GPRN blasts Khaplang view on Azha, explains Source: The Sangai Express
GPRN blasts Khaplang view on Azha, explains Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 20: The GPRN has accused Khaplang of deliberately misinterpreting 'Azha' with the dual intention of creating confusion among the general public and project GPRN as anti-Naga.
Clarifying that serving Azha do not entail curtailment or check freedom and liberty of the Naga people as was wrongly construed by Khaplang, a statement issued by Ministry of information and Publicity said "if we refer the Azha vis-a-vis present situation in Nagalim, it is crystal clear that the Azha is an empowerment of concern authority to check unwanted and perilous activities of mob in future".
Reminding all concerned that mob uprising cannot be equated or interpreted as synonymous to freedom and liberty of mankind, the GPRN asserted that the fact 'no liberty or freedom is unlimited' should be upheld by every human being and nationalists at all times.
"The GPRN is also amazed with the wisdom of Khaplang in interpreting mob uprising in consonance with fundamental right of people. Fundamental rights at any point or/and part justifies destruction of property or killing. 'Mob' cannot be, at any cost termed as Fundamental Rights of the people and therefore should not be misinterpreted as Fundamental rights of people by any person to hypnotize/mislead the Naga masses," it maintained.
The rebel group, currently observing ceasefire with the Govt of India also explained that 'use of power' will certainly justify of it is necessitated towards controlling situation which the authority discerns as perilous and destructive to the people and the Govt in particular.
Affirming that the GPRN as peoples' Govt has the prerogative to preserve peace and harmony in the society for which use of appropriate means including force may be imminent.
With mob signifying unruly crowd or unlawful agitated gathering such an assembly do not have any relationship with public gathering, rally etc having peaceful undertone, the statement mentioned and affirmed that GPRN is not adverse to public rally, gathering etc.
Describing as unfortunate Khaplang interpreting Naga mob against Naga people as lawful, the GPRN further cautioned it would not tolerate instigating Naga against Naga by the Khaplang group while the adversary Govts have been consistently working on further divide and sub-divide the Nagas. As Nagas always believe 'truth prevails', it added.
Ibobi salvo to feature in truce meet - NSCN extortion in focus OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
New Delhi, May 20: Echoes of Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s recent outburst against the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) are likely to reverberate at the ceasefire review meeting of the outfit, to be held here on Thursday and Friday.
The quarterly review meeting discusses instances of violation of the ceasefire. Proposals are also made by the Centre and the NSCN (I-M) on the changes they seek in the mechanism.
This time, Ibobi Singh’s fiery speech against extortion by the Naga outfit on the Dimapur-Imphal national highway will be discussed.
The Manipur chief minister has threatened to lead a delegation of political parties to complain to the Union home minister regarding extortion by the outfit.
Ibobi Singh also blamed the outfit for intimidating the deputy commissioner of Ukhrul district, where the NSCN (I-M) has a strong presence. The deputy commissioner has fled to Imphal.
For the NSCN (I-M), the Manipur chief minister is nothing but an enemy. “This issue might come up at the meeting but Ibobi Singh does not have the right to say anything. He is unable to take care even of his own people,” said convenor of the ceasefire monitoring cell, Phunthing Shimrang.
Shimrang was apparently referring to the failure of the Manipur government in controlling extortion by valley-based Meitei rebel groups.
The rift between the Meiteis in the valley and Nagas in the hills has been widening of late, even as politicians and rebels seek to make political capital out of the worsening ties.
However, sources said the Centre will warn the NSCN (I-M) again against extortion, whatever arguments it makes.
For Delhi, the 10-year negotiations with the NSCN (I-M) offer diminishing hope as the outfit has been allegedly more interested in rhetoric than effective politics for resolving the problem.
As far as the ceasefire review meeting is concerned, these changes and some rumblings within the political set-up of the outfit will affect the way Delhi thinks. The rebel outfit recently carried out a comprehensive overhaul of its political set-up while keeping its armed wing more or less unchanged. The outfit’s repeated proposals for a change in rules for the resurgent NSCN (Khaplang) have not been accepted. Both outfits, now believed to be attempting reconciliation, have been fighting sanguinary battles since 1988, when the NSCN split. The NSCN (I-M) has also decided to raise the issue of the abduction and killing of two teenagers in Senapati district in anticipation that Ibobi Singh will accuse the outfit of acting illegally in “arresting” the accused.
Shimrang said this was not the first time that the chief minister has sought that criminals “arrested” by the outfit be handed over after the state failed to bring them to book.
Stone laid for Kohima HC OUR CORRESPONDENT the Telegraph
Kohima, May 21: Chief Justice of India, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, laid the foundation stone for the New High Court complex at Meriema near here this afternoon. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Supreme Court judge, Justice H.K. Sema and Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Justice Jasti Chelameswar.
Addressing the huge gathering after unveiling the foundation stone, Justice Balakrishnan said Nagaland has a great history of judiciary, which even the British did not interfere with.
