[Previous entry: "Delhi appoints interlocutor - Former IB chief to liaise with 3 pro-talks N-E rebel outfits OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph"] [Next entry: "The Making and the Un-Making of the Naga Nation Impung Chang"]

11/08/2009: "Burmese army targets India rebels By Subir Bhaumik BBC News, Nagaland"

Burmese army targets India rebels By Subir Bhaumik BBC News, Nagaland

Burmese troops have surrounded a base of Naga separatists in the country's northwest and begun bombing it, Indian military officials said.
They said Indian troops have fanned out in the hills opposite this base in Sagaing to arrest any rebels who may try to flee into Indian territory.
The base is operated by the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
There are around 300 rebels at the base, Indian intelligence agencies say.
Most of them are NSCN guerrillas, but around 50 of them belong to the separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (Ulfa).
Two Burmese light infantry regiments are involved in the attack, they said.
But Burmese military officials or diplomats were unwilling to provide details.
Villagers around Maniakshaw in Sagaing said they could see the Burmese troops firing mortars, targeting the camp.
Diplomatic pressure
Indian troops confirmed heavy shelling of the Naga rebel base since late on Thursday but were not sure whether the Burmese had launched an infantry assault.
Burma's military junta has been under Indian diplomatic pressure to launch assaults against northeast Indian rebel bases in its territory for some time now.
But the junta has cited counter-insurgency commitments elsewhere in the country for not starting an offensive against these bases located mostly in Sagaing division in the hilly northwest of the country.
The Bhutanese army demolished the north-eastern Indian rebel bases in the southern part of the kingdom in December 2003 in an operation.
The success of that operation has prompted India to push its other neighbours in the east to initiate similar military action against the rebels from the northeast.
Bangladesh's new Awami League led government has also started a crackdown against north-eastern rebel hideouts on their hideout.
The separatist United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has alleged that Bangladesh police has picked up two of the senior leaders from Dhaka this week and expressed apprehensions that they may be handed over to India.
‘Eastern Nagaland should get rid of the backward tag’ morungexpress
Tuensang, November 7 (MExN): The Lok Sabha MP C M Chang while addressing the 19th General Session of Chang Officers’ Association today at the Jubilee Memorial hall, Tuensang insisted that the people from eastern Nagaland should get rid of the “backward tag” as it is “derogatory and insulting”.
Besides the 25 % reservation in all government jobs, he affirmed that the eastern Nagas should venture out and “compete to be a part of the mainstream”, stated a press note issued by the press secretary to the MP.
The note stated that the MP lamented over the mushrooming of community wise Officers’ Associations and said that it has “created more conflict and confusion”. He cautioned that this negative trend should not be encouraged.
Meanwhile, the MP also extolled the Chief Minister for his efforts in bringing Nagas closer, saying that the “results are showing”. The note also claimed that when the MP along with the chief minister and senior cabinet minister went to meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh to “offer unconditional support” after Chang was elected to the parliament, the PM expressed his optimism that the “protracted Naga political issue” will be resolved during the tenure of the 15th Lok Sabha.
Talking about his past experiences as the president of erstwhile Tuensang and Mon Officers’ Association, he claimed that there was “more unity” amongst the members of the two districts working “under one umbrella”. He also added that addressing the officials have reminded him of his days as a government official serving in different capacities before being elected to the parliament. Exhorting the Chang officers, the MP maintained that officers are best equipped to educate the people and also ensure that conflicts between different sections of the society are avoided, it stated.
Moreover, the note also mentioned that the MP cited the Tobu conflicts in the early 90s, claiming that he was the one who took initiatives by convincing with the leaders of both the parties and that the situation was restored to normalcy.
Two students from NE thrashed in S Delhi TNN
7 November 2009, 03:04am IST
NEW DELHI: In yet another incident that points to rising violence against students from the Northeast, a 21-year-old student's nose was fractured
while another student was badly beaten up by a group of unidentified men near South Extension-II on Thursday. The police said they have registered a case and have detained a few suspects.

According to the cops, the victims Yanshum Thung (21), a BA final year student at Dyal Singh College, and Niuto (23), who is pursuing MBBS from Safdarjung Hospital hail from Nagaland and were returning to their Kotla Mubarakpur residence when some miscreants threw momos at them. The two were returning from Gautam Budh Nagar at 8.30pm and had stopped at an eating joint when a boy allegedly threw food at Yanshum. On this, Yanshum retaliated.

