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12/27/2009: "Naga heritage traced back to 50 B.C. morungexpress"

Naga heritage traced back to 50 B.C. morungexpress

Dimapur, (MExN): The radiocarbon dates of archaeological sites from New Phor, Movolomi and Khüsomi were recently received from the Beta Analytic in Miami, United States. The dates further ‘pushed back’ the antiquity of Naga ancestral sites as early as 50 BC, according to Dr. Anungla Aier and Dr. Tiatoshi Jamir of Anthropological Society of Nagaland.
The Beta Analytic Inc., an internationally renowned institute of physical and chemical sciences has been providing efficient technical assistance to the research since the early part of this year, a note from the two researchers said.
Dr. Anungla Aier and Dr. Tiatoshi Jamir stated in a letter received here today: “The calibrated dates assigned to the sites were as per scientifically accepted procedures using Calibration Database INTCAL 04 Radio Carbon Age Calibration. The sample from New Phor (Sample No.: N.PHR 08/TR1/Beta-265846) dated to Cal BC 50 – Cal AD 90 thus far, offers the earliest radiocarbon date for the Naga ancestral sites archaeologically investigated, while new radiocarbon dates for Khüsomi (Sample No.: KSI 09/TR2/Beta-265844) gives a date of Cal AD1320-1350 and Movolomi (Sample No.: MLI 09/TR1/Beta-265845) dated to Cal AD1420-1640.
All charcoal samples analyzed are reported from the lowest earth layers of the sites.”
It was further stated that the archaeological investigations carried out so far is part of a larger research project that has embarked on the analysis of the archaeological evidences side by side with the ‘folkloristic, ethnographic and anthropometric data.’ The Anthropological Society of Nagaland and the department of Art & Culture is making an effort to seriously engage in the scientific and objective study of the cultural history of the Nagas and these radiocarbon dates are significant not only for furthering our understanding of the cultural history and migration of the Nagas but will also provide insights to past social and cultural interactions between Naga communities. “In this endeavor, we solicit the continued cooperation of the various Naga communities as the work progresses,” the note said.

NSCN (I-M) fetes Isak Swu on 50 years of service to nation Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: NSCN (I-M) Kyong region has felicitated its 'Yaruiwo' Isak Chishi Swu on attaining 50 years of his "Selfless Service for the sacred cause of the Naga Nation."
"It gives us immense joy and pride to thank God in greeting you on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of your selfless service for the sacred cause of the Naga Nation," a felicitation note issued by CAO, NSCN/GPRN, Keyong region, Renthungo stated.
Further, it prayed that "Lord will continue to bless you and use you to a blessing to the people within and beyond Nagalim."
In a separate note, NSCN (I-M) steering committee member, R L Kinghen has also greeted its chairman, Isak Chishi Swu on his attainment of 50 years of service to the nation.
"History is full of people who sacrificed everything to achieve their dreams. One such leader amongst us has attained 50 long years of selfless and dedicated service to the Nation," Kinghen said, adding that the suffering endured during long period of struggle by "great leader" was by no means an ordinary feat.
It further wished him good health, long life and God's wisdom to lead the nation under.
Meanwhile, NSCN (I-M) Ao region, has also congratulated Isak Chishi Swu on attaining 50 years of service to the "Naga freedom struggle."
Speaking to this correspondent over telephone, region CAO, I Tia Imchen said that on observing how the birth right of the Naga people to live independently has been terminated by other people, the chairman realize that he has the responsibility to serve for the cause of the Nagas. He said that chairman along with family has sacrificed to serve the Naga with all his wealth and wisdom, and he was still serving with the highest possession and responsibility. He has also said that the whole Ao (tribe) national workers extend honour to its leader for his 50 years of service.
Ao region also prayed to bless the leadership of its chairman and further urged all the Naga tribes to appreciate the ability of its chairman to beat such a massive responsibility with honest and bravery.
Pornography a growing problem in Nagaland Nungshi Jamir

A man walk past a movie posture displayed at one of the cinema hall in Dimapur. (Morung Photo)

