction.

But though they say that it is impractical when they don't stay within their designated areas, they end up fighting with cadre from other factions.

Not only that, it allows them to intimidate and extort money from villagers.

''Ceasefire was a ceasefire between government of India and Naga underground. But as people, we are looking at a situation where there's total ceasefire,'' says Dr Mar Atsonchanger, Lecturer and Author, Dimapur.

He adds that they are taxed twice - one is through the house tax and other through service tax. People in service are paying 25 per cent and each family is paying Rs 100 and they are not happy paying all these.

It is almost as if such activities have become legitimate here. Even the army seems powerless to stop it.

''There are times and precedence of some groups having taken advantage of some loopholes in these rules to orchestrate some trouble. People are asking for more stringent rules but it depends on at what stage negotiations are. A lot of factors have to be taken into consideration before we start imposing new rules,'' says GoC 3 Corp Dimapur.

Thus, what is extortion is already formalised and may continue. The armed forces can't do much about this.
Flush-out Operations to be intensified across Nagaland Our Correspondent morung express
Kohima | June 9 : The state government has decided to carry out operations in all the district headquarters in an effort to ensure that armed cadres vacate public and civilian areas, Home Minister Imkong L Imchen said today.
“The clean-up operation will not be only in Dimapur and Kohima but in all the district headquarters” Imkong said while addressing Kohima district administration and GBs and DBs and Kohima Municipal Council in separate meetings held at the DC conference hall here today.
Saying that the state government cannot allow leaders and government officials to function under threat, the Home Minister asserted to carry out the “peace offensive flush out operation”. “We’ll not let our governor, chief minister, ministers and government officials take decision under threat, but let them decide consciously”, he explained.
Imchen also reiterated commitment of the state government to implement the laid down Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) issued by the Union Home Ministry, ‘in letter and spirit.’ He however reminded administrative mechanism to respect and protect the community. The minister also encouraged the officials present to discharge their duties without fear and prejudice and urged any official ‘who is feeling insecure while discharging their duties’ to approach him. “We’re not against anybody but we’re in support of everybody”, he said adding that whatever action the district administration takes, it is fulfilling the wish of the people.
Reiterating that the 1951 plebiscite doesn’t warrant the ‘use of AK-47s,’ he said the killing between factions and also the culture of threat, intimidation and extortion, and such anti-people activities should be stopped immediately. Imchen reminded that the Naga people desire peace. “The master of human society is the mind and not the gun” he said.
Imkong also termed the GBs and DBs as the “original authorities” of the Nagas as they are a permanent institution. Stating this, he wondered how they could be attacked, assaulted and harassed by a handful of gun-totting underground elements. “DB and GBs are permanent institutions and they are neither a part of any faction but the owner of the land” he said. On other matters, the minister also expressed serious concern at the traffic congestion in capital Kohima.
He mooted the idea that private building owners can volunteer to convert basements or floor at the road level into private parking lots. In this way, they can charge certain fees for parking thereby not only making business but render a great service to the people. The house owner might be getting house rent monthly, but in this way they will earn daily and perhaps would earn much more than house rents, he said.
Deputy Commissioner of Kohima Sachopra Vero informed that the administration had delegated responsibilities by setting up sector-magistrates but the same was curtailed due to the problem of frequent transfers and posting. Moreover, he also lamented the problem of frequent protocol duties the district administration has to attend to especially in Kohima.
Nagaland Commissioner HK Khulu agreed that political victimization is one big constraint but at the same time pointed out that if officers don’t approach politicians for plump postings or posting at their choices, there is less chance of political victimization.
The commissioner also lamented the lack of civic sense and the poor drainage system in the state capital. He advised the need to start pay-and-use toilets as well as also clearing drainages our. Referring to a village in Jantia Hills being declared as the cleanest village in Asia, the commissioner remarked that if there was another category for the dirtiest state capital, the state is in a ‘danger zone.’
Kohima Superintendent of Police R P Kikon taking part in the discussions revealed that he had already requested the PHQ to take up matter with the Army to restrict convoy timings crossing the state capital, to before 6 am. Presently, army convoys cross the state capital at the peak of traffic, adding to the already chronic Kohima traffic congestion.
