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09/21/2009: "Peace cannot be confined under any boundaries: Radha Bhatt Nagaland Page"

Peace cannot be confined under any boundaries: Radha Bhatt Nagaland Page

National Youth Peace Festival underway
Page Staffer
Dimapur, September 20: Chairman of Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi, Radha Bhatt today said that peace should be in proportion with justice and justice with compassion, as peace becomes a throbbing thing only when justice and compassion activate it.
Inaugurating the National Youth Peace Festival and Peace Awards 2009 at the Holy Cross School today, she commended it as an admirable attempt and a step of courage and vision.
Citing the Gandhian life of spiritual exploration and suffering, she urged the gathering to suffer for compassion and struggle for sustainable peace, adding that peace can be a practical message only when it is sustainable.
She said that about one-third of the Indian states are reeling under the shadows of violence, terrorism and insurgency and that peace lovers are faced with a very serious and unavoidable challenge of maintaining peace.
She urged the youths in particular to cultivate the culture of peace so as to bring about changes in the social structure. While maintaining that peace cannot be confined under any boundaries, she said that it is the responsibility of all peace lovers to see that peace prevails in their own respective localities and regions.
She also expressed her hope that the Peace Channel will play a very important role in spreading the wings of peace, within and beyond the boundaries of India.
DC Dimapur, Maongwati Aier, speaking as the guest of honor said that peace ultimately depends on the attitude of the people, adding that the attitudes conducive to peace are honesty, integrity and respect.
Saying that the whole world today resounds with the word 'Peace', he called upon the older generations to attend to the cry of the youth for peace. Stating that prejudism and tribalism are stumbling blocks on the path to peace in our Naga society, he urged the gathering to learn to forgive.
While expressing that the circle of responsibility in a society was much narrower in the olden days, he said that the present generation of youths faces a much more challenging task of operating in a wider dimension, especially for something free and chainless as peace.
Earlier, Kishor Dass, Coordinator Peace Channel, in his presentation speech said that the channel is a movement of young generations, of like-minded ambassadors of peace. According to him the channel was started in the year 2005 in Tamil Nadu with the motto,' A channel for peace.'
Christian Higher Secondary School Dimapur presented a welcome song, while the Peace Club of St. Clare School Dimapur presented a cultural dance.
A panel discussion on 'Peace Building; Collective Responses' was held after the inauguration. Eminent personalities and peace activists, Radha Bhatt, Rev.Dr. Walter Fernandes, Dr. N Lanunungsang, Thiyo Chakesang and Dr. Deben Sharma shared their various experiences after which the youths were given the time for their queries.
It might be noted that more than 700 youths had gathered for the festival.

NPCC affirms on honourable solution morungexpress

Dimapur, September 20 (MExN): The Congress party in Nagaland has made its stand clear that it had nothing to do with the Centre’s decision not to hammer out solution to the Naga political problem outside the ambit of constitution of India. According to a report filed from Kohima, K V Pusa, President of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) said that his party was not party to the negotiation therefore it has nothing to talk about the type of solution. He however asserted that any solution should be honourable and acceptable to all sections of Naga people. “Whether to accept Indian constitution or not is not our concern. It is upto them to decide” Pusa said.
He said talking of expediting the talks by Congress should not be construed as an “authority to talk for or against the Naga political issue” pointing out that as “a citizen of Nagaland I have every democratic rights to express my concern about Naga political issue and also in solving the problem once and for all” the NPCC chief said. He said appealing to the Centre and the Naga groups for early solution to the problem should not be taken otherwise. Says it has nothing to do with Centre’s decision on Naga issue
Pusa said that the Nagaland Congress had urged Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to put effort in hastening the process of “Indo-Naga political problem with resoluteness to ensure that a concrete and tangible result is arrived at”. He said in Nagaland a cloud of despair and anxiety looms large among all sections of Naga people by seeing the slow process of negotiation on Naga issue despite wasting several precious years. “The once undaunted hope and aspiration that the elusive decades old Naga problem would be resolved for good have slowly simmering down and is gradually replaced by spell of skepticism among Naga people” the NPCC in a letter to Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh said. The Congress said the political events in the past reminds Naga people that the government of India and Naga undergrounds had entered several peace accords, notably the 1975 Shillong Accord, ceasefire with the NSCN (IM) in 1997 and NSCN (K) in 2001 and this has been trailed by over 60 rounds of talks between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) but till today no substantive agreement has emerged out of the “exhaustive parleys”.
“While on the gloomy side, the so-called ceasefire ground rules have become a nuisance as blatant violation had taken place from the day one and the subsequent situations are catastrophic tell-tale of human tragedies” the Congress told the Prime Minister.
The Nagaland Congress further said that the inordinate delay in evolving a solution is creating a spiraling wave of political, social and economic destruction on the people of Nagaland. The letter said that while pinning hope on evolving a final solution on the issue is slowly dying down which if so would be a costly affair, the unbridled movements and activities of the militant stands as a serious impediments on all spheres of human affairs, be it politics, social, economic or developmental programmes.
Considering the “grim realities” prevalent in Nagaland and the popular desire of Nagas to see that a final settlement is concluded on the stalemate and Naga political issue, the Congress urged the Centre to initiate for expediting a meaningful and determined political dialogue with the Naga groups so as to find a solution that is honourable and acceptable to all sections of Naga people. The Congress has also emphasized on unification of Naga groups vis-a-vis common voice to resolve the issue with the Centre.

