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07/27/2008: "‘Love thy neighbor’ Border steps on morungexpress"

‘Love thy neighbor’ Border steps on morungexpress

Dimapur, July 26 (MExN): With the slogan “Love Thy Neighbor” the Border Peace Coordination Committee (Assam-Nagaland) today convened an extended executive meeting at the ASEB Nagajanka guest house near Mariani. The meeting was well-attended by people representing around thirty-two border villages and tea gardens from Assam. Seven villages from Nagaland attended in today’s meeting besides the Tzurangkong Public Organization.
Many important issues were deliberated upon to strengthen the present committee and a number of resolutions were adopted. It was resolved to form a core-committee comprising of the president, vice president and secretary of the BPCC with three members of the respective operational zones namely the eastern, central and western zones with their respective jurisdictions along the border of Jorhat and Mokokchung district.
The BPCC (A-N) further empowered the steering committee comprising of the president and secretary along with three members of the affected area or zone, for effective coordination as and when any eventuality arises. It was also decided to take a follow-up action with the governments for grants and adequate compensation to victims of the aftermath of the ASSU’s proposed march to Dessoi Valley on August 8, last year.
The house also took an exceptional decision to organize mass-awareness drives and programmes to educate and instill confidence amongst the people living in the borders of either side especially in the trouble-prone areas. The meeting appeals to all right-thinking citizens to assist towards maintaining a peaceful coexistence in the border areas to usher in developmental activities.

IN the Name of Nation: By R.S.Mayori Ukhrul News
Posted on Sunday, July 27, Ukhrul: On 20th July 2008 Mr. Ayonsing R Shimray was dragged out of his residence and torture badly for three days. He was arrested and detained in the NSCN office without giving any reason or notification. It’s a serious case of Human Rights Violation.

Mr.Pamlei Vashum, an NSCN cadre took initiative to arrest Mr. Ayonsing and torture him in a very barbaric way without the knowledge of the authority. Pamlei and his mini mafia gang have committed this crime on the report of his biological brother Horeinung Vashum. Mr. Ayonsing and Horeinung Vashum, who are neighbors, had an argument on some domestic issue. They had compromised the matter with a prayer involving elders from both the sides.

But after the prayer, Mr.Pamlei Vashum and his men came suddenly and dragged Ayonsing out of his house like a dog after the prayer session in-front of his wife and son. He threatens to burn down the whole house and abuse verbally to the family members. Ayonsing was released on 22nd July 2008 at around 2:30 pm from Wung Tangkhul Region office. The families were shocked to find blood soaked both in his sweat shirt which is dark blue in color and a khaki half pant. The bruise mark bore puncture veins, swollen face on the nose breach due to a heavy blow to make in unconscious, dark bruises mark on the right chest, on the left shoulder and his both side thighs were beyond the recognition of human thighs. All this tortured have led to internal bleeding, swelling of lungs as well as injuries to the internal organ.

Ayonsing and Horeinung’s personal differences can be trace back few years ago. Horeinung borrowed money from Ayonsing and delayed his payment. When Ayonsing went to collect his money inside his carpentry shop in Assam rifle complex wino bazaar, Ukhrul, Horeinung instigated the Assam rifle jawan and they have beaten him up black and blue.

Mr.Pamlei Vashum has acted on his own personal interest and his interest does not represent the interest of the NSCN and the Nation as a whole. When enquired upon He did this without the proper channel and without informing the higher authority of the Wung Tangkhul Region. The CAO and the Town Command of the Ukhrul have no knowledge of this incident until the second day. Mr. Ngaranmi Jagoi (Central Administrative Officer of GPRN) said “I was not informed and I was not aware of it until his sister came and complained about the case at my residence.”

The family has filed a case against those involve person in the office of Wung Tangkhul Region along with the following demand: Strict disciplinary action against Mr.Pamlei Vashum of Talloi village, an NSCN cadre of Wung Tangkhul region. Arrest of Mr. Horeinung Vashum of talloi village, a Carpenter at 13th Assam Rifle complex Wino Bazaar. Arrest and cease the taxi of Achui, a Taxi Driver of Ukhrul Ttaxi Service. Arrest and disciplinary action upon Rawung of talloi village, NSCN cadre who is on leave and not from Wung Tangkhul Region. Compensation to the family for medical check up of Ayonsing and for the physical and mental torture the family has bored due to insensitive act of Mr.Pamlei Vashum.

