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07/26/2010: "Naga rebel leader admits China links Rahul Karmakar, Hindustan Times"



Naga rebel leader admits China links Rahul Karmakar, Hindustan Times

Although Beijing’s support for rebels in India’s northeast has often been suspected, a top Naga rebel leader has finally come out to confirm the Chinese connection. Kughalu Mulatonu, a leader of the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, said the Chinese found their way to rebel camps in Eastern Nagaland via New Delhi. The Nagas refer to Sagaing division of Myanmar as Eastern Nagaland.
The revelation comes barely two months after the arrest of a Chinese spy, Guang Liang, near Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh. The man claimed he was from Henan province of central China.
This division adjoining Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland is dominated by at least six Naga tribes and is easier to access from India. Mulatonu said from a rebel camp near Dimapur in Nagaland: “Yes, they (the Chinese) openly and legally come to India via Delhi and meet us.”
The Khaplang faction, led by S.S. Khaplang, a Myanmar-based Hemi Naga, lords over most of the 30 north-east rebel camps in Sagaing division. “The government of India gets to know of such meetings well before they are held. The last of such meetings was in 2009,” Mulatonu said. He, however, declined to divulge what usually gets discussed at these meetings.
Security agencies, however, are certain why the Chinese often get in touch with NSCN-K leaders, its rival Isaak-Muivah faction and other northeast rebel groups camped in Sagaing Division.
“In all probability, the Chinese people visit the rebel camps to strike deals for small arms,” a Nagaland-based intelligence officer said on condition of anonymity.
Nagaland bodies attend meeting at Ukhrul The Imphal Free Press

UKHRUL, Jul 25: Nagaland mass base civil organizations from all over Nagaland arrived at Ukhrul town today and a massive public consultative meeting was staged at Ukhrul Town Hall at 10 am last morning. The teams included those of the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), Sumi Students Organization, Chakesang, and Chakesang Students' Oragnization.

The teams were warmly received by the Tangkhul apex frontal organizations like Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), TKS, Tangkhul Youth Council, TMNL, Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL) representatives and thousands from the Tangkhul community and Tangkhul civil societies. The Ukhrul Town Hall remained jampacked with people from all walks of life viewing the re-union among the Nagas.

The teams were led by the NSF speaker, Sumis Students' Organization president and the Chakesang Students' Union general secretary along with many colleagues from Nagaland. The leaders spoke during the massive gathering highlighting the need to forgive and forget the past mistakes among the Nagas, saying let the past be buried forever and to join hands for the future.

The meeting was moderated by Somipam Lungleng, a prominant public leader. During the break in the public meeting some special numbers of songs were presented by the Sentinel College students, Ukhrul. Discussion hour for the public to raise queries was opened for the public initiated by Shangreis A Shimray, ex- president of the Tangkhul Naga Long(TNL). The meet lasted for at least 3-4 hours.

Theory of Nagalim
By: Heigrujam Nabashyam Kangla On Line
“Sahebsing, chingna chingini tamna tamgini hairadi, ei haying Senapati Lampak-ki akoiba-singse dozer thajillaga loina temghaige tampak onthok-ke adugaa Meiteigini haige, kaarihaige” – Sirs, if you say hills belong to the hill people and valley belongs to the valley people; tomorrow I will press bulldozers into service and flatten the surroundings of the Senapati ground into a valley and say it belongs to the Meiteis. So, what do you say ?

It was way back in 1989 during a district level officers meeting with the DC, Senapati in the chair and the members of the District Council of Senapati as invitees; however before the meeting the DC was just remembering his officers though in a silly and irresponsible manner that the next day the district administration would be busy looking after the affairs of the “Baruni Kaaba” at Nongmaijing Ching – which falls within Senapati district. “Meitei singna hayeng Baruni Kaaraga eikhoina thabuk chindourini” – tomorrows the Meeties would be on Baruni pilgrimage to the Nongmaijing hills and they would make us busy. Without a moment’s lost a member of the District Council injected a stupid comment “Mathangdagidi tax lou-se” – from next year we will impose tax and that was the beginning of a Leipung-waari – loose, useless talk, which was just silly and plain communal.

I was an officer then serving the Manipur government. It was my third year in Senpati, my place of posting and being the head of office of election branch, I had quite a good rapport with most members of the council.

But for quite a few minutes during the Leipung-waari they – the members, were behaving as if my presence was non-existent. There were two other Meitei officers, if my memory is not wrong, who had been in Senapati since a couple of years before my posting. I looked at them and I knew they would not say anything. And I also knew that if I did not stop them or tell them that it was not a forum for communal debate I would be a joker among them. Therefore I told them in a way that would be easiest for them to understand and the words seen at the beginning of this column was what made them understand instantaneously and everybody burst into laughter for a few seconds after my intervention.

