08/11/2009: "V S Atem clarifies (NPN)"

V S Atem clarifies (NPN) :

DIMAPUR, Special Emissary to the Collective Leadership, Gen(Rtd) V S Atem of NSCN (I-M) has maintained that the “Indo-Naga problem is not a constitutional problem but a political one”. Talking to this reporter over the phone, Gen. Atem pointed out that the NSCN (I-M) had never, at any point of time, sought any change in the Indian constitution as solution to the problem did no lie under it. Gen. Atem stated that it was due to the imposition of the Indian constitution that the armed conflict had started, with great loss of lives adding, there was no question of seeking necessary constitutional changes. Further, he opined, that had there been any agreement under the Indian constitution, there would have been no armed conflict. “Historically and politically, we are not a part of India” he stated. On the issue of allegations of rampant extortion by the NSCN (I-M) activists raised by the government of India during the July Ceasefire meeting, the special emissary denied that the issue was ever raised at the meeting. He however clarified that organization(NSCN-IM) does not hesitate to take any sort of action against its cadres involved in unauthorized collection. “No national government can survive on extortion” he asserted while pointing out that the Naga nation, even though being very small, has been surviving for more than 60 years not with borrowed money from any MNC but goodwill of the Naga people. “It is the poor Naga who supports the national struggle and who does not hesitate to part with their meager earnings” he added. He also accepted the fact there was misuse of the funds and at the same time clarified that it(NSCN-IM) does not shy away from admitting any misdeed. Staff Reporter

India not to reopen key WW II road,(AGENCIES):
CALCUTTA India has abandoned plans to reopen a World War II road that could connect its remote north-eastern states to China’s Yunnan province through Burma.
Lawmakers from India’s Assam state have been informed of the Indian decision by its ministry for the development of the north-eastern region. This comes days after the 13th round of talks between India and China to resolve their border dispute.
The talks failed to break the impasse and both sides agreed to keep talking, reported BBC News. The 1,079-mile-long Stillwell Road was built by American general Joe “Vinegar” Stillwell to supply Kuomintang forces in the war against Japan.
The road begins from Ledo in Assam and ends in China’s Yunnan after traversing through Burma’s Kachin state province.
Assam’s Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, who represents a constituency around Ledo in the Assam state assembly, has been a strong advocate of reopening the road. “This road could easily handle a substantial part of India’s growing bilateral trade with China because of cost and time benefits,” Bordoloi, who is from India’s ruling Congress party, said.
“Both sides would save much in transport costs in exporting and importing goods meant for India’s eastern and north-eastern region and China’s remote southwest.”
The road, built at the cost of $137m in 1944, handled up to 65,000 tonnes of cargo during World War Two.
“This road will be capable of handling between 15% and 20% of the Sino-Indian bilateral trade,” says Nazeeb Arif, a former secretary-general of the Indian Chamber of Commerce who hails from Assam. “If this road was opened, it would have encouraged Indian industry to invest in production hubs in our under-developed north-eastern states to make goods meant for export to China. Our economies would have thrived,” Arif said.
Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio echoed a similar sentiment.
“That is what Delhi does not very often understand. Border trade can be very good for states like ours,” he said.
India reopened the 15,000-foot-high Nathu La pass in the Himalayan state of Sikkim for border trade with China in July 2006.
But trade has been poor because the pass is under snow for a few months during the winter and cannot take heavy container traffic.
Stillwell Road does not suffer freezing because its passes are much lower than Nathu La.
Burma, however, has not been very keen on reopening the road because it passes through the Kachin state, which its army has barely controlled since Independence.
Large parts of the Kachin state were controlled by the separatist Kachin Independence Army (KIA) since the 1960s.
Though the KIA has been maintaining a ceasefire with the Burmese army since 1994, it continues to control border trade in gems, timber and other precious stones like jade.
NSCN-IM refutes report of cadres’ arrest Eastern Mirror
DIMAPUR, AUG 11 (EMN): The NSCN-IM today refuted the report of arrest of two suspected NSCN cadres from Ghoshkata Village on August 7 along with one anti-talk faction NDFB cadre by the Assam police under Dotma police station in Kokrajhar district, identified as Lukiya Sema and Hovishe Chisi of Pihekhu Village under Niuland PS, Dimapur. The report, which appeared in a section of the local press, had alleged that the outfit was collaborating with NDFB and UFLA on subversive activities to be carried out in Lower Assam districts on or before 15th August. Strongly denying the allegations, the NSCN/GPRN clarified ‘in no uncertain term’ that the two arrested persons are in no way associated or members of the NSCN. The MIP/GPRN release also ‘strongly warns’ and questioned the motive of those vested elements for dragging the name of the NSCN into the allegation. It moreover advised the media to be ‘cautious of those destructive elements’ and ‘not to be so hurry in giving such false publication without proper confirmation, identification and proof’ to avoid creating further misunderstandings.
It termed the allegation as ‘uncalled for’ and ‘nothing but a deliberate attempt to damage the image and reputation of the NSCN/GPRN before the general public’.
Apunba Lup rally foiled again - Police allow a five-member team to meet governor and submit memorandum OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

