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10/28/2008: "Further clarification as demanded on ‘Rigid National Principle Hurdle to Naga Unification that delayed solution’ I.Vitokhe Assumi Morung Express"

Further clarification as demanded on ‘Rigid National Principle Hurdle to Naga Unification that delayed solution’ I.Vitokhe Assumi Morung

This clarification press statement on certain paragraphs of my press statement dated 14th October 2008, is in response to the demand of MIP NSCN/GPRN in its rejoinder press statement Nagaland Post dated 17th October 2008, under the heading ‘Naga pol issue demands careful handling’.

My press statement issued on 14th October 2008, under the caption ‘Rigidity in National Principle the blocking Rock of Naga underground unification that delayed solution’ was in response to the call of the collective leadership of NSCN (IM) during their landing in the Dimapur Airport and Hebron Hq on 15th December 2004, see the Nagaland Post dated 15th December 2004, under heading ‘Isak, Muivah seek solution from Nagas’ quote ‘Muivah spoke about the futility of violence and said both he and Isak have come to listen to the people and will convey the desire of the Nagas to the Government of India (GOI) for a lasting and honourable solution’. It will be of great value to the MIP NSCN/GPRN, that must not forget to remember the earlier press statements of their collective leadership that invited the suggestions and opinions of the people. My press statement dated 14th October 2008, was the combination of few suggestions and opinions to bail out the ‘Crucial hours’, that the NSCN (IM) leadership are facing during their ongoing peace process with Government of India.

In the second paragraph, the MIP NSCN/GPRN objected one sentence quote ‘You may like to play delay politics, but the other Nagas want to solve the political solution’. The meaning ‘you’ is, let it be NSCN(K), NSCN (IM) and NNC/FGN, who are stubborn to their stand and never listen to the voice of the Naga public. Instead, they co-operate with the call of peace, unity and reconciliation cried by the Naga public, that ‘you’ group use to kill one another among the Naga brothers. It seems those ‘you’ group are playing the ‘delay politics’ is our (public) suspect. Because, sometimes ‘no-solution’ is beneficial to some one who are gaining their economy benefits out of bad situation.

‘Other Nagas want solution’ means, those that cried for peace, unity and reconciliation and against the culture of ‘Naga-killing-Naga’. I hope there are majority Nagas that are against the ‘Naga-killing-Naga’, but supported the Naga solution in one voice.

Answer to MIP NSCN/GPRN question no.2 that demanded explanation on “…but to initiate the interim settlement in one voice is the last chance for them…..unity of all the national leaders through unconditional reconciliation to bring the interim settlement, which may not be full sovereignty”.

Because of ‘no-unity’ among the Nagas, the question of full sovereignty is prolonged is no hide. In the light of that situation, the alternative question is negotiation with Government of India and that has come to the stage of ‘Give and Take’. In case, the Nagas demand for full sovereignty shall remain stand, then, there will be another ‘final settlement’ than ‘this time settlement’. In that case, this time settlement will be called ‘Interim Settlement’ as suggested by the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, see Nagaland Post dated 29th May 2006 under the heading ‘Rio on interim agreement’, quote ‘Rio said his suggestion for an interim agreement was as means to give a much needed breather in case the negotiation on sovereignty threatened to jeopardize the nine year long peace process’.

The suggestion for the National workers unification without any condition you may call it ‘provocative’, but it is the suggestion only and you can throw it as you wish. In future, the Naga elders may fear to initiate the Naga unity. In my case too, I shall not initiate the Naga unity, under the leadership of Isak, Muivah, as the MIP NSCN/GPRN treated it as ‘provocative’. Let every faction and organisation claim their self righteousness but we shall support to that faction and organisation that listen to Naga voice and come in one voice, under the banner they ‘decide’ jointly.