The DC who also happened to be a tribal, knew it was time to stop the Leipung-waari and he said in a jolly manner “Faagi tounabane sounaba yaade” – just jokes, no hard feelings. At times I wonder how some people could be so communal. And there must be reason for it.

The statement of the United Naga Council – UNC, carried by the local newspapers on July 16, 2010 as a reaction to the Manipur Assembly resolution urging the centre to amend article 3 – the provision in the Constitution to change or alter the state’s boundaries non-applicable to Manipur – a demand made by AMUCO and UCM to the centre since 1997 – have certain points to be understood by all concerned.

The main contentions of UNC are (i) the demand for the Nagas in Manipur to live together with those of the Naga Hills of Assam was there since 1948 and the demand was made by the Naga National League under the leadership of A. Daiho, who became a minister of the Govt. of Manipur in 1963. (2) the demand also finds mention in the 9 Point Hydari Agreement of 1947 and the 16 Point Agreement of 1960 – these had to do with the movement of NNC under Angami Z Phizo. (3) the movement for Nagas of Manipur to join Nagaland, continued by the United Naga Integration Council under the leadership of Rishang Keishing till UNIC merged into Congress in August 4, 1972. (4) Naga Hoho and Lui-Ngai-Ni manifest the oneness of the Nagas and therefore the unification of the Nagas is tenable and (5) Manipur govt. is communal and has consistently attempted to legitimize the suppression of the tribal by the Meiteis.

The story of man is the story of strife and struggle, of enmity and hostility, of war and bloodshed or of kings and emperors according to the traditional historians or of class war according to the Marxist.

Whatever may be war and bloodshed are the main ingredients of human history, although romantic tales like Shirin-Farhood, Heer-Ranja, Khamba-Thoibi are the elixir of life. This is the story of the evolution of civilization and man, who now have become the inhabitants of a global village probably learnt one of the best lesson from history which would be very pertinent to the Northeast, – afflicted with AFSPA and armed gangs – that the rights and liberty of the individual, is pre-eminent and it is best secured in a secular democratic world.

The story of man in our Northeast would be having similar story, but like it or not, our story would have been much simpler and recent as we were living a tribal life or in tribalism, just a century or two ago. However no one can equate us with the Jarawa tribes in the Andamans or the Yanomami tribes in the Amazon rainforest who still remain tribal till this day. And their stories are the subject of the anthropologists and history has yet to take over from anthropology.

As for us we have been able to author our history in the last few decades like Phizo has done which T Muivah called it ‘Unique history’ of Naga Republics. But there is the tendency of reverting to the past often threatening to undo what Phizo have done for the people – to move forward with the contemporary world.

One can observe such tendency both in words and deeds in the activities of the protagonists of Nagalim. Right from the ethnic cleansing theory to the Nagalim mantras – Naga Areas, Naga Ancestral Land, Naga Birth Rights, Naga People, Naga Hoho, Naga Rights, Naga Nation, Naga National Workers, Naga Unique History, etc. – the spirit of Nagalim reflected in the first 4 points of contention contained in the public statement of UNC appears to assume a sort of a crude neo-Nazi.

I do not have the slightest of intention to ridicule the pride of a Naga. My intention truly is to let the advocates of Nagalim know that today every political entity are multi-ethnic and the very premise of Nagalim which builds exclusively on Naga tribes or ethnic Nagas is truly a false premise.

There are persons whose hobby is to learn the different communities of the Northeast about their culture, habit, food-habit, life-style and these people are fairly in a position to distinguish an ethnic group from among a crowd of groups, especially of Manipur and Nagaland. It is also believed that there is no point going into a debate on the exploitation theory of the Nagas or histories etc. in this column except to say that what is most vicious of the protagonists of Nagalim is their pent-up feelings and anger which have made them blinkered in their world view.

As for the “communal Manipur government” the whole world would listen if the seven resigned people’s representatives open their mouth and say that the Manipur government is communal; remember, these same MLAs went to Delhi and pleaded on their own sweet will to the congress high command “to save” this communal government in the interest of the hill people because “the Ibobi government is the best government for the hill people”, a year of so ago.

