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07/28/2010: "Naga bodies begin to roar again, blockade replay on the card UNC serves ultimatum with ‘eco-blockade replay as side dish’ By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express"

Naga bodies begin to roar again, blockade replay on the card UNC serves ultimatum with ‘eco-blockade replay as side dish’ By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express

Soft targets : A truck damaged by blockade sponsors and Tata Sumo attacked for plying NH-39
IMPHAL, July 27: Serving an ultimatum to the Go-vernment of India to inter- vene within five days on its demands, United Naga Council (UNC) has threa-tened to resume its tempo- rarily suspended agitation in the event of failing to act on its demands.
The demands of UNC are institution of a judicial inquiry into the May 6, 2010 incident at Mao Gate in which two students were shot dead and more than a hundred peaceful protes-tors were wounded by po- lice action, immediate withdrawal of restrictions under 144 CrPC and demilitarisation of Naga areas, removal of ‘wanted’ tag and fixing rewards on Naga leaders and dissolution of the ‘undemo- cratically instituted’ Autonomous district councils.
Submitting an ultimatum to the Prime Minister in this regard, UNC categorically stated that in the event of failure to meet the demands within the set deadline, it would have no other option but to resume the temporarily suspended agitation till the aspiration of the Naga people is fulfilled.
The ultimatum signed by its president Samson Remei further warned that ‘this step is the expression of our democratic rights and will be intensified in different forms and at different level till the issues are addressed in the right perspective.
UNC, however, reiterated its strong commitment and support to the Indo-Naga peace process.
Incidentally. the restrictions imposed under sec- tion 144 of the CrPC has been withdrawn from the hill areas by the State Govt a long time back, while a Magisterial Inquiry has been instituted to probe the May 6 incident at Mao gate, in which two students were killed.

Imphal-Ukhrul road blocked over killing of housewife The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Jul 27: The irate villagers of Sabungkhok Mayai Leikai called an Imphal-Ukhrul road blockade from early this morning to protest the killing of a housewife in Sabungkhok village Mayai Leikai under Lamlai police station last night around 11 pm by two unidentified gunmen suspected to be UGs in front of her children.

According to a source, 45-year old housewife identified as Nongthombam Indira, wife of N Tomba of Sabungkhok Mayai Leikai was gunned down by two unidentified gunmen suspected to be UGs last night around 11 pm after she was called out by those unidentified gunmen in front of her children. The victim reportedly died after she sustained by two bullet injuries at her right arm and chest last night at her house at Sabungkhok village.

In the meantime, according to Yaima, 12, elder son of the victim last night around 11 pm some unidentified persons came to their house and made them open the front door forcibly.

He further mentioned that as soon as his mother opened the main door two unidentified persons were found standing at their door who enquired whether his father was there. Since his father had gone for an important work, his mother told them that he was not home. Later, one among the youths made a phone call on his mobile and started talking with someone. Thereafter, one among the two youths removed a small arm and shot his mother at close range twice and left the house hurriedly.
The victim was reportedly serving as cook at the Sabungkhok Mamang Leikai LP School and is survived by her husband and four children.

The husband of the victim is an active worker of the state Health and Family Welfare minister Ph Parijat and runs his family by doing some local contract works, the local source added.

The dead body of the victim was picked up from the spot by the Lamlai police last midnight and kept at the JNIMS morgue at Porompat for post mortem.

The local public and family have refused to accept the dead body of the victim and called Imphal-Ukhrul road bandh from this morning causing serious inconvenience to the public and transporters along the road.

The local meirapaibis of Sabungkhok area have expressed strong condemnation of the killing and the public in the area have decided to agitate until justice is done by the concerned authorities.

Meanwhile, Health minsiter Parijat and a group of local leaders submitted a memorandum to chief minister O. Ibobi Singh with charter of demands today.

They told the CM that the body of the victim would not be accepted and agitations would be launched if the government failed to book the culprits within two days. The memorandum also urged the government to provide a job to the victim’s kin besides providing ex-gratia and also to strengthen security presence in Lamlai area.

Reports said that the CM gave assurance on three of the demands but not on the demand for booking of the culprit. According to the CM, the compensation and job would be given this year itself.