“Long Live Nagaland” KUKNALIM

I.Vitokhe Assumi Advisor, Sumi Hoho
‘Be wary of growing ethno-centrism’ morungexpress

Young women of the Chang community seen in their traditional attire at the cultural festival of the Eastern Naga Students’ Union Dimapur (ENSUD) held under the theme ‘Consolidation of Culture’ at the DDSC Stadium, Dimapur, on Tuesday. (Morung Photos)
Dimapur, October 28 (MExN): Speaking as the chief guest at the Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union Dimapur (ENSUD) Cultural festival held at DDSC Stadium, Dimapur, Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Nagaland, Alemtemshi Jamir, clearly differentiated the concepts of culture and tradition. He said that culture was confined to human beings alone and encompassed knowledge, beliefs, ideas, etc. He further opined that our understanding of culture should not be brought down to mere display of traditional items.
Alemtemshi also advised the students to be wary of the growing ethno-centrism, which refers to the belief that “my culture alone is good and all other cultures are bad”. While also advising them to accept the reality that all cultures need to modernise, Alemtemshi asked the gathering to avoid negative cultural trend like the present gun-culture. On the other hand, he lamented that the admirable work culture was being lost with Nagas wanting to eat without working. Thus, clearly defining culture, the chief guest asked the students to organise the cultural festival in a bigger way and make it an annual event so as to boost tourism.
The ENSUD Cultural Festival, which began at 10:00 am, saw all the six tribes performing folksongs and dances. The afternoon session consisted of ethnic show, songs, dances and performance by guest band ‘Melodrama.’ The entire programme was compered by Muchu Khiamniungan and Likhumla Sangtam.
Three state truck drivers abducted from Dimapur The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 27: Amidst the threat of a 12-hour state-wide bandh called by the All Manipur Inter State Bus Association in connection with the recent burning down of an passenger bus by cadres of the underground KLA at Naorijan in Assam, three more drivers of a goods carrier truck from the state were abducted by suspected Kuki militants from an area called Home Pipe in Dimapur, Nagaland yesterday evening.
According to a highly placed official source, the drivers of the goods trucks bearing registration No. NL07A/7976, MN0L/6366 and MN061/0263 from Manipur were reportedly abducted by the armed militants yesterday evening from Home Pipe village in Dimapur in connection with monetary demands to the respective truck owners.
The source further said the whereabouts of the three abducted truck drivers was not known but the Dimapur police had registered a case in connection with their abduction last night.
In the meantime, a joint meeting of the All Manipur Inter State Bus Association along with respresentatives of civil society bodies have decided to submit a memorandum demanding a suitable enquiry into the recent incident of burning of the passenger bus at Naorijan.
A provision for compensation and ex-gratia for the injured and the dead respectively has also demanded in the memorandum, in addition to the demands for maintaining highway security forces and parking facilities for transporters from the state at Dimapur and Guwahati.
The representatives of the association along with the representatives of various civil society bodies will submit a formal memorandum to the chief minister tomorrow morning at 10 am, a reliable source said.
Meanwhile, the All Manipur Petroleum Tankers Drivers’ Union has strongly condemned the setting of a passenger bus on fire with two passengers inside on October 24 at a place called Lahorijan along the NH-39.
A press release from the union has termed the act as gruesome and one against the norms of all religions in the world besides calling upon the concerned authority to look into the incident and accord fitting punishment to those found guilty of the heinous crime.
It also asked the State Government to give financial support to the families of the bereaved and those injured on an immediate basis besides extending its support to the general strike being called on October 29.
Others to condemn the arson incident include the Kuki Inpi Manipur, Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland), Manipur People’s Party, All Manipur Students Union and Consumers Club, Manipur.

