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08/08/2009: "Kitovi assures business community of curbing antisocial elements Nagaland Page"

Kitovi assures business community of curbing antisocial elements Nagaland Page

Says, non-Naga communities shall be accorded certain status in Naga society
Dimapur, August 7: Ato Kilonser of GPRN, Kitovi Zhimomi has assured the business community of taking measures to curb antisocial elements that are posing as national workers and threatening prospective investors in Nagaland.
Kitovi had invited the Chairman, Dimapur Municipal Council with his councilors and the President and colleagues of Dimapur Chamber of Commerce at Khehoi Camp on August 5 last and held meeting with them.
He also apprised the Dimapur people's representatives that it is not the GPRN alone that can eradicate the existent social evils. He urged upon the DMC & DCC for a collective effort through trust, support and co-ordination to normalize the abnormal situation.
The Ato Kilonser also called upon all Naga citizens to come forward and extend their respective help and support to unite the Nagas with moral and emotional conviction so that our aspired goal of resolving the protracted Indo-Naga-Burma political imbroglio is realized.
He asserted that Non-Naga organizations should not be allowed to burden the public with taxation or intimidate the business fraternity in Nagaland. There are Anti-Naga agents whose sole aim is to cripple the Naga people's economy and undermine the people's political movement, he said adding, GPRN shall not be a silent spectator against these elements.
Kitovi further assured that all young Naga entrepreneurs undertaking new business ventures should be encouraged and exempted from the purview of taxes. He said that the young educated 1st generation Naga entrepreneurs should be supported by one and all so that self-employment and economic morale is boosted in Nagaland.
He conveyed that the non-Naga communities, who have entrenched themselves with the Nagas for several decades, traversing and contributing towards the socio-economic and political progress of the Nagas, shall be accorded certain status in the Naga society, although they can never become Nagas yet they shall be acknowledged none the less. He said that there are many Nagas who reside in other countries accepting and offering utmost respect for the customs and traditions of their new environment. Likewise all non-Nagas who have adopted Nagaland as their home temporarily or permanently must also be accepted by us provided they observe and respect the Naga customs and traditions, social, political and historical issues of the Naga people.
He stressed that Nagas should awaken to the reality and free ourselves from the shackles of disunity. A collective effort to resolve the conflict must be achieved. He added that as long as the Nagas are disunited, external elements would continue to choke and strangulate us economically, socially and politically.
Ato Kilonser concluded with a quotation, "Our coming together yesterday was the beginning; Today, we are staying together which are good signs of progress; and our working together would ultimately bring to us success".
The meeting began with the grace said by the Chaplain, Council of Nagaland Churches, 2nd Brigade, Naga Army and ended with the benediction pronounced by Heqheto, Member NPAC, NSCN. (Page News Service)
Flowers or honey? It’s all about money NISHIT DHOLABHAI The telegraph


