Nagalim.NL News

Saturday, September 30th

NSCNs prepare decisive battle in Zunheboto Nagarealm.com


NSCNs prepare decisive battle in Zunheboto Nagarealm.com
Dimapur, Sep28 [NPN] : In what is reported to be a build up for a major clash between NSCN rivals to decide who stays or goes, people of Zunheboto are bracing themselves for the impending showdown Tension heightened after some fifty heavily armed men of the NSCN (I-M) cadre arrived Zunheboto town Wednesday morning and camped in North Point near Zunheboto College.

Several NGOs and even the administration had appealed to the NSCN (I-M) to vacate the area in order to avoid clash within civilian populated area. The NSCN (I-M) rejected the appeal on the plea that it would remain so long as the rival NSCN (K) continued to occupy its hideout at Amphoto colony.

Youth and menfolk of Zunheboto formed a barrier between North Point and Amphoto colonies in order to prevent the clash between the rival NSCN factions.

At around 6 a.m. Wednesday, some heavily armed NSCN (K) men were prevented by the administration and security patrolling by the IRB from attacking the rivals who were camped at North Point.

The NSCN (K) has reportedly marginalized the earlier dominance of the rival NSCN (I-M) in Zunheboto district but the latter is determined to regain its territorial hegemony.

This was evident when some one hundred heavily armed NSCN(I-M) activists arrived from Lotsomi side Thursday to reinforce the fifty-odd already camped in North Point colony besides occupying Hekiye village. Hundreds of villagers form Hekiye fled to Zunheboto town as a consequence of the village being occupied by the NSCN (I-M).

The NSCN (K) has around two hundred heavily armed men who are spread besides surrounding Hekiye village. On Thursday, NSCN (K) men attacked the rival at Hekiye but there was no report of any casualty, according to official sources.

NSCN (K) alleges Rio-NSCN (IM) link Correspondent Nagaland Post
Tuensang, Sept 30 (NPN): The NSCN (K) has accused the Nephiu Rio-led DAN government of being directly involved with the rival NSCN (I-M) in the current factional clash at Zunheboto.
NSCN (K) leader and supervisor of the CFSB, Mulatonu told this correspondent that the rivals were allowed to take shelter inside the PHED and Industry offices including Zunheboto College since September 28. He said the DAN government did nothing to ask the rivals to vacate the buildings in clear violation of the cease fire ground rules.
He said due to this the administration also became "inactive" in the situation. He also accused the Rio government of keeping mum when the rivals continued to occupy the forest department office that has been turned into their Hebron camp.
Mulatonu demanded that the rivals should be immediately asked to vacate the camp called Hebron. He also demanded that the Government of India take up the matter in evicting the rivals from their Hebron camp.
Mulatonu further attacked the Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) for demanding the revocation of the 'quit notice' issued on Tangkhuls from Pfutsero. He said, instead, the CPO should file a case against the rivals for an incident involving Chakhesang girls
Adds NPN: The guns at Zunheboto remained silent on Saturday but public live under constant fear of fresh eruption of factional violence even as the administration continues to plead with factions to leave the town.
It may be recalled that on Friday a four-year old boy was killed and the 19-year old aunt carrying him sustained injury by stray bullets during a faction clash in Zunheboto town.
The one hundred and fifty-strong NSCN (I-M) cadre is holed up at North Point colony including a nearby village and is reported to be led by Maj. Ashang Tangkhul and Maj. Lhokishe. The rival NSCN (K) with an equal number is camped at Amphoto colony and led by Brig. Nikki.
The plea to both factions to leave Zunheboto fell on deaf ears. While the NSCN (K) said it would remain since it was forced to evacuate its designated camp at Suruhuto by the NSCN (I-M), the latter on the other hand demanded that the rival NSCN (K) first vacate the town before it also followed suit. It is also reported that some a 200-strong fully armed group of the NSCN (K) is reported to have reached Mukalimi under Pughoboto sub division and believed to be headed towards the NSCN (I-M) camp located in the area.
Meanwhile, "2nd Lt" Kavito of the NSCN (K), who was injured during Friday's clash with the NSCN (I-M) at Zunheboto, succumbed to injuries at Bethel Hospital, Kohima, on Saturday.
In a condolence message, Commander of Operation Blueland, NSCN (K), "Brig" Niki described late Kavito as a "brave and loyal officer", who had always played national duties above everything. He further conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and expressed gratitude to the doctors and staff of Bethel Hospital for their "dedicated care".
NBCC dons the mantle of peacemaker again Kuknalim.com The Telegraph)
DIMAPUR, Sept 29:: Undeterred by cold vibes from the NSCN (Khaplang) and the failure of its previous initiatives to unite warring groups, the Baptist Church in Nagaland has donned the mantle of peacemaker once again...

The Nagaland Baptist Churches’ Council today unveiled a “step-by-step guide” to peace and “reconciliation” between militant groups fighting separate battles for what is supposed to be a common goal. The 40-page booklet, aptly titled Healing and Reconciliation, was released at a meeting of representatives of various organisations, including the influential Naga Hoho.

Church leaders said they would meet the NSCN (K) leadership on October 5 in a bid to convince the militant group to join the peace bandwagon.

The NSCN (K) perceives the Church as being partial towards the NSCN (Isak-Muivah). It hasn’t helped that Delhi has been engaged in a dialog-ue only with the NSCN (I-M).

The Baptist Church’s reinvented campaign to unify the two groups and others fighting for a slice of the peace pie is seen as the most significant one since the Atlanta Convention in 1997. Known to have more than a passing interest in the “Naga cause”, the American Baptist Church had organised that convention.

Top NSCN (K) and Naga National Council leaders attended the Atlanta conclave, but it did not lead to a breakthrough because of a boycott by the Isak-Muivah group. The NSCN (K) could spoil the initiative this time.

Acknowledging that the road to peace would not be a bed of roses, the Baptist Church’s roadmap states that the success or failure of the initiative will depend on how much the Naga factions are willing to compromise. “All the factions might not agree with one another so easily at first, but to begin with, they should acknowledge one another and stop killing one another.” The roadmap suggests “political discussions” among the warring groups and “honest soul-searching”.The Chu-rch intends to organise a series of roundtable talks at the level of kilonsers (ministers) of various militant groups.

“What Nagas urgently need today is restoration of trust and relations. Restoration requires confession (of mistakes), however painful it may be,” the roadmap says.

However, the Church may not be party to the proposed talks. “The NBCC is not obliged to participate as a party to the political discussions, but is willing to facilitate the ground for the factions to come (for talks),” the 40-page booklet states. (The Telegraph)

Students can lead a revolution: Imkong Kuknalim.com
Excellence Awards conferred on merit students

DIMAPUR, Sept 29:: Minister for School Education Imkong L. Imchen on Friday observed that students had it to lead a revolution in Naga society, saying they could rise above petty politics and work for betterment of the State...

Terming education as a weapon that could be used for constructive purposes in the society, Imkong said, "The art of politics and governance is quite different from the art of education."

The minister was speaking as chief guest at the Excellency Awards function organized by the Ao Students' Union, Dimapur (ASUD) at Imliyanger Memorial Centre (IMC) here.

He reminded the achievers of the Excellency Award of their responsibility towards the school 'dropouts' who, he said, needed to be brought back to the mainstream of the society. The chief guest also asked the students to do their mite to ensure that the 'dropouts' did not feel they were a burden on their families as well as the society.

"Nagas are known to be a family with diverse cultures and traditions. But they are practically not united due to the practices of tribalism," he added.

Imkong, however, said, Nagas needed to retrospect on their "mistakes and change their mindset" to foresee a "flame of unity."

He also called upon the student community in particular and Nagas in general to face life as a challenge to be counted in the society.

The chief guest later donated Rs. 50,000 to the union.

Others, who also spoke at the function, included president of the Ao Senso Telongjem, Dimapur, I. Temjen Jamir, Education and Statistical Secretary, NSF, Mar, and the sponsor of the cash awards, Imlitemsu, chairman, Eastern Christian College, Dimapur.

The ASUD Excellency Award winners include Aienla Longchar, Takutila M. Ozukum, Imchalemla, Bendangnaro Ozukum and Imlisanen, who received cash award of Rs. 5000 along with certificates in the matric and degree category, Dr. N. Moa Imsong and Dr. Jungmayangla Longkumer received Rs. 7000 each in the doctorate category. (NPN)

Student shot by 11 IRB jawans NagaREALM.COM
KOHIMA, SEP29 [NPN] : A 16-year old class ten student of Naga Bazar Baptist School suffered head injury when one jawan of the 11 IRB fired from close on the head. The victim was rushed to Naga Hospital and is in a critical condition. Hospital sources said 16-year old Lumtiplung Kamei was bleeding profusely from the head as his brain box has been badly damaged and brain matter oozing out. The incident occurred on Thursday night while the victim among six others were returning home at around 10.30 pm. after attending a late night party. On reaching Naga Bazar the boys were challenged by a patrolling party of the 11 IRB. It was reported that when challenged the boys responded that they were going home in an arrogant manner and this angered the jawans.

As a result a verbal argument ensued between the boys who were in an inebriated condition and the IRB jawans. The IRB jawans then chased the boys and rounded up three of them at gun point above the panchayat hall.One of the three managed to escape and later the second did the same.

During that time, one of the enraged jawans fired from point blank range at Lumtilung. The bullet, after hitting the victim, pierced the wall of a house belonging to one Mhabemo Odyuo and smashed a glass frame in the sitting room. However there was no one in the room at that point of time.

After the firing incident, the IRB jawans conducted random house-to-house search by forcibly banging on the houses and kicking and breaking open the gates and doors, sources said.The irate jawans also beat up six local youth without any reason.

Meanwhile, SP Kohima Martin Pienyü said the IRB jawan who fired the shot was immediately arrested and a criminal case registered against him. He vowed due punishment and that no one was above the law of the land. The SP also urged the public to allow the police to conduct proper inquiry.

Meanwhile, the Zeliangrong Hoho, Naga Bazar panchayat, Naga Bazar Youth Organization (NBYO) and the Rongmei Youth Club, Naga Bazar have condemned the Thursday's night incident at Naga Bazar Kohima.

The Zeliangrong Hoho said "this is not the first instance the trigger-happy IRB jawans have displayed their brutalities, but on many occasions the so-called elite force has drawn criticisms…for their inhuman behaviour towards innocent public..."

Various organizations and the Naga Bazar panchayat have urged the authority concerned to take stern and immediate action against the erring personnel.

NSCN(K) issues final warning to Tangkhuls in Nagaland The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 29: The Government of the People`s Republic of Nagaland, ministry of information and publicity, in a press release circulated in various media houses today issued their final reminder to all Tangkhul "criminals and perpetrators" to leave Nagaland without much fuss so as to let the peace loving Nagas realize their dreams. The statement said the warning was final and "once and for all".

The statement alleged, "Tangkhul criminals or parasites, inspite of serving repeated quit notices from different Naga tribes, for their criminal and subversive activities, are far from mending their ways." Apart from this, Tangkhul terrorists have renewed their killing campaign zealously as "is evident from the recent spate of killing all over Nagaland", the statement said alleging that the killing of an innocent child and injuring of a pregnant woman at Zumhebotto on September 29 were the latest casualties of Tangkhul terrorists` campaign.

The statement was issued in consonance with the resolution adopted by the council of kilonser, GPRN, following the formal implementation of the `quit notice` served to Tangkhuls. the NSCN/GPRN will henceforth, term the terrorists as Isak-Khodao (I-K) gangs rather than Isak-Muivah (I-M) for all purposes as stated in their earlier press releases, the statement went on to say. Therefore, the statement further said, "all concerned, particularly the media are hereby informed to adopt to this political arrangements and act accordingly as this ostracized tribe (Tangkhul) will have no bearing in the Naga freedom movement having connection with the Nagas."

Another separate statement of the organization said that NBCC`s statement through Rev. Zhabu Terhuja, general secretary of the NBCC, carried on September 27 in the local dailies needs serious consideration. It said, the statement clearly said that the `quit notice` issued to Tangkhuls from different sections of the Nagas is "unchristian" and "Short sightedness" and genocides (including hardcore and long sufferers in the Naga freedom movement) committed by the Tangkhul led I-K terrorists in "Christianized and farsightedness".

Therefore, "the motive and the intentions of NBCC leaders are to be kept under scanner and their (NBCC) proposed meeting with NSCN leaders hangs on uncertainty", the Government of the People Republic of Nagaland, ministry of information and publicity said.

India presses Myanmar over insurgents Nagarealm.com
Last week's interior-secretary-level talks between India and Myanmar are said to have left Indian officials smiling. While both sides are reluctant to elaborate on details of the counterinsurgency cooperation that was agreed on, it appears that Myanmar has said it will look into an Indian proposal to crack down on anti-India insurgents operating from its soil.
It was the 12th in a series of talks of its kind. At it India and Myanmar agreed to set up a mechanism to strengthen bilateral cooperation on security-related issues, drug trafficking and border management. At a meeting in Yangon last October, the two sides had agreed to share intelligence.

An institutional mechanism has now been set up to take further this sharing of intelligence to tackle cross-border insurgency and related problems such as drug trafficking, gun-running and other criminal activity. The two sides have also agreed to joint interrogation of those lodged in each other's jails who were engaging in activities that threaten the security of the two countries.

In the run-up to last week's meeting, reports in the Indian media indicated that Indian officials were going to press Myanmar to launch an operation similar to the one carried out in 2003 by Bhutan against anti-India insurgents taking sanctuary there. In December 2003, the Bhutanese security forces launched "Operation All Clear". They cracked down on some 30 camps of Indian insurgent groups, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, and the Kamtapur Liberation Organization.

These are insurgent groups operating in India's conflict-ridden northeast that had set up training camps in Bhutan. Scores of insurgents were killed or taken into custody during the military operations and some were handed over to the Indian security forces. But many of the insurgents relocated to Bangladesh and Myanmar. Bases were simply shifted to these countries.

Delhi has been hoping that Yangon will launch similar military operations to flush out anti-India insurgent outfits that have set up camps on Myanmar's soil. India and Myanmar share a porous 1,643-kilometer-long border, and insurgents from the Indian states of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam and Tripura routinely cross it for sanctuary and training in camps they have set up in Myanmar.

New Delhi has repeatedly raised concerns regarding the existence of anti-India insurgent camps operating on Myanmar's side of the border. In fact, getting the cooperation of Myanmar's security forces was among the main reasons behind the shift in India's policy from all-out support of the pro-democracy movement to courting the junta that rules Myanmar.

Delhi has received limited cooperation from Myanmar from time to time in counterinsurgency operations. In 1995, for instance, Myanmar and India launched "Operation Golden Bird", a pincer attack that trapped scores of Indian insurgents transiting through Myanmar into India. In December 2001, scores of UNLF cadres, including some top leaders, were arrested by Myanmar's army. In the past, the security forces of the two countries have co-coordinated counterinsurgency operations. When India launches operations against insurgents on its soil, it has alerted Myanmar's forces, who then step up combing operations in areas bordering India to capture fleeing insurgents.

When Myanmar smashed ULFA camps along the Chindwin River in 2004, India sealed its border in that area. India cracked down on Chin rebels last year and removed the headquarters of the Chin National Front in Mizoram. In January this year, the armies of Myanmar and India coordinated operations against the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang. India has also provided Myanmar's security forces with military equipment and training to fight the insurgents.

But analysts say that cooperation from Myanmar's military in cracking down on Indian insurgents operating from its soils has been erratic. Furious with India for honoring Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the movement for democracy in Myanmar, with the Nehru Award for International Understanding, the military released many insurgents captured during Operation Golden Bird. UNLF cadres were released within months of their capture in 2001 when India alleged that two Pakistani nuclear scientists with suspected links to al-Qaeda were in Myanmar.

According to Soe Myint, editor-in-chief of Mizzima News and author of Burma File: A Question of Democracy, Myanmar's military has "not done much" to crack down on Indian insurgents on its soil. They are operating freely in the Sagaing division and in Naga areas in Myanmar, he says.

Indian intelligence officials say that while Myanmar has expressed a willingness to remove insurgent camps on its territory, there is a section among its military that continues to support these camps as they stand to gain from the lucrative arms-narcotics trade that these insurgents are engaged in. "Myanmar is doing something about India's concerns but not enough," is the general reading in India's Home Ministry of Yangon's help in countering insurgency.

Indian officials are now saying they want Myanmar to do more to address India's concerns with regard to anti-India insurgents with bases in Myanmar. Soe Myint says these concerns have acquired a new urgency with the recent attack on members of the Assam Rifles (an Indian paramilitary force) in the border town of Moreh, when the Indian insurgents who carried out the attack fled back to camps in Myanmar.

Indian intelligence sources say that Myanmar is likely to carry out the Bhutan-style crackdowns on Indian insurgents operating on its soil, but these are unlikely to be as comprehensive as those carried out by Bhutan. The relationship between India and Myanmar's military junta cannot be put in the same category as that between Delhi and Thimphu, they point out, adding that even Bhutan has been negligent about follow-up action against the Indian insurgents on its soil resulting in the re-emergence of their bases in southern parts of the country. The crackdown on the insurgents could be carried out this winter.

India's counterinsurgency operations in the northeast cannot succeed unless its neighbors deny insurgents sanctuary on their soil. Bhutan has cooperated with India in this regard. Bangladesh denies that there are Indian insurgent camps on its soil despite Delhi providing it with evidence on the location of these camps. Myanmar's cooperation falls between that provided to India by Bhutan and Bangladesh. Unlike Bangladesh, it admits there are training camps on its soil but has yet to crack down on them as did Bhutan three years ago. This winter Delhi will be hoping that Yangon will follow Thimphu's example.
[Sudha Ramachandran is an independent journalist/researcher based in Bangalore.]
Peace process with ULFA dies a speedy death Nagaland Post
NEW DELHI, SEPT 30 (IANS): With the Indian Army deciding to come down heavily on the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and increasing its forces along the borders with Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh, the peace process has for all practical purposes died a speedy death.
For now, the Indian government feels that a high-intensity campaign against the rebels looks inevitable because the ongoing operations are not enough to corner the outfit - more so after the ULFA-nominated People's Consultative Group (PCG) pulled out of the dialogue process.
"We repeatedly briefed negotiators about the ULFA's intentions, that the rebels were divided over the talks. We have now decided to resume operations and prevent the insurgent group from crossing over," said a defence ministry official. Ministry officials maintained that the number of personnel deployed along the Bhutan border would be increased to about 12,000 from 5,000 in a phased manner by next year while the number of border posts is also being increased to 132 from 35. In December 2003, the Indian Army along with the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) launched joint military operations and smashed nearly all the 30 rebel camps. At that time the ULFA, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and the Kamtapuri Liberation Organisation (KLO) had entrenched themselves in well-established camps in Bhutan.
The latest army action began over last Sunday after the ULFA killed a policeman and a tea garden manager despite the efforts of facilitators to bring the rebels and the Indian government to the negotiating table.
So far three rebels have been killed and five arrested. Senior home ministry officials also hinted that the military junta in Myanmar had this time around decided to go along with India's request to hit out at the rebel bases that have for long used Myanmar as the staging ground for anti-India operations. The visit of Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt to Yangon last week overlapping with the calling off the ceasefire was precisely for seeking help to flush out the rebels.
With the army launching its offensive, one way out for the ULFA leadership is to give a written commitment to join the talks directly and not negotiate through a committee of Assamese civil society personalities, as they have done for nearly a year now.
But the rebels have insisted on the release of five of their top leaders now serving sentences in Indian prisons before they join the talks directly.
With army operations under way, the rebels have responded by saying all Indians living in Assam would have to pay a compulsory tax. Clearly, the talks process has suffered a serious setback and the northeastern region, which witnessed a relative calm in the last couple of months, is bound to see another escalation in violence in the coming weeks and months.
Aspiration of the unrepresented communities of Manipur By R Yangsorang
Contd from previous issue Sangai Express
As a result of which, there was an improvement in the road network in the valley, and all the district headquarters started shining with modest infrastructures, leaving the ethnic minorities as cheerful people so long as they had enough to eat and drink, but without basic amenities. The idea was wrong. No village or town can be developed without Governmental support. When hundreds of crores of rupees were pumped into the state’s developmental programmes, the unrepresen-ted lots also wanted to get their villages developed. Coming to the very point of ethnic aspiration and to uncover what it will look like really is rage. They are feeling the kind of rage which is a mixture of anger and hopelessness when they are unable to enjoy all those privileges and facilities the select few are getting.
It cannot be an irresponsible statement that speaks of hatred. Their aspiration also includes big brother’s role of the political personalities and their self-less service which will earn their respect and love. They want the kind of leadership for the progress and growth of all communities of the state of Manipur, and hence a leader of even national standing. As a matter of fact, there are some from bigger communities who are not without the feeling of great sympathy and great admiration for the minorities for their courage and hard-work for sustenance of livelihood. These people are reasonably sympathetic for the problem and suffering of other people, but unfortunately, they are not the policy framers of the state, and they are less influential.
During the last 33 years of its attainment of statehood, it underwent experiences which would have all but shattered a state with less inner strength, being unable to register progress in many areas. In the political sphere, the traumatic experience at the birth of a new state within Indian union was that of explosion of the state which led to communal carnage of unprecedented proportions resulting in hundred deaths and rendering thousands homeless in 1993. The hasty creation of autonomous hill district councils in 1973 without adequate preparation and provisions of safeguards of the minorities led to greater mistrust between the hills and the plain, and on the one hand between the minorities and bigger tribes. And not less than four brief communal clashes but eventful clash-es occurred successively to blacken the history of the state. When it had been riven by old feuds and one scam after the other always, the future of the state was sombre. In the mayhem, the unrepresented tribal minorities were always the victims finding it hard to survive with no hope of their future.
To show certain degree of solidarity with the underprivileged of the state, separate fund can be allocated in the state’s bud-get for the development of their dialect, folk-Iores and folk-songs; for their health-care; for construction of village roads; for supply of safe-drinking water; for construction of village youth club’s building; for construction of community hall and playground; for adult literacy; for setting up of village museum; for external excursion; for village information centre; for rearing of cattle, poultry and piggery; for improvement of handloom products; and for development of their culture and customs. This is all because of the fact that the Tribal Sub-Plan’s developmental schemes have failed to cover them effectively is well known. Against all the odds, the state of Manipur must march ahead and make progress, gaining ground for the prosperity of all communities. —Concluded

Concern over breakdown of talks By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 29 – State CPI-M secretary Uddhav Barman today expressed concern and resentment over the breakdown of the peace process between the ULFA and the Central Government. However, he expressed the hope that both the parties would continue their efforts to create a congenial atmosphere for the early resumption of the process. Honouring the popular desire, the party wants direct talks between the ULFA and the Government, without any pre-condition, he said.

Meanwhile, several leading citizens have also made an appeal to both the Central Government and the ULFA to come forward for a direct talk to settle the issues without much delay.

Talking to this newspaper, the State CPI-M secretary, who also represents the Sarbhog Constituency in the State Legislature, reminded both the Government and the ULFA of the fact that the people of the State were eagerly awaiting a peaceful solution of the two and half-a-decade-old insurgency problem. The people want peace and development in the State, he said.

Describing the resumption of the Army operations against the ULFA as an unfortunate development, Barman said that reluctance of the ULFA to send formal letters despite unilateral suspension of the Army operation and its periodic extensions by the Central Government, had contributed to this annoying development.

Several leading citizens of the city have made an appeal to both the Central Government and the ULFA to give up violence and settle the issues through direct negotiation as soon as possible. They have also made an appeal to the Prime Minister of the country to give up anti-ULFA Army operations.

In a joint statement, former Vice-Chancellor of Dibrugarh University Kamaleswar Bora, Dr Bhuban Mohan Das, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati president Dhiren Baruah, noted sports personality Suren Ram Phookan, former JB Law College principal Promod Barman, former Pragjyotish College principal Bhupen Singh, noted writer Kumudeswar Hazarika, noted social workers Ranendra Ram Baruah and Jonaki Pathak, businessman DP Bhattacharjee, industrialist Projeet Guha, physician Dr Bidyut Goswami, Gauhati High Court Advocate Prasanta Barman, SGBG vice presidents Ajay Dutta and Madhab Talukdar, SGBG general secretaries Krishna Baruah, Satyen Doloi and Kailash Sarma, have said that the ULFA problem should be solved politically.

Development of the State has been the casualty for the past several years and today the State’s people are of the belief that violence is not a remedy to the problems facing them. For the State, the main need of the hour is peace and development, they said.

ULFA blows up Assam gas pipeline By IANS Saturday September 30,

Guwahati, Sep 30 (IANS) Separatist guerrillas have blown up a natural gas pipeline in the northeastern state of Assam, the latest in a string of attacks after New Delhi called off a six-week ceasefire last week, officials said Saturday.
A police spokesperson said militants suspected to be from the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) late Friday triggered a landmine explosion at a gas pipeline belonging to state-owned oil exploration company Oil India Ltd (OIL).
The incident took place near Salmari in Dibrugarh district, about 510 km east of Guwahati.
'It was a 10-inch gas distribution pipeline and our workers were on the job throughout the night to repair the damaged facility. The extent of the damage is yet to ascertained,' OIL spokesperson Phanindra Dev Choudhury told IANS from the company headquarters at Duliajan in eastern Assam. ULFA rebels earlier Friday carried out a grenade explosion at a busy marketplace in eastern Assam's Tinsukia town and critically wounded six shoppers.
On Thursday, seven people, including two paramilitary troopers, were injured in another explosion by the rebels in the oil township of Digboi in eastern Assam.
The ULFA is stepping up attacks after New Delhi Sunday called off a six-week ceasefire and resumed military operations against the outfit.
Peace talks between ULFA representatives and the Indian government formally broke down last week after the People's Consultative Group (PCG), a civil society team appointed by the rebels to mediate for talks, pulled out of the peace process criticising New Delhi for calling off the truce.
The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979. More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam during the past two decades.
Rs.300 bn investments to turn around Assam economy By IANS
Guwahati, Sep 29 (IANS) Four top Indian corporate honchos are expected to invest a whopping Rs.300 billion in the development of rural infrastructure, promoting agriculture, setting up power plants, IT parks, and bio-diesel facilities in Assam. Reliance Industries, Tata Group, Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) and Videocon Industries Ltd have agreed in principle to invest in Assam either independently or in partnership with the state government.
'I have met Mukesh Ambani of the Reliance Industries, Ratan Tata, V.N Dhoot of Videocon, and top managers of IL&FS in Mumbai earlier this week and the response has been overwhelming with all these giants willing to invest in the state in various sectors,' Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
Gogoi led by a team of industry officials was in Mumbai on a two-day business summit to showcase the state and attract investments. The Reliance Industries has expressed interest in developing rural infrastructure, promoting agriculture, and setting up power plants, besides a bio-diesel facility in Assam. 'The investments in the rural infrastructure and agriculture sectors would help change the economic face of Assam and if the plans materialise then the income of our farmers would double in no time,' the chief minister said.
'Reliance would even buy the produce and farmers will have no problems for a market.'
A jubilant Gogoi said most of the deals were almost finalised and just required formal endorsements. 'We were able to sell the state and at least 80 percent of the assurances would materialise soon,' he said. The Tata group is interested in constructing budget hotels, a big mall in Guwahati that would exclusively deal with the latest electronic gadgets available in the world, setting up a manufacturing unit of advanced building materials, besides investing in the IT sector and educational institutions.
'Tata assured me they would train 200 students from engineering colleges in Assam annually in different fields, besides campus recruitments from our colleges and universities for his group of companies,' said Gogoi. IL&FS and the Assam government has decided to have a joint partnership in developing Guwahati, road construction works, solid waste and sewerage management, IT and power generation.
Videocon Industries Chairman Dhoot, on the other hand, has expressed willingness to set up a cement plant, invest in the power sector, and textiles. 'We have assured all the companies that the state shall provide support like allocating land and help process papers without any bureaucratic red tape to execute the projects immediately,' Gogoi said. The chief minister's office would personally monitor implementation of the projects. 'I shall personally look into all things to ensure that the companies do not have any problems in their ventures,' Gogoi said. 'I have assured all the company heads that we shall provide all security and other help without fail.'
Still un-addressing root cause of northeast By: Oken Jeet Sandham Kangla on line
Many seminars have been organized on the northeast insurgency, ethnicity and territories. The venues of such seminars have been in the northeastern

States of India bordering Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Bhutan and also to Delhi and even foreign countries. Organizers of such seminars include the American Consulate, the Indian Home Ministry and various national and international agencies.

Earlier, we mostly focused on the insurgency problems and how to crush the insurgency. Multi-pronged strategies under the Unified Command Structures were applied in many northeastern States to crack down the militancy, while providing simultaneous developmental packages especially in rural areas to win over the hearts of the common men. But the situation has changed in Nagaland and also most of the Naga inhabited areas of Manipur after New Delhi’s ceasefires with both the NSCN factions.

On the other hand, the tactics of the underground outfits in Manipur and Assam have changed dramatically. They have moved from the jungles to the urban areas and even set up their mobile networking bases with highly sophisticated communication facilities. Many of them have developed excellent rapport with the civil societies including student organizations and woman groups. In Manipur, some organizations like KYKL, RPF have seriously involved in social reforms to become closer with publics.

In the meantime, the UNLF had thrown the “plebiscite bomb.” The organization challenged Indian authorities to prove it is world’s largest democracy by conducting a “plebiscite” in Manipur under UN Supervision after withdrawing their forces. The leader of the outfit, RK Sanayaima, said he would abide by the outcome and that will decide the fate of Manipur. Whether one likes it or not, the issue has been openly and intensely discussed among the public over months without even interference from the State Government. Interestingly, the majority of the public are reportedly in favor of a “Plebiscite” to resolve their issue.

The fast transitional phase had really made things so complicated as people seemed to be easily carried away by these organizations. It also worried the authorities in the State as well as the Center and the Indian Army had to adopt various strategies to suppress the waves of surge. The covert truce pacts the Indian Army had entered into with most of the hill-based Kuki militant organizations in Manipur could be one of the main reasons to prevent the waves of surge of the valley-based militant groups in the State as by doing so they (Indian Army) would be able to mobilize their forces to target only the valley-based militant cadres entrenching in various parts of the State.

Interestingly, State Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh denied that such truce arrangements, which came into effect from August 1, 2005, were done with his knowledge. In other words, the State Government, in most of the cases, was completely kept in the dark for many months of the Indian Army’s covert truce deals with the hill-based militant organizations. But the question is how sane such covert trice deals are when the State Chief Minister---who himself as Chairman of the Unified Command Structure, comprising of Army, State Forces, CRPF and Assam Rifles---is kept in the dark.

Therefore, in most of the seminars, the speakers, who are mostly from universities, media houses, NGOs, hardly addressed the root cause of the issue. They gradually drifted into confusion. By inviting professors from foreign universities to speak on our issues of the northeast or for that matter, some professors from some Indian Universities will not help find solution either.

They might have prepared their papers well but one mere illiterate MLA can change the whole course with his five-minute histrionics with the villagers. Most of their papers are not “actually relevant” to the northeastern insurgency.

Frans on 09.30.06 @ 10:17 PM CST [link]


Friday, September 29th

Complicated legacy for Nagas Confusion reigns among youth on issue of sovereignty kuknalim.com (The Telegraph)


Complicated legacy for Nagas Confusion reigns among youth on issue of sovereignty kuknalim.com (The Telegraph)

KOHIMA, Sept 28:: “I don’t see how things will be different if Nagaland manages to get sovereignty,” says P. Tulumatsung Longkumer as he busily fills up a form on the Internet at a computer centre in Mokokchung district. A graduate from St Anthony’s College, Shillong, Longkumer is more interested in his next career move.

A few yards from the computer centre, at a grocery-cum-telephone booth, Kareena Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai look seductively out of two posters. “Kareena is my favourite,” beams the teenaged shopkeeper. Interestingly, there is no sign of posters of any Naga icons.

“We are happy with India but sovereignty is still a must for Nagaland,” says the youth. When asked what he will gain from sovereignty, he only smiles.

As the NSCN (I-M) leaders continue to pitch for sovereignty, the ground reality in Nagaland barely reflects the fiery patriotism of a “nation” seeking self-determination.

“The tribes of Nagaland are unique and to preserve this uniqueness we need sovereignty,” says Temjemkaba, Ao Senden president, in between sips of beer at the Assam Rifles base in Mokokchung. For the younger generation, however, which has absorbed the concept of global citizenship as much as the inherited demand for “sovereignty”, the question of identity seems overshadowed by the more immediate concerns of livelihood.
Even as they voice their desire to form a separate nation, villagers have to depend on the “Indian” security forces for basic amenities like roads and drinking water.
“People are tired of extortion and violence. Though the general atmosphere is congenial towards us because of our military civic projects, they are afraid to say so out of fear for the underground groups,” claimed Maj. Gen. S.S. Kumar, IG, Assam Rifles.
Documents seized by the armed forces during various operations reveal the extent of extortion.

An “information” sheet signed by the “deputy general accountant officer” of the Government of the Republic of Nagalim — a parallel government run by the NSCN (I-M) — announces that “employee tax will be 24 per cent of the total emolument of a month’s salary of the employee”.

An equally detailed “tax” form, signed by “Lt Col Meyu, Naga Army” and addressed to village heads, specifies the exact amount each household needs to pay.
“Ration tax per household shall be Rs 120, non-negotiable,” says the information sheet.

“All mission workers, widows/widowers, handicaps whose financial/economy are stable shall not be exempted,” the document adds. The common man can only bear this “tax” in silence.
Caught in the crossfire between ideology and ground reality, of the army and the NSCN, of peace and uncertainty, “sovereignty” seems too complicated a concept to chew on. (The Telegraph)
NSF hails Rio decision on syllabus Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 28:: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has welcomed the decision of the Neiphiu Rio government to allow the Naga students from the four hill districts of Manipur to take their exams under the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE)...

However, the federation said last evening’s cabinet decision was not enough and that all private schools of Senapati, Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Chandel should be affiliated to the Nagaland board.

The NSF general secretary, K. Elu Ndang, said the government’s decision was half-baked.

The cabinet last evening decided to allow some 4,000 students from the four hill districts to take their High School Leaving Certificate (HSLC) under the NBSE from Nagaland.

The cabinet said the decision was taken on account of the “extraordinary situation” and on humanitarian grounds.

The government has instructed the education department to direct the Nagaland board to make all the necessary arrangements.

The decision came into effect as a follow-up to a meeting of the officers of the school education department and other organisations.

The move is seen as a welcome gesture. (The Telegraph)
Church calls on warring Naga factions The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 29 (MExN): Hundreds responded to the Church’s call for healing and reconciliation to be fostered among warring Naga groups, as prayers for peace were today offered at the Covenant Hall in Dimapur. The Nagaland Baptist Church Council’s road map to ushering in peace was also made known through a booklet which seeks to generate consciousness and conversation on the Naga struggle among different sections of society.
Addressing socio-political problems as products and by-products of sin, NBCC General Secretary Zhabu Terhüja announced that the Church has taken the initiative in bringing about citizen-participation in the process of reconciliation. The wounds have to be identified for an understanding to be reached at, he said. “We are not saying forgive and forget; we are saying forgive and remember it well,” he told congregants. In the national struggle, houses have been divided among tribal lines, he said. “We are not saying this (the Church’s proposal) is the only way,” the Reverend expounded.
It was also highlighted that the Church has no political agenda. It is only seeking to break the ice between factions who do not see eye to eye. What the Minster wishes to accomplish is the acceptance of ‘each other’ even if factions do not come under a common umbrella.
Upholding its commitment to reconciliation, the Naga Hoho by way of its President, Bendangmayang Jamir, said political differences have to be resolved in a realistic perspective. He urged leaders not to divide Nagas and said the aspiration for integration has to be strengthened. The Hoho called for an end to division, bitterness and armed confrontation. “Naga people, as a nation, should have the courage to speak the truth,” Bendangmayang said. To remain in silence would mean encouraging a lie, he pressed. He told national workers to shun using Christ’s name “if they continue violence.”
Appreciating the initiative of the NBCC, a representative from the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization said the peace project had taken some time in the coming but asserted, ‘It is time for us Christians to stand up.’
Father Abraham Lotha of the Catholic Church outlined that instead of bloodshed and division, “our differences should help us build respect for one another.” He quoted Paul Boese: “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”
Making an ‘intrusion’ into the proceedings, Nagaland’s Additional Chief Secretary and Commissioner, TN Mannen, made the suggestion that whenever indications of an armed conflict arise, the Church could lead the public in preventing clashes from occurring. A ‘peace tree’ was planted today and saplings were distributed to branches of the Church. The stemming of the plants is to determine the activeness of the Church’s units in different areas. NBCC executives later said this time’s reconciliation gesture would hold more ground as modalities have been entered in their booklet. The Peace Committee of the Council is looking forward to an appointment with NSCN (K) leaders at Mon on October 5. NBCC proposes Kilonser-level roundtable talks
Final reminder on quit notice: NSCN (K) The Morung Express
DIMAPUR SEPT 29 (MExN): The NSCN (K) has issued a final reminder to all Tangkhuls whom they termed as ‘criminals and perpetrators’ to leave Nagaland without much commotion as they felt that peace loving Nagas need to realize their dreams. “In consonance with the resolution adopted by the Council of Kilonser, GPRN following the formal implementation of ‘Quit notice’ served to Tangkhuls, the NSCN (K) has henceforth termed its rival as Isak-Khodao (I-K) rather than Isak-Muivah (I-M) for all purposes as stated earlier” stated Secretary, MIP/GPRN who further added ‘Tangkhuls have renewed their killing campaign zealously as evident from the recent killing of an innocent child & injuring a pregnant woman as well as at Zunheboto on September 29, 2006.
The NSCN (K) has also informed all concerned, particularly the media, to adopt these political arrangements and to act accordingly as they felt the Tangkhuls have no connection with the Nagas in the Naga freedom movement.
No shying away from Quit Notice – FGN The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 29 (MExN): The Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) while admitting that serving quit notices to “one another and a particular community” is “very undesirable”, stated that “so also thrashing the age old values of our ancestors is more unfortunate”.
“In a civilized society serving ‘Quit Notice’ to one another and a particular community is very undesirable and unfortunate. So also thrashing the age old values of our ancestors is more unfortunate” stated L Pishen, Deputy Secretary, FGN while asserting that Nagas will no longer suffer like ‘silent lambs’. Yet in the Naga society, the FGN stated, the Tangkhul community has in the guise of Naga nationalism shown least care for this values which is the essence of the Nagas’ identity among the world community.
Asserting that they have spread divisive doctrines to survive by victimizing others, the release asserted that this would not be tolerated. “Under such circumstances how can human endurance bear the onslaught of satanic dominance and rule. It is more precious to defend the sacred freedom of one self than to shy away from serving a ‘quit notice’” the FGN asked and asked the community to understand that Nagas are freedom-loving people “who do not rely on them for survival”.
“Nagas will no longer suffer like silent lambs in their hands shying away from quit notice to
13 points to form basis of discussion Morung Express News Dimapur | September 29
The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has come out with a definite framework to facilitate a ground for the factions and for this purpose, has mooted a series of round-table talks, at the level of Kilonsers in a place to be proposed by the Church. While presuming that all the factions will not be able to agree with one another so easily at first, nevertheless the NBCC pointed out that the first step required was to accept one another for a start. The NBCC is hopeful that once this series of round-table talks begin, topmost leaders of all groups would be able to sit down together later. The proposal of the NBCC is contained in a booklet titled ‘Proposal for healing and reconciliation of the Naga people’, which was released as part of the ‘Healing and Reconciliation movement’ beginning today.
The NBCC pointed out that if the various factions assented to this framework, then it would do its best to follow it up. “The NBCC is not obliged to participate as a party to the political discussion, but is willing to facilitate the ground for the factions to come. At best, if so desired by others, it can also offer pastoral services”, the booklet mentions. As part of the round-table talks, the NBCC also proposes that representatives from each group set aside some days for prayer and Bible study, and listening to stories of other national reconciliations. The different groups must also agree that there would be no more killing among them.
If at all the above mentioned round-table talks begin, the NBCC also proposes to help national workers “walking through the history of Naga political movement”. This will require several sittings where sharing of hurt and grievances, confession and forgiveness shall take place, according to the NBCC while proposing that 13 specific points will form the basis of discussion.

It may be mentioned that the 13 points highlighted by the NBCC in the booklet includes ‘The launching of the Naga struggle for nationhood’; ‘The co-operation option’, ‘Creation of the State of Nagaland’; ‘The first ceasefire with India in 1964’; ‘The revolutionary government and its withdrawal’; ‘The Shillong Accord’; ‘Naga National Council (opposed to Shillong Accord)’; ‘The formation of NSCN by Isak Swu, SS Khaplang and Thuingaleng Muivah’; ‘The spilt of NSCN into the Isak-Muivah (IM) and Khaplang (K) factions’; ‘The ceasefire of 1997 and the new rounds of talks between NSCN (IM) and Government of India and the consultations in Bangkok and Nagaland’;
‘The ceasefire between NSCN (K) and Government of India signed in 2001’; ‘The issue of integration’; ‘The inability to stop the continuing killing of Nagas by Nagas and the oppressive legacy of lawlessness’. “It is anticipated that these 13 points would lead to further areas of contention and healing”, the booklet states.
The NBCC also stated that Nagas urgently required the restoration of trust and relationship while pointing out that restoration required confession however painful it may be. “The divine way of restoration involves admission of guilt and responsibility. It makes no attempt to blame others. Until this happens, healing does not take place”, the NBCC booklet states.
The booklet released today also encourages people to use this paper as a platform to hear what people say and also freely express what they know is true and right. The NBCC also points out that since the Church has taken the initiative, the tribal leaders work out the reconciliation process. All the different national groups are to also give adequate hearing to the voice and conscience of the public. “The Church shall intensify its prayer effort”..
A Naga International Support Center , NISC, www.nagalim.nl

A human rights organization
Press Release
Amsterdam, 28 September 2006

Standards of the Naga National Council and the K-Group questioned on sincerity

Comedians with guns are dangerous goons because they are not guided by conscience

The Naga International Support Center is shamelessly called by the Khaplang Group ‘the Neo International Satanic Organization’. That of course is a witty acronym and good fun when plaster is needed on a wound that needs to be healed. Granted, comedians have a way with words but they are all meant to sharpen the senses, to make aware and to show what is disruptive and insincere. To call someone a prostitute could similarly be meant to show how blatantly corruptive and money minded some people or organizations are. Granted again, but NISC is not amused but surprised. NISC is also taken aback, not because of criticism on its policies but on the below the belt standards of both what the K-Group and the NNC are showing.

The allegations by both organizations are not witty, they are demeaning because what they are accusing of is gutter language and it lowers the standards of themselves. For other than creating havoc against their own people, the Nagas, what have these remnants of the NNC and the K-group to show for?

After the Shillong Accord did they fight against aggressor India ? The answer is absolutely no!

After Khaplang split off from the NSCN, did he and his men continue fighting the Indians on behalf of all Nagas to create a free Homeland for all? The answer is absolutely no. So, who are they to quit on any Naga tribe? What do they do for the Naga Nation in the making? Nothing but negative and disruptive acts that serve the interests of the adversaries

If the Khaplang group is really sincere and the NNC along with them, then NISC dares both organizations to come out and swear off the support they receive from India . To be true and sincere to the Nagas is to show that they are the true representatives. Who else can be the true representatives but those who fight to be free?

Consequently, those who exist because of the support of India are comedians who try to confuse the Nagas, but are really only tools of the Indian secret agencies.


So, in order to reconcile on the basis of sincerity NISC calls


- on the common sense of leaders of both organizations based on the plebiscite of 1951, the desire of all Nagas to be free.

- on being true representatives of the people instead of persisting in acting like comedians with guns,

- on reconciliation based on truth for the Naga stand, the issue is no longer with either organization they have to abandon it.


Until and unless they abandon their support from India , the adversary of the Nagas, they remain the enemies of the Nagas.
For The Love Of Language - Karnataka's Language Policy And Indian Integration September 27, 2006 Shantanu Dutta Desicritics.org
There has been a lot of news coverage for the decision by the government of Karnataka to shut English medium schools in the state if they do not switch to Kannada at the primary school level when schools reopen after the Dusshera holidays - if they follow the state board syllabus that is. The policy was notified in 1994 but was largely dormant till now, and at last count the revived policy had affected at least 2000 schools. The press might be taking a larger note of events in Bangalore, because in the IT hubs of the country, if a tree is cut or a man sneezes, someone will write a blog on it, and someone will send a TV camera over to cover the event.
But even as the country tries to integrate at one level - "One India", etc., and even attempts to integrate it's economy with the global economy, fissures keep appearing at another level. The Karnataka and Kannada issue is by no means the only divisive issue active in India today. For months now, the schools in the four Naga dominated districts of Manipur - Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong are being pressured into adopting the textbooks and syllabi of the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education and eventually to affiliate with the Nagaland Board. This obviously is the precursor to the districts being eventually asked to be part of the greater Nagaland that is being demanded.
One of the dangers of the "One India" or the "One World" phenomena is the great insecurity that it creates in minority people groups as cultures and languages get swallowed up and there is a struggle for minorities to keep their identities alive. There is a report from Peru's Summer Institute of Linguistics that 30 of the 100 basic languages in Peru have disappeared in the last few decades and another 12 or so are about to disappear. As monolithic cultures take shape and global languages like English increasingly take over the language stage, the smaller and less spoken languages will gradually disappear or fall into disuse.
Different entities are reacting to the need to preserve their identity in different ways. Countries like Australia have recently decided that even within the English speaking world, they need to preserve their own Australian culture and norms and have recently decided that to become a citizen of Australia, it will no longer be enough to just be a speaker of English - one will need to know according to the Prime Minister, John Howard "a good deal more about Australia and about Australian customs and the Australian way of life."
It is important in a diverse country like India to preserve the delicate balance of culture and prevent hegemonies from developing. Many of our people, our tribes are small, dwindling groups with fragile, shaky languages, cultures and identities. They are struggling to keep afloat as a people. It is so easy for them to be swamped completely and obliterated out of the anthropological map. The Kannadigas are large enough in number to be able to speak for themselves and fight for the preservation of their culture. But the lesson we should perhaps learn from these linguistic movements like the one in Karnataka( and now ULFA again in Assam) is the need to always to strive to maintain the complex balance between avoiding chauvinism and preservation of threatened identities. Shantanu Dutta is a doctor by training and a development professional by vocation. He is an onlooker on events happening in India and the world in the realm of society, politics and the many intangible events that populate our lives.
Night supers with Meitei Mayek script smashed at Senapati The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 28: Wind shields of at least two Imphal bound inter-state passenger buses coming from Guwahati were broken in stoning early today by two miscreants at a spot between Senapati and Karong in Senapati district, allegedly for defying the ANSAM warning against number plates with Meitei Mayek (Manipuri) script.

After smashing the windshields, the youths who came in an auto-rickshaw from Senapati side also warned the drivers that their vehicles would be set ablaze if they came with Meitei Mayek script on their number plates in the Naga areas in future, according to eyewitness accounts.

Reports said that the two night supers bearing registration nos. MN01-1551 and MN01-1524 belonging to Royal tours and Travel plying in collaboration with Deeps Travel were proceeding from Guwahati to Imphal with passengers this morning. The miscreants stopped the buses between Senapati and Karong and smashed their wind shields with stones.

The front and rear windshields of the two vehicles were broken in the incident. The two miscreants, eyewitness accounts added, showed one Imphal based English edition newspaper of September 25 carrying an news item regarding ban of Meitei Mayek script in Naga areas to the drivers and left the spot after threatening to burn down the vehicles if they came with the banned script, a report said.

It may be mentioned that ANSAM volunteers have been detaining vehicles having the script on their number plates and elsewhere and erasing the script and warning the owners/drivers not to come in the Naga areas with the script. The association also claimed that they have confiscated cassettes/CDs of both video and audio in Meitei language since September 17.
Delhi’s Hogwash The Morung Express Editorial
Not for nothing, the ULFA and now the People’s Consultative Group—nominated to hold direct talks with the Government of India—are feeling betrayed by Delhi’s insensitivity. Slighted, the ULFA has now stepped up its tirade by even going to the extend of accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of launching a “false propaganda” against the ULFA and blamed his government of adopting double standards on the issue of talks. The line of criticism is that New Delhi had shown “false interest in talks with ULFA” and then managed to hold polls in Assam and then again staged a drama by suspending operations against the outfit to ensure peaceful celebration of Independence Day. And now when it has gotten what it wants, the Government of India has pulled the carpet from underneath and virtually dislodging the peace process and thereby the hopes of the people of Assam. What is also disturbing in this entire development is that the old ploy of creating differences within people’s resistance movement continues to remain a ‘hidden’ agenda.
On the face of it, this latest debacle clearly goes to show that the Indian establishment does not genuinely care to establish permanent peace but rather to keep a conflict situation under ceasefire for its advantage. This only discredits the civilian government in Delhi in the eyes of people in the region. One of the major problems seems to be that the elected government at the Centre appears to be ill advised by military generals and home ministry hawks that see the problem merely through the narrow prism of their security paradigm. The manner in which the ULFA problem has been handled over the last few months simply gives the impression that it is the military establishment and not the civilian government which has been given the power to veto. Such a development is extremely unfortunate. For the ULFA nominated People’s Consultative Group in particular, the recent development will be no doubt discouraging and they have every reason to feel insulted by Delhi’s retracting from its commitment made over the last three rounds of talks to find a political solution to the conflict.
While there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the suspension of military operations reciprocated by ULFA was indeed a golden opportunity to push forward for direct peace talks, at the end it is the Tarun Gogoi led Congress government in Assam failing to act as a genuine facilitator for peace and also the elected government in Delhi not taking control of the peace initiative and thereby virtually giving the military establishment the power to decide. In this sense, it is the democratically elected government at the Centre and in Assam which has failed the people’s genuine desire for peace. On hindsight, it was also a wrong policy shift for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to completely pull itself out of the negotiations and to allow the Union home ministry to take over the Assam peace process. In future, the Home Ministry should be allowed in only after all the ground modalities have been worked out under the PMO as there is greater chance of peace initiatives surviving under this process.
Aspiration of the unrepresented communities of ManipurBy R Yangsorang
Sangai Express
As a result of which, there was an improvement in the road network in the valley, and all the district headquarters started shining with modest infrastructures, leaving the ethnic minorities as cheerful people so long as they had enough to eat and drink, but without basic amenities. The idea was wrong. No village or town can be developed without Governmental support. When hundreds of crores of rupees were pumped into the state’s developmental programmes, the unrepresen-ted lots also wanted to get their villages developed. Coming to the very point of ethnic aspiration and to uncover what it will look like really is rage. They are feeling the kind of rage which is a mixture of anger and hopelessness when they are unable to enjoy all those privileges and facilities the select few are getting.
It cannot be an irresponsible statement that speaks of hatred. Their aspiration also includes big brother’s role of the political personalities and their self-less service which will earn their respect and love. They want the kind of leadership for the progress and growth of all communities of the state of Manipur, and hence a leader of even national standing. As a matter of fact, there are some from bigger communities who are not without the feeling of great sympathy and great admiration for the minorities for their courage and hard-work for sustenance of livelihood. These people are reasonably sympathetic for the problem and suffering of other people, but unfortunately, they are not the policy framers of the state, and they are less influential.
During the last 33 years of its attainment of statehood, it underwent experiences which would have all but shattered a state with less inner strength, being unable to register progress in many areas. In the political sphere, the traumatic experience at the birth of a new state within Indian union was that of explosion of the state which led to communal carnage of unprecedented proportions resulting in hundred deaths and rendering thousands homeless in 1993. The hasty creation of autonomous hill district councils in 1973 without adequate preparation and provisions of safeguards of the minorities led to greater mistrust between the hills and the plain, and on the one hand between the minorities and bigger tribes. And not less than four brief communal clashes but eventful clash-es occurred successively to blacken the history of the state. When it had been riven by old feuds and one scam after the other always, the future of the state was sombre. In the mayhem, the unrepresented tribal minorities were always the victims finding it hard to survive with no hope of their future.
To show certain degree of solidarity with the underprivileged of the state, separate fund can be allocated in the state’s bud-get for the development of their dialect, folk-Iores and folk-songs; for their health-care; for construction of village roads; for supply of safe-drinking water; for construction of village youth club’s building; for construction of community hall and playground; for adult literacy; for setting up of village museum; for external excursion; for village information centre; for rearing of cattle, poultry and piggery; for improvement of handloom products; and for development of their culture and customs. This is all because of the fact that the Tribal Sub-Plan’s developmental schemes have failed to cover them effectively is well known. Against all the odds, the state of Manipur must march ahead and make progress, gaining ground for the prosperity of all communities.

Centre should carry forward peace process By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 28 – Renewed political initiative on the part of the Government of India is the need of the hour to carry forward the stalled peace process to bring the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiation table, observed noted political scientist and former Vice Chancellor of the Gauhati University, Dr Debo Prasad Barooah. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, Dr Barooah expressed the opinion that the problem is not beyond solution and the Government of India must launch fresh political initiative and implement the decisions taken in the third round of meeting with the People’s Consultative Group (PCG), which was chaired by the Union Home Minister. He pointed out that the Army and the bureaucrats should implement the decisions taken by the political leadership and they should not act on their own. He admitted that the PCG, which yesterday announced its decision to withdraw from the peace process, might have reasons to feel frustrated because of the failure of the Government to implement the decisions taken in the last round of meeting on June 22, but at the same time, he expressed the view that the PCG should continue in the interest of carrying forward the process.

Dr Barooah pointed out that over the years, the Government of India lacked political will in dealing with the political issues raised by the militant groups and those problems were viewed as a law and order problem. But after long years, the Government came to realize the need for political dialogue to solve the problems and bowing to public pressure, the ULFA also formed the PCG to hold initial parleys with the Government. The formation of the PCG proved the willingness of the ULFA to come for talks and though the group was formed in September, the Government delayed the process of talks. However, as per news reports, three rounds of talks between the Government and the PCG were held in a very cordial atmosphere and in the first round itself, the Prime Minister made it clear that the Government of India was ready to discuss all issues. However, he asserted that the decisions taken in the third round of talks should be implemented by the Government without further delay to carry forward the stalled process.

Referring the decision of the Government to resume the operations, which were suspended on August 13, Dr Barooah said that there was no need for launching a fresh operation as it only complicated matters. He also expressed the view that there is no harm is releasing the jailed central committee members of the ULFA as demanded by the outfit in the interest of carrying forward the peace process.

Dr Barooah expressed the opinion that there should not be any harm in discussing sovereignty as demanded by the ULFA. If the Government is strong in its arguments, it should not feel jittery in discussing the issue of sovereignty, he pointed out. He also warned the Government not to play the divide and rule policy of the British rulers. He pointed out that such an attempt in 1991 failed miserably and a section of the surrendered militants created social trouble in the state. Some SULFA men were also reportedly involved in secret killings, he pointed out.

However, despite the present situation, Dr Barooah is still optimistic and said, “ no problem is insoluble. There may be hurdles in the way and those hurdles are to be removed for the political solution of the problems.”

Frans on 09.29.06 @ 10:51 PM CST [link]


Thursday, September 28th

Press Release Comedians with guns are dangerous goons because they are not guided by conscience Standards of the Naga National Council and the K-Group questioned on sincerity


A Naga International Support Center, NISC, www.nagalim.nl
A human rights organization

Press Release

Amsterdam, 28 September 2006

Standards of the Naga National Council and the K-Group questioned on sincerity

Comedians with guns are dangerous goons because they are not guided by conscience

The Naga International Support Center is shamelessly called by the Khaplang Group ‘the Neo International Satanic Organization’. That of course is a witty acronym and good fun when plaster is needed on a wound that needs to be healed. Granted, comedians have a way with words but they are all meant to sharpen the senses, to make aware and to show what is disruptive and insincere. To call someone a prostitute could similarly be meant to show how blatantly corruptive and money minded some people or organizations are. Granted again, but NISC is not amused but surprised. NISC is also taken aback, not because of criticism on its policies but on the below the belt standards of both what the K-Group and the NNC are showing.
The allegations by both organizations are not witty, they are demeaning because what they are accusing of is gutter language and it lowers the standards of themselves. For other than creating havoc against their own people, the Nagas, what have these remnants of the NNC and the K-group to show for?
After the Shillong Accord did they fight against aggressor India? The answer is absolutely no!
After Khaplang split off from the NSCN, did he and his men continue fighting the Indians on behalf of all Nagas to create a free Homeland for all? The answer is absolutely no. So, who are they to quit on any Naga tribe? What do they do for the Naga Nation in the making? Nothing but negative and disruptive acts that serve the interests of the adversaries
If the Khaplang group is really sincere and the NNC along with them, then NISC dares both organizations to come out and swear off the support they receive from India. To be true and sincere to the Nagas is to show that they are the true representatives. Who else can be the true representatives but those who fight to be free?
Consequently, those who exist because of the support of India are comedians who try to confuse the Nagas, but are really only tools of the Indian secret agencies.

So, in order to reconcile on the basis of sincerity NISC calls

- on the common sense of leaders of both organizations based on the plebiscite of 1951, the desire of all Nagas to be free.
- on being true representatives of the people instead of persisting in acting like comedians with guns,
- on reconciliation based on truth for the Naga stand, the issue is no longer with either organization they have to abandon it.

Until and unless they abandon their support from India, the adversary of the Nagas, they remain the enemies of the Nagas.

