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11/21/2011: "http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/torture2011.pdf"
http://www.achrweb.org/reports/india/torture2011.pdf
important report plus rebuke from Subir Bhaumik
22 november 2011
Seven Sisters Post, stands by 'Supra State Body' story Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 20 2011: Rejecting outrightly the denial of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram over 'Supra-state body' proposal to NSCN (IM) in place of the demand for Greater Nagalim, Editor of Seven Sisters Post Subir Bhaumik has categorically observed that 'it is Mr Chidambaram and not us who is not telling the truth' .
In a statement, Bhaumik reiterated,"We are in possession of the 12-page "Status report" on Government of India - NSCN ((I-M) negotiations that was submitted by Naga peace interlocutor R S Pandey to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The 24th issue (out of the total 26) deals with "boundaries" and therein it is clearly said that the Nagas have been offered a supra-state body in areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh inhabited by Nagas" .
The statement of the Seven Sisters Post Editor further said, "We have been breaking big stories, very often challenging the government's versions on key issues like insurgency.
But Sujit Kumar Chakraborty, our Associate Editor, broke this huge story on the latest status of negotiations between Indian government and the Naga rebel group, NSCN (I-M). It was revealed in the story that the Indian government had rejected the NSCN's demand for Nagalim or a greater Naga state but had indeed offered them a Supra-state body for ensuring some kind of cultural integration of the Naga areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam with the state of Nagaland.
This has been projected as the "second best option" for the NSCN if not the best.
We not only ran a three-part serialised story by Sujit on our front pages on 13th-14th-15th November issues but also carried as part of our package the whole gist of the "Status Report on the GOI-NSCN-IM negotiations" on our Op-ed pages" .
"Under pressure from the chief ministers of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is said to have told Manipur Chief Minister Ibobi Singh that the report was not correct and even described it as "mischievous".
At the risk of sounding unparliamentary, I can say it is Mr Chidambaram and notus who is not telling the truth", Bhaumik contended.
The editor has also informed that the whole "Status Report" has uploaded at http://e-pao.net.
This will prove that the supra-state body was indeed offered to the Nagas, he added.
Seven Sisters Post Correspondent Sujit Kumar Chakraborty, who broke this huge story and has since been interviewed by many TV networks, stood by his story and said he was in possession of the 12-page report entitled "The Gist of Status of Discussions and Negotiations on Various Issues Submitted by the NSCN (IM)" .
The report has three columns, issue-wise: one contains the NSCN (IM)'s position, the other detailing the Government of Indian's position and the third column, saying "remarks" .
The report touches upon 26 issues: Security and security forces, customs, citizenship, legislature, elections, judiciary, government executive, civil service, land ownership, immigration, secular government, education, cultural affairs, language, natural resources, economy, currency and monetary policy, taxation, development and tourism, state flag and emblem, transport, international relations, postal system and stamps, protection of minorities within Nagaland, Nagaland Commission of Human Rights, Boundaries, Interim Arrangements and Guarantees for Implementation.
The 24th issue in the report talks of "Boundaries". The NSCN view is recorded as such: "A starting point for talks can be the creation of a relationship which guarantees the distinct identity of the Nagas and Nagalim.
It is the position of the NSCN that the present so-called state of Nagaland comprises only a portion of Nagaland and more realistic boundaries should be agreed upon that will enable the Naga areas to be integrated within one administrative entity" .
The Government of India's view is recorded as such: "It was explained to them (NSCN) that under law, boundaries of state can he altered only after taking into consideration the views of the concerned state legislatures.
The views of the government of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, are very clear in this regard. Therefore, it would not be possible to concede to the demand in absence of political consensus of all concerned.
Therefore, the NSCN may think of "second best" if the best in their view is not possible.
Possible autonomy of Naga areas without altering the boundaries of the states concerned so that in many matters, the representatives of the hill areas may administer subjects in their charge with a supra-state body for the Nagas for their cultural, social and customary practices may he discussed. This Pan-Naga supra-state body will be in recognition of the distinct identity of the Nagas" .
Is PC speaking the truth ? Casualty of politics - Sangai Express Editorial ::
The map of Nagalim says it all and demand for Naga integration :: Pix - TSE
The casualty of politics is truth. It may not be the first casualty but more dangerous is when this becomes the last word on subjects remotely connected with anything "political' as understood in India today.
Out of sheer etiquette, Editor of Seven Sisters Post, Subir Bhaumik stopped short of calling Union Home Minister P Chidambaram a liar, but this did not stop him from stating, 'I can say it is Mr Chidambaram and not (us) who is not telling the truth,' in response to the manner in which the story on the Supra State Body reportedly proposed by the Union Home Ministry to the NSCN (IM) was trashed.
The Supra State Body report carried by the Seven Sisters Post had kicked up immense interest and sent the Chief Minister of Manipur, O Ibobi Singh, scuttling to Delhi for a durbar with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to present Manipur's case and during a one to one with the Chief Minister, the Union Home Minister is quoted as 'categorically' denying the report.
Chidambaram had even brushed aside the report on the Supra State Body proposal in lieu of Greater Nagalim as 'baseless and mischievous'.
One constant in the more than 14 long years of political dialogue between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) is the overwhelming lack of transparency and in such a climate, sacrificing truth under the garb of political expediency becomes all that more easy and convenient and it is under this 'veil of secrecy' that Delhi has been pottering around with the proposal of the Supra State Body for the Nagas.
To hammer home their point, the Seven Sisters Post has already posted the documents in its hands on a website popular with the readers of the North East and has even asserted that the Union Home Minister had to refute the report under pressure from the Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
The report which The Sangai Express carried in the November 15 issue under the heading, 'Minutes of Supra State Body model spelt out, IM yet to say Yes or No' was also on the basis of documents available with us.
That Nagalim, Greater Nagalim or whatever other issues the NSCN (IM) may have raised in its negotiation with the Government of India are extremely sensitive is a given and no media establishment based in the North East would come out with half baked stories.
Credibility is the oxygen for all media establishment and no one, least of all a newspaper which has just started taking its first step, would come out with a report as sensitive as the Supra State Body sans a foundation of truth.
Political expediency as understood in the politics of peace negotiation may have compelled P Chidambaram to trash the report which was subsequently taken up by all major newspaper houses in Manipur and Nagaland but this will not in anyway blunt the ripples that have been sent out.
At best it may transfer the attention of the people from debating over the content of Supra State Body to whether the version of the Home Minister or what was scooped by The Seven Sisters Post appear more plausible.
And this is where the mischievous part will emerge aided by the tightly layered coats of official secrecy. The Home Minister has stuck along expected lines and while the NSCN (IM) is yet to say anything, it is significant to note that the ongoing more than 90 days economic blockade rests on the foundation of the Alternative Arrangement model mooted in the Naga People's Convention of Senapati on July 1, 2010.
Despite the utterings of Chidambaram, the Alternative Arrangement call given by the UNC runs very close to the idea of the Supra State Body model reportedly proposed by the Union Home Ministry to the NSCN (IM) in lieu of Greater Nagalim.
It is still some number of days before the Church bells will start chiming to ring in the birth of Jesus Christ and Christmas and while it may be too early to say whether a Christmas gift for the Naga people will materialise this year or not, the debate over the Supra State Body will hog the limelight at least in the next foreseeable future.
The last word is yet to be said, but let it not be one based on falsehood
