01/10/2012: "Tense situation in Heralwa village Eastern Mirror"

Tense situation in Heralwa village Eastern Mirror

DIMAPUR, (EMN): In a belated report received here, situation at Heralwa village, some 15 km from Peren District Hqs, is said to be very tense with war-like scenario prevailing. However, no official information could be availed as the administration was tight-lipped on the issue.
The village was reportedly burnt to the ground on December 2 last and sources report that, since then, armed civilians have been patrolling the area with the situation turning communal based on tribal lines.

Following up on a court order, the district administration along with the district Police force is said to have earlier evicted the village. According to sources, the whole village was destroyed and domesticated animals slaughtered, but no casualties were reported.
Informing on the background of the issue, the sources said when the people of Nkuilongdi, the oldest Zeliang village, dispersed to look for greener pastures because of population expansion, some moved towards the north-west and established the present Poilwa village. From this village, some settlers again moved towards the south of Poilwa and established Heralwa village in the south-western part of Peren.
However, this Heralwa village, unable to protect and safeguard the village, abandoned it and moved on to other areas where they were more secure. Before they left, it is claimed that descendants of Nkiemna (of Heralwa) handed some portion of their land to the care and protection of Peren village on condition that it is returned to them as and when they return for settlement.
Heralwa villagers, presently sheltering at Athibung, Jalukie and Tening, are reportedly preparing for a comeback. However, some over 60 armed civilians from native Peren village are reportedly patrolling the area claiming that the land belongs to them and not to Heralwa.
The situation is reported to be extremely volatile and just waiting for a spark to trigger a full scale confrontation.
Even as the Administration and Police are so far silent on the issue, civil society organisations and leaders and even the media have reportedly been barred from entering the area to assess and take stock of the situation. EMN

NSCNs clash in Arunachal’s Tirap district Eastern Mirror

There was a fierce gun battle reported between the NSCN-IM and NSCN-K cadres in Arunachal Pradesh today. However, it is still not certain if there was any casualty.
Reports received by Newmai News Network said the clash between the two rival NSCN factions began at around 5 am and lasted till late afternoon in the Khonsa area of Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM claimed that two cadres of the rival group were killed in the clash today. The outfit claimed that the NSCN-K cadres along with Manipur based militants came to attack the NSCN-IM cadres which triggered the gun battle.
“On January 6 the Khaplang group attacked the house of our regional worker at Khonsa area without any reason whatsoever. We remained silent but cautious. But taking undue advantage the K group went further in a very provocative manner when they exposed their actual motive,” the NSCN-IM in a statement claimed. It then added that on January 7 around 170 NSCN-K members along with Manipur based militants armed to the teeth came to the Kabo village and on Sunday morning at around 5 am they marched towards the direction of our camp at Chasha village to launch surprise attack against us.
“But our alert Naga Army personnel doing sentry duty saw them approaching and within no time took position and caught them by surprise before they put their plan into action. In the attack two of them died on the spot and four seriously injured. In the confusion they run away in panic and position themselves in one school located between Longko and Chasha village and fire back against us using lethod bombs. However, none of our boys were injured. It is however a matter of regret that the school children were totally displaced and disturbed. Besides two house were also birnt down by the bombs,” the statement further claimed.
The NSCN-IM then stated that placed under such condition the village authorities asked both the parties to vacate the village. “Our boys however stood their ground telling the village authorities that it is the K group who entered the area to attack and without any provocation, so they should vacate and not us,” it added. Put under pressure and with no option left lest further killing may follow they request for safe passage and left the village leaving behind trail of destruction to the village, the outfit further said in the statement.
“Respecting the sentiments of the village and welfare of the village students we allow safe passage. The firing last till 4 pm today before giving them safe passage,” it added. (Newmai News Network)/EMN

Sumi Hoho appeals morungexpress

Dimapur, (MExN): The Sumi Hoho has appealed to all the Naga “factions” to restrain from creating any sort of ‘unwanted situation’ during the visit of NSCN (IM) leaders Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah to Zunheboto during January 13-15. The ‘hoho’ informed that NSCN (IM) leaders, Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah along with senior functionaries, shall be visiting Zunheboto January 13-15. They would be arriving on the 13th and a public meeting would be held on the 14th in the town’s public ground, the ‘hoho’ informed in a note from its leadership today.

