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09/02/2009: "NSCN (IM) silent on Padmanabhiah's removal; Says talks should be held at the highest level Nagaland Page"

NSCN (IM) silent on Padmanabhiah's removal; Says talks should be held at the highest level Nagaland Page
Dimapur, September 1: The NSCN (IM) today preferred to remain silent on the issue of removal of Centre's interlocutor in Naga peace process, K Padmanabhiah and said that they have nothing to comment as it was the decision of Government of India.
However, Convenor of Ceasefire Monitoring Cell, Maj Gen Phungthing Shimrang said that the NSCN (IM) has come a long way as far as Naga political talks are concerned and that those people who have taken pains to push the talks further should be appreciated.
Talking to Nagaland Page, Phungthing said that Padmanabhiah had a long association with the NSCN and understood the Naga political problem and the NSCN had also often discussed petty points with him.
When asked about the GoI's decision that it would hold direct talks now, the senior NSCN leader said that they know the interests of the Government of India. "If the talks are held at the highest levels, then it is a good sign. If they say something else, it will not be very good and would undermine the peace process," he said.
"We have not known the mind of GoI till now. Since they want to have direct talks, it should be at the highest level, which can make a progress and move for something," he added.
About the next round of talks with the Government of India, Phungthing said that they have not received any intimation till today from the GoI. He said that they hold Review Meetings every three months and during the last meeting they had agreed to hold the next meeting in August, but till today they have not been able to keep the words.
About the promises made by the UPA Government to fulfill various announcement by it in the first 100 days, the NSCN leader pointed out that the UPA had promised nothing about Naga peace process. He said that violations of ceasefire ground rules are being carried out by the Assam Rifles, the recent example being in Ukhrul. After the UPA has come, there are violence in many places, he added.
Asserting that Ceasefire Ground Rules must be followed in letter and spirit, as agreed by the two parties, Phungthing alleged that situation is created by armed forces and in such cases, "no negotiation at any point of time will be successful."
"When there is ceasefire, why killings are taking place?" he questioned, adding, "GoI says they don't believe in violence and killings, but Assam Rifles believes in that."
The NSCN leader said that Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is still in force in Naga areas, which would create more mistrust, anxiety in the long run. It is not good for the Nagas. The Assam Rifles and GoI will be responsible for this, he further stated.
Phungthing claimed that the NSCN has done nothing to provoke the security forces and have maintained utmost restraint.
On elections in Arunachal Pradesh and allegations that NSCN might involve in the election, especially in Tirap & Changlang districts, Phungthing said that the NSCN has nothing to do with Indian elections. We are not interested and are not interfering, he said adding people may say whatever they may like. He also alleged that Indian election is not for democracy, but those who have money, power and act as goondas get elected.
Reacting on the Ukhrul firing incident, Phungthing said that media has not created any impact as it happened in Ukhrul, but had it happened in Imphal, the whole media of the world would have been swapping. He said one fake encounter in Imphal has created lots of hue and cry and became a big issue after it was exposed by Tehelka.
But, he said, the incident in Ukhrul was a violation of ceasefire ground rules and also of human rights. He claimed that the NSCN cadres neither fire at Assam Rifles nor were they in camouflage. He said the first person to be shot dead was first caught, tortured and shot.
He also said that the Assam Rifles stopped the media to give coverage, which was one of the saddest part. He added that Naga people are peace loving people and they are trying to take advantage of them. (Page News Service)
• Rio ready to quit for Naga settlement STAFF WRITER PTI
Kohima, Sept 2 (PTI) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today said his government accords top priority to a permanent solution to the decades-long Naga problem and is ready to demit office for a final settlement of the issue.

"The government accords top priority to a permanent solution to the prolonged political problem and reconciliation among the Nagas and the DAN government is ready to demit office if required for final settlement of the conflict," Rio said.

The DAN government had only been a facilitator to the peace process involving the Centre and the Naga underground groups, Rio told a road show in the border town of Kiphire.