For more information visit our website www.nagalim.nl or get in touch through nisc@nagalim.nl">nisc@nagalim.nl

Frans on 09.28.06 @ 03:46 PM CST [link]



Public meeting at Ukhrul on Oct 3 over quit notice John K Kaping Kangla on line


Public meeting at Ukhrul on Oct 3 over quit notice John K Kaping Kangla on line

Ukhrul, Sep 27: Responding with seriousness to the "quit notice" served to the Tangkhul community in Nagaland by the NSCN(K),NNC/FGN the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), an umbrella body of the Tangkhul community, is going to hold a public discussion meeting to be held at Ukhrul Town Hall on October 3.

A source from the TNL however did not disclose any further agenda or programme besides the public discussion.The announcement of the public discussion meeting by the TNL remains the "talk of the town" and as the public eagerly views the situation, high public turn-out from across Ukhrul district is likely at the meeting.

Meanwhile, The Tangkhul Baptist Churhes Association(TBCA) along with its council of executives ventured out as a peace team to Nagaland for talks with the leading social organizations from September 22 to 25 over the notice issued to Tangkhuls by NSCN(K) and quit notice issued at Pfutsero area by NNC/FGN on September 27.

The team simultaneously met the leaders including the presidents, Naga HoHo, APO, secretaries of the NBCC and CNBC and the representatives of the Naga Students` Federation (NSF), the XChristian Education Secretary(TBCA) Raingam Vashum informed throgh a press communique.
NCP Nagaland unit supports peace process The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 27 (MExN): The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) held its 3rd National Convention at the Ranger’s College Ground, Dehradun, Uttaranchal State on September 17 and passed the resolutions on organizational matters, economic and political situations of the country. It was informed that a delegation of the Nagaland State NCP led by its President Y Sulanthung H Lotha tabled the issue of the current Indo-Naga Peace Process at the convention.
“The Nagaland State NCP is happy to announce that the convention had adopted a resolution to fully extend its support to the ongoing Indo-Naga Peace Process and to pursue a proactive approach to the process both at the centre and the state.
The state unit is also happy to state that this is the first time that the Indo-Naga Peace Process has received such unanimous support from the National Party in its National Convention,” a release stated.
It also stated that the convention has taken serious note of the natural calamities that are taking a heavy toll on the economic situations of the farmers.
“As agriculture is the main stay of Indian Economy and Society, it was resolved to sustain the farmers by supporting them with loans at the minimum rate of interest on farmer-friendly terms. It has also resolved to support them through various self-help groups and NGOs,” a release stated.
It stated that the NCP is committed towards a transparent and people oriented system of governance. The RTI Act in India has the full backing of the NCP in its attempt to ensure good governance. The NCP, Nagaland State would also like to take this opportunity to urge the state government to involve in all political parties on issue of common concern specially the Naga issue which is sensitive and dear to the hearts of ever y Nagas. It further appealed to all Naga national workers to stop fratricide killings and work for strengthening peace, harmony and brotherhood among members of Naga family.
Wangtin had acknowledged Muivah as ‘Moses’-NSCN-IM The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 27 (MExN): Tatar Ngami Konyak of the Konyak region, NSCN-IM, has criticized Kilonser Wangtin Konyak stating that if the latter wishes to speak or write something on the Naga political history, senior national leaders be consulted. Tatar Konyak maintained that Wangtin himself had acknowledged NSCN-IM General Secretary Th Muivah as “you are the Naga Moses who will lead into the Promised Land Nagalim for Naga sovereignty”.
“If he wishes to speak or write something about Naga political history he needs to seek advise and guidance from senior national leaders; it was in January 2005 he was the General Secretary of the Konyak tribe who led the Konyak delegates to meet the Collective Leadership at Council HQ, Hebron, where he told Th Muivah, General Secretary NSCN that ‘you are the only capable leader for the Naga people; you are the Naga Moses who will lead into the promised land ‘Nagalim’ for Naga sovereignty” stated the Tatar in a release.
The Tatar also stated that Kilonser Wangtin joined the NSCN-K after just five months of his meeting the Collective Leadership at council headquarters, Hebron and had now started condemning the leadership and Naga NGOs who have been working for the Naga people “which is not only self-betrayal but bring shame upon the entire Konyak people.”
Further, Wangtin on joining the NSCN-K after a ceasefire between the “Assam rifles and the Khaplang group”, started uttering “beyond his capacities and knowledge” and that the history of the Naga movement is a “new chapter” to him, stated the Tatar.
TNL convenes meet to discuss quit notices Source: The Sangai Express / Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, September 27: In the backdrop of the "Quit Notice" served on the Tangkhul community at Nagaland State by the NSCN (K) on August last and subsquent another "Quit Notice" at Pfutsero on 27 September 2006 by the NNC/FGN, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), the apex body of the Tangkhul community has called for solidarity and unity and urged all to attend a meeting to be held on October 3 at Town Hall, Ukhrul.

Sources from the TNL said that cooperation with fullest understanding of the critical phase of Naga history at this juncture is profoundly required from one and all.

Meanwhile, the Tangkhul Baptist Church Association (TBCA) Executive council team led by Raingam Vashum, Christian education secretary, a Church Minister team representing the collective voice and desire of all the Nagas, visited Kohima and Dimapur from Sept 22-25 and met many leaders, including Naga Hoho president, NBCC general secretary, CNBC general secretary, president APO and NSF.

The team revealed the desire and aspiration of the Tangkhuls to develop and grow together as a free people despite the adversaries constantly trying to keep the Nagas a divided people riven with dissension.

This amounts to playing into the hands of the Government agencies which want to stop Nagas from freely developing their common political, social and economic future, they said.
NSCN (IM) rejoinder to Wangtin- Nagaland Post
Mr. Wangtin Konyak who joined the Khaplang group af-ter a ceasefire between the Assam Rifles and the Khaplang group by some of his big bosses started uttering beyond his capacities and knowledge.
The history of the Nagas’ struggle movement for sovereignty is new chapter to a person like Mr. Wangtin Konyak who has only joined the Khaplang faction recently.
If he (Wangtin) wishes to speak or write something about Naga political history, he needs to seek advice and guidance from senior National leaders.
It was in Jan. 2005 when he was the Gen. Secretary of the Konyak tribes, led the Konyak delegates to meet the Collective Leadership at Council Head-quarters, Hebron where he told Th. Muivah Gen. Secy, NSCN that "You are the only capable leader for the Naga people. You are the Naga Moses who will lead into the Promised Land "NAGALIM" for Naga Sovereignty".
Mr. Wangtin Konyak joined the Khaplang group after five months of his meeting the Collective Leadership at Council Head-quarters, Hebron and started condemning the Collective Leadership and those Naga NGOs who have been working selflessly for the Naga people which is not only self betrayed but bring shame upon the entire Konyak people.
Ngami Konyak, Tatar, On behalf of Konyak Region, GPRN, NSCN (IM).
Remembering to heal The Morung Express Editorial
In life, we suffer the loss of loved ones but none could be more painful when one loses them to unnatural circumstances. Many innocent Naga lives have been cheated off their youth and from their aspirations to becoming fully conscious of their potential to generate life giving realities. It is perhaps the painful experiences of having a loved one killed, violated, missing, threatened or humiliated that gives the most anger and may often seem unforgivable because faith and confidence one destroyed are not easy to rebuild. These are circumstances most experienced in situations of armed conflict.
The pain and hurt emerging out of these experiences creates two forms of dilemmas: the dilemma of truth and the truth about dilemma. Recognizing that there is in every story a view and the other point of view it is of utmost importance to acknowledge the various views in a balance manner that would make transcendence possible. In the final analysis the key towards transformation lies in our ability and will to address issues of hurt, injustice and humiliation.
During these moments of dilemma, we are faced with our own internal-self as the enemy within. The reasoning side of us wants justice, while ‘feeling’ cause emotions of rage, anger, hate, fear, shame, humiliation and insecurity. If not appropriately addressed, the ‘reason’ is co-opted by ‘feeling’ and there is an instinct to equate revenge with justice because there is an assumption that revenge will vindicate and relieve the anger, fear, shame and humiliation. Revenge could provide feelings of relief, vindication and pride but it does not last, since through the act of revenge the victim becomes the offender and more negative energy is created. However, it only leads to internalized shame and guilt with internal contradictions abound.
The process of acknowledgement and being heard are therefore critical steps in opening up space to move forward. Indeed, the act of remembering represents a symbol of recognition and is empowering. A symbolic act of remembrance may help each of us to feel like we can all do something and to live out the visions by striving and embracing the ideals of our common humanity. By remembering we have a choice to see it as an invitation that is nudging us towards healing to make spiritual, emotional and societal transformation possible.
It is in the desire to open our hearts and renew ourselves that we commit to lead a life of involvement and participation to reclaim dignity; embrace those feeling disempowered, and to support those whose loved ones are gone from our physical earth. This involves empowering and caring for those who have survived traumatic situations and by doing so it leads to a deepening faith, renewed vision and practical ways to nurture the processes that bring God’s healing, hope, justice and peace to individuals, communities and nations as a whole.
If the Nagas are to be a dignified Nation of nations it is essential that we Remember to Heal.
NPO wants Kuki houses evicted from Turibari area The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Sep 27: The Turibari issue is going to kick up more ruckus with the Naga People`s Organisation (NPO) cautioning the state government to resolve the issue at the earliest or else bear responsibility for any eventuality. Turibari area located just above the Kangpokpi town hill-lock along the IT Road under Senapati district is on the boil at the moment.

The NPO today urged the state government that the latter resolve the matter urgently or else the former would take up its own course of action. The NPO further urged the government to evict all the houses/huts erected and built by the Kukis in the area saying that the rightful ownership of the area is the Naga community. The NPO while issuing this statement to Newmai News Network today said that the Kuki National Front (KNF-P) had forcibly asked the Kuki public to construct their houses in the Turibari area and about 30 houses had been erected so far.

The NPO president M Dili said that on Monday about 30 cadres of the KNF(P) in full combat uniforms were seen loitering in the Turibari area which had sent a wrong signal to others thereby causing a fear psychosis among the Naga residents in that area.

The NPO claimed that the Nagas are the rightful owners of the Turibari area but several years ago the Nagas had donated the land to the Nepalis. It said that in 1974 the government had set up a cattle breeding farm but since the Kukis have started constructing houses in the area at present, the state government should take up action by evicting the erected houses or return the land to the Nagas. The NPO urged the state government to evict all the houses erected in the Turibari areas immediately or else the state government should be held responsible for any eventuality.
Mention may be made that CrPC 144 had been clamped in the area few days ago as a pre-emptive measure by the district administration.
‘Naga mircha’ to heat up global taste buds Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, SEPT 27(NPN): The famous Naga Raja Mircha, known as the hottest chilli in the world is all set to hit the international market under the popular brand name ITC (Indian Tobacco Corporation). A team of officials from the ITC arrived here in the state today as part of an exercise to identify the farmers of Nagaland and create awareness through a daylong workshop on prospects and marketing aspects of 'Naga Mircha' held in collaboration with the state Horticulture Department and People Networking Trust (PNT) at Hotel Japfu.
ITC is willing to sign a tripartite MoU alongwith Nagaland government and farmers to buy dried Naga Mircha if the state and the farmers can fulfill the requirement of the company, both in terms of quality and quantity, said Ninad Bosle, vice president of ITC Export Division.
To begin with, ITC has identified Naga Raja Mircha because the hottest chilli can be exported to Korea and Japan, countries that prefer hot chillies, he said.
Besides, ITC is also interested in herbal plants found in the state such as ginger, turmeric, bamboo and pine apple, he added.
The Naga Raja Mircha, considered as the hottest chilli in the world today, with 11.66 SHU as tested by CFTRI, has beaten the earlier known hottest chilli in the world -Mexican Chilli. "There is no commercial production of Naga Mircha as of today in Nagaland but, to start with, 100 Metric Ton (MT) can do if the state can provide," Bosle said. ITC first came to the state during the last Agri-Expo and the firm had identified the potential of Naga Raja Mircha. However, lack of research and necessary data such as actual production of the chilli, seemed to be hitches in ITC's quest. "Once we start, we'll put up our own agronomist to conduct research on Naga Mircha", Bosle assured.
Sanjiv Bisnt from the Spice Division of ITC in his presentation on cultivation/post harvest on chillies in India pointed out that Nagaland with very low chemical usage has high chances of converting to organic farming. The ITC officials enlightened farmers from the three districts of Mon, Peren and Kohima attending the daylong seminar with power point presentations and screening of documentary films on the activities and achievements of the ITC Company.
Earlier, Thangi Mannen, Commissioner and Secretary Horticulture, Nagaland, gave a brief power point presentation on the prospects of Naga Mircha. In her presentation, she said that the objective of the project was to improve resources, quality of life and economic opportunity for the farmer of the state.
ITC was established in 1910 as a tobacco company and gradually became a top tobacco company. While retaining the original brand name, the company slowly made inroads into different markets such as spices, agriculture, hotels, printing and packaging, fashions and greeting cards.
PCG pulls out of ULFA peace talks Nagaland Post
GUWAHATI, SEPT 27 (UNI): The Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) today pulled out of the peace process, blaming the Centre for derailing the entire exercise to bring ULFA to the negotiating table. The ULFA- nominated PCG members collectively came forward, saying though PCG would keep contact with the common people ''it would no longer be a part of the peace process.''
Addressing a joint press conference, PCG member Arup Borbora alleged that the Centre had shown complete disregard towards the entire peace process.
Another PCG member Lachit Bordoloi said the Centre could have carried forward the peace process easily, if the five top jailed ULFA leaders, whose presence is needed for the crucial central executive to take the final decision for peace talk by the ULFA, were released.
The Centre toughened its stand insisting on a letter from the ULFA before the release, which the militant organization did not give and the Government too did not relent. ''People of Asom will never forget the insult. The Centre has once again proved that it does not value the aspirations of the ordinary people,'' said Mr. Lachit Bordoloi. The nine -member PCG has of late been sidelined as the Centre was talking directly to Mr Rebatoi Phukan and Mrs Mamoni Roysom Goswami.
The PCG was formulated last year to gauge the mood of the people by ULFA and to create the ambience for a talk in consultation with the common people. The PCG had three rounds of meeting of which the Prime Minister chaired the first one. The third round of talks on July 22 gave the maximum hope with both the Centre and the PCG agreeing for starting the direct talk with ULFA and the release of the jailed ULFA leaders. But after that ULFA and Government toughened its stand with PCG getting sandwiched between them. ''We have almost succeeded. The Governor Lt. Gen. Ajay Sinha is scuttling the peace process'' alleged PCG member Haidar Hussain. With the PCG out, the hope of peace in Asom has also reduced substantially with no group is likely to come forward to do another round of diplomacy to end the violence once and for all.
Annual report - Army in North East The Sangai Express
During the year, continued efforts were made To modernise and upgrade weapons and weapon systems of the Army to prepare it to Address the requirements of modern day warfare and enhance its combat capability.The year saw a number of natural calamities in quick succession and it was once again the valiant soldiers who provided relief and rescued precious lives. The role of the Indian Army in international affairs continued with increasing participation in UN
Peacekeeping missions in areas of intense conflict. In order to perform the varied tasks of national defence, aid to civil authorities, relief and rescue operations and that of UN Missions, a constant process of restructuring, equipping and training the force is also underway.
Modernisation of Army
During the year, continued efforts were made to modernise and upgrade weapons and weapon systems of the Army to prepare it to address the requirements of modern day warfare and enhance its combat capability.
North-East :
The overall situation in the North-Eastern States has been improving steadily. A majority of the Under Ground Groups in this region have been marginalized and sustained operations by the Security Forces have forced a number of other groups to seek Ceasefire/Suspension of Operations.
This has resulted in various peace initiatives of the Government moving in the positive direction. Another significant development has been the emboldening of the masses, which is evident from the people publicly expressing their desire for peace, during public meetings/gatherings.
Assam :
As a result of the sustained operational pressure maintained by the Army, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) signed a ‘Suspension of Operations’ Agreement on June 1, 2005. This event, alongwith the successful conduct of elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council, has ushered an era of peace and development in the Bodo dominated areas.
Criticism of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) by some of its front organisations is indicative of a very strong desire for peace amongst the population of Assam. ULFA has also formulated a “Peace Consultative Group” to negotiate which the Government of India on its behalf. The Security Forces, have effectively contributed in controlling the ethnic tension/clashes in Karbi Anglong.
Nagaland :
In Nagaland, relative peaceful situation exists. The Army and the Assam Rifles have managed the environment and conducted themselves in very patient, firm and mature manner to ensure that the ‘Peace Process’ gradually moves forward.
The most heartening manifestation of the ceasefire has been the visible enthusiasm amongst the Nagas to openly express their desire for peace.
Manipur :
Sustained operations have been conducted in the three Southern districts of Manipur. The insurgents have suffered heavy attrition and huge quantity of arms and ammunition have been recovered from these areas.
The blocking of National Highway (NH)-39 by agitating Naga Student Unions of Manipur was, to some extent, offset by opening National Highway (NH)-53, as an alternate route to Imphal. Operations were conducted on a war footing on National Highway (NH)-53 and the highway was opened for traffic.
Operations were also conducted astride National Highway (NH)-150 in South Manipur, and the highway was opened for civil traffic after a gap of 16 years. The Security Forces have succeeded in weaning away from insurgency, a total of nine Kuki and Zomi Insurgent Groups, who subsequently agreed for an informal ‘Suspension of Operations’ Agreement with the Army.
Tripura :
Due to sustained operational pressure of the Security Forces on the terrorists, 55 cadres of National Liberation Front of Tripura (Bishwamohan) [NLFT (B)] and 19 cadres of All Tripura Tigers Force (ATTF) surrendered in 2005. More NLFT (B) cadres are likely to surrender, which is indicative of discontentment and frustration among the ranks of the outfit. The overall situation in the State is peaceful.
Mizoram :
The state continued to remain peaceful. A total of 195 cadres of Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) surrendered on July 25, 2005 pursuant to signing of ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with the Group.
Operation Sadbhavana in North East :
With a view to assuage any feeling of alienation which might crop up amongst the local inhabitants as a consequence of Army’s counter insurgency operations, the Operation Sadbhavana have been extended to the North-Eastern region.
Under this programme, small scale developmental and community projects have been undertaken by the Armed Forces for the benefit of the civilians in areas where the civil administration finds difficulty in implementing development programmes. For the year 2005-06, a sum of Rs 7 crore has been earmarked for this programme. (The article was made available by PIB (Defence Wing)
NDFB blames Govt for violating truce By A Staff Reporter Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 27 – The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB), which is currently on a ceasefire agreement with the Centre, has warned that it could be ‘compelled’ to have second thoughts if the police continue harassing its men. ‘Captain’ D Bigraisa of the outfit’s ‘central command’ said in a press release today that the government is ‘time and again’ violating the agreed ceasefire ground rules and making baseless accusations in contrast to the agreed rule of seeking donation, which the NDFB is supposed to be allowed to do, from the people ‘in times of need’.

The NDFB leader said the Assam Police has ‘meticulously mispresented’ this as extortion from the people and trying to dub it illegal. “The NDFB has so far not got itself involved in any kind of so-called extortion as claimed by the police,” he asserted.

Bigraisa alleged that the Udalguri police station, under the direction of the Udalguri SP, is looking for some NDFB cadres for alleged extortion and the police even picked up the father of one of the cadres on September 22 and he was detained in the lockup for the night before being released.

He said the police, with the intention of tarnishing the NDFB’s image, have instigated the local bus association to call a strike from September 24 to 26 affecting bus services and creating problems for the people. Bigraisa said the NDFB has nothing to do with recent cases and innocent victims are being held in fabricated cases. The NDFB has been closely watching all these ‘nefarious activities’ of the police administration and would like to warn them to desist from such activities, he said.

Bigraisa said the NDFB entered into the ceasefire agreement with the Centre in 2005 in order to settle the question of self-determination rights of the Boro people. “During the entire period, the NDFB has been trying to keep the spirit of ceasefire with the sole intention of maintaining the conducive atmosphere so as to lead it up to the successful solution to the long-standing Boroland imbroglio through peaceful talk with the government,” he said.
Centre, Arunachal differ on private power projects Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 27 – Differences have surfaced between the Centre and the Arunachal Pradesh Government on hydel projects in the State, with Chief Minister Gegong Apang disagreeing with Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde over the role of private companies in developing power projects.

Expressing reservation over the involvement of private players in hydroelectric projects in the State, Power Minister Shinde said, “we have alerted the State”.

The Centre had advised the State that private promoters could only distribute the power locally. The State would need the power to be transmitted to other States, for which the Central PSUs were better equipped, Shinde said during a joint press conference with Apang to announce MoUs for setting up nine projects totalling 15,000 MW by the Central PSUs. Asked if he would still prefer private promoters, Apang said: “Private developers are giving us up to 19 per cent free power (from the hydro projects). We have also requested the Centre to increase the share of free power from 12 per cent.”

Apang said he has also requested the Centre to provide transmission facilities to evacuate electricity from all the projects in the State – be those in public or private sectors. Shinde also reminded Apang about the detailed project reports made by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation for two projects, which were given to private companies including Reliance Energy in February this year, saying that whoever used these reports would have to pay for these.

“There has to be transparency,” Shinde asserted.

The State Government had in February given five projects with a total capacity of 4,800 MW to Reliance, Jaiprakash Associates and D S Construction. However, NHPC had contended that the State Government had earlier allotted two of these projects to the company and it had already spent about Rs. 80 crore for preparing detailed project reports. Apang, however, dismissed this contention, saying there was no agreement with NHPC for those two projects. – PTI

Frans on 09.28.06 @ 03:39 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, September 27th

Factional guns boom in Nagaland The Imphal Free Press


Factional guns boom in Nagaland The Imphal Free Press

Kohima, Sep 25: Reports of fierce gun battles taking place between NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) in Nagaland`s Zunheboto district have been received with contradictory claims from both the factions. According to NSCN(IM) MIP deputy kilonser Kraibo Chawang, one NSCN(IM) cadre succumbed to excessive bleeding after having had got injured in the leg. But the NSCN (K) claimed to have killed six cadres of the rival NSCN (IM) faction, four in an ambush and another two during clashes in various parts of Zunheboto district. NSCN(IM)`s Kraibo Chawang however informed Newmai News Network tonight that details of the cashes could not be obtained but they were awaiting concrete information regarding today`s clashes.

On the other hand, the NSCN(K)`s supervisor of the Cease Fire Supervisory Board, Kughalu Mulatonu, in a statement stated that the two factions clashed thrice at Iphonumi, three kilometers away from the NSCN(IM)`s designated camp in which three of the rival cadres were killed and a binocular and six rucksacks captured. The second clash occurred at Akuhaito village, some 30 km from Zunheboto district HQ at around 2 pm today. While there were no casualties on the side of the NSCN (K), four NSCN (IM) cadres were killed in an ambush, the statement claimed.

The third clash took place at Khrmtomi at about the same time and high casualty is expected on the rival`s side, the statement added. Meanwhile, the statement also said the NSCN(K) is expecting high number of defections from the rival side after this month.

Oil exploration only with people's consent: NSCN(IM) Zee News
Kohima, Sept 27: Close on the heels of NSCN (K)'s objection to oil exploration by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in Nagaland, the NSCN (IM) today said that no company would be allowed to operate without the consent of the Nagas.
In a statement here, information and publicity wing of NSCN (IM) said, "without prior authorisation and approval by appropriate authority no one would be allowed to exploit and use national wealth and properties belonging to the Nagas."

It questioned whether ONGC had sought "authentic authorisation" before venturing into exploration activities and asserted that no company would be allowed to operate unless the Nagas were informed about the terms and conditions. Last week, NSCN (K) had objected when the state government and ONGC were in the process of giving a final shape to the agreements for recommencing operation for crude oil exploration by the company in Mon and Dimapur districts.

It demanded legal action by the centre against NSCN (IM), whom it blamed for withdrawal of ONGC operations in the state in 1994 and destruction of the company's properties.
ONGC, which had withdrawn its operation from Wokha in Nagaland following destruction of rigs and other properties, had struck a fresh agreement with the state last year for recommencing its operations in hydrocarbon fields.

Festive spirit catches on in Nagaland Sougata Mukhopadhyay CNN-IBN

TIME TO CELEBRATE: During the harvest time, nothing can stop Nagas from celebrating.
Mekokchung (Nagaland): The hills of Nagaland are some the remotest regions the state. They are also home to at least 16 major tribes, who are mostly Christians and speak dialects of Tibeto-Burmese language.
Till the other day, these warrior tribes were fighting amongst themselves for regional supremacy. Today, that infighting has given way to violent insurgency.
But despite the political instability, autumn is the harvest time and nothing can stop these Nagas from celebrating.
"During festival time, we wear traditional clothes and we dance," says a student. The village chief adds, "We dance to celebrate the harvest."
The ritualistic festival dance of the Ao tribe of northern Nagaland is performed in front of village chiefs in traditional tribal outfits.
A perfect blend of colour and energy, the festival seems to be the only antidote villagers are left with to counter ethnic violence.
Tradition has remained intact in these hills of the North East. And festivities are gaining ground in these places, where not so long ago ethnic warfare was the order of the day
The FGN and Transit Peace Camp- Nagaland Post
When the Shillong Ac-cord of 1975 was signed between the GOI and the representatives of Underground Organisations, some people moved into the Transit Peace Camp and settled there. Unfortunately, this was the main reason for the split in the NNC/FGN and the emergence of NSCN in 1980. During the past 26 years since partition, thousands and thousands of Nagas were killed by NSCN (IM) using Shillong Accord as the justification up to today. However, the NSCN (IM) never touches nor says a word against the Transit Peace Camp and the inmates. What do the Nagas think in this situation? The Transit, Peace Campers are living in luxury when true Naga National Workers are being killed on daily basis.
The NNC/FGN is free of the Shillong Accord and its Transit Peace Camp. We ever stand and work for Naga Sovereignty. But it is a shame that the Transit Peace Campers continue to claim the authority of NNC/FGN up to date which confuses the Nagas and cause further rift among NNC/FGN workers.
From time to time they give out statements in the name of different persons belonging to different regions. Let them openly declare which regions in Nagaland support the Shillong Accord and Transit Peace Camp. When those Campers are not representatives of their own regions how can they claim national responsibility? Nagas must know this clearly. The Campers also must stop their manipulations which had spanned 31 years since 1975 creating confusion among the Nagas.
They must understand that true Nagas can speak and also do more than what these people claim to have done and go beyond what they claim to have reached and achieved. From now on let them understand that if they again use the name of the NNCIFGN, they shall be doing so at their own-risk. Maj. Khamo Khiamniungan, 2/ic Operation Freedom. Federal Government of Nagaland.
RPF chief calls upon people to join the revolution The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 24: Extending its greetings to the people on the occasion of its 28th Raising Day which the outfit is celebrating on September 25, the underground Revolutionary Peoples Front has asserted that the revolution in Manipur is a justified struggle founded on a true revolutionary movement of the people. The revolution will be successful only when the people support the revolution wholeheartedly and take up the task of a revolutionary, RPF president Irengbam Chaoren said in his message to the people on the occasion.

The RPF leader also called upon the people of Manipur to work with the revolutionaries unitedly as one so as to defeat India and its forces and free Manipur from the yoke of colonial power.

While giving his sincere respect to the people and extending revolutionary salute to all the martyrs who led the revolution from the front and sacrificed their lives for the revolution, the RPF president asserted that the outfit stands for a true democracy of the people in an independent Manipur and establishment of an egalitarian society. Though independence, true democracy and an egalitarian society are interrelated, in revolutionary struggle the primary and most important task in front of us is the independence of Manipur from the Indian colonial yoke, Chaoren said in his message,

The RPF president observed that Manipur can become developed and peaceful country only when she becomes independent. As development and peace cannot be separated from independence of a country, the fruits of progress and development will not reach Manipur so long as she is not independent.

While accepting that the present stage of development in Manipur is incompatible with those of independent countries of the world, the RPF president blamed the Indian rule in Manipur behind this.

The RPF leader also observed that independence of Manipur is the first and foremost requirement for bringing development as an owner of its land and resources.

Touching on the recent bomb blast at Imphal ISKCON temple that left six people killed and several others injured, the RPF president said it was an act of terrorism.

Many people expressed suspicion that the ISKCON bomb blast could be handiwork of the revolutionaries. Instead of pointing the needle of suspicion on the terrorists and religious fanatics for such an act why people have suspected the revolutionaries is question that every revolutionary should ponder on, Chaoren said in the message.

Equating an act of terrorists with an act of the revolutionaries is an evidence of people loosing faith in the revolutionaries and this is why revolutionaries should find the reason why people are loosing faith, he added.

Revolutionaries must make every possible effort to rectify and correct the various wrong doings and mistakes in their functioning as no revolutionary movement can tread the correct path without rectification and correction. Revolutionaries must have the courage and principle to make rectification and correction of the wrong doings and mistakes in order to take the revolution in the correct path, he observed.

There is no reason on the part of the people to take any ideology or action targeting people deliberately as the work of the revolutionaries. To assume that such an act of terrorism will advance the revolution is inappropriate in the present age because people will not accept such an activity as revolutionary. They will stand against it. As such revolutionaries of Manipur should not shed their ideals of a true revolutionary and mix-up their work with terrorist activities so that people do not lose faith in the revolution.

While admitting that some actions of RPF and its armed wing PLA have caused death and grievous injuries to people, the RPF president however maintained that such actions were not targeted at the people deliberately but due to mistakes or carelessness of their cadres.

The RPF and other revolutionaries in the region have been admitting mistakes and apologizing to the people for the mistakes but in contrast the Indian Army never admits its mistakes in the name of fighting revolution. This indicates that Indian Army believe in act of terrorism and they use these acts in their war against revolutionaries, Chaoren said and urged people to understand policies of India government and the character of their army before embracing them.

At present, effort is being made by the Indian army through propaganda to create gap between the revolutionaries and the people. Using all the power and force at their disposal to destroy the important areas under the control of revolutionaries, they made an attempt to blame the revolutionaries for the lack of peaceful atmosphere, Chaoren said.

On the issues relating to revolution, instead of trying to understand what has caused the revolution in Manipur and who is responsible for it, they are trying to throw blame on the revolutionaries. Thereby they are making a deliberate attempt to cover up their wrongs, Chaoren said in the message..

Touching on the peace talk between the government of India and the NSCN(IM), the RPF president said the failure to bring up the issue of Naga sovereignty on the negotiating table by the NSCN in the nine years long talk is because of lack of right revolutionary condition in Nagaland or Nagalim. This clearly shows that any effort made by the revolutionaries to attain sovereignty by negotiating through dialogue with a much stronger ruler before the revolution gain maturity and the strength is doomed to be a failure.

Citing Dalai Lama`s failure to attract international attention to the issue of Tibet even as the spiritual leader made 312 visits to various places of the world for the cause of the people of that country, the RPF president asserts that this is exactly the reason why the outfit is fighting the Indian Army with all might and strength. This fight will expose the ugly face of the Indian government to the international community thereby making all their resources and efforts to keep Manipur under colonial rule fruitless. This will compel them to end colonial rule in Manipur on their own accord, Chaoren said in his message.

While observing that revolutionaries alone cannot defeat India, the RPF president said courage and strength of the people is very much necessary in the fight against the enemy. This is the most important factor to take this fight successfully towards the goal. Unfortunately, at present, the question in Manipur is about how much faith the people have in the revolutionary struggle, Chaoren said adding revolutionaries should make an effort to incorporate the needs and desires of the people in their policies and programme in order to address this question.

The RPF always believed firmly that the movement for independence of Manipur cannot move forward without an armed revolutionary struggle. This is the reason why till now the outfit has been fighting the Indian army and it supporters relentlessly. But revolutionaries in our neighborhood have gone in for talks and negotiations with India to bring about a settlement. We are convinced that such a step instead of taking struggle forward will undermine their revolutionary struggle in the long run, the RPF president said and cited the example of the failure of Mizo National Front in Mizoram to bring soveignty of the Mizos.

Squarely blaming Indian government of the present state of confusion and chaos in Manipur, the RPF president said it is a result of the various policies of the Indian government or because of their insidious insinuations.

The present government of Manipur is unable to do anything in this situation because they are only puppets of the Indian government and there is no reason for the people to take the government in Manipur as the true representatives, Chaoren said.

Manipur government has been merely performing the task of implementing the policies of India as the colonial regime has overarching powers in the governance, he said adding people cannot just remain complacent by having faith in the government in Manipur in matters of national and social importance.

People of Manipur must take interest in issues of national and social importance and take responsibility by participating in various activities of national and social importance, Chaoren said revolutinaries alone cannot deal with various issues of the society successfully without the support of the people.

As such people should participate with responsibility in the various issues starting from protecting the unity and integrity of Manipur to checking influx of foreigners, saving drug addicts, abolition of corruption and the cleansing of the filth in the society thereby giving strength and courage to the revolutionaries, he asserted.

The revolutionaries must also have faith in the power of the people and this must guide all their activities, Chaoren said. The RPF leader also give a firm assurance to the people that the outift will remain steadfast to the principles and ideals of the revolution and will not allow it to be misled by any force under any circumtances.

Centre plans to seal Indo-Bhutan border From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 26 – With the operations against ULFA gathering steam, the Centre has firmed up plans to seal the Indo-Bhutan border by intensifying vigilance along the 699 km international border to prevent movement of the militants. The Centre has some bad news for outlawed outfits like ULFA, NDFB and KLO, as it is increasing the strengths of SSB charged with guarding the Indo-Bhutan border from five battalions to 10 this year, and another two by next year. The total strength of the SSB battalion is slated to go up to 15.

Similarly, the number of the BOPs along the international borders is being increased from current 35 to 132. Briefing newsmen about the outcome of the secretary-level talks held on September 22-23 at Thimphu in Bhutan, Secretary, Border Management, BS Lalli said that the Royal Government has informed India that there were no ULFA camps in the Himalayan kingdom.

The Royal Government has assured that the Indian insurgents groups won’t be allowed to set up camps in the country. Replying to a question, the secretary said they were assured that no such militant camps existed in the country. The Royal Government had in December 2003 mounted a massive flush out operations against ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants. The Operation All Clear saw the Bhutanese Army demolish the camps operated by the militants. A number of the top militants were killed, while few others landed in the security net. As a quid pro quo, India assured Bhutan that it would not allow Bhutanese Nepali refugees to infiltrate into the Himalayan kingdom. An estimated one lakh Nepali refugees are presently taking shelter in refugee camps in Nepal, while another, 30,000 are in India.

India cautioned Bhutan that there were reports to indicate that there was restlessness among the people in the camps. Lalli said that the patrolling along the border is proposed to be intensified significantly and visibility of the forces was proposed to be increased. However, he ruled out the possibility of joint Indo-Bhutanese operations. He further added that there have been no signs of organised infiltration into Bhutan.

Officials said the proposal was to increase the strength of the SSB to 41 battalions from the 15 battalions. Currently the force has five battalions along the international border in West Bengal sector, three in Asom and two in reserve. SSB apart from guarding the Indo-Bhutan border, also provides escort to Bhutanese goods and passengers. Meanwhile, India has offered to train Bhutan police including variety of courses and training programme.

Paban kumar’s afspa, 1958 bags three awards at ismailia film festival Thingbaijam Dhamen

New Delhi, Sep 26: After having a successful world premiere of his latest 52-minute documentary film A Cry In The Dark at the 31st Toronto International Film Festival 2006 from September 7 to 16, film director Haobam Paban Kumar did not even get time to go back home as he was already on his way to Egypt for the 10th Ismailia International Film Festival 2006 held from September 15 to 22.

"This leading competitive festival for documentary and short films in the Arab world had 39 foreign countries and other Arabic countries competing for the awards", says Paban Kumar who landed here from Egypt on Sunday last.
To Paban Kumar’s surprise his 77-minute documentary film AFSPA, 1958 which was one of India’s two entries in the 10th Ismailia International Film Festival went on to bag three awards. Paban Kumar said, "Winning three awards was a record in the festival’s history.”

The film won the Jury Award in the long documentary category, Special Mention by the Egyptian Cinema Critics Association as an Outstanding Film and ACT (Appropriate Communication Techniques and Developments) Prize for the Best Film that deals with women problems, subjects, concerns and rights.

AFSPA, 1958 which candidly captures a series of realities in the aftermath of the killing of Manorama by Assam Rifles had already bagged two International Awards in the Mumbai International Film Festival of Documentaries, Short and Animation Films organized by the ministry of information and broadcasting, government of India this year and a National Award in the SIGNS 2006-the Festival of Documentaries and Short Films in Video organized by Federation of Film Societies of India, South West Region in Thiruvananthpurum recently.

The film AFSPA, 1958 directed by Paban Kumar is produced by BM Sunzu who himself is also an independent filmmaker. Saikhom Ratan is the cameraman and Sankha is the editor. The director said, "I never expected the awards as the festival had very good films. I had been very touched by the films from the Arab world and the courage of its filmmakers. I was very happy that the film has won not one but three awards."

At the Toronto International Film Festival, Paban Kumar’s latest film A Cry In The Dark had its world premiere. Here also Saikhom Ratan is the cameraman and Sankha is the editor. The film was screened in the Real to Reel Section of the festival. Out of five films selected from India for this prestigious festival, Paban Kumar’s film was the only documentary film from India entered in the festival and the first Manipuri film to have a world premiere outside India. In the festival, the film had three screenings -one for the press and film industry and two screenings for the public. Paban Kumar said, "I thought that nobody would turn up for the film as there was a big Hollywood presence at the festival. But to my surprise the hall was almost full in both the public screenings." There was question and answer session with the audience after every screening, which he said, was extremely exciting as nobody had heard about Manipur before.

Paban Kumar is now busy in the completion of his celluloid venture - a short film based on the story Ngahak Lambida (Along The Way) written by MK Binodini. Shenad Jalan is the cameraman, Prasun Sengupta is the sound recordist and Sankha is the editor. The Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute, Kolkata is the producer. Kangabam Tomba and Seema are in the cast.
APW to ULFA: Why silent on B’deshis? Paresh has lost mental balance: ULFA kin
“ULFA leaders are wild beasts, and as such they extort the Asomiyas and invest the funds so collected in Bangladesh. Had the ULFA really loved Asom and its people, it would have driven the Bangladeshis out from the State and bailed the Asomiyas out from the ongoing demographic invasion,” said ULFA kin. By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 26: The Assam Public Works (APW), an organization comprising family members of ULFA cadres, went hammer and tongs against United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah, and said that Baruah had lost his mental balance. “Had Paresh Baruah been mentally sound, he would not have demanded tax from Indians staying in the North-east,” APW director Abhijit Sarma said while talking to The Sentinel today.
Reacting to Paresh Baruah’s mother Miliki Baruah’s recent comment that the ULFA leaders are not ‘cocks and ducks’, and that they will come as soon as they are called by the Centre, Abhijit Sarma said: “In fact, ULFA leaders are wild beasts, and as such they extort the Asomiyas and invest the funds so collected in Bangladesh. Had the ULFA really loved Asom and its people, it would have driven the Bangladeshis out from the State and bailed the Asomiyas out from the ongoing demographic invasion.” He also appealed to writer Mamoni Raisom Goswami to engage herself in solving problems afflicting the State like floods and erosion rather than being the ‘spokesperson’ of the rebel group.
The APW also warned the Army of any atrocities on the common people in the name of operations against the rebel group. “We will start a democratic movement against the Army if they are found harassing common people in their operations against the rebel group,” Sarma said.
Meanwhile, the APW has started a signature campaign from today to assess the people’s opinion on ‘who actually does not want direct peace talks to begin — the Centre or the ULFA.’
The PCG and the PCPIA, on the other hand, were silent when the Centre had asked the ULFA to write a letter to the Government expressing its willingness for direct talks with the Centre for the five jailed ULFA leaders to be freed, but the two organizations raised a hue and cry when the Army started its operation against the rebel group. The PCPIA staged a sit-in demonstration in front of Dhighalipukhuri in the city today in protest against the Army operations in the State.
Meanwhile, the Army has intensified its operations in and around the Dibru-Saikhowa Reserve Forest but reports of any casualty was yet to ascertained.

Frans on 09.27.06 @ 03:48 PM CST [link]


Tuesday, September 26th

Distortion of ‘right’ as ‘wrong’ nurtures fratricide- NSCN-K The Morung Express Dimapur


Distortion of ‘right’ as ‘wrong’ nurtures fratricide- NSCN-K The Morung Express Dimapur, September 26 (MExN):

The NSCN-K asserted that the sharp division in the Naga society today is due to the distortion of “wrong” as “right” and has encouraged anti-Naga elements and furthered the fratricide in the state of Nagaland.
According to Y Wangtin Naga, Deputy Kilonser of Kilo Affairs: “What was right thousand of years ago is right even today and it will remain so even after thousand years; thus any attempt to distort this right will lead to its own doom; today, pitiably, our Naga society is sharply divided between ‘right’ and ‘anti-right’. This sharp division in our society not only encourages anti-elements but also nurture further fratricide among the Nagas”. It stated that “anti-right (anti-peace)” groups always portrayed the wrong as ‘right’ with the help of “self-centered” NGO leaders.
“From the beginning, the NSCN believed on peace as it is a pre-requisite before any standard of political dialogue with the GOI. But anti-right or anti-peace group supported by mad Naga NGOs stressed on the solution without peace among the Nagas who openly declared ‘peace and unification is not a must for solution.’ This group continues to hunt the Naga leaders. However, it will not shake the foundation of Naga sovereignty movement; what the NSCN stressed before and now i.e., peace, will be the ultimate for the Nagas” the Deputy Kilonser asserted. The NSCN-K also asked the NSCN-IM’s Chairman Isak and General Secretary Th Muivah to study the reason why the Naga people “dislike or derecognize their leadership”. “The funny thing is these two men can not move out an inch to the Naga territory other than Dimapur but continue to claim themselves to be the representatives of the Nagas” stated the Kilonser adding that the two are like exiled people who have no link with the Nagas. “They should also know that there was the Naga political movement even before they were born and this movement will continue even after the death of the present leaders, until sovereignty is achieved. Therefore, in no case Nagas will be subjected to the nefarious designs of these selfish leaders” Kilonser Naga stated while asserting that “no peace means no political dialogue with any government”. Whatever may be the role of the anti-Naga elements in dividing the Nagas, the people will be one and there will be only one political institution. Sooner or later, peace is unavoidable and we must have it, he added.
NBCC appeals for repeal of ‘Quit Notice’Church calls for ‘open and honest’ dialogue The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 26 (MExN): Rousing from its silence, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has appealed to “different groups” to revoke the ‘Quit Notice’ issued to the Tangkhul community for reasons that the action is only a “self-destructive weapon”. The Church, terming the notice as “short sighted” and “unchristian”, also appealed to the community in question to introspect “to see what have made other people enraged” and on this, appropriately respond.
“The ‘Quit Notice’ issued by different groups among the Nagas from time to time is unchristian and a self-destructive weapon; however genuine the reasons are, yet the nature of the order is short-sighted and does not reckon the long term dangers and complication” the NBCC reminded through Rev Zhabu Terhuja, General Secretary of the council. Mention may be made here that the NSCN-K and more recently, the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN), had served quit notices to the aforementioned community, with the latter organization serving in Pfutsero.
The Church also reminded of the practicability of candid dialogue to sort out differences. “In a Christian society and a democratic culture, all differences and grievances can and must be sorted out by open and honest discussion where we are as ready to listen to the accusations of others as we are ready to accuse them” it stated as it cautioned on the long term dangers and complications that would arise from the action of serving ‘quit notices’.
The church also appealed to the community to introspect on the reasons ‘other people are enraged’. “In a time when there is a second appearance of quit notice, we implore upon our Tangkhul brothers to take a deep self-searching moment to see what have made other people enraged and appropriately respond. Quit Notices shall not bring the desired results for anybody. NBCC therefore, for the good of the whole Naga family in the name of the Lord Jesus, repeats its call for withdrawal of the notices”.
The FGN and Transit Peace Camp- Nagaland Post
When the Shillong Ac-cord of 1975 was signed between the GOI and the representatives of Underground Organisations, some people moved into the Transit Peace Camp and settled there. Unfortunately, this was the main reason for the split in the NNC/FGN and the emergence of NSCN in 1980.
During the past 26 years since partition, thousands and thousands of Nagas were killed by NSCN (IM) using Shillong Accord as the justification up to today. However, the NSCN (IM) never touches nor says a word against the Transit Peace Camp and the inmates. What do the Nagas think in this situation? The Transit, Peace Campers are living in luxury when true Naga National Workers are being killed on daily basis. The NNC/FGN is free of the Shillong Accord and its Transit Peace Camp. We ever stand and work for Naga Sovereignty. But it is a shame that the Transit Peace Campers continue to claim the authority of NNC/FGN up to date which confuses the Nagas and cause further rift among NNC/FGN workers.
From time to time they give out statements in the name of different persons belonging to different regions. Let them openly declare which regions in Nagaland support the Shillong Accord and Transit Peace Camp. When those Campers are not representatives of their own regions how can they claim national responsibility? Nagas must know this clearly. The Campers also must stop their manipulations which had spanned 31 years since 1975 creating confusion among the Nagas.
They must understand that true Nagas can speak and also do more than what these people claim to have done and go beyond what they claim to have reached and achieved. From now on let them understand that if they again use the name of the NNCIFGN, they shall be doing so at their own-risk.
Maj. Khamo Khiamniungan, 2/ic Operation Freedom. Federal Government of Nagaland.
NSCN-IM cautions on oil exploration Nagaland Post
Dimapur, Sept 26 (NPN): After the Government of Nagaland okayed oil exploration on commercial basis by the ONGC in the state, the NSCN (I-M) reiterated its earlier stand by cautioning against explorations from the soil of Nagaland "without prior authorization and approval by the appropriate authorities."
The directive issued by the NSCN (I-M) came a few days after the NSCN (K) issued a statement banning any proposed exploration of oil by the ONGC in Nagaland. Questioning the legality and appropriateness of the proposed exploration, the NSCN (I-M) in a press release issued by the MIP declared that no one would not be allowed to "exploit and use national wealth and properties belonging to the Nagas" without the prior approval and consent of the Nagas. The NSCN (I-M) release also questioned whether the 'company/companies' sought the "authentic authorization" from the proper and concerned legal authorities before "venturing into such an exploration".
It reasserted that no such undertaking would be allowed to take place unless the Nagas were informed about the terms and conditions including prior evaluation as to whether such activities will be for the benefit and welfare of the Nagas in general.
"Any such venture with corrupt practices and benefits for a few vested individuals (Indian state politicians) with the terms and conditions of contract in obscurity, behind closed doors, thus robbing the Nagas of our common property will be objected," the NSCN (I-M) cautioned. According to the NSCN (I-M), any authorization from the "appropriate authorities that legitimately represent the Nagas" would be issued and undertaking permitted "only after proper examination in not being cheated of our simplicity and ignorance and appropriate benefits availed impartially." The NSCN (I-M) has asked those multi-national companies willing to undertake such ventures on Naga soil to take "necessary legal permission" prior to engaging into any such venture.
Gogoi justifies govt’s action against ULFA Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 26 (Agencies): With the Government of India firm in thwarting ULFA's strategy to use the ceasefire for consolidating its cadre, Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has justified the Centre's decision not to further extend the ceasefire as the government could not wait indefinitely for the militant outfit's reply on starting direct peace talks.
Interacting with media persons here, after coming from the Congress Chief Minister's conclave at Nainital here, he said ''According to the information available with the state government, the ULFA was, in fact, utilizing the time for recruitment of fresh cadres and thousands of youths have been inducted.''
Gogoi was also critical of the centre for not involving the Asom government in the decision with regard to offer of olive branch to the banned outfit and the suspension of the cease fire.
''The Centre was rather giving more attention towards the ULFA-nominated Peoples' Consultative Group (PCG) for the dialogue,'' Mr Gogoi said. The Chief Minister noted that the number of innocent people killed since the stepping in of the PCG in the peace talks had gone up to 86. Responding to a question whether he supported the army action against the ULFA, he said he was neither supporting them nor opposed it since he was not being informed of anything.
In reply to another question, Mr Gogoi said if he came to know that the ULFA leadership has responded to the Centre, expressing their willingness to initiate peace talks, he said his government would, on its own, initiate the process for the release of those five ULFA ultras imprisoned in jails in the state. Meanwhile, expressing its displeasure over the Government's decision to end its six-week-old truce with the ULFA, the CPI (M) today asked the Centre to extend the ceasefire for achieving a lasting peace in the trouble-torn Assam.
The Left party also disagreed with the Government view that peace had not been established as the violence continued unabated. Meanwhile, the ULFA has accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of launching a "false propaganda" against the group and blamed the Centre of adopting double standards on the issue of talks. The central government by showing "false interest in talks with ULFA managed to hold polls in Assam and then again staged a drama by suspending operations against us to ensure peaceful celebration of Independence Day," ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement e-mailed to the local media here last night. The Prime Minister himself launched a false propaganda against the ULFA at the Congress Chief Minister's conclave when he said that a section of the ULFA wanted talks while another did not want it, he said. "The government was trying to create division among the ULFA members and put the blame of Army operations on the outfit," Rajkhowa said. The government first declared a unilateral suspension of operations for a period of ten days and extended it to ensure peaceful celebration of Independence but has now "again resumed its atrocities on the people of Assam."
‘ULFA not interested in talks’
Guwahati, Sept 26 (PTI): An organisation of ULFA's family members has said that over 60 per cent of the youth here opined that the proscribed outfit was not interested in peace talks with the Centre. Assam Public Works, which launched a two-month signature campaign from today across Assam, said that the youth were also of the view that the government was making efforts to hold parleys. APW director Abhijeet Sarma told PTI that during the campaign, there was a target to collect over 20 lakh signatures on the ULFA-government peace process
After analysing data, it would be seen if ULFA or the government was guilty, he said. On the reported statement of Miliki Barua, mother of ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, that "why should the ULFA agree for talks if they are called like ducks and hens," Sarma said, "The ULFA is certainly not foolish. It has instead become a fierce beast". As for imposition of tax by the outfit on Indians living in northeast region, he said there was no justification in asking the people to pay tax as they have to face a lot of problems like floods, poverty and unemployment.
Centre blamed for double standards By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 25 – The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) today reacted to the resumption of operations and alleged that the Government of India was maintaining double standard on the issue of talks. In a statement released to the media today, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said that even the Prime Minister of India was involved in launching a false propaganda against the ULFA. Rajkhowa said that the Government of India, by showing false interest in talks with the ULFA, managed to hold the elections in Asom and then again it staged a drama of suspension of operations to ensure celebration of the Independence Day peacefully. The ULFA chairman said that the Government of India first declared a unilateral suspension of operations for a period of ten days and now after ensuring celebration of the Independence Day it again launched atrocities on the people of Asom. The ULFA does not want a cease-fire but it wants an end to the conflict, he asserted.

The ULFA chairman said that on one hand, the Government of India announced that it was keen on talks, but on the other hand, it imposed pre-conditions for the ULFA. He said that the pre-conditions imposed by the Government of India are not acceptable to the ULFA and the people of Asom are now aware of the double standards of the Government. Of late, the Prime Minister of India himself launched a false propaganda against the ULFA when he said in the Congress Chief Ministers’ conclave that a section of the ULFA wanted talks and the other did not. The Government was trying to create division among the ULFA members and to put the blame of the Army operations on the ULFA, said Rajkhowa. Rajkhowa alleged that the Government of India was never interested in the well being of the people of Asom and the recent decision on setting up of hydropower projects is one such example as the Government did not consider the sufferings that the people of Asom would face due to the setting up of the projects. If the people of Asom oppose the setting up of the power projects, the Government of India would instigate the people of Arunachal Pradesh against the Assamese people, he alleged. Meanwhile, the people’s committee for peace initiatives in Assam (PCPIA) has decided to launch a movement against the decision of the Government of India to resume Army operations against the ULFA.

Chief Coordinator of the PCPIA, Dilip Patgiri said that members of the constituents of the committee would stage demonstration in public places in the state tomorrow in protest against the decision of the Government. He said that the decision to resume the operations would vitiate the atmosphere in the state and affect the peace process. He said that the Government should have taken advantage of the congenial atmosphere created in the state to hold direct talks with the ULFA. Patgiri, who is also a member of the people’s consultative group (PCG) , however, expressed the hope that the peace process would continue. He said that the issue of release of five jailed central committee members of the ULFA held up the peace process and the Government lost a golden opportunity to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table.

Army keeping lifelines of Manipur open From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
LEIMAKHONG, Sept 25 – Major General EK Kochekkan, General Officer Commanding of 57 Mountain Division based here, said that with the assistance of Army the two lifelines of Manipur – NH 53 and NH 150 – have been developed after clearing the route from militants.
Eartlier, NH 53 was under the control of various underground groups operating in Manipur.
He added not only the rebel groups belonging to Kuki tribes are having ceasefire with the army, armed muslim communities have also signed a similar truce.
“Our effort is to bring the militant groups to have a dialogue with the government”, the Commander informed. The Kuki rebel groups which have understanding with the Army are Kuki National Assembly, Kuki National Front (Military Council), Kuki National Front (Zougam), Zomi Democratic Union, Zomi People’s Front, United Socialist Revolutionary Army under the common body Kuki National Organisation.

Similarly, Kuki Revolutionary Army, United Kuki Liberation Front, Kuki National Front (Samuel), Zomi Revolutionary Army, Kuki National Front (President), Kuki Liberation Army, Hmar People’s Convention (D) which formed its umbrella organization called United People’s Front also have an understanding with the Army.

The Major General ruled out a joint flushing out operation with its Myanmar counterpart along the international border. However, the army is sharing intelligence inputs on the movement of the insurgents operating in India’s North Eastern states as well as those pro-democracy activists of Myanmar following the induction of an army division in Manipur in April 2004. He also reiterated that India had submitted a list of 15 camps belonging to various militant outfits of North East to its Myanmarese counterpart in the recently concluded Home Secretary level talk at New Delhi.

Gogoi asks ULFA to come for talks From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 25 – A day after the Centre formally called off the suspension of operations against ULFA, Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi made a fervent appeal to the militant outfit to shun violence and extortion and come for talks. Giving his first reactions to the latest development, an unfazed Chief Minister made it clear though it may be a set back, it was not the end of the peace process. In the same breath, he made it clear that the Government of India wanted the letter from ULFA. “Let them give some sort of writing,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s message to ULFA: shun violence and come for settlement. Gogoi who has just returned from Nainital this morning, after taking part in the Congress Chief Minister’s conference, said that till date the Government has not received any positive signal. “I don’t think they are serious about talks as on today,” he said. The Chief Minister also questioned ULFA’s action of indulging in violence, extortion and recruitments. “I want to tell ULFA: you are not serving the interest of Asom by indulging in violence,” he said.

They have pushed the State to economic backwardness and if the situation had been allowed to continue, it would have led to more harsh days in the future, he said. “How can they justify killing of innocent civilians. What is the need for it in a democracy,” an upset Gogoi asked, addressing a press conference. After suspension of operation by the Centre, lot of people informed us about the rise in extortions. Insecurity in the State had increased. It is the duty of the Government to give full protection,” he said. The Chief Minister slammed the Outfit for indulging in rampant extortions. ULFA has no right to impose taxes, he said.

The Chief Minister had also cast a doubt on the capability of the Peoples Consultative Group (PCG), claiming that violence in the State increased after its constitution. Armed with figures, the Chief Minister pointed out that during the period of August 2005-2006, the number of killing of civilians increased to 84 from 64, and killing of security forces jumped from 05 to 60. On the other hand, killing of insurgents went down to 29 from 53, he said.

Interestingly, he was not prepared to burn his bridges with PCG, stating they still have a role to play in the peace process. “Our efforts would continue to bring them to the negotiations,” he said.
Lauding PCG’s initiative, he said their initiative was not futile and the peace process was a good beginning. “I am still optimistic and would continue to cooperate,” he assured. When asked about the demand for release of the five central committee members, Gogoi said that the moment the Outfit gave the letter, things would move forward.

Gogoi further said that he was not prepared to buy the argument that ULFA cannot take any major decision without the approval of the central committee members. “They have been taking important decisions. What about the decision to appoint PCG,” he argued. The Chief Minister hinted that he might consider a safe passage for the ULFA leaders to hold discussions with the jailed leaders in the State. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister today said that the people of the State were not going to excuse the government if it failed to deliver in the next five years.

Gogoi was referring to the discussions at the Chief Minister’s conclave. Asom, in fact was among the few Congress ruled State, which has slipped in implementation of all major development schemes including drinking water projects. This was reflected in the Prime Minister’s address at the Conclave. The Chief Minister admitted as much and said that not only drinking water, everything else were also in a bad shape. He claimed that he had himself brought out the drawbacks. He then went on to highlight his presentations at the Nainital Conference. He said maximum emphasis was going to be on building roads and bridges.

Insurgency in Asom : no solution in sight — R Dutta Choudhury Assam Tribune
The Government of India has initiated the process of political dialogues with different militant groups based in the North East region of the country starting from the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (I-M) but in the last few years, the progress of the talks has not been too satisfactory and there have been hitches on the way because of reasons like rigid stand from both sides and also because of the failure on the part of the Government to spell out in clear terms up to what extend the demands of the militant groups can be conceded to. In the last few years, the only success story in finding a political solution to the problems raised by the militant groups was with the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), which was once considered to be one of the most dreaded of the militant groups of Asom in terms of level of violence, but it was easier for the Government to deal with the BLT in the negotiation table as the outfit had never demanded secession from the country like most other outfits.