JF tells factions to ‘restore peace’ morungexpress
Dimapur, June 9 (MExN): The joint forum of the Nagaland GBs and DBs informed that it has met with the “NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (under Khaplang)” on June 5. The factions were appealed to, by the forum, to stop the factional clashes and maintain peace in the interest of the people. A note from the forum said representatives met with the NSCN (IM) at Camp Hebron on June 5. In the meeting the forum appealed to the outfit to stop cease factional fighting in order to “restore” peace in the interest of the people.
The afternoon of the same day, the forum stated that it met with “NSCN (under Khaplang)” at Vihokhu and made the same appeal to cease all killings and maintain peace honoring the wishes and desires of the people. The forum said it will meet with the FGN and NNC at the earliest. Reiterating the June 6 resolutions, the forum declared that it is a neutral body working for the sole purpose of harmony and peace in the Naga society. In a separate note, the forum has expressed condemnation for the killing of one NSCN (IM) cadre at Super market in Dimapur on June 7. The forum asked all factions to respect the sentiments and cry of the Naga people.
IRB personnel thrash NSCN-U kilonsers Newmai News Network
Dimapur, Jun 9: In a development that could throw up far reaching impact in the prevailing volatile situation of Nagaland, the IRB personnel have reportedly snatched away an AK-56 rifle, one M-22, two pistols and money from a team of NSCN-Unification after physically assaulting two 'kilonsers' (ministers) and their bodyguards of the NSCN-U in Nagaland's Tuensang district on Saturday.
According to the NSCN-U, the outfit's 'kilonser' Yimto and 'kilonser' Sambai along with their bodyguards were first arrested and then beaten up with rifle butts "without rhyme or reason" on Saturday evening by IRB personnel deployed in Teitong Nallah between Tuensang and Tobu sub-division. While condemning strongly on the incident, the NSCN-U said that the outfit's two 'kilonsers’, their body guards and drivers and also Chang Khulie Sethsang (CKS) members were first arrested before they were being assaulted severely with rifles butts.
The CKS members were reportedly the team of NSCN-U team on Saturday since the area falls within the jurisdiction of the Chang region. Meanwhile, NSCN-U prominent leader Y Wangtin said that the "GPRN/NSCN" authority in a meeting, has resolved to take up drastic steps against the commanders of the IRB team involved in the Saturday incident.
Y Wangtin said that in the event of any follow up action against the IRB involved in the Saturday incident, the outfit should not be misunderstood by anyone or group as "the Naga nation cannot bow down before the erring jawans".
Nagaland Needs Healing T.L. Angami
Just a day after the much publicized prayer and rally in Dimapur, fourteen Nagas have been killed as a result of factional fight somewhere in Seithekiema area. The rally was conducted by religious luminaries of various churches with prayer to God to ‘heal our land’, yet no healing of factional fight seems in sight. Could this be what the word of God said, “you ask but do not receive because you asked amiss”.
Perhaps we failed to understand that God promised to heal our land only if His people humble themselves and turn from their wickedness and pray according to the will of God. Here ‘humility’ is the key word while forgiving one another is an essential part. The rally leaders ought to make it very clear to the people that only if we humble ourselves and turn from our wickedness, He will hear our prayers from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land.
Here it clearly implies that only God can forgive our sins and heal our land and not we. Forgiving one another is a Christian way of life, but it should not be forgotten that Nagas are very vengeful people by tradition and culture and that no amount of reasoning or pleading will have any effect on the stiff-necked nature. This stiff-necked ness is nothing but pride. That is why God is calling His people to first humble themselves before approaching Him.
The word of God must be correctly and precisely told to the people by the servants of God and only then the Holy Spirit will do the work of conviction. The word of God clearly tells His people to return to their first love- the love which the erstwhile headhunters felt toward his fellow brothers when they first received the love of Jesus Christ into their heart. Unless Nagas return to this first love unity will not be achieved.
No wonder we have kept to door wide open because of our stiff-necked pride which has allowed the devil to come to deceive, to kill and to destroy our national unity. Humility is the answer. Why should we allow pride to stand in the way of peace? We cannot and will not negotiate with pride. All that we need to do is to humble before God and to one another. God’s word is easy and simple to understand and do not need complicated human reasoning or analysis.
All servant of God must take the lead to preach this simple word of God and avoid having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof. The simple instruction of God is to go down to the Jordan River and take dips seven times. Every Nagas big or small must take this dip and humble themselves, turn from their wickedness, pray without ceasing and God will surely heal our land. Amen.

