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12/26/2008: "Nagaland is more peaceful than neighbours: Imkong PTI"

Nagaland is more peaceful than neighbours: Imkong PTI

KOHIMA: The home minister of Nagaland on Wednesday claimed that the state was more peaceful than neighbouring Assam and Manipur due to complete control over law and order situation.

Claiming the situation in Nagalad's commercial town of Dimapur "under control", home minister Imkong Imchen expressed dismay over inter-state intelligence sharing and co-operation to check activities of inter-state criminal gangs. Interacting with media after a party function at Dimapur, Imkong described the incidents of extortion, robbery, kidnapping in Dimapur as "normal crimes" and praised police in ensuring peace and security among the citizens by arresting several persons involved in crimes.

When his attention was drawn to several instances of abductions and ransom demand by armed gangs in Dimapur, he claimed the recent two such cases, when two businessmen were abducted and subsequently released, was "not a pure abduction but a hostage situation."

"In a hostage situation, the prime motive is ransom, and police have to act carefully to avoid endangering the lives of the victims," Imchen said.

He described those involved in the crimes as "people with perverted mind and character".

On demand for strengthening security measures by business community in Dimapur in the face of increasing cases of threats and kidnapping for ransom, Home Minister asserted that the present police force was sufficient and family members of the victims and public should extend co-operation to them.
Be instruments of peace, Rio urges morungexpress
Dimapur, December 23 (MExN): The Government of Nagaland wishes the people Merry Christmas and that the joyful event would bring out the best in all, to be instruments of peace. “Let this Christmas season bring out the best in all of us, and bring the people of Nagaland closer to one another, enabling us to glorify God and become instruments of peace in the world” stated the Christmas message from Nagaland Chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
In Christmas, the greatest gift of God to mankind, in his act of sending his only son to save humanity, can be seen, the message said. “This greatest gift comes back to us afresh every year to remind and challenge us to give back out best to God and to our fellow human beings in return; that is the real purpose of Christmas and in fact, the purpose of life itself” the message said.
The government’s message urged to give one’s best, to forgive and forget and to banish all that are ugly and selfish and replace them with love and compassion for real peace to reign. “We don’t find peace in our hearts, because we do not forgive others and when we forgive others we are at peace with ourselves; and then we can share that peace with others and build a peaceful atmosphere in the society” the message read. The message urged to make Christmas meaningful in that love is better than hate, peace is better than war, “cooperation” better than conflict, persuasion is better than force and that ‘gentleness is always better than violence’. The people are wished a blessed Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year ahead.

'Acclaim from his own people is very important' The Hindu
Kohima (PTI): For young painter Temsuyanger Longkumer, getting acclaim from the art critics in Europe, where he is based, is as important as getting appreciation from his own people in Nagaland where his roots are.
Though his stay in London, he says, has exposed himself to balmy western winds, he cannot wish away the strong pull of his Naga ethnicity.
This is reflected in his art works in myriad forms as seen in an exhibition of his collections in Kohima recently during the Hornbill festival.
The exhibition was organised by the Morung Foundation, publisher of the English daily Morung Express. Works of three other artists also featured in the exhibition.
He said that though based in Europe he was looking for an opportunity to know his own people's reaction to his work 'because I feel, I owe them a lot since I have taken so much from this land'.
"In fact, I had saved many works for the Naga viewers and buyers, showing 'not-for-sale' labels during the exhibitions in Delhi or in European cities."
Temsuyanger's journey from sleepy Merangkong village in Mokokchung district in Nagaland to London and getting established in the critical art world of the city is very important for him. He went to London in 2001 with a Commonwealth scholarship to study printmaking at the Royal College of Art and now lives and works in a company as print-maker.
Temsuyanger told PTI that being in London has opened a window of opportunity for him as 'London has replaced Paris as the world art centre now'.
Nagaland’s silk to play up economy morungexpress
Kohima, December 23 (MExN): Seeing tremendous potential in the development of silk (of Eri) in Nagaland, the department of sericulture is giving special emphasis to it. During the annual plan period 2007-08, the production target is expected to reach 150 MT of cocoon and 1200 MT of Eri pupae with a face value of Rs. 195.00 Lakh for cocoon and Rs. 960.00 Lakh for pupae respectively, according to the administrative report of the sericulture department.
The report said sericulture is a labor intensive agro-industry and is generally a rural-based activity normally practiced by farmers in the rural areas. The activities being labor intensive, it provides ample scope for generation of maximum employment opportunities. It also ensures greater rate of returns to farmers as well as promote self-reliance. Sericulture, with its vast potential for employment generation, can play a vital role in alleviating rural properly. It has a unique advantages and suitability to rural set-up.
In its production processes, sericulture makes a long chain of interdependent specialized operation like nurturing silkworm food plants, silkworm seed production, silkworm rearing and cocoon production, silk reeling and spinning, twisting, weaving, printing, dyeing, finishing and marketing. For a smooth production chain, various operations require human skill, input support, technological intervention, technical assistance and most importantly easy availability of finance, besides a sound extension back-up.
The most-amazing feature of sericulture activities is the low capital investment in multiple crops-harvest with high production returns. This rightly fits into the socio-economic structure of rural areas and also works as an effective tool for employment generation, to uplift the economy and improve their livelihood, the report added.