The talks with the NSCN (I-M) have been going on for more than a decade now without any solution in sight and the demand of the outfit for inclusion of the Naga inhabited areas in the proposed greater Nagalim is a major stumbling block as the Governments of the neighbouring states will never be able to accept such a demand and the Government of India will also never be able to impose the same on the other states. In fact, Manipur witnessed violent protests against the demand of the NSCN, while, the Government of Asom also spelled out in clear terms that not even an inch of the State’s land would be allowed to be included in greater Nagalim. In fact, the progress of the talks, that has been going on for years, has not been spelled out in clear terms by both the NSCN or the Government of India and the outfit has not declared publicly whether it has given up the demand for sovereign Nagalim. It is also a fact that signing of a pact with only the NSCN(I-M) will not solve the Naga political problem and though a cease-fire pact has also been signed by the Government with the NSCN(K), formal talks with the group I yet to begin and for a permanent and long lasting solution to the Naga political problem, a comprehensive solution involving both the groups is a must. Of course, signing of cease-fire pact with both the factions of the NSCN has brought down the level of violence in Nagaland o a great extent barring a few incidents of skirmishes between the members of both the factions of the NSCN.

Asom started facing the problem of insurgency since the formation of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Apil 7, 1979 an after more than 15 years of military operations against the outfit, it is now very clear that the problem cannot be solved through use of force. In fact, senior Army officials also admitted at various levels that a political solution to the problem is a must and the Army and other forces can only bring down the level of violence. Over the years, attempts were made to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table and in the early 1990s, a few senior leaders of the ULFA were taken to New Delhi for preliminary talks with the Central Government, following which the ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, who was arrested in Kolkata, was released so that he could go back to hold discussion with his colleagues on the issue of talks with the Government. Unfortunately, the move failed as Chetia never returned to India after his release from prison and the others, who were also taken to Delhi, were forced to surrender. In between the ULFA suffered serious set backs the most notable among which was the operation by the Bhutan Army to evict the camps of the outfit in the Himalayan kingdom. But all through the outfit maintained rigid stand on the issue of talks with the Government and it maintained that the talks must be held on the issue of sovereignty of Asom , in presence of representatives of the United Nations and in a “third country”

However, some positive signs started emerging from last year with the outfit starting to soften its stand on the issue of talks with the Government of India and with noted litterateur Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami taking the lead in this regard, there were high hopes of the ULFA coming to the negotiation table for a political solution o the problem. In September last year, the ULFA constituted the people’s consultative group (PCG) to hold initial parleys with the Government of India to pave the way for direct talks and the Government of India also showed its positive gesture as the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself attended the first meeting with the PCG and declared that the Government was ready to discuss all issues concerning the people of Asom. That was perhaps for the first time that the Prime Minister of India attended an initial meeting with a team of citizens formed by a militant group as it is a normal practice to start such talks only at the official level and only in the later part, the political leaders come into the picture. The Government of India and the PCG held two more rounds of talks and the last round was held on June 22 this year in presence of the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil. However, the process to bring the ULFA seems to be deadlocked with the demand of the outfit to release five of its jailed central committee leaders including the vice chairman Pradeep Gogoi, while, on the other hand, the Government is insisting on a formal written assurance from the outfit for the release of the prisoners. The ULFA is claiming that the release of the jailed leaders is necessary for the outfit to hold its central committee meeting to take vital decisions regarding talks with the Government. The outfit also asserted that it would be able to take further decisions on talks only after the release of the jailed leaders. But with a bitter experience of releasing Anup Chetia, the Government is in no mood to release the jailed militant leaders without receiving a written communication from the outfit and the entire peace process seems deadlocked on this issue. The PCG, on its part, wrote to the Prime Minister seeking his intervention to break the deadlock and now it remains to be seen whether the Government and the ULFA relent their rigid stand to carry forward the peace process.

Of course, the Government of India, in a positive gesture, suspended the Army operations against the ULFA with effect from the afternoon of August 13 in order to create a congenial atmosphere for talks, while, on the other hand, the ULFA also reciprocated positively and refrained from indulging in any kind of violence and for the first time in years, the Independence Day celebrations in the state passed off peacefully, which is a very positive sign.However, following reports of extortions by the militant group in different parts of the State and the killing of a tea estate manager and a police man, the Government of India withdrew the suspension of operations on September 24 after a period of 42 days, which once again threatens to derail the process.

The process of talks with the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) also seems to be deadlocked. More than a year has passed since the outfit signed a formal cease-fire pact with the Government of India, but the political talks are yet to start and both the Government and the NDFB are blaming each other for the unusual delay. In fact, the NDFB declared a unilateral cease-fire to express its desire to come for talks , which later led to the signing of the formal cease-fire agreement. The Government is claiming that the failure on the part of the NDFB to submit its charter of demands despite repeated requests delayed the whole process, while, on the other hand, the NDFB is claiming that it was possible to start preliminary talks without submission of he formal charter of demands. Of course, the NDFB general secretary Govinda Basumatary recently admitted that though the outfit prepared it charter of demands following consultations with various Bodo groups and organizations, it could not hold its central committee meeting to give final touches to it because of some communication problem among its leaders. The NDFB has been demanding liberation of Boroland and with the Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC) formed after the signing of the peace pact with the BLT only a couple of years back, the Government should make its stand clear as to what it can offer to the NDFB. Both the Government and the NDFB should also realize the fact that only signing of a cease-fire pact and extending its term will not help in solving the problem and sooner the political talks start is better for the state. One hopes that the NDFB will submit its charter of demands as soon as possible to set the ball rolling. The process of talks with the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) is also not progressing satisfactorily and both the outfits have time and again expressed their displeasure in this regard. The UPDS recently announced its decision to suspend the talks with the Government terming the talks with the Government officials as “useless exercise” and last year, bloody clashes between the armed members of the groups led to the death of more than a hundred persons in the hill district of Karbi Anglong. Both the UPDS and the DHD are demanding separate states for Karbi and Dimasa people respectively and the Government already ruled out the possibility of further bifurcation of Asom. Now the Central and the State Governments should sit together and formulate a policy for the solution of the problems and inform the groups in clear terms what they can be offered instead of lingering the process of talks as any further delay in settling the problems may lead to complications and the possibility of clashes like the one in Karbi Anglong last year cannot be ruled out.

Independence is the first priority : RPF chief –III By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 26 : Explaining RPF's stand and philosophy, Chaoren admitted that some actions of the RPF and the PLA have caused death and grievous injuries to the people. But there were no deliberate targeting of people, said the statement and added that such instances happened because of mistakes or carelessness.
For any such acts, RPF has been admitting and apologising to the people, said the statement and added that in contrast , the Indian army has not admitted or apologised for the various killings and atrocities perpetrated against people in the name of fighting the revolutionaries. This shows that they believe in terrorism, said the statement and added that people should be aware of the policies and agenda of the Indian Government.
At the moment, the Indian army has unleashed a propaganda to drive a wedge between the revolutionaries and the people, said the RPF leader. Using all their force the Indian army is spreading the canard that the revolutiona- ries are responsible for the lack of peace in the region, said the statement.
To forward this agenda, the Army Development Group has launched Operation Good Samaritan to hoodwink the people by taking up pretentious projects, claimed Chaoren.
Instead of trying to understand what has caused the revolution and who is responsible, India is trying to blame the revolutionaries, said the outfit and added that they are also trying to cover up their wrongs. Therefore people need to understand and not believe their conceit and pretensions to affect the relationship between the revolutionaries and the public.
The subjugation of Manipur and appointing themselves as the custodians is not only against the wishes of the people but is also obsolete and anachronistic.
The Indian rule in Manipur violates the Declaration of the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples adopted by the UN Assembly on December 14, 1960 and contradicts the submission for the abolition of colonialism in the world made by their own representative in the UN Assembly on November 10, 1991.
Thus India has been violating international norms by continuing their rule in Manipur, said the rebel leader and added that the pretensions of the Indian Government cannot last long.
One day or the other the true character of the Indian Government will emerge, said the statement and urged the people to be prepared for this in advance.
The present State Govt is unable to do anything in the situation because they are puppets of India and thus the people have no reason to regard it as their true representative, he added.

ULFA accuses PM of launching canard Sangai Express
Guwahati, Sep 26 : The ULFA has accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of launching a “false propaganda” against the group and blamed the Centre of adopting double standards on the issue of talks. The Central Government by showing “false interest in talks with ULFA managed to hold polls in Assam and then again staged a drama by suspending operations against us to ensure peaceful celebration of Independence Day,” ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement e-mailed to the local media here last night. The Prime Minister himself launched a false propaganda against the ULFA at the Congress Chief Minister’s conclave when he said that a section of the ULFA wanted talks while another did not want it, he said. “The Government was trying to create division among the ULFA members and put the blame of Army operations on the outfit,” Rajkhowa said. The Government first declared a unilateral suspension of operations for a period of ten days and extended it to ensure peaceful celebration of Independence but has now “again resumed its atrocities on the people of Assam.”
“The ULFA does not want cease-fire but wants an end to the conflict. On the one hand, the Centre announces cease-fire but on the other hand, imposes pre-conditions for the ULFA which are not acceptable and people of Assam have also realised the double standards of the Government,” he added. Meanwhile, sit-in protests were organised across the State today by the People’s Committee for Peace Initiative in Assam (PCPIA), which demanded a halt to the renewed army offensive against the ULFA, release of five jailed leaders and immediate direct talks with the Centre. Lachit Bordoloi, PCPIA leader and a member of the ULFA-nominated People’s Consultative Group, threatened a “public protest movement” would be launched if the army operations were not stopped and the peace process resumed. “After the Durga Puja, the PCPIA, a grouping of 27 organisations, will go for a continuous movement in support of the demands as all sections of people in Assam want the peace process to go forward,” Bordoloi told PTI.
“The Government has to pay heed to the people’s opinion for political negotiation to solve the ULFA issue. The Government can’t have a truce for just 10-15 days. Relying again on the army will destroy the peace process, Relying again on the army will destroy the peace process,” he said.
“That the army is not a solution in the north east has been proven time and again. The government has to find a political solution for lasting peace.”
On ULFA’s demand for sovereignty for Assam, he said, “Sovereignty is not a condition for the talks but a necessity to the discussion. During our meetings the Centre had agreed to it.”
About Centre’s insistence on a letter from ULFA on holding direct talks, Bordoloi said, “This demand for a letter was raised later. If the Centre wanted a guarantee or surety from ULFA then it should have raised it before the PCG instead of going to the media.
“We are still very optimistic about the peace talks as we understand the people’s backing for a political negotiation,” he added. —PTI

Winds of Change :Can New Delhi trust Burmese Juntas? Oken Jeet Sandham Kangla On Line
India and Burma have completely different political ideologies. The former is ruled by democracy while the latter by military. Since Indian attained her independence in 1947, there had been no major political crises except a State of Emergency declared during Indira Gandhi regime in 1975. The people of this country had sharply reacted against the act which in fact led her party to face unprecedented electoral debacle in the coming general election. On the other hand, Myanmar has been experiencing the military dictatorship that has earned dubious distinction for rejecting the democratically elected leaders to run the Government and for keeping the country`s democratic icon, Aung San Su Kyi, under house arrest till today. But the world communities were taken aback when India decided to work with the military regime.

The amount of suffer the people of northeast, however, have due to the cross-border militancy and drug trafficking is enormous. And it is so complicated that New Delhi simply cannot tackle without the assistance of her counterpart. The northeast states are sharing 1643 kilometer-long borders with military-ruled Myanmar and over 95 per cent of area is covered with dense forest and rivers, giving safe haven for those cross-border militants and drug smugglers.

Of late, there has been mounting pressure from New Delhi to the Burmese military ruler to crack down the northeast militant camps in its soil. For quite some time, New Delhi was unhappy the manner in which Yangon allowed northeast insurgents to use its soil to launch anti-India activities, while realizing that its isolation of Yangon also created huge diplomatic vacuum which was being filled by China. That has become a disadvantageous for New Delhi .

Over the years, New Delhi changed its policy towards Yangon and started investing millions of dollars for various developments like road construction and even for Kachin region. Reciprocating such gestures, Yangon cracked down northeast militants including NSCN (K). In the last 7 years or so, Myanmar juntas had launched intermittent operations against the northeast insurgents staying in their soil.

But how far the military regime can be trusted to be partners in their fight against these two most important issues---the cross-border militancy and drug trafficking. Because there are allegations that Myanmar army personnel have been involved in running the drug manufacturing and trading in connivance with the drug lords. According to papers presented by the international resource persons during an Asian Media Meet in Delhi , the Myanmar army has provided poppy seeds and loans to the farmers with the permission to grow them. The Military regime has even ordered militia to collect opium tax for battalion and also authorizing them as official drug buying agents.

There have also been reports that Myanmar army has nexus with the insurgents and even released cadres of the northeast militants after receiving a huge bribe.

In the backdrop of this, it is difficult to imagine how the armies of the two countries having sharp differences in the command, functioning and system will be able to jointly address the issues. Where is the logic that the Indian army can work with the cooperation with their counterpart who is creators of the problems? At the same time, we should not expect that Myanmar could do Bhutan way. The country is too big to dance in New Delhi `s tune.

New Delhi should rather work hard to develop a roadmap of democracy for Myanmar , no matter how long it takes. The world leaders have confidence that India can do a lot for restoring democracy in the military-ruled nation. Once the democracy is restored, the country will shine and bring major changes in the whole of Asia, while India `s major problem will also be solved.
NGO seeks opinion of 20 lakh Assamese on peace talks By ANI
Guwahati, Sept. 26 (ANI): Assam Public Work (APW), an NGO, launched a signature campaign here on Tuesday to restore the peace process in Assam. APW, which is known for its anti-United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) stance, plans to seek public opinion from across the State and ascertain whether it is the Government or the ULFA that is not ready to sit for the peace talks.
"We will try to collect 20 lakh signatures from the people of Assam. We will find out the views of the people. If we find out that the Government is not interested in the talks then we will fight against the Government but if people say ULFA is not interested in talks then people will fight against them. But, after two months we will give you the whole view," said Abhijeet Sharma, Director, Assam Public Works, NGO. Meanwhile, the People Committee for Peace Initiative of Assam (PCPIA), an umbrella body of 22 different organisations of the State, staged a demonstration, demanding immediate withdrawal of the Army operation against ULFA and release of five ULFA leaders as demanded by the outfit to pave way for the peace talks.
MASS, a human rights organisation in Assam, President and member of People's Consultative Group (PCG) Lachit Bordoloi said: "The Central Government is totally responsible for the collapse of peace process because, the Centre resolved few things during the discussions with PCG which it later broke". The Centre withdrew its ceasefire with ULFA on Sunday. (ANI)
Questioning ideology and vision,Recommending measures and calling for Unity By: NISC
The Naga International Support Center , NISC congratulates the K-Group who next to their more supreme and serious attitude has developed a sense of humor too. NISC is so much impressed with their way of words we would like to declare them the comedians of the Nagas. Their road show now moving at full speed finds audiences who cannot stop smiling and laughing. For a resistance Army which bases its stand on the wish of the people as their representatives is a novelty. Especially the K-group portrayed the NISC as the Neo International Satanic Centre (NISC), we felt confirmed in our perception that we were seeing a team of comedians of high caliber.

How could the K-Group develop such natural sense of expressive humor?

Lately the Tanghkul, the NSCN-IM and all seen as supporters of both the mentioned tribe and the only Naga organization have been attacked beyond belief. What dearly lacked this vindictive mudslinging and slandering is vision.

Should those who are active in mudslinging not have a vision for the future, the NISC, itself a target by the Khaplang group and the Naga National Council, NNC, asks?

NISC suggests that this vision should include the Naga principle as has been put to the people in 1951 by the plebiscite. No one doubts what the Nagas then decided and all essentially abide by that. Of course lots of things happened since then. However to uphold the right of the Nagas to self determination all who claim the power base, have to abide by the will of the Nagas. Anyone, any organization indulging in slandering and unsubstantiated mud slinging distances itself from the very people it claims to represent.

Nagaland is occupied by Indian Forces. From the onset of the conflict, it has been a conflict between India and Nagaland. Who stepped forward, not just to tell, but to take responsibility on what is in the best interest of the Nagas?

Rather than coming together as one the past has shown that Nagas are just like people. Some are prone to selfishness, others to a sense of power and some are susceptible to influences of those who have occupied them, either by force and thus creating fear or by funds so as to create an atmosphere of dependence. The longer the Nagas are occupied the more people are becoming susceptible to these outside forces. They feel it is impossible to attain what many people before them have sacrificed their lives for.

Why fighting amongst each other? Why stating who is Naga and who is not Naga? Why now? All leaders of all Naga armed organizations whether they are genuinely fighting for a Nagaland which people can determine their own future as was communicated to the British Simon Commission 1929, were once full fledged members of the NNC. All then underlined the plebiscite and since there is no other credible mandate from the people of Nagaland, all should adhere to the wish to be free. At the time of the NNC being the undisputed representative of the Naga peoples there was no dispute on whom Naga is and who is not. The dispute on the right to self determination only began when the NNC began to implement the Shillong Meet/Accord which on technical grounds it denies was an Accord, but was implemented through the disarmament and arrest of Naga soldiers and the foundation of Peace Camps, one still existing today. Many wounds have been left unaddressed and fester on. The people concerned, both responsible for defending an Accord which when taken seriously would have delivered the Nagas to India . After all, the Indian Constitution was adopted. This old pain, a pain which led to strong reactions culminating in ruthless murders, action reaction principle, attack and defense, led to the formation of the NSCN. Mr. Khaplang was part of the NSCN but 8 years after its formation, intervention by those with vested interests and aided by the Indian Armed Forces and/or Assam Rifles, rebelled against the very leadership he was part. Khaplang attacked the leadership of the NSCN now called IM – Isak Muivah. Seen in this light a Quit notice on a tribe smells not like vindictiveness but has all the makings of a personal vendetta. More so now that the NNC joined forces with the Khaplang group with the aim to regain the representation of the Naga Peoples it once had. This is why it condemns the NSCN and works hand in hand with the Khaplang group in turn supported by the Government of India, directly or indirectly.

Who are the real Nagas, we dare ask both the Khaplang group and the NNC? To disqualify Muivah and Swu for holding Indian passports seems ludicrous too. Does Adinno hold an Indian, Naga or British passport? Is she a British or Indian citizen? Is Eastern Nagaland Burmese? With what passport do the Kaphlang people travel when outside India , like when he attended a meeting of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva , Switzerland ?

Is the Naga International Support Center to believe that serving Quit notices and warning letters to individuals, tribes and organizations are part and parcel of the policy to save the Naga Nation? As also other Naga tribes only later than 1929 or 1964 joined the national movement in full, why only singling out the Tanghul? Please K-Group explain that to the international support agencies!

Perhaps both the K group and the NNC do not yet realize that International Support Organizations do support the Naga cause. They do not support any personal interests or any parties indulging in slander, hearsay or mudslinging. Instead of using suggestive gutter language through firing pot shots via the press, the Naga International Support Center, NISC, calls on the leadership of the NNC and the K-group to make themselves accessible for a real dialogue on the basis of policy on the basis of ideology of the right to self determination and to make the goals public which lead there. NISC invites the K-Group especially to show its intentions to the Naga Peoples it represents and for which it is fighting to reach these goals and ask to come up with a Manifesto, or at least an accountable policy. Do both want to save Nagaland for future generations, is the question? It is questionable because what both are doing now looks like they play in the hand of the adversaries, the invaders. Continuing like this makes the NNC and K-group look like tools. Continuing this strategy leads to disintegration of Nagaland.

No sensible Naga who knows the right to self determination wants that to happen. Too many Nagas have given their lives to uphold that right against the invaders. To continue attacking on this scale, the Naga National Principle will be forfeited .The Naga International Support Center firmly advocates the right of all Nagas to determine their own future as a nation. In order to resolve deep routed differences the Naga International Support Center proposes and recommends

- the set up an impartial Tribunal through which all allegations are to be processed. An impartial investigative body will examine the allegations, check them for validity and historical value, calls witnesses to hear first hand and concludes with public hearings to come to binding verdicts.

- a national dialogue on the basis of the Naga national principle based on Naga plebiscite, where the Nagas showed they wanted to be a sovereign Nation. This dialogue is being organized on the basis of having the best interest of all Nagas at heart. To avoid personal or other vested interests from creeping in, which are dealt with by the Tribunal, all participants of all those who represent the Naga Peoples are to show what they stand for and through what means they are envisioned to achieve those goals. This national dialogue is being organized with the aim to reconcile once and for all, to come together as one nation.
- to stop disruptive mudslinging, name calling, lowering of standards, singling out tribes to serve them with a quit notices, but to come up with documented proof of allegations so due process on the basis of checks and balances, fairness and democratic principles will mean justice for all.

If you do want to do this NISC will see you as expert comedians who intend to keep the Naga Society on its toes so that in the end democracy and respect for each other will prevail?

To be continued

Frans on 09.26.06 @ 10:40 PM CST [link]


Monday, September 25th

CYCLE OF RECYCLED FALSEHOOD PRESS RELEASE:


PRESS RELEASE:

CYCLE OF RECYCLED FALSEHOOD


The habitual prevarication of facts and falsification of their own (Khaplangs) statements and acts continue to carry on without end. In tune with their usual characteristics of hypocritical false allegations upon the NSCN/GPRN, again their anti-social activities of extortions and bombings in civilian concentrated areas at Dimapur are being deliberately blamed upon others despite authentic facts and perpetrators arrested red handed.
The people today cannot be misled by falsehood for every act is determined by the logical motive to its causation, and even if concrete evidences do not surface right there and then, the finger of suspicion as to its perpetrators are well established during its occurrences always. Today, with the rampant exorbitant extortion drive by the Khaplang camp enforced by their threat upon innocent Nagas on failure to meet their demands, aimed at sponsoring their divisive and subversive drive as well as to permeate terrorism in Nagalim is an open secret. Even at the face of being caught red-handed in their activities of bombings and extortions at Dimapur with the surfacing of concrete evidences, the fallacy of accusing someone else for an act committed by it is the highest mockery of itself added to its discredit-ability and unprincipled association. The ignominy is that of being caught red-handed in the act and denying its responsibility with a crude white lie, as can be distinguished with them as always. For the clear and transparent exposure of authentic facts behind the Khaplang bombings at Dimapur to the general public, the GPRN has apprehended some Khaplang perpetrators and associates of this terror campaign and investigations are on the verge of completion. The perpetrators will be presented for all concerned Organisations, NGOs and media for a press conference of confession by the former (Khaplang cadre) of the crime very soon.

They (Khaplang) speak terror and act terror and brand others as terrorist. The Khaplang people should introspect into their deeds and actions and sensibly reconcile for the better instead of cultivating on temporal cheap political propagandas. For the consequences of mistakes committed are being suffered by the Nagas in general and this cycle cannot carry on for ever but has to end. Let us face the reality of our situation and undertake our duties in a dignified manner with realistic and credible approaches, so that our children are spared the turmoil that we are faced with today so that lasting peace is installed in our land.

As long as we remain adamant in our senseless acts in obstinately continuing without evaluating the repercussions it will bear upon our society and our future generation, it will turn to be our nemesis. The panacea of today’s problem and situation is only when reconciliation of our mistakes and reforms are adopted will the scopes for brighter horizons of peace in our land materialize. Let us change for the better, for it is better late than never.

(Maj.(Retd) Johny Dilbung)
Kilonser, MIP.




Frans on 09.25.06 @ 05:03 PM CST [link]



Press Release Questioning ideology and vision Recommending measures and calling for Unity


A Naga International Support Center, NISC, www.nagalim.nl
A human rights organization

Press Release

Amsterdam, 24 September 2006

Questioning ideology and vision
Recommending measures and calling for Unity

The Naga International Support Center, NISC congratulates the K-Group who next to their more supreme and serious attitude has developed a sense of humor too. NISC is so much impressed with their way of words we would like to declare them the comedians of the Nagas. Their road show now moving at full speed finds audiences who cannot stop smiling and laughing. For a resistance Army which bases its stand on the wish of the people as their representatives is a novelty. Especially the K-group portrayed the NISC as the Neo International Satanic Centre (NISC), we felt confirmed in our perception that we were seeing a team of comedians of high caliber.
How could the K-Group develop such natural sense of expressive humor?

Lately the Tanghkul, the NSCN-IM and all seen as supporters of both the mentioned tribe and the only Naga organization have been attacked beyond belief. What dearly lacked this vindictive mudslinging and slandering is vision.

Should those who are active in mudslinging not have a vision for the future, the NISC, itself a target by the Khaplang group and the Naga National Council, NNC, asks?
NISC suggests that this vision should include the Naga principle as has been put to the people in 1951 by the plebiscite. No one doubts what the Nagas then decided and all essentially abide by that. Of course lots of things happened since then. However to uphold the right of the Nagas to self determination all who claim the power base, have to abide by the will of the Nagas. Anyone, any organization indulging in slandering and unsubstantiated mud slinging distances itself from the very people it claims to represent.

Nagaland is occupied by Indian Forces. From the onset of the conflict, it has been a conflict between India and Nagaland. Who stepped forward, not just to tell, but to take responsibility on what is in the best interest of the Nagas?

Rather than coming together as one the past has shown that Nagas are just like people. Some are prone to selfishness, others to a sense of power and some are susceptible to influences of those who have occupied them, either by force and thus creating fear or by funds so as to create an atmosphere of dependence. The longer the Nagas are occupied the more people are becoming susceptible to these outside forces. They feel it is impossible to attain what many people before them have sacrificed their lives for.

Why fighting amongst each other? Why stating who is Naga and who is not Naga? Why now? All leaders of all Naga armed organizations whether they are genuinely fighting for a Nagaland which people can determine their own future as was communicated to the British Simon Commission 1929, were once full fledged members of the NNC. All then underlined the plebiscite and since there is no other credible mandate from the people of Nagaland, all should adhere to the wish to be free. At the time of the NNC being the undisputed representative of the Naga peoples there was no dispute on whom Naga is and who is not. The dispute on the right to self determination only began when the NNC began to implement the Shillong Meet/Accord which on technical grounds it denies was an Accord, but was implemented through the disarmament and arrest of Naga soldiers and the foundation of Peace Camps, one still existing today. Many wounds have been left unaddressed and fester on. The people concerned, both responsible for defending an Accord which when taken seriously would have delivered the Nagas to India. After all, the Indian Constitution was adopted. This old pain, a pain which led to strong reactions culminating in ruthless murders, action reaction principle, attack and defense, led to the formation of the NSCN. Mr. Khaplang was part of the NSCN but 8 years after its formation, intervention by those with vested interests and aided by the Indian Armed Forces and/or Assam Rifles, rebelled against the very leadership he was part. Khaplang attacked the leadership of the NSCN now called IM – Isak Muivah. Seen in this light a Quit notice on a tribe smells not like vindictiveness but has all the makings of a personal vendetta. More so now that the NNC joined forces with the Khaplang group with the aim to regain the representation of the Naga Peoples it once had. This is why it condemns the NSCN and works hand in hand with the Khaplang group in turn supported by the Government of India, directly or indirectly.
Who are the real Nagas, we dare ask both the Khaplang group and the NNC? To disqualify Muivah and Swu for holding Indian passports seems ludicrous too. Does Adinno hold an Indian, Naga or British passport? Is she a British or Indian citizen? Is Eastern Nagaland Burmese? With what passport do the Kaphlang people travel when outside India, like when he attended a meeting of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland?

Is the Naga International Support Center to believe that serving Quit notices and warning letters to individuals, tribes and organizations are part and parcel of the policy to save the Naga Nation? As also other Naga tribes only later than 1929 or 1964 joined the national movement in full, why only singling out the Tanghul? Please K-Group explain that to the international support agencies!

Perhaps both the K group and the NNC do not yet realize that International Support Organizations do support the Naga cause. They do not support any personal interests or any parties indulging in slander, hearsay or mudslinging. Instead of using suggestive gutter language through firing pot shots via the press, the Naga International Support Center, NISC, calls on the leadership of the NNC and the K-group to make themselves accessible for a real dialogue on the basis of policy on the basis of ideology of the right to self determination and to make the goals public which lead there. NISC invites the K-Group especially to show its intentions to the Naga Peoples it represents and for which it is fighting to reach these goals and ask to come up with a Manifesto, or at least an accountable policy. Do both want to save Nagaland for future generations, is the question? It is questionable because what both are doing now looks like they play in the hand of the adversaries, the invaders. Continuing like this makes the NNC and K-group look like tools. Continuing this strategy leads to disintegration of Nagaland.
No sensible Naga who knows the right to self determination wants that to happen. Too many Nagas have given their lives to uphold that right against the invaders. To continue attacking on this scale, the Naga National Principle will be forfeited .The Naga International Support Center firmly advocates the right of all Nagas to determine their own future as a nation.
In order to resolve deep routed differences the Naga International Support Center proposes and recommends

- the set up an impartial Tribunal through which all allegations are to be processed. An impartial investigative body will examine the allegations, check them for validity and historical value, calls witnesses to hear first hand and concludes with public hearings to come to binding verdicts.

- a national dialogue on the basis of the Naga national principle based on Naga plebiscite, where the Nagas showed they wanted to be a sovereign Nation. This dialogue is being organized on the basis of having the best interest of all Nagas at heart. To avoid personal or other vested interests from creeping in, which are dealt with by the Tribunal, all participants of all those who represent the Naga Peoples are to show what they stand for and through what means they are envisioned to achieve those goals. This national dialogue is being organized with the aim to reconcile once and for all, to come together as one nation.
- to stop disruptive mudslinging, name calling, lowering of standards, singling out tribes to serve them with a quit notices, but to come up with documented proof of allegations so due process on the basis of checks and balances, fairness and democratic principles will mean justice for all.

If you do want to do this NISC will see you as expert comedians who intend to keep the Naga Society on its toes so that in the end democracy and respect for each other will prevail?

To be continued

For more information visit our website www.nagalim.nl or contact us nisc@nagalim.nl">nisc@nagalim.nl



Frans on 09.25.06 @ 04:59 PM CST [link]



Muivah accuses Delhi of derailing peace process Bharat Bhushan Bangkok The Morung Express


Muivah accuses Delhi of derailing peace process Bharat Bhushan Bangkok The Morung Express

Even as he left for the Netherlands early this morning, discreetly escorted by Indian Embassy officials through immigration control, Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), seemed preoccupied with the events unfolding in the Naga areas. Expressing apprehension about escalating violence among the Nagas, he alleged that “the Indian government” had once again started pouring arms and money “to foment violence” in Nagaland. There has been a fresh spurt of violence in the state with clashes between the NSCN (I-M) and its rivals.
“The main issue is that disgruntled Naga elements are being used by the Indian government to undermine the peace process. Does it make sense to weaken the party with which you are negotiating peace?” asked Muivah. The Naga leader felt that whenever a peace process gathered momentum, “there are bound to be groups and individuals who feel marginalised,” and differences get exacerbated. Those feeling threatened by the peace process would desperately search for some kind of role for themselves, he said. But why should they be encouraged by New Delhi to act against a peaceful settlement, he wondered.
“I say it with full seriousness and responsibility that the government of India has started pouring in arms and money into Nagaland. This is happening when the Nagas are serious about seeking a peaceful solution. Does their conscience not tell them that what they are doing is wrong?” he asked. Muivah alleged that this year automatic rifles running into a couple of hundred and ammunition to go with them have suddenly been acquired by groups opposed to the NSCN (I-M), especially the NSCN (Khaplang). He also claimed that the Khaplang group moves around escorted by the Assam Rifles in their vehicles.
He also alleged that those belonging to the “Federal Government of Nagaland” and owing allegiance to the Naga National Council, which had signed the Shillong Accord in 1975, have apparently started moving out of their peace camps and are on the offensive. Ruling out the hand of the home ministry, which is facilitating the peace talks, Muivah claimed that this was the handiwork of some “other Indian agencies”. He argued that this was not possible without the consent of the people at the highest level in the government.
“If someone says this is not so, then does the left hand not know what the right hand is doing in India? Should we assume that this is because of mere incompetence? We keep saying that the Indian leadership has shown wisdom in seeking a peaceful and mutually acceptable settlement with the Nagas. But what kind of wisdom lies in sabotaging the search for a peaceful settlement?”
If this was being done to “condition” the peace process, Muivah claimed that such hopes would be belied. “Nobody should think that we can be frightened into submission,” he said. It is not as if the NSCN (I-M) consists of people who are wedded to non-violence and have never killed their rivals. There is no ceasefire between the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang groups of the NSCN. However, the Naga leader claimed his organisation had shown patience by not retaliating in full measure.
“We have been in the peace process for nine years now and we do not want to spill any more Naga blood. That is why we have desisted from retaliatory action. But there is a limit to our patience. If India does not appreciate this, then it should be prepared to take responsibility for the undesirable consequences that follow.”
Claiming that Naga peace was indivisible, Muivah said, “There will be peace dividend for all the Nagas. That is why the entire Naga society supports the peace process. So why does the Indian government want to plunge us into violence once again?”
Reasonings raised against quit notice By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 24: Observing that it would be a gross mistake to take the majority group in Manipur as synonymous with the State Government and that the Meiteis of Churachandpur district do not represent the Government of Manipur, a public meeting organised by Meetei Youth Organisation, CCpur at Khuga Tampak today has resolved to appeal to all communities of the State not to target and victimise people of any community when they demand their rights and share from the State Government.
A statement issued by the Meetei Youth Organisation, CCpur informed that the public attended by hundreds of Meira Paibis, local club volunteers and senior citizens was presided by Hemam Kulla Meetei.
President of Meetei Society Yaipha Yumnam, president of Ima Leimarel Apunba Lup K Ngabi, President of Social Women Reformation and Development Samaj, CCpur branch Ashangbi and president of Meetei Youth Organisation H Brojen were the presidium members.
The public meeting also hailed the condemnation, even though it was a little late, made by Hmar Inpui, Hmar Youth Organisation, Hmar Students' Association, Hmar Christian Leaders' Forum and Hmar National Union against the diktat of Hmar National Army as published in the local media. While appealing to all the groups and organisations not to undertake any activity that may undermine and strain the relationships among the different indigenous communities of Manipur, the meeting further resolved to stand united and firm against threats from any quarter to the age old tradition of peaceful existence of all the ethnic groups in the State, conveyed the statement.
Another resolution adopted during the meeting was to extend cooperation and sharing of thoughts among all the communities at times of crisis and social issues.
The meeting also unanimously agreed to extend all possible cooperation to State level civil organisations and go in line with the initiatives taken up by civil society organisations in response to the quit notice served by HNA against the Meeteis of Churachandpur.While reiterating their strong condemnations against the quit notice served by HNA, the public meeting demanded withdrawal of the quit notice within the deadline given by HNA themselves. It also decided to impose public curfew further in Meitei localities until a notification from competent authority.
To appeal to all the ethnic groups of the State not to raise any demand detrimental to the integrity of Manipur was the final resolution adopted during the meeting, concluded the statement.
Revoke ceasefire with IM, NSCN-K tells GOI The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 24 (MExN): The NSCN-K has insisted that the Government of India must revoke the ongoing ceasefire with the NSCN-IM and that “the Black Man” Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, be removed on grounds of corruption and abetting the latter organization. The NSCN-K also made it clear that the ‘Quit Notice’ issued to the Tangkhul community would not be ‘revised’ “in another thousand years to come”.
Expressing strong disapproval at the “Isak-Khodao terrorists” indulging in “comedian media campaign” and that the NSCN-IM has been defeated and “castrated” by the NSCN and the Nagas, the NSCN-K in a release issued by Lt.General Kumchok Pangmi, GSO-I, insisted on revocation of the GOI-NSCN (IM) ceasefire. “The government of India must revoke the bilateral ceasefire with the Isak-Khodao terrorist and declare them as terrorist organization” and operate against them as per the Indian law and international law and thereafter hand them over to the NSCN to try them in Naga courts” the NSCN-K stated. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has also to ‘get out’.
“Shri Neiphiu Rio will be recorded as ‘the Black Man” in the Naga history and that’s the NSCN’s business but Government of India must remove him on the grounds of corruption, bribery, extortion and financing the Isak-Khodao terrorists” it made clear adding that it is not time to boast and try to accuse SS Khaplang, N Kitovi Zhimomi and General Kholi but time to repent. “The so-called ongoing talks are scraps and will go to the Indian ‘Harik Mal’ business. Return to the NSCN, the home of the Naga sovereignty. The longer you delay, the more you’ll be sorry and left” the organization advised its rival.
The NSCN-K also asserted that for more than a decade the NSCN-IM has terrorized the Nagas and therefore ‘misled’ Nagas swaying to the tunes of the latter must realize their grave crimes and “for which the NSCN will be compelled to treat the entire MIP nothing lesser than the Tangkhuls”. “The Isak-Khodao terrorist is not a political or Naga organization and hence it must not wrestle the Herculean NSCN. There’s time for everything according to the Ecclesiastes and accordingly, today’s Nagaland and Nagas have reached a time to banish the Tangkhuls from the Naga inhabited areas and there will be no revision on this decision in another thousand years to come” it made clear.
The NSCN-K also advised its rivals to stop throwing accusation against NSCN leaders as “it would not help you” nor will it pave way “for you to escape links with the Al Qaida and other terrorist organizations”. It also stated that very shortly monetary transactions made with the Government of India and Neiphiu Rio by the NSCN-IM would be publicized. “If you do still remember your own crimes of 1979 then there can be no greater truth than you yourselves simply admitting your terrorisms from 1980 to 2006. Very shortly, the NSCN will also be publicizing what amount of money and assistance you took from the Government of India, Neiphiu Rio and how many days, months and years you were aided by the Indian Assam Rifles per the arrangement of Lt General Nanavatty and VS Atem from 1997” it stated.
Further, the NSCN will be investigating the “undeclared relationship between Brig (Retd) GB Reddy” with Muivah’s and Swu’s wives from 1987 “that led to the split in 1988 and the recent genocide”.
The NSCN (K) has also stated that the Kukis will never forget how their 400 villages and its inhabitants were massacred in Manipur and hundreds of innocent and 12 villages in Nagaland destroyed. “The Nagas will not fail to charge you (IK terrorists) with the post-Shillong Accord, split in 1988, 1997 joint operation against the NSCN, bomb blasts in Dimapur train station, Hongkong market, assassination of NSCN leaders, your links with the terrorist organizations and the recent bombings in Dimapur which are acts of terror, genocide, fratricide arson and violations of human rights in Nagaland”, the NSCN (K) alleged against its rival.
NSCN (K) refutes charges; blames rival for unrest The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 24 (MExN): Refuting allegations leveled against it by its rival, the NSCN (K) has instead alleged that all the recent killings and series of blasts in Dimapur and Kohima were the handiwork of the NSCN (IM) and its agents and termed them as responsible for all the subversive and terror activities. “The NSCN, hereby states to make its stand clear, thereby remove all doubts and apprehensions of the involvement of the NSCN in such terror activities for all concerned”, a communiqué issued by the MIP stated.
“While on the other hand, they (I-K) are responsible for all the recent armed clashes, killing on innocent public as well as Naga national leaders, they are singing choruses of peace and reconciliation with the band of their cohorts and NGO leaders, who are in their payroll all along, to cover up their immense crimes and shamelessly brand the Naga national workers as anti-Nagaland peace and as terrorists”, the NSCN (K) stated.
On the latest gunbattle at Old Chalkot Town, the NSCN (K) claimed that it had confirmed that there were ten casualties on the side of their rivals. While terming this as unfortunate, the NSCN (K) described it as a ‘divine avenge’ for many crimes committed by the NSCN (IM) in the same area and town. “One among their many misadventures is the killing at Chalkot town in 1992, where they lined up and mowed down 12 FGN men including their wives and children”, it alleged and added that it was time for peace loving citizens to introspect and judge who are the true Nagas or the anti-Nagas and also to seriously go through its previous write-ups highlighting the reasons leading to the serving of the quit notice.
NSCN-K bans oil exploration Kuknalim.com
GUWAHATI, Sept 24:: The NSCN-K on Sunday banned the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from carrying out any exploration work in Nagaland.

"We shall not allow the ONGC to extract oil or carry out other exploratory works in Nagaland with immediate effect," NSCN-K spokesman Kughalo Mulatonu told IANS by telephone from an undisclosed location. Nagaland is virtually sitting on a multi-million dollar oil reserve with rough estimates indicating that the state has the potential to yield some 600 million tonnes of petroleum.

"The government of India must treat the NSCN faction led by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah as terrorist organisation or else the ban on the ONGC would remain," the rebel leader said. The NSCN-K accuses the rival faction of banning ONGC's operation in 1994 and selling all their equipment.

"Let the Indian government file a lawsuit against the NSCN-IM for the loss incurred by the ONGC. We want ONGC to come and work here so that our people get employment. But then we want the government to first book the NSCN-IM and until such time the ban on the ONGC would continue," Mulatonu said. The ban comes after the Nagaland government recently assured the ONGC of all support and security cover to resume operations in the state. The ONGC, India's leading oil exploration firm, were forced to withdraw from Nagaland in 1994 after threats from the NSCN-IM and other tribal bodies. ONGC had earlier carried out exploratory works in Nagaland's Wokha district and now plans to work in Mon and Dimapur districts.

There is no immediate reaction from the ONGC on the NSCN-K ban. The NSCN-IM too welcomed the Nagaland government's decision to allow the ONGC to resume operations saying the state want to become self-reliant. (IANS)
Those who defy mayak ban in Naga to be delt with iron hand : ANSAM The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Sept 24: Parlours in the Nagas areas have discarded cassettes/CDs of both video and audio in Meitei language since September 17, according to the ANSAM sources. Diclosing this to Newmai News Network this afternoon, ANSAM information and publicity secretary Sounii Khapa said that after the Naga students` body had issued notification to ban the CDs and cassettes in the particular language from September 17, parlours have stopped immediately selling and lending the commodities. ANSAM termed the ban as very effective in the Naga areas.

With regard to the Meitei Mayek banning by the ANSAM in the Naga areas, Sounii Khapa said that as of now ANSAM volunteers have been detaining vehicles having the script in their number plates and elswhere and then released them after erasing the script vis-a-vis giving warning to the owners/drivers not to come in the Naga areas with the script.
The ANSAM leader announced that more drastic actions will be meted out on the vehicle owners/drivers who defy the Naga students directives.Sounii Khapa warned to those elements using the banned script/Mayek in any form in the Naga areas would be dealt with iron hands.

He then said that volunteers beloning to subordinate bodies/constituent units of ANSAM in their respective Naga areas/districts are on the prowl taking up the Meitei Script banning measures.
NSF to oppose ‘political’ students union in Naga areas The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 24 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has taken strong exception to reports of political parties attempting to set up students’ unions and organizations along party lines and cautioned that any such move goes against the spirit of an NSF resolution passed during the 4th Federal Assembly held on October 28, 1998.
In the backdrop of the menaces and evils of having politically backed students’ unions the NSF Speaker WH Maring has in a press communiqué reminded that keeping in view the need to preserve educational institutions as a “temple of learning”, the NSF resolution had after thoroughly examining the pros and cons impacts to our society by such political branch students’ union/organisations strongly resolved that, “NSF shall not allow any political party(s) students’ union/organisation to initiate, organise and function in any educational institution within the Naga Areas.
Further it was stated that in order to expedite and execute this resolution, the house endorsed the Federating units to keep vigil and check in their own level and jurisdiction. In addition to this the Federal units have been empowered to recall their member(s) those who have already joined political students’ union in the educational institutions.
“The wisdom in passing this resolution cannot be questioned because the Federation is well aware of the evils of having politically backed students’ unions in the society. Election of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) can be one very clear example of the evil of involvement of politically backed students’ unions like the NSUI, ABVP, AISF Etc.”, stated Maring. Pointing out that every election is marred with violence during which many innocent students’ lives are also lost many times, it stated such electioneering in campuses subsequently affected students’ careers. “It is also very clear that the political parties don’t hesitate to spend crores of rupees for their candidates. Money is widely used to rig the election for their favor”.
As such, the NSF cautioned that student unions are misused for their own political gain and that it had a much more wider ramification of negative influences into students’ careers in particular and the society in general and added that the main objective of formation of students’ union will totally be negated if at all this was allowed to happen in the Naga societies. The NSF Speaker pointed to recent rumors that National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) is being established in some Naga District of present state of Manipur. “If it is true, whoever is involved in formation of the same shall be doing it at his/her own responsibilities”, the NSF cautioned and reminded the Federating units and subordinate bodies of the Federation to uphold the standing resolution by keeping vigil of such developments, which is against the desire of the Federation in particular and the Nagas in general.
ULFA imposes tax on ‘Indians’ The Morung Express

Guwahati, Sept 24 (Agencies): The banned United Liberation Front of Assam has imposed ‘tax on every Indian’ living in Assam, throwing the peace initiative to wind, even as the Army resumed counter-insurgency operation in the state on Sunday.
ULFA commander in chief Paresh Baruah, in a statement issued over phone to a section of local media in Guwahati on Saturday night, announced the group’s decision to impose ‘mandatory tax on Indians’ living in Assam. The militant leader sought ‘voluntary donations’ from the ‘indigenous people’ of the state.
By ‘Indians’ the ULFA commander referred to people from outside the Northeast who are earning their bread in Assam and by ‘indigenous people’ he meant sons of the soil from Assam and other Northeastern states.
It is for the first time the ULFA, which took root in the state in April 1979, has made such an attempt to impose mandatory tax on the populace although extortion demands served by the militant group on people from different walks of life has been a common knowledge.
The state government has taken strong exception to ‘imposition of tax’ by the banned outfit. Assam government spokesman and a cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sharma made it clear that the government will not allow any organization to collect tax of from any citizen in the state. “Every citizen of India living in the state has equal rights,” he said on Sunday morning.

Independence is the first priority : RPF chief –I By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 24 : Greeting the people of Manipur on the eve of the 28th raising day of the PLA, the president of the RPF, Irengbam Chaoren today said that RPF stands for independence, true democracy and an egalitarian society and added that though the three are inter-related, the all important task of the revolutionary struggle is the independence of Manipur.
In a message to the people, the RPF chief said that Manipur can become a developed and peaceful country only when she becomes independent and added that as development and peace cannot be separated from the indepen- dence of a country, the fruits of progress and development will not reach Manipur as long as her independence is not attained.
Manipur is today lagging behind all other independent countries, noted Chaoren and added that the reason for the backwardness is the continuation of Indian rule. Therefore in order to develop Manipur as an owner of its land and resources, first of all she has to become independent and free, said the statement.
However unfortunately, instead of having faith and confidence in the ongoing revolution some people support India, said the RPF leader and added that such people not only stand against the revolutionary cause but also strive to harm the revolutionaries and eliminate them. This is one of the main reasons for the internal strife leading to the people of Manipur killing each other.
Such people should realise that the revolution is an outcome of the annexation of Manipur and the revolution will continue until the final goal is achieved. Standing against the revolutionary movement is therefore an act of ignorance of one's own identity as well as a distortion of the meaning of patriotism.
Asserting that the independence movement cannot move forward without an armed struggle, the RPF leader said that this is precisely the reason why the PLA has been waging an armed struggle relentlessly.
On the talks being held between some armed groups of the NE States with the Government of India, RPF reasoned that holding talks is against their belief because the talks instead of taking the struggle forward will become more of a reason for the defeat of the revolutionary struggle.
Referring to the Mizo National Front, Chaoren said that the efforts to bring the issue of sovereignty through dialogue with India resulted in the MNF abandoning the principles and ideology of revolution as well as Mizo Nationalism and ultimately surrendered to India.
The talks were held at Thailand, Afghanistan, Iran, Switzerland, Germany, and Rome to internationalise the movement of the MNF, recalled Chaoren. However in the end, MNF leader Mr Laldenga had to come from Geneva to New Delhi to sign the Mizo Accord which substituted their goal of struggle.
This example is proof that any effort made by the revolutionaries to attain sovereignty by negotiating through dialogue with a much stronger ruler before the revolution gain maturity and strength is doomed to be a failure, observed the RPF leader.

Merger of Manipur with the dominion of India By Waikhom Damodar Singh
Contd from last Saturday
In this way, unlike any other Native State of India, Manipur began very bold-ly and distinctly to exist as in independent democratic state of her own under an elected Government formed by the majority of the members elected by the people, the election of whom and framing of her own required constitution even 'preceded' than that of the general election of the Independent India and framing and introduction of her new Constitution.
However, with the connivance of the State Congress Party, the Govt of India quite hurriedly, untactfully and intriguingly abolished the Mani-pur Assembly and dissolved the lawfully elected people's Government and the State was merged with the Dominion of India. The merger so taken place was done mainly based on the secret reports submitted by one BN Mullick - then a Deputy Director of the Intelligence Bureau of India - on 16 September, 1949 and also by the Manipur State Congress Party to the Congress leaders of India and firmly pinning on the grounds thereof which run as:
1. The incapacity of the Government of Manipur under Maharaja to maintain law and order.
2. The apprehension of immediate escalation of the activities of the communists revolution from Burma to Manipur. The report in this regard must have been based on the fact that towards the later part of 1948 Neta Hijam Irabot Singh was successful in building up strongholds of Communist resistance in Manipur as well as in Cachar district of Assam where there lived quite a sizable number of Manipu-ris and also in creating an awareness of cohesive identity among some 12,000 Manipuris living then in Mandalay (Burma) under whose Arakan area the insurgency activities of the Communists were very rapidly growing influenced greatly by the success of the Communist party in China.
3. The integration of Manipur into India would bring peace and development.
In fact, it was the State Congress which aroused political consciousness and the spirit of democratic rule in the State and hence brought pressure upon the Maharaja to introduce representative Go-vernment in Manipur as there was no legislative and proper elective institution yet. It was therefore their 'firm stand', under Sinam Krishnamohan Singh - brother-in-law of Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh - as the President, Laishram Jogeswar Singh and Ngangom Tompok Singh as general secretary and secretary respectively along with other eighteen staunch members of the party to 'dethrone' Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh and 'abolish' the 'age-old Pakhangba's Gaddi' at any cost to achieve their objectives of bringing Mani-pur under the working of a full-fledged democratic Government though the Royalist group including all the hill people and their MLAs who formed then the majority of the 'anti-integration bloc' vehemently opposed the move of the State Congress party. In pursuance of a decision of their meeting held on 30 June, 1949 the State Congress party launched a vi-gorous Satyagraha movement demanding immediate abdication of the Maharaja and integration of the State with the Centre. Later Sinam Krishnamohan Singh, the President of the State Congress Party and Sougaijam Somorendra Singh, the leader of the opposition in the State Assembly were sent to Delhi and apprised Sardar Bhallavbhai Patel of the harmful effects of Maharaja's rule along with his puppet cabinet. The Hill MLAs opposed the Congress' stand and under the Presidentship of S. Luney, the Chief Whip of the Government party decided to unite against the Congress move for safeguarding their interest. The Communist Party of Manipur too disapproved the integration move and advocated for 'status quo' as they feared that Central administration would prove to be detrimental to their party interests. The Communists then had their stronghold in the areas of Nambol, Utlou, Sekta, Pundongbam and Lamlai.
Incidentally and most surprisingly, the splinter group of the Manipur State Congress party which, later on, became the Socialist party of Manipur with (late) Laishram Achou Singh as its Secretary and in which joined, later on, Rishang Keishing, RK Do-rendra Singh, (late) Ireng-bam Tompok Singh as staunch members of the party, advocated for the merger of Manipur with Assam and the party consistently worked for it with the connivance of Debe-swar Sarma, a politician hailing from Assam and was then Dominion Agent of Manipur during the interim period. Debeswar Sarma was removed soon from his post for his partisan and active involvement in trying to bring about a merger of the entire State with the neighbouring province of Assam, beginning with the hill areas in connivance again with the Chief Minister of Assam - Gopinath Bordoloi who also wanted to tighten Assam's control over Manipur. He was also taken to task by Sardar Bhallavbhai Patel for his taking narrow provincial view of the State of Manipur which was very much against the wishes of the Congress Government of India.
However, the stand for integration of Manipur with India was ultimately approved by Sardar Patel, the Union Home Minister as it was considered to be good strategy to boost the Congress organisation in Manipur and hence the very hasty action of the Congress Government of India got the Merger Agreement signed, though quite 'forcibly', by Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh on 21 September, 1949 at Shillong who did so 'not on behalf of the people of Manipur, but, with some meaningful facts hidden behind, on behalf of himself, his heirs and family members'. The Maharaja had signed in this way as he was, perhaps, forced to do so in the line of what the Governor of Assam, Shri Prakasa had told him earlier that the Government of India did not recognise either the Manipur State Council or the State Assembly in the matter of negotiation about its political future and that the Maharaja alone would be allowed to speak on behalf of the State, even though the Maharaja initially and firmly argued saying that - 'now that the sovereignty of the State has been vested in the people it would be in the fitness of things to hear the people's voice and learn their sentiment so that the line of action may not in any case be unconstitutional' - to which the Governor of Assam argued that the Government of India have, throughout, dealt with the Maharaja directly as the ruler of the State and were not prepared to make any deviation from the procedure hitherto followed. This was of course the policy of the Government of India in their dealings with other princely States of India. The Maharaja then argued very rightly that the direct dealing with the Maharaja was 'feasible when the sovereignty was vested in him', but after the introduction of the State Constitution Act, 1947 the sovereignty and administration of the State came to be vested on the people', based on full responsible Government with a fully elected House based on 'adult suffrage and joint electorate' - the highest form of Government of democracy which Manipur, not to speak of any other native State but even of the whole of India, had preceded in adopting it immediately after they had attained the independent status from the yoke of the foreign power. In fact, perhaps never before in Manipur's long history, also for that matter in the history of any country of the world, a single individual was called upon to decide the fate of his country so lonely and isolated even from friends and family as Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh was forced or compelled to undergo so during those most humiliating days of his stay in Shillong.
The transfer of Kabaw valley of Manipur comprising of an area of some 7000 sq miles in 1834 by the British to Burma had led to the sudden demise of Maharaja Gambhir Singh on 9 January, 1834 - the same day on which the transfer of the very precious land was effected - out of great shock and unbearable desperation due to the 'enforced loss' of the very valuable and pre-stigious piece of his land.
The surrender by Maharaja Bodhchandra under duress in 1949 also had many weeping quite helplessly, and the good hearted and noble king, not fully recovered from the great shock he received at Shillong in September 1949, renounced his worldly life and led a 'Yogic-ascetic' life by remaining almost all of his last days of life in the premises of Shiva Maha-deva's temples at Tho-ngam Mondum, near Kak-ching Khunou, Baruni Hills etc in deep mediational services for the Lord's blessing for which he came to be known and called as 'Yogi-Raj Bodh-chandra'.
The last ruling king of the great Pakhangba's dynasty of Manipur 'breathed last' in his 'palace Ashram', a very simple hut of thatched roof construc-ted just nearby the Govin-dajee Temple on the northern side, in the early morning of 9 December 1955. He was cremated in the evening of the same day with full State honours by taking the mortal body of the deceased king from the palace to the traditional Kangla Royal Cremation ground in a grand procession consisting of hundreds of 'mourners' - royal family members and relatives, high officials and other civilian personnel including the several hymn singing sankirtan parties of the palace led by the contingents of the 4th Assam Rifles and the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles with their arms in reversed order marching grandly to the 'slow steps marching tunes' of the military bands. in stoic silence thousands of people with sullen faces distinctly reflecting their deep sorrow watched the Maharaja's departure. The people turned up and lined up on both sides of the road from Imphal palace to Kangla - among whom the writer was also one in his prime age of 26/27 years - with tears 'streaming down' in their eyes as had been greatly saddened in their silent hearts by the parting of their beloved last reigning king. They were also greatly 'touched' in their hearts by the hearing of the most pathetic and highly emotional poetic words flowed out from the weeping mouth of the well known veteran-actor, (late) Mei-tram Bira Singh of the Imphal Rupmahal Theatres who with his party followed the most gracefully and spectacularly designed and decorated 'Royal Coffin' - Keiren Keijao in Manipuri version carrying the mortal remains of the king, which is a very special type of coffin used only for the cremation of deceased kings and very high ranking nobles. —to be contd
A one-line letter that pushed Assam to turmoil By IANS Monday September 25
Guwahati, Sep 25 (IANS) Belligerent posturing by both the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and New Delhi over a one-line letter of commitment needed to hold direct peace talks has pushed Assam to bleed once again. The central government on Sunday resumed military operations against the rebel outfit by calling off a six-week-old ceasefire, blaming the group for stepped up attacks in the state and extortion demands.
'It is very unfortunate that the peace process has suffered a major setback. We appeal to the ULFA to refrain from all violent acts and at the same time want the government to reconsider calling off the truce to give peace a chance,' said Sammujjal Bhattacharyya, leader of the influential All Assam Students' Union. There was tremendous optimism when on Aug 13 New Delhi announced a unilateral ceasefire against the ULFA for 10 days despite the rebels triggering a string of explosions ahead of Independence Day.
A week later, the ULFA reciprocated the government's 'goodwill gesture' by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period. There had been an absolute lull since then with the ULFA-chosen People's Consultative Group (PCG), a group of 11 civil society leaders, meeting government negotiators to facilitate direct talks with the rebel leadership. The ULFA had set a precondition for the direct talks by seeking the release of five of its jailed leaders, saying it was important for the group to have their imprisoned central committee leaders freed in order to chalk out strategies for the face-to-face negotiations. The government responded positively saying that the jailed leaders would be freed, but insisted the ULFA commit in writing to come for direct peace talks. The militants, who have been fighting for an independent Assamese homeland in the resource-rich state, said they cannot give such a pledge until the jailed leaders are freed. The two sides stuck to their stand and the peace process started faltering over the last fortnight.
The ceasefire from the government's side lapsed last Wednesday, but it did not announce resumption in anti-insurgency operations. Instead on Friday it once again asked the rebels for a formal letter as a condition for renewing the truce. The letter did not come and things started looking ominous. And what was not expected happened Friday - the ULFA killed a policeman in eastern Assam in a gunfight and the following day cadres of the group shot dead a plantation manager for refusing to pay extortion money. The sudden spurt in attacks and extortion demands prompted New Delhi to call off the truce. 'That the ULFA took advantage of the ceasefire to extort money and step up attacks is enough indication that they were not sincere in holding talks and just wanted to bide time,' said an army commander who wished not to be identified.
People in general are unhappy over the turn of events. 'The ULFA shouldn't have broken the wishes of the people of Assam who were craving for peace. Now Assam will be in turmoil once again,' said Arun Madhab Sharma, a retired police official, blaming the rebels for the ceasefire breakdown. Questions are being asked as to the role of the PCG - whether the ULFA representatives had failed to rein in the rebel leadership so that they do not indulge in anything messy while the truce was on. 'I would appeal to the ULFA for restraint. I know this is a very difficult phase. At the same time I shall try to ensure that the peace process doesn't get derailed,' Indira Goswami, noted Assamese writer and PCG leader, told IANS.

