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11/10/2008: "Rio for settlement of Naga political issue morungexpress Chizokho Vero"

Rio for settlement of Naga political issue morungexpress Chizokho Vero

In this image released to the media, the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is seen here with legislators and other dignitaries after unveiling the monolith of the new EAC HQ at Englan, in Wokha today.

Englan (Wokha) | November 10: Reiterating that the DAN government supports the ongoing peace process, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today repeated the government’s stance to ‘pave way’ for an alternative arrangement in the event of a permanent settlement. “We want peace. We want settlement of the Naga political issue,” said Rio while inaugurating Extra Assistant Commissioner HQ at Englan in Wokha district.

Saying that the state possesses vast areas of oil deposits in the districts of Wokha, Mokokchung, Mon, Peren and Dimapur, the chief minister felt that a time has come for exploration of mineral resources in the state. In this regard, the chief minister called upon the landowners, public and government to arrive at a mutual understanding so oil exploration will take place in a ‘healthy manner’.

Saying Wokha district is the richest district in Nagaland in terms of soil, viable climatic conditions, mineral resources and agri-horticulture potential, he complimented the contribution of the Kyongs to the Nagas in many ways. He maintained that the people of Nagaland have been benefiting much through the Doyang Hydro Project and surplus production in agri-horticulture from this district.

Also stating that the rays of progress and development can move faster when public support and cooperation is there, he urged to focus with seriousness for all-round development of the state. Terming unity as the biggest weapon for development and progress to take place, Rio pointed to harnessing unity and peace to reap the fruits of ‘developmental packages’.

Y. Patton, Parliamentary Secretary for Geology & Mining, also legislator from 37 Tyui Assembly Constituency, said Englan range consists of about 15-20,000 population but still backward. He urged for more attention to the people of this range. Urging the people to maintain unity, Patton also called upon them to cooperate with the government so developmental packages in every possible way can be facilitated.

“We need peace and security” said home minister Imkong L. Imchen in his speech. He said development will take place only when there is peace. Also, minister for Agriculture Dr. Chumben Murry said “we want to be at par with the rest of the world,” and strongly felt that special attention must be given to this area on the developmental front. The living condition of this range still needs improvement in many areas, he said.

K. Thungdemo Lotha, president of the Englan Range Gazetted Officer’s Forum said the creation of EAC headquarters at Englan has ‘touched the hearts of the people of Englan range with a reality’ while saying it looks forward to the government for speedy development and progress in the days to come
Kyongs take tough stand on AR morungexpress
Dimapur, November 10 (MExN): Following the Tokhu Emong upheaval, the Kyong community today issued a number of decrees against the 41 Assam Rifles posted at Wokha town, virtually censuring the force from associating with the Kyong public. Amongst the five points issued by apex Kyong organizations, include censuring the 41 AR from drawing water from Wokha town’s biggest and central water source ‘Etsu Chukha’; censuring the public from entering the AR camp and removal of the AR from the town.

A joint statement appended by the chief executives of the Kyong Hoho, Kyong Students’ Union, Kyong Eloe hoho and the Wokha Town Council was received here today. The 41 battalion of the Assam Rifles at Wokha town are to withdraw immediately. Relatively, it was also mentioned that the present location housing the force is in the heart of public-inhabited areas and should be shifted immediately. The resolutions also censured the AR from pumping water from Etsu Chuka while no public member is allowed to access the AR camp. Violation of this resolution shall be strictly viewed, the community said. Mention may be made here that the AR camp has a “canteen”, one of the town public’s most-accessed places in Wokha, where domestic goods and commodities are procured.

The Kyong community also censured the town’s public from procuring or “collecting” liquor from the AR camp. Any one found guilty of breach of this resolution shall be ‘strictly viewed’ the resolutions said.

