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12/23/2009: "Army shelves plan to storm camps A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph"

Army shelves plan to storm camps A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph


Ulfa cadres at an NSCN-K camp in Myanmar. A file picture
Guwahati,: Apprehension of confrontation with Naga militants in ceasefire with the Centre has forced the army to shelve a plan to storm Ulfa hideouts in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
Sources in the army today said there was concrete evidence about Ulfa militants taking shelter in NSCN (Khaplang) camps in Nagaland, bordering Myanmar, and also at a few places along the Nagaland-Arunachal border.
“Our spotters have located these camps but the fear is that there are also a large number of Naga militants there and we do not want any kind of confrontation with the NSCN,” an army officer said. The Khaplang group is in ceasefire with the Centre.
The sources said the plan to storm the camps was made soon after the arrest of a woman Ulfa cadre, Mina Gogoi, from Assam’s Sivasagar district last month.
Mina, one of the oldest woman cadres in the outfit and wife of Ulfa militant Roman Dhodomia, was apprehended while she was crossing over to Assam from Nagaland. Her husband and a few other Ulfa cadres in the group fled to Nagaland.
“We recovered several photographs of these camps from Mina and got vital information from her. We soon sent spotters and ascertained the presence of these camps,” the officer said. However, the plan to barge into these camps had to be shelved as there were a large number of NSCN (Khaplang) cadres there.
“Our hands are tied, otherwise we would have had many Ulfa cadres in custody by now,” the officer said. The sources said Ulfa was not only using these camps in Nagaland to train cadres but also as transit camps to move to-and-fro from Myanmar-based general headquarters.
Senior Ulfa leaders based at Myanmar — Jibon Moran, Michael Dekaphukon, Sujit Mohon, Horen Phukon and others — frequently visit these camps, the sources said.
“Had the NSCN (Khaplang) not provided logistical support to the Ulfa, by now we could have easily choked the routes the militants take to travel to Myanmar,” the officer said.
It was in such a camp recently that Ulfa’s “2nd lieutenant” Seema Bora was killed and another woman cadre, Satyama Bailung, was injured when “sergeant” Atula Gogoi, alias Prasant, of the outfit fired on them following a quarrel. A meeting was scheduled to be held at the camp prior to the incident and several senior cadres were present there.
The sources said there were similar camps in Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Nagaland, where Ulfa militants were taking shelter with Khaplang militants.
An Assam police official recently told The Telegraph that several Ulfa cadres had fled their Myanmar camps and were contacting security forces expressing their willingness to come overground. But these cadres were undecided on whether to join the pro-talks group of the Ulfa or surrender.
A leader of the pro-talks group said the NSCN (K) had been providing logistical support to the Ulfa in exchange of money for a long time.
Naga women pledge to fight morungexpress
Dimapur, December 22 (MExN): Naga women organizations today sent out a strong message that they are not going to stand down on the women reservation issue and have decided to field consensus candidates not through political parties, for the reserved wards.
A consultative meeting was convened by the Nagaland Women Commission with tribal women organizations, Naga Mothers’ Association, women leaders of political parties, NGOs, academicians and women business entrepreneurs among others to deliberate on the women reservation in town and municipal councils in Nagaland. The Naga women reiterated the stand taken by all Naga women organizations on February 13, 2009 and stand for reservation for women in town and municipal councils.
It was decided that Naga tribal women organizations will field consensus women candidates, and not through political parties, to stand in all women-reserved wards in all town and municipal councils in Nagaland. Further, a joint action committee consisting of committed women activists, tribal women leaders, business representatives, academicians and legal experts has been constituted to strategize and make preparations for the town and municipal council elections.
To field consensus candidate for reserved wards
The JAC will be the focal point to help women organizations in all districts on reservation for women, the meeting said.
Another significant decision taken at the meeting was that the legal rights of women according to constitutional provisions would be ‘Translated’ into all Naga languages and distributed to women leaders in all districts for sensitization.
Likewise, memorandums would be submitted to the Governor of Nagaland and the Chief Minister of Nagaland for implementation of the amended Municipal Act on reservation for women to hold the civic polls on schedule.
The meeting was presided by NWC member Abeni TCK. Sano Vamuzo, chairperson of the State Women Commission addressed the gathering. She highlighted the women reservation issue as well as meetings of the commission held with the Urban Development Minister.
Expert Member of the National Commission for Women Rosemary Dzuvichu also spoke on the necessity for reservation for women and its implications, as a challenge to women organizations to prepare and avail of the constitutional rights. She encouraged to work out strategies for women participation, when the Government implements and conducts the civic polls.
Advocate Zekheli spoke on the constitutional provisions and women’s rights as enshrined in the Indian Constitution. A host of women representatives and leading women activists participated in the discussion.