"We had stopped near South Ex Part II and were having food when some men threw momos on us. When we asked the four men at the corner of the road why they were throwing momos, they started abusing us. However, some locals intervened and the matter was settled. We left for our house in a few minutes,'' one of the victims told police.

"After this, when Yanshum and Niuto proceeded towards an ATM near their house, the same men again came and threw a stone at them. Yanshum's nose was fractured, he started bleeding and fell unconscious. Niuto, meanwhile, was was allegedly beaten up by the five accused with sticks. He also suffered injuries,'' said a senior police officer.

The assailants fled the spot and the victims informed their friends who, in turn, called the police. Both were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre where a medical examination was conducted. The two were discharged on Friday. A group of students from Northeast also reached the spot and complained of alleged racial abuse by area locals.

"We have registered a case under Section 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 323 (hurt) and 34 (common intention) at Kotla Mubarakpur police station and have detained few suspects for questioning,'' said a senior police officer.

A member of Lotha Community from Nagaland, K Jami told Times City, "We received a call late in the night and rushed to the spot. The two were badly beaten up by the locals. We have filed a complaint and are pursuing the matter with the authorities.''
Three held for attacks on 2 Naga students Times of India
NEW DELHI: Three youths one of them a relative of a Delhi Police sub-inspector were arrested on Saturday for their alleged involvement in a
racial attack on two students from Nagaland on Thursday night. The incident had happened in the Kotla Mubarakpur area of south Delhi.

Those arrested were identified as Ritesh Kumar (the cop's kin), Shahrukh Khan and Sumit Kumar all between 19 and 21 years of age. The trio were arrested following a test identification parade on Saturday at Kotla Mubarakpur police station. All three are said to have confessed to the crime. They were later granted bail, police said.

Yanshum Thung (21), a BA final year student at Dayal Singh College, and Niuto (23), an MBBS student at Safdarjung, were allegedly abused on Thursday night when they went for dinner to a roadside eatery. Later, they were beaten up badly by the accused.

During their interrogation, the accused are claimed to have said they wanted to teach the Naga students a lesson for hanging out with girls. "When Thung and Niuto were having dinner at a kiosk in South Extension, the three first abused them and then threw momos at them. This led to an altercation but the matter was resolved and both parties left the place,'' said a senior police officer.

But sometimes later when Yanshum and Niuto had gone towards an ATM near their house, the same youths came and threw a stone at them. Yanshum's nose got fractured. He started bleeding and became unconscious. Niuto was then beaten up by the three.

The youth who allegedly threw the stone has been identified as Shahrukh, whose father owns a shop in Kotla Mubarakpur, said the police.

A member of the Lotha community of Nagaland to which the two students belong alleged a cover-up by the police. "One of the accused's relative is a sub-inspector with Delhi Police while his father is a lawyer. They easily managed to get bail,'' he said, not willing to be identified.

A case under Section 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 323 (hurt) and 34 (common intention) was registered at Kotla Mubarakpur police station on Thursday night.

