09/09/2009: "Pillai’s new role in Naga issue (IANS) Nagaland Post"

Pillai’s new role in Naga issue (IANS) Nagaland Post
NEW DELHI, K. Padmanabhiah, the Indian face of the negotiations with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M), has been told that his role as the prime minister’s representative, a task and job he held for a decade, has ended. The home ministry will now handle the talks. A key figure will be the new Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, a no-nonsense, energetic officer from the Kerala cadre who has worked on issues relating to the northeast for over 12 years.
Padmanabhiah, a former home secretary, travelled to many countries to conduct talks with Naga leaders Isak Chishi Swu, chairman of the I-M group, which has had a ceasefire with New Delhi since 1996, and its general secretary Th. Muivah. He was told that his role was not being renewed from Aug 31.
In a telephone interview, Padmanabhiah told IANS: “The interlocutor has done his job. I cannot go on permanently and have called it a day.”
For 10 years, Padmanabhiah conducted or took part in not less than 50 rounds of discussions with the Naga group although for the past five years he had become increasingly sidelined with a Group of Ministers (GoM) led by Oscar Fernandes leading the process.
That GoM no longer is functional and it is the home ministry that will now call the shots, openly.
Although Padmanabhiah was known to have kept the discussions on track (venues included Chiang Mai in Thailand, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur), the talks appeared to be moving desultorily and headed nowhere with neither side energetically pursing proposals for a settlement.
On one side, the Nagas said they were studying the Indian and other constitutions (such as Nepal and Papua New Guinea) for the past couple of years to see what changes could be made.
On the other, the Indian government appeared to be disinterested in settling the issue because it was unwilling to stir a political hornets’ nest with the Naga demand for a homeland to be carved out of three neighbouring states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
None of these states were willing to budge an inch on this claim although legally the central government can, under article three of the constitution, rewrite state boundaries without consulting the states.
The explosiveness of that issue was visible during the period of his tenure in 2001 after Padmanabhiah signed an extension of the ceasefire in Bangkok with the NSCN (I-M) group which said that the peace would be without boundaries, a term that led to riots in Manipur and the eventual rollback of the clause by then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Pillai has long experience of the northeast having held the post of joint secretary in charge of that division in the ministry from 1996-2001. Unlike most New Delhi-based officials, he extensively travelled there, met ordinary people and interacted with local officials.
He is seen as the “humane” face of the home ministry although he is known to be extremely firm on issues of governance, corruption and inefficiency. During his term as commerce secretary, Pillai tried to develop programmes and policies in relation to the region which were in tune with its needs.
Top officials at the home ministry said that a major part of the new strategy would be an inclusive approach, seeking to reach out to all sides in interactions and discussions, involving civil society groups as well. They said the central government would also focus on strong implementation of ceasefire rules and legal procedures as well as show no tolerance for extortion and other such activities.
Muivah, the principal negotiator for the NSCN (I-M), is now located in a large camp outside Dimapur, the gateway to Nagaland from the Assam plains. Swu is reportedly keeping indifferent health and is living in Bangkok.
It is widely known that the two major militant Naga groups, the I-M and its rival, the Khaplang faction, have had almost a free run in Nagaland and the Manipur hills for decades despite the ceasefire and “designated camps” where they are supposed to live. These groups levy “taxes” on individuals, government officials, politicians and even school teachers; the public and New Delhi call this extortion.
India eyeing inclusive approach to Indo-Naga issue Nagaland Page

Sanjoy Hazarika
New Delhi, September 8: K Padmanabhiah, the Indian face of the negotiations with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (IM), has been told that his role as the prime minister's representative, a task and job he held for a decade, has ended. The home ministry will now handle the talks.
A key figure will be the new Home Secretary GK Pillai, a no-nonsense, energetic officer from the Kerala cadre who has worked on issues relating to the northeast for over 12 years.
Padmanabhiah, a former home secretary, traveled to many countries to conduct talks with Naga leaders Isak Chisi Swu, chairman of the I-M group, which has had a ceasefire with New Delhi since 1996, and its general secretary Th. Muivah. He was told that his role was not being renewed from August 31.
In a telephone interview, Padmanabhiah said: "The interlocutor has done his job. I cannot go on permanently and have called it a day."
For 10 years, Padmanabhiah conducted or took part in not less than 50 rounds of discussions with the Naga group although for the past five years he had become increasingly sidelined with a Group of Ministers (GoM) led by Oscar Fernandes leading the process.
That GoM no longer is functional and it is the home ministry that will now call the shots, openly.
Although Padmanabhiah was known to have kept the discussions on track (venues included Chiang Mai in Thailand, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur), the talks appeared to be moving desultorily and headed nowhere with neither side energetically pursing proposals for a settlement.
On one side, the Nagas said they were studying the Indian and other constitutions (such as Nepal and Papua New Guinea) for the past couple of years to see what changes could be made.
On the other, the Indian government appeared to be disinterested in settling the issue because it was unwilling to stir a political hornets' nest with the Naga demand for a homeland to be carved out of three neighbouring states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
None of these states were willing to budge an inch on this claim although legally the central government can, under article three of the constitution, rewrite state boundaries without consulting the states.
The explosiveness of that issue was visible during the period of his tenure in 2001 after Padmanabhiah signed an extension of the ceasefire in Bangkok with the NSCN (I-M) group which said that the peace would be without boundaries, a term that led to riots in Manipur and the eventual rollback of the clause by then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Pillai has long experience of the northeast having held the post of joint secretary in charge of that division in the ministry from 1996-2001. Unlike most New Delhi-based officials, he extensively traveled there, met ordinary people and interacted with local officials.
He is seen as the "humane" face of the home ministry although he is known to be extremely firm on issues of governance, corruption and inefficiency. During his term as commerce secretary, Pillai tried to develop programmes and policies in relation to the region which were in tune with its needs.
Top officials at the home ministry said that a major part of the new strategy would be an inclusive approach, seeking to reach out to all sides in interactions and discussions, involving civil society groups as well.
They said the central government would also focus on strong implementation of ceasefire rules and legal procedures as well as show no tolerance for extortion and other such activities.
Muivah, the principal negotiator for the NSCN (I-M), is now located in a large camp outside Dimapur, the gateway to Nagaland from the Assam plains. Swu is reportedly keeping indifferent health and is living in Bangkok.
It is widely known that the two major militant Naga groups, the I-M and its rival, the Khaplang faction, have had almost a free run in Nagaland and the Manipur hills for decades despite the ceasefire and "designated camps" where they are supposed to live.
These groups levy "taxes" on individuals, government officials, politicians and even school teachers; the public and New Delhi call this extortion.
Chidambaram meets FBI, security officials Indian Express