Mr.Pamlei Vashum’s action does not represent the vision and ideology of NSCN and the public. Cadres like him have cause lots of embarrassment to the organization and to the nation as a whole. A person like him is a peril to the people and nation as a whole. If any disciplinary action were mended out the public should know that it is due to his misbehavior and misuse of the power the nation has bestowed upon him. There might be people who have grievances against the NSCN; these grievances are cause by people like Mr.Pamlei Vashum who work for their own vested interest.

The Leaders are kind, merciful, compassionate and just. Let us not blame the whole worker and the organization for the misdeed of the few indiscipline cadres. There are lots of committed national workers amidst the NSCN, who is still there to stand and fight for our rights. Let us all unite and fight against injustice as a people as a nation. Let us not allowed innocent people to be maimed, torture and harassed in our Name.

Gen Dadwal bids adieu to Kohima Dimapur, [NPN] Nagarealm.com
: GOC 3 Corps Lt Gen MS Dadwal paid a farewell visit to Kohima garrison before moving out on his new assignment as deputy chief of Army Staff at Delhi, informed a defence release.

The general was received at Kohima by Maj Gen JP Nehra, IGAR (North), followed by an address to the officers of the formation. The GOC complimented the officers for their exceptional display of professionalism and dedication in discharging their duties. The general also called on Governor K Sankaranarayanan and assured the latter that the security forces would continue to extend full cooperation to the civil administration in addition to their duties to ensure that peace prevails within Nagaland. Meanwhile, according to Defence sources, Lt. Gen. R.K. Lumba will take over as the new GOC 3 Corps. Lt.Gen Lumba was the Commander of Higher Command Wing of the Army War College at Mhow.

Six Naga UGs arrested Newmai News Network
Kohima, Moving into action against armed cadres as part of flushing out operations from public inhabited areas, the Kohima District Administration with the support of the Nagaland Armed Police and Assam Rifles conducted raids in separate places and nabbed six Naga underground cadres along with arms, ammunitions and explosives.
Sources revealed that the Kohima District Administration and combined forces of Nagaland police and Assam Rifles launched flush out operations on Sunday against NSCN-IM cadres at D. Khel, Kohima village and adjoining areas this morning and managed to nab three of its cadres with six sophisticated arms and live rounds of ammunitions from their possession.
The nabbed NSCN-IM cadres include Mahori Tangkhul with one AK 56, one pistol each of 9mm, one 7.56 mm and 30 live rounds of AK 56 from Tinpati area s/s pvt Elizah Haoman and s/s pvtâ Asietuo Zhalie were nabbed from D. Khel while raiding the house of NSCN-IM Angami region Care Taker, Neiba Kire. A 7.65 mm pistol with 4 live rounds, .22 revolver with 6 live rounds and .38 pistol with 20 live rounds were recovered from their possession, sources said.
In another incident, security forces nabbed three NSCN-K cadres from Zubza while frisking a local taxi from Dimapur. Sources revealed that a Chinese made hand grenade and a detonator were recovered from their possession. The nabbed cadres have been identified as s/s corporal Nyampha Konyak s/s captain Wangpon Konyak and s/s pvtâ Philao Konyak.
Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM Angami Region has expressed anguish over the surprise raids in the residence of NSCN-IM Angami Region Care Taker-cum-Monitoring Cell Co- Member, Neiba Kire and colleagues and also arresting two of their cadres.
A release issued by NSCN-IM officer Neiba Kire said that over the recent years, the Nagaland capital has been witnessing peaceful and cordial atmosphere as the Angami Region GPRN (NSCN-IM) has been following defensive policy in spite of losing several precious lives of our own cadres. The Angami Region GPRN/NSCN-IM has never created any situation but always have been a victim of the armed cadres of other groups, however, the District Level Ceasefire Moni- toring Cell Group chasing all the armed cadres by putting together even the dedicat-ed national workers from public inhabited places is questionable, the press note said.
The NSCN-IM press release also clarified that the outfit is not occupying the houses of civilian or taking forced shelter. The NSCN-IM Angami Region also condemned the chasing of the outfit’s Angami Region Tatar, K K Angami near Mission Compound while returning home after atten-ding an important public meeting along with four body guards by the security forces.
He also pointed that keeping in mind the prevailing situation and the tension created by the other groups, it has become mandatory for the NSCN-IM leaders to take along some bodyguards in order to protect our own life and not for threatening the public.
The Angami Region NSCN-IM also requested the concerned authority to release their cadres along with seized arms and also to restrain from raiding their personal residential complex.
Govt rules out compromise By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, July 26 – Asserting that the State Government would never compromise on the territorial integrity of Assam over the ‘Greater Nagalim’ issue, Health Minister and Government spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that the Congress High Command would never appease any quarter by way of concession on the State’s interests. “Both the State Government and the Centre are unanimous on the State’s territorial integrity, and there are no two views on this,” he said at a press conference.
The Minister also sought to play down the concerns raised by different political parties over the statement of Mani Charenamei, MP from Outer Manipur made during the recent trust vote in Parliament, saying that the MP did not refer to any claim on Assam’s land when he had talked about the UPA’s ‘assurance’ on review of the common minimum programme (CMP) concerning territorial boundaries of the North-Eastern States. Mani had said in Parliament that earlier he could not extend support to the UPA Government because the CMP advocated maintenance of the territorial integrity of the North-Eastern States, and that he chose to vote for the UPA Government during the trust vote following an assurance by the latter to have the CMP re-examined. Significantly, in his comments published on Saturday’s edition of The Assam Tribune, Mani stated that the UPA had also given him “something in writing” before he agreed to vote for it but declined from revealing the contents.