He said the Constitution gives special protection to customary laws. The separation of judiciary from the executive is being gradually worked out, so that the executive can concentrate on development activities. The Chief Justice said Nagaland has a rich cultural heritage and great potential for development, citing the nearly 80 per cent forest cover and rich mineral resources. “These resources should be tapped with effective sustainable development.”
He said though Nagaland missed out on the first three Five Year Plans, the state has great potential for development, which will happen only if “we have the rule of law and a peaceful system”.
Balakrishnan expressed the hope that setting up of the High Court Complex will usher in more incidental development in the area. Chief minister Neiphiu Rio said in his keynote address that in Nagaland, civil and criminal justice was being delivered according to the customary laws of the various tribes. These laws are recognised during proceedings in the higher executive courts. Article 371 (A) of the Constitution has also been incorporated to safeguard, protect and nurture the customary courts and practices of the Nagas. He said though the judiciary and the executive were separate in Nagaland, it could not be implemented throughout the state because of technical snags. “While we nurture and applaud our own customary laws, we have also chosen to adopt the modern legal system and have taken all measures to strengthen and make it more efficient,” Rio said.
Judiciary should be separated from executive in NE states: CJI Zee News
Kohima, May 21: Tthe custom of administrative officials officiating as judicial officers in the north-eastern and tribal states should be gradually done away with, Chief Justice of India Justice K G Balakrishnan has said.
After laying the foundation for a high court complex for Nagaland here today, Justice Balakrishnan said, the Supreme Court has been insisting on gradual separation of judiciary from the executive, which could then perform its development and administrative tasks unhindered.
He said, however, that while doing so, the states should not demean the traditional justice delivery system under the customary laws and practices, which should be strengthened for speedy disposal of disputes.
Even the British administration did not interfere with the customary practices and allowed the Nagas to continue with their traditional justice delivery system which they believed was superior and effective than the modern justice system, the CJI pointed out.
He said that the constitution, through Article 371-a, safeguarded these provisions when Nagaland was formed in 1963. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the process of separating judiciary from executive has already begun with Dimapur now having separate institutions and it would be extended to the entire state in a phased manner. Rio said that setting up of a separate high court for Nagaland took almost 44 years though it was assured in a clause of the 16-point agreement which paved the way for creation of the state in 1963.
Remembering Japanese who died in Nagaland, 60 years later New Kerela
By Syed Zarir Hussain, Kohima, May 22: Six decades after nearly 5,000 Japanese died fighting Allied Forces in the forgotten battle of Kohima, a war memorial is being set up to commemorate the soldiers in India's northeastern state of Nagaland.
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said his government has allotted a plot of land to a Japanese NGO for constructing the memorial near state capital Kohima. The construction is expected to begin soon.
"The decision to allot the land was made to promote tourism and also respect the feelings of many Japanese who come here to pay their respects to those who died in the war," the chief minister said.
Details of the Japanese NGO and the plans for the memorial were not immediately available.
The Nagaland government is also building a war museum at village Kisema, 12 km from the capital. "The museum should open by this calendar year and will house various remnants of the war and other artefacts all related to the battle. We hope the museum will be a major tourist attraction," Khekiye Sema, Nagaland's commissioner of tourism and cultural affairs, told IANS.
During World War II in 1944, Nagaland and adjoining Manipur was the scene of many fierce battles between the Japanese and Allied Forces. The Japanese swept over Fareast Asia and came up to Kohima.
Hundreds of Indian soldiers and locals from the region fought alongside the British to repulse the Japanese attack - more than 4,000 soldiers of the Allied Forces died in the battle.
The British and the Indian Army cemeteries commemorating those who died in the World War II in Kohima and Manipur are well maintained with little stone markers and bronze plaques recording their anguish and sacrifice.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission maintains these graves.
But there is no Japanese war memorial in the region although their fighters who died in the battle lie buried in and around Kohima.
Hundreds of British tourists, including war veterans and descendants of those who perished in the war, visit Nagaland each year to relive the forgotten battle by holding commemorative services.
These services were being held under the banner of the Royal British Legion that was formed to perpetuate the memory of those who died in the service of their country.
"When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today," reads an epitaph in one of the graves at the Kohima war cemetery. --- IANS
Army’s developmental package touches Phek dist Chizokho Vero The Morung Express
A giant fruit of infrastructural development from HQ 3 Corps touches Phek district as development of Yoruba Model Village involving Rs 57, 46, 904 has been accomplished and inaugurated this morning amidst thunderous cheers from the villagers of Yoruba. The project includes development of infrastructure, creation of centre for economic growth and to bring socio economic upliftment of masses.
Brig. D.S. Kadian, Chief Engineer, 3 Corps inaugurated the project on behalf of Lt. Gen. M.S Dadwal, AVSM, VSM, GOC 3 Corps as the later could not land here due to bad weather.
Acknowledging the enormous effort of each and every individual towards the completion of the project, Brig. Kadian hoped that the people will continue to look forward for further assistance from the army to get some kind of improvement in lifestyle and economic upliftment.
Also speaking on the occasion, Brig HGV Singh, commander 5 Sector Assam Rifles said that Yoruba Model Village was one of the major projects taken up by the army in the state.