The main contentions of the UNC based on false premise and blinkered vision is also corrupted by deception and manipulation. Perhaps an occasion may come when these contentions may find a logical conclusion. Until then it is for the O. Ibobi Singh government – the best for the hill people – which is “seriously” trying out its skill and expertise to handle and to promote as well the theory and practice of Nagalim.
Blockade off, but Manipur's cup of woes full Iboyaima Laithangbam
Consumer goods, life-saving drugs and fuel still remain a far cry Even though some Naga tribal organisations had suspended the 68-day blockade against Manipur on June 18, the State is far from normal as far as availability of consumer goods, life-saving drugs and fuel is concerned. Drivers have boycotted the Highway 39, which snakes through Nagaland demanding compensation for the 14 trucks the tribal miscreants had torched during the blockade and a commitment to stop extortion of illegal taxes from Manipur's vehicles inside Nagaland.
A bridle path
On the other hand, the Highway 53 which skirts through Nagaland is in fact a bridle path with numerous craters, ditches and rivulets across it. Reports say that over 1500 trucks and buses have been stranded at different mountainous areas along this highway for the last 11 days. Over 500 drivers, cleaners and passengers of the stranded vehicles have been facing starvation in the mountains and there is no medicine to cure common diseases.
The highway repairing works are being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation and the State Works Department and moving at snail's pace. The drivers have been collecting donations and are taking stones free of charge to elevate the slippery parts of the highway. The officials in Imphal cannot say when these stranded vehicles will be reaching Imphal. In view of the long queue of the stranded vehicles, police and security forces have prevented other vehicles from leaving Imphal and Jiribam for the time being.
Meanwhile, J.N. Hospital, a State-government undertaking, has announced that all operations have been suspended from Sunday as there is no stock of medical gas. Those patients who need oxygen inhalers will have to go without it. Dr. Y. Mohen, Medical Superintendent of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, a Central government undertaking, told The Hindu there is no stock of medical gas in the hospital. Under the circumstances, all operations will be suspended from Monday. Other private hospitals and nursing homes have also suspended operations or are not admitting patients who will require medical gas.
Reports also said that almost all the life-saving medicines are out of stock in the pharmacies. On Sunday, several pharmacists told The Hindu that as no medicine was brought to Manipur, there was no stock. They said that even tablets for hypertension or piles patients were not available.
Prices skyrocket
A government official said that the life-saving drugs and medical gas are likely to be airlifted if the stranded trucks along highway 53 cannot reach Imphal in a day or two. Prices of all essential commodities are still high and oil pumps are still shut. One litre of petrol is sold at Rs 120 by roadside vendors and the police have not lifted a finger against this black-market sale.
Face-off over Naga Commission (EMN)
Revoke abeyance order with in 7 days: NC
DIMAPUR, JUL 26): The issue of the ‘Naga Commission’ is now spiralling into a bitter face-off between the Naga Council and the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce (DCC) with the district administration caught in between as an ultimatum was issued today demanding that the abeyance order of the Naga Council permit be revoked
within seven days. Failing this, the administration was warned that the Naga Council and public ‘shall resort to course of action deemed fit’.
A public meeting was held on Monday at the Naga Council office to discuss the Naga Commission issue whereby several resolutions were adopted. According to information made available to the press, the meeting resolved to uphold and protect the rights and identity of Nagas, be it in the levy of Naga Commission or in any other form, and to oppose any designs that weaken the identity, unity and culture of the Nagas.
It also decided to propose to the District Administration to set up a high-powered Committee consisting of Retd Judges, Market Experts, Naga Council, DMC, Women Hoho, GB, Intellectual/Professionals, etc, which should be assigned to study and research the causes of price rise and unauthorised taxation in Dimapur and submit report and recommendation under a stipulated period of 2 months so as to tackle the menace of taxation and check erratic/inconsistent price fluctuation of commodities in Dimapur for public interest.
The meeting further resolved to inform the District Administration to revoke the abeyance order of the Naga Council permit within 7 (seven) days failing which it decided that Naga Council and public would resort to course of action deemed fit and that all legal options would be kept open to deal with the matter as and when required.
Furthermore, the meeting asked that the DCC be re-structured ‘for a pro-active role in fostering peace and goodwill amongst all citizens in the complex commercial hub in the larger interest of the society apart from serving its own interests’.
It was also agreed that the activities of Naga Council and Naga Commission would be published in brief ‘to dispel vested press reports which paints Naga Council in poor light contrary to its philanthropic voluntary public service throughout its existence’.
As per this resolution an activity background and the Naga Commission has been released by the Naga Council whereby it was stated that the levy of a nominal fee as Naga Commission fixed by the Government is a pittance vis-à-vis the service rendered by Naga tribes which serves the interest of the Naga people and their birthright identity in a vast ocean of sweeping cultures.
It also states that it is ‘amazed’ at the ‘audacity’ of the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce in ‘threatening the district administration’ by serving a 3-day ultimatum to cancel Naga Council’s permit for Naga Commission that has been in force for over 30 years. Furthermore, it termed as ‘more disgusting’ the fact that the Administration has ‘cowered in fear of the threat by beating a hasty retreat’.
While maintaining that it is common knowledge that Dimapur is infested with unions extracting illegal collection, it however said the fact also remains that the administration has failed to contain the menace although its efforts are not absent.
It went on to say that the Naga Council is hardly impressed about price rise alluded to Naga Commission and that the commission ‘makes no dent to price rise with its 0.001 % on average into the price of items granted’. Calling it a ‘zero effect’, it said it would be more ‘pertinent for the administration to investigate the cause of price rise by checking the activities of 86 ‘unions’ believed to be operating in Dimapur as well as unscrupulous/unfair trading practices’. (Full text in Platform)
2 SSB officers, 2 jawans killed in NDFB ambush Assam Tribune
BONGAIGAON, July 26 – Four Sashatra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were killed and three others injured in an ambush by National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) militants at Sirklaijhora, 14 km north of Panbari under Bijni PS in Chirang district today at around 11.30 am.
The SSB personnel who died on the spot were Kishor Kumar (Asstt Commandant), Pratap Singh (SI), Gearju Serpa (driver) and Amit Kr Tewari of 15 Bn.
The injured SSB jawans have been identified as Balawant Singh Yadav, Giriraj Singh Bist and Amit Kumar. They have been admitted to Lower Assam Nursing Home here. The condition of Amit Kumar and Balawant Singh Yadav is critical, according to doctors.
The incident took place while the SSB patrolling party passed by Sikhalijhora area. The SSB jawans retaliated the attack and the firing continued for about 20 minutes, the local villagers informed.
Staff Reporter adds: Meanwhile, police sources said that the incident occurred at around 12.30 pm when a Maruti Gypsy vehicle of the SSBpersonnel was ambushed in between Ciplaigarh and Amlaiguri. Four persons including the assistant commandant, one sub-inspector and two constables of the SSB died on the spot, while three other were seriously injured.
Police sources said that the militants managed to take away one rifle and two pistols from the SSB personnel.
It may be mentioned here that the SSB personnel, posted to guard the Assam-Bhutan border, took a series of actions against timber smugglers in that area and today’s attack is believed to be a retaliation of that.
General Than Shwe visits India amid protests Sources: Asia News
July 26, 2010: In New Delhi, some 300 Burmese activists call on Indian government to put pressure on junta strongman for a future of democracy in Myanmar. They accuse military regime of denying religious freedom to majority Buddhists and minority Christians.