A girl at an organic farm at Niathu garden in Dimapur
Kohima/New Delhi, Aug. 6: Honey and flowers should go hand in hand as symbols of love but in Nagaland, they are in conflict. The root cause, as always, is money.
The northeastern state plans to expand both its home-grown honey and flower industries, hoping to garner a slice of the world market and earn a packet. The problem is, officials say, it cannot do both at the same time.
Floriculture on a large scale would mean widespread use of pesticides, which would mean the honey from the nectar of such flowers would be considered “inorganic”.
However, the state wants to produce the rarer and costlier “organic” honey, and set up a Nagaland Honey and Bee Mission (NHBM) last year to implement and oversee the project.
To be certified “organic”, honey must be made from flowers grown without synthetic fertilisers, additives or pesticides such as sulfa compounds and antibiotics. Nor can carbolic acid be used to remove honey from the hive, or calcium cyanide to kill the bees before extracting the honey.
Nagaland now produces about 185 tonnes of organic honey a year. The NHBM is targeting 5,000 tonnes of organic honey by 2017 that could bring in Rs 130 crore, about a tenth of the plan money the state gets annually from Delhi, said state development commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir.
India produces 52,000 tonnes of organic honey and exports 15,000 tonnes, with China dominating the 1.4-million-tonne world market with exports of 300,000 tonnes.
However, as the NHBM prepares to gain the “organic” certification to clear the decks for rapid expansion, its objectives are threatened by the state’s concurrent plans to expand floriculture.
“The two cannot go together, especially when the world over the honeybee population is dwindling because of pesticide use,” said NHBM director Mathung Yanthan.
He added that whatever Nagaland might earn from an expanded floriculture industry could not match the returns from honey. The anthuriums of Kohima and roses of Mokokchung now sell in Mumbai’s markets but their export is almost nil.
Former horticulture secretary Thangi Mannen, however, argued that commercial floriculture is done in greenhouses that are out of bounds for bees — so the honey mission’s misgivings are unfounded.
But the NHBM’s Yanthan said that when flowers are grown on a large scale across the state, it would be impossible to keep the bees away from them entirely. This could stand in the way of getting “organic” certification for the honey.
Other officials said that in floriculture, Nagaland would stand little chance against developed states like Karnataka that were backed by infrastructure and market links.
“Honey, on the other hand, is a sweet alternative that can naturally develop in the rural landscape,” development commissioner Jamir said.
Nagaland’s leading honey producer is the village of Nima in Kohima district. Its Angami Naga residents build apiaries by digging a trench and rearing honeybees on stone slabs and wood. The NHBM wants to promote organic honey through this traditional method, Yanthan said.
Kitovi assures business community morungexpress N. Kitovi Zhimomi
‘Ato kilonser’ of “GPRN/NSCN”
Dimapur, August 7 (MExN): The “GPRN/NSCN” today said to have “invited” the Dimapur Municipal Council and Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and in a meeting on August 5, discussed what was stated to be measures to curb “anti-social elements,” taxation and similar matters. On August 5, the ‘ato kilonser’ N Kitovi Zhimomi invited the DMC and DCC at its designated camp at Khehoi for “free, open and cordial meeting” during which the “people’s sentiments” and “situation” with “special reference” to Dimapur’s business community was conveyed.
According to a note from the MIP, Zhimomi assured the business community of taking “measures” to curb “anti-social elements” who are “posing as national workers” and “threatening prospective investors in our land.” He asserted that non-Naga organizations shall not be allowed to “burden the public” with what the MIP note called “taxation” or to “intimidate the business fraternity in Nagaland.” “There are anti-Naga agents whose sole aim is to cripple the Naga people’s economy and undermine the people’s political movement. GPRN shall not be a silent spectator against these elements” the note quoted.
The MIP note further quoted him as ‘assuring’ that “all young Naga entrepreneurs” undertaking new business ventures shall be encouraged and exempted from the “purview of taxes.” The MIP further quoted Zhimomi as staying was that “the non-Naga communities, who have entrenched themselves with the Nagas for several decades, traversing and contributing towards the socio-economic and political progress of the Nagas, shall be accorded certain status in the Naga society, although they can never become Nagas yet they shall be acknowledged nonetheless.”
He claimed that there are “many Nagas who reside in other countries accepting and offering utmost respect for the customs and traditions of their new environment” and so “all non-Nagas who have adopted Nagaland as their home temporarily or permanently must also be accepted by us provided they observe and respect the Naga customs and traditions, social, political and historical issues of the Naga people.”
The MIP stated that the ‘ato kilonser’ has “called upon all Naga citizens to come forward and extend their respective help and support to unite the Nagas with moral and emotional conviction so that our aspired goal of resolving the protracted Indo-Naga-Burma political imbroglio is realized.” He concluded by stating, “Our coming together yesterday was the beginning; Today, we are staying together which are good signs of progress; and our working together would ultimately bring to us success.”

Ultras may use two-wheelers to trigger blasts STAFF Reporter Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Aug 8 – The latest intelligent input gathered by the Assam Police indicated that cadres of banned ULFA and anti-talk faction of NDFB may again fall back to two-wheelers to trigger explosion in the city in the run up to the Independence Day celebration. “They have done it on earlier occasions too but this time they are planning to the plant the explosive somewhere near the oil tanker of the mobike to cause maximum damage. They might even use more than one bike to do the it,” sources in the police department stated.

Following this, the department has decided to engage Home Guards and Recruit Constables in and around the parking lots to avert any subversive activities.

When contacted, SP Traffic (City) Pradeep Pujari confirmed that services of Home Guards and Recruit Constables have been sought for manning the vulnerable parking lots in and around the city.

“As it would not be possible to engage them in all the parking lots, the deployment therefore would be done on priority basis,” Pujari stated.

He also informed that a meeting involving the Guwahati Municipal Corporation, the lessees was held recently where they have been sensitized about the threat perception.