Cong stays off Naga ‘solution’ - Party was not part of Delhi negotiations, says PCC chief OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Sept. 20: The Congress today categorically said it has nothing to do with the Centre’s decision not to hammer out a solution to the Naga political problem outside the ambit of the Constitution. Reacting to a statement of a joint council meeting of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) , Nagaland PCC president K.V. Pusa said the Congress was not a party to the negotiation and, therefore, it has nothing to talk about the type of solution. The NSCN (I-M) had said in the statement that the state legislators and the Congress leaders in Nagaland were speaking of a solution within the Constitution.
But Pusa asserted that any solution should be honourable and acceptable to all sections of Naga people. “Whether to accept the Constitution or not is not our concern. It is upto them to decide,” he said. He said talking of expediting the talks by the Congress should not be construed as an authority to talk for or against the Naga political issue.
“As a citizen of Nagaland, I have every democratic right to express my concern about the Naga political issue and also in solving the problem once and for all,” the Nagaland PCC chief said. The NSCN (I-M) today said Pusa has no right to speak on behalf of the people on a solution to the Naga issue under the Constitution. The outfit said there was no room for doubt that the state politicians were agents of the process of “Indianisation”.
But the Congress rebutted the statement saying the party was concerned with the unresolved Naga issue, which has taken a big toll. Pusa said the state unit of the party has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to put in an effort in hastening the process of the “Indo-Naga” political problem with resoluteness to ensure that a concrete and tangible result is arrived at. He said in Nagaland a cloud of despair and anxiety looms large among all sections of Naga people because of the slow process of negotiation on the Naga issue.
“The once undaunted hope and aspiration that the elusive decades old Naga problem would be resolved for good have simmered down and is gradually replaced by scepticism,” the PCC chief said. He said the political events in the past reminds the Naga people that the government of India and Naga outfits had entered into several peace accords with the NSCN (I-M) in 1997 and NSCN (K) in 2001 but till date no substantive agreement has emerged out of the “exhaustive parleys”.
“While on the gloomy side, the so-called ceasefire ground rules have become meaningless as blatant violation had taken place from day one,” he added.
NSCN-IM cautions money lenders (EMN
DIMAPUR, SEPT 21): The NSCN-IM today stated that the business of lending money at exorbitant interest rates is continuing rampantly ‘thereby creating social disharmony and unwarranted burden to the needy disturbing peace and tranquillity in the society’. A release by the ‘Secretary, Ministry of Kilo Affairs’ NSCN-IM said ‘such kinds of illegal and arbitrary practices by the money lenders taking undue advantage of the poor borrowers has been causing great damage to the society and the families making their properties fall into the hands of the rich money lenders as many poor borrowers could not repay their loans’. This has created an ‘unwanted social environment by the haves that is no more relevant in today’s society’, it said. Stating that the matter ‘has come under serious scrutiny of the government as part of its efforts to eradicate anti-social elements in Naga society’, the release informed that any individual, society or group found indulging in such activities would be ‘dealt with appropriate action as the government deem fit’. It also urged the cooperation of all concerned.