Hoping that the project will transform and give new look to the village, Brig. Singh said “We are here as your friends. Utilize us whenever you require help from us. We are your instrument.”
Yoruba Model Village has been constructed under Military Civic Action (MCA) HQ 3 Corps.
The project was started by 51 Engineering Regiment. Under this project, the army has provided infrastructure development including recreational hall- cum -library, provided solar light, solar powered streetlights, solar water heating system, solar drier for food processing, construction of agric link road, construction of women society office, renovation of school, vocational training centre to hone the skills of women and youth in knitting, weaving, tailoring, carpentry, joinery and wielding.
Guest-cum- model house with solar home lighting system, water purification plant, storage tank and supplying purified dinking water for public, sports facilities, music instruments and children park are also part of the project.
Mentionably, the foundation of the project was laid by Rita Dadwal, president Spear AWWA and Nobulu Nyekha, president Women Council Yoruba on October 18, 2006.
Sahinuyo Veswuh, chairman, Model Village Yoruba was appreciative of the army towards providing all the type requirements, saying that many machineries has been installed which they have never seen before. Sano Vamuzo, chairperson, Nagaland State Women Commission was also present on the occasion and thanked the army for extending the project to the village. She also called upon the people to properly utilize the various facilities being installed for the welfare and development of the villagers.
A Public Process Editorial The Morung Express
The Naga Nation needs healing. Victims and survivors need healing; perpetrators are in their own way victims of a violent system; and they need healing as well. The need to heal and reconcile emphasizes presence of polarized opinions and it occurs in the backdrop of a history having protracted conflict. Hence it is essential to place the issue of healing in the dialectical interplay of reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction. These three R function interdependently of each other and are in essence the embodied aspirations of a healing nation.
A nation seeking healing must invariably address reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction. It is said that what politics offers at its core is what life offers at its essence – relationship, communication, conflict, discovery and growth. By this one understands that broken relationships which result from conflicts must at one point or another muster the will to enable a political process that leads to re-communication and re-discovery and growth. In effect, it demands a new way of life, governed by principles of respect and dignity. The outcome depends on the process.
In times of crisis it is very easy to focus on the outcome without quite realizing that the outcome depends on the process itself. The process therefore is critical in the search for reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction. It is fundamental that the process be open and public. For instance, two structural decisions that contributed towards the legality and legitimacy of the reconciliation process in South Africa were because, the selection of members to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a public and democratic process and because there were no electoral politicians in the commission. The degree of public process relies on people’s participation and ownership.
In the South African reconciliation process, any citizen could nominate an individual of high standing and integrity and without any involvement in the apartheid system, to the commission. Several hundred nominations were filed by the people. A selection committee was then responsible for scrutinizing and choosing - through a public process - the members to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. At the end of the selection process, from several hundred nominees, around 30-odd members were selected into the Commission with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as its Chairperson. This transparent and accountable procedure strengthened the legitimacy and public acceptance of the process.
Any process towards reconciliation has to be transparent and public. It is about the truth and therefore unless the process is open, the truth will not be unveiled. Some may assert that a public and transparent process is open to the possibilities of political manipulation; and it is true that it does happen. The tension between the need for transparency and the need for a safe space is inevitable and inescapable. Therefore the dilemma created by this situation is that while conducting the public process, the objective is to make reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction possible.
Lessons from Naga experience has shown that much emphasis is laid on the outcome and not on the process, and therefore the results have not been very encouraging. The tendency to bypass procedures of democratic participation and due public process of dialogue and accountability have often weakened and negated well-meaning and good-intended initiatives. To sow the seeds of healing in the Naga nation, it is fundamental to ensure that a democratic and accountable procedure of selecting members is respected. Hence the process towards reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction needs to find a pragmatic and relevant approach that reveals the truth without sacrificing or neglecting mercy, justice and peace.
For the sake of future generations, it is important not to politicize the process of evolving a pathway towards reconciliation, resolution and reconstruction. The importance of ensuring an inclusive process cannot simply be ignored. For too long, in the name of convenience and adjustment, democratic principles of participation have been overlooked. This has proved detrimental and has only resulted in aggravating polarized positions of differences and jeopardizing the well-being of future generations.
For once, let’s transcend the isms that ail Naga society, and let’s put into perspective the need for Nagas to recognize the necessity of a dignified existence that will be made possible through mutual respect and understanding.
Fiery import curries flavour in England World’s hottest chilli: born in the East, reinvented in the West Thannganing Hungyo The Morung Express
A chilly whose antecedents are in the Northeast has made its way to jars in kitchens across the United Kingdom and excited gourmets with the stomach for a fiery experience.
Grown abundantly in parts of the Northeast and Bangladesh, the bhut jolokia can make you spew fire, and not just from your mouth. Michael and Joy Michaud, a British couple from West Dorset, have reinvented the bhut jolokia — certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the fieriest in the world — and named it the Dorset Naga pepper.