“Again on the 15th in the same venue, the leaders shall be attending the devotional service with the believers. Zunheboto, being the native place of Isak Chishi Swu, the chairman of the NSCN (IM) and that he is coming back after more than 40 years, a mammoth crowd of Sumi people from every nook and corner is expected,” the organization appealed. The Sumi Hoho and its frontal organizations made a “strong appeal to all the factions to cooperate with the public leaders” and to restrain “from creating any kind of unwanted situation that would hamper the success of the programme.”

Ministry of Information and Publicity Press Release 8th January 2012
On 6th January,2012 the Khaplang group attack the house our Regional worker at Khonsa area without any reason whatsoever. We remained silent but cautious. But taking undue advantage the K group went further in a very provocative manner when they exposed their actual motive. On 7th January around 170 K members along with Meiteis armed to the teeth came to the Kabo village and on 8th morning around 5 AM they marched towards the direction of our camp at Chasha village to launch surprise attack against us. But our alert Naga Army personnel doing sentry duty saw them approaching and within no time took position and caught them by surprise before they put their plan into action. In the attack two of them died on the spot and four seriously injured. In the confusion they run away in panic and position themselves in one school located between Longko and Chasha village and fire back against us using lethod bombs. However non of our boys were injured. It is however a matter of regret that the school children were totally displaced and disturbed. Besides two house were also burnt down by the bombs.
Placed under such condition the village authorities asked both the parties to vacate the village, Our boys however stood their ground telling the village authorities that it is the K group who enter the area to attack and without any provocation, so they should vacate and not us. Put under pressure and with no option left lest further killing may follow they request for safe passage and left the village leaving behind trail of destruction to the village. Respecting the sentiments of the village and welfare of the village students we allow safe passage. The firing lasted till 4 PM today before giving them safe passage.

Issued by MIP/GPRN

3 injured in turf war between NSCN factions PTI

ITANAGAR, Three persons were injured and a house was gutted during a turf war between two factions of the NSCN at Chasa village in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, official sources said today.
The three persons were injured, including one suffering grievous bullet injury in his stomach, in the gun battle between cadres of NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) yesterday, the sources said, adding a house was also gutted in the gun fire.

Security forces including Army’s 14th Rajput Regiment from Longding, a company of 19 Assam Rifles, CRPF and local police reached the village to contain the situation.

The guns fell silent with the cadres retreating after learning about the approaching security personnel, who rescued the injured persons, the sources said, adding the seriously injured person was evacuated to Dibrugarh for treatment.

The district headquarters town of Khonsa had witnessed intermittent gun battles between the two factions that had claimed two lives in January last year.

A major training camp of the NSCN(K) and ULFA in Namchik Reserve Forest near Panchum under Kharsang circle of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh was destroyed by the security forces on December 23 last while a major training camp of the NSCN(IM) was destroyed at Longbo village, camouflaged deep inside jungle in Tirap district on December 18 last. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is in force both in Tirap and Changlang districts. – PTI/AT

Thohe Pou heeft in The Naga Blog.

I don't believe people from my generation or my children's generation will ever feel that they're Indian. We will always feel we're Nagas. There's a huge cultural difference. But we are able to embrace India, understand Indian culture...only if you're a Naga, you will understand" Easterine Kire Ira

United Naga Council says it has not banned other pol parties for Manipur polls (NPN)
Dimapur United Naga Council (UNC) has refuted the report by a national daily and also carried by sections of the media including this newspaper over its purported decision to bar all other parties (except NPF) from contesting the polls in the Naga inhabited areas of Manipur on January 28.

Reacting to the reports, media cell of the UNC explained that, at the January 2, 2012 of its federal assembly, as “ a logical extension of the discussions and decisions taken in the series of Presidential Council meetings” it was resolved that the Naga People’s Front would be supported for the ensuing elections to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

UNC said the resolution so adopted, took into account the situation of Nagas in Manipur and the “commonality in principle and ideology with the NPF on the political agenda of the Nagas.” Further, UNC asserted that “no undemocratic resolutions have been adopted by the UNC” and therefore, said the publication of the report was done “with malafide intent to implicate the UNC”.

It may be recalled that the report appeared in The Times of India, mentioned that Manipur Chief Electoral Officer P.C.Lawmkunga had expressed concern that “the UNC has issued an advisory in the hill districts” that it would not allow any party, except the NPF to field candidates.

(Nagaland Post carried the report on the basis of news report with no such malafide intent and regret if the report was not based on facts).