Bursting of firecrackers by AR creates panic in Dimapur (Page News Service)
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 27: Even as the Government of Nagaland has banned bursting of crackers in the State considering the fragile law and order situation, the Assam Rifles were seen willfully going against the directives of the State Government by bursting crackers with all gusto on Monday at ARTC&S, Dimapur putting the State police here into a tizzy.
Reportedly residents residing around ARTC&S, 3rd Mile, Nagarjan etc. feared the worse on hearing repeated "gunfire like sounds" in their neighbourhood Monday evening, and informed the District police about a possible factional clash taking place in their neighbourhood.
However, when Dimapur police reached the scene of the 'possible factional clash' site they were surprised to find out that it was the Assam Rifles, in total contravention of the State Government order, were celebrating Diwali by bursting crackers.
The panic residents, when told of the AR's actions, got more agitated and demanded the action be taken against them for breaking the law. The residents were of the view that "a law passed by the Government" should be adhered to by all whether they be law enforcing agencies or the public.
"It appears that there are two sets of laws in the State - one for the public and the State agencies and another for the Central agencies like the Assam Rifles. While we are forced/constrained to adhere to the laws passed by the State Government, the Central agencies appears to be least bothered about the laws passed by the State Government thereby giving us the impression that they (Central agencies) are much higher than the State Government," a top retired State Government official residing in the colony bemoaned while also demanding that either the State Government withdraw the ban on bursting of crackers or penalize everyone, including Central agencies, for indulging in the same.
A student leader even questioned, "Is the Indian Army above administration? Or showing their arrogance? Why violating the administration's directive to ban crackers?"
This perhaps could reassure us that they (Central agencies) are not here in our State as occupational forces, he added.
When contacted, SP Dimapur Lirimo Lotha expressed unhappiness over the Assam Rifles theway they had violated the District Administration's orders and went on bursting crackers.
He said that the people of the locality panicked after hearing the bursting of crackers, as the situation in Dimapur is very sensitive.
Meanwhile, to make Diwali more peaceful, Dimapur Police today conducted raids in different places in Dimapur, for the possibility of businessmen selling crackers on the occasion of Diwali, but they could find any till Monday evening.
It may be mentioned here that DC Dimapur has banned the use of fire crackers in Dimapur district on the occasion of Diwali, which is to be celebrated tomorrow.

Govt blamed for delay in arresting culprits Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 28 – Boro Women’s Justice Forum and Koch-Rajbongshi Mahila Samity have held the Assam Government squarely responsible for the delay in arresting those involved in the recent rape of two women in Bhalukmari, Udalguri and termed it as “grave injustice to the victims, and an affront to the women of Assam.” “There is a conspiracy in which the administration and police have consciously avoided prompt action that would have resulted in the arrest of CRPF jawans who committed the heinous act,” stated the BWJF and the KRMS in a press meet held in the city today.

Both the women’s organisations criticised the manner in which the Udalguri district administration and police were handling the issue. It was pointed out that even though the Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri had made a written commitment to apprehend those guilty by October 23, nothing of that nature has taken place.

The developments so far appeared even more surprising if the timeline of initiatives taken by the Government was considered. The women who were assaulted were taken for medical examination long after the incident had taken place. The organisations, therefore, were not surprised that the first medical examination failed to confirm the rape. The two other medical examinations were conducted even later.

Addressing the media, Anjali Daimari of the BWJF said that instead of accepting the version of the victims, the Government was insistent on the report of the medical examination. Here, she referred to Supreme Court judgements, which in the case of rape emphasised the importance of a victim’s statement over medical reports. The Assam Government, in her view, was not keen to take note of the Supreme Court’s directive.

Instead of taking action favouring the victims, the Government appeared to take measures, which in fact harassed and humiliated them by carrying out repeated medical examinations, the BWJF president said.

Referring to the lack of action by the Government even after the victims had identified one CRPF Jawan, Daimari remarked, “What more proof does the Government require?” If the Government has any doubts left, then it needs to go for lie-detector tests, she said, reasoning that no woman would “go on reiterating that she was raped”.

Daimari was of the belief that delaying tactics were being adopted by the Government so that in time the tragic incident was gradually erased from public memory. However, that could not be allowed to happen because already a large number of innocent women in Assam have fallen victim to atrocities committed by men in uniform, she asserted.