2 Nagaland officials suspect - Wildlife crime bureau tracks 4 calls on poacher’s cell phone A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati, Nov. 6: The rhino horn racket trail has led the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to two senior government officials in Nagaland.
These officials were found to be the subscribers of two telephone numbers found on the cell phone of a dreaded poacher, Harmuj Ali, who died in an encounter with forest guards at Orang Rajiv Gandhi National Park in Assam on the night of October 17.
Sources in the bureau today said the agency had tracked down four phone numbers found on Harmuj’s cell phone to Nagaland.
“Two of these phone numbers were registered in the names of senior state government officials based in Dimapur, another was registered in the name of a private school based in Kohima and one belonged to an individual in Mokokchung,” a senior official of the bureau said.
One of the two is a senior education department official and the other is a medical officer. Both are based in Dimapur, the bureau official said, declining to give further details.
He said the Nagaland police had been contacted.
The official said several phone calls had been exchanged between these numbers and that of Harmuj on the day the poacher and his associates killed a rhino at Orang.
“There were also several missed calls on Harmuj’s cell phone from these numbers after he died in the encounter. The calls kept coming from these numbers till late in the morning the day after the encounter,” he added.
The numbers were handed over to the Calcutta-based Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, which then contacted the cell phone companies for details of the call lists.
However, the SIM card recovered from Harmuj’s mobile was indeed stolen from the employee of a Guwahati-based construction company.
“The employee of the company had already registered a complaint with the police regarding the stolen SIM card,” a police official here said.
The police had picked up the person from Hatigaon following information from the wildlife crime bureau but had allowed him to go after he said his SIM card had been stolen.
The rangers of Orang have also managed to arrest two poachers involved in the killing of the rhino at the national park on October 17.
Md Majibur Rahman, who was picked up from Dholaguri Pathar village in Sonitpur district, was present at the encounter site at the park. He managed to escape but his two associates, Harmuj and another poacher, died in the shootout with forest guards.
His accomplice, Babar Ali of Basasimilu village under Dhekiajuli police station, provided logistical support to the group in carrying out the killing of the rhino, forest officials claimed.
Harmuj had been arrested several times earlier on charges of killing rhinos both at Kaziranga and Orang.
Forces map rebels’ escape The telegraph A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, Nov. 4: The efforts of security forces to convince Ulfa’s 28 battalion cadres who are still underground of the futility of armed struggle have started paying dividends.
Highly placed sources today said at least five cadres of the battalion, including a self-styled sergeant major, had fled their camps in Nagaland and taken shelter with the army. They will formally surrender soon.
Rinku Changmai of Borhat Changmai village fled the outfit’s camp in Mon district of Nagaland with an AK-47 rifle, a 9mm pistol and a grenade on Sunday. The army has kept him at an undisclosed location.
Self-styled Sgt Maj. Niren Sharma, and three other cadres of 28 battalion, Khagen Konwar, Bolin Konwar and Rinjit Tanti, fled their camps in Nagaland in the past two months and took shelter with the army, the sources said.
“These militants have also brought several weapons with them,” an official involved in counter-insurgency operations in Upper Assam said.
He said a few more cadres of the battalion would join the mainstream soon.
The sources said many cadres of the 28 battalion were interested in severing ties with Ulfa but were unable to decide whether to join the pro-peace group or to surrender.
“The pro-peace group is heading nowhere with no settlement with the government although it has been more than a year since it declared a unilateral ceasefire,” the official said, adding that this had left the cadres in a dilemma.
Jiten Dutta, a leader of the pro-talks group, confirmed that many cadres of the 28 battalion were showing interest in joining the group but were unable to make up their minds because of the impasse the pro-talks group had landed in.
“Had the government shown a positive response towards our demands, we are sure many more cadres, including some senior ones, would have joined us,” he said.
Dutta, however, denied having knowledge about some cadres of the 28 battalion fleeing camps in Nagaland and taking shelter with the army.
Another leader of the pro-talks group said disillusionment among its cadres was the reason behind a few of them escaping from the designated camps a few months ago. These cadres have surrendered before the security forces, he added.
A top Assam police official, however, said a few faulty moves by the army had compelled the cadres of the Bravo company of the 28 battalion not to join the pro-talks group, comprising cadres of the Alpha and Charlie companies.
“Had the army been cautious and not carried out a series of killings of Ulfa cadres just before the ceasefire declaration of the pro-talks group, the entire battalion would have come overground.” He said the killings had scared B company cadres, including its leader, Bijoy Chinese, who then decided to stay away.
‘Let sense of justice work for the cause of Nagas’ morungexpress