“Strict guidelines have been issued to them to ensure accountability on their part,” Pujari asserted, adding the department has sought the list of the men engaged to man the parking lots by the lessees.

Three rebels killed, 3 arrested in I-Day run-up Sentinel
: Our Bureau
GUWAHATI/KOKRAJHAR, Aug 8: With the Independence Day barely a week away, three militants were killed, as many of them arrested, and a railway engineer was abducted in various parts of the State since last night.
The two factions of the NDFB engaged themselves in an encounter At Bagalimari in the Tamulpur area in Baksa district last night. Acting on a tip-off, a team of Gandhibari police station rushed to the spot, engaged itself in the shoot-out and killed a cadre of the Ranjan Daimary faction of the outfit. The killed militant is yet to be identified. A hand grenade and a pistol were recovered from the site of the encounter.
At Hograjuli in Sonitpur district, two NDFB cadres who were on a collection drive were beaten to death by the local people today.
In another incident at Batasipur under Dhekiajuli police station, suspected NDFB cadres kidnapped a railway engineer, Sanjai Lama, today.
In yet another incident at Ghoskhata under Dotma police station, the police arrested two NSCN-IM and an NDFB militants last night. The NSCM-IM cadres have been identified as Lukia Chema (35) and Hobese Chesi (35), and the NAFB (R) cadre as Narayan Basumatary. The militants were taking shelter in the area in the house of one Dilip Brahma.
A joint team of police and Army recovered two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) weighing three kg and two kg respectively from No. 1 Haoriapad village under Gossaigaon police station this morning. Two persons — Md Nafruddin Sheikh (26) and Md Karirul Jaman (14) — were arrested in this connection. Army sources said militant outfits like MULTA have been trying to carry out subversive activities during the Independence Day.
‘Land Act needs huge change’ Sentinel
: By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Aug 8: The Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886, needs a complete overhaul in order to solve the increasing problems of the common man in matters of land deal. This was stated by Principal Secretary for Revenue and Disaster Management VK Pipersenia.
Speaking to The Sentinel, Pipersenia said, ‘‘The State Government is making efforts to simplify land deal, registration and mutation for the benefit of its people.’’ He also said unless the entire system is computerized, the harassment of the public in matters of land and property will continue.
According to him, land registration and mutation should take place simultaneously. At present, there is a gap between the two, leading to numerous problems.
As per law, tribal land cannot be sold to non-tribal people. But there have been many instances of law violation where tribals give away their land to non-tribals based on a mutual agreement. In this connection, Pipersenia said, ‘‘In the absence of any paper work or registration, it becomes difficult for the Government to take action against those violating the law’’. He further said it is the responsibility of the district administration to look into such cases and take necessary action.
Regarding the controversy over Calamity Relief Fund (CRF), Pipersenia said, ‘‘An amount of Rs 500 crore under the Calamity Relief Fund has been already sanctioned to different departments for various schemes. Since the work carried under various schemes is not over, the money has not been released yet.’’
Apunba Lup sticks to stand Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Aug 8: Reiterating its stand of not re- tracting until the demands for resignation of Chief Mi-nister O Ibobi Singh on mo- ral ground over the July 23 fake encounter at BT Road, punishment of the involved police commandos and un-conditional release of its ar- rested members are fulfilled, the Working Committee of the Apunba Lup has called upon the people to uproot the anti-people Government led by Ibobi before Manipur is converted into a land of widows.
In a statement, the Apunba Lup compared the Ibobi Ministry with reign of Hitler who committed war crime against Jews and the genocide of Adim Amin in Uganda and Pol Pot in Cambodia.
Reacting to the clarification issued Secretary to the Chief Minister in connection with a controversial statement allegedly made by the Chief Minister on the floor of the State Assembly, the Apunba Lup categorically stated that it was nothing but a damage control measure.
Appealing to all the people to come and take part in the protest rally and the subsequent submission of a memorandum to the Governor tomorrow, the Apunba Lup has also urged all the private hospitals and Government hospitals to extend every possible assistance in treatment of injured protestors.
A Possible North Korea – Myanmar alliance? Sources: Global Politician
By: Pranamita Baruah
August 8, 2009: At a time when there has been an increasing concern in the international community over the clandestine nuclear programme in North Korea and Iran, reports regarding the possible involvement of Myanmar’s military junta in developing a nuclear arsenal are disturbing.
Factors like the recent aborted voyage of a North Korean ship – the Kang Nam I- allegedly carrying a cargo of Scud-type missiles and heading towards Myanmar, the arrest of two Japanese nationals and a North Korean in June, 2009, this year for allegedly trying to export a magnetic measuring device to Myanmar that could be used to develop missiles, recent photographs of massive tunnels in Myanmar, and the alleged reports of a secret military pact between Myanmar and North Korea, have raised alarm bells that there have been a nuclear relationship between North Korea and Myanmar.
The possibility that Myanmar too might be aspiring to go nuclear, possibly with the help of North Korea, is sending shivers down through the spine of its neighbouring countries, including India.