The small, rotund chilly is now setting tongues on fire not only in Europe, but also Australia and New Zealand. The Michauds are convinced that Dorset Naga pepper is a “hot” business proposition. The home-grown variety is especially popular with Bangladeshis settled in the United Kingdom, who have a strong preference for the hot stuff. Measured at the New Mexico State University in the USA, the potent chilli was found to score over 1 million Scoville Heat Units. The Michauds first spotted seeds of the bhut jolokia at a Pakistani store. But they credit scientists at Tezpur, in Assam, with drawing attention to it as the hottest chilli in the race. “We are just a bunch of guys who got lucky. We take some ownership, but not all,” Michael said.
Michael told The Telegraph from his home, overlooking the English Channel, that he receives orders from across the globe and sends consignments by post. “My primary and faithful clientele, though, remain Bangladeshis, who number nearly 60,000 in the UK. They make pastes and sauces out of the chilli,” he said.
“It sells pretty well,” Michael summed up modestly, adding that purchasers usually buy in bulk. The proud cultivator is amazed that Indians have not exploited the business potential of the spice to the fullest. Frontal Agritech, an Indian firm, markets the spice as dried pods and powdered chilli. Dorset Naga pepper gained overnight fame after a local newspaper in “England’s most beautiful county” carried it to 10,000 homes.
Extensively cultivated in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur, the pepper is called by different names in different areas of the Northeast. “It is known as Naga jolokia, Nagahari, bhut jolokia, bih jolokia or borbih jolokia,” Michael said, throwing light on the varied nomenclatures. ource: The Telegraph
Training on Naga chilli cultivation The Morung Express
Kohima, May 21 (MexN): A training programme on Naga Chilli cultivation for Kohima district concluded here today. The training was organized by the Department of Horticulture and the resource persons were Pawan Kumar, District Horticulture Officer and Mesetuonuo, Horticulture Officer. The farmers were trained on how to select good quality seeds from a healthy mother plant of the second bearing.
HOT CULTIVATION: Participants at the training on Naga chilli cultivation at Kohima.
Plant doctor Sentinungba spoke on plant protection techniques. According to him, damping-off of seedlings was a severe plant disease in nurseries while fruit rot caused several damages in the field. To minimize the loses due to such plant diseases, the farmers were trained to treat the seed and soil with a bio-agent called Trichoderma. The bio-agent was distributed free of cost to the farmers. It was advised to treat 1 kg of seeds with 6 gm of Trichoderma in 10 ml of water by making slurry. Soil treatment with 1 kg of the same bio-agent in 1 acre of land was also recommended to check the soil-borne pathogens. Other plant protection bio-agents available were Biotris, Mycocide, etc. The farmers were told to avail the bio-agents from the nearest Bio-Control Lab located at Medziphema. However, a lot of research work on Naga chilli needs to be carried out, he added. The facilitator of the training programme Abeau Mero informed the farmers not to solely depend on the government for financial assistance but to look forward for technical guidance. She encouraged the farmers to act locally and think globally by venturing out into the commercial cultivation and do away with traditional methods.
The Commissioner & Secretary of the department is the driving force to stand firm in the patentship of the Naga Chilli and to assist the final product into the International market, a release received here said. The I.L.T.C. Company had agreed to partner in the post harvest by transferring technology for quality drying (with solar drying unit). This model project will be located in specified grower zones where it can be a collective platform for the farmers to bring together the fresh chilies once harvested and converting into dry forms to hit the domestic and international market. The awareness campaign was launched as Naga chilli is hitting international market very soon. Three districts viz., Kohima, Peren and Mon were identified for promotion of Naga chilli cultivation, the release added.
Pressure to rebuild Stilwell Road, from Assam to Yunnan The Morung Express
1.736 kilometres long, the road was built during Second World War by the allies to bring supplies to China at war with Japanese invaders. Today it would save time and money in transporting goods from North East India to China and South East Asia. But Political problems block the way.
New Delhi, May 19 (Agencies):Industrial groups from India and China are pressing to have a 1.736 kilometre road which connects Ledo in (North East India) to Kunming, capital of Yunnan, passing through Myanmar. But political divisions will first have to resolved rather than technical ones.
Goods from India's northeast headed for China or Southeast Asian countries are currently shipped via Kolkata, the nearest port, through the Strait of Malacca and on to China. It takes at least a couple of weeks for goods to reach China. "If they go via the Stilwell Road our goods would reach Yunnan in two days," said Pradyut Bordoloi, Assam's commerce and industries minister. It would reduce transport costs by more than 30%. The Stilwell Road will link north-eastern India not just with Yunnan but with other parts of China and Southeast Asia as well. Beijing has already constructed a network of roads connecting Yunnan with other provinces.
The project could also favour the development of northeast India and bordering states, which are immersed in poverty. Ninety-eight percent of the northeast's borders are with other countries, and only 2% with India. Yet this region's trade with other countries is minuscule, limited to informal trade. Experts say that even if 10% of India's shipment to China and Southeast Asia were to be routed through the Stilwell Road, its impact on the northeast would be dramatic.