Frans on 09.25.06 @ 01:27 PM CST [link]


Sunday, September 24th

Muivah for joint panel of experts Bharat Bhushan Bangkok


Muivah for joint panel of experts Bharat Bhushan Bangkok The Morung Express Courtesy: The Telegraph
Even as he looks for a European shelter to carry on his negotiations with the Centre, NSCN (I-M) leader Thuingaleng Muivah does not want the momentum of the peace process to flag.
Having agreed to find a solution consistent with the “fundamental principles and framework of the Indian Constitution”, Muivah has now suggested to the Indian negotiators that they jointly set up a committee of legal experts to take the process forward.
“We have proposed that a committee, with legal and other experts nominated by both sides, should go into the details of analysing the Constitution and the sharing of competencies between the Indian government and the Nagas. It will report to the joint negotiating team, whose decision would be final,” Muivah said, elaborating on his proposal.
However, Delhi might be reluctant to go ahead with such a committee at this stage as it is not sure what Muivah means by accepting the fundamental principles and framework of the Indian Constitution. While not ruling out a separate Naga constitution at this stage, Delhi would perhaps like Muivah to say unequivocally that the acceptance of the Indian Constitution means that its principles and structure can accommodate the rights and aspirations of the Nagas. Muivah, however, has a different interpretation. And therein lies the gap between the two positions.
Muivah’s view is: “While the Nagas would have a separate constitution, it would be consistent with the fundamental principles and framework of the Constitution, wherever possible. What we are willing to accept is that the political and constitutional system of the Nagas would be similar to and consistent with India’s. The two constitutions would also be similar and consistent. This is what I mean by saying that we do not accept the Indian Constitution per se.”
However, Muivah has also agreed that the Naga Constitution would be formulated only after an agreement on the division of competencies — subjects of governance (competencies) with the Nagas, with Delhi, and those to be governed jointly. If the contents of the Naga constitution were yet to be decided, how could anything be said definitively about its shape and contours?
“It is true that at this stage, we cannot say what the shape of the Naga Constitution would be. But it is clear that we want a system that is democratic and broadly consistent with India’s political and constitutional system. We will have a system which accepts political institutions such as Parliament, the Election Commission, the comptroller and auditor-general, the Supreme Court, the Planning Commission and the Finance Commission. But remember, these institutions will be a part of our Constitution, separate from the Indian Constitution,” he added by way of explanation. Instead of generating confidence in Delhi for going ahead with a settlement, such an explanation may, in fact, force a serious rethink. Because Muivah also says: “Do not interpret this to mean that we are becoming a part of the Indian system or the Indian Union — only that we will seek to promote consistencies rather than divergence.”
The Naga apprehension — if that is what it is — perhaps relates to the Indian Constitution’s frequent amendments. Their rights, enshrined in the Constitution, might be eroded over time, as the people of Jammu and Kashmir have claimed in their case. “The Kashmiris have their own history. Our attempt is to reach a settlement which would be permanent — it shouldn’t be a case of here today and gone tomorrow,” the Naga leader said.
Muivah, while reluctant to dilute his position, also indicated a way forward. “If the guarantees of Naga rights and aspirations are embedded both in the Indian Constitution and the Naga Constitution with a federal relationship between the two, the debate about who is accepting which framework becomes irrelevant. We should use the genius of our two people to work out such a new legal and constitutional framework of our relationship,” he added.
We are all equally responsible for Naga mess: Tongmeth The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 23 (MExN): Strongly cautioning against ‘burning the whole house down to kill a mouse’ NSCN-IM education Kilonser Tongmeth Wangnao conceded that “we are all equally responsible for what we are today” and that unity is a must. He also urged young and educated Naga “new comers” to “help their leaders in realizing their past limitations”.
Stating to be his second write-up only, in his twenty years of national service, Kilonser Tongmeth was virtually objective in his views on the present Naga political issue.
“I am proud for not making habit of cursing someone for my own failure or our own failure as such I don’t want to blame anyone for today’s mess among ourselves for we are all equally responsible for what we are today” Tongmeth asserted in a statement received here. He shared his observation on “the few events” which, he said, may be attributed for the loss of many precious lives.
“As I wrote first in my first statement I was so optimistic in finding the four Naga great leaders like Chairman Isak, Vice Chairman Khaplang, General Secretary Th. Muivah and C-in-C Kohli making the Naga political movement alive in a very successful manner. But to my dismay I also found some setbacks exists among them, for example greed, jealousy, power monger (sic) and all misunderstanding” he maintained.
Kilonser Tongmeth cited an instance: During 1981-82, there was a “big contention” between Pangmi region and the Konyak region over the issue of Chuyang area. “As honest as they were Chairman Isak and Secretary Muivah said that the area belongs to Konyak. Anyway to make Khaplang comfort the area between Chanlem and Loyi was kept under central control. Since there was no other way out, Khaplang retreated and got sober. But his habit of over ambition continued to dominate his mind and as such he was looking for a chance to avenge in anyway any time” according to Tongmeth.
As for C-in-C Kohli, Tongmeth held this view: “As for C-in-C Kohli he did not plan to overthrow the leadership of Chairman Isak and secretary Muivah. Had he think that way, he could have done it secretly and easily. How can a man who saved their lives dare overthrowing or killing them? His main aim was to show his unhappiness with the then 2nd BN commander Major Haw for his disobedience towards C-in-C. His small mistake was he did not realize the danger of calling back some army officers with arms to him.” Tongmeth further stated that a letter from Khaplang reached Kohli saying “Apna Khong othia tu dhik ase, manu aru pundok julte pothaipi”. “Many co-workers not only Tangkhuls but Pangmis led by Chaplee Kilonser late Hanong and Capt. Longmi, Konyaks led by Dy Kilonser Peyau and Sgt Lanu Phom were killed. Since then the killing is on and on and up till today. Unity which is a must may not come by beating on the bush but by making clear the causes which led to the split on the one hand and by having clear-cut vision on how to go about in solving the long-pending Indo-Naga political problems on the other”.
Tongmeth urged young, educated “new comers” to ‘try’ to help the leaders in realizing their “past mistakes” to built a strong Naga society for the people to live in dignity, adding that “we should not burnt the whole house in order to kill a small mouse.”
NSCN-IM condemn ‘disruptive activities’ The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 23 (MExN): The NSCN-IM has condemned what it termed “the terror tactics unleashed by Khaplang in Nagalim and especially at Dimapur designed with ulterior motives.”
“In cycle of terror tactics unleashed by Khaplang in Nagalim and especially at Dimapur designed with ulterior motives deserves censure by one and all; with our overwhelming support from all sections of Nagas across Nagalim to the Indo-Naga political talks led by the NSCN/GPRN and the dialogue process gaining momentum, the Naga adversaries have been restive” stated a GPRN/MIP release. The NSCN-IM maintained that in “their discomfort of a possible solution” to the Indo-Naga issue, the rival faction is waging distributive activities to vitiate the “calm atmosphere”.
“The excessive extortion demand upon business communities in the face of ransom has been the double-edged weapon of these anti-social elements. Either way around if the demand are met, it is used for further terrorism sponsorship” stated the NSCN-IM adding that failure to meet the demands result in annihilation of victims to be a “model to others… who do not obey their dictates.” The NSCN-IM stated that these terror-tactics also serve as instruments to spread fear and insecurity everywhere thus disrupting all normal life and creating an atmosphere to dislodge the peace effort.
“Today the Nagas are confronted with a blind and insensible antagonist with no sane reasoning but to create havoc and destruction at random so that their mission to divide the Nagas, sow the seeds of distrust, hate, promote terrorism and to clog the path to all peaceful solution, reigns” stated the release. “Should we submit ourselves to the menace of terror or should we stand unitedly and fight against it till it is eradicated from the face of our society? Let us not cow down to elements of terrorism but unitedly confront this scourge of evil before it brings to us further irreparable losses” stated the release.
Statement- by Mr. Tongmeth Wangnao, Kilonser, Minister of Education, GPRN, NSCN (IM).
This is the second statement I am writing during my twenty years of national service. I am proud for not making habit of cursing some one for my own failure or our own failure. As such I don't want to blame anyone for today’s mess among ourselves for we are all equally responsible for what we are today. However a bit of whatever I have witnessed need to be said so that a clear cut history and bright vision for the new generation is kept unwavered.
Joined in Jan. 1987, I looked back on the preceded years and found some few events which may be attributed for the losses of many precious lives. As I wrote in my first statement, I was so optimistic in finding the four Naga great leaders such as: Chairman Isak, Vice Chairman Khaplang, Gen. Secy. Th Muivah and C-in-C Kohli making the Naga political movement alive in a very successful manner. But to my dismay, I also found some setbacks existing among them, for example, greed, jealousy, power monger and all misundersting.
To cite an example: during 1981 - 82 there was a big contention between Pangmi region and Konyak region over the issue of Chuyang area. As honest as they were, Chairman Isak and secy. Muivah said that the area belongs to Konyak. Anyway to comfort Khaplang the area between Chanlem and Loyi was kept under central control. Since there was no other way out Khaplang retreated and got sober. But his over ambitious habit continued to dominate his mind and as such he was looking for a chance to avenge in anyway at anytime.
As for C-in-C Kohli he did not plan to overthrow the leadership of Chairman Isak and Secy. Muivah. Had he thought that way he could have done it secretly and easily. How can a man who saved their lives dare overthrow or kill them. His sole aim was to show his unhappiness with the then 2nd BN commander Maj. Haw for his disobedience towards C-in-C. His small mistake was, he did not realise the danger of calling back some army officers with arms to him. I kept on requesting Kohli not to take arms against co-workers to which he started studying. The request made by one junior almost went with the wind when a letter came from Khaplang reached kohli saying, "Apuni khong uthia to thik ase, manu aru bandok joldi potha bi". Many co-workers, not only Tangkhuls but Pangmis led by Chaplee kilonser late Hanong and Capt Longmi, Konyaks led by Dy. Kilonser Peyau and Sgt. Lanu Phom were killed. Since then the killing is on and on and on till today.
Unity which is a must, may not come by beating on the bush but by making clear, the causes which led to the split on one hand and by having clear cut vision on how to go about in solving the long pending Indo-Naga political problems on the other. It is my request that we the young, educated new comers should try to help the leaders realize their past limitations and to built a strong Naga society on which we and our sons and daughters can live together with dignity. But taking undue advantages out of their mistake and thereby getting recognition from some wealthy but vested Naga electionists and non Nagas all around may rather make the thing up side down. We should not burnt the whole house in order to kill a small mouse.
Mr. Tongmeth Wangnao, Kilonser, Minister of Education, GPRN, NSCN (IM).
NBCC to launch movement Nagarealm.com
Dimapur [NPN] : In an effort to confront "monsters" such as : corruption, extortion, factional rivalries and killings, the Nagaland Baptist Church (NBCC) through its Peace Affairs will launch the "Healing and Reconciliation Movement" on September 29 at 9 am at Christian Higher Secondary School at Dimapur. According to NBCC Director, Peace Affairs, Rev. L. Kari Longchar, the objective of the movement is to save Naga society from impending doom by changing the situation through a spiritual movement that is contained in "The Nagaland Baptist Church Council's Proposal for Healing and Reconciliation of the Naga People".

Rev.Kair has appealed to all churches, hohos, civil societies and peace-loving citizens to grace the occasion on September 29.

"NBCC's intention and prayer is that an honest conversation may gradually start in our society as a result of our people responding to the points made in the booklet leading to the truth and the facts being established."

The NBCC has called upon all Nagas to show fearless love of truth, maturity and responsibility in their response so that the Naga society could be built on a foundation of healing, reconciliation and real freedom.
NSCN (IM)`s threat over godown tax forces 11 goods trucks back to Guwahati The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 23: NSCN (IM)`s threat to truckers not to proceed to Imphal until their godown taxes are paid has forced at least 11 goods trucks to return to Guhawati with their loads.

The said trucks were among the 52 trucks transporting goods for state PWD, PHED and Manipur Police Housing Cooperation which were stranded on the way from Khakati in Assam to Senapati along the NH-39 after receiving threats from the outfit NSCN (IM). These trucks have remained stranded since the first week of this current month.

The said trucks were transporting construction materials like iron bar, cement etc. from Gauhwati and Burnihat factory, Meghalaya. They have been stranded at various places along the stretch of NH-39 from Khatkati of Assam to Senapati of Manipur.

Reports received here at Imphal said that today 11 trucks turned back to their originating points as they were reportedly threatened of dire consequences if they happen to cross Dimapur gate for their further journey to Imphal. They have been parking at various locations on the Assam side of the state`s border with Nagaland after reaching there with the goods items for Imphal.

However, 41 trucks, which were on the way from Dimapur to Senapati (Nagaland and Manipur section of NH-39), had proceeded to Imphal after getting a green signal from the outfit to proceed to Imphal, according to a report.

But on what ground these trucks were allow to proceed was not clear, however highly reliable source assumed that NSCN (IM) may have received some amount as a part of their godown tax.

Sources said that the prohibition on the further movement of the trucks related to the NCSN (IM)`s demand for payment of Rs. 14 lakhs each by the three departments as godown tax to the outfit. The demand is above the various taxes imposed to the truckers and goods owners annually, as well as per trip by the outfit. Mention may be made that there were also reports of unloading of the goods items from at least four trucks midway by the cadres of the NSCN (IM). One driver of a truck was also beaten up by miscreants suspected to be NSCN (IM) at Dimapur recently.

The injured driver was identified as Padam Prashad, 45, of Karong of Senapati district. He had fracture at his left leg and received injuries at thigh, arms etc. He was the driver of the truck AS 01Z-9491 belonging to a person hailing from Senapati. His vehicle was reportedly forced to halt at Kher mile of Dimapur for around ten days and forcibly unloaded and the goods taken away.

In the meantime, KNA, KNF, ZNRF etc have also started pressurizing the truckers plying along the natioanl highway to pay them godown tax, according to some truckers. They were demanding money ranging from Rs. 3000 to 2000 from the owners of goods which are in the godowns located in Sapermaina and Kangpokpi area.

Militant organization bans crude exploration in Nagaland Telugu Portal
Guwahati, Sep 24 (IANS) The S.S. Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) Sunday banned the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) from carrying out any exploration work in the northeastern state of Nagaland.

"We shall not allow the ONGC to extract oil or carry out other exploratory works in Nagaland with immediate effect," NSCN-K spokesman Kughalo Mulatonu told IANS by telephone from an undisclosed location.
Nagaland is virtually sitting on a multi-million dollar oil reserve with rough estimates indicating that the state has the potential to yield some 600 million tonnes of petroleum.

"The government of India must treat the NSCN faction led by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah as terrorist organisation or else the ban on the ONGC would remain," the rebel leader said. The two NSCN factions are engaged in a bitter fratricidal war over territorial supremacy since their split in 1988. The NSCN-K accuses the rival faction of banning ONGC's operation in 1994 and selling all their equipment.

"Let the Indian government file a lawsuit against the NSCN-IM for the loss incurred by the ONGC. We want ONGC to come and work here so that our people get employment. But then we want the government to first book the NSCN-IM and until such time the ban on the ONGC would continue," Mulatonu said. The ban comes after the Nagaland government recently assured the ONGC of all support and security cover to resume operations in the state.

The ONGC, India's leading oil exploration firm, were forced to withdraw from Nagaland in 1994 after threats from the NSCN-IM and other tribal bodies. ONGC had earlier carried out exploratory works in Nagaland's Wokha district and now plans to work in Mon and Dimapur districts. There is no immediate reaction from the ONGC on the NSCN-K ban.

The NSCN-IM too welcomed the Nagaland government's decision to allow the ONGC to resume operations saying the state want to become self-reliant.
A Trip to Phaibung Khullen Village By: Nehemiah Rong Sangai Express
Taking a rickety ride from NH-39 (Tadubi Town) to Phaibung Khullen, one comes across the vast natural vegetation, sees blue hills, the serpentine like streams, and the view of bordering Poumai Naga Villages located in the present Nagaland State. Journeying through the shaky road one sees, ‘the border that divides the brothers’ for instance the Zhaimai(Liyai) in Senapati District Manipur and Zhavamai Village in Phek District Nagaland State. These two villages belong to Poumai Naga Tribe as of now they are living in a divided world in terms of physical boundaries but they by Manipur and Nagland State Boundaries but people are very attached in tradition and cultural heritage have shared sense of common history. Also one gets a body shaky type of experience when the vehicle do a peacock dancing in the rain due to the slippery mud on the road that leads from Tadubi to Phaibung Khullen Village. One comes across the green cabbage farms of Tungjoy and Liyai people. The tall stone monoliths on the roadsides are amusing to watch while one is on the ride.

Zhifiimai (Phaibung Khullen) Village is one of the biggest villages in Poumai Naga tribe. It is surrounded by the Blue Mountains, cool streams with an open view of Mt.Saramati in the clear sky. Standing village stone elevated place, one sees the Naga Tangkhul villages and other Poumai Naga Villages. It falls under Chilivai Poumai Area. It is blessed with rich natural vegetation and the Iril River passing through the valley provides a source of livelihood to cultivate paddy. Like other Naga villages, Zhifiimai is an agrarian type of economy with popular profession of making rain shield (Heih) with Palm Leaves and making of Salt from the brine (popularly known as Pou Taei) during the olden days when the modern rain coats, umbrella were unknown and the common salt was not yet heard of.

Apart from terrace cultivation, the villagers, pursued making rain shield (Heih) weaved out of palm leaves. In their leisure time people would go out and collect the leaves and dried in the sun and would weave them in to rain shield of various shapes and sizes. Telling folk tales, singing folk songs, celebrating customary festivals, observing gennas, performing various feasts etc. traveling for trade and commerce were part of the old Nagas way of life. Heih was used as spreadsheet to let newborn babies lie down in olden days. It was also used as rain and sun shield. Before the modern dresses were introduced, people used heih as clothing to protect themselves from the bites and stings of various insects and flies. Zhifiimai used Heih (Palm leaves) for stone erection during the feast of Merit, without it, the rites and rituals of the feast cannot be completed. In drought period, Heih was mainly used to perform rituals to invoke the spirit to send rain. Heih(Palm leaves) was also used for healing disease more particularly to the disease, which the villagers believed to be caused by the smell of common salt, locally known as salt’s disease. However with the dawn of modernity, the usage of Heih is lessening.

The morung system is being practicing in this village where the senior female group come and sleep in their common dormitory. The folk songs and dances are still alive, both young and old are keen in preserving them. The traditional Naga houses with thatch roofing are still found giving a real taste the past life. If one wants to be home with the past to feel like one, Phaibung Khullen village is the one among others where one can visit. The erected stones in the entrance way welcome the traveler. Phaibung Khullen village is a zero-point-base of the around 90 Kms long Senapati-Phaibung road which is being under construction and the work taken up by the BRTF. The road once constructed, can give a lifeline to many of the remote rural tribal people living in present Senapati District. The rich cultural heritage of Phabung Khullen Village needs to preserve and promote well amidst the threats by the rapid modernization in every front be it in socio-economic and cultural ways. The old trade of making the rain shield (Heih) can be revived not only for the sake of preservation of the old but also to add boon for the family small scale business in modern ways following the modern means by seeking the experts knowledge and ideas. Each place has its own beauty and Phaibung Khullen has it too. Folks if sitting in crowded city/town becomes lifeless why don’t you just take a thrilling ride through the country roads and be there in the country side and enjoy the nature and listening to folks songs and dancing to the tune of the birds chirping in the moonlit night. At the end of the day you will just forget the bones breaking, breath taking rides on the muddy-slippery-shaky country road that takes you home by the warmness, hospitality and generosity the country folks offer to you. Or you will rue over the dilapidated states of country road. I also bet that you will have ‘one wish’ to come back again and visit the place after seeing the humble folks dropping you and waving their hands and wishing you ‘Bond Voyage’ with a request ‘Do Come to our Land again.’
Manipur most disturbed State in NE’ Assam Tribune
NAINITAL, Sept 23 – Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today said in the Northeastern States while violence levels have fallen as compared to past years, the region “remains trouble-prone”.

He said Manipur “remains currently the most disturbed” with almost 40 per cent of all violent incidents reported from this region emanating from this State.

He attributed one of the reasons for this to the “growing divide” between the Nagas and Kukis in the Hill districts and the Meiteis in the plains. – PTI
Military operations resume against ULFA By IANS Sunday September 24, Guwahati, Sep 24 (IANS) Military operations against the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) resumed Sunday in the northeastern state of Assam after the central government called off a 40-day ceasefire Wednesday, threatening a fragile peace process in the region, officials said.
An Assam government spokesman said soldiers of the Dinjan based 2nd Mountain Division in eastern Assam's Tinsukia district began anti-insurgency operations after the rebels killed a tea planter and a policeman in stepped up attacks and large-scale extortion drive over the weekend.
'The central government has decided to call off the truce and resume military operations against the ULFA in view of the stepped up attacks and extortion drive by the rebels,' Assam Chief Secretary S.K. Kabilan told IANS.
He said the army has resumed operations in some parts of the state. There is no immediate reaction available from the ULFA.
New Delhi on Aug 13 announced suspension of military operations against the ULFA for 10 days to facilitate holding direct peace talks with the rebel leadership. The ceasefire was extended thrice and expired last Wednesday.
The ULFA too reciprocated the government's 'goodwill gesture' by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.
Holding of direct peace talks between the ULFA leadership and government peace negotiators were, however, deadlocked with the central government seeking a formal letter from the outfit stating that it was ready for direct talks, name the outfit's negotiating team members and specify timeframe for the dialogue.
The ULFA maintains that the outfit was not in a position to take a decision and write a letter to the government without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and hence insisting on their release first.
'This is a real setback for the peace process and the government gave the ULFA enough opportunity to prove their sincerity. But the rebels frustrated the government by negating their gestures,' Arindam Nath, a retired schoolteacher said.
ULFA losing support: PM Nagaland Post
NAINITAL, SEPT 23 (PTI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today blamed ULFA leaders based outside the country of prolonging the conflict in Assam.Singh said the outlawed ULFA was losing support at the local level in Assam while sporadic incidents of violence continued in other states of the region.
"The ULFA faces a dilemma of declining support and morale within Assam and hence a desire on the part of local leaders to hold talks with the government -- as against intransigence displayed by their leaders outside, who remain intent on persisting with violent conflict," he said. Violence in the northeastern states on the whole had gone down, when compared to past years, Singh said.
"Manipur remains currently the most disturbed -- during the past year, almost 40 per cent of all violent incidents reported from the region were from Manipur. The growing divide between the Nagas and Kukis in the hill district and the Meiteis in the plains is one reason for this," he said.
Observing that the writ of the state government was limited, he said it has become obvious that in dealing with the problems of peripheral states, "there is need to display much greater sensitivity and adopt a nuanced approach given the unique nature of the peoples that inhabit the region". He also asked the government of Manipur to ensure "equitable" development and care of all regions.
Noting that terrorism, Naxal violence and communal disturbances were three main areas of concern, Singh called for better coordination between the Centre and the states in dealing with internal security issues. Meanwhile, describing as 'worrisome' the activities of externally-sponsored terror groups, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday warned of a spurt in suicide attacks targeting religious, economic and sensitive institutions in the country. He termed as disconcerting reports that suggest the existence of a number of terrorist modules and sleeper cells in some urban areas which provide the backup for foreign terrorist outfits.
"The activities of externally-sponsored terrorist outfits is equally worrisome. Their involvement has grown. "The concern is that there could be a further intensification involving greater use of fidayeen elements and targeting of a wider range of religions, economic and sensitive objects," Singh said addressing the two-day conclave here of Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states.
"Intelligence is clearly the key to better performance. Improvements in intelligence are being effected at Central and State levels," he said while asking the Chief Ministers to tone up their intelligence machinery. "This should go down to the local police station levels," he said. Emphasising on the importance of generating intelligence at the police station level, the Prime Minister pointed out that this area had not got the desired attention.
"There is no substitute for adequately trained and equipped police force and intelligence agencies. I am afraid this does not get the desired attention," he said. "You need to look into this," he told the Chief Ministers attending the conclave. Referring to the growing influence of naxalites in several states, Singh said they have thrived in the 'most neglected' areas of the country, particularly the tribal areas. Observing that Andhra Pradesh had been most successful against naxalites, he suggested that officers from other affected states be sent to the Andhra Pradesh to get an insight and training to tackle the menace.
He also warned the unaffected states not to be complacent saying the naxalites worked on a long-term basis and spend lot of time to spread their base at the grassroot level before taking on the might of the State. Singh also suggested that the influence of naxalism among students, agriculture workers, peasantry and industrial workers should be countered politically rather than by police. The Prime Minister pointed out that there was an underlying sense of insecurity prevailing among the minority community. He described as "erroneous" the linkage of religion with terrorism and said this "tarnished the community's image".
He sought appropriate measures to dispel the feeling of mistrust among the community and recommended that education and mass media should be used for this purpose. The Prime Minister decried 'deliberate attempts' to magnify "stray incidents" in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that efforts to bring normalcy in the trouble-torn state should be pursued 'with vigour' by talking to the people of the state and with Pakistani leadership. Noting that the level of violence was coming down since the Congress-led coalition took over at the Centre, he said that there was need to ensure all round development of the sensitive border state.
Merger of Manipur with the dominion of India By Waikhom Damodar Singh
(Contd from previous issue)
Consequently, the Indian troops under Major General JN Choudhury of the cavalry marched into Hyderabad on 13 Sept, 1948 and had very ably and promptly diffused the critical situation that was developing quite alarmingly. The Govt of India declared that it was not an act of 'war' but purely a 'police action', intended to restore peace and order in the State. Kasim Razvi was arrested, the Razakar organisation was dissolved, and the Nizam submitted. Eventually Hyderabad acceded to India in November 1949. As for the two small States, namely Bena-ras and Tripura, they quite tamely came in within the Dominion of India with effect from 15 October, 1949 along with Manipur for which they had already and smoothly signed the merger agreement on 5 and 9 September respectively.
Thus Manipur, though small in her physical territory, was the last native State which remained unsettled, just as she was the last native State conquered by the Mighty British, as she had presented some but quite delicate issue and problems in regard to her smooth and immediate merger to the new-ly established independent Congress led Govt of India under the Premiership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallavbhai Patel as the Union Home Minister. The then King of the State, Maharaja Bodh-chandra Singh, the eldest son of Maharaja Sir Churachand Singh, KSCI CBE Knight Commander Star of India Commander British Empire) took over the 'reins' of the independent sovereign power from GP Stewart, the Political Agent who was earlier President Manipur State Darbar (Chief Minister's rank) under the Maharaja and succeeded Cristopher Gimson, ICS of the erstwhile British Govt, signed the withdrawal and handling over document on behalf of the British Crown and handed over to Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh on the 14th of August 1947 at midnight at the official room of the Imphal British Residency, now the Imphal Raj Bhavan.
In this regard, there is an interesting episode ha-ppened, in that when Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh was conveyed of a message from the Political Agent for his (the Maharaja) coming over to the British residency for the little ceremony of the histor-ic event to be performed, Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh, being of quite an adamant and obstinate character of not tolerating such insubordinate attitudes forthcoming from the subordinate types of authorities, at first was quite annoyed with and flatly refused to go to the British residency to keep-up his royal dignity of being the King of the State but later on, has been well convinced by the Political Agent who himself rushed up to the Imphal palace and offered his honest explanation saying that he could not carry out the power handling and taking over ceremony or function at the palace since he had to do it on behalf of the Viceroy and his Majesty, the King of the British Empire, and it was only after that Maharaja Bodhchan-dra Singh, fully convinced of the very delicate situation faced by the Political Agent, went to the British residency and took over the power from the political agent, GP Stewart who, of course, immediately after the short function was ov-er, resumed paying his normal courtesies to the king of Manipur, which be-came again an independent kingdom as before from that very midnight of the 14th of August 1947 for which a very befitting function was organised at Kangla in the next morning of the 15th of August, 1947 with hoisting of Pakhangba embedded Manipur's Royal Flag in place of the British Union Jack Flag which had since been flying high till that time at the Kangla Fort since the year 1891, April 27 when the State was compelled to come under the mighty British power as a result of its defeat suffered at their hands in the main battle taken place at Khongjom and its nearby areas where many of the heroes and great generals of Manipur, Yaiskul Lakpa along with his young son, Sengoi Sana, Paona Braja Bashi, Chongtham Mia, Yengk-hoiba, Wangkhei Meiraba, Chinglen Sana etc most heroically sacrificed their lives for the defence of the integrity of their beloved age-old independent mother-land country.
Thus Manipur being free from the yoke of the British Power and had attained again the status of an Independent Sovereign States began in the right earnest to run her own administration, and in doing so, the first and immediate step that was very thoug-htfully and rightly taken up was that the administration of the State was carri-ed out in a 'democratic line' for which an Act named as the Manipur Constitution Act, 1947 was immediately drafted and got approved and according to which, in April 1948, the Manipur State Election Rules, 1948, was also adopted and accordingly election on the basis of 'universal adult franchise' for 53 Manipur State Assembly seats consisting of 30 for general, 18 for Hills, 3 for Muhama-dans, 1 for Educational interest and 1 for Commercial interest was carried out in which were elected 14 from the Manipur State Congress, 18 independents from the Hills, 12 from the Manipur Praja Santi Sabha, 5 from the Manipur Kris-hak Sabha and 3 from the Socialist Party, and a new Council of Ministers comprised of Maharaj Kumar Priya Brata Singh as the Chief Minister and Home and Revenue portfolios, Arambam Ibotomcha Sin-gh as the Finance Minister, Ayekpam Gourabidhu Sin-gh, as Commerce and Industries Minister, Major R Khating, MBE, MC as Mi-nister, Hill areas, Teba Kil-ong as Forest and Agriculture Minister and Md Ali-muddin of Lilong as Jail and Medical Minister started functioning. — to be contd

Rift among ULFA leaders on talks clear: PM Sentinel
NAINITAL, Sept 23: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said certain elements are making ‘deliberate attempts’ to play up ‘stray incidents’ in Jammu & Kashmir and blamed ULFA leaders based outside the country of prolonging the conflict in Asom. While addressing Congress Chief Ministers here, he said the outlawed ULFA was losing support at the local level in Asom while sporadic incidents of violence continued in other States of the region.
“The ULFA faces a dilemma of declining support and morale within Asom and hence a desire on the part of local leaders to hold talks with the Government — as against intransigence displayed by their leaders outside, who remain intent on persisting with violent conflict,” he said.
Violence in the north-eastern States on the whole had gone down, when compared to past years, Singh said.
“Manipur remains currently the most disturbed — during the past year, almost 40 per cent of all violent incidents reported from the region were from Manipur. The growing divide between the Nagas and Kukis in the hill district and the Meiteis in the plains is one reason for this,” he said.
Observing that the writ of the State Government was limited, he said it has become obvious that in dealing with the problems of peripheral States, “there is need to display much greater sensitivity and adopt a nuanced approach given the unique nature of the peoples that inhabit the region”.
He also asked the Government of Manipur to ensure ‘equitable’ development and care of all regions. Noting that terrorism, Naxal violence and communal disturbances were three main areas of concern, Singh called for better coordination between the Centre and the States in dealing with internal security issues. PTI
WHAT THEY SAY
* PCG: “The letter which the Centre is asking from the ULFA is absolutely unnecessary. When we had already apprised the government of the views of the outfit, there is no rationale behind it insisting for the letter. The present stalemate indicates that the three rounds of talks with us virtually yielded nothing. If the ULFA resorts to violence, the Centre would be to blame.” (The group is slated to meet tonight to review the prevailing situation and draw its strategy)
* Mamoni: “I can’t understand what’s going on. Both (government and the ULFA) should not be so adamant in their stance. Both ought to compromise on certain fronts.”

Frans on 09.24.06 @ 03:40 PM CST [link]


Saturday, September 23rd

Muivah leaves Bangkok Nagaland Post


Muivah leaves Bangkok Nagaland Post
Dimapur, Sept 22: With the sudden turn of events following the military coup in Thailand led by Gen. Sondhi Boonyartkalin who overthrew the care taker government of Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra on Tuesday, the political talks between the Government of India with the NSCN(I-M) during the second week of October in Bangkok appears to be uncertain.
The reason, according to the Telegraph in its Friday issue was the unlikelihood of NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah getting visa extension to remain in Bangkok. The report by Bharat Bhushan said on earlier occasions, Muivah has been able, with Indian help, to stay on for up to six months in Thailand. In the midst of uncertainty over visa extension, the military coup drowned all hopes.
In an increasingly uncertain environment Muivah was suddenly forced to scramble for a visa to Europe. Muivah told the correspondent that political negotiations with Delhi was likely to be held in Europe. He reportedly refused to blame Delhi for not making it clear to the Thai authorities that his stay in Bangkok was necessary for the peace talks. "I believe that Delhi made things amply clear to Bangkok. But sometimes it is not easy to predict how a situation develops. India also has to go by the developments here."
GPRN Pangmi region condemns ‘Quit Notice’ The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 22 (MExN): GPRN Pangmi Region has strongly condemned the ‘Quit Notice’ issued by the NSCN-K and termed the action as “mindless”. “The Pangmi Region, GPRN outrightly and strongly condemns such mindless act of serving ultimatum to a particular Naga community (Tangkhul) instead of preaching peace, unity and integrity among our Naga brethren; it is time for us to stand united and rule out our common enemies” stated a MIP/GPRN release issued by Tatar Major Rangba, Tatar Captain David Neng, Deoshe Matchen, CAO Pangmi Region and Lowang, Regional Secretary, Pangmi Region.
The Region stated that Nagas are already being arbitrarily divided by the Indian army and the Myanmar junta and that the people have been struggling tirelessly for unity integrity and oneness in spite of persecution and subjugation. “And we all know that we Nagas have been losing so many lives in the course of our freedom struggle. Why to fight among us and neglect one another. The Nagas will be Nagas regardless of the location we are divided and imposed to live but the blood affinity and identity will always remain the same to be known as ‘Nagas’” stated the Region.
“With reference to the ‘Quit Notice’ extended particularly focusing on the Pangmi region which reveals the political philosophy of Mr Khaplang, Mr P Tekhet and Mr Angkan. Such a timid headless leadership philosophy has no place in today’s fast-advancing society. The people of Pangmi have never vested our mandate upon them (Khaplang and his fellow followers). They have been ignored and are unknown to the people” asserted the release adding that the action is without the support of the people. The Pangmi Region declared that if any “undesirable or anti-Naga condition or situation” prevails and lead to loss of innocent lives within the Pangmi administrative region, “particularly by men of Khaplang – Messrs Tekhet and Angkan will be held solely responsible”.
The NSCN(I-M) condemns & laments- Nagaland Post
In cycle of terror tactics un-leased by Khaplang in Nagalim and especially at Dimapur designed with ulterior motives deserves censure by one and all.
With the overwhelming support from all sections of Nagas across Nagalim to the Indo-Naga political talks led by the NSCN/GPRN and the dialogue process gaining momentum the Naga adversaries have been restive. In their discomfort of possible solution to the vexed Indo-Naga issue, they have been waging disruptive activities to vitiate the conducive atmosphere. The excessive extortion demands upon business communities in the face of dire consequences; bomb threats on failure in fulfillment of the ransom have been the double edged weapon of these anti-social elements.
Either way round, if the demands are met, it is used for further terrorism sponsorships. If the high demands are not met, their weapon of threat continues till the victims are annihilated to cite as a model to the others the consequences of people who do not obey their dictates. Their terror tactics also serve as an instrument to spread fear and insecurity everywhere, thus disrupting all normal life and creating an atmosphere to dislodge the peace efforts.
Today, the Nagas are confronted with a blind and insensible antagonists with no sane reasoning out to create havoc and destruction at random, so that their mission to divide the Nagas, sow the seeds of distrust, hate, promote terrorism and to clog the path to all peaceful solutions reigns. Should we submit till it is eradicated from the face of our society? Let us not cow down to elements of terrorism but confront this scourge of evil with united force before it brings us further irreparable losses. The NSCN/GPRN will continue to defend the rights of its people to live in peace at whatever costs and appeals to the Naga people that we should not give in to the evils of terror and oppose outright against its design.
The GPRN also mourns the death of 5 (five) of its cadres i.e. namely sgt. Atovi sumi, S/o ..... of Sukhavi village, Lance Corpl Ningmachan Tangkhul s/o Wungchithung, Lance Corpl. Merademo Lotha S/o Zangthungo of Yumpang village, Lance corpl. Isaac Yimchunger S/o Joji Jangkuingro of New Showba village and Pte. Yarmishang Tangkhul S/o (L) Ngaitheng of Kochai village who were killed by the collaborators of our adversaries on 20 September 2006 at Old Chalkot. Their extreme Sacrifices in the defense of our national rights during the line of duty is hailed by one and all. The Nagas have been deprived in the loss of 5 (five) brave patriotic sons of our land who had given their all for our future. Their names will go down our history and be remembered through all generations.
The GPRN conveys our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray that the Almighty give solace to them at their hour of grief and rest the departed souls in peace.
Issued by MIP/GPRN, NSCN (IM)
Rival front worries NSF Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 22:: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) today said an anti-Nagalim group was planning to float a parallel students’ organisation with the aim of dislodging the Naga struggle...

The last meeting for the formation of the new body, the Nagaland Students Federation, was held at the Doyang hydro project site in Wokha, an NSF official said.

“There are some narrow-minded people in our society who are always trying to disintegrate our fragile society,” he said. The Nagaland Students’ Federation will be a threat to the NSF as well as to Naga society, he added.

The official, however, said no force could undermine the right of the Nagas and the federation would continue its struggle for the cause of the people. (The Telegraph)
Tangkhuls asked to leave Pfütsero Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: The Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) has asked all "Tangkhuls" to leave Pfütsero Town and go to their respective homes on or before September 27.
Col. Sishu Thepa, commander 5 Bde, S/C, Naga Army, in a release alleged that the Tangkhuls had occupied Pfütsero since 2004 and were "interfering in the local affairs of the inhabitants in the guise of Naga nationalism." "It has to be understood that through terrorism Nagas can never be subjugated," he also added.
While stating that Nagas were a democratic and a Federal people he said "in Naga way of life we respect individual liberty and the autonomy of each other's regions".
Flush out hangs over UG camps Crack down awaits location identification at Myanmar and logistic support Laishram Shamungou Sangai Express
NEW DELHI, Sep 22 : Even as the recent Home Secretary level talk between India and Myanmar explored the possibility of cracking down on the camps of North East militants particularly of underground organisations from Manipur in the neighbouring country, an immediate flush out may be put on hold as such an operation can only be carried out after identifying the specific locations of the camps and the availability of logistics support.
Talking to The Sangai Express today, a Defence source said that though the two countries are keen to crack down on the camps of the militants in Myanmar, any operation will have to depend on intelligence inputs about the specific location of the camps as well as the availability of logistics support.
On the likely nature of the operation to be launched, the source said that a Bhutan like crack down on the ULFA camps will not be possible as Bhutan receives special treatment from India unlike Myanmar. Moreover India has an army training camp at Thimpu, added the source.
However India has been providing arms and extending co-operation to Myanmar on different issues, explained the source.
India shares a long border with Myanmar and at many points the border is porous, making it easy for militants and others to sneak across the border.
A Home Secretary level talk between the two countries was recently held to discuss many issues including the possibility of flushing out the militants holed up in Myanmar. Moreover a meeting at the Army chief level has also been held between India and Myanmar to discuss the presence militants there, added the source.
Other than seeking the co-operation of Myanmar to flush out the militants from its soil, the security forces in the North East will also be armed with the latest sophisticated weapons and will also utilise Unmanned Airborne Vehicle to track down UG camps, informed the source further.
Significantly, the service of the Indian Air Force was utilised in lifting troops during the operation launched at Churachand-pur district to drive out militants in the early part of this year.
On the steps taken up to bring the militant groups to the negotiating table, the source said that a number of Kuki militant groups are on the verge of starting a talk with the Government but added that some major groups of Manipur are yet to respond to the overtures of the Government.
The Centre has sent feelers to three major UG groups, but there has been no response so far, said the source and added that monetary help and ration are provided to militant groups engaged in talks with the Government.
On the other hand, 349 cases of human rights violation in the North East region were registered from 1994 till July 2006, said the source. On investigation it was found that 303 cases were false allegations while 28 cases were found to be genuine. Action has been taken up in another 63 cases, added the source.
NSCN (I-M) tops list of surrendered ultras From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 22 – The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isaak-Muivah) has topped the list of surrendered militants in Manipur while the People’s Liberation Army and United National Liberation Front occupied the second and third position respectively.

According to a written reply by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi during question hour in the State Assembly recently, altogether 62 NSCN(IM) activists have laid down their arms and surrendered to Manipur Government since 1990 till date, which was followed by PLA (59) and UNLF (58) cadres. The written reply also mentioned 29 bogus surrendered militants.

Thus, a total of 377 militants belonging to various underground outfits have surrendered to the State Government during the said period, out of which 173 surrendered ultras have been given appointment, 20 have deserted, 13 arrested but 30 have been killed.

Interestingly, 56 ex-militants were self-employed now as per the information provided by the Chief Minister while replying to a question by Patsoi Assembly constituency MLA, M Nabadwip.

Other surrendered militants include 42 of People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, 41 of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, 32 of Kangleipak Communist Party, 27 of People’sUnited Liberation Front, 15 of Islamic National Front, 10 of Kuki Liberation Army, five of North Eastern Minority Front, four each of United Kuki Liberation Front and Kuki National Army, three of Kuki National Front (Military council), two of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang), one each of Kuki National Front (Zougam), Hmar People’s Convention (D) and Zomi Revolutionary Army.

It was also mentioned that 24 surrendered militants are still in rehabilitation camps while 14 others are awaiting rehabilitation, although 26 ex-ultras were released after their rehabilitation entitlements.
Mumbai Rape: Police get crucial leads, breakthrough likely by Saturday Kuknalim.com
MUMBAI, Sept 22:: The Malwani police investigating the gangrape of a 24-year-old Naga woman at a local resort have got some crucial leads to the identity of the prime accused. Senior officials said a breakthrough was likely in the case by Saturday...

The victim, an employee of a Juhu hotel, was lured with promises of landing a well-paying airline job. The prime accused, identified only as Raj by the woman, first took her to a Malad bar where he offered her drinks. Later, he led her to the Jurassic Park resort at Malwani, where an associate joined him. The two took turns to repeatedly rape the woman for over five hours.

The police have got Raj's mobile number from the victim. "We are tracking Raj's cellphone records and have talked to people he spoke to on the day of the incident," said a police officer. Using the mobile records, police have zeroed in on Raj's family in the suburbs and have questioned his 80-year-old mother and wife.

"He has been keeping away from home for a few days. We also suspect that he is a drug addict," said an officer. Police believe that Raj's arrest will also lead them to the co-accused.

The police are now planning to take stern action against guesthouses and lodges which have not been maintaining names and addresses of their patrons. Raj had not given his full name when he signed in at the resort.

Following a sensational murder case in a shack on Aksa beach last year, the police had laid out guidelines to be followed by resort and lodge owners. According to these, the patron is required to produce an identity card such as a driver's license or a PAN card to establish his/her identity. The resort owners are also supposed to note down the registration number of the vehicle used by the patron.

"The local police will prepare a report on defaulting lodges and submit it to the headquarters. The lodge owners could then be served a memo," said additional commissioner Tukaram Chavan.

Meanwhile, members of the close-knit Naga community have rallied around the victim.

The Naga Students' Federation in Kohima has asked the Maharashtra government to take appropriate action against the offenders. It demanded adequate security for outsiders living in Mumbai.

Condemning the incident, Rosemary Dzuvichu, an expert member from Nagaland in the National Commission for Women, said she would write to the State Women Commission of Maharastra. A senior Nagaland police officer has also sought details of the incident from Mumbai police.

Last year, the murder of Leishichon, a Naga girl from Manipur, at the Gateway of India had created considerable sensation in Nagaland. (TOI News)
Unity call echoes at Assam Manipuri meet Sangai Expres
IMPHAL, Sep 22: The call for unity echoed at the first anniversary celebration of the Assam Meitei Apunba Lup at its Lanka head office on September 17.
Speaking on the occasion, Yurembam Manihar exuded optimism that the disunity and fragmentation prevalent among Manipuris in Assam would be done away with and come under the Assam Apunba Lup as a unified entity, informed a statement issued by the Lup.
The anniversary function was presided by the president of the Lup Wangkhem Saratchandra while general secretary of Ethno Heritage Council, Imphal Ningombam Priyobarta and president of Kala Kristi Kendra, Lanka Huirem Dhirendra were the guests of honour, it said.
Thaoroijam Memi highlighted the plight of Manipuris in Assam as they did not have a single MLA to represent them in the Assam State assembly.
In his address, Priyobarta conveyed deep concern over the strained relationships and distrust among different indigenous peoples of the North East. He also took strong exception to some groups who have started claiming themselves as a nations since some years back, conveyed the statement.
Acknowledging the presence of large number Manipuris beyond the State boundary, he called upon all the Manipuris to unite together irrespective of where they live.
In his presidential speech, Wangkhem Saratchandra disclosed that there was no definite date regarding the number of Manipuri speaking people in Assam. The number of Manipuri speaking people was also not reflected in the Assam census report. As such, the Assam Meitei Apunba Lup has decided to undertake an economic survey and head count of the Manipuri speaking people in Manipur, he informed.
The survey work has been completed for some villages within and adjoining areas of Lanka municipal area, he mentioned.
While appealing to the people to support in the survey work, Saratchandra also asserted that Manipuris in Assam ought to take advantage of the proposed establishment of second chamber Legislative Council.
The observation further decided to hold the second Assam Meitei Convention in December/January at Sibsagar, upper Assam, informed the statement.
Naga Mysticism nagarealm.com [I. Ponghok Phom, DPRO, Tuensang (A DIPR Feature)]
Naga society being a tribal community, has close affinity to tradition and custom, nature and mysticism. Modern age and scientific ethos has come and are here to stay. Yet, due veneration is also accorded to such mystical symbols which is handed down through the generations. Such materials may be a piece of antique loaded with history or a symbol of blessing or curse. In the heart of Tuensang Town, there is one such phenomenon in the form of a 'Stone' which is believed to have brought immense blessing ever since the 'Stone' was discovered and kept at that home.

The genesis of this story dates back to the year 1995. Moa Meren, son of Jungshi Chang, Retd. SDO (Irri.) had gone for hunting towards Laktah jungle (Tuensang District) with his air gun. He saw a very peculiar "STONE" in the nearby stream. Coming back home, he reported to his father about the strange looking "STONE"

Next day, the father and son duo went to the particular spot to collect the 'Stone'. But to their amazement, disproportionate to its size, the 'Stone' was found to be much heavier for them to carry home. So, they hid the stone in a nearby bush.

The next day, they came back with enough sticky rice and pork to eat and three persons to carry the new discovery. Yet again to their surprise, the distance of just the usual two hours journey took them six long wearisome hours' journey on that day.

The mystery then started to unfold one after another. One prayerful woman dedicated the stone and revealed that the 'Stone' was older than the father of the person who found the 'Stone'. It was also believed that the 'Stone' was the protectorate of the nearby area.

Besides this 'Stone', around the same area, they found another smaller stone which has a strange mixture of normal stone and iron.

There were several occasions when the genuineness of the 'stone' was put to test in their day to day activities and to check whether it has brought good tidings. For eleven years now, this family has a testimony of eighty plus years old parents still going to paddy field, children and host of grandchildren who had experienced no death, no hospitalization but only good harvest and good returns; no domestic animal epidemics affected their household even when their neighbourhood suffered.

This is the story and mystery of the mystical 'Stone'. One good lesson from this Human-Stone honeymoon is that this family has decided to emulate the new blessed entrant into their family fold i.e. 'Stone' Humble and courageous, faithful and unflinching belief.
Centre yet to decide on next step From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 22 – With the ULFA declining to soften its stand, the Centre is taking its time to decide on the next course of action on the peace process. Even 48 hours after the expiry of the deadline for suspension of operation, the Centre today failed to take any decision. Yet, another of meeting was held at the South Block with National Security Adviser, MK Narayan at the chair. Union Home Secretary, VK Duggal, Intelligence Bureau officials besides army top brass took part in the meeting.

Later, an official spokesman of the Home Ministry told newsmen that no decision has been taken so far though discussions were held at the appropriate level. “A decision would be taken shortly,” he added.

The spokesman’s reaction came after a TV news channel reported that Delhi gave up on ULFA. “ New Delhi’s ceasefire with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom expired on Wednesday night with the Centre sticking to its stand to not take that extra step to the next stage of the peace process” it reported.

The peace initiative hit a roadblock after an intransigent ULFA and the inflexible Centre refused to relax their respective stands, it further said. The difficulty supposedly faced by the Central Government was on the account of the stiff opposition from various quarters including some ‘militant outfits of the North-east’ said Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami quoting the NSA.

Narayanan reportedly called her last evening to inform that the Centre was not able to take a decision because of tremendous oppositions. Army has already gone on record to say that it was opposed to the idea of further suspension of operations because of the attempts by ULFA to regroup.

Meanwhile, reacting to reports, sources in the Intelligence Bureau said that they have not opposed the Centre’s peace initiative nor was has it objected to extension of the suspension of operations.

The Centre unilaterally announced the suspension of operation on August 13 for 10 days, after which it was extended twice. The reluctance of the ULFA to produce a written commitment has led to toughening of stand by the Centre.

ULFA letter must for talks: National Security Adviser MK Naryaan informed Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami this evening that the Centre would insist on a letter fromthe ULFA to keep the peace process alive, even while taking into consideration further extension of suspensio nf Army operations in the State.
Arunachal to ensure Asom’s power needs: Apang From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 22 – While sticking with its opposition to the proposed North East Water Resources Authority (NEWRA), Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Gegong Apang today sought to clarify apprehensions by claiming that Asom’s concern would be addressed. The Chief Minister said that the Arunachal Pradesh Water Regulatory Authority set up by the State Government would ensure that neighbouring Asom’s needs ranging from power supply to irrigation would be taken care of. Asom along with other North Eastern States had fully endorsed the proposal to set an autonomous authority, initially proposed by the Prime Minister.

The proposal being pursued by the Union Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) is currently in a limbo after Arunachal Pradesh resisted the idea. The State Assembly later adopted a private member Bill and constituted the Water Regulatory Authority. Apang today hinted that the ambitious NEWRA might have to be shelved for good.

“But all of Asom’s requirement would be met under the new arrangement,” he added in the same breath.

The Chief Minister along with Union Power Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde was addressing a press conference here today, after signing three MoUs with NHPC, NTPC and NEEPCO paving the way for development of hydroelectric projects to the tune of 15,000 MW, at Itanagar yesterday..

Much importance has been attached to the signing of the MoUs because it is the outcome of intense negotiations between the Union Power Ministry and Arunachal Pradesh Government. The two-year stalemate was broken in July after Ministry of Power finally managed to convince the State Government about the advantages of doing business with Central PSUs.

Even as negotiations were going on to break the deadlock, Arunachal Pradesh went ahead and signed MoUs with three private companies for construction of five power projects tying up 4,800 MW. Reports have it that Detailed Project Reports prepared by NHPC were hijacked and used by the private companies.

The Union Power Minister today warned that fully cost incurred by the PSUs for preparation of the DPRs would be extracted from the private companies, if they use the same DPRs. The three private power developers included Jaiprakash Group, D.S.Construction and Reliance Energy.

Apang, however, maintained that the State stood to gain much from the MoU signed with the three private players. The State has been given up to 19 percent of free power, besides share in the equity and royalty, a guarantee to develop the local area and employment opportunity for the locals.

On the other hand, the three Central PSUs have offered 12 percent of free power to the State, one paise per unit for local area development and employment of opportunity for local people. The State’s exchequer would be richer by about Rs 1,254.89 crore from the deal with the three PSUs.

But the State’s ambitious plans hit a road block, when it realised that the infrastructure facilities like transmission lines to wheel out power from Arunachal Pradesh to the regional and national grid was with the Central PSU Power Grid. Apang now plans to make a plea to the Prime Minister and Congress president, Sonia Gandhi to ensure development of the transmission lines to wheel out the surplus power.

Earlier, Shinde said that the State has a huge availability of power estimated at 50,000 MW, while the State Government has so far managed to harness only 416 MW. Another 4500 MW is under construction. Even the agreement to generate 15,000 MW of power, is only half of the full potential.

The Chief Minister has not given up as yet on tying up with private players and replying to a question, he said that he would do what was best for the State.

The three PSUs would develop seven power projects totalling 10230 MW. The State has signed two MoUs for NHPC for Tawang I and II, besides 3000 MW Dibang Valley Multi-purpose project in joint venture with the State Government. NEEPCO is going to develop Kameng-I and Pareh, while NTPC would develop Etalin and Attnli hydroelectric projects.

The Chief Minister further added that the proposal was at its nascent stage and he was going to discuss it with the Chief Minister of Delhi, Prime Minister and Congress president, Sonia Gandhi at the Congress Chief Minister’s meet in Nainital.
Unabated influx– a grave threat to North East — Dr Niva Bhagawati Assam Tribune
The allegation of Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh on July 14, 2006 that the July 11 serial blasts in Mumbai had been the handwork of terrorists who were instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border has assumed significance. Meanwhile, Pakistan outrightly denied this as ‘unsubstantiated allegation and declared that Mumbai train bombers had not got any support from across the border. Obviously, the solemn promise of Pakistan President Musharaff in the Vajpayee– Musharaff communique in January, 2004 and his assurance on July 31, 2005 not to allow Pakistan’s territory to be used to promote, encourage, aid and abet terrorism is absolutely ridiculous. That the anti-India terror groups exist in Pakistan and they are operating against India is also confirmed by US sources.

Terrorism is the very antithesis of democracy and its eradication need not be halted in the name of respect for human rights of the perpetrators of the crime. It is creditable that our former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, after the victory of Kargil in 1999, firmly resolved not to buckle under US pressure on cease-fire before clearing each and every inch of the country’s soil. His declaration not to compromise with terrorism is followed by present Prime Minister Dr Man Mohan Singh as well through his pronouncement that India would not compromise with these elements that undermine its sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.

Today the entire world is facing the heat of terrorism which emerged as a major challenge to the modern civil society the world over and everybody knows that the greatest threat to world peace emanates from Islamic fundamentalists. The essence of Islamic religion is love, peace and brotherhood. However, in the name of purity of religion, the fundamentalists, with a sinister design have been spreading their tentacles in the form of ‘jehad’.

In fact India is facing the scourge of terrorism for the last two decades which has presently assumed dangerous dimensions. No other country in the world has waged such a long relentless struggle against terrorism as India does where thousands of innocent civilians and security men have fallen victims of terrorism till date.

The July 11 bomb blasts and the responsibility claimed by Lashkar-e-Qahhar, an outfit associated with Al-Qaeda and Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and their threat to carry out more attackes have alarmed the entire country. As per sources these fundamentalist forces have received substantial amount of funds from other countries to strengthen their base against India. The Defence Minister’s announcement in the Loka Sabha on July 30, 2006 that the terrorist activities have been taken seriously by the Government of India is a proper one at this point of time. Howver, on this extremley important issue of natonal security what appropriate measure have been formulated and what urgent and hasty action will be taken by the government are still obscure.

What is more alarming is the situation of India’s North East which is ominously pathetic. For decades, the entire north eastern has been a victim of tension and turmoil, seething with secessionism, militancy,and insurgency, bred by a sense of alienaton, deprivation and neglect. The greatest peril now faced by the region, particularly Asom, is explosion in population and militancy in the wake of influx of unabated immigrants from Bangladesh.

The former Governor of Asom Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha in his invaluable report submitted to the President of India on November 8, 1998 highlighted the dangers arising out of this continuous influx posing a grave danger to the identity of the Asomiya people and security and integrity of the country which had failed to receive the attention it deserves fromthe Union and State Government.

What is most alarming is that the continuous influx has also given rise to a number of fundamentalist forces basically for defending the interest of Bangladeshi migrants. TC Rajeswar Rao, former Governor of West Bengal, reported that organisations like Muslim Liberation Tigers, Muslim Liberation Force etc.have been formed announcing their objective of crating an independent Islamic State in Asom. These organisations have given the ISI of Pakistan and other international fundamentalist forces a solid base to destabilise the country. The ISI has been helping various militant outfits, including the ULFA, by way of training and providing sophisticated arms. At least fourteen fundamentalists outfits are active in Asom and they are involved in anti-national activities. These fundamentalist outfits active in the State are also maintaining close ties with the outfits active in Kashmir and they received substantial amount of fund from other countries to strengthen their bases. Surprisingly the State an the Central Government did not take any concrete step to stop them.