Reports on this issue started hitting the international media during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Thailand in July to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting. During her visit, Clinton voiced concern over the issue of close North Korean-Myanmar collaboration in the pursuit of offensive weapons, including nuclear armament.
At that time, not many were ready to accept her view on the issue, though. However, a recent report published in the Bangkok Post’s Spectrum magazine as well as the Sydney Morning Herald, clearly suggested that Myanmar has enlisted Pyongyang help in building its own nuclear bomb within the next five years. It definitely substantiated Clinton’s suspicion.

The report was the result of a two-year investigation into Myanmar’s nuclear ambitions by Desmond Ball, a regional security expert at the Australian National University and Phil Thornton, a Thai-based Australian journalist. The report, primarily based on the testimony of two Myanmar defectors, including one army officer and a book keeper for a trading company with close links to the military, claimed that Myanmar is excavating uranium in ten locations and has two uranium plants in operation to refine uranium into ‘yellowcake,’ the fissile material for nuclear weapons. The report further reveals that for the production of nuclear weapons, Myanmar has already planned a plutonium reprocessing plant in Naung Laing, in the country’s north. The plant reportedly runs parallel to a civil nuclear reactor being built at another site by Russia.

Nuclear Alliance?
While explaining Myanmar’s possible motive behind its nuclear ambition, the report reveals that it was basically the inability of the junta to compete with neighbouring Thailand on conventional weapons which ultimately compelled Myanmar to acquire nuclear capability to ‘play power like North Korea’. However, many analysts are of the view that the junta aspires to become nuclear for the dual purpose of international prestige and strategic deterrence.
It has also been pointed out that the junta, under growing pressure to democratize, may seek a nuclear deterrent to any foreign moves to force regime change. It remains undoubtedly true that just like Pyongyang; Rangoon too would like to have a nuclear bomb so that they can challenge the Americans and the rest of the world.

Reports regarding Myanmar’s nuclear ambition started circulating since 1998 when just after the back to back nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan; the junta introduced an Atomic Energy Law (June 8, 1998). However, Myanmar’s interest in developing civil nuclear expertise came to be known in February 2001 when its decade’s long conventional military relationship with Russia was expanded to cover the civil nuclear field.
In September 2001, the Myanmar government reportedly informed the IAEA about its plan to acquire a nuclear research reactor. But the IAEA inspectors, after their visit to the state, concluded that Myanmar did not have the required safety standards. Still, Myanmar went ahead with its exploratory talks with Russia on the subject, on which Moscow responded positively.

Myanmar popped up on the N-radar once again after 9/11 when the US troops reportedly found evidence of contacts between some retired and serving nuclear scientists of Pakistan and Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden. Two of the scientists, reportedly associates of Pakistani atomic renegade, A Q Khan, later on escaped to Myanmar and the junta allegedly offered them refuge there.
Although there was no further reliable news about them, it was believed by many that Myanmar was embarking on a nuclear-research project with the help of those two Pakistani scientists, along with the scientists from Russia. A few years later, the junta had reportedly launched a nuclear-related ‘Ayelar Project’ headed by the two Pakistani scientists.

The steady airborne trade between Pakistan and North Korea in missiles and nuclear parts remains an undeniable fact. However, in 2007, it was reported that a transport aircraft that flew from North Korea to Myanmar flied a flight path across India to Pakistan. This was a sign that the missile trade between Pakistan and North Korea, at times, might have been a triangular trade, including Myanmar.

In January 2002, Myanmar government entered into talks with Russia to build a nuclear research reactor which would be used ‘for peaceful purposes’. However, due to the economic hurdles faced by the junta and the Russian reluctance to finalize the deal with Myanmar until it signs the safeguards agreement with the IAEA, no progress could be made on the nuclear project in the next five years. Ultimately in May 2007, Myanmar signed a MoU with Russian atomic energy agency to establish a nuclear studies center in Myanmar, build a 10-megawatt nuclear research reactor for peaceful purposes and train several hundred technicians in its operation.