(LEFT) Home Minister Imkong L Imchen releases the souvenir ‘Atura’ to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur on Friday, November 6, in Dimapur. (Photo/Caisii Mao) (RIGHT) An Ao cultural troupe presents a traditional dance during the celebrations. In the background is seen the banner of the ASTD flanked by banners depicting the six ranges of the Ao community in Mokokchung district. (Morung Photo)
DIMAPUR, November 6 (MExN): The Ao community of Dimapur on Friday congregated at the ‘Senden Riju’ located at Purana Bazaar (near ISBT) to commemorate a special occasion of the community in Dimapur. The event was the celebration of the fiftieth year of existence of the ‘Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur’ (ASTD). The golden jubilee celebration was graced by Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L Imchen.
“Aos should regard all Nagas as their own relatives,” said the Home Minister in his address as chief guest. As such, he stressed, not only the Ao community, but all of the Nagas should live as one.
Heaping glowing tributes to Rev. Dr. E W Clarke, the first Christian missionary to the Naga Hills, Imchen said “we are here today” because of the missionary’s selfless work. The Home Minister pointed out that the Ao community was fortunate that Rev. Dr. Clarke had set up his mission first in Molung, an Ao village in Mokokchung district, way back in 1872.
Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur completes 50 yearsHe, however, rued the fact that despite all the talk about unity and brotherhood among the Nagas, sadly it is only superficial. “We are so rich in factionalism and tribalism and too rich in jealousies,” he said. “There are too many obstacles; only when we overcome them will Nagaland be peaceful,” opined the chief guest. Striving towards eradicating all these barriers, he appealed, must be our aim.
Calling upon the Ao community, Imchen said that the community must live as one: “We must help and strengthen one another so that we will go forward” instead of letting petty differences create divisions among the community. Concerned about the rather trivial differences that were prevalent within the community, he said that when the Nagas as a whole have been trying to strive towards unity, the Ao community is going against each other.
He expressed discontent and sadness over the excommunication of Changki village from the Ao community by the apex body of the Ao community – the Ao Senden. “Don’t cast out any clan or village,” instead let forgiveness and forgetting differences whether present or past be the order of the day, he said. “We the Aos have a gift of the sense of justice. If we use it to our advantage and work for cause of the Nagas as a whole,” he said, it would bring a whole lot of good to the people. The chief guest also released a book ‘Atura’ (the prime of life) on the occasion commemorating the fifty years of existence of the ASTD.
Commissioner and Secretary to the government of Nagaland spoke on the theme ‘Atura’. MLA S I Jamir and Parliamentary Secretary Er. Saku Aier also spoke on the occasion. Besides MLA Nuklotoshi, distinguished guests from the Zeliangrong Baudi, Sumi Hoho, ENPO Dimapur and the Ao Senden were also in attendance at the celebrations.
NBCC’s peace caravan rolls out morungexpress
Dimapur, November 4 (MExN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has issued the final program schedule for its “peace caravan” November 9 to the 13th. The “peace caravan” is with the envisaged purpose to bring about reconciliation, unity and peace through prayers and interactions with civil society, public leaders and communities and “administration.”
A copy of the schedule received here requested the “associations” to bear the travel expenses as well as those of hosting. Four church leaders led by an executive secretary from every association are requested by the NBCC to participate in the “peace caravan.”
“The purpose of the caravan is to destroy the evil forces of violence and bloodshed by the power of Christ and to pervade every corner of our land with the spirit of love, forgiveness, harmony and peace,” according to the Baptist church.
The NBCC said the exercise has been organized to engage, address, promote and mobilize the people to the need of healing, peaceful coexistence and structural change in the society. “It is to conscientize (sic) the minds to the suffering and need of the common people. It is a call for spiritual awakening to create a consciousness to restore our broken social relationships and to rebuild and transform our land to a more just and caring society,” the NBCC stated.
The NBCC explained the vision of the “peace caravan”: “When we obey God, He works miracles, when he performs miracles His people experience and celebrate divine victory. Trusting in God when Israelites walked encircling the mighty city of Jericho fell down.
When NBCC marched length and breadth of Nagaland for one month in the spring of 1996 heavy fighting between Indian army and Naga army stopped and the era of Cease-fire emerged. Now let us carry out Peace Caravan in faith that genuine peace, reconciliation and unity may be realized in true sense.”
“Let us march in the name of Jesus of Nazareth cleansing our land from various evils including violence. This spiritual war may be fierce; but victory is ours under the banner of the cross. Let us dedicate ourselves and enter into this spiritual battle with the full armor of God,” the NBCC appealed.
The NBCC has requested all executive secretaries and director to talk with tribal leaders and administration well ahead of the event so that no other programme will clash with the meeting.
The church requested arranging two meetings with every association first with the leaders of the church, hohos, civil bodies and administration and the “second one is a big public rally.” If a rally is not possible, a big prayer meeting of all churches may be organized, it stated.
Nagaland can become NE’s fashion paradise Morung

Nagaland Chief Secretary Lalthara (centre) and others at the launch ceremony of the Fashion Technology department of GOUN, in Kohima on Wednesday, November 4. (Morung Photo)