The Kyong Hoho in the statement also gave a gist of the cause that led to the November 6 upheaval during the Tokhu Emong celebrations. According to the statement, a 41 AR jawan, identified as one Mahesh Singh, along with two local girls entered one Hotel Ni-Li. After consuming liquor, a room was demanded. Being refused a room, the jawan threatened the hotel’s manager and verbally abused him using vulgar and lewd language. In the meantime, the commotion enraged two local boys nearby, leading to a “rough scuffle” with the jawan. The following evening, jawan Mahesh Singh returned to the hotel with other jawans in three Maruti Gypsies, “in full operation mood”. The jawans then assaulted the manager and occupants of the hotel. On the 6th, the next day, the “very frustrated jawan” created the now-widely-publicized situation under the pretext of searching for underground workers.

Vehemently condemning the attitude and action of the Assam Rifles for defiling the Tokhu Emong festival, the Kyong apex bodies said, the fracas created by the force was also an insult to not only the Kyong community but also the minister and parliament secretary who were in attendance in the Tokhu Emong festivities.

Also, a separate note from the Kohima Kyong Hoho expressed condemnation for the incident. Creating such ‘emotions’ during traditional festivals should be condemned by all, the Kohima hoho stated. An assurance is made that all Kyong hohos under the Kyong Hoho shall cooperate in any future course of action to be taken.

Kyongs want 41 AR withdrawn DIMAPUR, NOV 9 (NPN): Nagaland post
In the aftermath of the pre-Tokhu incident at Wokha where 41 Assam Rifles resorted to blank firing following a scuffle between some youths and the AR jawans, the Kyong Hoho and its frontal organizations have condemned the incident and demanded immediate withdrawal of the 41 AR battalion.
A joint press statement issued by the Kyong Hoho, chairman, general secretary; Kyong Students’ Union, president; Kyong Eloe Hoho, president and Wokha Town Council, chairperson stated that this was resolved in a meeting held with Wokha Town Colony Chairmen, GBs and elders on November 7.
In addition, the meeting also resolved not to allow the army to henceforth pump water from the public water source (Etsu Chuka). The meeting also resolved that members of the general public have been barred form entering the AR camp from now on.
It further resolved to strictly view anyone found procuring liquor from the AR camp.
The Kyong organizations observed that the present location of the AR camp was in the heart of public inhabited area and thus created unwanted situation. In this regard, the house resolved that the present cantonment should be shifted immediately.
It may be mentioned that on November 5 one AR jawan identified as Mahesh Singh along with two local females had gone to Hotel Ni-Li at around 2 p.m and asked the manager for a room to stay. When he was told that all rooms were booked, Singh reportedly threatened the manager that he would come back the next day. At this, an unidentified person beat up the jawan.
According to the press release, the jawan later came back to the hotel in the evening in three gypsies with other jawans and assaulted the manager and the occupants of the hotel. It said that the jawan also created “situation” on November 6 on the pretext of searching Naga National workers.
Condemning the incident as “senseless”, the organizations said that the biggest festival of the Kyong community celebrated for peace, prosperity and reconciliation was spoiled by the 41 AR by “shedding blood” to its members.
According to the statement, the Kyongs traditionally held as an omen tantamount to cancellation of the auspicious occasion if any unwanted situation arose when the Tokhu Emong was being scheduled.