Dimapur | December 26 : Pornography is a world wide problem which is also affecting the Naga society today. These days pornography is easily available in the form of articles, magazines, raunchy videos or sleazy video parlours. Some of the popular video rental parlours today in Dimapur have a section for porn too.
Now, there is a strong difference between moral policing and showing concern. And this is quite a concern when we are a Christian state, bound by certain Christian morals. On enquiry it has been found that the people who rent them are mostly in the age group of 15 to their early twenties – an age group which is most susceptible to violence and influence because of their immature thinking. Every other day there is new reported and unreported cases of rapes and molestation in the state.
Most times when people hear the word ‘porn’, the first thing that comes to mind is the internet. But the problem of pornography has long been there much before the internet happened. The internet cannot always be blamed for the introduction of pornography. It’s just that with the introduction of the internet, pornography became more easily accessible to people. Pornography is the problem which today overshadows the positive uses of the internet technology.
A few years back internet cafes were unheard of, but today it is mushrooming in every nook and corner of Dimapur. It is fast turning into a lucrative business with the dependency on the internet rising day by day. But along with the rise of internet cafes, are the authorities also making sure that this is not a den for other immoral activities?
Hosheto Awomi, owner of ‘Net Surfing Zone’ here said to The Morung Express that he has strict regulations against porn viewing in his internet café. He also added that he has certain software by which he can monitor the internet users inside his shop. But this is not the case in most of the internet cafés in Dimapur. The owners of different internet shops here in Dimapur admitted ignorance of what the users where up to in their space, or booths. They opined that since the customers were paying, they couldn’t do anything. For them it is just another business and nothing more.
With the rise of crimes against women increasing in Nagaland by the day, one simply cannot afford to ignore the indirect influence of pornography. On 5 May 2005, Mrs. Somy Koshy, an innocent school teacher from Kerala, was raped and murdered by one Pezazoto Savino from Khonoma village. The accused was thereafter arrested from a ‘video hall’ in Kohima after committing the crime. An incident like this only goes to project to what extent a person might go after he is influenced. Most crimes like rape might not be the direct effect of watching porn but it surely instigates the perpetrator of the crime. Ironically, all this is happening in a state like Nagaland which is a ‘Christian state’ or, as the people like to put it, ‘Nagaland for Christ’.
According to the Information Technology (Amendment Bill) 2006 passed by the Indian Constitution, any internet café owner will be held responsible if any of his clients watches pornography in his shop. Apart from this, any user found guilty of surfing porn in an internet café can be fined upto Rs.500. But this doesn’t seem to have had much effect here in Dimapur. The site history on browsers, when checked in the systems of most of the cafés, also showed an astonishing number of porn sites visited.
Unlike most cyber cafés in other cities wherein all the systems are separated by a thin layer of frosted glass and are quite open, most of the internet cafes here have cubicles which are covered from all sides. This makes for the perfect camouflage for young people to surf porn on the pretext of doing assignments and playing games.
It is observed that majority of the users of these cafés are school-going children or college goers in their early teens. This one-time entertainment very often leads to addiction and in the process affects their tender minds. This in turn manipulates them to degrade women or treat them as ‘objects’ of satisfaction as they mature.
The authorities and the student organisations seem to have turned a blind eye to what is happening. It is even more disturbing when school-going children bunk classes to sit and surf the net the whole day. In the past years there have been numerous condemnations and rallies against crimes like rape. But all these rallies and the condemnations in papers would be futile and useless until the problem is tackled at the grassroots level.
As Nivi, a member of the ‘Sisterhood Network’ explains, “Every time I go to an internet café I see young school kids, sometimes even in their uniforms, watching and surfing porn sites, and this is not limited to the school kids. Once, I even came across this bunch of college girls surfing through some porn sites…” This is of grave concern especially when schoolchildren are left to surf through sites under zero supervision. An age when they ape and imbibe anything they come across, this will manifest into something greater and more devastating in the years to come.
Migrant toll rises to 29
- Non-Manipuri hawker shot dead despite tight vigil OUR CORRESPONDENT