61km of the Stilwell Road runs through India, 1,035km through Myanmar and 640km into China. It was a vital lifeline for the Allies during the war, as it was through this road that supplies were sent to the Chinese battling Japanese occupation. But within a few months of its opening, the Japanese surrendered and the war ended. After the war, the road fell into disuse.
Many parts of the Stilwell Road –which crosses thick jungle - no longer exist or are dirt track.
Yet the greatest obstacles are proving to be political rather than technical. Relations between India and China, which have been hostile for decades, have only in recent years begun to warm slowly. India's relations with Myanmar have also not been warm. Bureaucracies and military issues in all three countries are standing in the way. Beijing has in fact already transformed its stretch of the road into a modern six-lane expressway. But officials in New Delhi say India has “security concerns”: The northeast is an insurgency-racked region and there are "valid fears" that the road would facilitate movement of insurgents, arms and drugs. Then there is the concern that reopening the road would result in the Chinese swamping the northeast with cheap goods, undermining the local economy. These concerns are roundly rejected by north easterners as "unfounded, who point out that the goods will trade both ways.
But experts studying the project say that Myanmar is the linchpin of the project. This is partly because of the military junta's traditional wariness of opening the country to outsiders and because the area to be crossed is controlled by rebels from the Kachin ethnic group.
CM offers talks again to UGs The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, May 21: Chief minister O Ibobi Singh today made a call for a concerted effort in fighting and ending terrorism so that peace prevails in the state and development makes a headway, on the occasion of the anti-terrorism Day. The chief minister who delivered his speech at a state level function held at Manipur secretariat conference hall also reiterated his appeal to the underground organizations to come to the negotiating table to bring an end to the conflict situation in a peaceful way. Mention may be made that on many occasions, Singh had appealed to the underground organizations operating in the state to come overground and hold talks to bring a solution to the decades long insurgency problem in the state at a political level.
"Violence can bring nothing," Singh said adding that the present conflict situation prevailing in Manipur could be settled through political dialogue. He went on to say that insurgency affected states like Punjab and Mizoram returned to peace after peace accords were signed through talks. Likewise, peace can be brought about in the state if the underground organizations come forward to the negotiating table.
He also appealed to the underground elements to shun violence as it could never bring peace.
Anti-terrorism day is observed all over the country on May 21 every year in commemoration of the killing of the country`s former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. He was killed in a terrorist attack on this day in Tamil Nadu. To bring solution to all problems by sitting together was the policy of Rajiv Gandhi, the chief minister said adding that the late Prime Minister was always against bringing solutions through violent means. The observation function was marked by oath taking by the participants to face terrorism together in one spirit. The state level function was also attended by FCS minister Th Debendra apart from top officials and employees of the state government. The Anti-terrorism Day was also observed by various state and district level offices of the state government like the state department of information and public relation, DIPR, the deputy commissioners` offices at Chandel, Churachandpur and Bishenpur.
In the observation held at Bishenpur district hospital, the volunteers of the Nehru Yuva Kendra Bishenpur district who participated in the national youth rally from Meerut to Red Fort were also felicitated and presented gifts. Our correspondent adds from Ccpur: As elsewhere in the country the Anti-terrrorism Day was celebrated in churachandpur to mark the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on this day at Sriperumbudur in Tamil nadu. Most departments in Churachandpur celebrated the occasion from 12 noon today taking pledge that they would stand up against terrorism in all forms and all those factors that can pose threat to peaceful existence.
The main functions were held at three venues. First at the deputy commissioner`s office conference hall with the DC himself acting as the chief guest. Almost at the same time another function was held at the zonal education officers chamber in which the ZEO Joseph Lalrothang acted as the chief guest. Later in the evening the 3rd AR also celebrated with Maj General BK Chenggappa IGAR (south) gracing the gathering. He led the congregration of the Army in taking pledge against all factors which can disturb peace and harmony in the country and also to fight with all their might all such factors The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee also observed the Anti-Terrorism day coinciding with the 16th death anniversary of the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. According to a release, the observence was held at the Congress Bhavan today with a simple function which was attended by president MPCC, Gaikhangam, chief minister, O Ibobi and other party functionaries who paid floral tributes to the portrait of Rajiv Gandhi. Party president, Gaikhangam, and congressmen reportedly took the oath of Satbhavana, it added.
KNO accused NSCN(IM) The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, May 21: The NSCN(IM) by targeting Kukis militarily and politically as well are trying to sabotage their movement, said a statement of the Kuki National Organisation, KNO citing that "they (NSCN-IM) harbour and instigate the United Kuki Liberation Front, UKLF and Kuki Revolutionary Army, KRA against the Kuki people."
Clarifying a news item published in the Nagaland based newspaper, "The Morung Express", the KNO charged that since 1992, the "Tangkhul-led NSCN (IM)" carried out the infamous Kuki genocide. Over 900 kukis were killed and over 350 villages were uprooted, more than 50,000 people were rendered refugees from 1992 to 1997, the statement charged and in this course of action, the Tangkhul, through media manipulates and uses erroneously the term `Naga-Kuki conflict` to brainwash and utilize other Nagas particularly in Manipur. "All of these have made it difficult to single out Tankguls from Nagas, which unfortunately led to the common usage "Nagas" and KNO, in order to avoid any ambiguity, have several occasions released articles, including a statement in the press, distinguishing Tangkhul from Nagas, the released added.