T.L. Angami, Founder & Advisor
Nagaland Village Chief/G.B. Federation & Caretaker, Naga Customary Law

Country Report of Nagaland, at the Asia Workshop for the Promotion of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on June 8, 2008 at Baguio City, Philippines. By Mr. Neingulo Krome, General Secretary, Naga Hoho Nagaland Post
NAGAS are the Indigenous people of Nagaland with an approximate population of 4 million people, spread across the present States of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in India; While in Burma (Myanmar), Nagas occupy 7 townships under Sagaing Division, namely; Lahe, Tamu, Mowlick, Homelin, Laishi, Hkamti and Namyung and under Kachin State, Tanai township which is also known as the Naga Hills District. All these areas put together measures about 120,000 Sq. Kms on the Patkai Range that lies between the Longitudes of 92.5 East and 97.5 East; and Latitudes of 23.5 North and 28.5 North.
Nagaland use to be Independent like the ancient Greek city states, till Britishers invaded parts of our land in 1832 to which Nagas fought back and resisted colonial rule for 47 years. But in 1879, they conquered part of our land, while the larger portion remained free and un-administered and controlled by Nagas themselves, which is true till today, as far as the Eastern Nagaland lying in Burma side is concerned. On January 10, 1929, Nagas submitted their first written statement of Independence to the British Government’s Simon Commission, demanding that Nagas be left alone as it was when Britishers first found them on their departure from the Indian sub-continent. However, sensing that our people were going to be left under the Indian union, Nagas declared their Independence on 14th August 1947, one day before India declared her Independence, which was duly cabled to the United Nations Organization (UNO).
However, India arrogantly claimed Nagaland as part of the Indian Union, saying we were too small and too poor to govern ourselves. Therefore, to demonstrate to India and also to the world, that under no circumstances our people would live under India, a National Plebiscite was conducted on May 16, 1951, where 99.9 % voted for Independence. And when India imposed its first Constitutional Elections in 1952, all over India, Nagas completely boycotted the Indian imposed elections and continued to live and govern ourselves according to our traditional and customary way of life, on the principles of non-violence, non-cooperation and to uphold the Independence of the Naga Nation.
Following this assertion of the Nagas, by 1953 India started sending in military troops into the Naga areas with a policy to crush what they called “rebellious Nagas” and to commit genocide on the Naga population. By 1956, 100,000 Indian soldiers were sent in with the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru proclaiming “I will station one Indian soldier for every tree in Nagaland, and though the rivers run red with blood, I will not allow Nagas to be independent”. And in 1958, the Indian Parliament enacted the most draconian law called the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958, giving unlimited powers to the Indian Military to arrest, search or seize without warrant and to “shoot and kill” anybody on mere suspicion with full legal impunity. Armed with this unlimited powers to “shoot and kill” more than 200,000 Nagas have been killed, tortured, raped and maimed for life, while entire Naga villages across the Naga country were burnt down from at least 3 times to as much as 18 times in a spend of only 2 years or so.
Prior to enactment of this inhuman law, there was the Assam Maintenance of Public Order (Autonomous district) Acts of 1953, when Nagaland was a district under Assam, which even restrict an assembly of 5 persons or more. Then came the Nagaland Security Regulation of 1962, and later the Nagaland Legislature Assembly enacted the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in 1972, after the State of Nagaland was shifted from the Ministry of External Affairs to the Ministry of Home, besides other existing anti-peoples laws. And when the whole of India was brought under “Emergency Rule” from 1975 to 1977 under the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was imposed, Naga leaders, including Over-ground politicians, Youth and Student leaders, were rampantly arrested and jailed in different parts of India. All of them had a common objective and that was just to crush the spirits and faces of Naga nationalism.
Some of the most common method that were used to perpetrate crimes under the protection of such draconian and anti-democratic laws can be summarized as follows:-
•Execution in public
• Deforming sex organ
• Hanging people upside down
• Putting chilly powders in eyes and nose
• Electric shocks
• Groupings for days together (concentration camps)
• Puncturing eyes
• Burying alive
• Mutilating limbs and body
• Putting people in smoke-filled rooms
• Mass raping
• Burning villages and granaries
• Forced labor and starvation, etc.
Nevertheless, side by side with all this happenings, there were also periods of Peace initiatives. In 1964, there was the declaration of the first Ceasefire between the Government of India and the Naga National Council (NNC). But even after 8 years of talks, both the sides could not make any breakthrough, in a manner, where both the sides could negotiate for some kind of a mutually acceptable kind of solution, as the Nagas could not accept the Constitution of India to be the basis of any kind of settlement.
Then in the summer of I997, on July 25th, much to the surprise and a respite to the people, another ceasefire was announced by the Prime Minister of India, Mr. I. K. Gujral in the Indian Parliament at New Delhi and by the Chairman of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN), Mr. Isak Chishi Swu, through the News Media under a mutually agreed basis of three principles, which are:-
• That the talks will be without any conditions,
• That the talks will be held at the highest level (i.e. at the Prime Ministerial level), and,
• That the talks will be held in a third and neutral country.
It is now almost completing 11 years, that talks have continued but without any “logical conclusion” (a word used by Indian Prime Ministers), much to the credit of Indian leaders who have the habit of back-tracking their commitments. It may also be mentioned that the Government of India have in writing, “Recognized the unique history and situation of the Nagas” during one of the talks held at Amsterdam, in The Netherlands, on July 11, 2002. This admission came after more than 50 years of war and persuasions, but still remains as a mere document without translating into reality.
Ladies and gentlemen, Nagaland may be far away from you and totally removed to the borders of India, China and Burma. But where the question of human rights and restoration of human dignity is concerned, Nagas are also second to none and equally craves for a life “in the worth of a human person” as envisaged by the United Nations. And where the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples is concerned, Nagas have in no uncertain terms declared our determination on:-
Ø The right to live together as a people through unification of all Naga areas,
Ø The right to be free from the clutches of occupational forces; and
Ø The right to have the United Nations recognition of the Naga Country as a Sovereign Nation.
This is the truth of our history and equally true for any future perspective, and I thank the organizers of this workshop, particularly the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, TEBTEBBA, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, Asia Indigenous Women’s Network, and the International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs, as well as the Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples, the Ford Foundation and Taiwan Foundations for Democracy, for making all this possible. With the Naga peoples warmest regards and solidarity to all Indigenous peoples and movements of Asia.