People take out a rally in Churachandpur on Tuesday against the Imphal killings and deployment of police commandos and IRB personnel. Picture by Eastern Projections
Imphal, Aug. 11: A thick security cordon thwarted Apunba Lup’s attempts to take out its planned rally for the second successive day today, but allowed a delegation to submit a memorandum to Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat.
The softened move is being read as an attempt by the government to end the 10-day turmoil in the state that began following the “encounter” death of a former militant Ch. Sanjit on July 23. A pregnant woman, Rabina Devi, was also killed in indiscriminate firing when police commandos were apparently chasing the former rebel through a crowded market.
A wave of protests swept through the twin districts of Imphal after the deaths, prompting the government to clamp curfew in the disturbed areas.
Yesterday, a security cordon prevented Apunba Lup, spearheading the agitation, from taking out rallies in Imphal and submitting a memorandum to the governor.
As the organisation showed no signs of relenting, the Ibobi Singh government changed its strategy — allowing a delegation to the Raj Bhavan, but preventing any rally or sit-in today.
There was no trouble when curfew was relaxed from 5am to 9am today.
As a group of women protesters began emerging from Leimajam Leikai in Imphal, a police team arrived and after a brief negotiation, allowed a five-member delegation to meet Jagat and submit their memorandum.
The memorandum charged police commandos of killing Rabina and Sanjit in fake encounters and urged the governor to punish the commandos and dismiss the Okram Ibobi Singh government.
“We told the governor that we no longer have faith in the Ibobi Singh government. We demanded that the truth be found out and take appropriate action. He paid a patient hearing and took a serious note of the situation,” L. Mema, leader of the delegation, later told reporters.
“The governor promised us that he would look into the matter and take necessary action,” Mema said, adding if no positive step was taken by the governor, Apunba Lup would continue its agitation.
Despite the relative calm, security continued to be tight in both Imphal West and Imphal East districts, where an indefinite curfew was imposed following reports that groups of protesters were planning to go to Raj Bhavan separately to submit similar memoranda.
Security rings continued to cordon off Raj Bhavan and the chief minister’s office complex for the second consecutive day today.
The police, however, did not prevent people in the five hill districts from taking out simultaneous marches against the deaths and the deployment of India Reserve Battalion and commandos in the hill districts.
Thousands of people joined the rallies sponsored by the All Tribal Students Union Manipur, in Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati, Churachandpur and Tamenglong,
After the rallies, they submitted their memorandum to the Union home minister through their respective deputy commissioners, demanding punishment of the guilty in the Imphal killings and withdrawal of IRB and commandos from the hills.
“The Imphal city fake encounter killing has justified our demand for withdrawal of police commandos and IRB personnel from the hills. These forces do not have any moral integrity. After signing a peace agreement with various armed groups, peace returned in the hills. Their presence will create more distrust and alienation between the hill people and the government,” the president of Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (student organisation), Wungnaoshang Shimray, said.
SP warns of Bodo clashes OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kokrajhar, Aug. 11: The Bodo belt is likely to see an upsurge in fratricidal bloodletting with police warning of clashes between the Ranjan Daimary-led faction of the NDFB and its rivals in ceasefire.
Kokrajhar superintendent of police P.K. Dutta said with both the groups heavily into extortion, there was a sharp animosity between them, which is likely to result in more clashes. “With both the factions into largescale extortion, the differences have become more pronounced.”
Dutta’s statement came at the time when the Bodo heartland was witnessing a sharp rise in fratricidal killing which have already claimed over 160 lives since March 2008.
Different groups like former BLT members, NDFB, BPF and BPPF are at loggerheads over their political and ideological differences. There were, however, no clashes between the NDFB’s ceasefire group and the anti-talks faction so far.
Saying the situation in Bodoland was more than tense, Dutta said an end to the animosity would depend on the leaders. “All these (clashes and violence) are happening because of political rivalry. They (the leaders) have come to a consensus to stop the clashes,” he added.
The SP said a group of Ulfa members has sneaked into the two lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar and Dhubri from Bangladesh with arms, aiming to carry out subversive activities.
“A team of Ulfa has entered the two districts with a big consignment of arms from Bangladesh,” Dutta said, adding that the militant groups are also planning to attack security personnel.
Security has been tightened in lower Assam bordering West Bengal and Bhutan to foil any attempt by militants to plant bombs ahead of Independence Day. Security has also been intensified along the inter-state border with Bhutan in the north.
Sonowal rues Centre’s stand on Stilwell Road Staff Correspondent Assam tribune
DIBRUGARH, Aug 10 – Former MP of Dibrugarh, Sarbananda Sonowal has flayed on the Centre’s decision to drop the proposal of reopening the Stilwell Road connecting India with China through Ledo in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Taking serious note of the stance of the Centre, Sonowal, who is also the general secretary of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said in a press statement that Assam was subject to deprivation by Government of India. He said former President APJ Abdul Kalam had desired to reopen the Stilwell Road to start trade and commerce with the neighbouring Asian countries so as to boost the economy of the region.