She lamented that in most cases, women’s groups and organisations were alone when it came to raising voices against rape. More civil society groups need to come together to protest atrocities committed against women. She hoped that the Udalguri rape incident would elicit stronger response from other organisations, and help secure justice to the victims.

Condemning the rape of two women, and the Government’s role so far, Purabi Sarkar, president of Koch-Rajbongshi Mahila Samity termed the failure to apprehend the guilty as very unfortunate. Seeking justice for the victims, she on behalf of the KRMS called for a CBI enquiry into the incident so that the guilty could be punished.

BPPF team visits riot-hit areas Correspondent Assam Tribune
UDALGURI, Oct 28 – A central committee team of Bodoland Peoples’ Front of Boroland (BPPF) visited riot-hit areas and relief camps of Mohanpur, Kajiamati, Sonaribil, Kuptimari, Jhargaon, Sapmari, Palengchuba, Jorpukhuri, Kajiamati, Simliguri, Anthaibari, Nalkhamra and Udalguri Girsls’ HS School recently. The team interacted with the inmates and took stock of the rehabilitation process undertaken by the State Government.

The team was led by Rabiram Narzary and Prodeep Kumar Daimari, president and vice president of the party.

Meanwhile, a team of Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS) of Bodoland Regional Committee led by Dinesh Upadhyaya and Lakhsmi Sedai, president and secretary respectively, also visited a good number of relief camps of the district and took stock of the situation. They also distributed packets of relief materials to the inmates.

The AGS of Bodoland regional committee had earlier submitted a memorandum to Tanka Bahadur Rai, Speaker of the Assam Assembly on October 16 last with a demand to provide security measures and rehabilitation to the riot-affected people in Udalguri and Darrang districts.