File picture of non-Manipuri labourers at a relief camp in Imphal. (Eastern Projections)
Imphal, Dec. 26: Two unidentified gunmen shot dead a non-Manipuri hawker selling bakery items in front of a shop at Tongbram Leikai in Imphal West this afternoon.
Two bullets hit the migrant on the left chest and he died on the spot.
The police said the two gunmen shot at the hawker while he was coming out of a grocery shop around 3pm today.
An eyewitness said two gunmen walked up to the victim while he was standing in front of the shop and fired at him from point blank range before fleeing.
Shops located in the area downed shutters immediately after the incident.
The victim is yet to be identified. Though he was known as Madan to the shopkeepers in the area, they could not say where he came from.
The body was taken to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for identification and post-mortem.
The police have launched a search in the area but no one has been arrested so far. They said today’s incident was a part of the serial attacks by unidentified gunmen on migrants in the valley over the past few months.
This is the third attack on migrants since December 15 and the fifth since October 31 in Manipur valley. With the latest killing, the number of non-Manipuris killed since February has risen to 29.
The attack was carried out despite stepped up vigil, particularly in Imphal East and Imphal West districts.
The valley is already in a state of high alert after the director-general of police, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, instructed all superintendents of police in the valley on December 17 to be on maximum alert in view of the serial killing of non-Manipuris.
Police sources said militants were behind the killing of non-Manipuris, but could not name any particular group.
The police said the outfit wanted to create a fear psychosis in the minds of the migrants so that they return to their homes. The migrants were told not to venture out of the city for their own safety.
“We could not provide security for each and every one. So we had asked them not to venture out of the secure areas of the city,” a senior police official said.
ULFA leaders’ night-long meeting in jail Our Bureau & IANS
GUWAHATI, Dec 27: Six arrested top leaders of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), including its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, spent Saturday night in a huddle in the Guwahati Central Jail probably discussing strategies, officials revealed.
After a Guwahati court yesterday remanded ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah to judicial custody, the two leaders shared the same prison cell with four other senior members of the outfit already lodged in the jail.
The four are: ULFA vice-president Pradeep Gogoi, self-styled foreign secretary Sashadhar Choudhury, finance secretary Chitraban Hazarika and publicity chief Mithinga Daimary.
According to Guwahati jail sources, the six separatist leaders shared the same cell and spent the better part of the night in a huddle — all of them looked at ease and comfortable. They kept talking animatedly.
Some felt that it was probably a government strategy to allow the six ULFA leaders to meet inside the jail.
The prosecution did not slap any fresh charges against Rajkhowa and Baruah while being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate on Saturday, paving the way for judicial remand.
“Surely all the six of them would get an opportunity to share their views and this could help in devising future strategies,” said Lachit Bordoloi, a rights leader and a member of the ULFA-constituted People’s Consultative Group (PCG). The group was formed in 2005 to explore possibilities of peace talks with the government.
ULFA cultural secretary Pranati Deka, wife of Chitraban Hazarika, is also in the Guwahati jail since 2003 although she wouldn’t get a chance to catch up with the other six leaders as her cell is separate from that of the male prisoners.
“Whether or not the six leaders would be able to take a decision for peace talks is another matter, but definitely they would be able to exchange views and take stock of the situation,” said Bijon Mahajan, legal counsel of Rajkhowa and Baruah. “After all we want peace and for bringing peace I feel this is a very positive endeavour on the part of the government to have allowed Rajkhowa and Baruah to be sent to jail.”
Centre’s green light for KLNLF truce By our Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Dec 27: The Centre has reportedly given the green light for ceasefire with the KLNLF.
KLNLF recently announced unilateral ceasefire for three months, from December 1 till March 1 2010, in the interest of peace and a political solution to the Karbi issue. Two top KLNLF leaders, through mediators, had held several rounds of talks with SB ADGP Khagen Sarma, representative of the State Government, in this regard. They were, however, not ready to lay down arms until the government assured a political solution to the Karbi issue. The Assam Government referred the matter to the Centre for approval.
According to sources, the Union Home Ministry has given its approval for ceasefire with the KLNLF and also assured to consider the outfit’s demand for a separate Karbi State.
With the Centre clearing the decks for truce with the Karbi rebel outfit, the KLNLF men are likely to return to the mainstream by formally surrendering arms at Diphu in January 2010.
Chidamabaram’s perestroika irking babus? Sentinel