Chidambaram and his team got to know how a mega city like New York could be protected from terrorists.
On a visit here, Home Minister P Chidambaram had a first-hand experience of how the US' financial capital, which is on the terror radar, is protected by security agencies from terrorist attacks.
Chidambaram, who arrived here on the first leg of his four-day US visit on Tuesday, was briefed by officials from FBI, intelligence and security agencies and New York Police about the measures being taken by them to prevent any Mumbai-type terrorist attacks.
From walking at the Penn Station, which handles thousands of train passengers every day, to a briefing by the New York Police, which had made several changes in its counter-terrorism measures post-26/11 attacks, Chidambaram and his team of officials got to know how a mega city like New York can be protected from terrorists without causing much inconvenience to its residents.
Chidambaram was also told about the coast guard facility at State Island. It was an important aspect of his trip given that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26 last year entered Mumbai through the sea route.
Coastal security is now considered an integral part of New York's counter-terrorism mechanism.
Within hours of his landing in Big Apple, Chidambaram was at the Joint Terror Task Force Centre of the FBI in New York, where he was given an exclusive briefing by the New York Police Department on the steps being taken by them to protect the city.
Before Chidambaram left New York by train for Washington, he was briefed about the security of the Mass Transport System at the Penn station as security officials went through the procedure of random frisking and searching of passengers.
No group has mandate of entire Naga society: Nagaland MLAs Nagaland Page

Kohima, September 8: Nagaland legislators on Tuesday vowed for a unified voice to find a lasting settlement to the vexed Naga problem since "no group has the mandate of the entire Naga society".
The ruling DAN government had already constituted an ad hoc committee to form a common Naga platform for a unified voice to which apex tribal council Naga Hoho had extended its support, assembly secretariat sources said after the MLAs deliberated on it in an eight-hour-long meeting on Naga political conflict.
Both the ruling and opposition members were unanimous in their assertions that the ongoing Naga peace talks should be expedited and the process must accommodate aspirations of all sections of the Naga society, sources said.
The meeting was called by Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie since the opposition Congress during the last assembly session suggested to him to hold a discussion on the issue inviting all members the house, and the proposal was also supported by the ruling alliance.
The deliberation, attended by 58 out of 60 members and member of Rajya Sabha, entrusted Peseyie, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Opposition leader Chingwang Konyak to hold further meetings of legislators on the Naga issue. (PTI)

NLA meets behind closed-doors morungexpress
Dimapur, September 8 (MExN): Legislators of Nagaland today held a closed-door meeting where the Naga political issue was discussed, an apparently free and personal event but tightly closed to the Media and public. The only concrete detail of the proceedings the media was given access to, was that the legislators “expressed their genuine and unanimous concerns on the Naga political issue.”
Nonetheless, the legislators are expected to meet again under the banner of Nagaland Legislative Assembly in the near future. The speaker of the state assembly, the chief minister and the leader of Opposition has been entrusted to “consult with each other” and ‘convene another meeting of this forum.’ It was informed that 58 legislators including Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Khekiho Zhimomi participated in the discussions.
Perhaps keeping in the true spirit of the ‘closed-door’ strategy, the state’s legislators could not be contacted for comment. However, the media secretary to the chief minister, Abu Metha said the legislators were unanimous that an event as the September 8 was ‘positive.’ On the points of discussions, Metha said the meeting basically underlined the common clarion that all the ‘factions’ – that is, fundamentally both the “over-ground” societies and the Naga underground factions – should unite.
The chief minister’s media official said no schedule has been set for the envisaged next meeting on the current point of matter. Also, a note from the CMO conveyed Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s gratitude to the Speaker of NLA and to all the legislators especially to the leader of opposition. All the participants are thanked for their “constructive contributions” which has made the meeting a ‘positive success.’” The CMO’s note did not explain what the “positive success” was though. “All members present in the meeting expressed their genuine and unanimous concerns on the Naga political issue and the need to forge understanding and unity amongst all sections of Naga society,” the note added

India, B’desh discuss issues relating to NE insurgents Nagaland Page

New Delhi, September 8: India and Bangladesh today discussed issues related to north-east insurgents taking shelter in that country amid New Delhi's expectation that the Sheikh Hasina government would crack down on them.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his visiting counterpart Dipu Moni also discussed steps to boost trade and connectivity and various developmental programmes that can be undertaken through collaborative efforts.
Moni, on her maiden bilateral visit, also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during which the status of the relations was reviewed.
Krishna and Moni held wide-ranging talks that covered the entire gamut of bilateral ties, including security issues, connectivity, trade and border problems.
The security aspects covered the issue of north east insurgents taking shelter in Bangladesh, with India expecting that the Hasina government would crack down on them considering its strong resolve to fight terrorism.
The 2 sides also discussed ways to build on their ties in other fields.
India has already taken a number of unilateral steps to create a "positive" atmosphere with Bangladesh. These include India's decision to allow duty free import of eight million pieces of garments, various concessions under the Least Developed Country category and lifting of ban on FDI. (Agencies)

FGN reiterates stand on Naga reconciliation

Nagaland Page
Dimapur, September 8: The Federal Government of Nagaland has reiterated that it would not be a party to any other front or platform except the Forum for Naga Reconciliation on the issue of Naga reconciliation.
Making the FGN's stand clear on the issue of Naga reconciliation, its Killo Kilonser, Zaleo in a statement issued today said since the inception of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation in February 2008, the FGN had been cooperating and actively participating in all the talks at Chiangmai and Nagaland and also the Reconciliation Football matches at Kohima and Dimapur last year.
"Needless to mention, this is a clear indication and the unspoken exponent of the stand of FGN on Reconciliation, Peace and Unity of the Nagas everyone yearns for. Nagas are and will be a people to end," he said.
Beyond this fact, let everyone know that the FGN will not be a party to any other front or platform. It is a fact that the FGN did not attend any other Consultative meeting so far and the stand of the govt. shall remain so, the statement said.
Asserting that the common yearning of the people for peace and unity cannot be ignored any longer, the FGN leader expressed confidence that we will make it a reality that our people reconcile on the basis of our historical and political rights. (Page News Service)