Kohima | November 4 : The introduction of a fashion technology course by the Global Open University, Nagaland, here today has sent a giant ray of hope for Naga youths and upcoming designers to flourish in the fashion world. Gracing the inaugural ceremony of this newly created department in the Kohima campus, Chief Secretary Lalthara asserted that it was initiated at an appropriate time, while admitting that Naga youth are “very fashionable and fashion conscious”.
GOUN brings fashion technology course to Kohima campus
Expressing optimism that the Naga youths will gain popularity in fashion technology through such a department within a short time, Lalthara said that Nagas are very colourful and know how to colour textile and designs. He wished that the newly created department have a separate course for students here for designing the textile with ethnic touch and innovation, thereby making Naga designs popular. Also expressing happiness over the setting up of the said department, Lalthara was hopeful that Nagaland would become a paradise of the northeast in fashion technology one day.
Earlier, Dr. P R Trivedi, pro chancellor and plenipotentiary of GOUN, and Ratnadeep Lal, chairman and founder of IIFT, New Delhi, also spoke on the occasion. The function was chaired by Avinuo Kire, AAO, GOUN, while Imotemsu Ao, director of GOUN, delivered the vote of thanks. The GOUN Kohima campus is located at Pezielietsie Colony, High School Road.

Tribals can't be evicted to grow jatropha' Q&A: Kanti Lal Bhuria, Tribal Affairs Minister Sreelatha Menon / Business Standard
New Delhi The forest department and tribals have never been on good terms, Tribal Affairs Minister Kanti Lal Bhuria tells Sreelatha Menon
Under the Forest Rights Act, 13 tribal rights have been listed, but the government is talking only about protecting one right, that is, land. What about the other rights?
First, we want to ensure that tribals get this basic right so that they are no longer under the threat of eviction. It can be followed by more measures for their uplift. Once land ownership titles are distributed, we will visit villages at random and check how many tribals have got the titles. We don’t want forest rights on paper. As for the other rights, once ownership is granted, we will add other things.
The law does not give a deadline for implementing the Act. So, why are you pushing for completing distribution of pattas by December 31? Isn’t this illegal?
President Pratibha Patil had committed to give tribals the right over their lands and she wanted it to be done by December 31. So, we are urging states to distribute all land titles by then. It is another matter that many states have not even started the process. There are Naxal-affected states which have their own problems while states like Nagaland in the North-East have already provided land ownership to tribals, who form a majority of their population.
The law provides local forest dwellers the right to manage the forest produce. So, would you consider the joint forest management committees formed by the forest departments as illegal?
If the joint forest management committees are against the law, we will go into the matter. We will ask officials in the ministry to go into this matter and assess whether there is anything illegal about them.
Will you ask for disbanding of the committees? You yourself have said that the forest department has been the worst exploiter of tribals.
We have to study the matter. It is true that the relationship between tribals and the forest department has been that of the exploiter and the exploited. I said this before the prime minister and the environment minister at a recent conference of chief ministers on the Forest Rights Act.
When I was tribal affairs minister in Madhya Pradesh for five years in the 90s, I saw how forest department workers harassed tribals. Once, in Dindori district, nine people of the Baiga tribe collected some honey in the forest. They have been doing this for ages. But forest department workers misused the Forest Conservation Act to arrest them and they remained in jail for months. In many states, there are lakhs of cases under this Act against innocent tribals. They are tired of all this and that is the reason they are getting drawn to Naxalism.