Home’ rebels aided Huji to trigger blasts - Intelligence sources find evidence of NDFB involvement, arrest vital link A STAFF REPORTER Telegraph
Guwahati, Nov. 9: The National Democratic Front of Boroland helped Huji with logistical support to trigger the serial explosions in Assam, investigating officials claimed today after discovering that the motorbike used in the Barpeta Road blast belonged to the Bodo rebel group. Police in Guwahati, on the other hand, claimed to have “nearly cracked” the blast case after they picked up the man who arranged a garage for the three cars used in the city blasts.
The revelations come a day before representatives of the Unified Command gather to discuss security lapses for the first time since the October 30 blasts that killed 86 and injured hundreds. The toll went up today after Lankeswar Deka, who was undergoing treatment at GNRC Hospital, succumbed to his injuries.
A source in the special investigation team today told The Telegraph that the TVS bike used in the Choudhury Complex blast in Barpeta Road had been in the possession of the NDFB for the past two years. The bike was registered in the name of Ranjit Ramchiary, absconding after the abduction of Jai Singh of Rangia.
“Ramchiary had close contact with the NDFB, till they fell apart over sharing ransom money two years back. The militant group even attacked Ramchiary but he escaped, leaving behind his bike. The NDFB took away the bike and since then it had been in its possession,” the official said.
He said they have also found hints of Ulfa’s involvement. “We are hopeful that in a day or two we will be able to come out with strong evidence of Ulfa’s involvement in the blasts too.”
Though the operation was masterminded by Huji at the behest of the ISI, the NDFB and Ulfa had provided logistical support, he said. Four months back a group of NDFB cadres entered Assam after undergoing training in Bangladesh, the official said. The outfit had entered into a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2005 but has continued to recruit over 1,400 cadres The Bodo outfit was compelled to do the bidding for Huji as two of its battalions were currently undergoing training in Bangladesh.
“They had no other option, but to oblige their mentors,” the official said.
Three more lower Assam towns — Nalbari, Rangia and Pathsala — were on the target list but intense counter-insurgency operations forced a change in plans. A source in Guwahati said the prime accused in the blasts, Pungkha Brahma, was arrested from his house at Datalpara in Fatasil Ambari last night.
“Brahma was actively involved in the execution of the blasts and is a prize catch for us,” a source said. He was produced in court today and remanded in 12 days’ police custody.
The investigating agencies have also zeroed in on a house at Gorchuk in the city where the three cars used in the Guwahati blasts were kept on October 29 before being parked at the blast sites. The police have also picked up the owner of the house, Mridul Basumatary, for interrogation. Brahma had arranged to have the cars kept at his house.
“From the arrests and detention made after the blasts, the involvement of a militant outfit of the state has been proven. The state government will name the outfit as soon as sufficient and irrefutable evidence is collected,” the source said.
When the Unified Command meets tomorrow, it will have a lot of answering to do to chief minister Tarun Gogoi for their inability to prevent the blasts despite specific intelligence inputs about the impending strikes.
Jehadi role in blasts not ruled out KaLYAN BARooaH Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Nov 10 – Though the possibility of involvement of Jehadi militants in the Assam serial blast has not been ruled out, the needle of suspicion points toward a renegade faction of the NDFB. The Bodo militants were used as foot soldiers though nobody is saying that the Jehadi militants were not involved, a Home Ministry official said.

The Government of Assam, meanwhile, has been directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to deploy Close Circuit TVs in busy localities and market places in Guwahati city immediately. The orders came in the aftermath of the blasts. The CCTV by itself would not be effective unless a control room is set up linking the CCTVs, an official spokesman said.

The State Government may be asked to install CCTVs in two other big cities including Dibrugarh and Jorhat, sources said.

The blasts has rattled the North Eastern States, so much so that all States bordering Bangladesh has sent SOSs to the Ministry of Home Affairs, asking for deployment of additional BSF, besides intensification of border patrolling until completion of the fencing work along the international border, an official spokesman said.

The separate pleas made by the States of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura also comes with a request that the BSF be directed by the Home Ministry to increase patrolling of the vulnerable sectors.. The North Eastern States also suggested that the BSF should be asked to focus on smuggling of arms and explosives

Reacting to news reports claiming that clues indicated involvement of ULFA and NDFB, the Home Ministry official said that the suspicions point toward an anti-talk faction within the NDFB.

However, the Home Ministry is going to take up this issue strongly with the NDFB leadership when it comes for extension of the ceasefire next month. Sources said according to Assam Government’s assessment most of the problems are arising from Bangladesh and not from Myanmar. The State Government has told the Home Ministry that most of the instructions to the militant groups come from the neighbouring country, sources said.

Assam is worried by ULFA’s link with HUJI, while recent reports of some ULFA-men visiting Nepal has also rattled the State Government. Most of the information is based on electronic intercepts, sources added.

Meanwhile, ULFA’s links with the bomb blast emanate from intelligence inputs that suggested that the militant outfit had been planning some major operation in Guwahati city. Investigators believe that planning for the blasts was going on for months.