Rio regretted that despite ceasefire, the state has witnessed factional killings among the underground groups and during the period of truce (since 1997) about 1,040 people had died in clashes.
An adventure trip to make a documentary The Hindu Special Correspondent Raktima Bose A leader of the Konyak tribe. Photo: Raktima Bose
Lekha Raman from Peruvamba near Payyannur spent five days in Nagaland with a three-member crew to make the documentary that focuses on the life and culture of the people of Nagaland. The journey was not without a sense of adventure as she and her crew members were constantly aware of the dangers of travelling in the insurgency-affected State.
It was an adventure trip for her and its outcome is the one-hour documentary titled ‘To the Tribal Beats of Konyak’ which captures the social and cultural life of the people of Nagaland, especially those of the Konyak tribe.
Lekha Raman from Peruvamba near Payyannur spent five days in Nagaland with a three-member crew to make the documentary that focuses on the life and culture of the people of Nagaland. The journey was not without a sense of adventure as she and her crew members were constantly aware of the dangers of travelling in the insurgency-affected State. The documentary that she made was worth the adventure, she said recalling her personal experience during her visit there and her interaction with the people.
"Initially, even Malayalis settled in Nagaland, mostly school teachers, were reluctant to host us, fearing that they might attract hostility of the insurgents", Ms. Raman said. Some of the Malayali families, however, hosted the four-member team from Kerala visiting Nagaland to make the documentary.
Ms. Raman wrote the script, directed and produced the documentary which mainly dwelt on the livelihood and culture of the Konyak tribe, a dominant tribe in Nagaland. The documentary features the tribal folk dance and agricultural activities of the people in Nagaland. It also includes interviews of the chief of the tribe and some of the Malayalis settled there.
It was her first endeavour in documentary-making and it also captured the bewitchingly attractive landscape of Nagaland. She recalled her experience of being confronted by a member of a Naga rebel group when she was travelling with her crew members to a village.
She said that the visit of a girl from Kerala had even surprised the chief of the Konyak tribe. The tribal chief was very hospitable, she said. Her objective was to introduce Nagaland and its culture to the people of Kerala. The documentary also throws light on the serious social problems such as alcohol addiction in the State. She also said that she was planning to screen the documentary for the public to watch it. The crew included Ambu Krishnan, Sunil Kuppol and Rakesh Raghavan.
Opium, ganja seized from oil tankers in Nagaland STAFF WRITER
Kohima, Sept 2 (PTI) Police seized around seven kg of opium worth nearly Rs 50 lakh in the international market and 400 kg ganja from two separate oil tankers on the national highway in Nagaland, officials said here today.

The opium was concealed inside a Manipur registered oil tanker coming from Imphal through NH-39 and the owner of the vehicle, who was accompanying the driver and cleaner, was arrested last night.

Police searched three oil tankers coming from Imphal in Purana Bazar area and this led to the recovery of the opium from one of them.

Opium is refined for making high grade heroin and this drug is priced at 15 a gram in the international market. In the other seizure, Kohima police seized 400 kg of ganja from an empty oil tanker bearing registration number of Nagaland at Phesama check gate on the same national highway.
Cops unveil Ulfa plot OUR BUREAU The Telegraph
Guwahati/Dibrugarh, Sept. 1: Assam police have found evidence of Ulfa plans to set up transit camps in rural settlements in and around Guwahati to carry out hit- and-run strikes in the state capital.
“Rolls of polythene, ration and medicines recovered from an encounter site last night at Palashbari, about 30km from Guwahati, indicate such plans of the outfit,” a senior police official said.
One militant was killed while three others managed to escape in the encounter at Kotoria village.
An improvised explosive device (IED) was also recovered from the incident site.
“They want to set up transit bases close to the city from where to operate,” the official said, adding that the police were now sure of the outfit’s moves after last night’s recoveries. This was the second time in a week that such seizures have been made from places close to the city.
Late on Friday night, two suspected Ulfa militants were gunned down at Nagapara hills under Boko police station in Kamrup district.
Apart from a 5-kg IED, a grenade and one 9mm pistol recovered from the duo, medicines and polythene rolls and Bangladeshi currency notes were also recovered from the site, nearly 30km from Guwahati.
The official said that it was probably the fear of getting caught that the Ulfa militants were trying to set up camps in rural areas.
“Our intelligence network has improved in the past few months and as such the militants are probably not taking any chance and have decided to avoid staying in the city. They are trying to set up camps in the rural areas to avoid the risk of getting detected. It is a new strategy,” the official said.
He said the recovery of IEDs from both the incident sites only proved that the militants were desperate to carry out strikes in the capital city.
“They would stay in the camps to avoid getting detected and lie in wait looking for an opportunity to slip inside the city to plant bombs,” the official said.
In another blow to the outfit, security forces gunned down a suspected Ulfa cadre in Bhaskobari area under Namrup police station in Dibrugarh district today.
The security forces had laid an ambush in the area following information of a possible extortion attempt by some Ulfa cadres.
“The Ulfa cadres had asked for Rs 4 lakh from a small tea grower and were constantly asking him for the money over phone. We laid the ambush according to information provided by the person,” a police official of Namrup said. The encounter took place at 2.10 this morning and lasted for about 30 minutes. One pistol, six live rounds of ammunition, a mobile phone were recovered from the encounter site.
Force cannot subjugate : Apunba Lup By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 2 : Coming out strongly against the strong arm tactics adopted by the State Government, the Apunba Lup today, said that the Chief Minister should not live under the illusion that use of force can silence the voice of the people.
Sticking to its stand of pressing ahead with the agitation until the demands are met, the Apunba Lup in a statement today said that the police commandos responsible for the July 23 twin killings as well as the DGP, SSP and Additional SP should be given fitting punishment for the fake encounter.
There is also no let up in the demand that Chief Minister O Ibobi should resign on moral ground, it asserted.
If the demands of the people are not met, then the boycott of all the 60 MLAs will proceed, it warned and appealed to the people to extend their co-operation.
The relentless hunting down of leaders of the Apunba Lup and members of civil society organisations to neutralise the people's uprising by the police is a smirch on democracy, said Apunba Lup.
Intent on silencing the voice of the people, the police have been using hooded men to track down the leaders of the civil society organisations, it said and added that this must be stopped immediately.
If Chief Minister has any conscience or the welfare of the people at heart, then he should have resigned when the whole world condemned the cold blooded killings of July 23, claimed the statement.
Rather than resigning, Chief Minister O Ibobi is intent on only pleasing the bosses at Delhi.
Instead of listening to the voice of the people and respecting the people's sentiments, the Chief Minister is more interested in clinging on to his chair at any cost, charged Apunba Lup.
The State has not seen a Chief Minister worse than Ibobi, said the statement and added that ever since Ibobi became the Chief Minister, the killings by security agencies have increased manifold.
Fake encounters are being encouraged and a number of innocent people have lost their lives, alleged the statement.
The Apunba Lup also came out strongly against the ploy of using the State police and State agencies to crack down on the people and observed that this is akin to encouraging fratricidal clashes and killings.
Under the pretext of searching for Apunba Lup leaders, the police have been ransacking the houses of their families and harassing them, it added.
The police should also realise that they are training their guns on their own kins and they should stop this, advised Apunba Lup.
Ever since, Manipur merged with India, the people have had to lead a life of uncertainty and they have been at the receiving end of the security forces, added Apunba Lup.
The political leaders are only interested in pleasing the Delhi bosses and hence favouritism and nepotism have become the order of the day.