UNC diktat on polls undemocratic: NPCC Nagaland Post

DIMAPUR, (EMN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has termed the diktat of the United Naga Council (UNC) in banning other political parties to field candidates in the 11 Naga dominated assembly constituencies in the ensuing January 28 Manipur State assembly election as ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional’.
It is an infringement on the political rights of the people guaranteed under the constitution of India, the State Congress said in a release, adding that ‘it is very unfortunate that the UNC chose to show its ignorance of the Representation of Peoples Act’.
While stating that the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) is not averse to the Naga People’s Party (NPF) contesting in Manipur State assembly election, it however said, as a responsible national political party, it stands by the fundamental rights of the electorates. It should be left to the electorates to choose their own representatives by free and fair means, it maintained.
Further stating that undemocratic election by coercion would only mean electing representatives who will not be accountable to the people, the NPCC moreover said it does not see in what ways such narrow political diktat would further the cause of the Nagas in Manipur while pointing out that the diktat will only divide the people on party line.
It also advised that it is not wise to be ‘hysterical’ over the NPF contesting in Manipur State assembly election ‘because even if the NPF wins all the 11 seats, it is very clear that they will be in the opposition’. The Nagaland Congress hoped that better sense would prevail upon the UNC to review its undemocratic diktat. EMN

ENNWA responds to ENPO statement Nagaland post

DIMAPUR, (EMN): While stating that the series of resolutions adopted by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation’s (ENPO) on December 18, 2007, which declared its jurisdiction as a Peace Zone is a laudable effort of the leadership of the day, the Eastern Naga National Workers Association (ENNWA) has however, expressed shock over the news that appeared in sections of the press on Dec 30, 2011, stating that ENPO will not cooperate GPRN/NSCN. The decision is highly questionable and unacceptable, the ENNWA said in a release.

Further stating that ‘it is fraught with danger’, it asked whether the ENPO is ‘justified in condemning GPRN/NSCN as the violator of its Peace Zone without knowing the actual incident’. In this regard, the association presented a series of incidents that had taken place against the GPRN/NSCN within ENPO jurisdiction in the aftermath of the 2007 declaration.

It further explained that the capital punishment awarded to GPRN/NSCN cadre Tsilongse Sangtam near Kuthur village was purely an ‘internal affair’ of the GPRN/NSCN which befits the ‘treachery and betrayal’ committed by the deceased on a number of occasions. It was not a fratricidal killing that violated the peaceful atmosphere under ENPO jurisdiction, it maintained, further adding that ‘it was more of an eradication of a stagnant object that was polluting the Naga national movement and destroying Naga community as a whole’.

While accepting that the Dec 30 statement had been issued in the name of ENPO by few ‘misled leaders’ without the consent of the Eastern Naga People, the ENNWA questioned why ENPO is being ‘led by few disgraced individuals who find pleasure through bloodshed and killings’. It also asked whether the ENPO bear the responsibility of re-introducing hostility among Naga brothers.

In this regard, the ENNWA said it has become ‘pertinent’ to inform the general Eastern Naga public that, henceforth, any resolution or policies made by any organisation concerning the political future of Eastern Naga People without the knowledge of Gen (Rtd) Khole Konyak, President, GPRN, Hothrong Yim, Kilo Kilonser, GPRN, and Gen Neokpao Konyak, Commander-in-Chief, Naga Army, shall be considered null and void.
It further demanded that, before further confusion is created, ENPO should make its stand clear before the Naga People whether their stand is for the sovereignty of Naga nation or separate statehood alone. Stating that ‘undermining Naga sovereignty with ‘Frontier Nagaland’ problem will be a blunder in Naga history’, it said ‘it will be much better reasonable for the ENPO not to venture into Naga Political struggle without understanding the differences’. EMN

Corruption in the Naga society and the Antidote by Al Ngullie Morungexpress

The root source of corruption in government, governance and the greater society sits at the core of human failings in the singular individual himself; hence if these failings are purged so would the tendency and reality of corruption in the individual and society cease to be, according to a dialogue held today in Dimapur.

Bureaucrats, Journalists and government persons, Media personalities, entrepreneurs and young professionals gathered at Hiyo Café in Dimapur Monday afternoon to dialogue on corruption and “religion,” with special reference to “Christian state” as Nagaland and “Christians” as most Nagas.

Motivational speaker Cyril Georgeson conversed and dissected the dynamics of corruption in the individual, which he implied is in turn reflected by the condition of a society and her people. Chief Training Officer of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Mumbai Georgeson traced prior and current events of corruption, manipulation, deceit and crime currently sweeping India and her societies.