GPRN/NSCN REPLIES TO CONDEMNATION AND WARNING Nagaland Post
For the Nagas to come together as one family is the desire of the Naga people, GPRN/NSCN, in the interest of all Nagas, would like to respond to the article "CONDEMNATION AND WARNING TO 'WANTON KILLING' supposedly written by MIP, published in the local dailies on 7th June 2008.
1. The three day prayer fasting programmed i.e. January 11, 12, 13, 2007, was also attended by many elders in the present GPRN/NSCN. Indeed, Chairman Isaac declared his proclamation as inserted in the local dailies. On 17th Sept. 2007, Chairman Isaac Chishi Swu called a meeting of all Sumi National workers and came to a decision that since many attempts of unification from the Government level had failed, Home Kilonser Azheto Chophy was endorsed to pursue merger of Sumi National workers from all faction because there was sizeable number of Sumis in all factions as this would ultimately hasten the unification process. Home Kilonser Azheto's initiative on 21st Nov. 2007 was the best result achieved in 15 years year's pursuit for Naga unification. It also had representatives from other communities like Kilonser Hothrong Yimchunger, Tatar Haolim Kuki, Tatar Teju Bahadur, Tatar Kishore Dimasa and others from Central Secretariat. Kilonser Azheto did not ran away as is accused. He discharged his responsibility not as a Chaplee, MIP, or a Defence Kilonser but as a Home Kilonser, endorsed by the Collective Leadership. To call him a traitor is a betrayal of people's will.
2. GPRN/NSCN would like to let the Nagas know that if a respected individual like Rev. Dr. Tuisem Shishak, who is from Tangkhul Community, is excommunicated and threatened with death at the behest of few people at Hebron camp, the very persons has no moral authority to condemn or comment on who excommunicates whom. Neither Sumi Hoho nor any Sumi organization has issued any excommunication order to anyone, let alone Isaac Chishi Swu.
3. On closer observation of all the points mentioned, it is clear that all are connected to just one; the safety of Tangkhul community in Nagaland. Does it imply that the lives and properties of Tangkhul community are more precious than that of other Nagas? Does it imply that Tangkhuls have to live even if all other Nagas perish? The points no doubt reflect passive politics on tribal inclination. GPRN/NSCN has equal respect for all tribes and communities and none is superior to the other. If any community wishes to be placed above the rest, Naga people have the final authority. Every reaction is a reaction; If any Tangkhul is harmed, it is a spill-over of hatred, inhuman treatment, injustice meted out to the Nagas through their anti-Naga policies at the cost of Nagas by those Tangkhul Leaders at Hebron. It would be wise on the part of Tangkhul Long and elders to unmask the self-righteous individuals at Hebron who have equated themselves to Angels of Heaven.
4. The Kidnappings and extortions in Nagaland has its roots at Hebron Camp. Only a week back one non-local businessman was rescued from certain death at the hands of Muivah's group. He was being taken to Hebron camp blindfolded but was intercepted at Signal Basti by IRB and police at the check gate. The abductors abandoned their Maruti vehicle, an AK rifle and the potential victim was rescued. Their accusing GPRN/NSCN of such acts is baseless. GPRN/NSCN is strictly against this social evil which is self defeating and against the principle of Naga Unification. GPRN/NSCN has warned its cadres with stringent measures if found indulging in such acts.
5. The attack on the Monitoring cell and other places was done by the Naga public. GPRN/NSCN believes it to be a people's response against tyrannical attitude of few individuals who has no respect for Naga lives in the land of the Nagas. It is just a tip of an iceberg against those suppressing and abusing the will of the Naga people.
Indeed, Nagas have had enough tolerance over the abuse of their political and historical rights. Any ill-treatment of the Nagas will be repaid in an equal manner. NSCN/GPRN once again denounces the article and urges all right thinking Nagas as well as those signatories to see the real intention of the article. It was never published in the interest of the Nagas rather it was for the benefit of a particular community. The article was a communal politics of the highest order. Warning or no warning, Unity and Peace is our people's demand and this will determine our existence. No particular tribe or community must harbor hegemonic ideas now or in the future. KUKNALIM!
Publicity Cell, GPRN/NSCN.

