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09/15/2009: "Centre, State silent on Naga encroachment Reporter Assam Tribune"

Centre, State silent on Naga encroachment Reporter Assam Tribune

GUWAHATI, Sept 14 - The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today alleged that despite having intelligence inputs about encroachment on Assam’s land by Nagaland, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the State Government are silent on the issue. The party, through a memorandum, has sought immediate intervention from the Prime Minister regarding a permanent settlement of the inter-State boundary problems of Assam and Nagaland.

Addressing a press meet, party president Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the people of Assam living in the bordering areas, especially those of Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat, are spending sleepless nights due to the encroachment threats.

“Due to the continuous negligence of the governments of Assam and Nagaland, people of both States living in the border areas are facing tough times which also lead to clashes and conflicts from time to time…the governments of Assam and Nagaland are not taking any step to bring the situation under control”, stated the memorandum.

Party leader Sarbananda Sonowal also alleged that the North Eastern States Reorganisation Act, 1971 is still not implemented in the region. “The proper demarcation was not done in letter and spirit of the law, which was enacted for that purpose”, he mentioned.

“Intelligence inputs regarding Assam’s land encroachment must be there with the PMO and the State Government as well. Despite that no step has been taken by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi or the Prime Minister himself who represents Assam in the Parliament,” added Sonowal. A delegation from the party is going to visit the encroachment-affected border areas of the State on September 18.

“Under such circumstances, we have every reason to doubt that the PMO and the Union Home Ministry also support the idea of Greater Nagalim,” said senior party leader Atul Bora.

The AGP also rapped the State and the Union governments over the big dam projects, alleging that public opinion has not been sought over the issue.

The party members will stage a dharna in New Delhi in front of the Parliament during its coming session over the issue.

AGP wants Singh to sort out border dispute A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, Sept. 14: The AGP today demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to stop encroachment of Assam’s territory along the boundary the state shares with Nagaland. The Opposition party dashed off a letter to Singh demanding express instructions to the chief ministers of the two states to provide adequate security to the border residents.
The president of the AGP, Chandra Mohan Patowary, told reporters that incitement by Naga rebels particularly the NSCN (I-M) for the creation of a “Greater Nagalim” was one of the prime reasons for encroachment of Assam’s land by Nagaland. The Assamese living along the border areas were being assaulted and their land encroached upon by the Nagas everyday, Patowary alleged. A high-level delegation of the AGP led by Rajya Sabha member Biren Baishya will visit the border areas on September 18.
“The Tarun Gogoi government has done nothing to stop Nagaland’s aggression. If such a situation is allowed to prevail, the day is not far when the entire Golaghat district and large areas of Jorhat and Karbi Anglong will be encroached upon by the Nagas,” Patowary said.
“So the AGP has demanded the Prime Minister’s intervention in solving the problem. Being a representative of the state, Singh has a moral responsibility to protect the Assamese people.”
In a written reply to AGP legislator Abdul Aziz, border area development minister Gautam Roy told the Assembly in July that Nagaland had encroached 66,241 hectares of Assam’s land. AGP general secretary Sarbananda Sonowal said Singh must play a proactive role in solving the border dispute between Assam and Nagaland according to the provisions of the North-Eastern Area (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
The AGP would soon start a massive agitation in the border areas to oppose Nagaland’s aggression, Patowary said. The AGP also attacked the ruling Congress government for its alleged failure on many fronts, including its failure to check the shooting prices of essential commodities. Patowary said when the state is confronted with the problems of flood, drought and price rise, Gogoi had left for the US for his own “pleasures”. “If the government cannot arrest the price rise of essential commodities, it must provide subsidies as relief. The central government must announce a mega compensation package for the flood victims in the state.”
China-ULFA links revealed (AGENCIES):
NEW DELHI, A news report appearing in the portal, Times Now claimed it has accessed details that shows how the Chinese are training ULFA terrorists in a number of camps.
While the Indian government has been very quick to reject reports of Chinese firing in Sikkim, of greater concern is an exclusive report by Times Now that blows the lid off a deadly Chinese game plan to sever the north east from the Indian mainland.
Times Now has learned after the deadly Kachen Rebels in Myanmar, China is now out to get the menacing ULFA on its side. The idea is to sever the northeast from the rest of India.
This comes after a series of reports of Chinese incursions on the north and north-eastern border of India and China in last one month.
The newly-appointed Consul General of China in Mumbai Wang Donghua today (on September 15) said, “India and China are not just neighbours, but are brothers too”.
“We are not just neighbours, but brothers too. Both the countries are emerging superpowers and therefore, peace and development in the region will benefit them and the world,” he said during a meeting with Maharashtra Governor S C Jamir at Raj Bhawan in south Mumbai.