Omkareswar Pandey, in his recently published book Terror in the Valley of Kargil has revealed that after its failure in Kashmir, Pakistan is now attempting to separate the entire North East from the rest of the country by cutting off the “Chicken’s Neck’, the narrow zone between Srirampur (Asom) and New Jalpaiguri (North Bengal), in pursuance of the policy laid down by the deposed Prme Miniser, Nawaz Sharif who is reported to have planned several fronts similar to Kargil. To that end several training camps have been organised under ISI in the North and West Bengal and North-East. Apparently the entire area is threatened by massive Bangladeshi infiltrators, under the patronage of ISI. This had the backing even of pro-India Bangladesh President Mujibur Rahman, who had his eyes on Asom when he said, “Eastern Bengal must have sufficient land for a huge population and Asom will give it a full scope for expansion because Asom has abundant forests, mineral resources, coal, petroleum etc. No wonder therefore, that the present intellectuals of Dacca invoking the theory of labensraum or heaven for the Muslims sought to create an independent “Banglabhumi” comprising Asom, Bengal and Bihar.

To aggravate the situation the attitude of the immigrants under went a radical change with their growing influences as “vote bank”. Apparently the prospect of solution of the problem of illegal migration at present is extremely a bleak perhaps because of Parliamentary arithmetic. It is quite needless to say that if the influx of immigrants remains unabated it would be only a question of time when theindigenous ethnic groups of Asom will be alien in their own land. Time is running out. In view of the unabated influx of illegal migrants and ever increasing activities of the Islamic fundamentalists backed by the ISI of Pakistan, unless urgent action is taken, the very identity of the Asomiya people will be lost to posterity.
Dutch diplomat drops mask, curses Delhi Nilova Roy Chaudhury
New Delhi, The Dutch cannot seem to stay away from the Indian spotlight even if it is for all the wrong reasons. Just weeks after they created turbulence by suspecting some fidgety garment exporters as terrorists, a Dutch diplomat touched the nether regions of diplomacy as he shot his mouth off on New Delhi – "a garbage dump" where "people are a darn nuisance".
Arnold Parzer, the most senior diplomat after the ambassador and his deputy at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi, recently told Dutch newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad about the Capital: "Anything that can go wrong, does go wrong; everyone interferes with everyone else; the people are a darn nuisance; the climate is hell; the city a garbage dump." He also said, "New Delhi is the most miserable place I have ever lived in."
Parzer, 63, who has been the counsellor for agriculture for the past three years, is reportedly in the doghouse for his comments. Shashi U Tripathi, secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said the remarks were "in bad taste". Another official said, "You do not trash your host country in the press."
After the interview appeared on September 9, the Indian embassy in The Hague sent its translated copy to the MEA, seeking redress. When the joint secretary (Europe-West) summoned Dutch Ambassador Eric Niehe to the South Block, the latter said he had "taken the officer to task".
Hans Schutte, a spokesman for the Dutch Embassy, told HT on Thursday, "The statements in question do not in any way reflect the opinion of the Netherlands government."
Since Parzer completes his tenure next month, the MEA has decided not to issue a demarche.



Frans on 09.23.06 @ 04:53 PM CST [link]


Friday, September 22nd

CFMG meet reviews truce progress Staff Reporter Nagaland Post


CFMG meet reviews truce progress Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 21 (NPN): In another routine exercise to assess the ongoing ceasefire between the GoI and NSCN (IM), representatives from both the parties had a closed-door discussion on Thursday at Dimapur. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Lt. Gen (Retd) Kulkarni, Chairman, Cease Fire Monitoring Group (CFMG) said today's meeting reviewed the whole gamut pertaining to ceasefire between the GoI and NSCN (IM).
"We shared each other's concerns and the meeting went so well," said Kulkarni, who led the representatives of GoI including state DGP J. Changkija, IGAR Maj. Gen. S.S. Kumar and CRPF DIG Ticku. Asked if the topic of reviewing the ceasefire ground rules cropped up during the discussion, the CFMG chairman said it was upto New Delhi and the Naga group to work out on the matter.However, Convenor of Cease Fire Monitoring Cell (CFMC), NSCN-IM, Phungthing Shimrang said the NSCN-IM had made it clear to the representatives of GoI regarding "the violation of ground rules by the Indian Armed Forces."
The alleged nexus between Indian Armed Forces and NSCN (K), which the NSCN (IM) has time and again questioned New Delhi, was also discussed today, Phungthing told Nagaland Post over phone this afternoon. Referring to the NSCN-IM's continued insistence for amending the ceasefire ground rules, Phungthing said "the matter cannot just get diluted and therefore, whatever needs arise should be taken into consideration."
While stating that the NSCN-IM's stand had been made known to the GoI representatives today, he said every effort taken should focus on "how to bring about a solution."
Meanwhile, the next meeting between the GoI and NSCN (IM), particularly to discuss about a possible change in ceasefire ground rules, has been tentatively slated for October. Earlier the NSCN-IM was assured by the Centre of amending the "ground rules," Phungthing claimed but added "it has not happened so far." The CFMC Convenor said the NSCN-IM was watching "how sincere the GoI would go about…." However, he sounded optimistic about a "successful change" in the October meeting.
NSCN (IM) consolidating during ceasefire: Assam Rifles Zeenews Bureau Report
Kohima, Sept 22: The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) is consolidating itself, taking advantage of the ongoing ceasefire agreement with the Centre, according to a top official of the Assam Rifles.

"The ceasefire is giving the NSCN an opportunity to consolidate. We have conveyed our concern to the Ministry of Home Affairs," Inspector General of Assam Rifles (North), Major General S S Kumar told a team of visiting newsmen here.

Observing that the NSCN (IM) was procuring arms and improved communication systems, Kumar said the number of its cadre has also been on the rise lately.

"Earlier, there were about 800 cadre of the NSCN-IM. Of late, the figure ranges between 2,000 to 2,500," he said, adding the NSCN (IM) had a training camp in neighbouring Myanmar and reports about the existence of another camp in Bangladesh were being looked into.

Kumar said the outfit was trying to run a parallel government in Nagaland. "It has a political wing, a military wing, collects `taxes,` issues entry permits, registers shops and carries out investigations into crimes and irregularities in the state government," he said.

The NSCN (Khaplang), another NSCN faction, however, has no ceasefire agreement either with the government or with NSCN (IM) and this has resulted in factional clashes in the past two years. While NSCN (K) tries to push NSCN (IM) towards Dimapur, the latter attempts to push the former towards Myanmar, said IG of Assam Rifles, the main counter-insurgency agency in the North-East.

‘Bedrock of Naga society is a closed chapter, although it was a statement of truth of one side of the coin of the history of Nagaland’
Seminar on political stand of KDCC held Calls for unification of all factions into one block The Morung Express
Kohima, Sept 21 (MExN): The Kohima District Congress Committee in its third quarterly meeting of 2006 at the residence of MLA KV Pusa on September 15 had a seminar on the topic “Political stand of KDCC.”
The seminar, which was chaired by Vilhouzhalie, president Kohima District Congress Committee, was initiated by Khriedi Theunuo, vice president NPCC and participated by among others by KV Pusa, secretary CLP, MLA Medokul, Zakieo Metha, member PCC, Asu Keyho member PCC, Khumezo, member PCC, Medochunuo, president District Mahila Congress and Khriesanol Viswentso, general secretary DYC.
To bring about a stand for the KDCC, various issues were debated by the seventy plus members present and finally crystallized into the following stand;
1.On factionalism among the national workers, the KDCC will stand for the unification of all factions into one block.
2. Equi-distance does not mean maintaining a distance between national workers and the party but treating all factions equally.
3. The NBSE affiliation issue is best left to the centre as it is not in the power of the state.
4. That terming the DAN government as “Tenyimia government” is detrimental to Tenyimia.
5. From solution within 3 months to equi-closeness to interim agreement within a span of three years shows the immaturity of DAN government leadership.Talking about another interim, agreement shows the lack of historical knowledge of Nagaland by the DAN leadership, for the 16 point agreement is also an interim agreement on which the state government is formed.
7. “Bedrock of Naga Society” is a closed chapter, although it was a statement of truth of one side of the coin of the history of Nagaland.
8. “Our power is, at best, we can serve as a bridge between the Naga national workers and Indian government and for that we shall try our best.”
9. Congress stands for the upliftt of the poor section of the society and so, support the central policy of Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme which aims at one government servant in every house.
10. KDCC will have to give more of its time to frontal organizations.
11. ACCCs are the foundation of the district that their recommendation shall be honoured in selection of candidates.
The invocation was said by Visezo Usou, executive member KDCC while Vikrosa Zecho delivered the welcome address. Vote of thanks was offered by Kevi Vizo, vice president , KDCC, informed SecretaryViseyienuo.
Naga rebels clash in eastern India, seven dead 22 Sep 2006 08:17:49 GMT Source: Reuters Northeast India clashes

GUWAHATI, India, Sept 22 (Reuters) - At least seven rebels were killed in a gunbattle between rival factions of a separatist militant group in India's remote northeastern state of Nagaland, police said on Friday.
The clash occured on Thursday between two warring groups of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) in a village in the Athibung area, about 120 km (75 miles) south of the state capital Kohima.
The NSCN has been fighting for a separate homeland for Naga tribespeople. More than 20,000 people have died in the nearly six-decade-old revolt in the Christian-majority state.
The Issac-Muivah and the Khaplang factions of the NSCN have been holding a ceasefire with Indian forces as part of a peace process, but are fighting each other in a war of supremacy.
Security has been tightened across the mountainous state to prevent further clashes, a police officer said.
Clarification to M. Yashei’s rejoinder The Morung Express In focus
• Sir – God knows whether I am a member of any Naga insurgent group and a real Konyak and that my queries on NSCN and NNC/FGN (Shillong Accord) was any prejudice and I have few queries for the NSCN (IM) too. However, Mr. M. Yashei, General Secretary Konyak Union, Kohima, along with the two mentioned insurgent groups have strongly questioned my credibility, which infact was regrettable.
In any case I don’t intend to hurt neither anyone nor Mr. Yashei, but as we are living in a democratic society, everyone has right to put question across or express his positive view for the betterment of the society. Without clarifying my queries and questions immediately jumping into conclusion branding me as NSCN (IM) member or Mr. Yashei charging me of issuing a confusing statement was unfortunate. But I’ll leave it to the Naga people to judge, whether my queries were confusing or not.
I can only say, our Konyak people shouldn’t live 50 years behind because of some few vested interest and frustrated persons, who are like frog in the well. Our Konyak leaders should know where we are today and where other Naga brothers are. We should not allow few frustrated persons to decide our future- we must be with the mainstream rather then with the jungle politics. Wanthang Konyak Chandmari Kohima (wang12@rediffmail.com">wang12@rediffmail.com)
Can India negotiate with NSCN (K)
• Sir – Time has for the Naga people to take the protracted Naga Political issue seriously. India is considered to be the largest democratic country in the world with her conventional commitment to imbibe rule of law. It is very clear beyond reasonable doubt that India cannot and shall not politically negotiate with NSCN (K) under the leadership of Uncle S.S. Khapalang a Burmese Naga National. The reason is that India knows very well that She simply has no territorial, political and legal jurisdiction to negotiate with Burmese Naga underground organisation.
This is a political reality. However, to carry on the Nagas common aspiration forward and materialize the dream of unity, integrity and sovereignty of Nagalim, NSCN (K) cannot but give strong support to the ongoing political dialogue between Government of India (GOI) and National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) -IM.
NSCN (K) must also work out for a dialogue with the Myanmarese government, if it really is concerned with NSCN –IM and the Nagas of India must fully support NSCN–K in its endeavour to negotiate with Myanmar. Such political stratagem and common understanding of the Nagas will substantially contributed in restoring Naga sovereignty in an undivided Naga homeland which was arbitrarily divided by the British –Indian colonial rule. Let us stop being subservient to the principles, teachings and command of the anti – Naga, elements. Let killing among the Nagas be completely stopped. Let good sense prevails in us. Renew the high spirit of oneness of the Nagas. L. Mark, New Delhi kaborang@yahoo.co">kaborang@yahoo.co.in
An appeal to NSCN (K)
• Sir – City Church is an English congregation established to provide a place of worship and fellowship for the people in and around Kohima irrespective of caste, tribe and race. We endeavor to build up one another in Christ.
We have a hope, and are convinced that only in Christ we can have peace and unity in our land. We work towards greater understanding and harmony amongst churches, tribes and individuals in our society.
We believe that each soul and tribe is precious in the sight of God and absolutely essential for fulfilling God’s purpose in our land.
Therefore, we the members of City Church, Kohima sincerely appeal to our brother in NSCN (K) in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord to reconsider and revoke the Quit notice served to Tangkhul community. By doing this we are sure that the Lord’s blessing will be experienced by you in greater measure. May God bless you.
M. Odyuo, Pastor
City Church, Kohima
Hoto Yeptho, Chairman
City Church, Kohima
Nagaland oil operations to resume By Subir Bhaumik BBC News, Calcutta
Rebels have been fighting in Nagaland for more than 50 years India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is to restart operations in the insurgency-hit north-eastern state of Nagaland. It was forced out of the state more than a decade ago by Naga separatist insurgents and radical youth groups.

The state government has now agreed that the ONGC can start production and exploration in the state. Nagaland's Chief Minister, Neiphieu Rio, says his government will provide adequate security to the ONGC staff.
'Self-reliant' "The ONGC should be able to come back and resume operations in Nagaland anytime now," he said. Nagaland officials say that this is the right time to exploit the area's substantial oil reserves because oil prices are high.
They say the revenues will help make Nagaland a self-reliant state. At present, much of Nagaland's expenditure is supported by subsidies from the central government. Even the separatist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), which threatened action against the ONGC in 1994 unless it stopped operations, is now relaxed about the corporation's return to the state.
"We will not attack any company or corporation so long as they don't work against the Naga people," an NSCN spokesman told the BBC. In 1994, the NSCN, easily the strongest separatist group in the north-east, was still fighting. But two years later, it signed a ceasefire agreement with Delhi and started negotiations.
The talks have dragged on without producing any tangible result but the NSCN wants to continue the negotiations to find a durable settlement to the five-decade-old Naga imbroglio. However, the NSCN is fighting factional rivals, including one of its breakaway group led by Burmese Naga leader SS Khaplang.
Seven rebels of the NSCN and the Khaplang faction have been killed in the last three days in Nagaland all along India's frontier with Burma. The ONGC estimated in 1994 that Nagaland had reserves of over 600 million tones of petroleum and natural gas.
Taxing time Nagaland Post Editorial
In about five months, Dimapur witnessed at least six bomb attacks on shops and the government left grappling with how to tackle this new menace. According to official sources, the explosives were grenades and mostly improvised devices and the objective was to scare the shops that did not pay extortion money. Though the crude explosive devices were intended to scare, they did also injure several other shoppers or bystanders where the explosive devices were thrown. So far, the government has not said anything perhaps choosing to let the Dimapur district administration and police handle the matter. As expected, a high level security meeting was held to review the security scenario and also as expected, the response was to undertake such measures as frisking and checks in order to prevent free movement of those involved. The enforcement agencies have to crack the case since the offence has become very high profile. It may also be said that the inability of the investigation to take cases to logical conclusions in the past has been due to the loss of authority of the constitutionally and legally constituted government machinery. This has landed the police in a serious catch 22 situation in Nagaland and for which similar cases have yet to result in conviction. The failure of the agencies is not to be condoned since the lives of properties of the people continue to be at risk. Elements that prey upon the traders, businessmen and local entrepreneurs for money are testimony to the condition of society. Extortion cannot be taxation. The meanings of the two words differentiate between what is legal and illegal. It also differentiates between what is reasonably justifiable and what is unreasonable and totally unjustified. It stands to reason that if people pay taxes the agency collecting the tax has to provide services in a wide area covering essential services such as postal, communication networks, policing, hospitals, schools etc and also construction of infrastructures such as roads, buildings, plants etc. In short, taxes are authorized by the people through their legislatures or parliaments whereas extortions are not authorized but imposed by a group or individuals. The blasts in Dimapur have the potential danger of inspiring other misguided elements and even offenders to commit the crime. Whether imposters or addicts or whatever type that are likely to choose such methods for extortion; it will be up to the government to decide if the long arm of the law is to be unshackled.
Naga girl gangraped for 5 hours Nagarealm.com
MUMBAI, SEP22 [TOI] : She was lured by two men, who showed her promises of an airline job. The 24-year-old, who worked as a lobby assistant at Sea Princess hotel in Juhu, was taken to a Malwani resort by the two men, who took turns and gangraped her for over five hours.

Following the incident, the victim, first went to the police in Khar — close to where she lives — on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Khar cops transferred the case of the girl — who belongs to the Naga community — to Malwani police station under whose jurisdiction the case fell. Regional additional commissioner Tukaram Chavan told TOI the victim had been taken to Nagpada police hospital for a medical examination and reports were awaited. The woman has identified one of the accused as Raj and the police are keeping tabs on his cellphone records. No arrests have been made so far. Police said the victim had moved to Mumbai three months ago and lived in a Khar flat taken on lease and shared with a friend. Police believe Raj was remotely acquainted with the victim — both had exchanged mobile numbers.

On Monday, Raj called her up and offered to get her a well-paying job with a leading airline. He asked her to meet him in person outside Malad's Inorbit mall the next day with her resume. On Tuesday, the duo met outside the mall between 1.30-2.00 pm. From there, Raj took her to a bar at Chincholi Bunder to discuss her prospects in the airline. They had some beer while the accused made attempts to gain her confidence. At 2.30 pm, he led her to Jurassic Park resort at Malwani and booked a room.
"We saw a young woman accompanied by a man in his 30s, enter the resort lobby. The man asked for a room and said they wanted to rest. The woman appeared semi-conscious," a staffer said. "Later, the man placed an order for food at the resort kitchen."
According to the victim's statement, another man — known to Raj — came up to the room in the afternoon. The two then took turns to rape her for over five hours. The victim said the second man left earlier — at around 7.30 pm. Raj left soon after that. She stumbled out afterwards, bleeding profusely, and went straight home. At midnight, she went to Khar police station with a friend, still shocked after what had happened.

"The accused entered his name in the resort register only as Raj. He did not leave behind any address or contact number. We are questioning the resort staff," said a police officer. The resort is currently managed by Miraj Hospitality, who were unavailable for comment.

The police are making identity sketches of the two accused on the basis of descriptions provided by the victim. The duo were about 30-35 years old and one of them sported an earring. They spoke in English with the victim. It's not clear if Raj used his original name or an alias. The police are also probing the possibility of the victim's drinks being spiked.

WSKH Resolves On Border Row Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR, SEP20 [NPN] : In the wake of personnel of Assam Police allegedly frequenting inside Nagaland and harassing villagers, the Western Sumi Kukami Hoho (WSKH), representing one hundred and forty seven villages under Dimapur district, at a meeting held recently resolved to stand united on the Assam-Nagaland border issue. A press release issued jointly by WSKH president Shikuto Zalipu and its general secretary Vikato Achumi stated that the House also resolved that villages under the Hoho would continue to maintain the traditional boundary with customary laws and respect any settlement to the border dispute that is reached through political negotiations.

Further, the WSKH demanded that the dispute be resolved only through political negotiations as according to the 1925 arrangement in order to meet administrative convenience. The WSKH had convened the meeting in the aftermath of alleged high-handedness by Assam Police who had raided several Naga villages in recent times and harassed the law-abiding Nagas within the Naga territory by taking advantage of arbitrary boundary line of 1925.
"In fact, this artificial boundary line of 1925 was drawn through political arrangement by the British India Government Act of 1919, known as the Diarchy System.

Under the Act forest was included in the transferred subject and to meet the administrative convenience of the Assam provincial government, the Naga hills reserve forests were transferred to the districts of Nowgong and Sibsagar by drawing the arbitrary boundary line of 1925," the WSKH said. It further pointed out that at the twilight of British rule, Sir Akbar Hydari, the then Governor of Assam, entered into an agreement through political arrangement on June 29, 1947, which referred to re-transfer the reserve forest to Naga hills.
And after thirteen years, the WSKH said, the Hydari Agreement was re-affirmed in 1960

Arunachal set to become electricity power house Nagaland Post
ITANAGAR, SEPT 21 (IANS): The Arunachal Pradesh government Thursday signed agreements with three major public sector undertakings for development of mega hydropower projects that will enable it become a major powerhouse of electricity.
The pacts were inked with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) to develop several projects with total capacity of more than 15,000 MW. After the signing of the agreements, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was present on the occasion, said the proposed projects would generate revenues of nearly Rs.12 billion a year for the state.
Chief Minister Gegong Apang and his cabinet colleagues were also present.
Endowed with perennial rivers and streams, Arunachal Pradesh's estimated electricity generation potential is about 50,000 MW. NTPC chairman and managing director T. Sankaralingam had last week said at a seminar in New Delhi that the company is proposing to undertake projects totalling 4,500 MW, with an investment of around Rs.220 billion. The NHPC is planning to invest Rs.250 billion for five power projects in the state. One of them - the Dibang hydroelectric project of 3,000 MW - will be undertaken in tie-up with the Arunachal Pradesh government. The other four projects - Tawang I and Tawang II of 750 MW each, Subansiri Upper of 2,000 MW and Subansiri Middle of 1,600 mw, are to be undertaken by NHPC on its own.
I won’t step down from post : Shylla The Morung Express
Shillong, Sept 21 (NNN): Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council Chief Executive Member (CEM) Hispreaching Son Shylla ‘won’t step down’ from his post. Shylla stated he has no intention to step down at this juncture. He would rather concentrate now on the pending works of the Council. The CEM added he had earlier contemplated to step down. But after his meeting with Members of District Council (MDCs) on Wednesday last, he changed his mind. Shylla also claimed support of Congress MDCs. There as been reports of his stepping down as the Council’s CEM in recent days. Sources said there was pressure from Congress legislators and MDCs here for speaking out against them including the state Home minister RG Lyngdoh.
Recently, he remarked that the state government was ‘weak’ as they favored help from Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in detecting illegal migrants in Meghalaya. Moreover, Shylla’s stand on the stalled Uranium mining issue has also earned the ire of NGOs and some legislators, opposing such mining.
Chairman of the Council, M Pyrbot said a decision on Shylla’s continuance as the Council’s CEM would be decided by a High-powered Committee. Shylla welcomed the formation of the Committee. The Committee would include Chief Minister, JD Rymbai, State Congress President OL Nongtdu, former CM DD Lapang and a senior member of Jaintia Hills. On Shylla’s reported resignation, Pyrbot said “No! Shylla has not resigned.”
UNLF penalises informer By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express Ngangom Tomba

IMPHAL, Sep 21: An alleged informer of security forces has been rounded up, disciplined and handed over to family members by activists of UNLF’s central special force (CSF) today.
The accused Ngangom Tomba (45) s/o (L) Ibotombi Singh of Bishnupur Yumnam Khunou is alleged to have established a close rapport with a former KYKL cadre whose name is also Tomba - from Keinou. Ng Tomba used to provide information to the former KYKL cadre (Tomba) who is currently attached to the 22 Maratha Light Infantry, charged a CSF spokesman while speaking to media persons at a Bishnupur district location.
On Ng Tomba’s disclosures to the MLI posts located at Tulihal Airport and Maibam Lokpa Ching atleast three persons have been arrested, the spokesman maintained and identified the arrested persons as Ningol Singh (47) of Nambol Irengbam, Huidrom Mani Singh (45) of Keinou Thongkha and Tayaima (35) of Keinou Awang Leikai.
Expressing that the three persons arrested in August last may not have any connection with UG organisa- tions, the spokesman revealed that another two managed to evade arrest.
After shadowing Ng Tomba for sometime, the accused was finally nabbed from the irengbam Awang Leikai residence of his second wife - Kh Bilashini Devi - yesterday, claimed the spokesman. With a strong warning not to indulge in such activities to avoid stringent form of punishment decision has been taken to release Ng Tomba, the spokesman added.
One shot dead : One Rabilal Pradhan (46) of Kangpokpi ward no 9 was shot dead today at around 4.30 pm by two unidentified gunmen near Kangpokpi oil pump. The victim was hit by a bullet on the left thigh. It is reported that the death might have been caused by excessive bleeding.
The body has been deposited at Kangpokpi police station and a case has been registered there.
NE emerges as major destination of illegal arms From Kalyan Barooah Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 21 – The penchant for Chinese hand grenades among militant outfits of the North-east including ULFA is directly related to market economics. A hand grenade now costs Rs 600 in illicit arms bazaar across Manipur in Myanmar.
This alarming information is part of a report ‘India and Arms Trade Treaty’ brought out by Oxfam, which was released here yesterday. The report quotes victims of ethnic riots in Karbi Anglong to cite instances of how insurgents used automatic weapons to target unarmed civilians.

The report has confirmed that North-east has emerged as a major destination of illegal arms, so much so that the known countries of origin of illicit arms uncovered in North-east includes China, US, Russia, Belgium, UK, Czeckhoslovakia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand and Bangladesh.

If security forces fighting insurgency in the North-east are a harassed lot, the reason can be traced to neighbouring Myanmar. In illicit arms market in Tammu across Manipur’s Moreh town, a unit of ammunition of automatic weapon cost only Rs 25. The route used by the gunrunners is not very complex and is known to security agencies. The illegal arms are routed from Tammu to Churachandpur in Manipur from where it is transported to Dimapur in Nagaland for distribution in the rest of the North-east. The report says that India is part of a region that is flooded with arms. According to United Nations, India is home to about 40 million firearms. The primary source for the proliferation of weapons in South Asia was the first Afghanistan war, with further arms source in South East Asia.
The report quoting the Ministry of Home Affairs report said that some 39,000 AK series weapons have been seized in Jammu and Kashmir and North-east since 1990. Oxfam said that the biggest arms consignment to date was the Chittagong arms haul of April 2004. Giving out details, the report said that the shipment came via Hong Kong to Singapore. Confirming that the consignment was destined for rebels in the North-east, the haul was worth USD 4.5-7 million. The weapons were transported through Strait of Malacca and transferred mid-sea into two trawlers – Kazaddan and Amanat. Citing an example of the weapons stockpiled by the militant outfits, the Oxfam report said that United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur has over 2500 weapons in its armoury. The deadly arsenal includes grenade launchers, assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades, among other weapons. However, it is the North Indian State of Uttar Pradesh that has sent alarm bells ringing. The State has issued 9 lakh armed licences. “Guns shops are mushrooming in the State like PCOs,” the report said.

The lack of an international arms treaty is exacerbating the crisis by making it easier for criminals and militants in India to obtain weapons, the report has concluded. Curiously enough, the report has also held India responsible for aiding proliferation of arms to smaller neighbouring countries. India has the largest defence industry in the subcontinent. This makes the country’s state-owned munitions factories significant sources of arms to smaller countries like Nepal, Myanmar and Maldives. In 2003, India exported 80 Howitzers to Myanmar, whose Government has been described by ASEAN as an army-ruled country. The consignment was dispatched overland in Indian Army trucks from Eastern Command. India and Myanmar has close ties, which is reflected in a series of measures taken by both the countries to address each other's concerns like flushing out militants from its territories, access to prisoners, closer economic ties, among others.
Maj Gen Ghotra new colonel of Assam Regiment Assam Tribune
SHILLONG, Sept 21 – Major General Bhupinder Singh Ghotra today took over as the colonel of the regiment of 5 Gorkha Rifles (frontier force) from Lt Gen Richard Khare.

Major General Ghotra was commissioned into the 2/5 Gorkha Rifles (frontier force) in 1971 and commanded the battalion after he was commissioned.

He is presently holding the post of additional director general (procurement) at the integrated headquarters of union defence ministry (army), a defence release said here.

The handing-taking over ceremony was held at the 58 Gorkha training centre here. A guard of honour was also presented to the new colonel by the jawans of Gorkha Rifles after a brief Sainik Sanmelan.

Lt General Khare, holding the post of military secretary, would be retiring from service this month. – PTI

Meanwhile, Hav W Inunganba Singh of Assam Regimental Centre, who won the silver medal in Taolu (Wushu) at the recently-concluded 10th South Asian Federation games in Colombo, demonstrated his skill here at a defence auditorium today.

He participated in the 13th National Wushu championship in Jamshedpur and won gold. He repeated his feat in the event in the successive year held in Lucknow and has dominated the national circuit for the last two years.

Hav singh, enrolled in the Assam Regiment on March 10, 2004, was given a cash award of Rs 30,000 from the Eastern Command of Indian Army as an incentive. –PTI
ULFA breaks truce, one policeman killed in Assam By IANS
Guwahati, Sep 22 (IANS) A policeman was killed Friday in an encounter with suspected militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the first such attack since the cessation of hostilities between the rebels and security forces.
A police official said ULFA militants and police team were locked in a gunfight early Friday in Dibrugarh district, about 500 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
'One policeman was killed in the attack. We are awaiting details of the incident as the village is located in a remote area,' a senior police official said. his is the first attack on security forces after New Delhi on Aug 13 announced suspension of military operations against the ULFA to facilitate holding of peace talks with the outfit.The ULFA too reciprocated the government's 'goodwill gesture' by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.
The government's ceasefire, however, expired Wednesday although there were indications the centre might further extend the truce. Direct peace talks between the ULFA leadership and government peace negotiators have been a non-starter with the federal government seeking a formal letter from the outfit that it was ready for such talks.
The main issue now blocking the start of talks is the rebels' demand for release of five of their jailed leaders. The ULFA maintains the outfit was not in a position to take a decision and write a letter to the government without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and hence insisting on their release.
No bar to make secret killing report public when Assembly not in session’
Mahanta hits back Gogoi on ‘secret killings’ By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 21: Former Asom Chief Minister and AGP-P president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta today came down heavily on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for, what he called, the latter’s politically motivated and baseless remarks involving him in the ‘secret killings’ taken place during the erstwhile AGP regime. Besides, Mahanta reiterated that the report of the KN Saikia Commission, which probed the ‘secret killing’ cases, submitted to the Government should be made public without delay. “We have no objection if the Government tables the report in the State Assembly, but when the Assembly is not in session there is no bar to make the report public,” Mahanta said while talking to newsmen at the AGP-P office here today. Moreover, it is the duty of the Chief Minister to make the people of the State known about the outcome of the judicial probe, he added. Mahanta’s outburst came close on the heels of comments made by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday that the ‘secret killings’ had taken place in the last AGP regime with Mahanta’s knowledge and connivance. Gogoi also said that as a former Chief Minister Mahanta should know that without tabling the report (KN Saikia Commission report) in the Assembly it could not be made public.
The former Chief Minister said, at a time when the regional forces in Asom have been engaged in parleys to get united, the Tarun Gogoi Government, sensing the danger ahead, is trying to tarnish the image of its rivals by using the ‘secret killing’ probe as a political tool. “From the very beginning, Gogoi has been trying to keep the ‘secret killing’ issue alive to corner me,” said Mahanta. The AGP-P questioned the reason behind the Government’s intention to keep the inquiry reports of the justice JN Sharma Commission and Justice KN Saikia Commission under the wrap. The party has also criticized, what it said, the inaction and doubled standards of the Government on various fronts ranging from drought to decentralization of power through the Panchayeti Raj system.
Contradicting the State Government’s claim of bringing highest Central funds to Asom, Mahanta said, the ground work of the present situation had actually been done by his Government. The Congress was never serious about the development of Asom, and whatever it has done so far for the State is out of political compulsion and pressure from the people of Asom, he added.
Degrees of separatism On the struggles for separation in the northeastern region. Frontline ABOUT 30 organisations described variously as terrorist, militant or insurgent, are active in Asom (formerly Assam) and other States in northeastern India. The South Asia Terrorism Portal actually identifies over a hundred `terrorist/insurgent groups' in the region.
Most of these are admittedly little more than names and signboards with poorly written constitutions, manifestos and charters of demands, engaged principally in extortion and racketeering. Many of these are nearly moribund. Others, with a little more substance to them and having a `greater autonomy' agenda are engaged sporadically in violent activities alternating with some kind of negotiations with the State/Central government.

About a dozen of the 30-odd `active' organisations are also engaged in `armed propaganda' that over the years has evolved into an `armed struggle' against the Indian state. While their stated objectives may differ, in their operational methods and organisational structures, they share some common features. All of them claim to represent the people and they are all, to varying degrees, separatist, indeed secessionist. All of them have, clearly or vaguely, spelt out agendas of attaining sovereignty, or what they perceive as the restoration of the sovereignty that was lost in the process of the transfer of power and the subsequent consolidation of the Indian state.

The most notable of these organisations are the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN). While ULFA seeks to restore the lost sovereignty of Asom - following British annexation of the territory after the defeat of the Burmese invasion and the signing of the Treaty of Yandabo on February 24, 1826 - the NSCN led by Isak Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah and two other Naga nationalist formations, all offshoots of the Naga sovereignty assertion initiated by the late Angami Zapu Phizo at the dawn of Indian Independence. The Naga people `declared their independence' on August 14, 1947, on the eve of India's independence. The oldest organisation engaged in `armed struggle' in Manipur is the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), though three or four other organisations are engaged in similar struggles for the restoration of Manipur's lost sovereignty (`the undemocratic and inequitable' Merger Agreement of October 15, 1949).

The history and geography of the territories involved being what they are, there are inescapably conflicting territorial issues involved in, and indeed integral to, the sovereignty aspirations. Ironically, this interface between sovereignty and territoriality impinges on all the States where these organisations are active, highlighting the fundamental contradictions of these sovereignty struggles. For instance, the Naga sovereignty struggle, were it to succeed in the way envisaged by the Naga nationalist organisations, would have the gravest implications for Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh as they now exist, and, potentially, for Myanmar as well.

How seriously do these organisations believe they can attain sovereignty, considering that their adversary is the Indian state? The leaderships of these organisations, sophisticated and well informed about history, know full well that in the larger Indian context their armed struggles have had very little impact on polity. Nearly half a century of `armed struggle' has not really advanced Naga aspirations for sovereignty.

One may well ask whether six to seven years of talks of every variety - direct and indirect, through emissaries and interlocutors and face-to-face meetings with representatives of the Government of India, including three or four Prime Ministers, in New Delhi and in foreign lands - have advanced these sovereignty aspirations. The only gain has been the legitimacy the de facto government of Nagalim has acquired, though the existence of such a government owes little to the protracted negotiations. The fact is that even the most belligerent of these separatist groups do not envisage the defeat of the Indian state by the `armed struggles'. Yet, they press on, unrelenting in their desire to secure their lost sovereignty.

According to received wisdom, a nation-state, even a very weak one, does not break up except under two conditions: defeat in war and occupation by a foreign enemy. India is simply too big and too powerful a country to be defeated in war, or allow for foreign occupation.

There are numerous instances of fragile nation-states continuing to remain united despite serious internal contradictions marked by conflicts related to ethnicity, language, religion and such other coordinates of classic disintegration of nation-states. But for Indian intervention, it is arguable whether the seemingly unviable state of Pakistan would have disintegrated despite the intense internal contradictions, which were exacerbated further by the lack of statesmanship of its leaders in both West and East Pakistan. On the other hand, there is also the example of the Soviet Union, as strong and centralised a state as one can imagine, collapsing without foreign intervention, defeat in war and occupation by enemy forces. While the subsequent disintegration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was assisted considerably by foreign intervention, even in this case developments internal to the country were, in the final analysis, the decisive factor that contributed to the destruction of the federal republic. The modest and continuing gains made by the Catalonian autonomy movement in Spain and the rather more dramatic developments in Montenegro, which in a national referendum in May voted narrowly for secession and independence from Serbia, hold promises for separatist movements in the region.

It is interesting that the current campaign in Manipur for a plebiscite on the issue of Manipur's independence, proposed initially by the UNLF and since then taken up by several `civil society' organisations, followed closely, indeed almost conterminously, in the wake of the referendum in Montenegro. Among those who addressed such a plebiscite meeting in Imphal on June 6 was the titular king of Manipur, apart from other dignitaries such as a former Lok Sabha member, a former Human Rights Commissioner, the president of the Manipur Working Journalists' Union, leaders of political parties and several women leaders - always a potent force in Manipur.

An old song had this refrain: "Tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get." It would be tempting to see in these words a neat summary of the opacity that characterises the stated stands of these separatist organisations and the Government of India. However, an organisation such as ULFA has never minced words. The only problem is that it is impossible to accept that this stated objective, the attainment of Swadhin Asom, is a realisable one, or that even ULFA really believes it is attainable through armed struggle, unless the kind of extraordinary circumstances that prevailed in the instances cited above can be replicated in this country. This is not on the cards.

However, the persistence in the face of `proven facts to the contrary' is not in the least irrational. Rather, such persistence can be understood if one realises that ULFA and its ideologues within Asom and in metropolitan centres in India and abroad and an amorphous `civil society' network entrenched for the most part in the developed countries of the West are of the view that conventional notions about the durability, indeed the very viability of the nation-state, even one that is strong and internally coherent and just in its governance, are no more valid in the brave new world of a globalised 21st century. Thus, notions of nation-state, national sovereignty, citizenship rights derived from a country's Constitution, indeed, the distinction between a citizen and a migrant who is not yet a citizen, securely demarcated borders and such things need to be turned upside down in this new dispensation of borderless territories and shared sovereignties. Such ideas, never canvassed in respect of nationality problems and struggles in first world countries, are bouncing around in every part of the region.

Seen in this perspective, arguments about whether separatist struggles, even when these become active insurgencies (such as the Naga struggle and the resolved Mizo struggle) can ever defeat the might of the Indian state are utterly irrelevant. Indeed, the talks and talks about talks, the unending hair-splitting over procedures and protocols, about whether the Government of India should first release the five imprisoned ULFA leaders or whether ULFA should first give in writing that it will attend the talks in the event of these leaders being released, are all mere exercises in sleight-of-hand and prestidigitation intended to obscure the real agenda.

The Indian state, in this perspective, is getting more and more enfeebled, unable to resolve the larger contradictions besetting it nationally. What the struggles of these marginalised nationalities in the marginal regions of the country need to do is to keep up the pressure, keep on chipping away. With the received ideas of the nation-state themselves losing their legitimacy, such `unviable' entities as the Indian state are bound to crack up and collapse even without external aggression, defeat in war and foreign occupation.
Such a reading of history informs the resolve of separatist organisations to carry on their struggles over generations. The reality that underlies the rhetoric: "We have fought for fifty years; we are prepared to fight for fifty more years," as Th. Muivah reportedly said in frustration over the lack of progress in the `Indo-Naga dialogue'. [M.S. PRABHAKARA, frontline]
Merger of Manipur with the dominion of India Sangai Express
By Waikhom Damodar Singh Contd from previous issue
The two independent Dominions of Countries were so born as an immediate outcome or result of the Act passed in the British Parliament under the name of Indian Independence Act, 1947 as had been mentioned earlier. Their creations were done as per provision laid down in the first para of the Act of which the 'seeds for the division' had already been 'sown' from the time of Viceroy, Minto of the much earlier period (from November 1905 to November 1910), according to whose reforms introduced under an Act known as Government of India Act, 1909 separate electorates from the Muslims in the country had been provided to serve the purpose of 'divide and rule' policy of the British for weakening the 'oneness' of the Indian people for their going against them for achieving their demand of 'full independence' for the country as one.
The Act so passed allowed all the Native States, some 500-600 in number, then existing in semi-independent status, till then to 'opt' for joining with 'Either' of the two dominions by merging along with their contiguous neighbouring provinces, or to remain as a separate state within the dominion, if considered 'viable' to do so from the political, financial and other essential points of views, and as such all of them at once joined and merged in the Dominion of India smoothly and quite peacefully by absorbing into their contiguous neighbouring provinces except the States of Hyderabad, Kashmir, Benaras, Tripura and Manipur.
In the case of the former two giant States, they were merged after they were forced to do so as a result of swift and unchallengeable military actions taken by the mighty Indian Army in the pretext of taking internal police actions, in the case of Hyderabad, and in the case of Kashmir, after a brief spell of war taken place with Pakistan who most aggressively intruded and assisted their tribesmen in their sudden raid carried out on the State, which by then was under the independent ruling of a Hindu King over a vast majority of Muslim subjects and the king who, greatly alarmed by their rapid aggression fully backed by Pakistan Army, at once 'acceded' his kingdom to the Indian Union and sought the immediate military assistance of the Govt of India and thus the action of the Indian Army had been taken till it was stopped by an intervention directed from the United Nations after which the State became recognised as a fully merged State within the Dominion of India minus a large area on the western sector that had been forcibly occupied by Pakistan as a part of their Dominion being known as the 'occupied Kashmir' for which the dispute between the two dominions of India and Pakistan is still dragging on unsettled.
In fact, the dispute very adamantly raised still by Pakistan is on the issue of claiming the entire State of Kashmir to be acceded to her on the basis of having its vast majority of Muslim population like that of having a majority of Hindu population in the case of Hyderabad under a Muslim ruler, the Nizam.
The accession of Kashmir done by its Hindu Maharaja was immediately ratified by Sheikh Abdullah, leader of the All Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, an organisation who enjoyed popular support. Sheikh Abdullah became the Prime Minister, a special status, of the merged State of Kashmir and in November 1956 its Constituent Assembly legalised her status as being the 'de facto' integral part of the dominion of India. Had it not been due to the timely, swift and highly commendable service and action of the gallant troops of the Indian army, particularly of the Air-borne troops under the command of the most able and well know, Brigadier Thimaya, Kashmir would have been, perhaps in the map of Pakistan by now, and in that case what could have been the actual 'scenario' of relationship in between the two countries by now, particularly in their spirits of 'hostilities' is the 'billion dollar' question that keeps everyone highly guessing and wondering.
The accession of Hyderabad, the biggest State in India, with the India union, was not effected without bloodshed. The State with a Muslim ruler and a large majority of Hindu population, just the opposite to that of Kashmir, entered into a year's stand-still agreement with the Indian Union on 29 November, 1947. As a result of the Agreement, Indian troops were withdrawn, but the Hyderabad police force and the local Razakar troops under Syed Kasim Razvi took complete control over the civil population.
Moreover, the Nizam demanded an outlet to the sea and the port of his choice was Goa. The Government of India tried to persuade Hyderabad to immediately accede to the Indian Union and accordingly prepared a Draft Agreement for that purpose. The growing violence of the Razakar troops in Hyderabad and smuggling of arms from foreign Governments precipitated a great crisis. The Govt of India demanded the immediate disband-ment of the Razakar troops and the deployment of the Indian troops at Secunderabad. But the Nizam, who had sought intervention of the United Nations, refused to accept these terms. —To be contd

Frans on 09.22.06 @ 04:20 PM CST [link]


Thursday, September 21st

Fernandes hopes for early solution to Naga issue Assam Tribune


Fernandes hopes for early solution to Naga issue From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 20 – Union Minister of State, Oscar Fernandes has hoped that the substantial issues of the vexed Naga issue would be discussed and sorted out within the span of one year ceasefire extension between the Government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagalim(Isaac Muivah).Fernandes, who represents the Indian Government in the peace talks with NSCN(IM), however, declined to reveal the ‘progress’ of the nine year-old peace process saying, “it is not the right time to give your answer”.

The peace talks between NSCN(IM) and GOI was started in August 1997. The visiting senior Congressman is also aware of the violation of the ceasefire ground rules by some armed cadres of the NSCN(IM). Fernandes also expressed that they are expecting responses from the Manipur-based underground outfits for a meaningful dialogue within some reasonable time.

Speaking to media persons on the concluding day of his visit to Manipur here at the Congress Bhavan, Fernandes said the issue of affiliation of Manipur schools under Nagaland Board was purely a “State subject” and Centre is not going to do anything about it.

Mention may be made here that United Naga Council and All Naga Students Association Manipur have been demanding affiliation of over 100 private schools in four Naga-inhabited districts–Senapati, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel districts under the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education as part of their move to integrate Naga-inhabited areas under one administrative unit. “Similarly, the Centre is not going to collect the Hill house taxes”, he said adding the State Government of Manipur is capable of tackling the issues.

The Congress will be forging a pre-poll alliance with the Communist Party of India in the forthcoming poll in Manipur. For this a formal talk was held with the CPI leader A B Bardhan, who was also in Imphal recently, he added.
Intense factional gun battle leaves 5 dead The Morung Express
Jalukie, Sept 20 (MExN): Five NSCN (IM) cadres were killed and one injured in a fierce gun battle today at Old Chalkut, Athibung in Peren district. According to confirmed reports, the remains of the five cadres have been brought to the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell Office in Dimapur.
According to NSCN (K) sources in Athibung, 5 of the rival’s cadres were killed besides capturing two weapons, one sniper and one Semi-21. The NSCN (K) also informed that the NSCN (IM) used hand grenades and 16 launchers during the encounter while attacking their bunkers. No casualty or injury has been reported from the NSCN (K) side.
The deceased have been identified as Sergeant Atovi from Sukhovi village, Sergeant Avito Sema, Lance Corporal Ningamchan Tangkhul, Lance Corporal Isak Yimchunger from New Showba village and Corporal Meripemo Kikon from Yanpang village. The bodies of the victims were first brought to Jalukie Police Station where NSCN (IM) Chaplain Maizithuibo prayed for the deceased. They were later taken to CFMC office in Dimapur, sources said.
According to the NSCN (IM) sources in the area, firing started at around 4:30 am in morning and lasted till 2:30 in the afternoon. According to the NSCN (IM), after launching the attack, the NSCN (K) cadres fled inside a church located behind their bunkers following which the NSCN (IM) command decided not to fire inside the church respecting the sanctity of the Holy place. The NSCN (IM) claimed that its rivals were able to summon reinforcement to retaliate. With a strength of reportedly 50 armed cadres, the attack was reportedly launched by the NSCN (IM) at OLD CHALKUT (1 ½ km before reaching Athibung)
Meanwhile DC Peren told The Morung Express that the district administration will take all measure to safeguard civilian life. It was also informed that the IRB battalion stationed at Athibung intervened during the intense battle and was able to bring the heavy firing to a halt.
However, the situation at Athibung and its adjoining areas is stated to be very tense. “Anything may happen anytime”, public leaders and Dobashis told The Morung Express.
Church to launch healing and reconciliation movement The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 20 (MExN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council has decided to take on ‘Corruption, Extortion, Factional Rivalries and Killings and all-round Selfishness’ with the Naga people’s participation. “These monsters, the products of sin within us, have come out of our lives and they are now paralyzing and killing Politics, Governance, Commerce and Development- the crucial arenas where a society learns to work honestly and grow,” NBCC Peace Affairs Director, Reverend L Kari Longchar, today said.
Having decided that the situation must not be allowed to deteriorate further, the Church has made the decision to launch “the battle to save our society” without delay. “The results are rightly left in the hands of God.”
The launching Ceremony is to be held at 9 am at Christian Higher Secondary School, Nyamo Lotha Road, Dimapur, on September 29. All churches, Hohos, Civil Societies and Peace loving citizens have been called upon to grace the occasion.
“The vision and hope of the Church is that the people will claim personal ownership of the battle as normal living and practice of religion for them,” Reverend Longchar said. To begin this process the NBCC will be releasing a booklet entitled ‘The Nagaland Baptist Church Council’s Proposal for Healing and Reconciliation of the Naga People’ on September 29. The book talks of “how we Nagas ourselves have produced our society of today.”
“NBCC’s intention and prayer is that an honest conversation may gradually start in our society as a result of our people responding to the points made in the booklet leading to truth and the facts being established,” the Church declared.
The church council has called upon all Nagas to show fearless love of truth, maturity and responsibility in their response. Quoting Romans 3:23 from the Bible, the reverend said, “Our society may then be built on a foundation of healing, reconciliation and real freedom.”
NNC raises more queries for NSCN-IM The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 20 (MExN): Pointing out that “the sectarian leaders” of the NSCN (IM) were now denying the killing of thousands of innocent Nagas, an NNC statement received here described this as “provoking the Nagas” and that the consequences will be “bitterness and more hatred upon them by the Nagas as a whole”.
“If they nobly admit their misdeeds, the Nagas who have good reasons and faith in Christ may forgive them. But their hypocrisy and trying to while wash their hands by throwing the blame for killings on others will pave no way to forgive them by the Nagas”, stated NNC Member Thomas in a press communiqué.
Stating that their “hypocritical” stand will especially hurt the sentiments of the victims’ family members, relatives and Naga communities such as Khiamniungan, Lainong and Kuki, who had most suffered in the hands of the NSCN (IM). Quoting a statement from the NSCN (IM) that they “have never ever engaged in killing innocent people, either stranger or compatriot at any point of time”, the NNC member challenged that it they are bold enough to deny the killing of innocent people, “let them deny the formation of the NSCN too”. “Then only the statement of NNC/FGN will become fallacious and fictitious story. If they did not form the so called NSCN, then they can throw the blame for the killing on the others”, the NNC stated.
“Truly, the future generation of Nagas will never ask the question, why the accord on 1975 was signed? But they will surely ask why the NSCN was formed? Why Muivah and his henchmen killed thousands of Nagas and why the killing cannot be stopped?”
Interestingly, the NNC member pointed out history as evidence and proof that the Nagas did not sell out the Naga national rights by signing of the accord. “And therefore, the Nagas under the leadership of the NNC/FGN as well as Muivah and Isak group proudly celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the Naga National Council (NNC) on August 1997. Again this will remain as evidence that there were no differences among the Nagas on the matter of accord”, the statement pointed out.
Relatively, the NNC wanted to know as to why the NSCN (IM) falsely projected the accord as the main factor for division and killing among the Nagas. “If it was so, why then Muivah and his men killed the Naga army officers and Naga leaders who returned from abroad in 1976 and stayed in the Eastern part of Nagaland saying ‘we will never surrender’. If Muivah and his men in true sense condemned the accord, why did they involve in the Indian election? Why did they submit 30-point proposal to Government of India? Why are they demanding integration and a special federal relationship with India? Why now Muivah is saying that ‘we will accept the fundamental principles of the Indian constitution’?”
Further clarifying, it was stated that the NNC and FGN did not condemn the accord but rejected it on December 1975 and “thus the NNC/FGN have never ever engaged or involved in the Indian elections and neither expressed to accept the Indian constitution”.
Pointing out that if the NSCN (IM) claimed that they did not collaborate with the enemy, India, the NNC wanted to know as to from where they were able to build ‘lofty buildings which are worth about crores and where did they get hundreds of Indian luxurious vehicles? Where did they get Indian passports/identity cards of India for each and everyone of the IM leaders?”
Muivah, Isak started bloodshed: NNC The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 20 (MExN): The Naga National Council has blamed NSCN (I-M) heads Isak Chishi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah of starting the bloodshed among the Nagas. “In April 1978, at Tsonkhao CHQ Camp, the Naga senior leaders (who were killed by Muivah and Isak) late T Venuh Chakhesang, late Ngathingkhui Ahum Tangkhul and late Mayanger Ao (new comer) rejected the new formation of centralized government of Muivah and Isak” on the grounds of five points, Thomas, NNC member, said in a release.
The five points include: a new formation of centralized government of 1976 was a gross violation of Nagaland Yehzabo (Constitution); Muivah and Isak had no power to summon the Tatar Hoho (National Assembly) because they were holding the posts of NNC General Secretary and Chaplee Kilonser (Finance Minister) of the FGN; since the beginning, the NNC and FGN consist of two entity heads and therefore these two offices cannot be placed under a single head; the office of the President, FGN should not be in a foreign land and that socialism should not be adopted as it would cause another division among the Nagas.
Relating incidents leading to the house arrest of Muivah and Isak, Thomas alleged, “However, after they were set free, they started to kill their opponents who opposed Muivah’s socialist political ideology in the last part of 1979. From then on they are continuously killing the Nagas, which is now running 26 years.” The main factor behind the division and killing among the Nagas is their opposition to “Muivah’s socialism and his stand for a solution within the Indian Union (Suisa’s proposal),” the release said. It added that the Naga Army never dug the graves of Muivah and Isak “because they have no intention to kill them. Therefore, Muivah and Isak are still alive.” “But Brig Ngamlao Konyak, Lt Col Ymstethong and those wh o were killed by Muivah and Isak in the last part of 1979 are no more with us.”
NNC terms IM's statement provocative Nagarealm.com
Imphal, Sep20 [TSE] : Naga National Council (NNC) has termed that denial of killing thousands of innocent Nagas by NSCN (I-M) as provocation to the Nagas upto the zenith, the consequences of which would be more bitterness and hatred upon the sectarian leaders of Th Muivah group by the Nagas as a whole. Quoting the remarks made by NSCN (I-M) in a news report appeared in The Morung Express on its September 18 edition, stating it has never ever engaged in killing innocent people, either stranger or compatriot at any point of time, NNC member Thomas countered that 'if are bold enough to deny the killing of innocent people, let them deny the formation of NSCN too, then only the statement of NNC/FGN will become fallacious and fictitious story'.

The future generations of Naga would never ask why the Accord of 1975 was signed, but they will surely asked why NSCN was formed and why Muivah and his henchmen killed thousands of Nagas and why the killing does not stop, the statement said, adding that if they nobly admit their misdeeds the Nagas may forgive them, but their hypocrisy of blaming others for the killing may not be forgiven by the generations to come.
NSCN’s ‘Quit Notice’ to Tangkhuls- Nagaland Post
It is expected that the Naga people still remember the quit notices issued to Tangkhuls in the past by several Naga tribes. Why? There must have been something wrong on the part of the Tangkhuls. Those notices were sorted out or compromised in one way or the other or died down naturally. But those Quit Notices to Tangkhuls should be taken as warnings and Tangkhuls should have mended their ways. Instead, Tangkhuls have become more cruel and overbearing towards Nagas. As such, this time the Quit Notices have been issued by all Naga tribes or regions and the issue is serious and should be complied with. We accept the challenge of I-K in this matter that they would give us befitting reply.
The NSCN/GPRN never asks or pressurize the Tangkhuls to go away from their land in Ukhrul. But the Tangkhuls have their ancestral land and properties in Ukhrul district of Manipur state. They have their home and hearth in Ukhrul. So much so that, they (Tangkhuls) leave Nagaland bag and baggage, safe and sound and live in Ukhrul peacefully.
The following were some of the grounds on which the Quit Notices have been issued to them.
1. Tangkhuls did not participate when the Naga elders subimitted the historic memorandum to British Simon Commission in 1929.
2. Tangkhuls did not participate during the formation of NNC in 1946
3. Tangkhuls did not participate during the declaration of Naga Independence by the then NNC in August 1947
4. Tangkhuls did not participate in the historic Naga plebiscite of May, 1951
5. Tangkhuls did not join the Nagas in boycotting Indian general elections of 1952
6. Tangkhuls did not join in the Naga armed resistance started in 1955-56 against the Indian forced occupation of Nagaland.
7. Tangkhuls did not participate during the formation of the Federal government of Nagaland in March 1956
8. Tangkhuls refused to join Nagaland when it was created a separate state (though it was against the interest of the Naga freedom movement)
9. The Tangkhuls joined the Naga freedom struggle only after the signing of the first cease-fire between India and Nagaland in 1964
10. In spite of their late coming, the Naga leaders of the time accepted them to the Nagas fold with respect and kindness and gave them responsible posts in NNC and FGN. But accepting Tangkhuls in the Naga movement unmistakably proved to be counter productive.
11. Ramyo Zimik was no doubt a capable person and the Nagas reposed their faith in him and gave even the post of Kilo Kilonser (Home minister) at one time. But he was mainly responsible for the deadlock of Indo-Naga political dialogue in 1967. And he was one of the main architects of the signing of Shillong Accord.
12. From time of his joining the Naga National Movements Th. Muivah was at the helm of affairs by becoming the general secretary of NNC and subsequently NSCN. With such powers vested in him, Th. Muivah had become obsessed with re-writing the history of Naga movement starting from Tangkhuls participation.
13. It was no other chief minister or authority of Manipur, but former Manipur Chief Minister Reishang Keishing Tangkhul promised and declared that not an inch of Manipur should be ceded to Nagaland.
14. Right from the beginning Th. Muivah had been campaigning that could there be any political dialogue between India and Nagaland, it should be under his leadership and none else. This shows his policy of alienation and selfishness.
15. Th. Muivah, V.S Atem and Rh. Raishing (all Tangkhuls) are the main culprits who are deadly against Naga unity and reconciliation.
16. In 1988, a mob like situation was created as is natural in all revolution like ours and many lives belonging to different tribes were lost. But Th. Muivah and his henchman are singing and orchestrating the incident to make cheap political mileage out of the unfortunate incident. Let us not talk who were wrong and who are right at this stage. But with this excuse Th. Muivah started hate and vengeance campaign and continues to kill hundreds of innocent Nagas. This genocides and fratricides of Th. Muivah and his henchman who resorts to the extend of awarding hard cash to the killers of the Naga leaders, which is neither compromisable nor excusable, should be stopped. With this point in view NSCN/GPRN is most reluctant compelled to issue Quit Notice to Tangkhuls so that peace prevails in Nagaland.
It is worth mentioning here that the I-K’s activities have been escalating in Kohima and Dimapur after the visit of ill-will mission of Grace Lyu Collins and her team when they had secret parleys with I-K leaders at Hebron camp.
These have been recharged by the acts of Neo International Satanic Centre (NISC) and Neo surrenderees groupings (NSG). The recent killings and bomb blasts in Kohima and Dimapur by the I-K secret agents should be condemned by one and all.
Nitovi Aye, Cabinet secretary GPRN, NSCN (K).
National Media team visits Nagaland Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 20:: A large media team, consisting of 27 journalists and 3 officers from Kolkata visited Nagaland on September 18. The journalists represented the entire universe of accredited and famous print and electronic media of most of the prominent news channels and newspapers and are on a three-day familiarization visit to Nagaland and Manipur being hosted by HQ 3 Corps. On September 18, they were flown in from Kolkata to Dimapur in a fixed wing aircraft and arrived at Kohima in two helicopters. The team was briefed by Maj Gen SS Kumar,
SM, VSM, IGAR (North) about the various facets of Nagaland, the rich culture and traditions etc. Thereafter, the team visited Mokokchung, where they were briefed by Brig Haresh Pankan, Cdr 7 Sector. At Ungma, the team was accorded a warm traditional welcome and was exposed to the culture and traditions of Nagaland and shown one of the MCA projects- a Computer Centre at Ungma. The team also interacted with the important NGOs, public leaders like President Naga Hoho and President Ao Senden and the local media personnel. On arrival, back at Kohima, the team visited the Kohima War Cemetery and Kohima Orphanage. Moved by the lovely inmates and selfless service of Mother Zaputuo, the members assured to strive to ensure greater visibility to the noble efforts and ensure wider patronage. The team was thereafter taken to Zakhama where they experienced, first hand, the nuances of Night Operations like patrolling, etc. and were acquainted with various hi-tech surveillance and communication equipments.