China’s nexus with NE ultras remains a challenge Nirendra Dev The Statesman
NEW DELHI, June 9: Notwithstanding the apparently forward-looking postures adopted by both sides during the just-concluded visit of the external affairs minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, to China, several vexed issues still remain unresolved between the two countries. A key aspect of these disputes revolves around North-east India vis-à-vis China’s support to North-east-based ultras. During Mr Mukherjee’s interaction with Chinese leaders, Beijing did raise the issue of Sikkim, which, of course, the Indian side brushed aside, taking the stance that it could not be part of their current talks since the Sikkim border was already finalised and settled in 1959. As far back as 1954, the Chinese government, taking refuge in the “old map”, had “incorporated” the entire North-east as a part of their territory, thereby betraying their designs on the region.
In 1960, the Chinese came up with the idea of formation of a “Himalayan Federation” comprising Nepal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh (erstwhile NEFA). In 1967, China supported the armed uprising by Leftist ultras in Naxalbari in West Bengal. The Chinese, intelligence sources maintain, had supported the uprising with the sole objective to cut off the strategic significant Indian north east from the rest of the country by cutting the “Siliguri Corridor”. The Naxalite uprising had been hailed in China as “Spring Thunder over India”. In 1967, Naga rebel leader Thuingaleng Muivah, who later went on to head the formidable National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN - IM) went to Yunan province of China along with 300-odd Naga youth for armed training. Mr Muivah, who first entered China at the age of 20, has often gone on record appreciating China’s support to the Naga movement.
Chinese assistance to the Northeast groups might be considered in four phases ~ the first phase (1954-62) involving establishing of contacts and extending moral support, the second (1967-79) marking open support to groups in Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, the third (1980-89) using Kachin Independent Organisation (KIO) as a conduit for assistance to the groups and the fourth in which its support activities are still continuing, but under a cover of secrecy.
Intelligence agencies claim that the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar has been communicating with Manipuri groups and that the United National Liberation Front chief, Mr R K Meghen visited Yunan in 1997, ostensibly to procure arms. China continues to inspire most Northeast militant groups. ULFA commander-in-chief, Mr Paresh Barua for long used to say that “Mao’s texts” are basic readings for any revolution.
In 2004-05, when a joint crackdown flushed out ULFA militants from Bhutan, the first thing the ultras fell back on was Beijing, with ULFA chief Mr Rajkhowa writing a letter to the People’s Republic of China seeking temporary shelter.
Caste as Race Ipshita Sengupta Morungexpress
Over the years, the Indian government has been steadfast in its unwillingness to consider caste-based discrimination as racial discrimination, despite the many arguments in its favour. The Government of India reiterates its position that ‘caste’ cannot be equated with ‘race’ or covered under ‘descent’ under Article 1 of the Convention – India’s 15th-19th Periodic Report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
Discrimination based on ‘descent’ includes discrimination against members of communities based on forms of social stratification such as caste and analogous systems of inherited status which nullify or impair their equal enjoyment of human rights. Therefore, the Committee reaffirms that discrimination based on the ground of caste is fully covered by Article 1 of the Convention. – CERD, concluding observations on India’s Periodic Report.
These contradictory statements show where India stands as far as caste-based discrimination is concerned. In 2002, the United Nations’ (UN) Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in its general recommendation no.29, expanded the meaning of the term ‘descent’ in Article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), to include discrimination based on caste. The convention, which came into force in 1969, has been ratified by 173 countries, including India. Despite this, and despite the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights reiterating that discrimination based on work and descent is a form of racial discrimination, the Indian government’s stand on this issue has remained the same: caste is not race.
The CERD, an independent panel of experts established under the international convention on racial discrimination, monitors how well signatories are implementing the convention, through periodic reports submitted by State parties. The CERD provides “concluding observations” on these State reports.
India’s reluctance to consider the issue seriously is clear from the way it has treated its responsibilities as a signatory to the international convention. Though periodic reports are due to the CERD every two years, all of the reports from 1998 to 2006 were submitted to the committee only in 2006 as a joint 15th-19th periodic report. When this report came up for review at the CERD’s 70th session meeting at Geneva in February-March 2007, many activists were hoping that there would be a change in the Indian government’s position.