Sources said the Central agencies had got wind of ULFA and NDFB’s plan and according sent two advisories including one before Puja. The same advisory was extended on October 22. The blasts took place on October 30.

Though the initial planning may have taken place across the border, but the logistical support meetings were believed to have taken in NDFB’s designated camps. The procurement of the vehicles by people closely linked with the Bodo militant outfit indicates involvement of the outfit, sources said.

Those who planned the blasts have been identified and links established. The perpetrators have disappeared but we are close to identifying them as well, an official said.

The real clincher was the timer device, which outlawed ULFA is known to use frequently. The Programmable Timer Devices (PTD) is ULFA’s signature. While in rest of the blasts timer clocks were used, in Assam this particular switches were used to trigger blasts.

Admitting that the blasts in Assam has rattled the Centre like no other in recent times, sources said that one of the major cause of concern was use of the RDX, that too in such huge quantity. Elsewhere in the country, ammonium nitrate packed with shrapnel was used in the bombs, sources pointed out. The particular combination of explosives used in Assam was used only in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.

Press Release
The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) is shocked that it has been alleged as having involvement in the series of bomb blasts which recently shook entire Assam where many innocent people including the children and women were killed. The NDFB is working for peace of the entire region and is on peace process with the government of India at present to resolve the long cherished political problem of the Boro people through a peaceful negotiation. Our cadres are huddled in the designated camps and are complying with the cease-fire ground rules at their best level. It is really surprising that despite our sincere effort to keep pace with the spirit of peace negotiation some vicious circles of having vested interests are seen to be hatching conspiracy against the NDFB with their sole intention to break down the peace process which consequently will harm not only the NDFB but also the entire Boro people. We have not only termed the series of blasts as cruel and human act but also condemned this dastardly killing. We condemn the unseen forces which are working against the Boro people.

On the next day of the blast on organization known as Islamic Security Force (IM) claimed the responsibility. Ridiculously the attention has been side-track from them for an unknown re4ason. The NDFB can be alleged as having involvement simply because vehicles suspected to be used in the blasts belonged to Boro people. There are possibilities of being used by other organizations. All the persons who have been arrested from different places so far on allegation of having involvement in the blasts are civilians. They are students, rickshaw-pullers and thela -pullers. They are neither the members of the NDFB nor have any relationship with the NDFB. One Thungri Narzari of village Khelamari of Dhamdhama, Baksa, who is suspected to be the kingpin of the blasts by the security agencies, is not the member of the NDFB. The NDFB is not involved in the blasts as has been blamed through the media. The allegation that the NDFB is involved in the recent blasts of Assam is false and baseless. We rather appeal the authorities concerned to bring the real culprit to justice and spare the innocent people from being unleashed unnecessary harassment.

The NDFB is committed to the peace process and will continue its talk with the government of India until the political aspiration of Boro people is resolved to the best satisfaction of the entire Boro populace. The allegation is nothing but a ploy to corner out the Boro people as a whole with the sole intention to crush down and make them subject to further suppression and dominance thereof. Therefore We would like to appeal all the Boro organizations- political or non-political and also all the Boro people to stand united against the anti-Boro forces which are conspiring against the Boro people as well as to work together for the achievement of political aspiration of the Boro people.

( S. Sanjarang) Dated the 10/11/08
Information and Publicity Secretary, NDFB

NDFB denies involvement Staff reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Nov 10 – The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) today claimed that it was not involved in the serial blasts as alleged by the Government and called upon the authorities to bring the real culprits to book. In a statement here today, the publicity secretary of the outfit, S Sanjarang said that the NDFB is working for peace in the entire region and is on ceasefire for political solution of the long pending demands. The outfit said that it would continue to talk with the Government of India till the long cherished political aspirations of the “Boro people” are fulfilled.

The NDFB asserted that the persons arrested so far in connection with the blasts were not members of the outfit and said that the outfit cannot be blamed for the “Inhuman acts” only because the vehicles used in the blasts were Bodo people. The NDFB also appealed to all Bodo organizations to stand united against “anti-Bodo forces”.