WEAFED: Making strides in the handloom, handicraft sector morungexpress

Handicrafts on sale at a handloom and handicraft fair in Kohima. (Morung File Photo)

Kohima | December 22 : The Nagaland Apex Weaver and Artisans Cooperative Federation (WEAFED) Ltd, Dimapur, is a premier institution in the handloom and artisans cooperative sector. The main objective of this organisation is procurement of raw materials required by the members of the affiliated handloom and handicraft cooperative societies and to purchase the finished products from the affiliated societies and sell off at a remunerative price. Despite a lack of basic infrastructure, the institution has been operating for the last several years, a source said here.
Along with the thrust given by the Central government in the development of handloom and handicrafts, WEAFED has also been making strides in the area of production and marketing. The problems that have confronted them in the recent past include procurement of raw materials, production, quality control, marketing avenues, capital investments, etc. The Federation has a target to procure and supply raw materials such as yarn wool cane, bamboo, etc. to the affiliated handloom and handicrafts cooperative societies.
Naga issue, the cause for election deferment morungexpress
Dimapur, December 22 (MExN): Senior minister in the DAN government and president of the ruling NPF party, Dr Shurhozelie, has in clear terms explained the reason for the deferment of the civic polls which was earlier scheduled to be held during January and February 2010.
In a press note today Dr Shurhozelie stated that had it not been for the Naga political problem, which had “reached a very crucial stage at this moment”, there was no point in deferring the elections. In this regard, the party clarified that the Cabinet decision to defer the urban local body elections had nothing to do with the 33% reservation of seats for women.
Putting forth the rationale of the state government, Dr Shurhozelie stated that “solution to the Naga political problem” had become more urgent than ever before “in view of the fast-changing international political scenario around us.” 60 members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) had also met and discussed in detail the issue and had taken decision to work together with one voice towards solution to the Naga political problem by constituting the Joint Parliamentary Committee with members representing all political parties.
‘Cabinet decision no link to women quota’
According to the minister, since the inception of Nagaland statehood, this was the first time that all 60 members of the NLA had come together to work for a common goal. “This move is considered as a positive step which is appreciated by one and all including the central government”, stated Dr Shurhozelie while pointing out that “we should not do anything at this moment which may vitiate the present arrangement.”
Dr Shurhozelie also justified that when elections are held, political parties will set up their party candidates and start mudslinging games to return their candidates and therefore it was not necessary to “explain further what will follow thereafter”. “In that case, we cannot rule out any untoward incidents which may strain the relationship between the present members of NLA”, the press note stated. The NPF president also argued that “the ruling group is always in a more advantageous position” and that there is no point to defer the elections if one were to go by the “interest of the party”. It was explained that elections, whether they are big or small are all same in nature and that it will create feelings either way which may jeopardize the working-together of the elected members. “This is the main reason for which the Cabinet has decided to defer the elections to the urban local bodies”, Dr Shurhozelie stated.
While acknowledging that many municipal and town councils had expressed unhappiness about 33% reservation of seats for women, the NPF president stated that the problem can be studied carefully only when the time comes. “This time, the Cabinet decision to defer elections to urban local bodies has nothing to do with this clause of 33% reservation of seats for women.”
“I appeal to all responsible Naga leaders to bear with us in our attempt to facilitate the peace process jointly by all political party leaders and see that we do not act without proper reasoning of the Naga people’s future”, Dr Shurhozelie stated. “Deferment of urban local body elections has got much to do with solution to the long-standing Naga political problem,” he added.
The NPF President also urged all political parties in Nagaland to keep party functionaries properly informed “to confine within a defined boundary so that we do not commit any political blunder again as we did many times in the past.”
It was also clarified that the forum of municipal and town councils in Nagaland had requested the State government to extend their term by some more time but the government could not do anything to consider this request. As regard 33% reservation of seat for women, it was clarified that the NLA had passed the Nagaland Municipal (First Amendment) Act 2006 inserting the provision for reservation of seats for women in terms of Article 243 T of the Constitution of India. As such, the Act as amended is a valid law unless otherwise the same amendment is changed again by the NLA. Accordingly, Dr Shurhozelie clarified that the wards to be reserved for women were also notified earlier.