Kuki ‘fake encounter’ chant rends Ukhrul air - Army faces the music again after gunning down four rebels of KLA, in suspension of operation pact OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph

Women block a road on Tuesday to protest the killings at Mongkot Chepu. Picture by Eastern Projections
Imphal, Sept. 8: A truck driver who lay on the ground and escaped army bullets in Ukhrul last evening has contradicted the forces’ story of an “operation”, triggering yet another “fake encounter” protest in Manipur, this time by the Kuki community.
Troops of 12 Maratha Light Infantry gunned down four Kuki Liberation Army cadres and a civilian truck driver at Mokot Chepu in the Litan area of Ukhrul and recovered six weapons around 6pm along Imphal-Ukhrul Road.
Kuki Liberation Army happens to be in a suspension of operation agreement with the security forces.
The army handed over all the five bodies to Litan police station this morning, besides a huge cache of arms. An LMG with 10 rounds of ammunition, an M-16 rifle with nine rounds, an M-22 rifle with nine rounds, an AK-47 with 22 rounds, a G-3 rifle with 20 rounds, a carbine with 16 rounds and a grenade comprised the arms haul.
In its report to the police, the army said troops were deployed in Litan yesterday following information about movement of armed cadres in the area.
When troops deployed at Mokot Chepu saw a truck moving towards Imphal, they stopped it for frisking.
Armed cadres travelling in the truck fired at the troops, who retaliated.
Later, the five persons were found dead, the report said.
While the driver was 41-year-old Sairem Ngoubram from Imphal East, the four cadres are yet to be identified. The rebels were in full combat fatigue.
A labourer who was travelling in the truck was reported missing while a second driver of the truck escaped unhurt.
The version provided by the second driver, who reached Imphal this morning, contradicts the report of the Maratha Light Infantry troops.
According to him, a few armed militants stopped the truck at Litan bridge, about 1km from the police station, and boarded it.
Two drivers and four labourers were travelling in the truck.
“When we reached the area (Mokot Chepu), security forces stopped our truck. They made all the six civilians get down and lie on the road in front of the truck. After some time, we heard gunshots. I fled,” the driver said.
Other than the missing labourer, the other three were unharmed.
Alleging that it was a fake encounter, members of Kuki community blocked the Imphal-Ukhrul sector of National Highway 150 at two points since last night.
While protesters put up logs at Yaingangpokpi of Imphal East, another group, in traditional Kuki mourning clothes, put up a road block in front of Litan police station, bringing traffic between Imphal and Ukhrul to a complete stop. Kuki organisations also called an indefinite road blockade along Imphal-Moreh Road and on Churachandpur-Imphal Road.
Chidambaram meets US officials Assam tribune
NEW YORK, Sept 9 – Home Minister P Chidam-baram had a first-hand experience of how the US’ financial capital, which is on the terror radar, is protected by security agencies from terrorist attacks. Chidambaram, who arrived here on the first leg of his four-day US visit yesterday, was briefed by officials from FBI, intelligence and security agencies and New York Police about the measures being taken by them to prevent any Mumbai-type terrorist attacks.

From walking at the Penn Station, which handles thousands of train passengers every day, to a briefing by the New York Police, which had made several changes in its counter-terrorism measures post-26/11 attacks, Chidambaram and his team of officials got to know how a mega city like New York can be protected from terrorists without causing much inconvenience to its residents.

Chidambaram was also told about the coast guard facility at State Island. It was an important aspect of his trip given that the terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26 last year entered Mumbai through the sea route.

Coastal security is now considered an integral part of New York’s counter-terrorism mechanism.

Within hours of his landing in Big Apple, Chidambaram was at the Joint Terror Task Force Centre of the FBI in New York, where he was given an exclusive briefing by the New York Police Department on the steps being taken by them to protect the city.

Before Chidambaram left New York by train for Washington, he was briefed about the security of the Mass Transport System at the Penn station as security officials went through the procedure of random frisking and searching of passengers.

In Washington, Chidambaram will meet top officials of the Obama Administration, heads of intelligence and security agencies and influential lawmakers over the next three days.

The visit is aimed at carrying forward the dialogue with US with regard to assessment of the security situation in South Asia, understanding the counter-terrorism institutions and structures in US as well as meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior officials.

The visit is also significant in the context of India’s continued appeal to the international community to exert pressure on Pakistan to take firm action towards dismantling of the terror infrastructure in that country as well as prosecution of all accused in the Mumbai attacks who are now in Pakistan.

Chidambaram will also be discussing issues related to combating financing of terrorism and steps which will need to be taken in this regard as well as with regard to prevention of money laundering. – PTI

Kuki villagers storm Litan PS to protest killing of KLA militants by Army The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 8: Kuki villagers of the Litan area thronged the Litan police station and blocked the Imphal-Ukhrul road till late this afternoon to register their outrage at the killing of four KLA actvists and one truck driver by the personnel of 12 Maratha Light Infantry at Mongkot Chepu Kuki village along Imphal Ukhrul road, under Litan police station yesterday evening around 6.30pm.

It may be recalled that the security forces recovered several sophisticated arms and ammunitions from the slained Kuki militants.

Explaining the circumstance of the encounter, official sources said the incident occured when troops of 12 Maratha Light Infantry on getting specific informations of the movements of Kuki militants in between the Litan and Mongkot Chepu areas along the the Imphal Ukhrul road yesterday evening stationed frisking and checking duties at the Mongkot Chepu village, during which one truck which was coming towards the Imphal from Ukhrul stopped for checking.

However, it said the armed militants sitted inside the truck started firing at the security personnel to which the latter retalisated. In the heavy exchange of fire which lasted for about one hours, some armed Kuki militants inside the truck were killed while many of them managed to make good their escape.

The security forces during their further serach in the truck recovered one

7.62mm LMG containing one megazines loaded with 10 live rounds, one M-16 Rifles with one megazine and 9 live rounds, one M-22 Rifles with one megazine conatining 10 lice rounds, one AK-47 Rifles with three megazines along with 226 ammunitions, one G-3 Rifles one megazine conatining 20 liove rounds, one American Rifles along with one magazine and 16 ammunitions, one rifle grenade and two magazines pouches from the dead militants.