Traders threaten to down shutters from Dec 27 Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR DEC23 [EMN] : The December 20 incident of assault on a prominent trader by the personal bodyguards of a minister is turning messy with the business community threatening to down shutters from December 27 in reaction to the statement made by the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of the concerned legislator.


Evidently infuriated with the rejoinder issued by the PSO to H&FW Minister, stating that no apology is deserved in connection to the physical assault, the business community, under the banner of Dimapur District Chamber of Commerce this evening resolved to close the market unless a formal apology from the Minister himself is not received. Countering the PSO’s statement that the presence of the Minister’s wife during the incident and her being at Eros Lane is a ‘cooked-up story’, the DDCC president categorically said that such allegation should not be directed at the DDCC as the same was informed by the bodyguards themselves.

“That was not our statement but that of the security personnel when they assaulted the victim Rehman. In fact, they introduced themselves as the personal guards of the Health Minister,’ he said. On the matter of the issue being a one sided story, the DDCC head responded that the business community were not interested in listening to the other side of the story when one of their members have been assaulted by security personnel for no reason at all. “Why were the personal guards roaming fully armed during lunch time and isn’t it the responsibility of the PSO to control his subordinates instead of instigating them, he further questioned.

The PSO, while stating that the question of personal apology from the Minster doesn’t arise as he was not present during the incident and neither was his wife in Dimapur, also claimed that accused personnel were on lunch break when the incident occurred. The business community also wants the Personal Security Officer (PSO) arrested for failing in his responsibility and the bodyguards, involved in the incident, to be forwarded to judicial custody. The security personnel involved in the assault were reportedly arrested and then set free on bail. Also coming down heavily on the inability of the Minister to give a formal apology, the DDSC President said the Minister being a responsible public leader should himself give the statement and not the PSO.

DDCC members and around 200 members of the business community were present at the meeting held at Durga Mandir early Tuesday evening.

Insurgent groups in NE being trained by ISI: Centre (Agencies)

New Delhi, December 23: The Centre has said insurgent groups in the Northeastern states receive logistics support and training from Pakistan's intelligence organisation, ISI.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Radhika V Selvi said the Centre receives inputs about ISI involvement in the Northeastern states from time to time.
"Inputs received from time to time indicate that some underground/insurgent groups operating in the Northeastern states have links with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and that the ISI is providing assistance to them by way of logistic support and training etc," she said on Tuesday.
With regard to the question about the total number of ISI agents arrested in the region during the last three years, she said one ISI operative was arrested for espionage in Assam in 2005 along with five persons suspected to be accomplices.

Rebels bomb railway track, narrow escape for Rajdhani Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Dec 24: A major disaster was averted today when a powerful explosion missed the super fast Rajdhani Express from New Delhi by a couple of minutes, although the blast damaged a portion of a railway track in Karbi Anglong district, officials said.
A police spokesman said the blast took place at around 1 am near Khatkhati village in the eastern Karbi Anglong district, about 300 km from Guwahati. “The Rajdhani Express had just crossed Khatkhati when the explosion took place. Probably it was a remote controlled device and those who triggered the blast failed to execute, thereby averting a tragedy,” a police official said by telephone from Diphu.
A railway spokesman said a stretch of the track was damaged in the blast.
“We shall be able to resume normal train service soon as repair work is going on,” the railway official said. The Rajdhani Express was bound for Tinsukia from New Delhi and was carrying about 700 people.
Police blamed the All Adivasi National Liberation Front (AANLA) for the blast. “The blast was probably in retaliation to the arrest of five top AANLA leaders, including their chief, from Jharkhand recently,” the official said. IANS

NDFB infighting baffles security agencies Staff reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Dec 25 – The sudden removal of Ranjan Daimary alias DR Nabla from the post of chairman of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) by the general assembly of the outfit has baffled the security agencies and the State and Central governments are yet to take any decision on whether to extend the term of the ceasefire agreement with the outfit or not. However, highly placed official sources expressed the view that the Centre might decide to extend the term of the agreement for a short duration in view of the latest development inside the outfit to “give peace a chance”.