During the social evening hosted by HQ IGAR (North) at Hotel Japfu, Kohima, the team members interacted with the accredited media persons of Nagaland, exchanged notes and enjoyed great moments of song and dance. Visibly impressed by the natural beauty, the beautiful people and rich cultural traditions and heritage of Nagaland, the journos departed for Manipur on September 19, according to PIB (Defence Wing) release. (DIPR)

Don't harass public, face us : K to Im y Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express IMPHAL, Sep 20 : Accusing the NSCN (IM) of harassing the public under the pretext of cracking down on the cadres of the NSCN (K), the latter today asked its rival to stop targeting the public and instead come and face them if they want.
Speaking to the press, the information and publicity secretary in charge of the Zeliangrong region of the NSCN (K) said that on September 17, NSCN (IM) cadres under the pretext of searching NSCN (K) cadres, opened indiscriminate firing at Kanbihang village in Tousem sub-division inflicting heavy damages and triggering panic amongst the villagers.
On September 19, NSCN (IM) cadres opened random fire at Kajinglong village injuring an elderly woman on the leg, said the secretary and added that an 18 year old girl sustained bullet injuries on the left leg when the IM cadres fired at Makoi village.
About 40 cadres of the NSCN (IM) swooped down on Kanbihang village and opened indiscriminate firing not sparing even the village Church, charged the NSCN (K) and added that since even the Church was not spared, the IM cadres are not revolutionaries but gang members.
During the indiscriminate firing at Kajinglong village by NSCN (IM) cadres, a 30 year old man from Atang village who had come to the village to collect fire wood was shot on the right leg and knee cap, said NSCN (K) and added that the man may become an invalid. The victim has been identified as Maphongping Pou.
The NSCN (IM) cadres have also been levying fines of Rs 50 thousand on many villages on the charge that they provided shelter to the NSCN (K). This is atrocious said the NSCN (K) spokesman and added that such act of robbing the poor villagers cannot be called an act of revolutionaries. Instead of targeting the innocent civilians, the IM cadres should accept the invitation to come for an open confrontation with us, maintained the NSCN (K) spokesman. Till date the Zeliangrong region of the NSCN (K) has been working for the Zeliangrong people and no force on earth will be able to defeat this spirit, said the spokesman. The intelligence wing of the NSCN (K) has also been able to establish that NSCN (IM) cadres along with PULF cadres numbering around 40 had tea with Assam Rifles personnel today morning at 7.30, said the spokesman. There is no need to elaborate as the villagers are the witnesses, maintained the NSCN (K).
About a month back, NSCN (IM) cadres along with personnel of 38 Assam Rifles terrorised the villagers of Haochong, charged the NSCN (K) and added that no one can cover up this fact.
Questioning whether the ceasefire ground rule between the NSCN (IM) and the GoI has been enforced in Manipur or not, the spokesman said that if the ground rule is enforced in Manipur, then it should be clearly spelt out. The NSCN (K) also questioned whether the cease fire ground rules contain the clause that the IM cadres and the AR can jointly harass the villagers.
If the harassment is not stopped, then there will come a time when the wrath of the people is turned against them, said NSCN (K) and added that in such an eventuality, the NSCN (IM) and the Assam Rifles should be held solely responsible.
NIC without office Nagarealm.Com
KOHIMA, SEP18 [NPN]: Six months after the constitution of the Nagaland Information Commission (NIC), the commission is yet to have a full-fledged office of its own.

"We are functioning in my home as residential office with two rooms," informed Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) P. Talitemjen Ao, during an interactive session Monday at Zonal Council hall. Talitemjen said the commission has requested the state government to locate a suitable office building, preferably located in and around the Old Secretariat Complex, so that the pubic would have easier access.

The Right to Information (RTI) Act came into force on October 12, 2005, throughout the country and the state also constituted the NIC on March 14, 2006, with P. Talitemjen as Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Rev. Dr. W. Pongsing Konyak and Dr Kuhoi Zhimomi as State Information Commissioners (SIC).
Talitemjen said the main objective of RTI is to give every citizen right and access to information. He however pointed out that there were also obligation and exemption.

The CIC also disclosed there are procedural steps to be followed while seeking information in various departments, public sector undertakings and organisations which get funds from the government, starting with assistant public information officer, public information officer (PIO), appellate authority and finally the State Information Commission (SIC). "The public cannot directly come to us to get information. They have to follow the procedure." The CIC also said the commission would soon hold video conferencing with the DCs and PIOs.

He further informed that as part of the first anniversary of RTI, a national convention is slated for October 13 to 15 at New Delhi, where the President and Prime Minister will address officials, eminent citizens, civic bodies' representatives, state CICs and SICs.
"We will be attending and sharing our views," he added. Dr. W. Pongsing Konyak, SIC, lauded the initiative of the Chang Baptist Association in bringing out the RTI contents in Chang dialect and urged other tribes to do the same for the benefit of the common people. Today's interactive session was attended, among others, by Dr. Kuhoi Zhimomi, SIC, officials from DIPR, Field Publicity, DDK and various local and national media representatives.

Tangkhul bodies demand transfer of CEO Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 20 Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL), Ukhrul and Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), Ukhrul have deman-ded immediate transfer and posting of an IAS cadre or an officer not below the rank of MSC Grade-I as CEO of Ukhrul Autonomous District Council (UADC).
In a representation joint-ly submitted to the Chief Minister, the two Tangkhul bodies asserted administrative chaos has been created in UADC office as no CEO has either been posted or the incumbent CEO (retired) K Ramthar has made over the official charge to any officer as per rules even after completion of his term of service extension since Aug 31 till date.
Such state of affairs has adversely affected the overall functioning of the UADC office which has a direct bearings in the governance of the people in our democratic public institutional hierarchy and more particularly affecting the functioning of a number of primary schools under UADC, the consequence of which on the education career of the young students could be well imagined, the representation jointly signed by TMNL president Yuimi Horam and TSL president Silla J Konghay said.
While pointing out that Additional CEO Ramthar was allowed to retire on superannuation on February 28, 2006 but his service was extended for 6 months from March to August, 2006 as full-fledged CEO of UADC, Ukhrul, the joint representation contended it is in contravention and total violation of the provisions of the existing service rules not to give promotion after retirement on service extension.
Despite repeated and exhaustive affords of the public to have a responsible and a regular CEO posted in the office of UADC, Ram-thar had been allowed to hold the post of CEO for the last more than 10 years, but without exerting any tangible progress, the represen- tation rued. It is quite undesirable and unfortunate that a retired Govt servant even after completion of the term of service extension is till holding the official charge of such responsible post and the Govt has not acted upon as per the rules even after lapse of nearly a month, it added.
The apathy of the Govt is in the present case and the co-lateral attitude of the incumbent is viewed as an attempt to defeat the very purpose of this sacred public office of UADC and to jeopardise the career of young students by way of paralysing the functioning of its administrative office among others, the joint representation charged.

Beyond History’s Confines Source: IMPHAL FREE PRESS Posted: 2006-09-21

Discussions on the antecedents of one of the greatest leaders of the state, Thangal General, is always mired in controversy and tend to get extremely touchy and sentimental. Understandably so too, considering the great oriental tradition of ancestral worship that Manipur is invariably a part of. Hence, those who are convinced are his direct descendants would be possessive about his legacy and want no counter claims to the same effect, and so the dispute. Fascinated as we are by the historicity of the subject of dispute, it is precisely the manner in which the issue tends to transcend the nuts and bolts story of history – as indeed all accounts of great men and leaders do in varying degrees – which awes us. This visible dichotomy is also a reminder that discussions on such issues, need to be tackled at different levels, especially so if the subject involves a public figure. We are not trying to qualitatively compare or equate figures from history but a quick scan through the pages of history should be helpful to illustrate the point. Jawaharlal Nehru was a great public leader, but he was also very much a private man. As a public man he was known for his statesmanship, and his pioneering initiative of the Non Align Movement, NAM, in partnership with Nasser and Tito, but as a private man he was also among other things, somebody who like the company of smart women, having kept an affair going with a married woman, Lady Edwina Mountbatten. The same was the case with Gandhi. He was a Gujarati, who cares? He was the father of Rajmohan Gandhi, former editor of the journal called “Himmat”, who cares? He may have been anything else in his private world, but he was Gandhi the father of the Indian nation, and even above this, he was also the apostle of non-violence that the world knows him to be, that is all that matters in the public sphere.

For that matter, strictly from the perspective of historicity, Lord Krishna or Govindaji, could well have been a Haryanvi Jat or a Gujarati for all we know. But again who cares? He was Govindaji, the salvation of many. It is interesting to note that the war cry of the army of the former Hindu kingdom of Manipur, was “Govindaji Gi” (For Govindaji). This is the cry that tall men of the state’s past like Paona Brajabasi and Chongtham Mia went to battle the British forces at Khongjom in 1891, and probably also what was in Thangal General’s heart, if not lips when he went to the gallows. They were not invoking the image of a Haryanvi to give themselves a worthy cause to lay down their lives, and equally to sanctify the bloodshed they necessarily dipped in. The Govindaji they fought for had little to do with any history, but something far beyond, detached totally from the temporal world. Historically, Jesus Christ too was a Jew. But there can be no doubt that this fact about his antecedent is of much significance to Christianity. So when the NSCN(IM) dedicates Nagaland to Christ, they are not calling Nagaland, (or Nagalim) an extension of the land of Judea or Israel. Here too it is once again and idea that has transcended the temporal and become the symbol of this imagined nationhood.

We would tend to look at the Thangal General dispute from this light. And from this light Thagal General is my ancestor too as much as anybody else’s. His bloodline is something else, but it is the legacy of a peoplehood that his heroic life and equally heroic death, symbolize that matters. It is also this symbol that nourishes a kinship, hope, pride, love, affection and a sense of shared history and belonging amongst all sons and daughters of the soil that the great leader considered his children and grandchildren. Must such a proud tale of a proud people be allowed to be overshadowed by a tussle over bloodline? It is best public discussions of a public man of his stature be distance from accounts of his private life and affiliations. So let Thangal General’s bloodline be a family matter, so that the symbol that he carries, virtually worshipped by thousands upon thousands, remains untarnished on the public pedestal in the state’s rich historical memory.
Attacking on culture for identity The Morung Express B. Thohii Hiimai
Social phenomenon of attacking on culture of the perceived dominant group by the affected population to reclaim their ethnic and cultural roots and construct identity within plural and multiracial societies is nothing new in the human history. This is more pronounce and vocal in societies where there is political unrest, agitation, and rebellions among the people who are in search for ethnic and cultural identity.
The Nagas of Manipur in the four Hill districts is today in a virtual conflict minus violence with the mainstream Meities. It has taken a direction that was unthinkable in the past. A non-cooperation movement launched for NBSE affiliation has moved on by stages: first it was consigning the MBSE textbooks, then to ransacking the Government Schools and ZEO Offices in the four Hill districts, and now to banning ‘Meitei Mayek’ and all CDs/Video cassettes, films and audio in Meitei language in all the four Hill districts. This recourse is not a new phenomenon in Manipur. It was earlier first recourse to by the proscribed outfits and Students’ Organisation in the valley. The Manipuri Students’ Federation, for instance, has called for a ban on all cable TV and DDK Imphal from public view some time back in the valley. In more coercion the proscribed outfits in the valley have called for ban on all Bollywood(Hindi) movies and diktak on women from wearing Indian dress like
Sari that exposed greater part of the woman’s stomach.
What does this imply? From the perspective of quest for ethnic and cultural identity in a society infected by political unrest,these movements are manifestation of cultural nationalism for political ends. However, while accepting the underlying root cause for socio-political unrest, which deserves solution at the soonest, the means taken to achieve it by ‘ban’ on culture of the perceived group in target is not free from debate on rationale and in term of efficacy in long term. It invites a debate on question whether a society can survive in its own exclusivity in term of cultural influence and shut doors and windows to influence from outside in this world of ‘Global village’? Of course this does not suggest that we should assimilate everything without judgment on the binary of good/evil, moral/immoral, or right/wrong on external influences that invade us constantly.
While certain amount of resistance to alien culture is important without question in order to preserve the rich cultural heritage of people, total resistance or rejection against all forms of alien culture is not only impossible but also would too anachronistic and conservative in a world where despite political differences between nations steps to have bilateral relations through cultural exchange programme is being pushed forward for better relation.
Development of cultural hegemonism within plural and multiracial societies is the seed of self-destruction both in ‘intra’ and ‘inter’ relations. Hegemonic culture would attempts to homogenize attitude and worldviews of the people. The communal forces in India, for instance, which are well organized have throughout done propagandistic campaign since inception and have welded a mass ideology in which different organizations are drawn together and a hegemony is achieved which attempts to destroy all living folk culture and homogenizes Hinduism around the Ram cult in synthetic and syndicated ways.
The fascist culture which contains potential danger can be best summed up from what M.S.Gowalker – successor of Dr. Hedgeswar, the founder of the RSS – published in 1938 his Seminal work We and Our Nationhood Defined is which he drew explicitly on the cultural nationalism of Adolf Hitler: “German national pride has now become the topic of the day. To keep up the purity of the nation and its culture, Germany shocked the world by her purging the bounty of the Semitic – the Jews. National pride at its highest has been manifested here. Germany has also shown how well nigh impossible it is for races and cultures, having differences going to the root, to be assimilated into one united whole, a good lesson for us in Hindustan to learn and profit by”. For the Indian context he spells out that all the non- Hindu people in Hindustan must adopt Hindu culture and language, respect and revere Hindu religion and glorify the Hindu nation or they deserve not even citizen’s rights.
Only Hindus are children of the soil.
Take for instance the Muslim world. Most Islamic nations are against the western world particularly the USA not so much for fear of military might and economic power or the policy of spreading democracy, but for fear of western culture onslaught that they fear would shake the fabric of Islamic culture. For the Muslim fundamentalists, every thing that is of the western culture is a blasphemy to Islam, and hence the rhetoric like, “to hell with western culture and modernization”. Talibanism in Afghanistan before its fall was an archetypal of cultural extremism and hegemonism that attempts to block everything that is modern and change. It was a primitive attack on culture. But what is seen today in Afghanistan in the post-Taliban regime is altogether a different picture and story. Even the most conservative society that insists on homogeneity of attitude and worldviews in exclusivity is in practical unable to wall against the swept of swift and rapid influence of alien culture that is blowing from all directions.
For the need of inclusive culture for better social harmony it is best illustrated by the founding fathers of free India. When Gandhiji launched his nationwide non-cooperation movement, he was able to carry all the Indians everywhere along the stream. There was however one exception: Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore also shared the same dream of free and united India – a nation free from poverty and practice of untouchability in Hindu society but he worried that the rhetoric of non-cooperation contained within it the seeds of self-destroying isolationism, and in setting India above also set it apart from the rest of the world. Tagore has seen that European nationalism could so easily slide into jingoism. He worried that that same might happen now in India. In his remarkable essay “The call of Truth” Tagore wrote “Today at this critical moment of the world’s history, cannot India rise above her limitations and offer the great ideal to the world that will work towards harmony in co-operation between different people of the earth?....Let us ride of all false pride and rejoice at any corner of the world, knowing that it is a part of the common illumination of our house….”.
Gandhiji recognized the force of the warning and he accepted that India must be open to creative influences from outside. He wrote “I hope I’am as great a believer in free air as the great poet. I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the culture of all the lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any”. Thus based on this principle the founding fathers of free India chose to base its constitution not on indigenous ideas alone but on modern, even western, ideals of democracy and secularism. No people or race can live in borrowed identity. There is no wrong with certain amount of resistance to alien culture in order to protect the indigenous communities from losing their creativity and originalities. But extremism of total resistance against other culture is a road to isolationism. The kind of nationalism that sought not just political liberty for the nation, but equal rights for all its citizens; that insists not on homogeneity of attitude and worldviews, but which is open to creative influences from out side is a model to opt for by all struggling societies for identity.
Merger of Manipur with the dominion of India By Waikhom Damodar Singh
Before the British came to India, the land was a very much divided country, a land then not existing under a unified or unitary sovereign Govt but a vast land of conglomeration of different domains and principalities called kingdoms and states (later on named native states), big and small, with so many culturally, ethnically and linguistically varied and divided groups of indigenous peoples under their own hereditary rules and chiefs, in the names of Maharajas, Rajas, Nawabs, Dewans, Zamindars, Jagirdars and Emperor.
The British landed in India in the year 1608 AD firstly at Surat, one of the richest sea ports on its west coast, as ordinary traders, in the name of 'British East India Company' who had been granted on 31 December 1600 by Queen Elizabeth I a charter with rights of exclusive trading for 15 years to the 'Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies'.
The British people who so landed as very ordinary traders initially consolidated their power in due course of time, and with their better skill and supremacy in arms and diplomacy, became the overlords and invincible rulers of the vast and much divided country by expanding their power gradually for which they took the fullest advantage of the 'disunity' that were there amongst the indigenous peoples, who by then, were living not as a unified and strong nation as such, though majority of them had been somehow brought under the rising great Mughal power established at Delhi from the times of Babur and his son, Akbar, the great during the 16th/17th centuries till it came to an end from 1707 AD onwards with the death of their last and weak Emperor, Aurangazeb.
The power so established by the British East India Company in the vast and much divided land during the period of some two and half centuries came under the direct control of the British crown by an Act passed in the British Parliament with effect from August 2, 1858 under the name 'The Government of India Act', with full power and responsibilities for the Government and Revenues of India vested on one of Her Majesty's secretaries of States due to the effect of a great and widespread 'Indian Revolt' known as 'Sepoy Mutiny of 1857' that had flared up against the misruling of the company over several aspects.
The great frustrations and discontent of the people had been accumulating for long which culminated at the aforesaid time with a violent burst. The British Govt thus continued to rule over the vast country directly under their crown in the name of 'British India', including that of the land of a large area in the east annexed by them on 1 January 1886 known as the kingdom of Burma (now Myanmar) ruled by king Thibaw, till year 1935-36 when it was separated as a different unit (Dominion) under their rule.
The direct ruling of the British Crown over the country was done through a representative known as the Viceroy of India with his capital shifted to New Delhi from being earlier at Calcutta (now Kolkata), founded by Job Charnock of the company in the year 1696 on the 'marshy village called Sutanati' after the failure of the company to take nearby port Chittagong by force in 1686. The British thus had been ruling over the country with unchallengeable mighty powers, for the establishment of which the credit really goes to Robert Clive, who began his service in the East India Company as a mere clerk but who subsequently rose to higher military ranks by his hard works and exemplary valours displayed in the crucial battles taken place between the force of the company and the outnumbering local force and ultimately became the Governor of the Presidency of Bengal annexed and ruled by the Company.
However, they (the British) had to part with their paramount power so acquired quite dearly, as was inevitably compelled to do so under the rapidly rising national and international political heavy pressures that had been exerting on them since 1929/30s which reached the highest peaks in the year 1946 and 1947 i.e. immediately after the end of the Second World War.
Therefore, as a result of an Act passed in the British Parliament under the Premiership of Clement Richard Attlee of the Labour Party under the name 'the Indian Independence Act, 1947' they ultimately relinquished their 'imperial power' at midnight of the 14th August by handing over to the interim Government headed by a Governor-General, Lord Louis Mountbatten, later on succeeded soon by CR Rajagopalchari under an interim Constituent Assembly which soon enacted and adopted a new Constitution for the independent country and it became a Republic from the day of the 26th January 1950 onwards with Dr Rajendra Prasad elected as its first President and Jawaharlal Nehru as the first Prime Minister.
The handling over of the Sovereign power to the interim Government was done at midnight of the 14th August 1947 as it was considered to be a day more auspicious than the day of the 15th of August 1947, a day and date for the occasion recommended by Mountbatten and approved by the British Prime Minister, CR Attlee.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the leader of the interim Constituent Assembly thus hit upon a compromise by calling the sitting of the Constituent Assembly in the midnight and thus took over the power immediately after the 'zero hour' of the day thus serving both the purposes of observing the 'auspiciousness' of the day as fixed by the learned Hindu astrologers according to Hindu calender, and also fully conforming to the date fixed by the British authorities, for the British system the day of the 15th August 1947 begins immediately after the midnight of the 14th of August 1947 which, for the Indian system, continues to be the day of it still till the 'Surya-udai' - the 'Sun-rise' of the 15th morning.
While the people of the land rejoiced on their becoming a nation of a free and independent sovereign country it was shrouded in deep feelings of great sadness because the great land, which was once existing as a vast domain of a singular country, known as 'Bharat-Varsha' had been divided into two separate dominions of independent countries named, India and Pakistan, the former being a 'Secular State' and the later a country purely of Muslim religion. To the Pakistanis they prefer India to be called always by the name 'Hindusthan', most probably with an aim to subvert its well laid down spirit of being always a secular country. — To be contd
Arrested ULNF leader`s aide wanted in various ambush cases: Police The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 20: Salam Bung, who was arrested with UNLF leader Kh Ibotombi is wanted by police in relation with various cases of ambush on the security forces. He has been formally arrested by Nungba police and cases were registered against him with the station today. He is a 2nd lieutenant of the outfit.

In the meantime, the ruling for further remand of 12 days of Kh Ibotombi Singh, was given after the JMIC, Imphal west, personally visited the arrested leader at the 1st MR unit hospital were he is being treated.

The ruling of the JMIC, Imphal west stated that she was satisfied with the allegation leveled against UNLF leader.

The Investigating officer of the case alleged that Ibotombi is the vice-chairman of the banned outfit, UNLF and took part in the activities of the said organization. His activities related with threatening the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India by using sophisticated weapons and explosive substances.

Regarding the reason for detention of the Ibotombi at the 1st MR unit hospital, the case report stated that his health does not permit him either to stand/walk or sit properly and he is feeling great pain and inconveniences undertaking natural activities like sitting, standing, sleeping, eating, going to toilet etc. He needs proper medical care and treatment, it added.

Salam Bung aide to Ibotombi and arrested together with the later from Ganga Medical Hospital, Coimbatore was today arrested again formally by Nungba police station in connection with FIR no. 10 (2) 2K under section 121/121-A/302/307/34 IPC and 25 (I-A) Arms Act.

He was earlier remanded in the Imphal police custody upto October 2 by JMIC.

The case has been transferred to CJM, Tamenglong with effect from September 18 last. He is alleged to have waged war against the government, murdered and attempted to murder, and also holding arms, which is punishable under section 121/121-A/302/307/34 IPC and 25 (I-A) Arms Act.

According to the case dairy of Nungba police station Bung was among the 30 to 40 combined forces of UNLF and NSCN (K) who intruded at Longpi village of Nungba police station on 22/2/2000 and stayed there.

The same combined forces engaged in exchange of fire with Indian army leading to the death of one villager allegedly at the hands of the underground cadres.

Bung, second lieutenant of the outfit UNLF was also formally arrested by the Churchandpur police from CJM, Tamenglong through Nungba police station and remanded to police custody till Thursday in connection with five cases against the activities of outfit allegedly involving him.

The case under FIR 151 (5) 98 of Churchandpur police station under section 121/121-A/120-B/302/307/326/427/ IPC, 25 (1-B) Arms Act and 13 UA (P) Act against him related with an ambush laid down by the UNLF on the 23 Battalion CRPF at Monglenphai village. The ambush was carried out on 25/5/98 in which five CRPF personnel were killed and three others were imjured .

He was also allegedly involved in the ambushed of 32 Rastriya Rifles on 13/2/99 at Thankeu village of Churchandpur in which eight personnel killed and seven injured.

Bung was also alleged to have taken part in the encounter between UNLF and 18 Assam Rifles at Singmun Lamkhai under Henglep police station of Churchandpur. The encounter occurred on 3/10/99 in which two AR personnel were killed and two others were injured. The case in this incident was originally registered under Churchandpur police station. However it was later transferred to Henglep police station. He was also involved with the case 140 (12) of 2001 of Churchandpur police station. The case was registered in connection with the ambush of 128 battalion BSF at Hengkot Nepali Basti on 29/12/2001. There was no report of any any casualty in this ambush. Bung is also alleged to have been involved in the encounter between UNLF and ZRA at Thanlon village on 27/2/2001 which resulted in the death of two villagers.

Extortion by ULFA on: Gogoi Gogoi’s outburst l There were secret killings with Mahanta’s connivance.
l Over the years, no steps were taken for maintenance of irrigation projects.
l Drought-affected farmers to get 4 per cent loan subsidy.
l There was corruption in State Health Department, being checked now.
l Departments asked to ascertain reasons behind hike in prices.
By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 20: Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said that the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) was yet to refrain from carrying out extortion activities even though it was involved in the peace process with the Centre. He said his Government has instructed the police to take tough action against the ULFA and the NDFB when such cases of extortion come to light.
Talking to newsmen in the city today, Gogoi said that the ULFA continued its extortion activities in upper Asom. “The only positive development after the cessation of hostilities between the rebel group and the Centre is that nowadays those served with extortion notes come forward for help from the police, a thing which was very rare till a few months back,” Gogoi said, and added: “I don’t term the current hiccups between the Centre and the ULFA regarding direct talks a deadlock. Such fluctuations are very common in any peace talks with rebel groups. I am hopeful that the peace process will yield positive results.”
He said: “It was for the sake of the peace process that the State Government agreed to release the jailed ULFA leaders, but now the issue is beyond the State Government’s purview since the Centre has linked it with the entire peace process. I can release the jailed ULFA leaders now if the rebel group gives me a written assurance that they will sit for direct talks with the Centre. I know that they won’t do that with me because my role in the peace process is that of a facilitator only.”
Criticising AGP-P president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta for his demand for making the first inquiry report of the KN Saikia Commission public, Gogoi said: “As a former Chief Minister of the State Mahanta should know that such a report can’t be made public without discussing it thoroughly on the floor of the Assembly. I am sure that there were secret killings during Mahanta’s regime, and that too, with his (Mahanta’s) connivance. Without the involvement of the Chief Minister, how could there be so much killings of same nature. Why are there no such killings in my regime? This is simply because I don’t support such killings.”
“Now the State Government has involved Assam Agriculture University (AAU) in quality seed production, and the step will yield its results from next year,” he said, adding that farmers of drought-affected areas in the State would get four per cent loan subsidy (two per cent each from the State Government and the Centre). According to him, there will be a shortfall 10 to 20 per cent in paddy production in the State this year because of scanty rainfall. He admitted that over the years no steps were taken for maintenance of irrigation projects in the State. “In fact, no arrangement were made for maintenance of infrastructure over the years. But now the thrust is on maintenance of infrastructure,” Gogoi said, adding that the concerned departments had been asked to ascertain the reasons behind the current rise in prices. “It has to be ascertained if the price rise in the State is because of rise in prices at sources or otherwise,” he added.
On corruption, he said: “I know corruption cases against many, but I can’t do anything for lack of substantial evidences against them. Reports submitted by investigating agencies can’t sustain for lack of strong evidence.” He added that there was corruption in the Health Department and it was being checked now. When asked if he was pointing his accusing finger at his Cabinet colleague Dr Bhumidhar Barman, and if so, why he did not take action against him, Gogoi said: “No action can be taken without substantial evidences.”
Boro favours Mahanta’s return, but with a rider Goswami summons two rebel district committees By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 20: With senior AGP leaders raising a rebellion against the party leadership, insisting on reunification of the fragmented regional forces, another prominent leader and former AASU president Probin Boro has favoured the return of former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta to the AGP if and when he is “acquitted of the charges against him”. Once known as a Mahanta bete noire, Boro was clearly indicating to the allegations that Mahanta had a role in the controversial “secret killings”.
“If the people of Asom wants so and if it can bolster regionalism in the State, there is no question of objecting to Mahanta’s comeback to the party,” Boro told reporters here.
The AGP spokesperson also stated that before the reunion, all the splinter groups and regional parties should reorganize themselves and arrive at a consensus on the objectives behind the unification. Also, he said, the parties should decide who will head the united force.
Meanwhile, taking a stern view of the rebellion raised by them, party chief Brindabon Goswami has summoned two of the six district committees who have been demanding his stepping down as the president.
The office-bearers of the Darrang district AGP committee have been asked to be present at the party headquarters at Ambari here on September 23, while the Goalpara district unit has been summoned on September 25.
On the recent statement of party MP Sarbananda Sonowal that AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya was always welcome to join the AGP, Goswami refused to comment saying Sonowal had not discussed the matter with him before making the statement. Other senior party leaders have said the matter had not been taken up at the party platform and it was a personal opinion of Sonowal.
On the other hand, a meeting of the nine-member coordination committee constituted by the AGP(P) today resolved to hold discussions with the AGP, TGP, ASDC and BPPF as part of its efforts to strengthen regionalism in the State. The meeting, chaired by Pasugopal Barua, formed four committees to communicate with the regional parties.



Frans on 09.21.06 @ 03:49 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, September 20th

New policy to give tribes more rights to land The Hindu Nagarealm.com


New policy to give tribes more rights to land The Hindu Nagarealm.com
CHENNAI, SEP19 : The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has formulated a revised draft of the National Tribal Policy to address issues concerning the Scheduled Tribes, Director, National Folklore Support Centre, M.D. Muthukumaraswamy, said here on Sunday

He said the tribes were being denied their right to natural resources and land for long. "Environmental groups and wildlife groups think of tribal people as destroyers of nature. They do not understand that tribal people have been responsible for preserving our natural resources for so long," he said at the showcasing of a project, `Tribes in India', by students of Hari Shree Vidyalayam.

He said as per the 2001 census, the Scheduled Tribe population was 84.3 million, accounting for 8.2 per cent of the nation's population. They occupied 15 per cent of the country's geographical areas, mainly forests, hills and inaccessible terrains, rich in natural resources.

Mr. Muthukumaraswamy said the policy focussed on providing tribal people with greater rights to their land and natural resources.

It also provided for a legislative framework for rehabilitation and resettlement of tribes to minimise displacement, besides empowering these communities to promote self- governance.

The project dealt with the traditions and lives of the Karubas of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Kuravars of Tamil Nadu, Nagas of north-eastern and non-western Manipur, Bishnois of Rajasthan, Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh, Bondos of Orissa and the Paniyas of Kerala.

The projects prepared by students of Standard IV-VI involved detailed charts on the tribes and their customs and food habits.

Children dressed in the traditional attire of the respective areas welcomed the guests.

Geetha Muthiah, Director of Hari Shree Vidyalayam, said the project was aimed at giving the children an insight into the lives of tribes and their customs.

The students had done most of the research and designed the props on their own. [Hindu]

30 secret agendas vis-à-vis Naga struggle- Nagaland Post
Since signing of truce agreement between GOI and IM group, host of Naga leaders and Indian delegates are being ferried across Asia and Europe with high glamour and pomposity. Expectations were high and quite synonymous with these participants is the phrase "Talks in right direction". Their enthusiasm however failed to make any lasting impression due to reason that they were merely used as a tool to perpetuate IM's despotic hold over Nagas.
It is doubtless these so called peoples representatives are in fact a dumb spectators who se role are to simply cheer the drama taking place behind the curtain. When IM chairman Isak Chishi Swu himself is under forced isolation (house arrest) and completely ignorant of sell out process being hatched out between GOI and Muivah's inner circle, no wonder that these participants knew nothing of actual conspiracy taking place.
During Muivah's Hebron campaign, when Naga congregation demanded enlightenment on actual proposals of settlement, Muivah declined by conveniently pointing out as such that since talks were at crucial stage, no facts can be made public owing to security and political reason, since then so called peace process has remained a mystery except to a select inner echelon of Muivah and Padmanabhiah. If at all the process has anything to do with Indo-Naga issue, every Naga have every right to know, but since the ongoing parleys focuses only on IM related problems, the entire Nagas are kept in the dark.
To utter disappointment not a single Naga leader participants were ever offered an opportunity to directly involve in the talks with GOI Padmanabhiah while conveying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's response to queries of Sumi delegates in connection to secrecy of the process and isolation of Isak Chishi Swu, it was vividly revealed that Isak Chishi Swu had for the last 16 months been debarred from the talks and advised Sumi delegates therefore to inquire whether Swu is still alive or dead ever since also enlightened the delegates that GOI is ever happy to expend several hundred crores of rupees in order to pacify IM leaders and therefore not a hitch to entertain IM leaders in any part of the globe maintaining that GOI shall never concede to IM demands including integration. Despite these overwhelming facts of conspiracies at work, the Nagas especially leaders are failing to raise protest or to educate masses on underlying dangers of ongoing sell out process.
Their heavy indebtedness and blind willful marriage to IM as urged by materialistic and worldly greed, social, economic, and political patronage of IM has gagged them from speaking the truth rather than protest of any form. In the interest of the entire Nagas in general and Nagas of Nagaland in particular, I dare challenge Naga leaders to explain exact content of infamous 30 points "Charter of Demands" submitted by IM to the GOI are you shying away from harsh reality of your helpless position in order to save your face or truly ignorant of any such diabolic development taking place? Why not repent your treacherous connivance before it buries you? Or least of all wash your hands off before it's too late.
Fake leaders in connivance with IM are desperately trying to magnify IM problem as Naga problems to GOI and international agencies. Most of such so called international agencies are in fact business partners of Tankguls abroad (financed and sponsored by IM with wealth extorted from the Nagas of Nagaland). Billions of dollars every year are raised by these agencies from various international charity organizations and international NGO's on the pretext of aiding Naga struggle; crores of rupees are siphoned off from Nagaland state similarly, where as killings of Naga patriots and blameless Nagas particularly Nagas of Nagaland remain unabated. The process of IM activists rehabilitation has been in earnest implementation since half of a decade back officially with hefty regular salaries being disbursed to all its' ranks and files, expenses being borne by Nagaland state exchequer and separate financial allocation from the central government besides giant central contract works exclusively granted to Tangkhuls in the IM fold.
Still, these puppet leaders daringly proclaim that talks are progressing ahead and in the right direction, even though they are not at all aware of a bit of conspiracy underneath. It is cautioned that no longer would NSCN tolerate such stages in hard with betrayers your silence is understood therefore pave way for genuine leaders to rein over, obstacles and impediments however towering it be, truth shall overcome and new day will dawn where your crimes will persecute you. Be prepared for trial for nothing goes unaccounted.
Brig Niki Sumi, Commander, Operation Blue Land, People's Army of Nagaland, NSCN.
Hypocritical statement will hurt sentiment of Nagas- Nagaland Post Opinion
The sectarian leaders of Th. Muivah group are now vociferously shouting from the top of their voice and denying the killing of thousands innocent Nagas, which is indeed provoking the Nagas upto the zenith. The consequences thereof will be bitter with more hatred upon them by the Nagas as a whole. If they nobly admit their misdeeds, the Nagas who have good reasons and faith in Christ may forgive them. But their hypocrisy and trying to white wash their hands by throwing the blame for killings on the others will have no way to forgive them by the Nagas. Their hypocritical statements will remain till generations to come and it will hurt the sentiments of the next generation too, especially the victim's family members, relatives and Naga communities such as Khiamniungan, Lainong and Kuki, who had most suffered in the hands of Muivah group, will never tolerate.
The socialist Muivah group hypocritically stated that "The NSCN have never ever engaged in killing innocent people, either stranger or compatriot at any point of time. "(Quote; the Morung Express Sept. 18, 2006) If they have been bold enough to deny the killing of innocent people, let them deny the formation of the NSCN too, then only the statement of NNC/FGN will become fallacious and factious story. If they did rest form the so called NSCN, then they east throw the blame for the killing on the others. Truly, the future generations of Naga will never ask the question, why the Accord of 1975 was signed? But they will surely ask, why the NSCN was formed? Why Muivah and his henchmen killed thousands of Nagas and why the killing cannot stop etc.
The History will remain forever as evidence and prove that the Nagas did not sell out the Naga national rights by signing of the Accord. And therefore, the Nagas under the leadership of the NNC/FGN as well as Muivah and Isak group proudly celebrated the Golden jubilee of the Naga national council (NNC) on 14th August, 1997. Again this will remain as evidence that there were no differences among the Nagas on the matter of Accord.
The question is, why then Muivah and his henchmen falsely projected the Accord as the main factor for the division and killing among the Nagas? If it was so, why then Muivah and his men killed the Naga Army officers and Naga leaders who returned from abroad in 1976 and stayed in the Eastern part of Nagaland saying " we will never surrender". If Muivah and his men in true sense condemn the Accord, why did they involve in the Indian election? Why did they submit 30-point proposal to the Government of India? Why are they demanding integration and a special federal relationship with India? Why now Muivah is saying that "We will accept the fundamental principals of the Indian constitution"? (Quote; Telegraph July 31, 2006)
The NNC and FGN did not condemn the Accord but rejected it on December, 1975, and thus the NNC/FGN have never ever engaged or involved in the Indian elections and neither expressed to accept the Indian constitution. If Muivah's group claims that they do not collaborate with the enemy India, how can they build up lofty buildings which are worth crores, and where did they get hundreds of Indian luxurious vehicles? Where did they get Indian passports/identity cards of India for each and everyone of the IM leaders?
The truth, they admitted time and again that they had formed a new organisation of centralized government on the pattern of socialism on August 16, 1976 at Süpao village, Khiaminiungan Region where Muivah and Isak themselves made A.Z.Phizo, incumbent NNC President as the President of the FGN as well. They recently said "Phizo was made the president of the both NNC and FGN by the national assembly convened under the leadership of Isak and Muivah". (Quote) Nagaland Post July 29, 2006). This is their admission that the contention and differences started among the Nagas due to Muivah's new formation of centralized government. In April 1978, at Tsonkhao CHQ Camp, the Naga senior leaders (who were killed by Muivah and Isak late T. Venuh Chakhesang, late Ngathing khui Ahum Tangkhul and late Mayanger Ao (new comer) rejected the new formation of centralized government of Muivah and Isak on the following ground;
a) A new formation of centralized government of 1976 was a gross violation of Nagaland Yehzabo (Constitution),
b) Th. Muivah and Isak have no power to summon the Tatar Hoho (National assembly), because they were NNC General Secretary and Chaplee Kilonser (Finance Minister) of the FGN,
c) Since beginning the NNC and FGN have two entity heads, therefore these two offices cannot be put on a single head.
d) The Office of the President, FGN should not be in the foreign land.
e) We should not adopt socialism, if we adopt it, another division among the Nagas will be taken place and the blood of Nagas will flow like a river. The living way of Nagas is traditional democracy system and also now 95% Nagas are Christians, therefore they will not accept socialism.
But Th. Muivah furiously defended their new formation, and further adopted to overthrow the leadership of A.Z. Phizo on 2nd August, 1978. At first they had sacked out the leadership of Imkongmeren, NNC Vice President on August 16, 1976. And for the second time they had done again to overthrow the leadership of A.Z. Phizo. Therefore, the Naga Army officers could no longer tolerate on the dictatorial rule of Muivah and Isak, and thus declared Martial law on August 30, 1978 and detained the two leaders under house arrest.
But they were released unhurt in May 1979. However, after they were set free, they started to kill their opponents who opposed Muivah's socialist political ideology in the last part of 1979. From then on, they are continuously killing the Nagas, which is now running 26 years. Because the Nagas are opposed to Muivah's socialist and his stand for a solution within the Indian Union (Suisa's proposal), which is the main factor of the division and killing among the Nagas.
Muivah and his men are however still propagating that Naga Army dug the graves of Muivah and Isak three times. In fact the Naga Army never did so, because they have no intention to kill them. Therefore, Muivah and Isak are still alive. This is also evidence that the NNC/FGN did not start blood shedding. But Brig. Ngamlao Konyak, Lt. col. Ymstethong and those who were killed by Muivah and Isak in the last part of 1979 are no more with us. We therefore say the truth that Muivah and Isak started killing the Nagas. Thomas, NNC Member.
I am Just a Simple Unique Naga by L.W. Chuhwanglim Kuknalim.com

I am just a Committed Christian country boy who lives in search of the truth and the love of God. I am just the simply a Human being one among you, the fallen being, yet, I seek the truth in my Naga Home Land. Yes, I am from one among the tribes in Nagaland but I will say “I am Naga” and I am proud to say that name wherever I go...

Our Naga elders, the historians, have written a wonderful historical accord of the origin of the Naga which was not sure of exactly where Naga originated from. But I am so grateful to those elders who have made the historical ammendment of the origin of the Nagas.

I believe all the Nagas know that our Home Land is so unique. The land of the real nature, Nation of God distinctively land, provided by God to the people of the Nagas and the unique history of the Nagas. I am voicing out calmly to my elderly political leaders, my highness church leaders, my dear young people, and friends of generations to come.I know that many of us “you” have a blur and smudge to the unique history of our nation when you are chasing behind the education, political servants, spiritual war fare and the modern technology. Actually what do you reply to others when someone ask about the history of our homeland? I can imagine the answer “yes I am from the North East called Nagaland, we are mongoloids and so on”. No, that does not stop there; tell others the uniqueness of the Nagas. But to tell others about the uniqueness of the Nagas, do you have any ideas? That’s a big question I leave to my people “young people”

Run as fast as you can, to reach the different corners of the world far away from the Naga Homeland, but your identity is always the “Sweet Naga”. Where is our cultures, where is our sweet tradition, where is our uniqueness? We have sold out our culture to other cultures and life style in exchange, which today we have lost our cultures and the traditions. Our freedom fighters originated with a good heart and committed life to fight for the Naga Naiton, but unfortunately somebody has stolen the commitment and the vision on the way travel and lost and which the result is today what we are doing and living. Yet, there is a hope and vision for our Homeland to bring the Glory in God’s own timing, where my nation, my homeland will see the hope of glory one day. To me fighting for the nation is not mean to kill my brother, neither to torture my Onyu (Mom) and Opa (Father) nor to safe do myself from others harm. But it is to sacrifice my life for the Nation in peace and harmony, to forgive to one another though I could not forget.

I cannot make out of any action to others without knowing the history of my action because that is a blured. I believe that all my beloved young brothers and sisters who kill each other know the history behind. Or you are just practicing else training the skills by killing and shooting to one’s own brother before you go to the battle for our Homeland.

Remember, the water that you drink is from the streams where your brothers’ blood flows. The river you took bath is the meeting point of the blood you have shed of your own brother which was wash away by the rain. The food you eat is from the fertile land where your brother’s blood manured and I am alive now because I have killed my brother (he dies for my sake) what do I think of now? It is far better to be a tiny Ant than to be a huge Dog who eat back its own puked.

As Gustavo Gutierrez wrote the book on the title “we drink from our own wells” based on spiritual journey life of the Latin Amerincan who has recognised themselves that they have to have a fruits from their own hardship, not from others. Like the same situation with my Naga Nation, India will never give us the freedom, peace, love and harmony to us for just or in just. What we must do is we have to drink from our own Well. Let us drink from our own Well, voice out to God, say everything to Him, and look unto Him for our sweet Home land. Yes, once again we need to drink from our own Well not the blood but the peace, not killing but sustainance, not the wine but the Holy communion, not the guns but the staff from our God like the same staff He has given to Moses to lead the Isrealite to the promise land. God has a promised to our people and he will surely fulfill. It is better to say that I kill my brother to safe my own life than saying that I killed my enemy for the sake of my nation. Why? Because we are shading our own families blood to safe an individual’s life rather than fighting for our Nation. It is better to say a short and single honest word than to narrate the long wrong story which do not kill/waste your time.

This is what I have come across from somewhere as I was wandering aroung to seek the love of God for my Sweet Naga Homeland.
In 1982 in Jerusalem, God spoke through Sister Gwen Shaw an American that, "What my spirit has done is He visited the people in Nagaland. And they shall not be an idolatrous that shall fall down before idols like the people of India. For I have separated Nagaland unto myself, and I have with my finger drawn a line around Nagaland". "The Nagas are the children of the true and living God. The Nagas are part of spiritual Israel. They partake of the promise which God gave to Abraham, "in you all nations will be blessed. Nagaland is a nation under God. India can never defeat them because their power comes from God the Lord, who is opposed to the Hindu rulers, who derive their power from this patheon are thus in conflict with the supreme Lord by persecuting his children, the Nagas", said the Lord God through Dessan Tagore an Indian in December 1982 at Los Angeles. (Quote, Israel in India P. 3 & 7).
"I have chosen this Naga nation for my own glory and I have anointed this land in 1872. (It meant American Missionary W. Clerk entered into Ao village called Molungkimong in 1872). My own spirit, even declared 'Nagaland for Christ'. The new Nagaland will be like Israel" said the lord God through Rev. Donal Bal Lama an Indian from West Bengal on 1st July, 2003 at Dimapur as he was sent by God to pray for Naga nation. Also the rainbow flag of Nagaland is a great manifestation that God has chosen Nagas by Himself and leading the Naga nation, for which God had given many signs and spoke through his servants that this was from him. For instance, God spoke through an American woman while the people from more than 200 countries gathered in the yearly Tabernacles feast in Jerusalem in 1999 and at a time they were praying for Naga Nation, "I have given rainbow flag to the Nagas. It is not inscribed by the Nagas of their own accord. I have given two flags to mankind; one for Israelites and another one for the Nagas".
What do you think my dear and near one? For me I believe and I trust our Loving God that he will surely bring the Glory in my Naga Homeland in His own timing. Let me follow you so lead me into the right path.
Country Boy, L.W. Chuhwanglim
NGO represents people out side the assembly The Morung Express In Focus WRITE-WING
In a democratic set up, a government is run by the body which has the mandate of the people known as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. On the other hand, people’s mass based organizations known as “Non-Governmental Organization” (NGO) are equally important is very much accountable to the society. It (NGO) is considered as the mouth piece of the people, because it expresses the interest and addresses every problem of the people. Although the NGOs’ election are not conducted by the legal election commission, yet every NGO has its own constitutions and norms under which its executive officials are directly elected, therefore it is recognized by the people as good as popular government. The civil society leaders deserve people’s respect and right to speak on behalf of the people so long as they enjoy the confidence of the people. These NGOs are also entitled to represent the people of their respective communities, because they (NGO) are the ones who fight for the people’s right against any discriminations or injustice done to the innocent.
The NGOs exist all over the world as watch-dogs to see that all the bonafide citizens of the nation enjoy equal rights and opportunities. In the advanced countries, these civil societies are considered to be very, very important and the leaders of these bodies are treated as very important persons or personalities. But regrettably, contrary to the advanced world’s concept about NGOs, our society is still lacking understanding the importance and the role being played by the NGOs. As the wrong notion domain of recent past, a statement purportedly written by one “Wangtin Konyak” says that the Naga NGOs such as Naga Hoho, NSF, NMA & NPWIR do not represent the Naga people. In this, I personally feel to share my view that, if these Organizations which have been instituted by the people can not represent their respective communities, then who the individual(s) can represent the people. To my understanding, such utterance is irrational and unexpected out of a national worker’s stature. It is apparent that all the Naga people’s mass based organizations are supporting the ongoing peace talk between the GoI and the NSCN(IM) and for which NSCN(K)in particular, branded those organizations as one-sided. But if we are to analyze about the Naga independence movement which is a bone of contention for every Nagas, there is nothing wrong of NGOs supporting the ongoing peace talks to bring about expeditious political settlement. It is regretted that there is no unity among the national workers, but because of which, Naga political problem should not be kept unresolved and passed unto the future generations.

The desire of the people are to see that Naga political problem is solved when there is opportunity, therefore the present political dialogue between the GOI and the Nagas should be encouraged rather than discouraged. People also wish to see that all hostility activities among the national workers be stopped but join hands to dialogue with the GoI for a peaceful political settlement. The views of the people are united to see that the settlement of the Naga political problem take place during their life time than to struggle further. It is the people’s expectation from all the national workers that any personal aggrandizement or hatred should not hamper the peace process. It is important for one and all to understand that good for people is “when it sees prosperity as more than being in bliss of materialism” therefore, if any body takes the name of a nation but speaks of his own interest, it is nothing but seeking of self glory and self centredness. It is, therefore, imperative for one and all to be more pragmatic at this juncture than talking about one’s interest or what he thought is everything. Once again, the assertion that “Naga NGOs do not represent the Naga people” is a disturbing sensation to everybody, so I for one affirm that Naga NGOs represent the people out side the assembly, because they fight for the common good of the people and not for their own benefits. I wish one and all to be more positive and support the NGOs in their efforts to do good for the people.

KUKNALIM Tokivi Sumi, A Concern citizen of Dimapur
Indo-Myanmar border fence to check drug trafficking Thingbaijam Dhamen

IMPHAL, Sept 19: The first phase of the proposed Indo-Myanmar border fencing work would be taken up at Moreh town in Manipur, along the porous Indo-Myanmar border. The fencing works along the Indo-Myanmar border is to be taken up as a part of accelerating the efforts to check illegal drug trafficking in the north eastern region of the country bordering Myanmar. This is a part of various other measures taken up by the Union ministry of home affairs.

It is pertinent to mention here that the states of Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram has been identified as a transit point for illegal trafficking by the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and International Narcotic Control Board (INCB). A three-member delegation, headed by Border Cell director M C Tiwari and Ministry of Home Affairs deputy secretary Balwant Singh, had recently visited the border areas to investigate the proposed border fencing in the region. The Survey of India with its Myanmar counterpart would carry out the survey and demarcation works for the fencing. Moreh and other parts of the international border would also be fenced. The centre is also considering construction of a parallel road along the entire length of Indo-Myanmar border as emphasized by the Planning Commission.
If the drug route in the borders is not properly curtailed, north eastern region could become a major illicit drugs transit point, UNDCP and INCB reports had warned. It also stated that true to its prediction on the report published in 2001, the states of NE especially Manipur and Nagaland are fast emerging to be an epicenter engaged in narcotics business. There is a direct correlation between proximity to the border and drug abuse, the UNDCP said. Drug flow through the boundary has fueled the rise of HIV/AIDS epidemic in the NE turning it into high-risk zones.

Myanmar, the country sharing its border with northeastern states of India has always been linked with high instances of drug abuses and its opium and heroin production ranks second in the world. The Northeastern States are located at a very strategic point since it shares 1,463 Kilometers border with Myanmar, which is vulnerable for being the identified routes for easy illicit trafficking. As of present only 52 km out of the 1,643 km stretch of international border with Myanmar is manned by Indian security forces.
The foremost route, which begins in Mandalay, split northwards to the Tamu-Moreh border crossing and the NH-39 acting as a spring board to Imphal (Manipur) then to Nagaland from where in it goes to Assam and is finally shipped to Kolkata and other parts of India.

Another direct route is the bordering area of Noklak and Tobu known as eastern Nagaland, which is unmanned and has been reported to be a silk route for the traffickers. The traffickers involved are found to be mostly either Manipuri or Nagas who seems to have found it a lucrative business despite the risk involved and the districts of Senapati and Ukhrul and the Sardar hills are reportedly into cultivation. Every day around 500 trucks ply through NH 39, the link route used by the traffickers and due to the impracticability to check every truck that passes through, it has become a highly accessible link route for trafficking.
Lack of sufficient manpower, improper co-ordination among agencies and state machineries to meet the challenge and the insensitivity of the people in recognizing the looming threat cropping up within the society make the passage easier for the traffickers.
Army cautions Manipur UG groups The Morung Express
Imphal, Sept 19 (NNN): Maj. Gen. EJ Kochekkan, GOC 57 Mountain Division today said the army would not allow extortion, kidnapping and other anti-social activities by the armed groups that signed a suspension of operation with the army. Talking to reporters including representatives from national media who were brought by the army on a two day tour to Manipur, the GOC said the army signed suspension of operations with 13 militant groups.
The groups are KNA, KNF (MC), ZDV, KNF (Z), United Socialist Revolutionary Army, KRA, UKLF, KNF (S), ZRA, KNF (P), KLA, HPC (D) and PULF. The agreement was signed on different dates, the army said. He said whenever the army received information that cadres of these are moving with arms they were apprehended. He also said that intervention by the army prevented extortion and kidnapping.
The GOC said the army regularly contacted the leaders of these groups to persuade them not to move with arms and carry out illegal activities. Citing a case he said that cadres of a Kuki group freed four truck drivers abducted by them a few days back. Responding to a question the GOC clarified that as of now there is no plan for Bhutan time joint operation of the India and Myanmar. He, however, added that the troops of both sides have been sharing information and having post level meetings regularly to check cross border smuggling of arms and drug.
The GOC said after army was inducted in Manipur in good strength in 2004 militants had been pushed out of so called liberated zones, which were under the control of the militant groups for the past many years. The GOC howver, said that the army has not been able to enter Somtal area along the Indo-Myanmar border in Chandel districit because of inaccessibility of the area. Barring the area there are no more organized big militant camps in other parts of Manipur.
The army official expressed concern that militants entered Imphal areas from where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was withdrawn in 2004. He however said that whenever there is specific information of presence of militants the army carried out raids and nabbed them.
The army displayed IEDs neutralized by the army during the past two years. The GOC said so far the army could neutralize 331 IEDs. He said many villagers were killed and many of them were maimed when IEDs planted by militants exploded. The army is helping the victims by procuring artificial limbs for them.
Gen Kochekan rules out Bhutan type operation in Myanmar The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 19 : Major general E J Kochekan GOC, 57 Mountain Brigade today said that as of now there is no direction from higher authorities for conducting or planning a Bhutan type counter insurgency operation with Myanmar to curb the insurgency in Manipur.GOC was speaking at a press conference attended by a team of national media in Manipur who are here on a three days visit. He went to say that security forces have nothing to do with the enforcement of Armed Forces Special Power Act, AFSPA. The enforcement or non enforcement of the Act, according to the officer, is a state subject. However, he added army and security forces were used in places which have been declared disturbed by the state authority.

"In Manipur for counter insurgency operation, civil administration, army, paramilitary forces, intelligence networks are utilized."

Many places in the interior areas of Manipur, which was once declared liberated zones by the insurgents were now under the control of army as they were turn out from these areas, he said.

While stating this he cited the example of interior areas of Churchandpur district where hundreds of villagers fled away and took refuge in Mizoram but who have recently come back to their respective villages after the army flushed out the militants operating in the area. He also recalled that the interior areas like Thanlon, Tipaimukh etc. were once totally under the control of insurgents but now the Army has restored civil administration in these places, he claimed.

He also went on to say that army is not only engaged in counter insurgency operation but have also taken up various developmental works in many places as part of army civic action programme. The GOC also observed that the media in Manipur could not work of their own free will., "Their working is always disturbed by the insurgent groups in one way or other."

The GOC of the 57th Mountain division, Maj. Gen. EJ Kochekan has revealed that the army has suspended all operations against the Muslim UG group PULF and some other Kuki militants as per an agreement which could facilate for a dialogue with the government. The army is open to any group willing to enter in such agreement, he added. However, he made it clear that there will be no tolerence from the side of the army if the terms of the agreement are flouted by the UG`s.

Centre should be sincere: ULFA C-in-C By R Dutta Choudhury Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 19 – The possibility of direct talks between the Government of India and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) will depend on the sincerity of the Government, said the commander-in-chief of the outfit Paresh Baruah. In an interview with The Assam Tribune, conducted through e-mail, the ULFA commander in chief also termed the suspension of operations by the Government as a tactic to divert the attention from the main issue.

The following are the excerpts from the interview:

Assam Tribune: What is your comment on the ongoing peace process and are you hopeful of direct talks between the Government and the ULFA soon?

Paresh Baruah: So far, any “peace process” or “peace talks” with India Government has not resolved any conflict satisfactorily, be it Kashmir or our region. If these are the lessons, we are inclined to observe that India has not understood or is refusing to understand, the core issues of the conflicts in the region. As for direct talks between the ULFA and Indian Government, everything depends on the India Government’s sincere approach to the conflict.

AT: The Government is alleging that the ULFA is not serious on the issue of talks, while, on the other hand, the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) accused the Government for its failure to show sincerity. What are your comments?

PB: The ULFA is fighting for the legitimate national rights of Asom. Therefore, the ULFA is ready to hold direct talks any time if our national rights could be restored through such talks. So there is no question of lack of seriousness on the part of the ULFA. The PCG has rightly stated about India Government’s failure to show sincerity. So long as India Government refuses to respect the history of Asom and accepts the reality of the conflict, the direct talks will be delayed.

AT: What is your opinion on the pre-conditions imposed by the Government for the release of the five jailed central committee members of the ULFA? Is it possible for the ULFA to accept the pre-conditions?

PB: The ULFA did not demand the release of the five jailed central committee members. The Prime Minister of India personally gave an assurance to the PCG about the release of the jailed members. So the question of ULFA fulfilling India Government’s pre-conditions on the issue does not arise.

AT: What are your comments on the suspension of operations? Will it help in creating a congenial atmosphere for direct talks? (The Government of India suspended operations against the ULFA on August 13 and after two extensions, the suspension will come to an end on September 20)

PB: Unilateral suspension of operations by Indian occupation forces is a tactic to divert attention from the main issue.

AT: Would you like to comment on the Armys’ recent statement against the ULFA? (The Army recently issued a press statement accusing the ULFA of indulging in fake currency racket at the behest of the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence)

PB: These are all parts of the enemy propaganda to mislead the freedom loving people of Asom.