Gelatin sticks meant for Nagaland seized
AGARTALA, SEPT 21 (PTI): About 57 gelatin sticks have been seized from an unclaimed bag in an Agartala-bound train in Assam, police said today. The gelatin sticks were seized at Silchar yesterday, DIG Nepal Chandra Das said, adding they were recovered after two Mizo youths were arrested at Karimganj station in Assam for allegedly carrying 250 gelatin sticks. They told the police that they were carrying the explosives to Nagaland, but by mistake boarded an Agartala-bound train instead of one to Dimapur, Das said. It was suspected that the youths might have left behind one of the bags with gelatin in the train, he said. Das said, two officers from Tripura today rushed to Karimganj for information in this regard.
Nagaland most peaceful state in North East: HM Eastern Mirror
State Minister for Home Imkong L. Imchen said Nagaland has become the most peaceful State in the entire North East in comparison to the prevailing situation in the rest of the region as well as the country.
In an exclusive interview with Eastern Mirror at his official residence in Kohima, the Home Minister said law and order situation in the State is normal.
“If one has to compare the present situation in the State to the situation before mid-2008, it is by no means a small achievement,” he maintained, adding that there had hardly been anyone bold enough to speak out against the killings and the given situation during the past more than a decade. But today, the civil societies are freely expressing their views and opinions, which is a demonstration of peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the State, he said.
Also stating that all forms of fratricidal killing among the Naga underground groups had come to a halt, the HM once again reiterated his gratefulness to all the leaders of the Naga underground groups and their cadres for paying heed to the voice of the people. “I’m also equally grateful to all the mass-based civil societies, which also immensely contributed in bringing the situation under control in the State,” he said.
Imchen, moreover, claimed that the government had initiated various administrative mechanisms in order to restore normalcy in the State.
On being asked about the situation of the rampant extortions and other anti-social activities such as kidnappings for ransom, he was of the view that it has also improved ‘drastically’ while also expressing hope that very soon criminal activities like extortion would come to an end once and for all. He also maintained that the police and administration are performing their duties in a most commendable way while tackling such criminal activities.
However, despite some issues that are yet to be fully resolved, he said if the present prevailing situation is compared to the neighbouring states and even other parts of the country, Nagaland is for better and that it has become the most peaceful state in the region.
Meanwhile, on the ongoing political dialogue between the Government of India and the Naga underground groups, Imchen said the Naga political issue to which a solution has remained elusive for the last 60 years has to come to a permanent settlement. It is the desire of the State Government, Government of India and Naga people that this vexed problem should be resolved at the earliest, he stated.
He also opined that all Naga underground factions should come together in unity and take forward a common agenda to the GoI.
“There is no serious difference amongst the Naga underground factions and therefore the leaders should think above their faction and focus on their agenda so that a negotiated settlement can be achieved,” he added.