“The overwhelming reactions to the MP’s statement have been uncalled for, and the political parties are stretching things too much without any reason,” Sarma said, adding that if any statement from any quarters made in context with Assam’s territory warranted a reaction, the State Government would be the first to react. Suggesting that there could also be political compulsions behind the Outer Manipur MP’s statement in Parliament, Sarma said that this did not amount to any threat to Assam’s territorial integrity. “We are more concerned about Assam’s integrity than anyone else,” he said.
UNLF happy with villagers for nabbing kidnappers The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Jul 26: The proscribed UNLF while expressing gratitude to the villagers of Keibi Heikak Mapal for nabbing four child kidnappers including one who claimed to be a UNLF cadre yesterday, said that it was the fruit of the UNLF`s declaration of dos and don`ts for its MPA cadres and members which was publicized recently.

The villagers` conduct is in accordance with the UNLF announcement against recruiting any children below the age of 18 years and in response to the appeal of the outfit to the people to teach a lesson to those who violated the dos and don`ts put down for its members and armed cadres, the statement said.

It also urged the people to help the outfit in this manner in future too in pointing out those unfit and unworthy UNLF/MPA members who carry out anti-social works using the outfit`s name. Ningombam Nanao alias Naoba, 18, son of N Inaocha of Huidrom Mayai Leikai had links with the UNLF for some time under one of its cadre named Salam Keshorjit alias Jila alias Boicha of Khurai Salanthong, who currently resides at the house of his wife at Sekta and was a former cadre of the outfit.

But after coming to know Jila was not a nice man and had association with other outfits, the UNLF cut-off links with him forever. However, he still threatens and beats people using the outfit`s name, it said.
For these defamatory activities he was punished by shooting at the leg by the outfit in June this year, the statement said clarifying that the other three who were caught for being involved in the kidnapping of a child were not related with the outfit in any way.

Currently, some people hailing from the northern side, most importantly from Sekta, Keibi and Taretkhul villages are associating with most of the outfits only for taking personal benefits, the statement observed giving an instance of looting of mobile phones and money from the travellers along the Natum Ching road. The statement appealed to the people to inform the outfit of any person claiming to be maintaining links with UNLF/MPA as in the context of the prevailing situation in the state the UNLF/MPA was trying not to do anything which the people disliked.