The motivational speaker tied the current societal upheavals to the very human qualities of the individual, at the micro level. He said corruption is only the result of the personal human failings being exploited by exigencies and situations of need or compulsion. ‘Corruption is essentially a breakdown of the human relationship (one with another); in the absence of relationship, money becomes a bridge to overcome the “gap” (the absence of relationship),’ the motivational speaker said.

To illustrate how corruption can be done away with, in a society, starting from the individual, the life-trainer took the instance of a typical bureaucratic ritual in India: For a person to have a particular task processed, he has had to move from one desk to another, offering bribes to get the task completed. The underlying principle of the remedial relationship which Georgeson explained was this: ‘A person never gives/takes bribe from someone he loves or cares about (that is the relationship in existence); he would never have to give/take bribes if the persons were known and close to him; yet those he sees in an establishment he has no relation with, he would have to bribe/take to get the job done.’

“What is the antidote for corruption? How do you change the system?” the Christian speaks queried. To correct the failings in the individual and the society, the leader and the community, especially those of “Christians” as in Nagaland, Georgeson said, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the remedy. “If corruption is the result of the breakdown of relationship, then the antidote to build up the relationship is Jesus,” the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries teacher, said while referring to the principle that ‘one never bribes someone dear.’ ‘Nothing but the truth alone can triumph; Jesus is the only antidote. Only an individual’s personal relationship with Him can change the society, as the individual is the microscopic facet of the society, the speaker
implied.

He implied that only The Christ works out the personal failings in the human individual which is then reflected in his words and action, work and attitude and conduct, views and beliefs, conviction and faith.

An interactive session followed the discourse where those gathered exchanged views on the corruption sweeping the Nagas, their churches and society. Aside from that of political leaders, corruption in the Christian church in Nagaland, their obsession with finance, “donations” and “big church buildings,” was the focus of the interactions.
The human side of the clergy in Nagaland was illustrated by a police officer who narrated to the gathering a tale of a person he arrested for stealing a Mahindra Bolero – the accused turned out to be a pastor of a local church. MExN
Kachin exiles demand secession if Burma govt rejects federalism Written by KNG
PKDS president Nsang Tu Awng gave welcome speech to Kachin representatives in the Chiang Mai Meeting on January 3.
A coalition of Kachin exiles meeting in Thailand jointly declared their desire for an independent Kachin state, if the country's central government continues to reject federalism, according to a statement issued on January 4, Burma's Independence Day.

The statement was released following a meeting in Chiang Mai of representatives from the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the Kachin National Organization (KNO), the All Kachin Students and Youth Union (AKSYU), the Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT) and the Pan Kachin Development Society (PKDS).

The statement decried the Burman dominated central government's continued rejection of a democratic federal state, as outlined by General Aung San and ethnic leaders in the January 1947 Panglong agreement.

The Panglong agreement signed by Aung San Suu Kyi's father and key leaders of the Kachin, Shan and Chin communities, gave political rights to Burma's non-Burman ethnic nationalities, including the right to local self-government in ethnic populated "Frontier Areas".

The agreement also stated that Burma’s central government “will not operate in respect of the Frontier Areas in any manner which would deprive any portion of these areas of the autonomy which it now enjoys in internal administration. Full autonomy in internal administration for the Frontier Areas is accepted in principle”.

Panglong agreement never honored by successive governments
While the Panglong agreement was a key development that led to Burma's independence, after Aung San's assassination in July 1947, his successor and political ally U Nu failed to live up to the federal principles mandated by Panglong.

The KIO's creation in October 1960, was in part a reaction to Prime Minister U Nu's failure to live up to the Panglong principles. As a mostly Christian people many Kachin, including the KIO's founders, were incensed by U Nu's pledge during the federal election of 1960, that if re-elected he would make Buddhism the state religion.

Dr. La Ja, general secretary of KIO explained the current Kachin political situation in Burma.
In August 1961 U Nu made good on his promise to give Burma a state religion. U Nu's discriminatory move provided a wave of young recruits for the KIO's armed insurrection against Burma's central government.

Although the KIO took part in peace talks with the Ne Win regime in 1963, 1972 and 1980-81, none of these negotiations achieved a lasting peace.

Under a cease fire agreement reached by the KIO with Burma's military regime in 1994, the group was given a fair degree of autonomy to run its own affairs in KIO controlled areas of Kachin and northern Shan state. The Burmese military regime however continued to commit serious human rights abuses against ethnic people including many Kachin.

The KIO's 17 year long ceasefire ended in June 2011, following the KIO's refusal to join the Burmese government's proposed border guard force.

Nagalim.NL News

01/10/2012: "Tense situation in Heralwa village Eastern Mirror"