Firm up stand against Chinese claims: Khandu ITANAGAR (IANS):
The government in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh Tuesday urged New Delhi to act tough on Chinese claims over the state and snub Beijing’s opposition to Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to the region.
“Chinese claims over Arunachal Pradesh are simply baseless and not correct. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and would continue to do so,” Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu told IANS.
Beijing in 2003 gave up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim but still holds on to its stand that nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it.
The mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,030 km unfenced border with China.
“The government of India should be more assertive and make its stand on Arunachal Pradesh very clear to China. New Delhi needs to make a bold statement about frequent Chinese claims,” Takam Sanjay, a ruling Congress party MP from Arunachal Pradesh, told IANS.
The reaction of Arunachal Pradesh lawmakers comes at a time when there are allegations of a Chinese intrusion in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, besides similar apprehensions from the chief minister of Uttarakhand state that shares a border with China.
China last week raked up a controversy asking India not to allow Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh in November.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said: “We firmly oppose Dalai visiting the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’.”
The Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, besides capital Itanagar.
“China has no business to interfere with the Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh. We welcome the Dalai Lama’s visit and will ensure that his trip is successful,” Sanjay said.
“Let it be known to Beijing that Dalai Lama is a spiritual leader of the world and can visit any part of the world without Beijing’s nod.”
It is through Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh that in 1959 the Dalai Lama escaped the Chinese to enter India. The India-China border along Arunachal Pradesh is separated by the McMahon Line, an imaginary border now known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India and China fought a border war in 1962, with Chinese troops advancing deep into Arunachal Pradesh and inflicting heavy casualties on Indian troops.
The border dispute with China was inherited by India from British colonial rulers, who hosted a 1914 conference with the Tibetan and Chinese governments that set the border in what is now Arunachal Pradesh.
China has never recognised the 1914 McMahon Line and claims 90,000 sq km, nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh. India also accuses China of occupying 8,000 sq km in Kashmir.
After 1962, tensions flared again in 1986 with Indian and Chinese forces clashing in Sumdorong Chu valley of Arunachal. Chinese troops reportedly built a helipad in the valley leading to fresh skirmishes along the borders.

Protests halt academics - Private coaching classes in Manipur valley join boycott by schools OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph


A higher secondary school in Imphal wears a deserted look on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections
Imphal, Sept. 14: Academic activities have come to a near halt in the four valley districts of Manipur with two powerful student groups joining the oust-Okram Ibobi Singh campaign spearheaded by Apunba Lup, a conglomerate of citizens’ groups.
Students have been boycotting classes since September 8, completely paralysing government and private educational institutions in the four valley districts of Manipur.
Private coaching institutions joined them from today by suspending classes in response to a call by the Manipuri Students Federation. The earlier class boycott had come after All Manipur Students Union made a call in support of the Apunba Lup demand for resignation of Ibobi Singh and punishment to the guilty commandos responsible for the death of Rabina Devi and former militant Ch. Sanjit in the July 23 shootout.
The coaching centres here have a large number of students. After the class boycott began, students who could afford tuition fees were fortunate to be able to attend some classes at least in the coaching and tuition centres. But this, too, came to a stop today.
“I came for the coaching classes as usual this morning but found only a few students here. Our teachers told us that classes had been suspended because of the boycott call,” Mutum Rame, a Class XI student, said while coming out of a coaching centre. The class boycott campaign, however, has not affected normal academic activities in Manipur University and classes are continuing regularly there, a teacher said.
The police, continuing its crackdown on the Apunba Lup, raided the office of one of its members, the All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (Amuco). They arrested eight office-bearers and volunteers of Amuco, including its assistant office secretary Amom Soken, publicity secretary L. Tompok and finance secretary Ching Sel, from the organisation’s office at Kwakeithel in Imphal West district during a raid this afternoon.
Five leaders of the Apunba Lup are already in jail, having been detained under the National Security Act. An unspecified number of protesters have also been arrested and jailed. It has been nearly two months since the July 23 shootout, but there is no sign of the public uproar waning. The institution of a judicial inquiry, presided by Justice P.G. Agarwal, into the incident has failed to pacify the protesters.
The Agarwal commission issued a notification inviting statements from witnesses and parties concerned on September 4. However, no statement was filed till today, a commission source said. The deadline for filing statements is September 21.
Open Letter to the Higher Education Department Nagaland Page
With due respect, We have the honour to bring to your kind notice that the Political Science Lecturer, Mr Mulovoyi Kotso posted at Mt Tiyi College, Wokha has never taught a single lecture in Political Science since his posting 3(three) years ago in 2007. Whenever he comes to draw his pay, he is in an inebriated state so that the college authority cannot scold him. So far he has visited the college 11(eleven) times.
The College Authority has written official letters several times, but the response from your office has not been positive. The student’s career is going to be severely compromised because of indifferent attitude from your office. The public of Wokha, especially the concerned parents of the students who are paying to educate their children has tolerated beyond their threshold. It is difficult to understand why action cannot be taken in spite of repeated letters, reminders and complaints. It is to be remembered that the above lecturer is posted 3(three) years back in 2007 and how many batch of political science students has suffered till date. Will you send your son/daughter to such a college for higher education?
Another question is how the said lecturer is appointed and paid by the government to serve the students in particular and public in general? Is the patience of the people of Wokha District tried and tested this way? I think enough is enough and three years is quite a long wait, especially in an educational institution setting.
Lastly, we are not finger pointing to anyone irrespective of wherever or whoever he/she may be; it is for the welfare of the students and one has to fulfill one’s duty.
Therefore, we, on behalf of the students, parents and public of Wokha, would be grateful if a suitable political science lecturer is posted at Mt Tiyi College at the earliest for the welfare of the Students and the Public of Wokha District.
Thanking you in anticipation.
s/d
Y.Likhao Humtsoe Dr Limhathung Jami
Chairman General Secretary
Kyong Hungjantaren Ekhung Kyong Hungjantaren Ekhung
Tibetan leader takes on China Arunachal asks New Delhi to firm up stand Eastern Mirror
DHARAMSHALA (IANS): Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India, the prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile said Tuesday, adding that Chinese military incursions into India were a serious affair.
“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and India is a sovereign country. People living in India on a permanent basis have every right to go anywhere in India. Then why China objects?” Samdhong Rinpoche asked at a news conference here.
“The media in India gives undue importance to whatever China says. But they don’t give much importance to increasing Chinese incursions. It is very funny for me. The Chinese incursions are more serious,” he added.
Rinpoche’s comments came in the wake of the Dalai Lama’s planned trip to Arunachal Pradesh, a region whose ownership is claimed by Beijing.
“His holiness’ visit to Arunachal is only for religious purposes. He has gone there several times in the past also,” Rinpoche said.
The Tibetan prime minister accused the West, including the US, of pursuing a policy of appeasement towards China.
“Today economic interests are more important than other interests. Therefore a lot of countries have adopted a policy of appeasement towards China. China bullies them and they do not react,” he said.
“Today the West is afraid of Beijing. The entire world today is going by the principal of might is right and survival of the fittest.”
He went on: “The so-called UN declaration of human rights is considered a cardinal document to protect human rights. But monks in Tibet were imprisoned just for having a copy of that declaration. No one in the world has the courage to condemn to condemn that.
“China’s totalitarian dictatorship survived for 60 years only because of the support of the Western world,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh government Tuesday urged Tuesday New Delhi to act tough vis-a-vis Chinese claims over the state and ignore the Chinese opposition to the Dalai Lama’s proposed visit to the region.
“Chinese claims over Arunachal Pradesh are simply baseless and not correct. Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and would continue to do so,” Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu told IANS.
Beijing in 2003 gave up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim but holds on to its stand that nearly all of Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it.
China last week raked up a controversy asking India not to allow Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh in November. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu said: “We firmly oppose Dalai visiting the so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’.”
“The government of India should be more assertive and make its stand on Arunachal Pradesh very clear to China. New Delhi needs to make a bold statement about frequent Chinese claims,” Takam Sanjay, a ruling Congress party MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said. The Dalai Lama, who fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed revolt against Communist rule, lives in Dharamsala, heading a government-in-exile that is not recognised by any country. India is also home to some 100,000 Tibetans.
Insurgency has blemished ethnic brotherhood in state: Governor The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Sept 15 : Insurgency and ethnic strife amongst the different communities have blemished the long history of peaceful coexistence, unity and brother hood amongst the myriad groups inhabiting in Manipur.