The statement also said that the effort to defame the outfit by the police and security forces with false propaganda could not succeed. The Imphal east SP, Radheshyam even though knowing the matter well was trying to drag in the UNLF, it said.

ULFA will sit for talks sooner or later: Gogoi Special Correspondent Sentinel
SILCHAR July 25: Top ULFA leadership would give up its tough stance on the outfit’s demand for sovereignty and sit for dialogue with the Centre sooner or later, Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told newspersons on the sidelines of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of CCI’s cement grinding unit at Baikunthpur in Kalain Block of Katigorah constituency. He said he was hopeful of ULFA leaders responding to the people’s call for peace and work in the larger interest of the State and the country as a whole.
Gogoi pointed out various Northeast militant outfits, who had been insisting on separate homeland, ultimately agreed to sit across the negotiation table. The NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) would also not stick to their demand for independence or sovereignty, he said.
The Chief Minister said that his Government would take necessary steps to help NF Railway to resume passenger train services in the Silchar-Lumding hill section which have remained suspended since May 19. The State Government would provide adequate security to the Railways in this regard after making assessment of the situation in North Cachar Hills, he added.

DATELINE Guwahati/Wasbir Hussain ‘Sovereignty’ demand and constitutional space Sentinel
By now, the ULFA ought to agree that the Indian Constitution has lot of flexibility and enough democratic space. ULFA big guns have still not appeared in Asom’s soil, but three of its senior commanders, from the Alpha and Charlie companies of the crack ‘28th battalion’, whom it had expelled from the outfit, have been openly meeting people across the State and saying that there should be talks for peace and that the Government must discuss the core issue of ‘sovereignty’ as propounded by the rebel group. You may now be familiar with pro-talk ULFA leader Mrinal Hazarika’s words when he says: “The ULFA will certainly not ask for roads or bridges if it sits for talks with the Government. The ULFA will raise the demand of sovereignty and the Government can put up its own point of view.”
Now, if our country’s Constitution did not have sufficient democratic space, people like Hazarika would not have been able to address public rallies or seminars and talk openly about the ‘sovereignty’ demand, which amounts to pushing secession. Therefore, while going about mobilizing public opinion through their calculated mass contact programme, the pro-talk ULFA leaders (they claim to be ULFA members despite being expelled for calling the truce on June 24) must take the available space in our Constitution into account. What I mean is that they must try to be practical enough to imagine that a solution to their problem can be worked out within the ambit of the Indian Constitution. I am, of course, talking about a solution that is acceptable to the two sides, the ULFA and the Government.
A month after the June 24 truce by the two ULFA companies, quite a few things have become clear. The large attendance in the public rallies organized by the pro-talk leaders indicates that the people are in a mood for peace. Secondly, this group that has come forward to give a push to the peace process, seems to be aware of the fact that unless the ULFA top brass responds positively, they could well become irrelevant at some point in time. Hazarika has, for example, said they would try their best to make the ULFA central leadership agree to sit for unconditional talks with New Delhi, but if that does not happen within a reasonable timeframe, the people of Asom might authorize other ULFA leaders to take up that responsibility. This is a very interesting signal that has come from the pro-talk ULFA leaders.
In fact, Mrinal Hazarika has made a very significant statement last week during an interactive session organized by the Omeo Kumar Das Institute for Social Change and Development. He said the ULFA has missed a chance to enter into talks with the Government of India after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote a letter to the group’s chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa apparently stating that the Government was ready to talk ‘all core issues’ raised by the outfit. The letter that Hazarika is talking about may have been written in 2006 in the wake of the parleys between the ULFA-appointed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) and the Centre. Both the ULFA as well as the Government needs to respond to this and clarify matters to put the records straight. That such clarifications are unlikely to come is another matter.
The pro-talk ULFA leaders must be following a well drafted script. They are saying that their course of action in the quest for peace would be directed by the people of Asom. They are maintaining that they would go to the people ‘from Sadiya to Dhubri’ and ascertain their views on the issue of peace. But the fact remains that the people of Asom are already keen on restoration of peace in the State and are fed up with mindless violence, particularly roadside bombings that led to death or injuries to innocent non-combatants. The pro-talk group could well be moving ahead with the belief that more ULFA units and leaders would join them sooner than later. That may actually happen. But, they should try and bring the ULFA as a whole to their side rather than making possible attempts at engineering defection. They have, of course, promised not to do so. The ceasefire by them was no surprise, but the decision by the pro-talk group to go full steam on a mass-contact drive has been a masterstroke. That, too, may be part of the script. But, it’s fine as along as it helps the cause of peace in Asom.