The ceasefire agreement with the NDFB will expire on December 31 and the Central and State governments would have to take a decision by that time on whether to extend the agreement or not. However, the date for the meeting of the ceasefire monitoring committee to take the final decision in this regard is yet to be finalized.

Sources said that the involvement of members of the NDFB in the serial blasts on October 30 forced the Government to rethink on extending the ceasefire agreement, but the removal of Ranjan Daimary from the position of chairman of the outfit might force the Government to extend the ceasefire agreement. The security agencies, however, are sceptical of the whole affair and they are of the view that the change in leadership of the NDFB might be a ploy to ensure extension of the cease-fire agreement.

Security sources said that the involvement of members of the NDFB in the serial blasts has been proved beyond doubt as majority of the persons arrested so far in connections with the blasts were members of the third battalion of the outfit. Sources said that the outfit as a whole might not be involved in the blasts but there are reports that the members of the outfit carried out the attacks as per the instructions of Ranjan Daimary, which might have forced the general assembly of the outfit to remove him from the post to ensure extension of the ceasefire agreement.

Sources revealed that since the signing of the ceasefire agreement in 2005, there have been allegations of violation of ground rules of the agreement by the members of the outfit. The security agencies are of the view that members of the NDFB were involved in the killing of five SSB personnel along the Assam-Bhutan border. But the outfit denied the allegation and no one was arrested. Sources said that members of the NDFB were involved in extortions and kidnappings in different parts of Assam but the most disturbing aspect is the reports of fresh recruitments. According to reports available with the security agencies, several batches of new recruits were trained in a training camp of the outfit in the Khagrachari area of Bangladesh and even now at least 150 cadres of the outfit are staying with Ranjan Daimary in Bangladesh.

Sources said that one hardcore NDFB man Nilim Daimary, arrested in Meghalaya in the month of September, also confirmed the fact that the new recruits were given full-fledged training in handling of weapons and explosives in Bangladesh as he was also in that particular camp for quite some time before coming back to India.

Recession, militancy hit Indo-Myanmar trade SURAJIT KHaUND assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Dec 25 – Global financial crisis, poor infrastructure and law-and-order problem have made a huge impact on Indo-Myanmar border trade in 2007-08. Though the Commerce Ministry has taken a slew of measures in order to increase the volume of trade, yet bilateral trade across the border has not witnessed any significant improvement. According to official statistics available with the Manipur Government, border trade between North-east and Myanmar has plummeted causing concern for the traders. What is more alarming is that the quantum of export has dipped significantly compared to import during the last fiscal. In 2007-08, export and import figures had been recorded at Rs 6.02 crore and Rs 416.30 crore respectively whereas in 2006-07, the figures stood at Rs 62.13 crore and Rs 178 crore.

The fall in volume of trade is apparently due to poor law-and-order situation and lack of infrastructure. Worried over the situation, many traders have withdrawn their business from Moreh.

Moreh, the main trade point of the North-east with Myanmar, remained closed on 15 occasions following bandhs called by the militant groups and other social
organisations operating in the area, causing major disappointment among the traders. Traders of the region involved in export and import had to face a tough time while pursuing business with Myanmar. “We need proper storage facilities at Moreh while exporting our goods to Myanmar. Despite demands, we have not been able to convince the Centre in this regard”, a group of traders told this correspondent. To substantiate their claims, the traders alleged that they had apprised of the situation to the Manipur and Mizoram governments urging them to take appropriate steps for smooth conduct of trade which has not materialize so far.

Perennial militancy problem was one the reasons for poor trade between North-east and Myanmar. Frequent incidents of firing between security forces and underground members had a big impact on border trade between the countries.

Similarly, illegal trade was a matter of concern for the Manipur Government and the Union Commerce Ministry as well. The volume of illegal trade has reached such a magnitude that the Indian Government had decided to set up a composite checkpost at the Moreh trade point.

The Indo-Myanmar Border Traders’ Union (IMBTU), the main trade body of Manipur which has been pursuing trade with Myanmar, has blamed the Centre for poor trade volume.

“The Centre recently increased the tradeable items from 22 to 42, but unfortunately proper notification is yet to be made in this regard,” WN Singh, a senior member of IMBTU told this correspondent today. He also alleged that the Commerce Ministry is not at all sincere as far as bilateral trade is concerned. “Despite our repeated demands the ministry has turned a blind eye in this regard,” he added.

Ensure safety of students from NE: AGP Spl correspondent assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Dec 25 – Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has demanded strong action against the culprits responsible for perpetrating attacks on students hailing from the North-east.

Moving a Special Mention Notice on Tuesday Kumar Deepak Das amidst the din in the Rajya Sabha called for adequate steps from the government to ensure safety of the region’s students in the capital city.