Taxation at check gates
On the issue of taxation at check-gates, some reports of which have been emerging time and again, Home Minister Imchen reiterated that the State Government has totally banned such collection of tax by any organizations, including police, at check points. He strongly warned that anybody, even police personnel, found committing such offence would not be tolerated.
The Home Minister further requested all drivers to report such cases of collection by police personnel at check gates, if any, to the police controlling officer.
Outfit says ‘no’ to arms clause - KLNLF refuses to surrender for talks SARAT SARMA The telegraph
Nagaon, Sept. 20: The Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF) today asserted it would never surrender weapons for the sake of any political dialogue though it would wait for a response from the government till the end of this month.
The outfit also denied any hand in the abduction of two officials of a mineral exploration company.
KLNLF publicity secretary, Rezek Dera, told The Telegraph over phone from an undisclosed location that the outfit’s stand on arms surrender had been intimated to Dispur at an informal meeting with representatives from the state government on September 10.
He, however, said the outfit was fine with suspension of operations, which it has implemented since April 16.
“But we can under no circumstances accept the condition of surrendering weapons before beginning a dialogue,” Dera said.
“We want a democratic political dialogue with the government for the greater interest of peace and development of the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills. It was for this reason that we had declared a 75-day ceasefire on January 1 and stopped our operations on April 16. But it would be a mistake to regard our silence as weakness. We have given the government time till this month to start a dialogue failing which we will be forced to resume our operations,” Dera said.
The Centre has already made it clear that henceforth all militant outfits choosing to hold talks with the government would have to first deposit their weapons and then start staying in designated camps.
It was this condition which had delayed the surrender process of the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel), as the outfit did not accept the government’s stand.
Dera, however, said his group would not have any problem sitting with the United People’s Democratic Solidarity for joint talks with the government.
“As of now we do not have any conflict with the UPDS. If the government seriously considers our demand for self-rule and if they feel that we should sit together, we are ready to do that,” the KLNLF leader said.
The KLNLF, which wields influence in the two hill districts, emerged after a division in the UPDS, which is in talks with the government since 2001.
The outfit was behind the serial attacks on Hindi-speaking people in 2007 and has been known to be working in tandem with Ulfa in the Karbi Anglong district.
Dera said his outfit has 250 cadres, of whom 37 are in North Cachar Hills.
The outfit’s demands include a “self-rule homeland” for the Karbis, comprising Karbi Anglong and parts of North Cachar Hills and a special economic package for the development of the hilly region.
Dera also clarified that his group was not involved in the abduction of Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd officials Gopal Mandal and Motilal Dey, who were whisked away from the Nagaon-Karbi Anglong border area on Friday.
Mandal and Dey were engaged in exploration of Silika in Jiajuri hill and working at Mulabheti when they were abducted.
Their company received telephone calls from people who claimed that the two were in custody of the KLNLF and demanded Rs 50 lakh ransom to set them free.
The company was given time till last evening to pay the money.
“We are seriously maintaining the ceasefire rules and are waiting eagerly for a fruitful response from the government. The abduction must have been carried out by some other force to tarnish our image and derail the process,” Dera said.
According to him, an investigation by the outfit has revealed that two of their deserters accompanied by a group of miscreants were behind the abduction.
DHD’s arms bazaar spread across Southeast
: Special Correspondent
SILCHAR, Sept 21: After the leaders and cadres of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD-J), also known as Black Widow, surrendered with arms and ammunition, many facts about its ever widening tie ups and sources of weapons have come into the lime light. In fact, the arms shopping of the outfit has stunned the security circles. Besides, having its nexus with NSCN (IM), NDFB and other groups, it has been trying to establish links with Maoists.
Though intelligence agencies have specifically identified only one camp of the outfit at Nursurei Punji under Kullora police station in Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh, confessions by rebels from time to time have, however, revealed their strong presence in the neighbouring country for logistic and arms training, besides easy access to arsenal from diverse sources, particularly during the Khaleda Zia regime.
The coming to power of Awami League Government led by Begum Sheikh Hasina and the tightening noose around Northeast rebels as well as the very effective operation by the Indian security forces against them, the militant outfits in varying degrees have begun to feel the heat. Most important, in its own native district, DHD has lost emotional support and has been facing resistance from other ethnic tribes. Jewel Gorlosa can hardly miss the stark reality of outcry for peace in the Hills district where its own Dimasa people have been the worst victims of resultant violence.
In fact, safe corridor through the dense forest of the district to extensive international border to seek shelter in Bangladesh and Myanmar and procure arms and ammunition has sustained militancy. Added to it, large scale diversion of development funds as revealed by the Manisena Singh Commission of Inquiry and National Investigation Agency has provided fodder to the terror mill. Even the role of a former Governor of Asom in this diversion of funds has been questioned by NIA.
DHD (J) ‘Commander-in-Chief ’ Niranjan Hojai, located somewhere in China, used to oversee illegal trafficking of arms from Southeast Asia to North Cachar Hills via Mizoram. In the fast changing scenario, the break away faction of DHD (J) led by James Dimasa with 70 cadres opting out of peace no more worries the security circles as a multidimensional strategy is in place in the Hills district with strong presence of well coordinated forces and the army under the command of Brigade headquarters at Haflong. Efforts of the Jewel Gorlosa group to tie up with Maoists to procure sophisticated fabrication and IEDs through the infamous Chicken Neck Corridor could not succeed due to mounting vigilance.
The assortment of arms and ammunition, so far, deposited by the militants include AK-47 series, M-16 rifles, a few Insas rifles, rocket launchers and grenades and the marks on them indicated these were procured by the leaders and their agents through underground avenues from China and South East Asia, particularly Thailand and Myanmar. The jungle routes from Myanmar to Mizoram were meticulously utilized.
The gunrunners from Chin tribe worked as couriers to transship the arms to North Cachar Hills once they reached Champai in Mizoram’s western flank. In limelight came the notorious arms dealer Lal Liana (41) who over the years had masterminded the shipment of arms from Mizoram to North Cachar Hills.
Moreover, Kolkata too emerged as an important centre of arms supply to Black Widow. It is to be recalled that, investigating into an arms haul in Asom in February and April last, the National Investigation Agency came across the names of two Black Widow militants identified as Malsawmkimi and George Lalthang.
While Malsawmkimi is a resident of Ranlun Vngthan under Bumgkum police station, Lalthang lives in Aizwal. Both were frequent visitors to Kolkata and stayed in hotel or private residences. They were arrested by the Special Task Force police recently.
‘Energy imperatives drive Indian foreign policy’ IndoBurma News The News International By: By Shahid Husain