All four dead bodies were handed to Litan police along with the siezed arms and ammunitions yesterday night by the personnel of 12 Maratha Light Infantry, it said.

Three were killed at the spot while the fourth dead body was recovered by villagers early this morning near the Litan river and Litan police has since brought the body to the police station.

The identities of the deceased were made officially this morning at Litan police as family members of the deceased identified them.

The deceased militants were identified as Thangkhochon Haokip 27 son of Letsei Hoakip of Jangnomphai Churachandpur, Lhunkholam Haokip 25 son of Jampao of Chavangphai Moreh Ward No-7, Thanglunmang 24 son of Jangkholen of Phoiman Sadar Hills and Lallunlen Kilong 23 son of Mangcha Kilong of Aigijang Sadar hill.

The driver of the truck they were travelling who was also killed was identified as Sairem Muhindro alias Ngoubram alias Nobo 41 son of late Modhu of Kongpal Chanam Leikai.

According to Haorungbam Premananda 33 son of late Ibotomba of Khurai Chingabam Leikai, a second driver of the truck who escaped, recalled that the incident happen when he along with his deceased driver and three others labours after delivering the essential items at JNV school at Lambui, Ukhrul yesterday afternoon returning to Imphal.

On the way their truck was stopped by some unidentified armed militants numbering about 7/8 who suddenly climbed up into their truck and asked them to proceeded towards Imphal along Ukhrul-Imphal road.

He further said when their truck reached Mongkot Chepu village, Army personnel signalled to stop and their vehicle did stop as instructed.

All the occupants were made to get down and line up along the road. Firing suddenly broke out ostensibly from the nearby hill. In the confusion the occupants made their good escaped from the spot after they jumped down the hill slope and reached the river bank.

He said he somehow managed to reach Yainganpokpi this early morning and later informed the family of deceased driver Muhindro about the incident.

In the meantime, the entire Kuki populance of Litan area voiced their outrage against the security forces for initiating gun battle with KLA which is in a SoO agreement with the government and thus creating public apprehension.

Irate public thronged the Litan police station this morning and picketed it till late this evening. The agitating mobs were however dispersed after assurance by the IGP L/O V Jathang who arrived at the spot in the afternoon to confirmed to the public within three days about the facts of the yestaerday encounter.

All the dead bodies were brought to RIMS morgue this evening by the Litan police for the post mortem.

Further, in connection with incident, a Joint Action Committee against the killing by the security forces was formed today with Kamathang as convenor.

The JAC expressed strong condemnation over the killings after the cadres and driver of the truck alighted from the truck.

It claimed they were shot down at point blank and this total disregard of human rigths will never be condoned by the JAC and the whole citizen of Manipur at large and JAC expressed its apprecitation to all the people who had helped and supported the bandh called in protest the security forces.

On the other hand, showing solidarities to the JAC to marked the protest over the killings many Kuki residents along the Imphal Ukhrul road blocked the road at Litan and at Kangvai areas along Tidim road today.

Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous, if you can accept punishment for your crimes By: Abdulhalim Phoondrei-mayum Kangla
On 25 May 2009, Monday, Professor Islamuddin was murdered inside the campus while coming out from his office and the next day an insurgent group claimed responsibility for the killing. It mentioned some crimes like manipulative politics indulged by the slain professor. It was somewhat similar to the killing of Dr. Kishan, SDO of Khasom Khullen sub-division by another insurgent group. More examples can be dug out from the recent troubled history of Manipur.
And almost everyday the state forces too kill people because the persons are said to be rebels or are somehow linked to them. The civil society actors too indulge in violence to force people to accept their calls for general strikes. Why is it that all the important actors in Manipur indulge in using force? Is it not a submission to fascism, abandoning faith in voluntary support? Both the dominant forces- governmental and non-governmental – are imprisoned inside the box of using force and killing those who do not submit to them. So the question is, can it be called governance if armed forces, state or non-state, are not accountable to the people or can it be justice if killing is the only way of punishing people? What is the civilised way of living with opposition? Why are there law courts, constitutions, legislatures, international conventions? What kind of life we desire to build up?
There are laws for normal times and laws also for war times e.g. Geneva Conventions etc. There are acceptable behaviours and non-acceptable practices even during wars. Agreed that Manipur is not in normal days; agreed that it is in conflict /war/ disturbed situation. However without keeping up to civilised practices nobody – the state, the non-state or the civilian- is benefitting. Everyone here is being the loser. Even if Manipur becomes an independent state, this culture of forcing one’s ways on others and eliminating those who resist will not go away suddenly. Do we want that kind of life in future? Would not life be far better without this habit?
Let us not abandon the hope that Manipur can change for the better, come what may!!! Manipur can change if the people change what is in their hearts. It will change when instead of justifying their unjustifiable ways, people repent their wrong-doings! It will change when people including leaders of government, NGOs and insurgents voluntarily accept punishments for the crimes they commit! It will change when people decide to live their lives right instead of getting what they want through manipulation, guns and/or money!!! Then God will help us come out of the hell we are in!!!
2. Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous, ifyou are capable of being a witness to truth in the face of dangers:
On 20th November 2008, I was part of a three-member team who met the then CM of Manipur (Okram Ibobi Singh) in his office for seeking justice to the murder of one of our villagers by one of the state ‘security’ forces called Assam Rifles. In the waiting room of the Chief Minister we met a group of people from another village who came for the same purpose and the victim from that village was killed a month or so earlier than ours. Just as we entered his office we found the CM talking on phone about some other murder by state forces three years back and its compensation. Right there I had a feeling that ‘meehaatpung gee ningthou or king of a killing field’’ can be a very appropriate term/ title for this CM.
We were accompanied by MLA Deben of Wabagai Assembly Constituency and straight away the CM started talking about the government policy of providing Rs. 1-Lakh compensation if the victim was not related to illegal armed groups; that is after verification by the DC. I tried to raise the question of justice pointing out that the victim was not a fugitive, that he was a member of Gram Panchayat/village-level government and that if the government wanted to prosecute him, he was available in his own home openly. At that point his tone became threatening and dismissive. We had to leave almost immediately!!!
Much blood has flowed on the land of Manipur since then; 2/3 murders almost everyday with Dr. Kishan’s and Professor Islamuddin’s murder becoming state issues while some others remaining village level issues and while still others non-issues.
One can feel as well as see a heavy lot of despair in the air – inside buses, in the pages & editorials of newspapers, on radio & television and in the streets. The insurmountable difficulties and the end of all hopes seems to come when the question of sovereignty or political domination comes up. At this point, people are afraid even to express their views : speaking against ethnic sovereignty or political domination by Meiteis or Nagas or Kukis is an unthinkable crime, a crime greater than anything else and which will most likely lead to your death!!!
However is it not that only through free and honest and informed discussion of this issue, the core issue, that peace will come to Manipur or any place troubled by ethnic violence / conflict? Is it really possible to have exclusive nation states where only members of one ethnic community are citizens or are dominant? Is it even desirable to do so? Or is it practicable to base government services on community membership, not on individual membership? Is it not true that migrants –be they from rural to urban or from one state to another state or from one country to another - are the main drivers of a vibrant and growing economy? Is not Barack Obama, the President of USA, the most powerful state in the world, a descendent of a Kenyan? So, unless one would like to remain in a stagnant and backward economy, how can one think of mono-ethnic nation states? How about human rights – is not discriminating members of ‘the other’ communities a violation of human rights?
Here is hope from my side. Let us dare to dream and strive, to begin with, towards building multi-ethnic nation states where everyone can grow and expand irrespective of being a follower of a religion or being a member of a community and end with a global government which facilitates other governments to take care of everyone in hunger or sickness, life or death. Individually I would suggest that we learn to repent for our crimes and seek ways of salvation, particularly offering ourselves for punishment of our crimes, like the woman who committed a crime and came asking for punishment to Mohammad (may God bless him) thrice, even after being sent away twice. However change will be much faster if leaders of armed parties, government or NGOs or religious organisations lead the way. In history we saw this happening during the rule of just two/three years of Umar-bin-Abdul Azeez (717-20)of Ummayyad Empire, - a state extending from Southern France & Spain to Pakistan, Morocco and parts of Russia through the Arabian and Persian world, - when people witnessed justice, peace and prosperity after a long haul of tyranny. That is how much one good person can bring change if he happens to be leading the government. A good person is not the one showering favours left and right with stolen wealth or power; but a good person is the one who respects other ordinary persons and protects their rights as far as he /she can. For example, another ruler of an empire Umar bin Farooq (634-644 AD) walked through the streets of the capital at night to find out the hungry or the helpless and addressed their needs.
to be continued
Here is a way to peace, happiness and prosperity. Let the ministers, secretaries, and directors repent and leave the ways of sins and crimes and stop indulging in bribes. Let the commanders of armed parties, state or non-state, repent their crimes and stop extorting and killing people; stop acting as self-styled gods. Let the NGO chief functionaries repent and stop bribing their way through and manipulating accounts and their partner communities. Let the civil society or community organisations repent and stop forcing people to do as they wish in the name of democracy. Let the religious leaders repent and stop being in league with corrupt people in power or with money. Let the people repent and stop bribing their way through those in power. Let the voters stop complaining against the elected but initiate voter mobilisation in order to elect honest and professional politicians. Because God will not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves.
What we need are persons who can stand up for truth; who can be martyrs / witnesses for truth, persons who can stand up against powerful forces, against the trappings of wealth or fame, persons who can be examples of integrity and honesty. It is people who can speak out their minds and stand up openly that we need; not those who act clever and engage in doublespeak. Is there anyone out there? Are you one of them? If there is even a single one of you out there – whether you are a Meitei, Kuki, Naga or Hindu, Muslim, Christian or anything else-, then there is hope for Manipur.
3. Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous, if you are capable of dreaming a bright political future of Manipur and expressing it, especially when you are terrorised.
Formation :
When we opened the legends of this land, we find that it was inhabited by clan-based kingdoms in the valleys & its neighbouring hills and by village-kingdoms in the hills. Some of the dominant clans were called Luwang, Khuman, Angom, Khaba, Mangang, Moirang, Heiren Khunja, Chengleis etc.
Storming & Norming :
After centuries of living under such a political system, Pakhangba was coronated as the emperor of all the clans except Moirang and Khuman. Thus came into being the Ningthouja Kingdom. This happened after the defeat and destruction of Khaba power by Pakhangba. Under this system the clan-kings have to submit to the emperor and pay tributes and act as mere chiefs. The next great change occurred with the organisation of six lups by King Loiyamba(~1094AD). Then came the destruction of Khuman power (1210 AD) and its absorption to Ningthouja Kingdom (~1250 AD). Then the expansion towards the Burma occurred : fight with the Shans from beyond the eastern hills (1260s), with Marings and Moirang (1280s); fights with Tangkhuls and conquest of Moirang(1430s). Thus the Ningthouja Kingdom became the basis for the Meitei Nation. Later on this nation building process was extended to the neighbouring hill villages and Muslims (1660s). Its nature was that of a feudal state, meaning thereby that the village or clan chiefs paid tributes and sent fighters in times of need to the Ningthouja King at Kangla; demonstrating their recognition of him as their head.
Performing :
Having thus completed the first phase of nation / group building in the Imphal valley, it undertook its first campaign (in partnership with a foreign power, the Pongs) against another foreign power (the Kabaws), both being from the Shan tribe. This resulted in the first international treaty of the rising Meitei power and expansion of its Kingdom upto Chindwin River (~1500). The earlier fights (alternating with matrimonies) with the neighbouring clans and villages of Ningthouja kingdom, now shifted to fights with neighbouring states/powers of the Meitei Kingdom like kingdoms of Tekhao/Ahom, Ava/Burmese, Takhen/Tripura, Mayang/Cachhar and also not so frequent fights with some Chinese chiefs in Yunan area. The furthest limit of this power was when it marched beyond Chindwin upto walls of the Ava (1738 AD), Myanmar and the then Meitei king made a gash on the doors of Kaunghmudaw Pagoda there.
Decline :
The violent conflicts, with periods of tranquillity in between, with the Burmese power from 1748-1826 became one of the basis for the decline of the Meitei Kingdom. This led to the Meitei Kings seeking support from the rising power of British in Bengal starting from 1762 AD onwards while the rebel Meitei princes sought the support of Burma. Thus Manipur too became part of the global conflict between the French and the British in America, Europe and Asia in the Seven Years’ War (1756-63). The Burmese devastated the land and its people from time to time, the worst being the seven years from 1819 to 1826. The shortage of food was so extreme that the price of paddy reached 15 Lakha of sels per Sangbai / 30 kg basket. Also the first resistance movement against foreign occupation gave birth during this worst period, the resistance movement of Prince Herachandra which is similar to that of Irabot(1950s). Bengalisation also happened during this declining period (1799-1819). The support from the British, as part of the first Anglo-Burmese War(1824-26) led to their occupation of Manipur itself later on(1891) and de-facto or de-jure rule of Manipur upto1947, (and shortly after they left, Manipur becoming part of India, willingly or unwillingly). The loss of Kabaw valley (1834) also happened during this time. Another cause for the decline was the tributary nature of its relationship with Kabaw Valley provinces.
The Future
Thus here in Manipur, we see the clans and villages becoming part of the Ningthouja nation, then the Meitei nation and then the Manipur nation. Similarly the hill villages became tribes and now nations of Nagas, Mizos etc. If we see the process of state-formation across the world, then we see the European villages /tribes, then nations and now international unions. In the case of currencies we see people exchanging products and services through the barter system, then shifting to coins, then to a mix of national coins & paper currencies and now to a mix of multinational coins, paper and electronic currencies (e.g. the Euro).
Hence it may be quite right to predict that humanity will- sooner or later- march towards a global state in which everyone is a universal citizen with minimum needs taken care of; which basically will include security of life, food, health, education, currency, job and movement, similar to what the EU is doing for its citizens. The future of the people of Manipur, as it is inextricably linked with that of the other parts of the world, lies there. Resisting it and suffering is not a good choice; it is facilitating this march towards the global state in which there is the universal brotherhood that is the good choice; which will bring peace and prosperity to everyone, local or foreign. Because the greatest glory -greater than the Meitei, Naga, Zo glory or the Christian, Muslim, Hindu glory - is the glory of each human being meaning his enjoying universal security of life, food, health, employment, education and movement. The immediate goal can be some kind of political and economic unity among its neighbouring states (e.g. Manipur, Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram can join together in some bold joint ventures- good roads, free movement, big industries, quality education and health service etc.) while encouraging and participating in the South-Asian and South-East Asian unification processes. In this way people in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam can play a greater role in making a new better and prosperous world and end up as a facilitator of people’s dreams/visions. Forcing somebody else’s dreams into people’s throats will only make life worse for everyone, as is being seen at present. Or striving towards fragmentation into smaller and smaller states or countries will be marching against history, resulting in much suffering and self-destruction.

4. Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous , if You follow the successful ways of assertion
One instance of assertion against a more powerful enemy was the Manipur-British treaty of 1962. To enable Manipur to meet the challenge of the more powerful Burmese imperialism and un-ending schemes of rebel princes, Bhagyachandra signed al treaty with the British in 1962, in which the British agreed to hire out their troops to the government in Manipur in times of need besides the usual clauses of free movement of English traders and land for construction of factory and fort. For the British, it was part of its global struggle for supremacy with the French during the Seven Years War(1756-63). They needed a foothold in Manipur since the Burmese with the help of the French destroyed in 1759 the English settlement at Negrais, an island at the mouth of Irrawaddy, so that they could then use Manipur to settle scores with the Burmese. However the British could not station their troops in Manipur inspite of sincere attempts. However in 1826 they helped Manipuris under Gambhir Singh to drive out the Burmese from its seven years’ occupation of Manipur, (although Manipur had to lose Kabaw valley in 1834 under the settlement brokered by the British called the Treaty of Yandaboo and Gambhir Singh dying of heart attack on the day of the transfer). On the other hand the treaty of 1833 with the British was not one of assertion; but of subordination to the British agreeing to facilitate British power as per need including providing free labour.
Another instance was the brief attempt to assert under Tikendrajit which lasted only about seven months during 1890-91 and ended in complete failure. The administration of the kingdom was taken over by the colonial power indirectly through the vice-president of the durbar who was a civil servant of the British India and also by its power to appoint or remove the members of the durbar, which was the cabinet. The administration of the hills was separated from the rest of the valley highlighting differences with the plain which is still being practised and given to the vice-president, their agent. Since then the British, more or less, dictated the Manipur government through the office of its Political Agent until they left India in 1947.

But the Ahanba Nupilan on 3 December 1904 was a successful case of assertion because it forced the government (which was run by the British in the name of the King) to withdraw its orders. The assertion achieved its objective. On the other hand the Kuki rebellion of 1917-1919 was a case of failure since it ended with the surrender of Kuki chiefs and more control of the British in the hill territory through new posts of SDOs alongwith rearrangement of loans and tribute to enable the government in Manipur to meet the cost of the new enlarged administration. Zeliangrong freedom movement (1930-49) was also another case of failed assertion because its objective of an independent Kabui raj did not materialise; rather its founder leader Jadonang was done to death (1931) and its successor leader Gaidinliu was put to life imprisonment (1932) and the movement died later on. The agitations for some kind of representative government during 1939-40 sparked by the second Nupi Lan (12 December 1939) and continued by the Mahasabha & Praja Sammelan, an extension of Gandhi-led freedom struggle was a success in that besides banning the export of rice and closing of rice-mills as desired by the women agitators, other administrative reforms like establishing a court and an appointment court, limiting administrative expenses thus releasing funds for development purposes and the disappearance of untouchability as a government practice. Some of the recent success stories are the protest against atrocities of AR personnel which resulted in the review of the AFSPA and speeding up the shifting of Assam Rifles from the Kangla and the mass uprising of June 2005 which resulted into a halt to any plan to divide Manipur on ethnic lines.
So what are the successful methods of assertion we have seen here? These are, one, the voluntary nature of the participants, and two, the tenacity of the leaders in continuing the assertion. Because forcing / bribing participation on people do not lead to any credibility of any movement. As for tenacity, lack of it reflects a lack of belief in the movement itself. Violent assertions have succeeded only in the case of open alliance with a great power e.g. driving away the Burmese in 1826 with the help of British.

5. Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous , if You can be part of mobilising people for good governance
One day in June 2009, I went to meet my lawyer (representing my father’s family to regain our land encroached by my uncles and neighbours) and the discussion strayed into the pitiable conditions in Manipur – murders, corruption etc . I ventured into expressing that the conditions can be changed overnight if we have just 60 honest people (meaning thereby the 60 MLAs) or even one such Chief Minister. And we can elect them into power the Obama style, with voluntary contributions of labour and money. He said why go upto Obama; what about the DPP (whose candidates were elected with such contributions after the June uprising in Manipur but turned out to be opportunists after election and betrayed the cause). Thus ended our very brief exchange.
Since 2005 or so I have been putting up this idea of political parties run by honest people who wish to bring a change in Manipur. In the beginning people looked at me strangely, as if I am crazy. But after the Obama success story I have strong material to assert my point and they are more willing to listen.
When people talk of elections, including those people who desire to bring good governance, they talk of the money power as the most important. But the Obama story has demonstrated that people, especially people who are willing to contribute their time and money and are ready to go out and solicit support door to door, are the deciding factor in elections. Obama, a not-so-well-known senator from among the community of former slaves, became the ruler of the richest and the most powerful, most racist country in the world, mobilising the biggest sum of money among all the existing or dead candidates of USA. This they did through small contributions of the numerous volunteers. See the power of people who are willing to venture into unknown territories! People who can take the less travelled road!!!
To change Manipur, the first thing that needs to be done by those who run the government is to recruit competent and honest persons as government employees and to dismiss incompetent and corrupt personnel. This is not impossible for people who are honest and who are not under any illegal obligation. And this is the job of the elected politicians who are honest. Hence the need to mobilise voters to elect honest leaders!
So let us stop despairing and complaining and wailing. Let us stop bribing our way to government jobs and services. Instead, let us get out of our homes and offices and mobilise the people to take control of our lives and to elect those persons who will act professionally in their political posts i.e. who will run around to meet people’s need of security of their lives, health, education, job, food and movement. Let us also contribute money required for this great job. This way the volunteers and donors have to find the right candidate and help them get elected. And if they fail to perform then let us facilitate the voters remove such politicians from their posts. Good governance requires initiatives and activism from the citizens.
It is time to utilise our bravery to face the greatest challenge humanity is facing i.e. the issue of happiness and welfare of every human being. Many countries in western Europe and Canada in North America has achieved this goal to a great degree by the simple act of the governments performing professionally, government employees helping people to get food, medicine, jobs, housing, education among others. Manipur also can do so by the simple acts of transparency, accountability and professionalism among its politicians and government employees. We should not allow so many public employees and so much public money going down the drain due to our lack of initiative to cleanse the political and administrative system.

6. Manipur can be peaceful and prosperous, if the government, the rebels and the people can act right.

Newspaper reports on frontpages on 18 August 2009, Tuesday highlighted solutions outlined by the Chief Minister of Manipur to the ongoing violent conflicts in Manipur as more money for development and more money for policing. The Prime Minister of India emphasized more participation of people in development projects and more policing. Is it not the same failed policy which has been followed for so many decades here in this tiny border state? Money is not the solution but one fuel of the ongoing conflicts in this tiny border state, the other being highhanded behaviour of the security forces, whereas the root cause is the non-accountability of the state and non-state forces to the common people.
When I join any discussion with my co-passengers in a bus or a fellow customer in a pan/tea shop in Manipur about its violent conflicts, they invariably come to the conclusion that it is because most of us who matters in the state has given primacy to material gain over the moral. Government personnel, from the peon to the Minister, grab bribes; rebel parties extort; voters take bribes to vote; job seekers compete in giving the biggest amount of bribes; and ultimately general population make fun of people who object to corruption. It is this loss of moral/spiritual sense of right and wrong that is causing the great breakdown of all the main actors in the state e.g. failed governments, extortionists rebels, materialistic religious leaders, and voiceless common people.
This view of the common people on the street is also confirmed by the intellectuals in a recent consultative workshop on good governance at Imphal. In fact now the question is beyond awareness; it is the lack of will power to change one’s thoughts, attitudes and practices. It is the false perception of success as accumulation of wealth and power in negligence of character and personal happiness.
If this is true then more money for development which means more opportunities for the already rampant corruption will lead to more violent conflicts and more policing will lead to more legitimization of using force which in turn will also contribute to violence. The crucial issue here is how the public money and political power is being misused? Also when does conflict become violent? Conflicts become violent when the aggrieved party feels they are wrong or done injustice and there is no hope for remedy from the powers that be. Then how can increase in development/plan funds or more policing be a part of the problem and not the solution unless the moral question of injustice and corruption is addressed first. Is it not that once acceptable moral standards are practiced in the governance of a state then violent conflicts tend to dissolve into the democratic politics, be they in the form of elections or referendums or change movements? Because then people can hope for the ultimate justice from the executive through mass pressure or through judiciary. However when all branches of government – the judiciary, the legislative, the executive or public pressure- fails then can anyone expect except violence as the ultimate solution. Whether it is only Rs. 1 or Rs. 10,000 crore, whether it is the presence of one police man/woman or thousands of them, is it not the question of right or wrong of their utilisation (or their actions in case of police) that agitates the heart and mind of the people?

A Chief Minister about whom people understands rightly or wrongly as taking bribes ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to 20 lakhs for recruiting various ranks in the government posts including police personnel and making 10-15 percent cuts in development/plan funds, how can one expect people to abide by the diktats imposed by him or his government employees? A Chief Minister about whom people accuse him of encouraging fake encounters to kill his own people in order to gain more funds from the Central government for policing / development, can anyone expect that people trust him on his words? Rebels who extort at any available opportunity and humiliate/kill people at the slightest pretext, can they be expected to be treated as revolutionaries? Voters who sell their votes at the highest bidder, can they be expected to raise their voice against the elected? Jobseekers who risked their land and savings including family jewellery to bribe for jobs, can they be trusted to be professiona? So, brothers and sisters, you see the crucial issue now for Manipur is what is wrong and what is right while dealing with public money or public power? Can the government be transparent and accountable? Can people be moral and spiritual and righteous while in public service? Can voters contribute their time and money to elect good and capable politicians? Can job-seekers base their search for jobs on their merit and character? Can the government personnel including the ministers and judges act professionally to provide quality service to the general public? Can the rebels respect the common man/woman on the street and be accountable to him/her?
So if you have the moral/spiritual strength and can act right in all your dealings with public money or power, then Manipur can be peacef
Feuding militias come in the way of junta’s plans

by Daniel Perderson Mizzima

Mae Salid (Mizzima) - Feuding militia leaders have brought a halt to a damaging Burmese military advance through territory claimed by the Karen National Liberation Army.