NEW DELHI, Dec 27: Winds of change are steadily sweeping through the Home Ministry ever since P Chidambaram took over last December. First he introduced the biometric attendance system in North Block to ensure punctuality. Then he began revamping the Intelligence Bureau by setting up the Multi-Agency Centre to analyse intelligence inputs on a real time basis.
Even his proposal of bifurcating the Ministry, saying subjects not directly related to internal security must be dealt with by a separate ministry, has been welcomed.
But it is his suggestion that there should be a performance review of officers who have crossed 50 years of age that has got bureaucrats nervy and could stir a hornet’s nest amongst the country’s elite all-India services in the months to come.
Though Chidamabarm has sought the cooperation of officials, saying this would pave the way for better performers, it is not going to be an easy task. Babus are already complaining.
Speculation already about
next Foreign Secretary
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has set a frenetic pace for herself, travelling almost every week and then staying up late in the office till well past 10 pm or working weekends in order to catch up on file work. Even though she is at her job for one more year (she retires on Dec 31, 2010), speculation as usual has already begun in the corridors of South Block and in missions abroad about her successor. Among the names doing the rounds are those of Hardeep Puri, India’s permanent representative at the United Nations; Alok Prasad, who spurned an ambassadorial posting to South Africa to become deputy national security adviser after his Colombo posting; and Ranjan Mathai, India’s ambassador to France.
Lakshmi Puri, Hardeep Puri’s wife, would also have been a formidable contender had it not been for the fact that she had opted out of the race some time ago to take up a UN assignment in Geneva on deputation from the Indian Foreign Service.
Tharoor cashes in as
Krishna dodges media
SM Krishna, a veteran of Karnataka politics who is at the Centre for the first time as the External Affairs Minister, has probably decided to steer clear of the media and let his junior with the gift of the gab give them the daily bytes they need. The result is that even at cultural dos, TV channels hang around to get a quote or two from Shashi Tharoor, the Minister of State for External Affairs, on Pakistan, Headley or other newsy matters even though the function might be a book launch or even a sarod recital.
And when Krishna is at a lunch where even senior editors are present, he chooses to ignore them even though the invitation card is in his name A newspaper owner almost walked out of a recent lunch as Krishna not only arrived late but headed straight for the dining room without even greeting his guests, who included at least one junior minister.
Visa blues, a la Headley
The US and British embassies in New Delhi were in a tizzy over the confusion surrounding new regulations on long-term tourist visas. US embassy officials held a series of meetings with officials of the home and external affairs ministries, seeking clarifications. British High Commissioner Richard Stagg, in fact, wrote a letter to the MEA and followed it up with telephone calls to officials in South Block. On its part, the US embassy posted a warden message citing specific instances of inconsistency in the way the new rules were implemented. The message cites several examples of the harrowing experience of some American visitors in the wake of the recent visa changes.
“One American family, visiting India for several weeks on 10-year, multiple entry tourist visas, had to return briefly to the US to attend a funeral. They were not permitted to re-enter India,” the message read. Two days later, the warden message was replaced by a more factual account of visa regulations entitled “Travel alert”. IANS
Forces yet to write off ULFAR Dutta Choudhury Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Dec 27 – The strength of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has been reduced by a great extent following the arrests of the top leaders including the chairman of the outfit Arabinda Rajkhowa, but security forces have not yet ready to write off the outfit as it is still maintaining its bases in Myanmar and the commander in chief Paresh Baruah is still at large. However, former Director General of Assam Police, GM Srivastava, who is now the security adviser to the Chief Minister, is hopeful that it would be difficult for Paresh Baruah alone to runthe outfit and the strength of the ULFA has come down considerably after the arrests of the top leaders.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, Srivastava said that though the ULFA is not yet finished, it will not be the same organization after the arrests of the senior leaders. He pointed out that though the incidents of violence are the visible impacts of a militant group, no organization can run only through acts of violence. “There are several other aspects of running a militant outfit effectively including maintaining international contacts and managing other aspects ofthe outfit and it will not be possible for Paresh Baruah alone to do that. The arrested top leaders of the outfit were key members of the ULFA and it will be difficult for the ULFA to run the outfit without them. For example, some of the arrested leaders were responsible for maintaining international contacts and without themthe outfit will lose such contacts,” he added.