The law gives tribals the right to grow what they want and to manage the produce. So, will you oppose the jatropha and rubber plantations that are being thrust on forests and tribals by the environment ministry through its forestry project? Don’t these go against the law?
We will oppose plantations and other projects if tribals have been removed to implement these.
But don’t tribals have a say in what should be done on forest lands?
We can act if their land is snatched from them. We spoke to Jairam Ramesh (environment minister) and he understands the matter. He agrees that everything should be in the interest of tribals. If something goes contrary to their interests, he is willing to remove it.
But this is contrary to law. Isn’t he bound to stop these projects?
We will check if the projects are being done with the consent of tribals and forest dwellers. If something is against their wishes, it won’t be allowed. Even the environment minister agrees with this.
Don’t you think that such actions alienate tribals? How are you planning to win back their trust while the government tackles Naxalites?
The prime minister has also admitted that tribals are not benefitting from welfare schemes and that the shortcomings in the system of transferring benefits should be plugged. As he said, only sensitive officers will be posted in tribal areas while anti-tribal officers will be kept out. Officers who are insensitive to tribals don’t listen to them and this pushes tribals to Naxalites, who offer them sympathy.
How will you know who is anti-tribal?
This can be easily done. These are officers who make tribals run around a 100 times for a simple matter.
What about the continuing arrests of tribals for encroachment even before land titles have been distributed, even in your state of Madhya Pradesh?
Land ownership is only for claims before 2005. All cases after that will be dealt with sternly.
Tribals may have been given the right to manage and sell the forest produce but it is still in the hands of middlemen and state government bodies. Tribals are not benefiting, whether it is tendu leaf and bamboo in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa or some other product elsewhere.
We will create a system to help tribals manage their own forest produce. We have asked for inclusion of timber in the list of secondary forest produce. This will make tribals earn royalty from the sale of timber. The money earned from the sale of timber should be used for welfare of tribals.
Bamboo and tendu leaf are still with state governments. States are blatantly violating the law and issuing orders appropriating the right to sell these.
We will address these issues gradually. First, let us get their land claims recognised. The rest will follow.
What about displacement of tribals for industrial projects?
The prime minister recently responded to my appeal at a conference on the Forest Rights Act and asked for a share for tribals in all projects. With such a sensitive prime minister, we cannot go wrong. What we can do is to provide them not only jobs in mining projects but also give them a share in royalty from these projects for a lifetime. I feel the Haryana rehabilitation policy for the displaced is a good model. It provides income for the displaced for 33 years, besides the cost of the land.
What do you plan to do next?
I have asked the prime minister for an amendment to the Constitution to create an all-powerful tribal advisory council at the Centre that will monitor all development activities in tribal areas and advise states and ministries on development.
Handloom Expo-09 opens in NagalandNovember 07, 2009 (India) Fibrefashions
Nagaland Handloom & Handicrafts Development Corporation (NHHDC) has organized the Special Handloom Expo 2009 under the aegis of Union Ministry of Textiles. The expo that opened on November 5 will continue till 15th of the month.