"They also managed to influence old Kukis from Chandel in Manipur to act against their own people, the so called New Kukis. This division of "old" and "new" Kukis which originated with the British colonialists is now perpetuated by NSCN (IM)," the statement said.
Ex-BLT body warns of retaliation From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
KOKRAJHAR, May 21 – Terming the brutal serial killing of Bodo youths and surrendered BLT cadres by NDFB as systematic, Jonomohan Mushahary, chairman, Ex-BLT Welfare Society has said that NDFB has been continuously triggering fatricidal killings by targeting innocent Bodo youths and Ex-BLT cadres beyond tolerance limit. Addressing mediapersons at Kokrajhar today, Mushahary said Ranjan Daimary and Gobinda Basumatary, chairman and secretary general respectively of NDFB have no respect for ceasefire ground rules and doubted if their command over the outfit was intact. At the same time, he also urged the joint monitoring group (JMG) looking after NDFB’s activities following ceasefire to clarify whether the outfit is in favour of restoring peace in the area and maintaining ground rules for peaceful negotiations.
He has also blamed 1st Battalion of NDFB and some others in the policy-making body of NDFB for issuing misleading statement to create tension in the area.
Meanwhile Mushahary said the Ex-BLT Welfare Society has strongly condemned the killing of Mantu Basumatary a surrendered BLT along with three other associates from Baksa district near NDFB’s Singlimari camp near Assam-Arunachal border in Sonitpur district on May 13 last, while they were just engaged in cultivation through an NGO Vision NE-India in that areas. He alerted the NDFB of retaliatory action if such actions continued. A funeral rally will be held on May 22. A 12-hour bandh has been called in Baksa district on May 23 in protest against the killing. The Ex-BLT Welfare Society has appealed to the Human Rights Commission against this killing.
Our Tezpur Correspondent adds: Following the killing of four Boro persons in Bogijuli-Thoraibari area under Rangapara Police Station in Sonitpur district by unidentified gunmen, a tense situation prevails in the area. Though the district administration and AGP leader and MLA Sootea constituency Padma Hazarika claimed that the NDFB was involved in the killing, the outfit has denied their involvement in the killing. Talking to this correspondent over telephone, a senior leader of the organisation Captain B Satbansa said the NDFB which is under the peace process with the government would never commit such violent incidents. He said some inimical forces may be involved with a view to sabotage the peace process.
173 goods trucks escorted to Imphal From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, May 21 – At least 173 laden vehicles from outside the State were escorted here this afternoon from Mao gate bordering Nagaland. Many Imphal-bound goods trucks have been stranded at Mao for the last 24 hours due to the four-day economic blockade of the All Tribal Students Union, Manipur on the National Highways 39 and 53 since Saturday. The blockade was called to protest against the government’s failure to implement the long- pending demands which were agreed to by the Manipur Government. The students body has threatened to intensify their stir by calling a statewide 24-hour general strike at the end of the blockade.
The zeitgeist in Manipur, land of paradoxes Haokholala Thangjom The Sangai Express
Way back in January 1983 the Pan Manipur Youth League asked me to write an article on the political metamorphoses of Manipur since India attained independence. The article I wrote was, ‘From princely state to statehood’ and submitted to the Resistance’ weekly. The editor prudently changed it into more scintillating caption, ‘From Sovereignty to Statehood’ without disturbing the contents of the article.
The vile or loathsome fact is that Manipur has become a political human guinea-pig in the hand of constitutional experts. The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly or tadpole to frog requires only one stage of change or transformation in the case of Manipur, it took a quarter of century after independent to become a full-fledged state after negotiating the labyrinth or tortuous path. The neighbouring Nagaland became a full-fledged state in 1963 which naturally became the envy of the neighbour.
1. In the year of independence Deveshwar Sharma was sent to Manipur as the Domination Agent and he was the first and the last Dominion agent.
2. The late Maharajah of Manipur, Budha- chandra Singh ushered in the popular Govt with an elected Assembly on adult franchise and a Ministry in 1948 even before the country embarked on having popular Govt elected on adult suffrage. The first Chief Minister was Maharajkumar Priyabrata Singh and on the sideline Major General Amar Singh was the Dewan.
3. When Manipur was integrated to the Union of India on the 15th October in 1949, it become one of the part ‘C’ State which is a nebulous status and Amar Singh became the first Chief Commissioner. Consequently, the Assembly was dissolved by the Govt of India.
4. In 1950 a nominated advisory council was constituted by the Chief Commissioner to assist him which was no better than a non-entity.
5. After the Constitution of India was adopted in January 1952, one elected Electoral College was constituted, the function of which was to have right to cast vote in the election of the President of India.