Riots put matric students in a fix OUR BUREAU The Telegraph


A riot affected family at a relief camp in Udalguri. (AP)
Guwahati/Mangaldoi, Oct. 27: The recent riots in Udalguri and Darrang have left a big question mark over the future of over 4,000 school students, including several hundreds who will take the matriculation exams in February.
A preliminary survey by the education department has found that 1,572 students in Udalguri and 2,871 in Darrang districts have been directly affected by the violence that erupted on October 3, forcing the government to direct the inspectors of schools of the two districts to assess the ground situation and initiate measures to help them tide over the crisis.
Inspectors of schools in Udalguri and Darrang districts have also rescheduled the pre-assessment test for matric and annual examinations after a series of meetings held over two days.
In Darrang district, both tests will be held from December 4 to 15 instead of November 4. In Udalguri district, the annual exams will be held from December 4 but the pre-assessment test, earlier scheduled from October 11 to October 18, will now be held from October 31 to November 6. There are 152 schools in Udalguri district and 193 schools in Darrang district, of which 12 in the former and 16 in the latter are now serving as relief camps. Nearly two lakh people were affected in the riots, of whom 50 lost their lives and several hundreds their dwellings.
Senior education department officials of both districts said the situation was not at all conducive to holding examinations because the students, mostly from Classes V to XII, were affected in the riots. The students, they admitted, were the worst sufferers. Most of them from Udalguri have lost their homes, they said.
“The candidates were to take their pre-matric tests from November 4 but with most schools serving as relief camps and affected communities wary of each other, we had no option but to put off the exams. It will take some time for things to return to normal because of the extensive damage to life and property,” an official said.
At a three-hour marathon meeting held in Mangaldoi today by the inspector of schools, Darrang, involving principals, superintendents, headmaster, employees, teachers and two Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan officials, it was decided that a joint team would undertake a goodwill mission to the affected areas from November 1. It also decided to hold special classes for the affected children in relief camps.
Both districts have placed a special requisition before the education department to despatch textbooks and stationery for students in camps. “There are at present eight camps in Darrang district and six in Udalguri. We have moved the administration to provide security in vulnerable areas, besides initiating measures to vacate the schools serving as relief camps,” one of the participants said.
Dharna The All Bodo Women Welfare Federation today staged a dharna in front of the Udalguri deputy commissioner’s office, seeking the intervention of the Prime Minister into reasons behind the clashes and also the arrest of the CRPF personnel involved in the alleged rape of two women in Rowta. Udalguri police today interrogated three Absu members for helping the alleged rape victims file the FIR. The interrogation was carried out by Udalguri ASP S. Prashar for over two hours.
B’deshis entering Asom legally pose a threat By our Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Oct 27: In their outcry demanding deportation of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators from Asom, various organizations of the State and the government have totally ignored the more dangerous threat posed to the State by people who enter Asom from Bangladesh legally but opt to do the vanishing act illegally. A recent letter to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and a question raised in the Rajya Sabha brought it to light that about three lakhs of the Bangladeshis who had entered India with visas have not returned even after the expiry of their permitted stay in India. They managed to mingle with the population in India and did the vanishing act.
Circles concerned here feel that Bangladeshis doing the vanishing act after entering India legally are more dangerous than the illegal infiltrators. This is because the former lot are educated and they enter India with an “ill motive” that prompt them to do the vanishing act, but the latter lot are poverty-stricken people.
Asom Home Department has a list of some of Bangladeshis who had entered Asom with visas but did not go back even after expiry of their permitted period of stay in the State. Despite being aware of the risk involved in allowing such people to go scot-free in the State, no concrete visible steps have been taken by the State Government barring a few routine official announcements.
According to official sources, at least 187 Bangladeshis who had entered Asom with visas did the vanishing act, and the State Government is not in a position to trace them out. According to sources, at least 13 of the 2,735 Bangladeshis who had entered Asom in 2005 did the vanishing act. Likewise, 15 of the 2,327 Bangladeshis who entered Asom in 2006, 20 of the 2,849 in 2007 and 15 of the 1,536 till June, 2008 did the vanishing act. The State Government has no records of the return of 124 Bangladeshis who had entered Asom directly prior to 2005 with visas.
According to sources, the latest modus operandi adopted by Pakistanis and Bangladeshis is: they enter Nepal, procure all necessary documents and then enter Asom.

Panel wants temporary arrangement for riot-hit By our Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Oct 27: The Cabinet sub-committee for rehabilitation of the violence-affected people of Udalguri and Darrang districts had its first meeting today, and decided to set up camps in the deserted villages for the refugee camp inmates so that various schools and colleges where the riot-affected people have been given shelter can be vacated soon.
For this temporary arrangement, the State Government will provide Rs 5,000, four bundles of CI sheets (two bundles each by the State Government and the BTC administration), blankets, mosquito curtains and Rs 500 for buying furniture to each of the families whose houses were torched during the violence. Affected families having newborn babies will get Rs 500 each for baby food. The Cabinet sub-committee will visit the riot-affected areas in the first week of November and submit a report to the State Government. A Health Department team will also visit the affected areas in the first week of November.
Barring Chandan Brahma and Rockybul Hussain, all other members — Himanta Biswa Sarma, Nazrul Islam, Rihon Daimary — of the Cabinet sub-committee were present at today’s meeting that was presided over by Bhumidhar Barman. Principal Home Secretary Subash Chandra Das was also present at the meeting. The meeting also asked the district and the police administrations to trace the people missing due to the violence.