High alert in Manipur as kidnapping of children continues unabated Sentinel
Imphal, July 25: Security has been tightened throughout Manipur and high alert issued in all parts of the state even as the abductions of children by militant organisations continued unabated.
Manipur Director General of Police (DGP) Y Joykumar said here today that action had been taken up to prevent kidnapping of children by militants and recruit them forcibly in their outfits.
The DGP said all police checkpoints were alerted to frisk all vehicles. Police was also instructed to ensure that all minors were escorted by their relatives.
Police was also raiding several areas where the kidnapped children were suspected to be lodged.
All police personnel were asked to keep surveillance on the bailed out cadres and suspected overground elements and also keep close liaison with the school authorities and tuition centres.
Six cases of abductions have been registered in Imphal West so far, two in Imphal East and five in Thoubal district.
Though about 30 children were suspected to be missing, many of the cases were not officially reported to the police, the DGP said.
So far six people involved in the kidnapping cases had been arrested.
In Thoubal, Bishenpur, Imphal East and Imphal West districts, mobile task forces had been deployed to monitor the schools.
The teams were also directed to pick up any strangers or vehicles found loitering near the school premises without a valid reason.
Meanwhile, despite the claim made by the militants that the children had come and joined the outfits on their own, police investigation and inquiry revealed that the children had been forcibly taken away and made to join the outfit, the DGP said.
Sit-in protests were held in various parts of the state by students in front of their schools to protest the abductions.
A woman allegedly involved in the kidnapping of children was nabbed by local people at Thoubal district yesterday, police said. Meanwhile, Militants freed on bail and overground workers of armed groups are behind the recent series of child kidnappings, Manipur police said today.
“Militants are recruiting young children as they can no longer find older ones. Rebels on bail and overground activists are behind the abductions,” director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh told reporters.
The police have set up special task forces in four valley districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur to deal with the “menace”. The teams will be headed by additional superintendents of police and subdivisional police officers.
The police chief also named People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Prepak-vice-chairman) and Prepak (general secretary) as the outfits behind the recruitment.
Prepak (VC), however, denied recruiting children and even called for an end to this trend.
Parents of missing children claimed Prepak (GS) had said that their children were with the group. Nearly 20 children between 11 and 16 years have been reported either kidnapped or missing since May 1. Four of them returned while the others are still untraced. Prepak paraded six children at one of its camps before mediapersons and the “district organisation officer” of the outfit, Sunil, claimed the children had willingly joined the group. The militant leader also said the outfit did not use children as soldiers. (UNI)
Guidelines set for rehabilitating insurgency victims Sentinel
Agartala, July 25: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formulated detailed guidelines for implementing the Central scheme to assist terror and communal violence victims in the insurgency-affected north-eastern States, Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-hit states.
Official sources said here today that in a recent communiqué, the MHA stated that the new scheme was prepared to assist terror and communal violence victims and provide a financial assistance of Rs three lakh to the family in the event of death or permanent incapacitation of the victim, who was its bread-winner.
As per the guidelines, the amount would be put in a fixed deposit account in a bank for at least three years and the interest on the sum would be credited directly to the beneficiary's saving account on a quarterly basis. According to the guidelines, the victim families would be eligible for assistance under the scheme even if they had received any other assistance, including ex-gratia, from the government, officials stated. Besides, those permanently incapacitated and the members of the family of the victim killed/permanently incapacitated in terror or communal violence would also be given a health card by the District Health Society, functioning under the National Rural Health Mission, for free medical treatment. Meanwhile, the Ministry has asked the state government to constitute a district-level committee with the District Superintendent of Police, Medical Officer, Social Welfare Officer, Child and Women Development Officer under the Chairmanship of the District Magistrate to identify beneficiaries and verify their eligibility for assistance under the scheme. (UNI)
Kid escapes from kidnappers fold By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express