This was stated by the Governor Gurbachan Jagat while inaugurating the golden Jubilee celebration of DDK Imphal at JN Dance Academy Imphal this morning.

The Governor further said Manipur is blessed with nature’s bountiful munificence consisting of abundant natural material and manpower resources.

Once the normalcy is restored, not only would the process of development be accelerated, but also the fruits of development would reach all parts of the state, especially the interior areas, he said.

DDK by dint of their topical and valuable programmes, would help in bringing about a change in various regards, he added.

The Governor further said it is happy to note the DDK entering its 50 years of rendering national television service in country and the golden jubilee is an occasion for celebration and introspection.

He said, DDK devoted to the public service, is one of the largest terrestrial networks in the World.

Today. flagship of DDK operates through a network of 1308 terrestrial transmitters of varying power reaching over 89% of the population. There are additional transmitters giving terrestrial support to other channels. And it has been estimated that DDK earned around Rs. 4 billion during the last financial year from commercial advertisement, he said.

It is heartening to note that DDK has given high priority to the development of TV service in North-Eastern. The hilly terrain in this part of the country makes it necessary to have a very large number of transmitters. As soon on August 1, 1999, there were 119 transmitters in the NE. Television studios have been established in the capital cities of all six state of Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh. All these TV centres telecast original programmes for a duration of 60-90 minutes on week days, he added.

State government also mentioned that, DDK is also implementing a scheme for telecasting on National network and on the Metro network specially commissioned programmes highlighting the culture heritage of the people of the NE, the developmental activities and challenges faced in this part of the country.

Lastly, governor mentioned that, as visual media have a greater impact on the mind of the people, the DDK should produce more and more programmes not only for entertainment and education, but also for effective conveying the message underlying the futility of violence and the need for peaceful coexistence for all section to promote national integrity and development of the state he added.

State Information minister TN Haokip presiding over the function today mentioned that, state government is pressurizing the centre for getting extending telecast programmes of DDK Imphal by providing direct satellite linkange facilities, on the other and the function as also attended by the state health and family welfare minister Ph Parijat as guest of honour of the function today and delivered his speech on the importance services provided by the medias towards various aspects of development in country as well as in the state.