6. As an appeasement policy, a Council of Advisers (not Advisory Council) was constituted in 1953 comprising five advisers, namely, Dwijamani Sharma, S. Krisnamohan Singh, Salam Tombi, Dr L Kampu and A Daiho, all of them drawn from the Congress Party.
7. In 1957 Manipur became one of the Union Territorial under the Union Territories Act and an elected Territorial Council was constituted with Chief Commissioner as head of the administration. Dwijamani Sharma was the first chairman of the Territorial Council.
8. After the second election to the Territorial Council in 1962 the Govt of India agreed to convert it into Territorial Assembly with a Council of Ministers in July 1963. Mairembam Koireng Singh was the first Chief Minister who belonged to the Congress Party.
9. The second Congress Ministry led by Koireng Singh was dissolved on the 16th October 1969 due to intra-party crisis. The status of Chief Commissioner was lifted to the Lieutenant Governor and DR Kohli was the first Lieutenant Governor.
10. The dissolution of the Assembly was a blessing in disguise as all the political parties could work together in the demand for statehood. In short, very interestingly, Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister announced the grant of statehood in Parliament on the 3rd September 1971 and inaugurated at Palace ground on the 21st January 1972 at 10.50 AM (Friday).
During twenty-five years, from the time India became independent and before Manipur became a full-fledged state shedding the tertiary period of being a Part ‘C’ State and Union Territory, the zeitgeist or the spirit or feeling of the age in Manipur was ‘Beggars have no choice’. When all political parties launched a demand for a full-fledged State, the Naga Integration Committee of Manipur led by Ng Mono, president and Rishang Keishing as general secretary submitted a memorandum to Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister on the 23rd September 1969. They stated, ‘The question as to whether Manipur demands a statehood or otherwise is hardly concerned with the Nagas. The talk of granting district autonomy to the hill people of Manipur has made no sense’.
Moreover, most of the tribal leaders were lukewarm to the Statehood demand. In the midst of such condition the tribal leaders who supported the Congress Party under the aegis of the Manipur Tribal Leaders Council strongly supported the demand. A delegate comprising Stephen Angkang, Paolen Haokip, late K Kalanlung, late Kakhangai, Late Shompa, Kamkhangthang Guite and led by me met the Prime Minister and other Central leaders in May and November 1970. The two salient questions put forward by the Prime Minister were the issue of state official language under Article 345 of the Constitution and district autonomy in the tribal areas or hill districts.
As a follow-up action, as a Congress MLA. I moved a private member’ resolution on the state official language urging the House to pass a resolution to make Manipuri or Meiteilon the State official language in addition to English which was discussed on the 15th April 1977 and unanimously passed by the House. Consequently, as the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on the State Official Language, i introduced the relevant bill which was passed by the Assembly and enacted as The Manipur Official Language Act, 1979. It was an undenying fact that I felt the heat of some disgruntled tribal MLAs who tried to make me a soft target or a sitting duck on language issue.
After enjoying the euphoria of being a full-fledged state, for a few years, the two eerily parallel political phenomena, namely, the self-determination movement of the revolutionaries and the Damoclean Naga Peace Talks had shrouded the entire state. (Let us hope that the peace talks does not pronounce a Kangaroo court verdict). Let us try to remove the zeitgeist or the feeling or spirit of the people that Manipur has become ‘A State of extremes’ caused by confusion, crime cult, corruption and chaos in the society. Let the tie of tribal autonomy that bind together the State be restored without further loss of time as it has complete fifteen years that all Autonomous District Councils had been dissolved and not a single tribal MLA or Ministers dared to burn his finger for such a long time for the revival of tribal autonomy.
Viscout Morely said, ‘Democracy is not only a form of Govt but a way of life also’. It is pathetic that democracy in our State has already drifted towards Timocracy, a form of Govt in which ambition or desire of honour a guiding principle or Plutocracy which is a Govt by the wealthy. Let us devote ourselves to save our State from becoming ‘Kala Pani’ (erstwhile name of Andaman and Nicobar islands) where people from other States dread to come and work. Let us lament, ‘I love thee Manipur with all thy faults’ as Poet Wordsworth said, ‘I love thee, England with
Burma bound drugs worth 1.36 crores seized by Indian rebel outfit Subhaschandra M Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
May 22, 2007 - Burma bound drugs worth a staggering Rs.1.36 crores (Us $ 3,23,800) were seized and set on fire by an Indian rebel outfit operating in the northeast. In its intensified anti-drug movement the group also seized tobacco products.
The Central Special Force of the Manipur based United National Liberation Front seized 136 kilograms of Ephedrine which is used in manufacturing psychotropic drugs from the Langol foothills near Imphal on Sunday afternoon and later destroyed it by setting it on fire in an isolated location in Imphal's East district.
The seized drugs are said to worth around Rupees 1.36 crores in Indian currency in the international market.
According to the Central Special Force, the seizure was made from a white-coloured Maruti van in the Langol foothills.
Packed neatly in 12 cardboard boxes, the Ephedrine had been lifted from a godown located in Imphal market area and was to be smuggled to Burma.