The kid who escaped
IMPHAL, Jul 27: Inspite of stepping up police patrolling around the schools of the four valley districts and restriction imposed on using tinted glass on vehicles to prevent child kidnapping incidents, in the latest incident a student of Manipur Public School, Koirengei who was abducted from near his school by unidentified persons yesterday, managed to escape.
Studying in class XII, 17-year old Bineet Ale s/o Naran Ale of Chingmeirong Nepali Basti was on his way to his school when he was abducted yesterday morning.
Bineet had boarded a city bus to go to his school. As he lighted from the bus in front of the school, three unidentified persons coming in a Maruti Van waylaid him and dragged inside the waiting Van.
Recounting the incident today, Bineet, eldest of three siblings, informed that he came out of the house at around 10 am yesterday and boarded a city bus like every day to go to his school at Koirengei.
After he got down of the bus in front of the school and just as the bus went ahead toward the north, three unidentified persons who were waiting in a Maruti Van on the opposite side of the road drove very closed toward him and catching hold of his hands dragged him inside the van. At the same time, the unknown kidnappers also hit some heavy object on his head and he lost consciousness.
When he came to his senses, he found himself lying atop a hill along with two armed persons standing guard nearby.
From there, the two armed persons took him further up the hill. When they arrived at a gorge, he took advantage of the situation and jumped into the gorge and ran down the cliff. After running for a good distance, he came across a tarred road late in the afternoon. On seeing Damdei Christian College he realised that the road was the NH-39 and he was at Motbung. From there, he came walking till Kanglatongbi Shantipur where some of his friends and relatives live. After his family members were contacted, he arrived at his Chingmeirong home at around 8 pm, Bineet said.
UN relief chief admits to "loss" of aid money in exchange duplicity Mungpi Mizzima


New Delhi - Over two months on after relief efforts, the United Nations has perforce admitted that there is a 'serious issue' involved in the conversion mechanism of the aid money provided to Burma's cyclone victims.

The UN Secretary-General's spokesperson, Michele Montas, on Thursday said John Holmes, the UN humanitarian chief, has acknowledged that there are problems in foreign exchange rate while converting aid money provided for relief work.

"There are losses implicit in the gap between the street rate and the official 'Foreign Exchange Certificate' rate," Montas told reporters in New York, adding "Aid agencies and donors alike are concerned about this because fewer services can be purchased."

Montas said, Holmes, who is on a three-day visit to cyclone-stricken Burma, raised the issue with the Burmese government during a meeting.

"They understood the problem and they will find a way to resolve it, though no further details have been given by the government," Montas said.

The UN Humanitarian Chief's admission of the problem in the exchange rate came after sources in the military establishment revealed to Mizzima that the Burmese generals are lining their pockets with aid money through a twisted currency exchange mechanism.

The source, who wished not to be named for fear of reprisal told Mizzima, aid money transferred to Burma has to go through the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, which then pays the recipient in 'Foreign Exchange Certificate', where the junta creates notes equivalent to US dollar.

While the street rate for a US $ is 1180 kyat, FEC is worth only 880 kyat, the source said.

"For every dollar, the junta is profiting about 200 to 300 Kyats, you can imagine how much they will have pocketed since aid agencies made their way into Burma," the source told Mizzima earlier.

The source further said, in order to keep the hard foreign currency, the MFTB has made a regulation that every recipient needs to open an account with the bank before being allowed to withdraw the money in FEC.

According to Inner City Press, a UN watch-dog group, the UN looses about 20 percent of what it can buy with the hard currency dollar due to the government's official exchange rate.

Holmes, in an interview with the German Press Agency in Burma, said the exchange rate gap amounts to losses of millions of dollars and "where that gain goes I'm not sure."