Accepting the President’s point of view, UPA government had consented to the suggestion of re-linking the road stretch to China, Sonowal said. However, the former MP further said, the decision to overlook the proposal is due to the unreliable policy of the State Government and negligence of the northeast by the Centre.

The hope that the entire northeast region would reap the economic benefit due to the reopening of the Stilwell Road has remained only a dream due to the latest announcement of the Centre, Sonowal viewed.

Besides dropping the proposal of reopening of the Stilwell Road, the snail’s space development works of Bogibeel bridge, National Highway, Rail Communications and Gas Cracker project are some missions that reflect the insincerity of the Centre, the former MP underlined in the press release. He has called upon all the parties irrespective of political affiliations to oppose the latest decision of the Centre.

State ready to tackle crisis, says Gogoi STAFF Reporter Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Aug 10 – Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the State was ready to face any eventuality in the form of outbreak of swine flu (H1N1) even though all the three suspected cases so far had turned out to be negative. Addressing a press conference, Gogoi said that the required facilities were being expanded in the medical colleges to tackle a possible swine flu. “Even the district hospitals have been directed to maintain the required level of preparedness, including isolation wards,” he said.

Doctors on alert: Meanwhile, doctors in the State are maintaining a high alert over the prospect of Influenza A (H1N1) virus infecting any individual as one more person was admitted to the isolation ward of MMC Hospital today. Another person, a young male student of IIT Guwahati who was earlier suspected as a carrier has been released after he tested negative to the disease, commonly referred to as swine flu.

Significantly, there are reports that the patient after being admitted today has not been located inside the isolation ward after doctors went to take samples in the evening. Officials, however, maintain that her status continues to be that of an admitted patient.

The new patient, Jena Sangma, a girl originally from Tura in Meghalaya, was admitted after she showed symptoms of flu. Special note was taken of her case because she had returned from Pune, where she was a student residing in a hostel.

A source in the MMC Hospital told The Assam Tribune that she was in a hostel, which was closed down after a boarder reportedly was infected with the H1NI virus. “Her condition would be closely monitored and samples drawn from her would be sent to New Delhi tomorrow,” the source said. It would take at least forty-eight hours for the test results to be known. But results could also be delayed as the queue for sample testing in a New Delhi based facility was growing longer.

Among the important entry points to the Northeast, the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport is also keeping a watch on all arrivals. “We are ready to assist any traveller who complains of symptoms of swine flu...two ambulances have been kept ready to ferry passengers to government hospitals,” remarked SC Sharma, Regional Executive Director, Airports Authority of India.

As a precaution the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also issued a statement containing Dos’ and Don’ts to the public. It asks people to take note of fever, cough, sore throat, runny and stuffy nose, which could be symptoms of Influenza A (H1N1). Other symptoms could include bodyache, headache, fatigue, chills, diarrhoea and vomiting.

In case of suspected infection, individuals should stay at home, avoid close contact and immediately seek medical attention. In such a situation they should cover their mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, wash hands with soap, and avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. A national helpline 1075 is also being maintained.

The prevailing scenario of samples being sent to New Delhi for accurate diagnosis, according to doctors, has once again underlined the inadequacy of test facilities in Assam and the rest of the Northeast. “The minimum forty-eight hours period that is required would have been saved if there were world class labs in the Northeast,” said a retired professor of the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.

Nagalim.NL News

08/11/2009: "V S Atem clarifies (NPN)"