Leaders of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, a pro-junta Karen fiction, are said to be split over the role the militia should play in a theatre of war that pitches soldiers against their brethren.

And in a bid to bolster its numbers the DKBA has begun to raid Karen villages to muster legions of child soldiers, said a senior KNLA source.

The DKBA has hit the KNLA’s Sixth and Seventh Brigades, to the south and north of the Thai town of Mae Sot, hard in the past 12 months.

But Karen National Union vice president David Thackrabaw said the DKBA and SPDC should steel itself for a fight in the north.

The KNLA’s Seventh Brigade fell in June, after a two-week offensive, but DKBA casualties were heavy.

“The DKBA suffered heavy casualties attacking the Seventh Brigade,” said Thackrabaw. The KNU is the KNLA’s political overseer.

“They had 100 dead and about 300 injured in just two weeks. “Now the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) has a plan to launch an operation against the KNU Fifth Brigade and also the Sixth Brigade [again],” he said.

“But there is a quarrel, a lot of disagreement among the DKBA leaders.

“Some say they are just being used as cannon fodder by the SPDC, they will be just wiped out if they keep attacking the KNU.

“This is the junta’s policy and the other ceasefire organisations should draw a lesson – if they agree to become a border guard force then they will be used to attack other groups or other organisations still carrying on the resistance.

“Now they have attacked the Kokang. The Kokang is very weak comparatively [to others in the region] - it only has about 1,500 troops.

“They are saying the Kokang are producing their own weapons, they are saying they are still producing drugs, but drugs have been eradicated [in the Kokang area].

“It was in 2006 that the regime itself announced the Kokang region had become a drug-free area,” said Thackrabaw.

Asked if it was true that the Kokang had indeed stopped producing drugs, namely heroin, he said it was, and that the Kokang drug “era” had begun only in 2000 and had ended by 2006.

“They got help from the UN and substituted [drugs] for rubber and rubber is more or less a steady crop for export, so they have more trade and they don’t have to depend on drugs.

“Of course many groups [near the China border] didn’t agree to the transformation into a border guard force, including the Kokang, and so they are being attacked, the smallest, the weakest, as a warning to the others.

“But groups like the UWSA - the Wa - and the Kachin, I really don’t think the military dictatorship has the capacity to override them,” said Thackrabaw.

“The Wa is 20,000 strong and they have a number of heavy weapons also.

“Then you have the Mong La, which is a group below [to the south of] the Wa. It has about 5,000 troops,” said Thackrabaw.

“So the Wa, Mong La and the Kachin should stand firm, they don’t have to fear,” said Thackrabaw.

“They have nothing to fear because within the SPDC morale is low, they may have good weapons, but morale is low and the terrain favours the ceasefire groups.

“The SPDC does not care about any of the ethnic minorities. Their ideology is to eliminate all the ethnic peoples, by hook or by crook.

“They will employ methods of assimilation, or ethnic cleansing or genocide,” he said.

Thackrabaw said the KNLA’s Fifth Brigade was well prepared for an anticipated onslaught, perhaps at the beginning of the dry season.

“The Fifth Brigade is well prepared, they have been fighting for a long time,” he said.

“The Seventh Brigade was weak because of the actions of Htein Maung [the former brigadier-general who defected in 2006 to form the KNU/KNLA Peace Council].

“It would be fair to say it is the weakest brigade of the KNLA.”

He said the determination that saw the SPDC and the DKBA join forces and fight for more than six months in Sixth Brigade (to Mae Sot’s south) was largely to do with money.

“I think the DKBA particularly was encouraged by Thai business people who want to log and who want to mine in our areas,” he said.

“The operation in the Seventh Brigade was an SPDC test for the DKBA, in preparation for their transformation to a border guard force, to which they’ve agreed.

“They [the DKBA] have begun a campaign of recruiting, you know, forced recruiting, and if a village cannot provide troops then they have to pay 300,000 Kyat.

It’s based on a population scale. The larger villages have to provide more troops. “In some cases they have to provide one person per household, which is fairly drastic we believe,” he added.

“And they have started recruiting child-soldiers. So some people fled to Thailand to escape human rights violations.

“But the Thais have said ‘the shooting has stopped, you had better go back, you can go back now,’ but they cannot. They would be going back to human rights violations, so the Thai policy is also against humanitarian values, it’s very immoral,” he said.

Thackrabaw said the DKBA maintained no minimum age limit for its soldiers and was sending messages to the Thais that it was safe for the refugees to return.

Child soldiers would be picked from those who go back he said.
Kalemyo youths flee to Mizoram to evade military training Khonumthung News
September 9, 2009: A number of youths have been forced to flee to Mizoram state in northeast India to avoid being conscripted by the Burmese Army for military training from different areas in Kalemyo, Sagaing division western Burma.
It is learnt that army authorities want at least 10 persons from each village near Kalemyo to attend the military training programme in mid September.
Reluctant to join the training, 12 youths were apprehensive of staying in their villages. They fled to Mizoram. A youth from Tayakaung village said, “We have come here to escape from the army’s dragnet after they ordered village heads to send at least 10 youths from each village. If we had stayed back we would have been included in the military trainee list.”
In fact, the army authorities had drawn up a number of trainee lists for each village depending on its population. Some big villages have to give lists with 30 names for the training programme. On completion of training the trained have to serve as volunteer workers in the police, as firefighters and the USDA (Union Solidarity and Development Association).
Although there is no confirmation about how many youths have fled to Mizoram from Kalemyo areas, 12 have reached the Indian state on September 6.
Meanwhile, military personnel in Kalemyo have been arresting late night street walkers and drunks.
The military training programme has been completed in Matupi Township, southern Chin state in August, but it will be organized in Chikha Township this month.
The military junta is preparing for the forthcoming 2010 general elections in different ways. This military training programme is part of it and it is meant to strengthen block and village level security with the trained youths.

Nagalim.NL News

09/09/2009: "Pillai’s new role in Naga issue (IANS) Nagaland Post"