India-Myanmar pact to tackle crime Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, July 28 – Emboldened by success of its fresh diplomatic strategy with Bangladesh, India inked a similar pact with neighbouring Myanmar on Tuesday, with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram signing a Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters with Foreign Minister of Myanmar, U Nyan Win.
The two countries signed four other agreements during the ongoing State visit of Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar, Senior General Than Shwe. His wife Daw Kyaing Kyaing is accompanying the chairman.
Yesterday, the Senior General held a meeting with Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, which was followed by a delegation level talk.
A joint statement issued at the end of meeting said the two leaders agreed on close cooperation between the security forces of the two countries in tackling the pernicious problem of terrorism.
It was agreed that security cooperation should be given immediate attention since terrorists, insurgents and criminals respect no boundaries and undermine the social and political fabric of a nation. The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and collective efforts of the twocountries along the border.
India and Myanmar shares a boundary that stretches for over 1,640 km and borders four north-eastern States.
New Delhi expects Myanmar to initiate same actions against the insurgents of North-east, as Dhaka did against ULFA and NDFB leaders. Militants belonging to various groups have been using the territory ofMyanmar . Outlawed ULFA, NDFB, KLO, NSCN (I-M) and Khaplang factions, besides several outfits of Manipur operate from bases in the neighbouring country.
Sources said India is likely to compensate Myanmar for conducting ‘special search operation’ based on inputs provided by India against militant leaders hiding in the country.
ULFA’s military chief Paresh Barua is known to sneak in and out of Myanmar after the crackdown in Bangladesh.
They agreed that trade at border trade points should be further enhanced to boost the immense potential that exists in bilateral trade. This would also directly benefit the north-eastern States.
In this connection, both leaders reiterated their commitment to undertake the tri-lateral connectivity from Moreh in India to Moe Sot in Thailand via Myanmar. The Indian side agreed to take up the preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) for roads and causeways in Myanmar to realise this project.
Referring to the existing border trading points at Moreh-Tamu (Manipur) and Zawkhathar-Rhi (Mizoram), as well as the additional point agreed to be operationalised at Avankhug-Somra (Nagaland), the two sides agreed to put in place the necessary infrastructure to make these points viable and business friendly.
On the issue of connectivity between the two countries, the two leaders hailed the progress made by M/s Inland Waterways Authority of India towards implementation of the Kaladan Multi-modal Transit Transport Project.
M/s Essar has been given the contract for port development and inland waterway. It was also agreed that the scope of the project with respect to the road component would be revised. TheMyanmar Ministry of Construction and IRCON would execute the road component between Paletwa and Myeikwa on the India border.
The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the construction, maintenance and repair work by Indian Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of the Tamu-Kalaywa-Kalemyo Road connecting Moreh in Manipur toMyanmar and the handing over of most of the segments of the TKK Road to the Government of Myanmar.
To enhance road connectivity, especially through the State of Mizoram, both leaders announced the construction and revamping of the Rhi-Tiddim road at a cost of more than US$ 60 million to be financed through grant assistance fromIndia.
India and Myanmar agreed to cooperate in the implementation of the Tamanthi and Shwezaye projects on the Chindwin River Basin in Myanmar. The NHPC in carrying out the much required additional investigations after the signing of the MoU on Cooperation in Hydro-power Development Projects in the Chindwin River Basin in September 2008.
The Myanmar side conveyed their gratitude for India’s line of credit of US$ 64 million in the transmission lines sector to be executed through M/s. PGCIL.
In the telecom sector, following the successful functioning of the official fibre link between India and Myanmar via Moreh, the two leaders agreed to upgrade the microwave link between Moreh to Mandalay under a line of credit of US$ 6 million from India. Further, a new optical fibre link between Monywa to Rhi-Zawkhathar will also be undertaken with Indian assistance.
Resigned’ Naga MLAs seek Governor’s intervention Newmai News Network
Imphal, Jul 27: The seven Naga Independent MLAs had sought the intervention of Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat today at Manipur Raj Bhavan in connection with the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker’s indecisive stand over their tendering of resignation.
The Assembly Speaker is yet to pronounce whether he had accepted or rejected the resignations of the seven Naga MLAs over the Mao Gate episode.