Srivastava further said that if majority of the ULFA leaders finally decide to come forward for talks, the people of Assam would make Paresh Baruah redundant.

Meanwhile, security sources said that it is too early to completely write off ULFA at this moment and a close watch on the situation needs to be maintained to prevent the armed wing members of the outfit from indulging in violence. The police and security forces are not letting their guards down following the arrests of the senior leaders of the ULFA and counter-insurgency operations are still on.

Security sources said that though the Government of Bangladesh has taken effective steps like picking up of senior ULFA leaders and handing them over to India, a number of ULFA men are still in that country and security sources admitted that it is not correct to expect Bangladesh to act beyond a certain point. Moreover, it is not possible for Bangladesh to detect militants who are not staying in any camp. “We have not been able to arrest all the militants staying in India and it is not correct to expect Bangladesh to pick up all the members of the militant groups staying in that country,” sources pointed out.

The Government of Myanmar is yet to take effective steps to evict the camps of the NE militants including ULFA from that country. Sources said that the Government of Myanmar agreed way back in 2007 to launch coordinated operations against the militants, but that has not yet been done. However, sources admitted that the Government of Myanmar has very little control over the area where the militants including the ULFA have established their camps, while, the deployment of Assam Rifles failed to seal the international border with Myanmar because of the terrain.

The reports that the militants are receiving help from China are also a matter of concern. Sources said that Paresh Baruah is now in China and over the years, he had maintained the links that the ULFA established in that country immediately after the formation ofthe outfit . Other militant groups of the NE including groups based in Manipur are receiving weapons from China. Though India does not have proof of involvement of Government of China in supplying weapons to the militants, it is hard to believe that such things are going on without the knowledge of any Chinese agency, sources pointed out.

UNLF rejects Chidambaram's appeal By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Dec 27 : Reac-ting to the appeal of Home Minister P Chidambaram to ULFA and UNLF as reported in a section of the media a few days ago, the proscribed UNLF has brushed aside the appeal saying that it lacked substance.
In a statement issued by its senior publicity officer Ksh Yoiheiba, the outfit asserted that the Home Minister deliberately relegated the basic political conflict to a development issue by stating that the Government of India was willing to look at ‘new governing structures’ to take care of the development agenda of the North East.
He also reportedly stated, “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.
“So far as the UNLF and the people of Manipur are concerned, we have nothing to demand from the Government of India. We simply want what was and ought to be ours – sovereignty and independence of Manipur. This is the crux of the Manipur-India conflict that began with the forcible annexation of Manipur by India in 1949. So, to the Indian Home Minister we say, we do not have anything to talk of, except sovereignty”, the outfit retorted.
The ‘violence’ India’s Home Minister spoke about is actually the right of peoples and Nations to resort to any and all forms of struggle, including armed struggle, to assert their right to national self determination as recognised by International law, the UNLF stated.
“In Manipur’s case it is the right to regain her lost sovereignty and independence. In order to assert this right, we took up arms only when the Indian State began to use heavy military force to suppress our unarmed movement. Our ‘violence’ is not violence as such, it is National liberation struggle”, the outfit claimed.
The Home Minister should be well advised that if at all there is violence to be stopped, it is the Indian State violence, the State excesses being unleashed against unarmed people of Manipur.
This State violence has taken more than 700 innocent lives of Manipur this year alone. On the other hand, the UNLF has not touched even a single innocent person inside India, asserted the outfit while adding “certainly, the Indian Home Minister is not unaware of this indisputable fact.
“The UNLF will never compromise on the issue of sovereignty on the issue of sovereignty and independence of Manipur. Not even the biggest development package under a new ‘governing structure’ within the Indian Union can buy us out”, the outfit declared.
However, UNLF being a party having faith and belief in genuine democracy, declared with all sincerity and earnestness in January 2005 that the Manipur-India conflict could be resolved, once and for all, by a plebiscite conducted under UN supervision.
The UNLF further announced that it will honour the result of such a plebiscite. The UNLF made this proposal because it respects and believes in the collective wisdom and strength of the people, which is the essence of democracy, the outfit reminded.
However, India, despite being the ‘largest democracy’, seems to be lacking the moral strength to accept the challenge, it remarked.