The general’s visit, which began yesterday and will end on Thursday, is centred on the economic and military ties between the two countries.
About 300 Burmese democracy activists, refugees and support groups gathered today at Jantar Mantar New Delhi to protest against the visit by Myanmar military strongman General Than Shwe to India, which began yesterday. Burmese exiles have called on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to use this visit to tell the leader of the military junta that India is in favour of freedom and democracy in Myanmar. They are also urging the Indian government to put pressure on Myanmar authorities to release Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as well as the country’s more than 2,000 political prisoners.
“The junta’s repressive measures are causing immense hardships to ordinary people, who have no rights or even privileges. Everything is very tense. After the National League for Democracy (NLD) was banned, the situation for the people has become even more volatile,” Htun Htun, of the Burma Centre Delhi (BCD), told AsiaNews.
“The climate of fear, suppression and intimidation is even worse in ethnic areas,” he said, especially where some groups are Christian. “Religious freedom too is not allowed.”
In Chin State, approximately 80 per cent of the Chin population is Christian. Recently, the military has begun, among other things, “destroying churches as well as harassing, arresting and even abusing pastors, removing religious symbols such as crosses from mountain tops. It has also started targeting charity organisations,” Htun said.
Things are not much better in predominantly Buddhist Karen State, where soldiers have stormed monasteries and removed monks who supported the pro-democracy movement in 2007.
In addition to Burmese activists, Than Shwe’s visit has mobilised other human rights groups. In a press release yesterday, Human Rights Watch said, “Economic and security interests should not displace concerns about protecting the Burmese people’s fundamental freedoms.”
General Than Shwe’s visit is scheduled to end on Thursday. In order to downplay its significance, both Burmese and Indian authorities have said that it was of a religious nature. In fact, the general, who is Buddhist, began his visit to India with a stop in the city of Budh Gaya (Bihar), where Siddhartha Gautama is believed to have received enlightenment after 49 days of meditation.
For activists however, the main purpose of the visit is to enhance economic and border security cooperation between the countries. The Indian-Burmese border has been the scene of important military activity by rebel groups.
In recent years, India, along with China, has been extending its tentacles on Myanmar’s rich natural resources, both above and underground, fuelling all sorts of traffic, thus buttressing the power of the military junta.
In a recent statement, India’s Tata automobile company has also announced its intention of moving its Nano minicar production to Myanmar.



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