The main accused in the drug trade could not be caught but the occupants of the vehicle reportedly provided a mobile phone number (09436271876) belonging to the accused, the spokesperson of the outfit said. The estimated price of one kilogram of Ephedrine in the international market is around Rupees 100,000, he added.
It has been established that the seized Ephedrine belongs to a person called Vikram Mahendi alias Vicky Mahendi of Gate No. II in Moreh border town. His younger brother identified as Vikash Mahendi, who stays in New Delhi, is also involved in smuggling the drug ingredient through Manipur, he said.
The rebel outfit has warned all those involved in smuggling Ephedrine to surrender to the UNLF within one month and threatened serious action if they failed to do so. Apart from UNLF, other Manipur based outfits including People's Liberation Army, an armed wing of the proscribed Revolutionary People's Front have been imposing a complete ban on import and consumption of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) as well as other India made khaini, zarda among others in the region over the past the six years.
Despite the prohibition in force on the sale of IMFL by the Manipur government way back in 1991, many anti-narcotic drug bodies and pressure groups like the Committee Against Drug Abuse, All Manipur Anti-Drug Association and Meira Paibis, the torch bearing womenfolk, and other bodies of Manipur are actively involved in fighting the drug menace in the region.
Seizure of Myanmar bound narcotics drugs as well as other India made tobacco products through the state of Manipur has been on since the past few weeks.
This is not the first time that Burma bound narcotic drugs were seized and subsequently destroyed by Indian rebel groups.
On May 20 morning, members of the All Manipur Anti-Drug Association, a newly floated anti-drug and anti-liquor pressure group in Manipur seized Indian made talab packets filled in two gunny bags from a Manipuri trader on his way to export it to Burma. The trader has been identified one Yumlembam Dipen (29) of new Checkon in Manipur's Imphal east district. He was carrying the bags in a passenger bus bearing the registration number MN06-0142. It is estimated that the value of talab packets in Indian currency would be around Rupees 10,040 in the local market.
Fifteen hurt in Bongaigaon blast Violence marks anti-terrorism day By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, May 21: Fifteen people were injured, two of them critically, when ULFA militants triggered a powerful bomb in the busy Paglastan area in Bongaigaon today. The programmable time device (PTD), which was kept in a bag on a bicycle, went off near a Hindi school at the busy market place at 9.25 am.
All the injured were admitted to the Lower Assam Civil Hospital, Bongaigaon. Two of them, Ajay Kanti Sarma (12) and Sambhu Saha (38), were in critical condition.
Last night, suspected ULFA rebels gunned down a Hindi-speaking person at Dhakuakhana in North Lakhimpur district. Police said two motorcycle-borne ULFA rebels accosted Sailen Sahu at 9 pm, and shot him dead from point blank range.
In another incident, police recovered a powerful bomb at Janata Path in Demow in Sivasagar district last night.
Meanwhile, GOC of the Eastern Command, Lt Gen KS Jamwal arrived in the Tezpur Army base today to review the law-and-order situation in the North-east.
During his four-day visit, the GOC will interact will top Army officers of the region and review the situation in Asom and Arunachal Pradesh, defence sources said.
Lt Gen Jamwal is also expected to call on the Asom Chief Minister and the Governor. Amid recurring violence, the ‘Anti-Terrorism Day’ was observed today throughout the State.
The day was centrally observed at Rabindra Bhavan in the city, where a prayer meeting was organized. Blood donation camps, street plays, seminars and other cultural programmes were organized in various parts of the state to mark the day.
B’desh hints at flush-out of NE rebels Staff Correspondent Assam Tribune
SHILLONG, May 21: The Bangladesh interim Government has recently assured the Indian Government that no Indian insurgents could go against the will of the Government by taking refuge on its soil, revealed the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravorty. The Indian envoy to Bangladesh, in his disclosure about the positive vibes during the official deliberations with the interim Government on contentious bilateral issues, including the Indian Government’s quest in ensuring the flushing out of Indian Insurgents from its soil, the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh told a group of newsmen in Shillong today, “Our consistent diplomatic pursuit of Indian insurgents and camps is close to being accepted.”
Attributing the reciprocal gesture of Bangladesh ‘due to the massive reforms undertaken by the Army-backed interim Government’, Chakravorty said, “They (Bangladesh) told us that they are not denying the presence of the Indian insurgents due to the possible infiltration through the porous border”, adding, “their promise to act as per the information showed their sincerity to our diplomatic follow-up on the issue of Indian insurgents in Bangladesh.”
It will be recalled that in April this year, the BSF handed over to the BDR a fresh list of Indian insurgents and camps in Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh is serious this time in trying to sort out all issues”, stated the Indian envoy while refusing to speculate on a similar gesture from any future Government in Bangladesh.
“The present interim Government refurbishing works on the polity, judiciary, administration and other aspects makes us more optimistic of positive gesticulations to improve ties”, observed the Indian High Commissioner.
Stating that Bangladesh also highlights Bangladeshi criminals hiding in India, Chakravorty said that India would also seriously look at their appraisal.
Frans on 05.22.07 @ 05:09 PM CST [link]