Apprising the matter to the Governor today, the seven Naga MLAs said that they had tendered their resignations on May 6 in protest against the government decision to use the state forces against the civilians at the May 6 Mao Gate episode.
The MLAs further stated that their act of resignation was also to share the grieves and sorrows of the victims’ families of the Mao Gate incident. The seven MLAs then informed the Governor that as demanded by the rule of procedure and conduct of business of the Assembly, they had physically shown up before the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on May 12 at 1:30 pm and thereafter, they had intimated as a reminder to the Speaker on July 7 as the latter failed to give his ruling over their resignations.
In their joint representation to the Governor today, the seven Naga MLAs alleged that the Speaker had violated the rule of procedures and conduct of business of the Manipur Legislative Assembly as the Speaker fails to announce his ruling. As per the rule of procedures, the Assembly Speaker should announce his ruling at the earliest Assembly Session after any member of the Legislative Assembly had tendered his/her resignation.
The seven Naga MLAs then rued that they have been placed under utter confusion with regard to their present position due to the non-ruling of the Speaker over their tendering of resignation.
Meanwhile, the Naga MLAs then reminded the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker today through a joint missive saying the latter did not abide the Rule No. 315 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Manipur Legislative Assembly when the 8th Session of the 9th Assembly started on July 7.
New Delhi's Shame: Irrawaddy News
July 28, 2010: The acts were so shameless, so dripping-with-blood ironic, that its hard to believe they actually happened.
But on his current trip to India, Burma's Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the ruthless dictator who brutally crushed a monk-led uprising and locked up Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's icon of non-violent struggle, first made a pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya, the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and then paid his respects to Mahatma Gandhi, India's icon of non-violent struggle.
To its shame, the government of India, one of the world's largest democracies that once honored Suu Kyi with its Jawaharlal Nehru award, ignored activists' protests and received Than Shwe with a full ceremonial welcome at the presidential palace.
It now appears that no matter how many peaceful demonstrators and monks have been killed in the streets of Rangoon, how many activists have been tortured in Burma's prisons or how many innocent ethnic villagers have been the victim of forced displacement and labor, New Delhi will stoop to touch the boot of Than Shwe.
In addition, India's red-carpet welcome of Than Shwe strongly indicates that no matter how egregiously his military regime manipulates the process to ensure an outcome and future government entirely in its favor, New Delhi is likely to honor the result of Burma's election.
Back in the day, India supported the pro-democracy movement led by Suu Kyi. But realism has replaced idealism, and now India's see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil “Look-East” policy is mainly focused on counterbalancing China's growing clout over Than Shwe's junta, competing with China for access to Burma's natural gas resources, increasing trade with Burma by cultivating closer economic and strategic ties and controlling the insurgency movement operating on the India-Burma border in its northeast region.
In order to make progress in these areas, India has not only welcomed Than Shwe, it has agreed to consider his request for assistance in three areas—information technology development, industrial development and infrastructure development. In addition, New Delhi will give US $10million to the Burmese regime to procure agricultural machinery from India, and India's state-owned EXIM Bank will provide Burma with a $60 million loan to finance railroad projects.
New Delhi is not alone in its pampering of Than Shwe—there are many regional and international actors who have changed tactics on Burma, allowing self-interest and so-called pragmatism to override Burma's repression and rogue behavior. All of these governments shamelessly offer a handshake to Than Shwe while forgetting that the sins the general has committed cannot be washed from his blood-stained hands.
New Delhi claims that it wants to play a prominent role in the international community, even lobbying for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. But as analysts have noted, India's ability to assume an international leadership role depends—or at least should depend—on it ability to have a positive influence on the world.
But after watching India allow the man who ordered Burma's monks be killed visit Bodh Gaya, and who imprisoned Burma's leading non-violent pro-democracy advocate pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, we believe that India's influence on Burma is not a positive one.
Dictator’s tour group arrives at five-star hotel in New Delhi
Mizzima News