Myanmar’s links with Iran too have come to light, as the Myanmar’s defectors alleged that the junta has sent uranium deposits from the mines to Iran (along with Russia) for evaluation.

Just a few months ago, videos and photographs of a mysterious ‘Operation Tortoise Shell’ made its way into Thailand. The evidence provided by these sources implicated that North Korea was helping Myanmar constructing around 800 tunnels during 2003-2006.

Myanmar broke off its diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1983 after Pyongyang’s alleged involvement in the bombing of the Martyr’s mausoleum in Yangon in an attempt to assassinate visiting South Korean President, Chun Doo-hwan. However, common interests brought the two secretive nations back together. A number of army delegations travelled to Pyongyang just after the two sides’ resumption of formal diplomatic relations in 2007.
Soon, the personalities involved in the visits indicated that Myanmar is probably seeking cooperation from the North not only in procuring weapons, but also in establishing air defense weaponry, missiles, rockets or artillery production facilities. At present there has been a speculation that in return of its military cooperation, North Korea might have been provided with uranium by resource-rich Myanmar.

According to the two defectors’ report, although diplomatic relations between Myanmar and North Korea resumed only recently, cooperation between them began in earnest in September 2000 when a MoU was signed by Burma’s Lieutenant General Thein Hla and North Korean major General Kim Chan Su. During 2001-2002, four more contracts were signed. The ‘official’ agreements between the two countries covered nuclear related activities at two sites and involved North Korea’s assistance in installing, maintaining, training, and supplying equipment at the uranium refining and enrichment plant at Thabike Kyin.
At the second reactor site at Naung Laing, the North Koreans agreed to help with the construction of an underground facility and a nuclear reactor. The report further reveals that in recent times, Pyongyang has forged closer ties with the junta by selling arms and missile technology to the latter. Recently, intelligence had found that junta had begun dealing with the Namchongang Trading Company of North Korea for missile and nuclear parts.

Is the allegation credible?
Despite the concern over Myanmar’s possible nuclear ambition, regional intelligence sources seem to be sceptical about the state’s capability to do so. It is so, primarily because verification of stories coming out of Myanmar is quite difficult, as the junta has banned international media.
The shocking revelations of the recent report is based on the statements made by the two defectors who may be trying to boost their own importance in the hope of getting themselves resettled to a third country. After all, in various earlier occasions, the junta tried to put out misinformation to cover what it is really doing.
Above all, Myanmar is a party to the NPT, and under a safeguards agreement with the IAEA, it is obligated to let the UN watchdog know at least six months ahead of operating a nuclear facility. At the recent ARF meet, Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win assured the ASEAN members that his government would abide by the UN Security Council’s recent resolution on North Korea that prohibits any cooperation with Pyongyang in the nuclear sector. Still, the sceptics are willing to concede that the Myanmar regime is not trustworthy.

Reactions
Reactions on Myanmar’s possible nuclear ambition are somewhat mixed. While during her visit to Thailand, Hillary Clinton stated that the possibility of Pyongyang transferring nuclear technology to Myanmar will be a threat to the U.S. allies in the region, and a ‘complete and irreversible denuclearization is the only viable path for North Korea’, on 3 August, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs, Philip Crowley, stated that over time, the U.S. would like to clarify with Myanmar more precisely the nature of its military cooperation with North Korea.

While reacting to the U.S. view on the issue, Russia states that there is little cause of concern over a possible nuclear link between the two rogue states in Asia. Russian officials further states that the nuclear cooperation between Russia and Myanmar is not in conflict with the NPT or IAEA requirements, and Russia will definitely move ahead with its nuclear project in Myanmar.

Myanmar going nuclear will impact on India’s foreign policy in relation to this region. Although initially both the states had difference on Myanmar’s democratization and Aung San Suu Kyi issue since 2000, under its new ‘Look East’ policy, India has decided to develop cordial relations with the junta and ‘not to interfere in its internal affairs’. In the last few years, both the states have been actively collaborating on weeding out insurgents along the Indo-Myanmar border and developing trade links between the two states.

A nuclear weapon free Myanmar is important for India’s own security as well as for keeping the credibility of the NPT regime intact. A nuclear Myanmar might trigger a nuclear arms race in the region. India has a chance to play an important leadership role in avoiding the occurrence of such a scenario by dealing prudently with the junta.