Manipur villagers lynch 2 rebels OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Imphal, Dec. 22: Villagers of Nongbrang in Thoubal district today chased a group of militants suspected to belong to the Kuki National Front (President) and lynched two of them after the rebels launched an attack on protesters, injuring three women.
The protesters had gathered in the village square at 8am today to stage a sit-in against threats and intimidation by the outfit.
Reports said nearly 20 suspected Kuki militants swooped down on the village under Yairipok police station this afternoon and fired at the group of villagers holding a meeting against extortion, assault and threats by suspected cadres of the group.
The villagers said while the meeting was in progress, some suspected Kuki cadres barged into the venue and fired at the crowd. Three women were injured.
While a section of villagers took the injured women to a hospital, another group gave chase to catch the attackers.
While the rest of the rebels managed to escape, the villagers caught two of the cadres after chasing them for nearly 800 metres (from the venue of the protest).
Angered by recent alleged excesses by militant outfit and today’s attack, the villagers beat the two rebels to death. The incident occurred at 1.30pm, police said.
The villagers alleged that the Kuki militants extorted money from vehicles passing through the area, shops and even from residents. When the villagers and shopkeepers failed to pay up, the rebels assaulted them and also took away belongings like mobile phones in the past few days.
The villagers decided that they should stand up against the activities of the militants and staged the protest. They also blocked the Yairipok and Nongpok Keithelmanbi Road.
A team, led by the Thoubal district senior superintendent of police Clay Khongsai, rushed to the spot late afternoon to investigate the matter and take steps to prevent further flare up.
Nongbrang is primarily a non-Kuki inhabited village. Fearing a reprisal from the militant groups, some villagers fled their homes after sunset.
Jumbo run over by train A STAFF REPORTER The Telegraph
Guwahati/Nagaon, Dec. 22: A full-grown male elephant was mowed down by a special army train at Hojai in Nagaon district early this morning, catching the forest department offguard.
The 10-year-old elephant was part of a herd that was crossing the tracks at 6.30 in the morning and was hit by the train at Jugijan under Hojai police station in Nagaon district.
“I came to know about the incident at 7am and asked my staff to rush to the spot. Doctors from the Nagaon veterinary wing of the forest department were sent to the spot to provide treatment,” Hojai divisional forest officer Prabhakar Das told The Telegraph.
The elephant fell into the nearby ditch and suffered massive injuries on its back, leaving it totally paralysed.
A special army train has just three bogies and is used exclusively by the armed forces to ferry men and machine to “undisclosed locations”.
“Injections were given but the elephant passed away at 12.15pm,” Das said.
An excavator was also used to retrieve the elephant’s body from the ditch. The spot is barely 10km from Hojai town.
A large number of people gathered at the spot this morning as news of the accident spread in the area.
Over the past few days, large herds of elephants were seen crossing the area from the nearby Kumrakata reserve forest.
Das said depredation by elephants was on the rise in the area because of the harvesting season, giving a tough time to the forest department.
This is also the first time that an elephant has been hit by a train in this area, catching the forest department offguard.
“There were no incidents earlier in this area and we are taking steps. We have talked to the railways to limit the speed of the trains up to 30km,” principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) S. Chand said. He said there was an ongoing project with the Wildlife Trust of India that had joined hands with the railways to prevent elephant deaths in train mishaps.
Joint patrol teams have been constituted, he added.
Sources said that rail routes slicing through wildlife habitat not only cause direct mortality and injury to animals in train accidents but also create habitat fragmentation, degradation, wildlife population fragmentation and reduction of wildlife access to vital habitats.
Five persons were trampled to death by elephants in Hojai last year, which is an indication of the sheer magnitude of the problem.
The Army and Traffic Rules Temjenkaba Ao Morung
•-With more cars on the roads, Dimapur and Kohima traffic police are kept busy. Even on normal days, the have their hands full and commuters have to travel ahead of time because of heavy traffic. The traffic situation gets even worse during Christmas particularly in Dimapur. The long queue of cars is a distressful sight. But what is worse is when the Indian army with their whistle blowing escorts just barge in even in the midst of the heavy congestion and just force their way through causing even more chaos; and of course leaving behind a lot of angry drivers. The army in Nagaland is well known for their show of force and their little regard for respecting the law, and now they have even less respect for traffic. It’s a shame that the officers in the black ambassadors cannot even direct their escorts to obey traffic rules; or at least not to force their way into an already chaotic congested traffic jam.
I only wish the Indian army officers were more of gentlemen and would respect the local sentiments of the public and order their escorts not to force their way through traffic. If the Indian army wants to win the hearts and minds of the public; than begin by obeying the law and respecting the sentiments of the public.