However, it soon became clear that neither the heated debates on descent-based discrimination at the Durban World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001, nor the criticism that the government has faced from various quarters including the CERD, and international civil society and Dalit groups in India, have made any impact. Despite the arguments advanced in favour of treating caste-based discrimination as racial discrimination, the Indian government has refused to budge from its stand.
India’s joint periodic report detailed the legislative and policy measures in place currently to address racial discrimination, but did not offer an impact assessment of these measures. On caste-based discrimination, the government reiterated its stand that as the Indian Constitution did not consider caste and race to be the same (Article 15 of the Constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of race and caste and lists them as separate categories), they could not be conflated.
Non-government organisations, individuals and civil society coalitions, which had submitted alternate reports – known as shadow reports – to the CERD, rejected the government’s stand. These reports mentioned several instances of caste-based discrimination faced by Dalits.
A joint report by the United States-based Human Rights Watch and Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice, titled Hidden Apartheid: Caste Discrimination against India’s ‘Untouchables’, pointed out that more than 165 million persons in India faced discrimination while accessing education, health, housing, property, employment and equality before the law simply because of their caste. The report, dated February 2007, documented India’s “systematic failure to respect, protect, and ensure Dalits’ fundamental human rights”.
Discussions and dialogues on India’s periodic report at the CERD’s 70th session were focused on the issue of caste-based discrimination and the plight of India’s Dalit population. The Indian delegation, which was led by India’s permanent Ambassador to the UN Swashpawan Singh, Solicitor General Goolam E Vahanvati and academic Dipankar Gupta, among others, tried to establish on sociological grounds that caste was different from race and could not be equated under any circumstances. Gupta denied that caste fell under the term ‘descent’ as described in the convention. The Indian delegation’s stand digressed from the discussion at hand, which was whether caste-based discrimination was similar in nature to descent-based discrimination, and whether the convention covered such discrimination.
The CERD, in its observations on India’s report presented at the session, rejected India’s stand on caste-based discrimination. The committee criticised the government for failing to provide information on steps taken to implement anti-discrimination and affirmative action laws and policies. The panel also insisted that the government present such details in its next periodic report.
The CERD also expressed concern that India did not recognise the country’s tribal population as “distinct groups entitled to special protection under the Convention”. It recommended that India “strengthen its efforts to eradicate the social acceptance of caste-based discrimination and racial and ethnic prejudice, e.g. by intensifying public education and awareness raising campaigns, incorporating educational objectives of inter-caste tolerance and respect for other ethnicities, as well as instruction on the culture of scheduled castes and scheduled and other tribes, adequate media representation of issues concerning scheduled castes, tribes and ethnic minorities, with a view to achieving true social cohesion among all ethnic groups, castes and tribes of India”.
Despite CERD’s tough stance, India has been unwilling to engage in a constructive dialogue on caste-based discrimination. Most recently, in April 2008, when the UN Human Rights Council conducted a mandatory review of the human rights records of its member countries, India stated that caste-based discrimination was not racial in origin. India’s periodic report to the UN’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), which monitors the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, had a similar tenor. In its concluding observations in a review of the report, conducted in April 2008, the CESCR noted that India had failed to address “persistent de facto caste-based discrimination” despite boasting of several legislative measures.
According to the Crime in India Report 2006, prepared by the National Crime Records Bureau of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the crime rate against SCs recorded an increase of 3.6 per cent in one year, with the number of cases reported rising from 26,127 in 2005 to 27,070 in 2006.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, referred to as the POA Act, aimed at penalising discriminatory acts against these groups, has remained ineffective. Despite the high incidence of crime against SC/STs and the strict penal provisions contained in the POA Act, the number of cases registered under this Act remains low. In 2006, 8581 and 1232 cases were registered across India under the POA Act for atrocities against SCs and STs respectively. The average conviction rate for crimes against SCs/STs is also dismal low at 27.6 per cent (SCs) and 28 per cent (STs), although the charge-sheeting rates are high.
While India’s defiance of monitoring mechanisms like the CERD points to a complete lack of political will to adopt international standards and implement domestic laws to overcome discrimination, it also points to another failure. The country’s non-cooperation with international mechanisms, at some level, also points to the failure of the United Nations’ human rights mechanisms to ensure enforcement of international human rights norms.
(Ipshita Sengupta is a human rights researcher based in New Delhi.)