Junta lobbies hard on international fora Mungpi Mizzima

New Delhi (Mizzima) - Burma’s state-owned newspaper New Light of Myanmar on Wednesday reported the return of Foreign Minister Nyan Win from Denmark after attending the UN Climate Change Conference.

The newspaper said Nyan Win, besides delivering a speech at the conference, also met Foreign Ministers of the European Union led by the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and hosted by Danish Foreign Minister Per-Stig Moller at the sidelines of the Copenhagen Conference.

In a press statement, the EU said during the meeting, also attended by the EU special envoy to Burma Mr. Piero Fassino, European Union Foreign Ministers reiterated their willingness to continue a dialogue aimed at substantial improvements towards a transition to democracy and respect of human rights in Burma.

The ministers also told Nyan Win that “the elections in 2010 are an important opportunity for allowing inclusiveness and showing serious progress on national reconciliation, which is necessary to address the political and socio-economic problems facing Burma/Myanmar.”

The ministers also urged the Burmese military junta to take substantive steps towards free and fair elections.

The report about Nyan Win’s December 16 to 18 trip to Denmark, which came after a week, is among the many stories that the Burmese junta’s mouthpiece newspaper is reporting relating to activities of junta officials.

The English version of the newspaper, which usually carries stories of the military general’s development work, has for the past few weeks been carrying reports of foreign officials including a few heads of states, and deputies visiting the pariah state.

On Thursday, the newspaper reported the visit of a delegation led by Mr Li Chao, Chairman of the Central China Power Grid International Economic & Trade Co Ltd, and their meeting with Burmese Minister for Electrical Power (2) Maj-Gen Khin Maung Myint.

On Wednesday, the newspaper reported the visit of Japanese Deputy Minister for Economics, Trade and Industry Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige and his meeting with Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein.

On Tuesday, the newspaper reported the visit by Chang Zhenming, Chairman and President of CTTIC Group of China and his meeting with Burmese Minister for Transport Maj-Gen Thein Swe.

Monday’s newspaper was filled with the visit of Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping and his meetings with Burmese military supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe, and Vice Snr Gen Maung Aye.

While most of the visiting officials are not heads of states and do not carry significant weight, the fact that many foreign officials are visiting the country, which is under Western sanctions, is significant, a Burmese analyst said.

Win Min, a Burmese analyst based in Thailand, said lately more countries are interested in visiting and dealing with the Burmese junta, and the new United States policy on the regime could be a factor contributing to the change.

“The US’s new policy on engagement with Burma (while maintaining the sanctions) may also partly encourage other country representatives to visit,” Win Min added.

The US in September announced a new policy on Burma’s military regime. Under the new policy, the US is willing to directly engage with the junta, while existing sanctions would remain.

As a first step in US-Junta relations, the Assistant Foreign Secretary Kurt Campbell led delegation in November visited Naypyitaw and held talks with junta supremo Snr. Gen Than Shwe.

“I think it shows that many countries want to see if there can be an impact from their visits to open up the election process, while some countries may also want to secure their business interests before the elections,” Win Min said.

He said, as the Nobel Prize Winning economist Joseph Stiglitz concluded a visit to Burma, during which he was able to advise the Burmese generals on economic reforms, Japan may also be interested in checking out the possibilities a more open economy.

Win Min added that the visits by foreign officials could indicate that the junta has been working hard to gain international support for their roadmap, of which the fifth step is the general elections slated for 2010.