All districts of the states of Nagaland, Manipur and Assam, except smaller districts are marking their presence in the Expo, which is being conducted with the objectives of developing rural sector and to expose and teach ideas of marketing to the crafts-persons of region.

Ms. N Hukhuli Sema Managing Director of NHHDC said this after inaugurating the expo. Such kinds of expos have been organized since last three years which are witnessing tremendous response from local crafts-persons, she informed.

The department found it difficult to accommodate all the applicants in the expo as it was receiving a large number of applications from local crafts-persons to set up stalls in the expos.

District level expos have been held in almost all the districts by the department till now, with an objective of promoting handloom and handicraft manufactured by local craftsmen considering that the national handloom expo would be coinciding with the Hornbill Festival, which is called as the ‘Festival of Festivals’.

Separate contract okayed for oil exploration in Nagaland Indo Asian News Service
New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs (CCEA) Thursday decided to split the production sharing contract for a block in north-eastern India to facilitate more exploration in the area that falls in Nagaland.
Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters after the CCEA meet that the decision was taken following a petroleum ministry proposal to carry out additional exploration in the Nagaland portion of block AA-0N/7 by signing a separate production sharing contract.
The operator of the block, Canoro Resources, had signed the original contract in February 1999. While 1,125 square kilometres of the block is in Assam, the rest falls in Nagaland.
The petroleum exploration licence for the portion in Assam was granted in 2001, while that for Nagaland in 2006.
‘There has been no exploration on the Nagaland side, as it was logistically difficult,’ said Chidambaram.
As per the CCEA’s approval, a separate production sharing contract for the Nagaland portion will be signed effective from Aug 9, 2006. The exploration period will be valid for seven years.
‘There is no financial expenditure involved on behalf of the government. The contractors under the signed production sharing contracts have commitments to carry out exploration work programme, which may lead to discoveries of hydrocarbons,’ said a government statement.
Preserving oral history of the Tenyimis The Telegraph
The Tenyimi Peoples’ Organisation (TPO) of Nagaland — an umbrella organisation of 10 Naga tribes — is all set to begin a massive hunt to rescue from obscurity the oral history of the “Tenyimis”.
The 10 tribes consider themselves “blood brothers”, a term which implies that they evolved from the same ancestors.
The Tenyimis comprise the Angami, Chakhesang, Rengma, Pochury, Mao, Poumai, Zeliangrong, Maram, Thangal and Inpui tribes.
The tribes are spread over Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.
The first hearing on the oral history of the Tenyimis will take place at the Conclave Conference Hall in Kohima, Nagaland on November 14 when the TPO research committee will record the oral history from the elders of the Tenyimi on the day.
The TPO has already sent out word to all the Tenyimi eminent scholars particularly in the field of archaeology, sociology, anthropology, genealogy, history and linguistics to participate in the hearing.
Z.M. Sekhose, the president of the Tenyimi Peoples’ Organisation, said after the hearing, the TPO would arrange field visits to certain known Tenyimi villages/settlements by members of the research committee.
The members of the research committee will document the historical importance of the places.
Road closure If the road is bad for use, then close it to draw the attention of the authorities. This is exactly what the residents of Thangmeiband in Imphal city are planning to do.
And as usual, the women are taking the lead. Five meira paibi organisations of Thangmeiband have formed a joint action committee to ensure that the authorities this time pay attention to the prevailing condition of Thangmeiband Watham Road.
This road connects Imphal city and the Lamphel area of Imphal West district, which has various important government offices.
But no vehicle could pass through this road for the past several months, as a sewerage project taken up along this route has not been completed.
Nationalist Congress Party MLA Radhabinod Koijam, who is a former chief minister, had even highlighted the problem faced by the people in the area because of the poor road condition in the recent sittings of the Assembly. However, the government is yet to wake up to the problem.
The action committee has now announced that it would close the road for good from November 11 if it was not repaired by November 10.
Footnote The Assam government has decided to tie up with leading studios in Mumbai to send students from Jyoti Chitraban Film and Television Institute to undergo training before they complete their courses.
The secretary of cultural affairs department, Swapnanil Barua, said
for technical expertise the department would tie up with studios in Chennai.
He said such exposure would really help students of JCFTI boost their confidence to do well in Bollywood.
“There is no dearth of talent in Assam. But they lack confidence and exposure. We are in touch with FTI Pune and trying to tie up for more exposure of our students,” he said.
JCFTI has already produced talents like Amrit Pritam who worked for the Oscar-winning film
Slumdog Millionaire as an associate recordist for its Hindi-version, Slumdog Crorepati.
He also designed the sound of Aamir Khan’s blockbuster Ghajini.
Another alumni of JCFTI, Debojit Sangmai, has worked in hits like Black, Khakee, Lagaan and Rang De Basanti as sound recordist.
Young designer presents dedication to Nagaland morungexpress

(L to R) Akumnaro Imsong (Left) walking the ramp with a model displaying her design. Right: A model accessorized in traditional Naga Jewellery.

The ‘Neift Annual Design Ceremony’ passing out ceremony fashion show of North East Institute of Fashion Technology from Guwahati was held on November 3 at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Delhi. The mega event was presented by the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India in association with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The opening of the show featured the collections designer of Meghna Rai Medhi with a strong line-up of 25 International and Indian models. A sequence as a dedication to Nagaland was presented in a combination of Red, Black, and White Blue etc. the colours which finds a special place in Naga Design Methodology. The super models were accessorized in traditional Naga Jewellery and artefacts. The Naga students tried to put their best foot forward through their sincere efforts and students like Nourhevonuo Pusa with theme-The Zodiac, Akumnaro Imsong with Antiquity, Kaisa Mahe - Kaleidoscope, Pukho Kanai-Dreams of Reality, Dzieswvonuo Kesiezie –Egyptian and Rebecca Mero with her theme-Fusion were outstanding. The young students used variety of assorted fabrics and it was a welcome sign to see the use of many north east traditional weaves and handlooms and even blended jute which will make these eco-friendly fabrics as the new designer fabrics.
Chief Executive Officer of NEIFT Vikram Rai Medhi told media, “We want our young designers from north east to find a footing in the national fashion industry and that is why though we have our institute at Guwahati, we are organising their passing out ceremony at the Capital”.