Four more Lup leaders held The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 1: Four more leaders of the Working Committee of Apunba Lup including two female activists who have been spearheading the present public agaitations in the state in connection with the alledged fake encounter killing on July 23 at BT Road were apprehended by the Imphal West police team from a residence at Uripok Sorbon Thingel this evening around 5 pm.

The arrested Lup leaders were identified as Motum Ongbi Ebemhal Devi 70 of Uripok Sorbon Thingel, RK Ningol Meyengbam Ongbi Radhesana 70 of Thangmeiband Lourung Purel Leikai, Oinam Bikramjit of Oinam Mamang Leikai.

They were reportedly picked up from the residence of Ima Ebemhal at Uripok Sorbon Thingel this evening by a team of Imphal west district police.

The identity of the male leaders of the Apunba Lup was yet to unidentied as the police failed reveal it in their official reports over their arrest this evening.

On the other hand according to the spokesperson of the Apunba Lup, the arrest of the leaders were made this evening soon after the leaders were coming to the house of Ima Emebemhal at Uripok Sorbon Thingel from Khwairamband bazar.

The police followed them and arrested them from the venue of their meeting this evening.

It may be mentioned the police so far detained at least eight leaders of Apunba Lup in judicial custody since the starts of the public agiations in the state demanding, resignation of chief minister O Ibobi Singh on moral ground and punishment of Manipur police commandos who were involved in the July 23 shootout in which two persons including one innocent pregnant woman was killed along with an ex-cadre of a militant organisation. Five others also received bullet injuries.

Beginning of the end by Mungpi Mizzima
New Delhi (Mizzima) - The recent armed conflict in Northeastern Shan State between the Burmese Army and ethnic Kokang rebels, which split the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), could be the beginning of the end for armed groups not ready to comply with the military junta’s proposal on the contentious Border Guard Force.

On August 27 fighting erupted between the junta’s troops and Koakang rebels loyal to their supreme leader Peng Jiasheng. The gun battles lasted two days till August 29, when several of Peng’s troops surrendered to the Chinese authorities.

But sources said, with Peng and his troops still remaining in the jungles, sporadic clashes continue in various places outside Lao Kai, capital of the Kokang area.

Though Peng and his troops continue to fight, analysts said, for the junta, gaining control over Lao Kai and the Kokang region is more important than fighting the remaining factions led by Peng.

The Burmese Army after driving away Peng and his loyalists, on August 25 reformed the MNDAA under a new name ‘Kokang Region Provisional Leading Committee’ and named Peng’s deputy Bai Suoqian as the new leader.