Charging that the experience of the students in the national capital has been horrible, Das said that number of cases of heinous crimes like assault, molestation, rape have been lodged at the various police stations.

The MP raised the particular incident of December 13, when two working girls, who came to the capital city in search of jobs, were assaulted and molested by their landlords and their accomplices at Gurgaon. Both the girls hailed from Manipur.

He lamented that the Haryana Police finally agreed to file an FIR against the culprits but ‘subject to investigation’. They were booked under softer laws of the IPC, he charged.

Udalguri district admn preparing ‘village database’
Correspondent Assam Tribune
KALAIGAON, Dec 25 – The district administration in Udalguri has been preparing to introduce ‘village database’ system to be launched for the first time in any district of Assam.

It is worth mentioning that lack of infrastructure and co-ordination had made the previous district administration crippled, resulting in rapid spread of communal violence on October last in the district. The district administration had to waste almost 24 hours to tackle the situation due to lack of co-ordination and infrastructure.

There had been no data in the DC’s office, not even a fax machine. The new Deputy Commissioner of Udalguri, SS Meenakshi Sundaram has different ideas. His first motto was to create infrastructure, communication and manpower. He told this correspondent at his office on December 19 that preparations for introducing ‘village database’ in Udalguri have nearly been completed, which would help in running the administration far better at greater speed.

According to him, this would be the first such administrative adventure in the State. He humbly acknowledged the idea of original ‘database’ project conceived by Jishnu Barua, Commissioner and Secretary to the CM of Assam.

According to him the situation in Udalguri gave him the idea to upgrade ‘database’ to ‘village database’. If implemented properly, a DC could monitor and control any activity or incident which occurs in the whole district single handedly within much less time.

Briefing about the new project, DC, Sundaram said that ‘village database’ has been proposed revenue circle wise and names of all the villages, households, population pattern, religion of the people of the villages, languages spoken, geography of the villages, name of the gaonburhas, names of gram sevaks, government officials, all with contact phone numbers, educational institutions in the villages (government/ semi-government/ private) have been prepared by the circle officers concerned.

The ‘village database’ would also contain all the details of the village like roads (PWD, NH or village roads), passing through the villages, distance between villages; condition of the bridges, power and water supply system in the villages. All such data would be stored and updated in the control room accessible to the DC at any time.

The Deputy Commissioner also said that people could send him any information or messages directly to his e-mail ID (to be notified soon) and prompt action would be taken. Intellectuals and media persons of the district have welcomed the move.

`State media needs to be sensitised to conflict issues` The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Dec 24: The Editors` Forum, Manipur organized a seminar on "Role of media in the present situation in Manipur" at the State Guest House in Imphal today. Speaking at the inaugural function, S Mangi Singh said that media plays a significant role in molding a society.

"Media is the only platform for disseminating information, opinion and knowledge and hence, we need to realize its immense potential and power," he said.

Speaking on "Present socio-economic and political situation in Manipur and role to be played by the media" in the technical session Prof. DS Sharma said, "Media today needs to study and reflect upon the socio economic and conflict situation that Manipur is going through. It needs to keep an eye on every aspect of life and the times we live in, understand every aspect of influence and yet be neutral."

He also said that media had a great role in fostering fraternal ties between the various ethnic groups and communities and added that media in Manipur needs to be a watch-body in terms of the various programs and policies that the government is taking up. "The Look East Policy will in reality give about 10 percent benefit to the people of Manipur through the trans-highway. The media needs to be well informed to generate awareness and create opinion about this," he said.

Irengbam Arun, editor of the Ereibak daily speaking on "Responsibility of media for a better social change" said that the reflection of the rising violence in the state in the newspapers had its peril.

"The public has become so used to reading about conflict related news that newspapers that carry less news on violence are considered to be a lesser newspaper than others," he said.

"This means that news related to development or other issue based reports are given lesser importance in deference to the wishes of the reading public," he added saying that there is a need for positive stories and reporting to bring about a better society. According to him, social change can be engineered with due empowerment of the public which in turn can be triggered by positive reporting.

Speaking on "Media in conflict situation", Brojendro Ningombam, editor in chief, Huiyen Lanpao said that the media had become mere pawns in the conflict situation in Manipur. Citing various incidents in which the Manipur media had been caught between the state armed forces and non state armed forces, he said that media has ended up as a weapon of propaganda to be used by either party.

"With the armed conflict happening in the state, no profession is safe, the media more so, as it is intrinsically connected to the situation. In the event of yet another difficult situation, journalists need to rethink and take examples from other parts of the world," he said.

N Sanatomba, secretary of the Editors` Forum said that the seminar was being held to come up with suggestions and recommendations on the role of the media in the context of the conflict situation in Manipur.