Approaching winter cause of concern for riot victims
From our Staff Reporter Sentinel
UDALGURI, Oct 27: The ongoing inclement weather conditions, indicating the onset of winter, has posed new causes of concern for the victims of the recent ethnic clashes who are sheltered in relief camps across Udalguri and Darrang districts since the last three weeks. Most of the camp inmates are still reluctant to return to their native villages apprehending fresh trouble, despite the Government’s claim that the situation in the riot-hit districts has been limping back to normal.
“Though the police is insisting that we return home, the people have lost all faith in them and the CRPF, especially after the rape of two women in Bhalukmari village,” said Shankar Rajbongshi, the gaonburah of Ekrabari village, when a group of visiting journalists met him at the relief camp in Udalguri Girls High School yesterday. Ekrabari is one of the worst affected villages in the recent riots. About 2000 people, comprising mostly Rajbongshi and Bengali Hindu communities, are currently sheltering in the camp.
Rajbonshi said, “Though there is no shortage of food or other supplies in the relief camps, what would happen once winter comes in?” He further said, “Only an assurance from the Army can make us think about returning home as we have concrete information that miscreants would launch a fresh assault as soon as we return to our villages.”
The homeless, however, are still in the dark on how to start their normal life afresh. “My home and the sawmill run by my family have been reduced to ashes by the miscreants,” said Sujat Mandal (65), another inmate of the camp, who has been living in Ekrabari village since 1955.
Meanwhile, the NDFB has expressed concern over the presence of, what it said, many unknown outsiders in the relief camps, which are crowded by members of the Muslim community. Interestingly, the same views have been echoed by some other organizations as well. “Some unknown faces are living in the camps in the guise of refugees,” they said.
“Our genuine concerns in this regard have also been reflected in a survey conducted by a Guwahati-based organization –– Citizen Forum,” said NDFB general secretary Gobinda Basumatary, while talking with mediapersons here. It should be mentioned that many camp inmates had said that they saw a lot of unknown faces in the group of miscreants that had attacked their villages. According to the NDFB, there are about 2.10 lakh people currently taking shelter in various camps of the two riot-hit districts –– about 1.20 lakh of the entire population being Muslims.
Basumatary said that the State Government is trying to shirk off its failure to contain the situation by blaming the NDFB, which is currently under a ceasefire agreement with the Government. He thinks that the hoisting of the Pakistani flag in a village of Udalguri was also a part of the plot hatched by Dispur to defame the NDFB. Despite whatever the Government says, the outfit has been in regular touch with the local police administration and the IB since the riots broke out, Basumatory added.
Meanwhile, the Boro People Forum for Peace and Rights (BPFPR) also blamed the State administration for the prevailing situation. BPFPR president Bhramon Baglari, while talking with newsmen here, said that the Government is yet to take any action against the culprits behind the violence that broke out in Rowta and the surrounding areas during the bandh called by the Muslim United Students’ Association (MUSA) on August 14.
Baglari said that Dipak Rabha, a daily labourer, was killed at Rowta Bagan and three other ASEB employees on duty had been beaten up mercilessly by the bandh supporters. According to him, three ASEB employees — Bolin Daimari (Bhalukmari), Nirmal Deka (Rowta) and Tarun Deka (Sipajhar) were attacked by miscreants with sharp weapons when they were repairing a transformer at Udalguri town, in front of former Udalguri PS OC SA Ahmed. Such inaction on part of the Government has, in fact, allowed the situation to go beyond control, he said.

UNLF condemns bus burning savagery The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 26: The UNLF in a statement today strongly condemned the manner in which a Guwahati bound Imphal passenger bus was stopped at a place in Karbi Anglong and after bolting the door from outside, set on fire by some miscreants.
The release said such acts of utter inhumanity deserved the unqualified condemnation by everybody regardless of which community they belonged to.
The UNLF release said it is extremely unfortunate that today there are so many groups who are using the mask of the revolution in the region to further their personal, selfish vested ends.
The result has been a mushrooming of armed groups, espousing the narrow interest of individual villages, clans, family, districts etc, tarnishing irreparably the image of the struggles for freedom waged by the various peoples of the region.
The release said such mind sets have to defeated, and in this effort, all sincere revolutionaries and revolutionary organisations have to come together, and the UNLF is ever willing for such a confluence of revolutionary intents.
The release called for all concerned not to allow such atrocities as witnessed in the bus burning incident to repeat.