Energy imperatives drive Indian foreign policy, since its economic growth would come to a halt if India’s energy needs were not fulfilled, said Dr Marie Lall, South Asia Specialist at the University of London.
Delivering a lecture on Saturday under the auspices of a marketing company, she said that Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline was crucial for India, since its energy needs were huge and Iran had large deposits of gas. “You have to understand that the energy drive of India is central,” she said.

The professor said that India needs regional peace for acquiring gas and fulfilling its energy needs. She said that India’s need for gas was greater than its need for nuclear energy, and argued that if Pakistan turns off its gas, India would turn off water in retaliation.

She said that India sees Myanmar as a land bridge, since the latter happens to be one of the most important South East Asian countries in terms of gas. Dr Lall also stated that good relations between India and Myanmar could also help India in rooting out tribal insurgency. The United States would have been much happier with gas coming to India from Myanmar rather than Iran, she added.

Dr Lall said the developments in India were very much influenced by Nehru’s vision whose first challenge was to create a national identity for India out of the various types of people who lived there. She said that the image of 30 per cent population of India comprising the middle class eclipses the image of 70 per cent that relies on agriculture for their livelihood. And that India has not been able to successfully irrigate its land during the last 60 years as Pakistan had done.

She said there has been a major shift in India’s foreign policy since 1947, and today the main aim of India was to get itself recognised as a global power in accordance with Nehru’s vision. She was also of the view that there was a “radical shift” in foreign policy under BJP and that “Hindus abroad were suddenly more than welcome.” According to her, the BJP had opened up economy to a much greater extent than Congress could have dreamt of.

She said that India’s closer relationship with the West was directly related to the nuclear deal but that “the deal has nothing to do with energy.” The reason for the deal, she said, was to emerge as a global power. According to Dr Lall, the United States sees India as a counter weight to China and is concerned about bringing her into the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework. On the other hand, she went on to say, India was vying to have access to fissile material and latest nuclear technology.

“India sees the nuclear deal as something that strengthens its sovereignty,” she remarked. However she also said that this particular notion had become extremely problematic for the Indian government in the fallout of the Mumbai terror attack. She said that India was acting towards Pakistan in the same manner as China was acting towards India, and that status quo with Pakistan in the long term would lead to better relations with the country.

Responding to a question, she said that India was very scared of Islamic fundamentalism and there was a fear that there would be more attacks on India in future. She said rational forces in India wanted to resolve problems with Pakistan peacefully but warned that Hindu nationalism had become much stronger in India.

To another question, she said that the image of India as an emerging super power has been portrayed by Indians living abroad, and not by Indian ministries. She said that Nehru had a vision, but today’s Indian leadership lacked such insight.

She said that water was never used as leverage by India against Pakistan, but she did see India directly harming Pakistan, which declared was “not a comfortable start.” She said there was a debate whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government was social democratic or neo-liberal but she thought it had both elements. To another question she said Pakistan’s level of poverty was much lower than in India