Temjenkaba Ao
Kohima

Shun violence and come for talks, Chidambaram tells ULFA, UNLF Nagaland Page
Kolkata, December 22: Turning down the demand for sovereignty, the Centre on Tuesday appealed to the ULFA and the UNLF to give up violence and hold talks, saying it was willing to look at 'new governing structures' to take care of the development agenda of the Northeast.
"A couple of groups like the ULFA and the UNLF are still carrying out violent activities. To them we say, give up the demand for sovereignty. Give up violence and we can talk of anything," Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said at the valedictory session of the CII leadership summit in Kolkata.
Stating that the Constitution was resilient and innovative, and accommodated the concerns of the people of smaller states, he said, "If new innovations for governing structures are required, we are willing to look at it.
"The Constitution has provided for hill development councils, semi-autonomy, and some schedules to address the concerns of the people of the smaller states. We can have more schedules as long as it takes care of the development agenda."
He said the 'Presidency Model' of the British days was not suitable for the Northeast, which had a different history, social structure and governance structure.
Chidambaram said about half-a-dozen insurgent groups were already holding talks with interlocutors and the government was hopeful of resolving their grievances. (PTI)

PC seeks revamp of Home Ministry Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Dec 23 – Proposing a “bold, thorough and radical restructuring” of the security architecture, Home Minister P Chidambaram today said the new National Centre for Counter Terrorism (NCCT) will be set up by next year to effectively respond to terror attacks, reports PTI. Presenting a road map ‘A New Architecture for India’s Security’, Chidambaram said given the imperatives and the challenges of the times, “a division of the current functions of the Ministry of Home Affairs is unavoidable”.

The NCCT’s tasks involve preventing a terror strike, containing an attack and effectively responding to it. “Such an organisation does not exist today. It has to be created from scratch,” he said noting that the US was able to set up such acounter terrorism unit within 36 months of the 9/11 attacks.

Addressing officers and personnel of the Intelligence Bureau and top brass of para-military forces, he said, “The Home Minister should devote the whole of his/her time and energy to matters relating to security.”

The Home Minister said the broad architecture of the new security system was an outcome of last year’s Mumbai attacks. “A billion plus people felt they had been humiliated and the country had been brought to its knees by a small band of terrorists,” he recalled.

“I, therefore, propose a bold, thorough and radical restructuring of the security architecture at the national level,” the Home Minister said and added that it would consist of political, administrative, intelligence and enforcement elements.

Chidambaram said as far as responding to a terrorist attack is concerned, “we may have enhanced the capacity to contain and repulse an attack, but I think that there is still some distance to go before we can claim to have acquired the capacity to respond swiftly and decisively to a terror attack”.

He said it was this assessment which led him to argue that the security architecture at the top must be thoroughly and radically restructured.

The NCCT’s mandate would be to respond to violence unleashed by any group – be it an insurgent group in the Northeast or the CPI (Maoist) in the heartland of India or any group of religious fanatics anywhere in the country acting on their own or in concert with terrorists outside.

He said the new organisation would therefore have to perform functions relating to intelligence, investigation and operations.

While making it clear that some of the organisations may have to be brought under the ambit of NCCT, the Home Minister made a fervent plea that this should not result in turf wars. “Some agencies would naturally have to be brought under NCCT and what come to my mind readily are NIA, NTRO, JIC, NCRB and the NSG.

As far as investigation is concerned, Government has set up the National Investigation Agency, and that agency would have to be brought under the overall control of NCCT. – PTI