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Burmese junta leader Senior General Than Shwe and his entourage arrived at the five-star luxury ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi last night at about 6:50 p.m., according to a manager at the hotel, on their five-day official visit to India which started on Sunday.

The dictator’s delegation of more than 80-members includes junta ministers and their wives, on Sunday and yesterday took in holy sites – Bodhgaya in Bihar State, where Buddha had achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, and Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, where Buddha gave his first sermon – before flying to the Indian capital.

“They arrived at our hotel this evening at about 6:50 p.m. Their delegation has more than 80 members”, a senior manager at the hotel in New Delhi told Mizzima.

The hotel has five-star facilities and is situated in the Sardar Patel Marg district of New Delhi.

The senior general had offered Wazo robes, eight prescribed articles for monks and cash to 27 abbots at a Burmese monastery in Bodhgaya yesterday morning. He also donated US$2,200 to abbots invited from Burmese monasteries in Rajgir, Savrasati, Varanasi and Kolkata.

“I think he spent a lot of time in Bodhgaya to earn merit and this is the main purpose of this visit especially at the time of his twilight years, so he came here to offer meritorious deeds during his last days, for his afterlife”, a Burmese monk who is studying in Bodhgaya told Mizzima.

The entourage stayed at the three-star Royal Residency hotel near the Bodhgaya international airport. “They checked in to our hotel at about 10:30 a.m. yesterday [Sunday] and checked out today [Monday] at about 12:45 p.m. The total number of guests in their team is 84”, a senior hotel manager said.

Than Shwe was scheduled to meet Indian President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today, a high-level official from the Indian foreign ministry told Mizzima.

The entourage will also fly early tomorrow morning to Hyderabad in the state of Andhra Pradesh, where India’s biggest industrial company, the Tata Group, is based.
700 Karen refugees from junta attacks need emergency aid
Myint Maung Mizzima

New Delhi (Mizzima) – More than 700 war refugees in Karen State who fled into the forest towards the Thai border after junta army units shelled and burned down their villages, one of them a Christian centre, now need emergency food and medical aid, a Karen leader has said.

The Burmese Army’s Light Infantry Battalions 370 and 361 bombarded a Christian village with about 40 mortar shells on July 23, damaging at least 50 homes, a church and a middle school, the Karen National Union (KNU), which is waging armed struggle against the military regime, said.

“We had no engagement or clashes with them. They shot and bombarded only this village. The villagers had to hide in the forest. According to the latest fugures we received, there are more than 700 refugees who have taken flight from their villages”, KNU vice-chairman David Tharkapaw said.

“They had to flee with no spare clothes and food. Especially in this monsoon season, the fever and common cold is endemic and the shortage of food is serious. We can’t as yet provide with them with emergency food and medical aid”, he added.

A report yesterday on the website of the Independent Catholic News service, which has correspondents on the Thailand-Burma border, supported Tharkapaw’s assessment, including the numbers of homes shelled and burned, and named the bombed village, Thadahder.

“It is the rainy season in Eastern Burma and those in hiding are in desperate need of shelter, food, medicine and security. Lack of clean water and the prevalence of disease-carrying insects in the jungle are of particular concern,” the report said.

A local former military officer said this village was regarded as one hidden in a black area, though the attack could not yet been independently verified, apart from the ICN report.

“Black area means all the persons found in this area will be assumed [by junta troops] as friend or foe only, no neutral people”, he added. “They can burn all the houses found in the black area. They can kill anyone found in this area.”

“They can also plant landmines … These activities will not get them in any trouble. They can be even promoted for … strictly obeying orders given by higher authorities”, he added.

The junta’s Chief of Staff office had standing orders for all its forces to destroy all “hidden villages” found in such “black areas” by burning them down, he said.

The Burmese Army is infamous for such blatant violations of human rights against ethnic nationalities.

With news of impending Burmese Army offensives in Karen State, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which has been operating under a ceasefire agreement with the junta, has been under increasing pressure to bring its troops under the junta’s Border Guard Force (BGF), an “offer” some DKBA factions have rejected.

The KNU however had recently stepped in to offer Colonel Saw Lar Pei, a prominent leader of one such faction, armed support when the junta attacks, Tharkapaw said.

“He doesn’t want to join the BGF so SPDC [junta] forces have been putting pressure on his force. When their pressure tactic doesn’t work, they [SPDC troops] plan to launch an attack … in co-operation with some pro-junta DKBA factions,” Tharkapaw said.

“We plan to give military support to Colonel Saw Lar Pei when the junta attacks his force,” he said, adding that “we will receive him back if he [chooses to] rejoin his mother organisation, the KNU.”