The junta shrewdly manipulated the differences between Bai and Peng by supporting Bai, who is willing to accept the junta’s proposal to transform the MNDAA into a ‘Border Guard Force’.

Analysts say the attack on the Kokang, which violated 20 years of ceasefire agreement, is the first step by the junta against the ceasefire groups. And it could be testing the waters before launching attacks on other groups including the United Wa State Army (UWSA), which is reported to have 20,000 soldiers.

But with the junta busy preparing for its 2010 elections, which critics said would legitimize the military’s role, the question is: Why would the junta want to neutralise the rebels?

According to the junta’s 2008 constitution, which it claimed was approved by over 90 percent of voters’ in the May 2008 referendum, there will be only one armed force administered under the new government.

According to Htay Aung, a researcher with the Thailand-based Network for Democracy and Development (NDD), the junta cannot allow any groups to have individual armies contrary to the constitution that it has drafted.

“I think, most likely the junta would try and persuade these [ceasefire] groups to transform their armies. But it might also be forced to launch attacks if these groups continuously keep rejecting the proposal,” he added.

The military regime in April sent a proposal to the 17 armed groups, with whom they have a ceasefire pact, to transform their armies into a ‘Border Guard Force’, which will be administered by the Burmese Army.

While a few groups such as the New Democratic Army – Kachin (NDA-K) in northern Burma consented to the proposal, major groups including the UWSA and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) along with the Kokang and others rejected the proposal, stating that they prefer maintaining their own armies.

The rejections notwithstanding, the junta for the second time sent the proposal and set a deadline of October for the groups to decide. Htay Aung said for the junta, to claim legitimacy and to prove that its roadmap is all inclusive, it is imperative that the 17 ceasefire groups transform their armies and join them in the 2010 elections.

“Without that it will be difficult to claim that its roadmap is an all inclusive process,” Htay Aung analysed. But he said, the attacks might not necessarily be a direct military campaign. It could be different tactics including a ‘divide and conquer’ policy.

“It is clear now that the junta will make its move on other groups but the regime definitely would like to avoid armed conflict,” he added. Though skirmishes between the Burmese soldiers and Kokang rebels broke out last week, the junta’s attacks had begun much earlier, after the Kokang leader Peng rejected the proposal to transform his army.
Since early August, at least seven battalions of the Burmese Army had been moving into the Kokang areas, according to a Sino-Burma border based military observer Aung Kyaw Zaw. Combined with the battalions that were already stationed in the Kokang area, the presence of government troops suddenly grew, he added.

Simultaneously, the junta accused Peng and three others of operating an arms and ammunition factory in Lao Kai town. On this pretext, regime soldiers on August 8 raided Peng’s house.

But Peng and his three friends evaded arrest and fled Lao Kai. The court in Lashio, after the four refused to appear, declared them fugitives.

Taking advantage of Peng’s absence the “Kokang Region Provisional Leading Committee” was formed and Bai, deputy of the MNDAA, was named its leader.

“It is a typical Burmese junta tactic of breaking down rebels and opposition groups. It is ‘Divide and Conquer’,” said Aung Kyaw Zaw adding that other groups including the UWSA can start worrying.

Who is next?
According to Khuensai Jaiyen editor of the Thailand-based Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN), an online ethnic Shan news agency, the junta’s greatest rival among the ceasefire groups is the UWSA and any military confrontation between the two will result in a bloodbath.

But Khuensai believes that the junta might make its next move on the Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), also known as the Mongla militia, as it would be strategically important against the Wa Army.

“If the junta can gain control over the Kokang and the Mongla, which are located both in the North and South of Wa, it would be extremely difficult for UWSA,” he said.

Chinese factor China has clearly indicated stability along the border is its first priority, leading some analysts to believe that if the junta opts for a direct military attack, China is likely to protest. Despite the fact that China is worried over the conflicts on the border that drove up to 30,000 refugees into its territory, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a mild statement urging the Burmese government to handle its internal affairs properly.

“The Chinese government will disapprove of any disturbances along the border, especially that which concerns the Chinese people living on either side of the border,” Htay Aung said.

“But even the Chinese do not have much influence on the actions and decisions taken by the Burmese junta. So, even if the Chinese protest, the junta is unlikely to change its decision,” he added. Professor Ian Holliday, Dean of Social Sciences in the University of Hong Kong, said the key principle of Chinese foreign policy is non-interference and the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry is about right as the recent conflicts are not high level problems yet. Holliday said, if conflicts escalate China will be definitely worried but “the Chinese are unlikely to issue more strident public statements. Most of the activity will be behind the scenes.”

However, Holliday said, he believes “the [Burmese] junta will continue its campaign to ‘pacify’ the border area.”