Ibobi mum on rebel threat Sentinel
Imphal, June 9: Two militant groups of Manipur, the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and the United National Liberation Front, have warned against the arming of civilian groups.
The Manipur Government is yet to issue any official reaction to the threat issued by the two groups in a joint statement last night.
The KYKL and the UNLF said civilians armed with Government weapons could not stay in barracks and work under the command of Government forces. They warned that stern punishment would be meted out to anybody who “misleads” the villagers of Heirok to take arms from the government.
Though the Okram Ibobi Singh Government has not reacted to the threat, a minister said the Government was always ready to recruit special police officers (SPOs) at the village in Thoubal district.
The Government is waiting for Heirok to decide. The Joint Action Committee of Heirok, that demanded weapons for self-defence, too, has not reacted to the threat.
The outfits warned that they would treat all those involved in arming Heirok villagers, including chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, as “enemy” of “freedom struggle” and take action.
Besides, those involved in procuring arms and their relatives would not be allowed to step out of Heirok from the day the weapons arrived at the village, the statement added.
The warning came three days after the cabinet decided on Wednesday not to use the proposed SPO units for counter-insurgency operations.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the villagers had resolved to accept weapons from the government only if the SPOs were not used for counter-insurgency operations.
The State Government had decided to open the village protection force of 300 personnel after residents of Heirok demanded weapons for self-defence following the killing of three youths by the Peoples’ Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak in March. (Agencies)

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06/10/2008: "‘Let us Unite…Now’ morungexpress"