A golden chapter of freedom movement — Luna Bora Kalita Assam Tribune Editorial
The 20th of September 1942 is a red-letter day in the history of freedom movement in Asom. Influenced by Gandhiji’s call ‘do or die’ to save India the people of Asom also joined in the Quit India Movement of 1942. ‘Vande Mataram’ was the only slogan among the patriotic Indians irrespective of caste, creed and community. Along with the people of the country the people of Asom also played a heroic part in India’s struggle for freedom. No doubt in the long history of Asom throughout the ages and the role of Mulagabharu, Lachit Barphukan, Bir Chilarai, always inspired the people of Asom to fight and even to sacrifice their valuable lives for the motherland.

On August 9 under the presidentship of Abul Kalam Azad, the Congress Committee decided to hoist the tri-colour. So, the Congress Committee of Asom also made a State wide programme to hoist the tri-colour. The Darrang District Congress Committee (present Sonitpur district) organised a public meeting on September 14, 1942 in Bargaon Namghar near Dhekiajuli under the presidentship of Puspalata Das to discuss the hoisting of tri-colour in Dhekiajuli Thana.

The meeting was organised in the Namghar only to trick the district administration. In that meeting two volunteer groups were formed. One was protection group and the other was ‘Death Squad.’ It was decided to hoist the tri-colour on September 20, 1942 at Dhekiajuli Thana. A youth named Manbar Nath said that he would hoist the tri-colour at Dhekiajuli Thana and lead the people’s march from Thelamara to Dhekiajuli Thana. On the other hand to make the people morally down police arrested the leaders of this programme in the previous night. But the step taken by the administration to make the programme utter failure could not stop the people’s national spirit.

At last the much awaited day of September 20 came. It was a Sunday. Thousands of people gathered at Thelamara, 9 kilometres from Dhekiajuli. There could only be heard the sound of Vande Mataram. People from different communities, men and women and a few children also joined the march with their parents. On the other hand, in the Dhekiajuli Thana, the in-charge Mohidhar Borah plotted a different conspiracy to gag the people’s voice. When the Congress volunteers arrived in front of the Thana, they were stopped there and told to move forward by the Daroga. A heated argument took place between the leader of the march Kamala Das, and Thana I/C Mohidhar Borah. At that moment Manbar Nath entered inside Thana compound and hoisted the tri-colour. Already police used lathis to control the people and finally opened fire. And Manbar Nath took his last breath when a bullet hit him. Then Golok Neog came forward and tried to keep the tri-colour up. But his mother faced the bullet and she died. She was Kumali Devi. There was a small tributary towards the east of the Thana and a small bridge over it. With the help of hired miscreants police blocked the bridge with wire. When police opened fire people ran to and fro to save themselves. The miscreants even assaulted women and snatched their jewelleries. The Protection Group volunteer Ratan Kachari tried his level best till his last breath to save those women. He too embraced death for his country. There is a saying – history repeats itself. On September 20, 1942, the tragedy of Jaliwanwalabagh was repeated in Dhekiajuli. This incident turned this small town of Asom in to a holy place of martyrs. Sahityacharsay Atul Chandra Hazarika in one of his poems called Dhekiajuli a ‘Sahid Tirtha’. Thirteen people died in this incident and they were declared martyrs. But according to Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, Commander of the ‘Seva Dal’ on that day, 23 people died at Dhekiajuli due to police firing. That day many people were injured. Some injured people were taken to Tezpur and some of them died later without any treatment. But their kith and kin feared to declare their names for police oppression. The great martyrs of September 20 were Manbar Nath, Kumali Devi, Khohuli Devi, Tileswari Baruah – a teenager, Ratan Kachari, Lerela Kachari, Sarunath Chutia, Mahidhar Koch, Dayaldas Panika, Mangal Kurku, Maniram Kachari, one monk and a beggar. Later Habang Kachari was declared as martyr by the AASU unit of Dhekiajuli. When the situation returned to normal Congress leader Bijoy Chandra Bhagawati collected authentic data about the whole incident. But somehow records disappeared from the Congress office. So, the Dhekiajuli martyrs were not recognised at national level. Now efforts are going on to establish the golden chapter of Dhekiajuli in freedom movement of India at the national level. We have got our Independence for the sacrifice of these people. The sacrifices of those martyrs of September 20, who came from economically backward classes should get proper recognition. On that same day Kanaklata Baruah and Mukunda Kakati lost their lives when they tried to hoist the tri-colour in Gohpur Thana.

KSO draws CM`s atention to the grievances of Kukis The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, Sept-19: The Kuki Students Organisation-General Headquarters (KSO-GHq.) today submitted amemorandum to the chief minister of Manipur on insecure lives of the Kukis in Manipur and probing the integrity of the state government overthe Kukis`.

The memorandum signed by KSO-GHq. president Toghen Kipgen mentioned that the injustices have been continued towards the Kukis `challenging the right to live, cultural identity and customs` adding `which are the core of every human being`.

Citing past incidents, theKuki students body rued that several Kuki youths frequently fall prey to the hands of Manipur government machinery/police commandos.

Unlike in the past,there were incidents in which several cases of extra-judicial execution of the innocent lives of the Kukis have happened recently", it said. Further, KSO-GHq. said that even though all past cases of extra-judicial executions of innocent youths were settled under theKukis customary laws adding ` it is important to note that suchnightmares remains as an indelible wound in the minds of the Kukipeople`. KSO-GHq. then asserted that Kuki peoples have every rightto live as human being in this part of the country,and at the same time,wanted to know from the Manipur government the political and human rights status of the Kukis.

Frans on 09.20.06 @ 02:59 PM CST [link]


Tuesday, September 19th

Quit Notice’ area extended- Nagaland Post Opinion


Quit Notice’ area extended- Nagaland Post Opinion
In a sharpest and visible determination to crackdown terrorism, the NSCN has unanimously condemned the terrorist-sponsored NGOs like the Angami Public Organization, the Tenyimia Central Council, the NISC and NSG for posing as the greatest threat to the Nagas sovereignty. The NSCN (GPRN) has seriously weighed the inimical languages of these NGOs and classified them as "detrimental loudspeakers of terrorist hypocrites".
Responding to the demands of the anti-Nagas and as another pre-emptive strategy against the terrorist and terrorist-sponsored NGOs, the remaining other region of the NSCN have decided to issue "QUIT NOTICE" to Tangkhuls in the region of the Zeliangrong, Yimchunger, Phom, Khiamniungan, Shepoumaramth, Amamcht, Pangmi, Thungniu, Union Territory-I (Dimapur), Union Territory-II (Athibung areas), and Union Territory-III (Tirap and Changlang). The regions of Sumi, Lotha, Konyak, Ao, Angami, Chakhesang, United Sangtam Region and Tisary region issued the first "Quit Notice" to Tangkhuls.
Terrorists and nationalists (NSCN) cannot co-exist and they must develop separately and thus, the "Quit Notice" to Isak-Khodao (IK) terrorists alias the private soldiers of Neiphiu Rio. The regions existing under NSCN (GPRN) has also decided to exclude Ukhrul, the homeland of the Tangkhuls from the political map of Nagaland to give a new impetus to Indo-Naga Myanmar political issue.
The NSCN (GPRN) led by S.S Khaplang and N. Kitovi Zhimomi informs the NISC, NSG and terrorists-sponsored NGOs that, "America and Europe has destroyed Afghanistan and Iraq with the lame excuse of Weapons of Mass Destruction (EMD) and the Al Qaida for the deaths of 2973 at the World Trade Center on 9/11 then, can the Americans and Europeans expect the Nagas and NSCN to forgive the Isak-Khodao terrorist for massacring more than ten thousands Nagas to please the government of India, their pay masters in lieu of Indian currency"?
The NSCN has appealed to the Nagas to maintain calm and join the nationalistic march to freedom. Cautiously, the Nagas in Dimapur and Kohima must be on alert as these Tangkhuls could be planning another terrorist attacks that shook the train station and Hongkong market at Dimapur earlier. NSCN has not directed to Tangkhuls to abandon Ukhrul but to leave Nagaland and this is the NSCN's logistic message that must be firmly understood by the world communities. The NSCN (GPRN) has decided to join the United Nations in the fight on "War on Terror" and uniformly, the NSCN is prepared to assist the UN forces in grilling all forms of terrorism in the region.
Kiungham Yimchunger Regional chairman Yimchunger region, NSCN
Shempal Khiamniungan, Caretaker Khiamniungan Region, NSCN
Mowba Regional Chairman Thungniu Region, NSCN Lena
Territorial Chairman Union Territory-II (Athibung-Dimapur), NSCN
Angkan Pangmi, Pangmi Region, NSCN
Anthony, Incharge, Zeliangrong Region, NSCN
Sani, Regional Chairman Shepoumaramth Region
Capt. Winky, Regional Chairman Amamcht Region, NSCN
Namchung Phom, Regional Chairman
Phom Region, NSCNP. Tekhak, Caretaker
UT-III (Tirap-Changlang) Maj. Asheto Chishi, Operation Commander
UT- I (Dimapur), NSCN
Let Isak and Muivah reply to Gen Kholi’ The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 18 (MExN): Pointing out that both NSCN (K) Chairman SS Khaplang and Commander-in-Chief Gen Kholi Konyak are contemporaries of Isak Chishi Swu and Th Muivah, Senior NSCN (K) Kilonser Athrom Konyak as such while responding to the NSCN (IM) reply to Gen Kholi’s statement, requested that as contemporaries, Isak and Muivah should give reply to what Gen Kholi has written. “Let them reject, accept or comment on the statement of Gen Kholi Konyak. Those who are writing blindly against the writing of one of the surviving senior most freedom fighters should be ashamed of their positions in and contribution to the National cause”, Kilonser Athrom stated in a press communiqué adding that “not to talk of the length of their services, but even their ages are not even half of the length of Gen Kholi’s national service”.
While admitting that from the educational point of view, Isak and Muivah are far more qualified than Khaplang and Kholi, “but in national service SS Khaplang and Gen Kholi are much senior to Isak and Th Muivah”. “In age they are almost equal”, the Kilonser added.
In regard to the crimes and split of the NSCN in 1988, the Kilonser pointed out that there are still hundreds of eye witnesses of the happenings in 1988 in the NSCN under SS Khaplang while claiming that there may be only two or three persons in the NSCN (IM) who were present during the 1988 crisis. “All those so called leaders in the I-K set up were on the western part of Nagaland during the time of the crisis viz Angelus Shimrah, Rh Raising, Khoyo Hurray, A. Puni etc. Only VS Atem came to eastern sector only during the later part of the crisis”, Kilonser Athrom stated while pointing out that what the NSCN (IM) leaders were talking about (crisis) are only “hearsay and tell tale without knowing the facts and figures”. Then who is the competent and rightful person to respond or comment on the statement of Gen Kholi Konyak?” the Kilonser stated and instead wanted that NSCN (IM) Chairman and the General Secretary were the right persons and in the best position to reply to Gen Kholi.
We don’t take Delhi’s help, NSCN (I-M) clarifies The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 18 (MExN): The NSCN (I-M) today clarified that it had at no point of time taken any form of financial help or assistance from the Government of India. “The Government (GPRN) does not disburse salaries to its workers. The services rendered to the nation by patriotic workers are honorary and voluntary,” an MIP press release issued by the organization’s Section Officer named Kiyeshe said.
“The gloomy part of divisive and misleading champions is that they do not realize that the Naga national workers also wear clothes and eat food to sustain,” he said. The rank and file of the NSCN (I-M) is just about supported by the GPRN to remain and work for the national cause with meager resources “and not left to steal, extort or carry out anti-social activities like the false Pharisees and their pawns,” the release said. The NSCN (I-M) maintained that the very notion of being assisted by Delhi is an “illusive figment of drained policies to mislead the people by antagonists. The GPRN is in dialogue with the GoI as two different principled entities/nations engaged to find an honorable solution to the vexed Indo-Naga political issue.”
The organization further questioned the NNC/FGN by saying that “if they proclaim themselves as proponents of the Naga issue and assert that they are not dancing to the tunes of our enemies, why cannot they end their tirades of false, demeaning and undignified paper wars to humiliating the Nagas in the eyes of the world?” The NSCN (I-M) also termed their rivals’ ‘media campaigns’ as ‘non-stop usual ugly’ habits.
‘Quit notice’ extended to Dimapur The Morung Express
DIMAPUR SEPT 18 (MExN): The NSCN (K) has extended the ‘Quit notice’ to Tangkhuls in Dimapur region besides areas of Zeliangrong, Yimchunger, Phom, Khiamniungan, Shepourmaramth and Amamncht; Pangmi, Thungniu, Athibung, Tirap and Changlang in response to what it termed as another preventive strategy against the “terrorists”. This latest quit notice comes in the backdrop of an earlier similar notice issued for the Sumi, Lotha, Konyak, Ao, Angami, Chakhesang, Sangtam and Tisary regions.
To go with the quit notice, the regions existing under NSCN (K) have decided to exclude Ukhrul (Home land of Tangkhuls) from the political map of Nagaland to give a new movement to Indo-Naga-Myanmar political issue. The NSCN (K) also clarified that they have not directed the Tangkhuls to abandon Ukhrul but to leave Nagaland and stated that it must not be misunderstood. They have further appealed to the Nagas to maintain calm and join what it termed as “the nationalistic march to freedom”. They also cautioned the Nagas in Dimapur and Kohima to be alert as they felt that the NSCN (IM) could be planning another “terrorist attacks like the pervious incidents that happened in Dimapur Train Station and Hongkong market”.
The NSCN (K) also informed that they have decided to join the United Nations in the fight on ‘War on terror’ and they are prepared to aid the UN forces in grilling all forms of terrorism in the region. Meanwhile, the NSCN (K) condemned what it described as “the terrorist-sponsored NGO’s like the Angami Public Organization, the Tenemiya Central council, the NISC and NSG for posing the greatest threat to the Naga sovereignty”. “The NSCN (GPRN) has seriously weighed the inimical languages of these NGO’s and classified them as determined loudspeakers of terrorist hypocrites” and also felt that the terrorists and Nationalist (NSCN) cannot co-exist therefore they felt relevant to issue the ‘Quit notice’ to Isak-Khodao (IK).
It may be mentioned that the above statement was issued by Kiungham Yimchunger, Regional Chairman of Yimchunger Region, Shempai Khiamniungan, Caretaker, Khiamniungan Region, Sani, Regional Chairman, Mowon, Regional Chairman, Thungniu Region and Captain Winky, Regional Chairman, Amamncht Region; Lena, Territorial Chairman, Union Territory-II (Athibung-Dimapur), Namchung Phom, Regional Chairman, Phom Region, Angkan Pangmi, Regional Chairman, Pangmi Region, P.Tekhak, Caretaker, UT-III (Tirap-Changlang), Anthony, Incharge, Zeliangrong Region and Major Asheto Chishi, Operation commander, UT-I (Dimapur).
Indo-Myanmar intl border to be fenced The Morung Express
NEW DELHI, SEPT 18 (UNI): The Union Home Ministry has taken up various measures to accelerate the fencing works along the Indo-Myanmar border to check illegal drug trafficking in the region. Recently a three-member Indian delegation, headed by Border Cell director M C Tiwari and Ministry of Home Affairs deputy secretary Balwant Singh, had visited the border areas to investigate the proposed border fencing in the region, official sources said in Aizawl on Monday.
According to the proposed plans, the first phase of the fencing work will be taken up near Moreh town in Manipur, along the porous Indo-Myanmar border. Besides, other parts of the international border would also be fenced. Sources said the Survey of India with its Myanmar counterpart will carry out the survey and demarcation works for the fencing. A consultative meeting on border fencing was held recently. It was attended by the additional chief secretary (Border Management) of the Union Home Ministry R R Shirohi, Home Affairs director B K Pathak, Asom Rifles representatives and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials.
The Planning Commission has also emphasised the need for construction of a parallel road along the entire length of Indo-Myanmar border. Only 52 km out of the 1,643 km stretch of international border with Myanmar is manned by Indian security forces.
Manipur Assembly debate on NBSE affiliation Government cannot concede demand of Naga NGOs: Minister Newmai News Network Imphal | September 18
Manipur’s Education Minister L. Nandakumar Singh today renewed his appeal to Naga NGOs to withdraw their campaign for adoption of Nagaland text book, maintaining that the government could not concede to the demand. The campaign being launched by All Naga Students Association of Manipur (ANSAM) in the hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong came up for discussion on the concluding day of the state assembly today after Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) MLA L. Ibomcha Singh raised a motion to draw the attention of the Chief Minister, O. Ibobi Singh and the Education Minister on the issue.
Nandakmar Singh who headed a state delegation to Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh recently to apprise the development in the four hill districts remained firm on the government stand that teaching of Nagaland text books in Manipur was impossible.
He said that if any students in the districts want to enroll in other schools not affected by the text book campaign, the government is ready to bail them out and make arrangements for their admission.
Stating that the development has put the future and career of a large number of students in danger Nandakumar Singh said the government is fully seized with the problem and efforts are on to find an amicable solution. He also said that the government has taken elaborate arrangements for protection of schools in the hill districts to prevent any violent activity by the Naga NGOs. He also sought suggestions from all sections of the people so that the matter could be resolved peacefully.
Initiating the discussion MLA L. Ibomcha Singh suggested that a ministerial delegation comprising Naga MLAs be sent to the four hill districts for holding talks with the agitating Naga NGOs to find a solution. He said that following the campaign the academic atmosphere in the districts has been severely affected. Responding to the suggestion Nandakumar Singh informed the House that the government would consider the suggestion. Ibomcha Singh proposed for exploration of possibilities of inclusion of some lessons of the Nagaland text book in the Manipur Board text books, if these lessons are good and better. He also appealed to MLAs elected from the hills to contribute in the government effort for resolving the text book row.
Ministerial team for talks on textbook tussle proposed The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 18: Stressing on the immediate need for bringing an amicable solution to the textbook issue, the opposition MLA L Ibomcha Singh proposed formation of a delegation comprising of ministers and MLAs to hold talk with the agitating Naga NGOs which are demanding implementation of Nagaland Board textbooks in private schools in the four hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong.

The opposition MLA mooted this proposal during a call attention motion on the penultimate day of the 15th session of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly session.

In his reply to Ibomcha`s Call Attention motion, the education minister L Nandakumar assured the House that the state government will actively consider the proposal of the Opposition MLA and look into what action could be taken up in this regard. The education minister also informed the House that state government has taken up adequate security measures to prevent further loss of government properties in the wake of the intense agitations in the four hill districts of the state.

While reiterating that the demand for introduction of Nagaland Board textbooks in schools of Manipur is nonachiavable, the education minister said the current movement being initiated by the ANSAM and some Naga NGOs will end up spoiling the career of students in the four hill districts. The education minister also appealed to ANSAM and other NGOs which are initiating textbook movement to reconsider their stance and withdraw the agitation in larger interest of the students. Ealier, raising his motion during Zero Hour, the Federal Party of Manipur, MLA reiterated that textbooks prescribed by the Nagaland board cannot be taught outside Nagaland state as is same in the case for the textbook prescribed by the BSEM, which cannot be taught in schools beyond the state of Manipur.
Calling attention of the House, L Ibomcha Singh expressed regret that most of the government schools in Ukhrul and Senapati remained paralysed due to the ongoing strike by the Naga NGOs.

Students in these schools are in the middle of nowhere as they are left in a situation where they could not decide on their own as to whether they are to follow instructions of the NGOs initiating the textbook movement or choose to stick to the schools where BSEM are taught, Ibomcha said.
Though the Opposition MLA reiterated that the demand for implementation of Nagaland Board textbook in nonachiavable, Ibomcha however observed that a legislation could be framed so that some textbooks prescribed by the Nagaland Board could be taught in schools of Manipur on optional basis.
ULFA talks NagaLand Post
NEW DELHI, SEPt 18 (PTI): With the deadline of ceasefire with ULFA nearing an end, the Centre is still awaiting written response from the banned outfit on having direct talks. While Home Ministry officials were still "hopeful" of some written communication by Wednesday, the last date of the four-time extended ceasefire, the outlawed organisation was still pressing for release of its five senior leaders from jail, a demand unlikely to be met by the Centre.
"There are still two days to go," a senior Home Ministry official today said when asked if the banned outfit had sent any communication to the Centre.
The Home Ministry, which has been anchoring the ceasefire, has been facing opposition from the army, which is engaged in the counter-insurgency operations in the northeast.
The army contends that ULFA was only buying time to regroup so that they could increase the strikes against the armed forces.
The Centre had on Friday extended by another five days the suspension of army operations against the ULFA in Assam to give the banned group more time to provide a commitment about participating in direct talks.
As such the Home Ministry is waiting for a written communication from the ULFA to join direct talks. The government had earlier suspended army operations against the ULFA till September 15. The latest extension has been granted as National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his foreign tour, would be back and continue with his key role in the talks with ULFA-nominated mediators, including noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami.
Indian troops exchange lessons with US Army Audrey McAvoy The Morung Express
Forty Indian soldiers in jungle camouflage descend on a mock village in the central Oahu mountains, hunting for insurgents. American officers watch for lessons they can apply when leading their own soldiers through the same course on a U.S. Army training ground. The troops are in the island for the biggest joint drills the Indian and U.S. armies have had to date, the latest sign of growing military relations between the two nuclear powers.
The bilateral exercise, called “Yudh Abhyas,” or “Training for War” in Hindi, started four years ago with a handful of Indian and U.S. soldiers. It has since ballooned to involve hundreds of troops, including 140 Indians who flew to Hawaii, which hosts the U.S. Pacific Command whose reach extends to their homeland.
“It’s a tremendous expansion,” said Col. Dinesh Singh, of the Indian army’s 3rd Battalion, 9th Gurkha Rifles. He added the exercises were now teaching platoons from the two nations how to talk to each other in the field, moving beyond the basics of training individual soldiers. “We work on larger issues at this stage. We’re trying to work on commonalities,” Singh said. “If you’re talking about interoperability, this is the basic thing. We should be able to understand each other’s actions.”
The U.S.-Indian military relationship is relatively young, with the two sides having had little interaction during the Cold War when socialist India was closer to the Soviet Union. They found more common ground in the 1990s, a trend that accelerated after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks which led the United States to seek India as a partner in the fight against terrorism.
Analysts say the United States is eager to deepen military ties with India to learn some of the counterinsurgency methods India’s military has cultivated during its long battle against Muslim separatists in Kashmir. The Americans also want India’s large navy to help patrol the seas for terrorists and pirates, analysts say. There is also a U.S. desire to use India to balance China’s growing power and influence, said Itty Abraham, research fellow with the East-West Center in Washington, D.C. “From the government’s point of view, India has become, though people in Washington won’t admit it so openly – it’s not a nice thing to say – America’s counterweight to China,” said Abraham. “So anything that increases U.S.-India ties – military, business, cultural, media, any of that stuff – is moving in the right direction as far as Washington is concerned.”
India, meanwhile, is eager to learn from the world’s most technologically advanced military. Donald L. Berlin, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, said India also believes a closer relationship with the United States will help it become a bigger power in the Indian Ocean, South Asia, and in the world. The friendship has its obstacles though.
The U.S. Congress still has not approved an agreement signed by the two nation’s leaders in March that allows U.S. civil nuclear trade with India in return for safeguards and inspections at India’s 14 civilian nuclear plants. Supporters say the deal strengthens a strategic relationship with a friendly country that has long maintained a responsible nuclear program. Plus it would provide clean energy to a country desperate to fuel a booming economy.
Critics counter that the plan encourages the spread of nuclear weapons and fans an India-Pakistan nuclear arms race by effectively giving U.S. recognition to India’s nuclear weapons program. They also complain the agreement does not allow for inspections at India’s eight military plants. Such concerns were remote at Schofield Barracks, however.
Maj. Bob Risdon, who designed the exercises for the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, said U.S. troops could learn from how Indian forces requested homeowners to lead them on searches of their homes. They were less intrusive in searching people’s homes and cars, a tactic that could help when you are trying to make the local population trust you, he said.
“You can figure out a lot about people that way, too. You can figure out if they’re trying to hide something,” Risdon said. Lt. Col. Matt Kelley, the 1st Battalion commander, said the way Indians ambushed and disarmed two insurgents impressed him. American troops, in the same drill, simply shot and killed the men, he said. “They’ve just gained huge intelligence value from that – instead of killing them, they’ve captured them,” Kelley said. “All our guys said whoa – we’d never do that. We could do it.”
Singh, the Indian army commander, said he valued the heightened reality of the U.S. designed exercises, which forced troops to react quickly and rely on their reflexes. Military planners say the joint exercises are getting more complex each year as the two nations find more ways to work together.
“India is the world’s largest democracy. They’re a strategic partner for the United States and an important friend for the United States,” said Col. Mark Haskins, the U.S. Pacific Command’s South Asia policy chief. Source: The Associated Press
Wake up hill brethren The Morung Express
Of late there have been numerous accusations by tribal organisations from within and beyond the state against the Government of Manipur, more often singling out the Chief Minister for being a Meitei and sometimes targeting those settled in the valley areas on any matter that is detrimental to the diverted aspiration of the NSCN (IM).
It is an irony that even non-state entities had jumped into the slam-Manipur Government voices under the pretext of protecting rights of the Nagas and their unique history.
While it is the rightful choice of those parties to protect Nagas’ right it seems there is no substantial evidence of point out the so-called ‘unique history’. In my opinion, the only uniqueness of Nagas’ history is they never enjoyed the bond of togetherness in any form other than the well documented history on being head-hunters – seldom thinking twice before drawing their swords (daos) to settle land disputes, with the latter phenomenon even continuing in this modern age as could be established from the ongoing row in Jessami area, Mao-Khuzama border and the periodical skirmishes between the Konyak and Chang tribes of Nagaland to name a few.
In the modern parlance, the only thing common to the hill tribes of Nagaland and Manipur is that they have embraced Christianity, thanks to the colonial Britishers who tamed the wildness of the hill settlers with the compassionate preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In fact, regarding history, tribal people of Manipur have similarities more closer to the Meiteis in terms of tradition and culture, with the exception of religion – the Meiteis converted into Hindus through promulgations of the ancient rulers (kings) and the tribal people drawn into Christianity after the arrival of British missionaries. If the onslaughts against the Manipur Government is carried out to further the covert agenda of NSCN (IM) but is not made public the said organisations frequently rely on the theory of ‘discriminatory attitude’ of the Government and lack of development in the hill districts.
While it would be far from convincing to prove that Manipur Government had indeed discriminated the people of the hill areas it is worth noting that barring Imphal which is the capital of Manipur there are numerous pockets in the valley districts too where development is still a far cry away. For instance absence of all-weather roads, lack of clean drinking water, crumbling school buildings, poor health care facilities etc are also common sights in the valley districts.
Merely travelling on the national and state highways that passes through the capital districts and assuming that some of the well maintained roads symbolises development would be naive and premature conclusion as it need no explanation that capital area deserve to have better facilities – if not the best – compared to the districts. The towering street lamps in some areas of the capital may present like a well-maintained city street by day-time but travel on these stretches at night and one will witness that there is hardly any light to lit up the lamps.
Assuming that development funds meant for sprucing up hill district areas are diverted to maintain Imphal city is most misconceived notion and certainly invite severe criticism as like any other states of the country capital area are destined to be kept in a palatable manner. If not convinced with this brief explanation I am afraid some people might accuse New Delhi of daylight robbery as the national capital have facilities unimaginable to the people of Manipur.
One thing that may draw my hill brethren’ attention in concluding that Imphalites are enjoying brighter life might be bikes and mopeds whizzing through the Imphal streets. But please do make enquiries and it will come to thy light that parents here have to spend their lifetime’s saving to satisfy their wards’ niggling demands – some families even having to trade off their lands in purchasing the expensive motors. These are some of the gloomy facts behind ‘Imphal shining’. Well, regarding hill areas lagging behind, please investigate how many Ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats and influential Govt officers have their palatial homes in the valley areas besides at their native places – even though they may comparably be less distinct or attractive.
Make a survey of some settlement areas of hill people in Imphal areas and I am sure those sentimental brothers would not find it too hard to speculate from what sources were the palatial buildings of these Ministers and bureaucrats built.
It would be better if my dear brothers put their house in order before blaming the valley people for their woes. Valley areas survive due to its congested nature of population concentration. Economy of a land does not necessarily mean dependence on geographical sizes but the people among whom money change hands for more sustainable growth. Beware of those anti-Manipur propagandists for they would not hesitate to take the people for a ride in order to get some monetary gains that could enable them to buy land and build houses at Imphal!
In addition to 20 legislators making up the 60 member strong state assembly and currently two MPs out of three belonging to the hill communities, top district administrators have substantial representation of non-Meitei officers.
It is also worth remembering that before the dark phase of ethnic cleansing of the Kukis the word ‘Naga’ was very much alien in Manipur where the hill people have their distinct identity and religious practices. On joining of Nagaland-based organisations in bashing the Manipur government and the majority Meiteis would it not be wiser to take up the cause of villagers living in remote areas there rather than being misinformed by their Manipur cahoots?
For example, with the exception of Kohima and Dimapur there is hardly any district in that state where there is no problem of drinking water, roadways, medical facilities, educational institutions, some of the grievances common to rural folks of Manipur as well.
A recent report published in newspapers here cited NSF alleging that hill people have suffered a lot at the hands of the Meiteis.What misconducts Meiteis had committed against their hill brethren would be reasonable if the accusations could be elaborated.
In my observation the only suffering hill people faced against the Meiteis is in the competitive field of games and sports, education, technical studies, medical lines, cultural exposition, craftsmanship etc and in no sense these are inhumane treatment. Sportspersons of Manipur (say Meiteis) have proved beyond doubt their calibre in the national and international arena while those produced from the hill areas are still countable on the fingertips.
These sporting exploits do not necessary mean the Meiteis enjoy better facilities as sports equipment available in the capital districts are equally accessible to the many hill youths settled here. Talent is secondary in sports as it is the willingness and grit to tolerate extreme pressure and workload in the practice rooms/playfields that determines the final outcome of being able to compete with the best. NSF may also be enlightened that there is no question of imposing Meitei will upon the hill students as the hill students are given the options of either studying Manipuri language in the form of roman script or pursue any major Indian language of their choice.
Moreover, what is the need to cry hoarse when a particular community desires to promote its own indigenous dialect and script which is equal to protecting its culture and tradition.
Similarly, prescribing ‘phaneks’ for female students is not tantamount to imposing Meitei culture on others as such an attire is an integral part of the hill people’s dress from time immemorial.
Opposing ‘phaneks’ as uniform in educational institutions is akin to contending that jeans and tops were associated with non-Meitei communities of Manipur. Section of the hill community blaming the Meiteis for lack of medical personnel in the hills are uncalled for as seats are reserved for scheduled tribe candidates for medical studies.
Similar provisions are there for STs during recruitment in any State Government departments including Home and Education sector.
The recent conduct of some organisations spearheading burning of Manipur board text-books also lacks justification as on the one hand a group is campaigning for introduction of Nagaland board text-books while on the other some hill NGOs are demanding cent percent recruitment of teachers – in the Manipur Government department – belonging to the hill districts.
Does this exercise of adopting Nagaland prepared text book mean that Nagas of Manipur would also opt for jobs in the neighbouring state or would launch phases of agitation to demand Government services in Manipur? This exercise is nothing short of provoking the people here.
I’m really sad to learn that the recently discovered Nagas of Manipur are determined to abandon their forefathers by preferring to embrace Nagaland text-books which only lead to backtracking from the road to mental development of the children.
In short, how could Tangkhuls justify that they are ethnically, historically and culturally closer to the people of Nagaland? Nagaland already has countless tribal groups and I don’t think many of them would be willing to split their share with the people having their roots in the soil of Manipur. Enquire what recruitment procedures is laid down in entering Nagaland Government services and one can confirm that Maos, Tangkhuls, Zeliangrongs and of course Meiteis have to change their names, discard their qualifications, relevant documents etc to get a job there.
In the pursuit for Naga unification, would it not be appropriate if some of the agitation sponsors instruct their brothers, sisters, uncles and aunties to give up their jobs in the Manipur Government department. This will be highly appreciated even by their adversaries. Or for that matter it will be more justifiable if bodies unhesitatingly crippling Manipur’s economy by choking National Highways connecting the State carry out their objective in a democratic, transparent and impartial manner instead of pasting clearance papers on window panes or carrying flags on goods-laden trucks that signals blockade enforcers to ensure smooth passage of certain loaded trucks bound for hill district locations, mostly Senapati district.
Last but not the least Meiteis are tolerating all the abuses not for the fear of physical prowess but it clearly symbolises or reflects maturity as they (Meiteis) are fully aware of the fact that some vested interest are trying to lit communal fire so that NSCN (IM), by twisting historical facts, could convince the central government that Meiteis and self-acclaimed Manipuri Nagas cannot live together as one. This is just a lame excuse for the NSCN-IM’s failed endeavour to achieve sovereignty. Most of the IM leaders, thanks to the ceasefire have become pot-bellied with some indelible factors and causes being rampant extortions from trucks of Manipur.
S Mobicha Thangmeiband, Imphal
Traditional religion of the Meitei By Dr Angom Shyam Sangai Express
Vaishnavism is of comparatively recent origin in Manipur. This religion came to the land in a most unexpected manner from the east in 1470 AD. (Shakabda 1392) Thangwan Ningthouba king of Manipur, better known by his reign-name Kyamba, the conqueror of Kyang (1467-1508 AD) and his all Choupha Khekkhomba, king of Pong, conquered Kyang Khambat (a Shan Kingdom in Kabow valley) with a combine force. They shared its territories. After this, there is an interesting story or history about the advent of Vaishnavism in Manipur. As part of the celebration of victory, they exchanged presents, and one of the presents received from the Pong King was a little stone image of Vishnu riding on the back of Garuda and holding the usual weapons and the lotus. It was given in a casket.
King Kyamba once fell sick and no physician could diagnose his sickness. The oracles were consulted and advice was received through Maibis or Amaibis (Priestess) that the king could be diagnosed if worship was offered to Lord Vishnu. Some Brahamins who were well acquainted with puja (ritual) of Lord Vishnu that were available in Manipur in those days.
The King was diagnosed through the proper worship of Vishnu. Thus began the regular worship of Lord Vishnu in the palace of the king and a brick Mandir or temple was built in the palace at Lamang-dong. In the later part of history, this palace Lamangdong was known as Vishnupur (land of Vishnu). Although the worship continued, the King Kyamba was not initiated into the new sect.
During the reign of King Khagemba (1597-1652 AD) in 1635 AD a new feature was introduced in the annual Hiyang Tannaba (boat races). A special boat was set apart for the image of Lord Vishnu mentioned above, supposedly for the lai to witness the festival. Like King Kyamba, Khagemba was not initiated in Vaishnavism too. The worship of Lord Vishnu was found non-stop in various stages of the history of Manipur.
Pitambar Charairongba was the first Manipuri king to be formally initiated to Vaishnavism. In 1619 Charairongba was inclined to the Madhavcharya sect of Vaishnavism, so he began to worship the Radha Krishna. But he never attempted to impose to this new faith upon his people. Charairongba erected the statue of Panthoibi and the Laiwa Haiba (Sanamahi). The new faith, Vaishnavism became the dominant religion of Manipur during the reign of Garib Niwas (1709-1748). To the royal will of Pamheiba, the monarch in whose reign the fortune of the State reach their zenith, Hinduism owes its present position as the official religion of the state.
At first the decrees of the king received but little obedience and the opposition to the change central mainly round the numerous members of the royal family who were supported not unnaturally, by the maibas, the priests of the older religion. Religious dissent was treated with the ruthless severity as was meted out to political opponents, and wholesale banishments and execution drove the people into acceptance of the tenets of Hinduism. However, there is evidence of early Vaishnava influence on the people of Manipur.
Some Brahmins came from the west and settled in this land during the reign of King Kyamba in the 15th century AD but they did not have significant impact on the life of the Meiteis in absence of any help from the king. Brahmins of different place continued their migration presumably with the permission of the kings of the Meiteis. This increased by leaps and bounds in Manipur.
MT Kennedy says that Vaishnavism of the Chaitanya sect was introduced in Manipur as early as the 17th century. During the reign of Charairongba, he paid respects to the old faith and temples were created in honours of the lais (Gods) of the traditional religion. This shows that he loved the traditional faith so much in place of the new faith.
After his death, his son Pamheiba became the king of Manipur in 1709 AD. He was pro-Hinduism. He wanted to initiate into Vaishnavism. As a result of this, he was initiated into this new faith by Guru Gopal Das. The King Pamheiba punished those who were anti-Hindu dietary laws. This proselytizing of King Garib-Niwas displaced the traditional deities. Thus he destroyed several temples of Umang-lais and broke down the statues of several deities namely Sanamahi and other Umanglais. In lieu of traditional deities and places, he put Hindu gods or names such as Mong-bahanba Laishang to Mahabali Mandir (temple of Hanuman Thakur), Imoinu to Laxmi, Lamang-dong to Bishnupur, ec. In the later part of Garib Niwas's reign, a Brahmin called Shantidasa, came to Manipur from Syllet and began to preach Vaish-navism.
After converted, he severely persecuted not only the followers of the traditional religion but also those who belonged to the other sect of Vaishnavism. Through the resentment of Shantidasa, the king collected all the puyas (written record of the Meitei traditions) and ancestral records. Those puyas were burnt at Kangla, the palace of the Meitei Kingdom. Then by a royal decree books and those records in Meiteis scripts were banned. Maichous - the priests as well as the scholars who were in possession of the ancient text went to remote areas of the hill and the plain to keep their treasure concealed.
It is a long journey in the history of the Meiteis Vaishnavism influences the traditional religion of the Meiteis in various ways such as mainly in religion, education, social system, untouchability etc. In many ways Vaishnavism plays very important role in the life of Meiteis. The co-existence of Vaishnavism and the traditional faith of the Meiteis was uneasy for some time, but slowly began the process of assimilation and the result was the Hindunisation of the Meitei faith.
Vaishnavism is a mixture of ballets and rites. In many fundamental points there are some similarities between Vaishnavism and the traditional religion of the Meiteis. Both of them claim to have grown out of a divine tradition.
The Vedas are the foundation and footprint of the Hindu religion. So it is also believed that they are not of human compositions of formations and the Rishis of the Vedas are not the real authors like Hinduism, the faith of the Meiteis too has no particular author. However, there were persons of divine arrangement who enlightened people about the Gods and their functions.
Manipur Hinduism gradually became a synthesis of the old Meiteis religion with its gods and goddess and myths, its own legends and traditions, its social customs and usages and its priest and ceremonial and of Brahmanical Hinduism with its special worship of Radha and Krishna. Meiteis never gave up their culture and tradition.
So, the Meitei religion is not sectarian and also not a mere structure of creeds. But this faith is a living force that brings out all the manifold experiences into a system. The sectarian faith brings diversions among the upholders of different beliefs. But the Meiteis faith transcends narrow individuality and small interests. So the term 'Meiteis' signifies mankind. Thus the followers of the Meiteis religion is nothing but the religion of man which is universal in outlook and is not built around any particular interest. When the new faith - Vaishnavism came to be the state religion of Manipur, there was in the beginning resistance to change on the part of the devotees of the traditional cults. Thus resistance was more political than doctrinal. The Meiteis deities were brought into Hindu pantheon. And also all Hindu deities were absorbed into the Meitei culture. Thus there is no conflict between the two faiths. The Hindus festival Ras Lila is based on the traditional dance of the Lai Haraoba, the pleasing of God. In short, the Lai Haraoba festival is a genuine festival of the Meiteis that has raised this stylised dance to the domain of a very high artistic and aesthetic expression and has produced one of the beautiful and authentic traditional schools of religions dancing in the world.
Attacking on culture for identity
By B. Thohii Hiimai
Social phenomenon of attacking on culture of the perceived dominant group by the affected population to reclaim their ethnic and cultural roots and construct identity within plural and multi-racial societies is nothing new in the human history. This is more pronounce and vocal in societies where there is political unrest, agitation, and rebellion among the people who are in search for ethnic and cultural identity.
The Nagas of Manipur in the four Hill districts is today in a virtual conflict minus violence with the mainstream Meities. It has taken a direction that was unthinkable in the past. A non-cooperation movement launched for NBSE affiliation has moved on by stages: first it was consigning the MBSE textbooks, then to ransacking the Government Schools and ZEO Offices in the four Hill districts, and now to banning ‘Meitei Mayek’ and all CDs/Video cassettes, films and audio in Meitei language in all the four Hill districts. This recourse is not a new phenomenon in Manipur. It was earlier first recourse taken by the proscribed outfits and students’ organisation in the valley. The Manipuri Students’ Federation, for instance, has called for a ban on all cable TV and DDK Imphal transmission of album videos from public view some time back in the valley. In more coercion the proscri-bed outfit in the valley ha-ve called for ban on all Hindi movies and diktak on women from wearing Indian dress like Sari that exposed greater part of the woman’s stomach.
What does this imply? From the perspective of quest for ethnic and cultural identity in a society infected by political unrest, these movements are manifestation of cultural nationalism for political ends. However, while accepting the underlying root cause for socio-political unrest, which deserves solution at the soonest, the means taken to achieve it by ‘ban’ on culture of the perceived group in target is not free from debate on rationale and in term of efficacy in long term. It invites a debate on question whether a society can survive in its own exclusivity in term of cultural influence and shut doors and windows to influence from outside in this world of ‘Global village’? Of course this does not suggest that we should assimilate everything without judgment on the binary of good/evil, moral/immoral, or right/wrong on external influences that invade us constantly.
While certain amount of resistance to alien culture is important without question in order to preserve the rich cultural heritage of people, total resistance or rejection against all forms of alien culture is not only impossible but also would too anachronistic and conservative in a world where despite political differences between nations steps to have bilateral relations through cultural exchange programme is being pushed forward for better relation. Development of cultural hegemonism within plural and multi-racial societies is the seed of self-destruction both in ‘intra’ and ‘inter’ relations. Hegemonic culture would attempts to homogenize attitude and world views of the people. The communal forces in India, for instance, which are well organized have throughout done propa-gandistic campaign since inception and have welded a mass ideology in which different organizations are drawn together and a hegemony is achieved which attempts to destroy all living folk culture and homogenizes Hinduism around the Ram cult in synthetic and syndicated ways. — to be contd
Role of Thangal General in anti-British movement By GP Singh The Sangai Express
Contd from last Saturday
It is worthy to note that the British made persistent efforts to keep Manipur as Subordinate Native State by availing the chance of intervening in the so-called palatial revolution over the issue of royal succession after establishing the first contact with the royal house in 1762. Thangal soon realised the power of the British Govt and after resolving to resist them to the utmost played an active part in executing the British officials and fought up to the last drape of his blood for driving the British out of Manipur to retain its freedom. He played glorious role in the war of 1890-91 for the independence of Manipur from the British rule.
He left no stone unturned in throwing off the yoke of the servitude of the British from the neck of that princely state. Nearly thirty thousand people, including several Nagas predominantly the Tangkhuls and Thangals, took part in the uprising of 1891 as is evident from the imperial records. Thangal General along with Manipuri princes and nine other accused was tried and sentenced to death. He and Tikendrajit were publicly hanged on August 13, 1891 amid the heart rending cries of thousands of men and women. Captain Hearsey observed: “... the trial of the accused princes has been one of the most outrageous farces and parodies of justice that have never yet been exhibited to the Indian nation.” It is, however, undeniable that Thangal became a martyr in defence of a noble cause. He laid down his life not only for the independence of Manipur but also India. His name is well recorded in the modern history of Manipur but he is yet to adorn the pages of the history of modern India.
Thangal General had a chequered career. He was a multifaceted personality. He combined in himself the qualities of a great warrior and a true patriot. He was a man of undaunted courage, unwavering conviction and unflinching faith. During the period 1857-1891 he shone forth as one of the brightest stars in the political firmament of Manipur. He reached the height of his glory in 1891. His catholicity and sagacity attracted the mass. His martyrdom may be regarded as an addition to the examples of sacrifice set by other revolutionary leaders of north east India during the period under notice. He occupies a distinguished place in the annals of the Naga tribes of Manipur. His name stands in the galaxy of freedom fighters of Manipur. He shall be remembered for ages to come as one of the illustrious sons of Manipur. — Concluded
Ethnic cauldron Sangai Express editorial
The threat issued by the Hmar National Assembly that it would be constrained to serve quit notices on the Meiteis settled in Churachandpur district if the SPF Government does not fulfil its demands is a disturbing reflection of the shaky relationships between the different communities residing in Manipur. It is also a reflection of how some organisations are wont to jump the gun and identify the State Government with the Meitei community. Nothing can be more dangerous than this. Already voices of concern have been raised from some quarters over the stand of the HNA and while it remains to be seen whether the quit notice will actually be served or not, it is time for all the people of Manipur to look inwards and acknowledge the fact that the seeds of suspicion and distrust between the different communities have already been sown and what we are reaping today may perhaps be the fruits of what were sown some time back. It will not help to point fingers at anyone and say that the seeds of discord were sown by so and so, but what will help is the realisation that issues seen through and interpreted through the narrow prism of ethnicity is not only impractical but also dangerous. This is all that more so in a region like the North East, particularly Manipur, which is home to a number of ethnic groups with each groups aligning and re-aligning themselves with new identities and cultural and genealogical affiliations. In a sense we may even go to the extent of stating that there are still quite a large number of peoples who are still in the stage of evolving themselves as distinct groups of people and in such a stage the concept of ethnicity can take dangerous proportions if not handled with the sensitivity it requires.
What is the question of ethnicity got to do with the quit notice threat being issued by the HNA is a poser that may well be raised now. A sincere look at the ground reality will tell us that the most teething problems facing Manipur today is the question of ethnicity as well as where the loyalty of one group of people should belong to. One school of thought maintains that Manipur is home to all the indigenous group of people who have settled here since ages while on the other hand there is a school of thought which sees Manipur as synonymous with only the Meiteis. It is against this concept that the NSCN (IM) has given the call for a Greater Lim and a sincere study of the quit notice threat of the HNA will also reveal the point that they view Manipur as representing only the Meiteis. If it was not this mindset then there is no reason why the quit notice threat should have been issued against the Meitei community for grievances that were and are directed towards the State Government. It is this disturbing trend that should be acknowledged by the civil society organisations of the State and accordingly take up remedial action to cure the malady and misconception. No community should be targeted on the basis of any grievances harboured against the Government of the day. Ignoring this fundamental point will do nothing except add to the chaos and confusion that we see all around.
Quit Notice and the Deeper Issue By: Charles Chasie Kangla
The sharp polarization that has been happening in our society for quite sometime is an issue of grave concern for all of us. Now, with the “quit notice” issued by NSCN(K) to the Tangkhul community in Nagaland, the polarization seems to be taking a turn for the worse. Instead of coming closer, we seem to be drifting further apart. Why is it that whatever can go wrong in our situation keeps going wrong?
The present issue also, once again, clearly demonstrates that, in the Naga context, we all still continue to see and interpret happenings through the prism of tribes. This could be largely due to the fact that individual Naga identities are inseparably linked to clan, khel, village and tribe identities. And this cultural view continues to dominate our beings despite modern mannerisms, fashions and adopted attitudes. We may take the high moral ground of rationality and philosophical/ideological discourse when it suits us but this is what we all really still are. It is not practiced only by the people in the NSCN (K) but by all Nagas. We are all seen and we all look at other Nagas as part of our respective tribe identities. This trait quickly comes out and most visibly especially when we have our backs against the wall and no alternatives seem available. It enjoins on each of us the obligation to remember that we all carry individual responsibilities as well as collective ones to our communities and the larger society.

But let me first of all make clear my position on the ‘quit notice’ of the NSCN (K). In the early 1990s when the Kukis were told to quit Nagaland and this reached Kohima, I wrote in my newspaper (I was editor then) that this was wrong. For my stand I got into some difficulties but apart from a few friends there was no “squeak” of support from anyone. But I was at peace because I believed it was the right thing to do. I see absolutely no reason today to change my stand. The faults and mistakes of some cannot be visited on an entire community. And there are always good people in every community. At this point, for instance, I think of my senior friend and former colleague, Dr Tuisem Shishak, who launched and kept going, till retirement recently, the Patkai Christian College which we all know about. I do not think I would want him to leave Nagaland even from a purely selfish point of view, leaving aside larger considerations.

What gives me hope in the present case are the reports in the newspapers (having been away, I read about a week’s collection at one go) from NSCN–K’s leadership that innocent Tangkhuls will not be targeted. It shows that some re-thinking is going on. The NSCN (K) must rescind the targeting of the Tangkhuls as a tribe. Equally, it is important to examine why the NSCN (K) may have been driven to this unreasonable and extreme step. Such examination is required not just for the sake of the NSCN (K) but for the good of the whole Naga society and so that no such mistakes will be repeated in future. Because of our given tribal context what each does or fails to do has consequences for us and for our communities. Likewise, the good that we do will be reflected on our communities too. The mindset extends from the personal to the community and national affairs. It is unrealistic and impractical to expect otherwise.

Let us consider our society. It is made up of a collection of disparate tribes, claiming to be a people and a nation, and have actually fought for so many decades for such aspirations, but now it seems to be tearing apart at the seams even before the contours of such national ambitions could be clearly mapped out. Tragically, instead of delving deeper into the actual malaise and design faults confronting us and dealing with the real mechanics of the Naga Car we want to build, we seem to have stopped at only imagining the shapes and colours of the final product. Unhappily for us, the Naga Car we want will first have to go through the visioning, designing, engineering, and production processes, and correcting any faults, before we can possess and drive it safely. Unless we are prepared to go through the long and difficult, even painful, processes required, the cost will be paid, as it has already been paid, and still being paid, in numerous more lives and may result in the ultimate sacrifice of our people-hood. What we are experiencing now are warning signs.
What has our society become today? We have reached a stage where no one can say anything to anyone anymore. Power and strength, and wealth as a means to achieving these, are the only things we understand, threats and intimidations are the only languages we speak, and deep suspicion has become the hallmark of our inter-personal relationship whether between individuals or between groups or parties. This is not a society, far less a nation, that can move forward and fulfill its God-given destiny. Permanent revolution and chaos are the only words one can think of to describe such a volatile state. A society at war with itself cannot be expected to grow and move forward. Neither can anyone help it.

The Naga national movement which first launched the process of our people-hood today seems to have become the single-most divisive factor in society. The present “quit notice” is also a direct political fall-out of the movement. Suspicion and fear, exclusiveness, assassinations, bitterness etc. have all led to the present state of affairs. The Angami too, the tribe to which I belong, have often been regrettably guilty of failing to be large-hearted enough and inclusive enough. Unless we correct these mistakes and unless we include everyone the Naga river of blood will keep flowing. Ours is a very small people and we need everyone. All of us but especially the leaders must ask themselves the kind of legacy, of peace and future or bitterness and hate, they want to bequeath their children.

We are all agreed that our society has become wounded and hurting badly. Wounds need healing, not further wounding. Clever stratagems and manipulations, however successful in the short-term will only wound further and entrench our already difficult situation, making it impossible. What our situation demands is a humble acknowledgement that things have gone wrong, that we have all played a part in allowing things to go wrong, and to do all we can to put right what we can. Explanations and justifications, and selective indignations, will only make things worse by adding insult to injury. Propaganda is a lot of energy wasted as by now, every Naga has already made up his/her mind about who is right and who is wrong and where his/her position should lie and will not effect too much shift in the minds of our people. What we have to effect is a shift from who is right to what is right for all Nagas. Only then will there be a corresponding shift in our situation from impasse towards solution.

As a senior friend keeps saying, life is about challenges and responses and what we are and what our situation becomes depend on the quality of our responses to the challenges confronting us. So long as we keep on reacting instead of responding adequately to the challenges before us, there will be no movement forward.

Let us also appreciate each other. Although we are all capable of the worst, there is also so much good in our people. I recall, for instance, Mr Wangtin Konyak writing a moving letter in the immediate aftermath of the killing of Ngampan Konyak, paying tribute to his leader and stating his feeling of hurt but also expressing forgiveness and declaring his resolve to work for the good of all Nagas. I did not see any response of appreciation in the newspapers. I, for one, regrettably failed to do so publicly although, without knowing him, my respect for him rose in my heart. Quite often, lack of appreciation hardens hearts and instead of lifting the spiral of positive attitudes in society creates situations that could, perhaps, otherwise be avoided.

After all the mistakes we have all committed, and also paid the price for them, we need to begin to sensitively listen to one another to begin again. When we stop listening to one another’s cries and appeals, we usually provoke the worst in each other.

What we desperately need in our situation is a respected neutral body from within Naga society to facilitate and translate our slogan of reconciliation to real healing. Perhaps, the Church is the only body left that can perform this painful but necessary task. But will we allow it? Our society is so riven and our thinking follows the path of anyone not for us being against us that making the worst possible interpretations of what anyone says has become the norm. Killings continue everyday that even condemnation of such acts has become routine and tiresome. We have become so de-sensitized and de-humanized. Without healing, it is doubtful if there will be solution. On the contrary, the chances are greater for further bloodshed and perpetration of more legacies of bitterness to take place.

It is also a fact that solution can only come from within Naga society. Outside help and support, however powerful and important, cannot assist us where we have refused to help ourselves. At most we will reduce their efforts to mere nuisance value, a peddling of our connections vis-à-vis the Government of India and other factions. This is not to underestimate or undermine the help outside friends can give but merely pointing out a fact. It is unfair to them also and I am sure they will be the first to agree. Only we can assist them to assist us. When we do not help ourselves no one can really help us.

The bell has been tolling for the Naga people for a long time now. Will we hearken to it late as it is and give a chance to mothers to dry their tears, hardened hearts to soften and become human again and for our children to dream about their future? Only we can provide the answer.

Frans on 09.19.06 @ 04:06 PM CST [link]


Monday, September 18th

Index of silence- The Nagaland Post Opinion


Index of silence- The Nagaland Post Opinion
The silence of Khaplang in responding to subjects querried on the killing of innocent Naga people during the Naga national struggle need to be reckoned with, as silence happens to be the index of the inconsistent mind with conflicting deeds to its name.
Burning issues need to be addressed without delay or its negative implications may lead to the growth or unpleasant seeds of misperceptions in minds at this volatile juncture of todays political situation where adverse inclinations prevail.
Exposure of facts to straighten records correctly has been necessitated to dispel misinformations. The NSCN during decades or Naga freedom struggle have never ever been engaged in killing innocent people, either stranger or compatriot at any point of time. If there were any casuality, it was only during their aggression in collaboration with our enemy against us.
The NSCN in defense of our nation and our rights have firmly dealt with an iron hand upon those traitorous elements that collaborated with our adversaries against our nation. All the allegations leveled against us by Khaplangs and NNCs or killing innocent people are totally baseless and fabricated with political motive.
Among those many human rights violations committed by the Khaplangs and NNC against innocent Nagas, the following few incidents are cited below:
1. In 1979 Mr. S.S. Khaplang butchered 86 (Eighty Six) Dunghi innocent Villagers belonging to the Pangmi Naga tribe while Messrs. Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah were kept in the military custody during Martial law imposed by the pro-Shillong Accord.
2. Mr. Zahie Huire who was the then Angh (Governor) or Japfü state of the NNC/FGN cold bloodedly killed without rhyme or reason 48 (Forty Eight) innocent villagers belonging to the Thevopisu village of the Chekhesang Naga tribe.
3. All innocent family members of Mr. Wuime Khiamnungan, a Tatar member, his father, mother, brothers, and sisters and Liutenant Johnny, his father, mother, brothers, and sisters were all annihilated by the NNC for no reason.
4. Mr.Kholi executed the Chief Angh of Mon of his own accord (without the knowledge of the high command). He also killed the Village Chief of Japuka for reasons best known to him.
5. In 1996 the Khaplangs, in the sweet name of peace offensive, killed 37 (Thirty Seven) innocent Naga public including missionaries, pastors, bureaucrats, students, social activists and businessmen.
6. Two innocent students from Phom community were inhumanly tortured, their ears and private parts were cut, their eyes were lacerated out and left to die in cruel pains. The atrocities and dictats by these anti-Naga national elements upon innocent Naga people go on unaccounted and unaccounted. But to the stark reality, misleading propagandas are spread by them so that our people and the world are misinformed of the hard realities and the NSCN is discredited. Issued by: MIP: GPRN, (NSCN-IM).
My own anguish- Nagaland Post Opinion
I feel sorry to think as if I was born to see the tears of agony and pain of desertion of my people. The Naga people always mourned the killing of their dear ones by own Naga brothers. No family is safe from today's abnormality and none is secure. The freedom of rights and liberty that had been once enjoyed has gone very far away and no Naga is certain of what this life will be. My humble complaint to the living God is as to why? He created the merciless and delinquent leaders in our family who are responsible for today's large scale fratricidal among the Nagas. I always felt.
If God really loves the Nagas, all the sinful leaders must be taken away before they completely destroy the social and political fabric of the Nagas. It is those leaders who have erected the political walls among the Nagas that divided the unified struggle into different factions. Their being born into the Nagas family proves to be the curse rather than blessings. I don't blame the leaders of particular faction, but any emotional and sinful leaders who may be in any faction or any leaders that created artificial faction/among the Nagas.
Oh! My leaders! Do you study what you are and where you are? Stop your self pride and bow down before God and your Naga people seeking forgiveness for your crime that turned the sacred cause into fratricidal and vengeance ground. If killing of man is the goal of the struggle, then tell me also. To me as a true Naga, my moral conscience does not permit me to take that goal.
On my joining the national struggle movement, I openly declared before the Naga people that, my first task will be for unification of all Nagas, but ceaseless killing and deployment of secret mission command by Isak group for assassination of the Naga leaders changed my mind. I thought even the factional clashes also should immediately be stopped, but I was so sorry to see the dying face of my leader late Ngampan, Kilonser, murdered by secret mission of Isak group. I was also so surprised to receive the message of cold blooded killing of AKD Angami, Imnung Jamir and Saloni, Angami region chairman NSCN education Kilonser NNC/FGN and ex-tartar of NCC respectively. These four leaders have been assassinated by Isak group within May-September 2006. This Isak group should explain to the Nagas the purpose of their continued killing of Naga leaders for no cause who after dropping sovereignty issue slipped down for integration but failed. Further engaged themselves in the issue of affiliation of privates schools of four Naga district of Manipur to NBSE which faced another humiliation failure.
My leaders irrespective of the factions should tell me the ultimate benefit of killing of Naga leaders from other factions. If they fail to explain to the Nagas of the benefits of such killing, they must resign from national services. Why should the innocent Tangkhul bear the pains and sorrow of present NSCN quit notice? The reason being they failed to charge Th. Muivah V.S Atem and Raising when they refused to unite with the Nagas. Also, although innocent Tangkhuls being a victim of these leaders, they are always to be found at the side of I.K group.
The only alternative left for these leaders were to leave the Nagas and Nagaland, if they really want to opt out from the process of peace and reconciliation. They should first know how to love the Nagas and thereby adapt to Nagas' way of life. They should stop fooling the Nagas that, they will bring heaven down. I thank my Konyak boys in Isak group for their gradual consciousness and realization of their folly in joining the blood thirsty groups and took bold step to defy the killers of late Ngampan.
So far 19 (nineteen) Konyak youth have joined the NSCN, after the assassination of our greatest leader late Ngampan by Isak group. This advent of their defection is of great significance. There is no place for murderer command for killing of any Konyak leaders or even the other Naga leaders under any circumstances will not be excused either by NSCN or by the Konyak community because Konyaks are peace loving people.
My leaders! Do you think that you can kill at those who oppose you'll never happen. Rather the living God will do away with your lives. Stop playing with the Naga politics, "the creation of the living God; as your own tools to avenge your opposition or impose your will.
Rather pray to God and come closer to your brothers. Stop fooling the Nagas because you alone will achieve nothing. Can you find out anybody in national politics (with the exception of selfish Naga NGOs) who does not oppose your policy? The most important thing is to win the confidence of our brothers in national politics. You may plan to destroy the entire Naga nationalist who oppose your system, but even your age factor will not permit you. Don't let your generation curse you even after you die. Hope you will know where you are and what you are.
Y. Wangtin Naga, Central Council Member, NSCN/GPRN, (NSCN - K).
Rio's farm policy flops (The Telegraph) Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 17:: The Nagaland government’s policy of designating 2006 as the “year of farmers” is most likely to come a cropper, in view of the prevailing drought-like situation...

The ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland’s agricultural policy, on which crores of rupees have been spent, now seems unlikely to bear fruit owing to ongoing crop failures.

The Neiphiu Rio government had constituted a committee, headed by agriculture production commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir, to look into the crisis and submit a report at the earliest. The Dimapur district administration is also preparing a report.

The government had chalked out plans for a paddy fair at Dimapur in December. Earlier this year, crores of rupees had been spent on procuring seeds, which were distributed among farmers across the state. However, with the present drought-like situation, chief minister Rio may have to curse the rain gods when December comes.

This year the state has seen temperatures soaring to record levels, especially in Dimapur and Kohima. The meteorological department said only 640 mm of rainfall was recorded, compared to an average annual rainfall of between 1,800 and 2,500 mm. A one-degree Centigrade rise in temperature has been logged.

Similar reports have poured in from other districts like Zunheboto, Mokokchung and Phek, famous for pani-khetis. In Zunheboto, district administration sources said 70 per cent of crops have been damaged. Mokokchung deputy commissioner said the district has been hit hard and both terrace and jhum fields have been affected.

According to the government, 30 per cent of the crop transplantation could not take place because of scanty rainfall. The paddy crop loss is estimated at over Rs 200 crore.

The state agriculture department has confirmed that major damage has occurred to paddy and other crops. (The Telegraph)
RIMS receives threat from militant outfit From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 16 – The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences which celebrated its 35th anniversary on Thursday is likely to be closed down if its authority failed to obey the dictates of suspected underground groups.

RIMS authority received a threatening letter from two Kuki militant bodies addressed to its Medical Superintendent and Deputy Director. The Kuki militant bodies are said to be Kuki National Front( Military Council) and Kuki National Army.

The threatening letter warned both senior officials of the institute to face the consequences if RIMS failed to reserve four posts of the institute for the two outfits. The three posts which the combined force of the two groups are looking for include one laboratory technician, two staff nurses and one lower division clerk, informs officials of the RIMS hospital during an interaction with the media persons here today.

The RIMS officials were unsure whether the threatgenuine or fake. Saturday being the deadline, they informed that media that they may stop serving people of the region if the threat goes on.

It is high time for the government to look into the situation faced by the RIMS hospital authority, an official of the institute appealed. In the past there were reports of shifting of this premier medical institute of the region to other parts of the country in view of the fleeing of senior medical professionals from the institution to other areas, following the frequent pressure from the underground groups operating in the State.

However, the Director the Institution Prof L Fimate recently rejected the report saying there is no move to shift the institute under any political pressure.
Jamir's call to Church leaders Nagarealm.com
PANAJI, SEP15 [NPN] : To make Christianity more appealing to the younger generation in the changed global scenario, Goa governor SC Jamir urged religious leaders to change the presentation of the Gospels to suit the tastes of children. Interacting with the 38-member delegation of the Bible Society of India (BSI) from all over the country Thursday night at the Banquet Hall, Raj Bhavan, where he hosted a dinner for them, Jamir said the routine method of preaching or spreading the word of God may not find too many takers today among the younger generation.

"One of the greatest challenges before Christians today is how to present Christ to the people, especially children," he said and added that "Christian leaders should amend, if not change, the strategy of presenting Christ to the changed world."

He suggested that there should be "whispering campaigns to spread the Gospels" and opined that conventions and revivals wither after the functions are over.

Pointing out that the modern generation is so obsessed with Information Technology such as the internet and other gadgets, Jamir said religious leaders should asses the situation and study how to encounter it successfully.

He also lamented that alongwith with the dwindling population of Christians in the country, morals and ethics are also vanishing.

The governor was also of the opinion that there are forces in the country distorting the tenets of Christianity and that these forces are determined to create disharmony. He asked if the Christian community is alive to this development. The executive members of the BSI, IBSTA & Translation Committee members are here in Goa for a two-day meeting and are scheduled to leave for their respective destinations Saturday afternoon.
Expansion of army bases worries ULFA The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, SEPT 16 (AGENCIES): The banned United Liberation Front of Asom is peeved at the Indian Army’s plan to expand two of its permanent bases in insurgency-affected Assam giving ample indication that the militant group continues to consider the Army a ‘colonial force’ notwithstanding the peace initiative to facilitate peace talks with the outfit.
The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah who is suspected to be in Bangladesh, in a statement e-mailed to the media stated that the expansion of army bases at Misa in Nagaon district and Changsari in Kamrup district was not in tune with New Delhi’s decision to suspend army operation against the ULFA.
The ULFA leader said that expansion of the army base would lead to displacement of large number of ‘our people’ from their land and it would pave way for more militarisation of the state.
The ULFA statement came a day after New Delhi decided to accord another extension of suspension of army operation against the militant group till September 20 giving the group more time to send in the letter of commitment to sit for direct talks with the government.
It was the third extension of the suspension of army operation accorded after ULFA negotiators Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukon made the request.
The ULFA commander, however stated that, ‘Despite extending the olive branch, colonialist India has planned to displace hundreds of our people to create space for another military installation.
‘The expansion of army bases will lead to eviction of people, destruction of tea gardens and will cause harm to the eco system.’
The ULFA leader further alleged that the government would set up a nuclear research center on the land that had been acquired for expansion of army bases to process and enrich uranium found in the state of Meghalaya.
Security sources pointed out that the hard posture of the ULFA against expansion of army bases would not augur well for the ongoing peace initiative as it was going against the efforts to build mutual trust and confidence to find a peaceful solution to the insurgency problem.
UG group’s bullets ‘punish’ rapist guide Newmai News Network Imphal | September 17
The banned United National Liberation Front (UNLF) of Manipur shot at and injured a 63-year-old tourist guide of Imphal’s historic Kangla fort on the charges of raping a woman inside the Kangla last month.
The guide identified as R.K. Manisana Singh, a resident of Singjamei was found injured at Leimram in Bishnupur district of Manipur by police last night. Police brought him to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences last night. The militants injected bullets on both thighs of the guide.
Cadres of the UNLF picked up Manisana yesterday morning from Singjamei area and he was paraded before a group of media persons before he was shot at. A spokesman of the UNLF said following complaints by a victim, the outfit launched an investigation and found Manisana guilty of raping three women.
The spokesman said a housewife came to Kangla fort with a woman colleague in the afternoon of August 5 to offer prayers at the Pakhangba temple inside Kangla. Manisana took the woman inside his quarter and raped her after he sent the other woman elsewhere on some pretext.
The UNLF also charged that Manisana raped another girl, who came to Kangla on some research work. He reportedly took the girl to Sekmai and assaulted the girl there. He is also labeled with the charge of assaulting another woman in the past. The outfit did not disclose the names of the victims for obvious reasons.
The guide confessed to the charges. The spokesman said shooting in the leg is a lighter punishment. In the event of the guide’s committing a similar crime again, harsher punishment would be meted out.
It is reported Manisana has been staying at one of the quarters near Kangla temple since 1990 after the state archeology department appointed him as a tourist guide inside the fort. He is not a member of the Kangla Religious Committee, which is managing the temple of Pakhangba.
Expansion of army bases worries ULFA The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, SEPT 16 (AGENCIES): The banned United Liberation Front of Asom is peeved at the Indian Army’s plan to expand two of its permanent bases in insurgency-affected Assam giving ample indication that the militant group continues to consider the Army a ‘colonial force’ notwithstanding the peace initiative to facilitate peace talks with the outfit.
The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah who is suspected to be in Bangladesh, in a statement e-mailed to the media stated that the expansion of army bases at Misa in Nagaon district and Changsari in Kamrup district was not in tune with New Delhi’s decision to suspend army operation against the ULFA.
The ULFA leader said that expansion of the army base would lead to displacement of large number of ‘our people’ from their land and it would pave way for more militarisation of the state.
The ULFA statement came a day after New Delhi decided to accord another extension of suspension of army operation against the militant group till September 20 giving the group more time to send in the letter of commitment to sit for direct talks with the government.
It was the third extension of the suspension of army operation accorded after ULFA negotiators Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukon made the request.
The ULFA commander, however stated that, ‘Despite extending the olive branch, colonialist India has planned to displace hundreds of our people to create space for another military installation.
‘The expansion of army bases will lead to eviction of people, destruction of tea gardens and will cause harm to the eco system.’
The ULFA leader further alleged that the government would set up a nuclear research center on the land that had been acquired for expansion of army bases to process and enrich uranium found in the state of Meghalaya.
Security sources pointed out that the hard posture of the ULFA against expansion of army bases would not augur well for the ongoing peace initiative as it was going against the efforts to build mutual trust and confidence to find a peaceful solution to the insurgency problem.
Imphal hospital threatened by UGs Newmai News Network eptember 16
Imphal: The Kuki National Army (KNA) and Kuki National Front (Military Council) today asked in a letter to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) authority to stop the work immediately. The outfits also threatened to keep to senior officials of the medical college under house arrest. The threat was issued in a letter addressed to director Dr L. Fimate, which was delivered at the office of the medical superintendent Y. Mohen and deputy director in-charge E. Devendra this morning by unidentified persons.
The letter signed as combined force of KNA and KNF-Military Council issued the threat because the RIMS authority did not comply with their earlier demand. The demand is keeping reservation of one post of LDC, one post of laboratory assistant and two posts of nurse. The RIMS medical superintendent informed reporters that about three months back a similar letter demanded the reservation. Neither the director nor the superintendent could say whether the letter was genuine. Nevertheless it created a panic among the officials. The letter said that since the RIMS authority neglected its demand stringent measures would be taken against the officials. The letter asked the officials to stop work immediately and stop holding of interview for appointment of 14 posts, which is scheduled to begin on Monday. It said that the superintendent and deputy director would be kept under house arrest. Following the threat the director held a meeting of senior officials of the institute at its office this afternoon. The meeting decided to report the matter to the police. The meeting decided not to succumb to the threats. The director described the threat as “disturbing” and said such disturbance has been hampering the health care services, academic atmosphere and research works undertaken by the medical college.
He appealed to all sections of the people including the militants not to cause any disturbance to the functioning of the hospital and medical college. He said that the interview will be conducted on schedule time. The government has already provided security guards for the director. However, the concern is about the other two senior officials. The deputy director is staying at a government quarters at Lamphel while the superintendent is living at his home not very far from the hospital without any security escort. The director hinted that the hospital could be closed down if anything happens to any one of the officials of the institute.
UCM, KIM concerned over quit threat The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 16: The United Committee Manipur and the Kuki Inpi Manipur have expressed strong concern over reported threat by a Hmar organisation to serve quit notice to Meiteis inhabiting in Churachandpur district.

Taking serious view of reported threat upon a particular community posed by an organisation called the Hmar National Assembly, a UCM statement said grievances of any community can be aired either to the state government or to the government of India.

The UCM statement came in the wake of a statement issued by the Churachandpur based Hmar National Assembly which asked Manipur government to distribute relief to all the women who were said to have been raped by cadres of UNLF and KCP in Lungthulian and Parbung earlier this year.

Asking Manipur government to fulfill the demand within 45 days, the HNA warned of serving quit notices to Meiteis inhabiting in Churachandpur with Kangvai as interstate boundary if state government fails to fulfill their demands within the stipulated period. The HNA also warned of taking revenge against Meitei community in Churachandpur in the same way the cadres of UNLF and KCP is said to have raped Hmar women in Lungthulian and Parbung.

While asserting that grievances of a particular community resulting out of government`s nonfulfillment to their demands should not be directed against a particular community, UCM statement said no particular community should hand out press statement which could affect harmony existing amongst different communities in the state.

Asserting that different communities inhabiting in Manipur have been living together sharing pains and sorrows during tumultuous times, the UCM said the need of the hour is to work together amongst all the communities in Manipur and remaining united against forces which are trying to divide the state and its people.

Meanwhile, the Kuki Inpi Manipur has appealed to "our kindred brethern in the HNA not to even think of a quit notice" but rather find some other alternative so that innocent prople do not suffer.

The KIM said in a statement that "since we have gone through the thick and thin of the effects of inhuman notices by the United Naga Council, UNC, and their likes KIM will be most grateful if the quit notice be dropped.

Meanwhile KIM also appealed to the state government to expedite reaching of its healing touch to the needy.

Frans on 09.18.06 @ 03:37 PM CST [link]


Sunday, September 17th

Nagas persecuted in Myanmar Nagaland Post


Nagas persecuted in Myanmar Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 16 (NPN): Nagas in Lahe district of Sagain Division in Upper Myanmar are being persecuted by the Myanmarese Army for their faith -Christianity-and forced to declare themselves as Buddhists under the barrel of the gun.
Giving details of the persecution, mission secretary of Khiamniungan Baptist Churches Association (KBCA), S Noksa Chiu disclosed that on July 14, 2006, the Myanmarese Junta under the command of one captain Zuthot of 52 Battalion, threatened that the villagers of Ship (Shiplo Nokong) village would be chased out of the village if they resisted in renouncing Christianity.
"As a result the poor believers were forced to put their thumb impressions and disown Christ and declare themselves as Buddhists and their village to be Buddhist village," the KBCA mission secretary said. In another incident on August 29, 2006, Chiu said captain Zuthot arrested pastor Phai of Chio (Solow Nokong) Baptist Church and demanded ransom including three mithuns and Rs. 40,000 (Indian currency) as payment for his release.
The flimsy excuse for the pastor's arrest was that the Church did not take permission from the army for repairing one of the Church's doors. The junta also accused the Church and its pastor of making too much noise while repairing the door. The Church had to finally cough up Rs. 10,000 besides giving away two mithuns in lieu of the pastor Phai's life. The army also threatened to burn down the church building if the villagers continued with church activities.
Pastor Phai was also physically assaulted that caused bleeding on the mouth and nose, the release stated. Again on September 3, the Junta under the same command of captain Zuthot threatened to shoot the village elders or Hemphu Noking (Ponyu Nokong) village with his service pistolon the charge that they did not extend power connection to the army camp from the generator owned by the Church. The captain also charged the villagers for not going to pick him up while he was on his way to the village. Noksa said the Church had not been approached for generator connection nor had captain Zuthot given any advance information to the village about his planned visit.
KBCA mission secretary urged Christians in general to pray for pastor Phai so that "he may remain faithful, and bold enough to stand trials and persecution." The prayer points also include prayer for those churches undergoing persecution and sufferings, human rights violation by the Myanmarese Juntas in the Christian-inhabited areas of Myanmar and for the Gospel of Christ to reach Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country, in due course of time.
India, Myanmar sign truce on security Sangai Express
New Delhi, Sep 16 : Seeking to give more substance to their bilateral ties, India and Myanmar today evolved a mechanism to assist each other on security- related issues including activities of "undesirable ele- ments", arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
"A mechanism has been reached to assist each other in these areas," Union Home Secretary VK Duggal said at the end of the four-day Home Secretary level talks between the two countries when the two sides signed the minutes of the meeting.
While the Indian delegation was led by Duggal, Myanmar team was headed by Deputy Home Minister Brig Gen Phone Swe.
Duggal said the discussions centred around secu- rity-related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against interest of each other and arms smuggling.
Border management issues, including mainte- nance of pillars, fencing and rationalisation of free movement regime between the two countries were also discussed in detail, he said.
The Home Secretary said it had been decided to pursue the measures deci-ded at the meeting in a "time-bound manner".
Responding to questions after signing of the minutes, Swe told media persons that the two countries decided to work toge- ther in mutual interest and gave an assurance that the cooperation agreed bet-ween the two sides "will be followed up and implemented".
On New Delhi's demand for crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, the statement said the discussions "centred around security-related issues which com- prised activities of undesirable elements against the interest of each other and arms smuggling".
The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United Nationalist Liberation Front and People's Liberation Army operating from across the border.
During their visit to India, the Myanmar delega- tion called on Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil who emphasised the need to further strengthen coopera- tion between the two sides on various issues of mutual concern including those related to security, drug traf- ficking and border management. Duggal said Patil has invited the Home Minister of Myanmar to visit India.
The Home Secretary said Swe made a request for providing training for civil servants and police officers in Myanmar.
A joint press statement issued at the end of the talks said the discussions took place in an atmosphere of "utmost cordiality reflecting excellent bilateral relations".
Duggal said the talks have "further deepened the understanding between the two countries on security, drug trafficking and effective border management".
To a question on source of arms coming to India from Myanmar, Swe said since his country shared its borders with so many countries, he could not pin point the source. Responding to the query, Duggal said it had been agreed to deal with the issue by plugging the border. On how to curb drug trafficking, he said it could be done by better border management and surveillance. PTI
Seminar on Myanmar From Sobhapati Samom Assam Tribune
IMPHAL,Sept 16 – Hectic preparations is on here at the Manipur University to host the first ever Asian seminar on Land and People of Myanmar at its Canchipur varsity complex under the aegis of Centre for Myanmar Studies from December 6 to 7.
A research associate of the Centre told this correspondent that the main objective of organizing the seminar is to make aware and study the socio-political situation of present Myanmar among the academics of the Indian sub-continent as well as others across the globe.
The Centre for Myanmar Studies which had been conducting a Burmese language course since last year is presently engaged with a month-long talk programme on Myanmar since July 30 last.
The Centre which is funded by the University Grants Commission will also be arranging a delegates trip to Myanmar’s Tamu town on the concluding day of the seminar.
Dimapur undaunted by terror. Police step up vigil The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 16 (MExN): The presence of IRB jawans on the streets of Dimapur has for a change brought relief for many ordinary people who thronged market places for their weekend shopping. The market in the commercial hub as such started the day on a positive note despite the recent chain of ‘bomb events’. For the business establishment, faced with the looming threat of extortions and deadlines, the patrolling of policemen across the town on Saturday was also a welcome development. However, the uncertainty over the law and order situation also had an immediate psychological effect with most shops closing their shutters earlier than usual.
Earlier in the day, two scooter borne persons created a scare at the busy MP Road, near Bata junction this afternoon after one of the riders fled the scene, when IRB personnel, frisking vehicles, asked them to stop for a routine check. On interrogation, it was learnt that the person who fled the scene was reportedly an addict. With Thursday’s attack on a popular business establishment still fresh in the minds of the people; IRB personnel have intensified their frisking and are taking no chances with any suspicious behavior.
An additional company of the IRB has been deployed for intensive frisking purposes, a senior Police official said. Entry and exit points of Dimapur are also being manned more vigilantly, he said. On the identity of those who perpetrated the recent crude bomb explosions, Police said they had received information that the culprits were employing the tactic of entering Dimapur, causing the incidents, and then hightailing out of the town.
Bodies decry quit notice By Our Staff Reporter Sangai express
IMPHAL, Sep 16: Taking serious note of report pertaining to the Hmar National Assembly (HNA) threatening to serve ‘quit notice’ against Meiteis living in Churachandpur district, the United Committee Manipur (UCM) and Meetei Youth Organisation, churachand-pur have reacted sharply to the attitude/agenda of the armed outfit and called for deeper introspection.
A statement issued by UCM’s information and pu-blic relation secretary BM Yaima Shah prevailed upon the Hmar group to give up such myopic vision as the need of the hour entails unified movement to eradicate problems afflicting the Ma-nipuri society.
Under no circumstance would targeting a particular community bring about favourable change in the trouble torn State or benefit any particular section of the multi-ethnic community, said the UCM while appealing to the HNA to strive for strengthening age-old bro-therly ties.
It also reminded all concerned at Meitei community had been a part and parcel of Churachandpur since ages and there is no room for creating further division in land or people. Staunchly opposing any further move to disturb rarely found tranquillity in the State, UCM reminded the HNA leaders to give up destructive agenda as past incidents had provided enough lesson that creating intra-community chasm had only resulted in chaos and despair to the commoners.
Referring to the outbreak of Kuki-Naga clash as a consequence of ‘quit notice’ served to the Kukis that had rendered several families homeless and rumour-enticed Meitei- Meitei Pangal feud, BM Shah contended that no particular community had benefited from the fallout other than displacing people from their homes and throwing their life into delirium.
With the entire State reeling under pressure from the NSCN-IM’s divisive outlook, the HNA toeing on similar line is the last thing people of Manipur could be expecting, opined the Committee. While it is an accepted norm that any group be it armed or unarmed have every right to place their grievances before the Central or State Government targeting a particular community to highlight and press for their demand is not only illogical but highly disgraceful, maintained the UCM. UCM also asserted that any organisation deviating from the principle of shielding the common people from any adversity is anti-people entity whose existence in the society need to be introspected by all concerned. meanwhile, the Meetei Youth Organisation, chu-rachandpur informed of an emergency public meeting held at the district headquarters’ Mandop Leikai today wherein the gathering took grim note of the HNA preparing to expel Meiteis from the district.
the meeting attended by representatives of Meitei-based clubs, organisations/associations termed the proposed ‘quit notice’ in case its demands to the State Government are not conceded within 45 days as morally and physically threatening the community.
Asserting that HNA’s attitude should be condemned by all irrespective of their religious or community affiliation, the Youth body questioned whether the HNA had been mulling to train their guns at innocent civilians. The meeting also evoked posers like if the Meiteis vacate their homes before the quit notice deadline will the HNA achieve its goals if so the Meiteis would not hesitate to leave at once, conveyed the body.
Besides urging the HNA to retrospect their agenda, the Organisation also demanded that the State Government discuss and bring about an amicable solution to enable the working class Meiteis live a secured and respectable life in the district. Exhorting all concerned to strive for socio-economic prosperity of the people and to protect the multi-ethnic identity of the State, Meetei Youth Organisation also cautioned that any undesired consequences resulting from the proposed expulsion diktat should be to the responsibility of the State Govern- ment and the HNA.
This Gandhian’s goal is Naga uplift The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, Sept 16 (Agencies): Indians may now be re-discovering Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology, albeit as ‘Gandhigiri’ popularised by Bollywood, but one person has spent his entire life trying to promote the great leader’s philosophy in a remote part of the country. For several years, Natwarbhai Thakkar, Nagaland’s most famous Gandhian and recipient of several national awards, has been working to bridge the gap between Nagas and rest of the country.
A Gujarati from Dahanu Road in Maharashtra, Thakkar is known for his developmental and humanitarian works on Gandhian lines in the state. In fact, Thakkar is one of the few non-Nagas to have been accepted by the Nagas into their community. His wife Lentina, who is the first Naga gram sevika trained in the Sarania Ashram in Guwahati, has helped keep up his moral.
To promote all-round development of the people of Nagaland, this humble septuagenarian established the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram in 1955 in the remote Ao Naga village in Makokchung district, when he was 23. “I was motivated by the atmosphere of idealism the country was charged with under the leadership of Gandhiji during the freedom movement. I found my guide in Acharya Kakasaheb Kalelkar, a Gandhian stalwart, who encouraged me to work for integration of people in the frontier regions with the rest of the country.”
Expansion of army bases worries ULFA The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, SEPT 16 (AGENCIES): The banned United Liberation Front of Asom is peeved at the Indian Army’s plan to expand two of its permanent bases in insurgency-affected Assam giving ample indication that the militant group continues to consider the Army a ‘colonial force’ notwithstanding the peace initiative to facilitate peace talks with the outfit.
The ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah who is suspected to be in Bangladesh, in a statement e-mailed to the media stated that the expansion of army bases at Misa in Nagaon district and Changsari in Kamrup district was not in tune with New Delhi’s decision to suspend army operation against the ULFA.
The ULFA leader said that expansion of the army base would lead to displacement of large number of ‘our people’ from their land and it would pave way for more militarisation of the state.
The ULFA statement came a day after New Delhi decided to accord another extension of suspension of army operation against the militant group till September 20 giving the group more time to send in the letter of commitment to sit for direct talks with the government. It was the third extension of the suspension of army operation accorded after ULFA negotiators Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukon made the request. The ULFA commander, however stated that, ‘Despite extending the olive branch, colonialist India has planned to displace hundreds of our people to create space for another military installation.
‘The expansion of army bases will lead to eviction of people, destruction of tea gardens and will cause harm to the eco system.’ The ULFA leader further alleged that the government would set up a nuclear research center on the land that had been acquired for expansion of army bases to process and enrich uranium found in the state of Meghalaya.
Security sources pointed out that the hard posture of the ULFA against expansion of army bases would not augur well for the ongoing peace initiative as it was going against the efforts to build mutual trust and confidence to find a peaceful solution to the insurgency problem.
India, Myanmar to work on security issues Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 16 (PTI): Seeking to give more substance to their bilateral ties, India and Myanmar today evolved a mechanism to assist each other on security-related issues including activities of "undesirable elements", arms smuggling and drug trafficking.
"A mechanism has been reached to assist each other in these areas," Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said at the end of the four-day Home Secretary level talks between the two countries when the two sides signed the minutes of the meeting. While the Indian delegation was led by Duggal, Myanmar team was headed by Deputy Home Minister Brig Gen Phone Swe.
Duggal said the discussions centred around security- related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against interest of each other and arms smuggling. Border management issues, including maintenance of pillars, fencing and rationalisation of free movement regime between the two countries were also discussed in detail, he said. The Home Secretary said it had been decided to pursue the measures decided at the meeting in a "time-bound manner".
Responding to questions after signing of the minutes, Swe told mediapersons that the two countries decided to work together in mutual interest and gave an assurance that the cooperation agreed between the two sides "will be followed up and implemented". On New Delhi's demand for crackdown on Indian insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, the statement said the discussions "centred around security-related issues which comprised activities of undesirable elements against the interest of each other and arms smuggling".
The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United Nationalist Liberation Front and People's Liberation Army operating from across the border. During their visit to India, the Myanmar delegation called on Union Home Minster Shivraj Patil who emphasised the need to further strengthen cooperation between the two sides on various issues of mutual concern including those related to security, drug trafficking and border managment.
Duggal said Patil has invited the Home Minister of Myanmar to visit India. The Home Secretary said Swe made a request for providing training for civil servants and police officers in Myanmar.
A joint press statement issued at the end of the talks said the discussions took place in an atmosphere of "utmost cordiality reflecting excellent bilateral relations". Duggal said the talks have "further deepened the understanding between the two countries on security, drug trafficking and effective border management". To a question on source of arms coming to India from Mynmar, Swe said since his country shared its borders with so many countries, he could not pin point the source. Responding to the query, Duggal said it had been agreed to deal with the issue by plugging the border. On how to curb drug trafficking, he said it could be done by better border management and surveillance.
A Dictionary of Problems in Manipur By: H. Ranbir Singh, IAS(Retd.) Kangla on line
Protection of consumers and their welfare: This was the theme of a Regional Seminar held at the Kanan Devi Memorial College of Education, Pangei on the 12th July, 2006. After the Key Note Address by Prof. R.P. Singh (Retd.) of Manipur University who has been studying the subject for some years in collaboration with the Commerce Department of the University, I had to give the Inaugural address as the Chief Guest. This was to be followed by twelve Papers to be presented by specialists. In my Address I approached the problem from the point of view of the wise trader who would protect the rights of consumers in his own interest. The wise trader would offer goods of acceptable quality at reasonable prices which may involve a lower margin of profit per unit. This would however attract regular customers, and more and more of them in the course of time, bringing in a larger and larger turnover with a larger and larger amount of total profit. The trader may act in a sense of service to the community. There is God in every human being. If the trader serves the community in a spirit of service to God, he would be benefited spiritually also. This would be the beginning of Karma Yoga in Bhakti and knowledge.

2. The break down of the Civil Society The problem now in the Manipur Valley in particular, is the breakdown of the Civil Society. Every one in his profession can serve God in the service of humanity. This spirit will be a great step forward in restoring the civil society in Manipur. We may recollect Thomas Hobbe’s theory on the formation of the State. There was first ‘Man in the state of nature’, each (or each group) against all, and all against each. Then the ‘Social Contract’, surrendering the right to the legitimate use of force to the ‘State’ and State alone, except in the case of ‘self-defence only. x x x But here in Manipur now, there are so many groups using force for extortion of money from other people and even from the Government Departments, making it difficult for these Departments to utilize funds properly, in time, and in safety. If the money allotted is properly used in time, more money will come to enable us to make Manipur a prosperous state, enabling us to give employment to a larger and larger number of people, including those who join underground groups for want of employment. The underground groups should come together and negotiate with the Government to restore the Civil Society. Religionism and Splinter-ethnic nationalism, which look back to the past and not to the common Future, is a thorn in the flesh, which make it difficult for good people to work together, in cooperation, for co-development and co-prosperity. Let us not look back. Let us, in the North-East, the Indo-Mongoloid (to start with), look forward towards a common prosperous future. American pragmatism and American futurism is a good example for building such a common future, based on human values, rather than sectarian interests.

3. Democracy and Development The emphasis of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh on economic development and his expertise in the field is yielding results in the improvement of relations with Bangladesh and Myanmar, and even with China. One great thing in India is that governments are changed in the Centre and the States in a general election. The supremacy of the Supreme Court and the Election Commission in their own respective spheres is a great thing in India. If Manipur is left alone, there is all the possibility of Manipur being ruled by a Military Junta like in Burma. Could we have such high quality institutions like the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), the Central Agricultural University with Projects under its guidance, and the now Central Manipur University which started as a Centre of Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, if we were left alone to fend for ourselves?
I am only raising questions that arise in my mind for wiser people to consider the pros and cons and arrive at a consensus.

4. The Inner Line Permit System There is a genuine fear in the minds of the people of Manipur that the native population may be overwhelmed by immigrant labour and other immigrants from other parts of India, just like Tripura where on partition of the country, Bengalis came and overwhelmed the native population and took over the state; it is now a Bengali state and the natives have gone underground. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary to reintroduce “the Inner Line Permit System” for the protection of the right of the native Manipuris to have Manipur as their homeland; and allowing the non-natives to vote for elections in their home-states by postal ballot. This may involve an amendment to the Constitution. If the Constitution can be amended for protection of high dignitaries in the matter of “office of profit”, it should also be amended for the protection of a small community from losing their homeland. This may involve some special arrangements in the Census to differentiate immigrants from the natives and in the electoral rolls.
But all facilities should be provided for quick movement of goods and people into Manipur and from Manipur without any delays and hindrances as required by modern trade and industries, and tourism.

5. Impossible Rate of Growth of Population One surprising thing which is not receiving proper attention is the question, how there could be an 80 to 100 per cent increase in population in some hill districts. This may be a case of illegal immigrants from the neighbouring country, or some problem in the proper conduct of the census where the census people (generally school teachers and other low grade Government employees, employed for the purpose) did not make an issue of it for fear of entanglement in disputes in the present atmosphere of lawlessness and violence. The Election Commission is only a hand and a tool. The heart and the brain, “the heart” in particular at the highest level of the government of India should come into operation in solving the problem. This is not a routine matter, but a great threat to the balance of population.
There was a report in earlier elections in Kuki village where the hill chiefs cast the votes of as many people as they wanted. But the election people did not make an issue of it for fear of entanglement in disputes which may involve threats to their lives.

6. The Problem of Text-books Some teachers who were posted for a long time in different places in Ukhrul reported that people in distant places in the Ukhrul District (Sub-division at that time) did not understand each other’s dialects. The official Tangkhul language is the Meitei-phone as spoken by the Tangkhuls of Ukhrul town, written in the Roman script, and taught in schools all over the district. There is also a Tangkhul myth that the Elder Brother inherited the Tangkhul Hills and the younger brother went down the Valley (and thus became one of the founding fathers of the Valley people). Because of our historical contact with the British, India is an Anglo-phone country using English in education in many subjects, and using English words in our common parlance in our own vernaculars, and using English terms even in writing in the Indian languages wherever there is a need for it (with perhaps a new coinage in the language as the equivalent). There are Franco-phone countries where French is used like that. The vernaculars and languages in the hills in Manipur are likewise Meitei-phone; because of the geographical proximity and daily contact, while the vernaculars in Nagaland are Assom-phone; and Nagamese, the linqua-franca of Nagaland, is Assamese as spoken by the Naga Communities of Nagaland, written in the Roman script. What a heavy burden it will be on the young child in the hills of Manipur to teach Naga-Assamese in addition to other subjects like English, Mathematics, etc. while he or she speaks a Meiteiphone dialect at home ! There is also the problem of finding additional teachers who can teach Nagamese.

7. Appearance and Reality Because of the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Tribes most of the top bureaucrats in Manipur in most of the Departments of the Government are Hill people. The Meiteis of the Valley cannot avail of the quota for the OBCs (Other Backward Classes) because they cannot compete with the OBCs of the more advanced states. It is only the larger number of Ministers in the government that gives an impression of Meitei supremacy. But the top bureaucrats from the Hills do not go back to their original homes in the Hills on retirement and stimulate development in their places of birth, but settle down in high rise buildings in the valley. But they are welcome. Meiteis themselves are seven tribes with immigrant Brahmins from the west, and immigrants from the east (Myanmar and beyond); by the way, one Bengali Professor of Anthropology whom I happened to meet at a Cultural Exhibition in the Calcutta University approached me and suggested that Meitheis are “Mee-Thai”, Thai people (does it have anything to do with something like “Poireiton Khunthokpa”, the immigration of ‘Poirei-ton’, I do not know). The prevention of endogamy within each tribe has brought about a fusion of the seven tribes into one Meitei society. There are four Tangkhul and one Khasi wives in Meitei families in my immediate neighbourhood. I would like to suggest the same process among the hill tribes, intermarriage between Nagas and Kukis. One problem is that Meitei girls fight shy of marrying highly eligible tribal husbands because of their ingrained conservative food habits. We have yet to see how Meithei Christian girls respond. But marriage is a highly personal thing about which there can be no planning.

8. MEITEI MAYEKMeiteis have their own headaches. It is good to teach Meitei mayek, the old Meitei script to Meitei students only (the hill students have no need for it) at some stage (say, at classes III and IV) to enable the young people to read the old Puyas (scriptures, history, myths and lore etc.) on their own. But many of them have been reproduced in the current Bengali script with notes and commentaries. In the beginning there was no printing press. With the advent of the British rule, a government press was set up. Where is the question of meitei mayek at that time ? It was the more educated ‘Surma Valley’ (Cachar and Sylhet) Bengalis, and the less educated Manipuris from the same area, who began writing Primers in Manipuri in the Bengali script and teaching us to read and write Manipuri in the Bengali script. And then in the absence of modern books in Manipuri in the different subjects, we had to read Bengali as our vernacular from classes-I and II onwards. I had to read Bengali as my vernacular upto class III. Then from class IV onwards we started reading Manipuri as vernacular. But the books were all translations from modern Bengali textbooks. It was only much later that Chaoba, Kamal and others who read Bengali, and were inspired by the great Bengali literature of the Indian Renaissance (Bankim, Sharat, Tagore and a host of others), created the modern Manipuri literature of our own Renaissance in Manipuri literature. They of course had wider reading in English also. Manipuri literature was gradually recognized for the Matriculation and Intermediate (Plus Two) examinations only, by the Calcutta University, but not for the B.A. examination. I had therefore to take “Alternative English” for my vernacular at the B.A. examination. That, by the way was no problem for me for I loved English literature and had wide reading in English poetry and English essays. I started reading Palgrave’s “Golden Treasury” right from Class VIII on my own.

It took about ten to fifteen years of agitation for recognition of Manipuri as a Pass Course subject at the B.A. level by the Calcutta University which was the only university in Assam and Bengal. But when the recognition came there were no M.As. in Manipuri to teach Manipuri at the College level (Intermediate and B.A.). I was the first ever lecturer in Manipuri at the college level in the D.M. College which was the only college at that time. I wrote an Introduction to “Khangatha Sheireng” (Select Poems) published by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad for the Intermediate class, which was like a thesis on Poetry. That was a great help to the students. When more colleges came up we had to recruit Second Class M.A.s in non-science subjects for teaching Manipuri at the college level, as second class M.A’s in English were hardly available even for teaching English. But during the period of about half a century Manipuri literature had a phenomenal growth in the fields (I) of studies in ancient Manipuri literature, prose works, historical treatises, chronicles, etc.,

(II) and modern Manipuri literature in the fields of poetry, drama, novels, short stories, literary criticism, linguistics, and Indology, inspired and stimulated in the beginning by the great literary renaissance in Bengal, with, of course, the necessary native Manipuri adaptations. (III) Many play houses also came up with stages for the modern plays, and scripts were prepared for regular shows, mainly inspired by Bengali plays but with necessary adaptations for the local needs and problems. (IV) Then the famous Shumaang Leelas of Manipur began to be based on new written scripts. Thus the native talent of the Manipuris found expression in a phenomenal growth in literature. (V) Mention also should be made of the great epic poem “The Khamba-Thoibi Sheireng” with 35,000 lines or more, of Mahakavi Angahal, the Homer of Manipur.

I happened to write the “Glimpses of Manipuri Language, Literature and Culture” on the request of my student in Manipuri Literature, the late Professor Nandalal Sharma who was teaching Manipuri in Manipur College, with his help in the portion concerning early Manipuri literature; and it was published by the Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in 1970. This was submitted to the Government of India by the Manipuri Shaitya Parishad as the Annexure to their memorandum for the inclusion of Manipuri in the VIIIth Schedule to the Constitution. The recognition came. The labour was not in vain.
And then we have to note the vast growth of Manipuri literature from 1970 to 2006 A.D. !
We now come back to the subject of Manipuri Script, with which we started the discussion : We are proud that we have a script of our own and we certainly should know it to be able to read our Puyas (old scriptures).
The question now is : (i) If all these volumes are burnt up for being printed in the Bengali script, what would remain to be read in the Meitei script, except the old Puyas in manuscript in a few hands ? But these are not for the general readers, or young learners, but for a few specialists.
(ii) Another question is, if all the books are to be reprinted, how many lakhs and crores of rupees would be required ? Who will finance these ?
(iii) The great English and American literature, as also the French and German literatures, not to mention others, are printed in the Roman script. What is the harm in that ?
(iv) If we print Manipuri in the Meitei script, the hill people will be printing Manipuri books, if at all, in the Roman script, with all the problems of spelling. And those Hill people who have been reading Manipuri books and dailies and periodicals will cease to do so; and thus introducing a great divide between the Hills and Valley people at a time when we need closer links.
(v) I am not preaching. I am only raising questions which arise in my mind and other people like myself. And we only want some wiser people to find the answers and come to a consensus. We should not be fanatics; we should have the habit of discussion and coming to a consensus. This is the great lesson we have to learn from the British people.

9. Literature in the languages in our Hills I would now take up another question : What are we doing to learn the literature in the languages in our Hills, written in the Roman script ? Should we not make some attempt to get them translated into Meitei-Manipuri in collaboration with the writers and scholars in these languages; if not all the books, select pieces at least from these books. I think that will be a great help in the promotion of mutual understanding. Awards also should be given for good literature in the Hills.

10. The Unity of Modern Manipur : the Founding Fathers
Maharajkumar Priyabrata Singh (the Prince Charming of the legends), Major Khathing, Athikho Daiho, Dr. Kampu, and later on, Teba Kilong; along with Oja S. Krishnamohan Singh, the Gandhian, M.A. with a degree in law, who was the personal adviser of M.K. P.B. during the time of drafting the Manipur Constitution Act (though he was not a man of electoral politics); these may be regarded as the Founding Fathers of a united Modern Manipur. Their statues should be installed in some central place, to inspire us in the work of building a united and progressive Modern Manipur. We should not betray them.

11. The Stillwell Road If the law and order situation as a result of insurgency continues like what it is at present, the dream of our Indo-South Asian Highway through Manipur will vanish. Assam is pleading for the Stillwell road through Ledo. If this gets through, Manipur will remain in the backyard as undeveloped as it is now; and the number of unemployed youth and older people will grow. Social turmoil will increase as a result, from bad to worse and worse. It is now time for the underground groups to come together and start negotiation with the Government and come to an agreement. Restoration of the “Inner-line Permit System” is the one crucial thing. The rail connection from Jiribam to Tupul and onwards to Moreh is another point of crucial importance; and there should be no delay in this. The Tipaimukh Project may be a great geological threat potential; and all possible case should be taken in its implementation to avoid any adverse consequences. The ole Tongjai Mari Road, straight to Jiribam, if properly developed, will help reduce prices and cost of living in Manipur, and this is a very important objective in governance.
Ailing system Nagaland Post Editorial
So far the expected response from ULFA on holding political negotiations with New Delhi appears to have hit a kind of road block which needs to be removed in order to set the ball rolling towards a negotiated settlement. Various agreements with different groups including those ongoing negotiations prove that there can be no time frame. However, these do not divert from the core issue of bringing about an end to mindless violence that has plagued the region since the late fifties particularly after the Nagas began resisting the constitutional rule of the Government of India over all the areas that the British colonial government left behind. The panacea for peace in the north east as being expounded by several politicians and eminent personalities of the region appear to concur on the need to address the issue through negotiations but taking care that the seal of any agreement should be made after consultation with various groups. There were those who held the view that development of the backward areas of the region need to be given due importance as it was believed to be one of the major factors that had contributed to the rise of militancy. The problems in the north eastern states is because the same dim approach which the colonial rulers used was pursued by New Delhi till it veered round the fact, that it could not solve the problem militarily; for example, the Naga movement, which instead grew stronger because of the atrocities beginning in the late fifties. The plea for launching rapid development also has had its negative consequences when states which were given generous doses of central funds showed total lack of accountability. This brought in corruption which soon spread like a virus adding to the social problems which then acted as contributory factor towards swelling the rank of militant groups. Insurgency has distorted the social, economic and political profile of the region as a result of the insensitiveness of the mandarins in South Block. For one demographic concern as well as unemployment were some of the core factors that led to rise of militancy in Assam. The root causes for insurgency may be economic backwardness along with political alienation due to the insensitivity of the national mainstream to their plight . According to many experts of insurgency, the spread of various militant groups has been described as an organised attempt to exploit a people who were faced with deteriorating social and economic conditions. The economic backwardness of much of the north east is said to be due to the unexploited natural resources and inadequate infrastructural development. Also the cycle of corruption and improper development has created the politician-contractor-insurgent nexus in the region. This has poisoned the system and created loss of confidence of people, and thereby opened the gates of hostility. Criminilisation of politics and politicisation of criminals goes by another name in the region but this unholy nexus is not peculiar to the region widespread throughout the country. With the problem still continuing to remain unresolved in many states, the tide of unemployment situation has lent an edge towards militant tendency by creating numerous insurgent outfits in all the states of northeast India.
Talks with NDFB Assam Tribune Editorial
More than 15 months have passed since the day militant outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) signed a formal cease-fire agreement with the Government of India, but formal talks between the Government and the NDFB is yet to start and both sides are blaming each other for the delay. The term of the cease-fire agreement, which was initially signed for one year, was over on May 30 and it was extended for a period of six months and that too will expire on November 30 and one hopes that the formal talks will start before the expiry of the term of the agreement for a political solution to the problem. The NDFB is blaming the Government for the delay in starting of the formal talks, while, on the other hand, the Government is claiming that the delay on the part of the NDFB in submitting its charter of demands delayed the whole process. The signing of the cease-fire agreement has brought down the level of violence in the Bodo dominated areas of the State, but that alone will not help in solving the problem and formal talks must start at the earliest for finding a solution to the Bodo political problem. The NDFB leaders admitted that though they prepared a charter of demands after series of talks with different Bodo mass organizations, but final touches to it could not be given by the central committee of the outfit because of some communication gap among the leaders. The NDFB should submit the charter of demands as soon as possible to set the ball rolling for talks if it is really interested in a political solution to the problem.

With the NDFB still insisting that liberation of Boroland would be its main demand, it remains to be seen whether the Government of India can persuade the outfit to accept more powers within the State of Asom for a political solution to the problem. The Government of India created the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) within the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India only couple of years back after the signing of the peace pact with the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) and now it will be difficult for the Government to dissolve the Council to find a solution to the demands of the NDFB. The NDFB will have to be persuaded to accept more powers within the BTC, which may prove to be a tough task. The BTC authorities should also be included in the process of talks with the NDFB as the Council has a democratically elected body and the Government cannot overlook it while seeking a solution to the problems of the NDFB. Of course, the NDFB leadership held informal talks with the BTC authorities but in the formal talks also, active participation of the BTC authorities should be ensured. The Government should also make it clear what it can offer to the NDFB at the beginning of the formal talks.

Meanwhile, talks with other militant groups are also not progressing satisfactorily and the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) has already announced its decision to suspend the process of talks with the Government terming the same as “useless exercise”. The UPDS has been demanding a separate state for Karbi people and the Government has already made it clear that further division of the State was out of question. The same is the fate of the talks with the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD), which is fighting for a separate state for the Dimasa people as the outfit has time and again expressed its displeasure over the progress of the talks. The Government should immediately come up with alternative proposals specifying what it can offer to these outfits in lieu of their demand for creation of separate states. The BLT was fighting for a separate state of Bodoland but the outfit could be persuaded to accept creation of a territorial council within the state of Asom and there is no reason as to why the UPDS and DHD cannot be persuaded to accept solution of their problems within the geographical boundary of Asom.

Frans on 09.17.06 @ 02:54 PM CST [link]


Saturday, September 16th

Nagaland and Sovereignty


Nagaland and Sovereignty
Sanjay K. Pandey
Assistant Professor, School of International Studies, JNU.
The Hindu 12 February 2003

'Special status' is one of the strategies adopted by federal systems to satisfy the demand of national groups for political and cultural autonomy.

Talking to the media, the NSCN (I-M) leader, T. Muivah, asserted "The question whether Nagaland's sovereignty is negotiable or not doesn't arise. The destiny of Nagas should be left to Nagas themselves. Sovereignty of Nagaland belongs to the people of Nagaland". The statement has created doubts and misgivings in the minds of many people. To grasp the real intent and import of this assertion one has to first examine the concept of sovereignty. Sovereignty in simple words is the principle of absolute and unlimited power. It is generally considered an essential attribute of the `state', which distinguishes it from other organisations and groups. The concept arose in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when the emerging national monarchies in England, France, Spain and elsewhere were trying to assert their authority over rival claimants, such as the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire, and the feudal vassals.

The traditional concept of sovereignty is considered no longer applicable to modern systems of government, which operate according to the principle of checks and balances and distribution of power among a number of institutions, none of which can meaningfully claim to be sovereign. This is particularly evident in the case of federalism - one combining a central government and a number of constituent regional governments each having exclusive jurisdiction over some matters - which is based upon the paradoxical notion of shared sovereignty. But, the concept of sovereignty retains its appeal, especially among groups and regions fighting for self-determination and independence.

However, a distinction should be made between claims of sovereignty and demands for independence. During its last years the former Soviet Union witnessed what has been described as the "Parade of Sovereignties", when 41 constituent units declared themselves to be sovereign states. But only 16 of these actually aspired to independence beyond sovereignty.
Fifteen seceded without war and with relatively little bloodshed while Chechnya is still fighting for independence from Russia. The other units, which are now part of Russian Federation or the other successor states of the dissolved Soviet Union, did not aspire for independence but for more autonomy. What the Nagas led by the NSCN (IM) are demanding is not outright independence, which they seem to have realised is unachievable. Mr. Muivah's statement "A better understanding of the reality of Nagas by Indian Government would enable the Nagas to understand the reality of India ten times more" in fact points to this realisation. What they demand is recognition of their "uniqueness" which they define in terms of their distinct tribal identity, culture, way of life and their faith - Christianity. More than this, they insist "Nagaland was never part of India and that is the uniqueness of our history". Before the coming of the British, the only contact they had with the outside world was in the form of salt trade with Assam.

Though the British brought the Nagas and the other tribal areas in the Northeast under political control, they were declared "excluded areas" and "backward tracts". The British adopted a policy of non-interference in local tribal affairs. The Naga leaders claim that when the Simon Commission came to India in 1927 some Nagas met it and asked that they may be "left alone". They point out that the Nagas under the aegis of the Naga National Council led by Angami Zapu Phizo declared their independence on August 14, 1947, a day before India's independence. This was ratified by a 99 per cent affirmative vote in a referendum held in May 1951, according to them. They believe that these two actions provide firm legal and ethical basis for their claim of separateness. At present, the majority of the Nagas and their leaders realise that outright independence is unachievable. But they still insist on recognition and respect for their uniqueness and honour, for which thousands of Nagas sacrificed their lives.

In fact, the present breakthrough in the talks was achieved only after a Joint Communique was signed by K. Padmanabhiah, representative of the Centre, and Mr. Muviah stating "The Government of India recognises the unique history and situation of Nagas". `Special status' is one of the strategies adopted by federal systems to satisfy the demand of national groups for political and cultural autonomy. It arises when a constituent unit contains a population, which is in a majority in that unit but otherwise a minority in the entire federation. The arrangement is also referred to as "asymmetrical federalism". It is important to remember that the demand for `special status' by national minorities is not just a demand for additional powers but also for national recognition - a symbolic declaration of their "distinct identity" and "uniqueness". These arrangements vary from country to country and each case has some lesson for us.

Canada was perhaps the first modern federation to take recourse to a `special status' arrangement to accommodate the aspirations of the French-speaking majority in Quebec province. To assuage the feelings of the embittered people of the province two attempts were made in 1987 and 1992 to restore some of the privileges and to provide recognition to Quebec's distinct status within the federation. But both the attempts failed because of the strong opposition of the English-speaking majority in the country. Thus the demand for `special status' by some units ( inhabited by national minorities ) in a federation is resisted by people of other units, who either feel discriminated against or are apprehensive that such demands may lead to secession. When this division becomes a platform for political mobilisation and electoral politics the problem gets compounded. Spain was a unitary state till the constitution of 1978 gave `special status' to Catalonia, the Basque country and Galicia as a price for holding together the multinational country.

Taking advantage of some provisions in the Constitution, the other units also demanded and got these special powers. But the Catalan leaders who demand special treatment and recognition as nations within a "multinational Spain" have resented this "leveling up" or the "coffee for everyone" approach. In fact they speak of a special "co-sovereignty" status within Spain that they, and not other autonomies (units) would have. The Malaysian system is one of the best illustrations of this approach. Although it has a highly centralised system of government, Malaysia has given the states of Sabah and Sarawak powers that normally fall under the central jurisdiction. These Bornean States have considerably more autonomy than the 11 other States in areas such as taxation (in particular customs and excise), immigration and citizenship, trade transportation and communication, fisheries and several social affairs sectors. The purpose is to protect the distinctive characteristics and interests of the two states.

The Indian Constitution also contains "special provisions" for certain States and regions. Article 371(A) ensures that "religious or social practices of the Nagas", "Naga customary law and procedure" and "ownership and transfer of land and its resources" is protected. There are reports suggesting that the NSCN (IM) leaders want special arrangements for a separate flag, citizenship, defence, trade and currency for their proposed territory. These are symbols of sovereignty and as the above discussion shows symbols play important role in such matters. Hence, some of these demands need serious consideration. Indeed, recognition of the principle of "divided sovereignty" and genuine operationalisation of state (province) level sovereignty will provide ample protection to national minorities' identity and scope for their language and culture to flourish. This will give them the much-needed sense of security.
Unreasonable statement peeves KIM Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 14: Reacting to news reports published in some section of the media whereby recent news items and articles issued by Kuki Inpi Manipur president P Gangte were termed 'unfortunate and uncalled for', the KIM president has questioned the logic and motive behind the statement which did not provide any corroborative reason.

Speaking to the media during a Meet the Press programme at Manipur Press Club today, P Gangte asked all concerned whether any attempt towards reconciliation and to bring the two people together again by a process of forgive and forget be called unfortunate and uncalled for.

He also asked them if making factual accounts of the incidents were unfortunate or uncalled for.

He also reminded that KIM has appealed to NSCN (K) to drop the quit notice as the Kukis know the trauma and suffering resulting from the quit notice which was served to them by the UNC with directives from NSCN (IM) .

Pointing out the difference between the quit notices served by UNC and NSCN (K), he observed that the former was because of Kukis being Kukis while in the latter definite accusations, which may hold true or not, were made against the targeted sections.

UNC wreaked vengeance with the help of NSCN (IM) for the killings by Kukis when they were still non-Christians but the vengeful killings made by UNC were when all have become Christians, asserted Gangte.

Despite the statement made by some Naga civil organisations, P Gangte reiterated the stand of KIM to appeal to NSCN (K) not to enforce the quit notice served to Tangkhuls in Nagaland but to provide an alternative that would be more humane and Christian.

Alleging that the appeal made by the Naga bodies to NSCN (K) was nothing but shedding crocodile's tears as they still avoid taking up any concrete initiative to undo the damages done to their Christian brethren, he termed such attitude of the Naga bodies really unfortunate and uncalled for. Speaking during the programme, chairman of KIM Election Committee TS Ngamkholun Haokip clarified that the notice issued by one Kamkhohao Khongsai was null and void.
He added that Kamkhohao was expelled from KIM for his anti-KIM activities last year for three years. He also asserted that P Gangte has been duly elected as the 4th president of KIM and is the legitimate president. Ngamkholun further cautioned all Kukis not to participate in any illegal election called by unauthorised persons.
Naga factions are not terrorists: Gowda The Morung express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 15 (MExN): A team of mass communication students from Nagaland University (NU) led by I. Sino Phom, Deputy Course coordinator centre for mass communication N.U, who are currently in New Delhi for a month long internship in various media organization, had visited the former Prime Minister, H.D Deve Gowda. He was in the office as Prime Minister for a period of 11 month (June 1996- April 1997).
In what can be called as one of the rarest opportunity to meet such an eminent person, the visiting team was eager to know about the Naga political issue, being the pioneer of the Naga political issue to the National platform. It also mentioned that the former Prime Minister said “Naga Factions are not terrorists but patriots and for peace process top be successful Government of India must win the confidence of the people”, when asked about Naga political issue by the student of Mass Communication Nagaland University at his official residence on Wednesday.
A press communiqué issued by Deputy Course coordinator, NU stated that on being asked about the sincerity of the present government on the Naga Political Problem, the former Prime Minister said “it is not good to give any comment on it” and further expressing his concern for the entire sisterly state of the North East and especially Nagaland, he said “a new dimension has been given to Naga problem which the union Government didn’t give due concern till 1996. India being a democratic country electorate is the master and the country can move forward only when they master release their power, he added. The former Prime Minister encouraged the visiting team to be an agent of change in Naga society and also gave his best wishes.
Don’t let your generation curse you: Wangtin The Morung express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 15 (MExN): Y. Wangtin Naga, Central Council Member of the NSCN (K) says that despite his open declaration before the Naga people for unification of all Nagas at the time of his joining the national struggle, the “ceaseless killing and deployment of secret mission command by Isak group for assassination of Naga leaders” made him change his mind. “I thought, even the factional clashes also should immediately be stopped, but I was so sorry to see the dying face of my leader Late Ngampan, Kilonser, murdered by secret mission of Isak group”, the Central Council Member stated in a press communiqué.
Wangtin stated that he was equally distressed to learn of the killing of A.K.D Angami, Imnung Jamir and Saloni, Angami Region Chairman NSCN (K), Education Kilonser NNC/FGN and Ex-Tatar of NNC respectively.
Pointing out that these four leaders had been assassinated within May-September of 2006, the NSCN (K) leader asked the NSCN (IM) to explain to the Nagas the purpose of their continued killing of Naga leaders for no cause “who after dropping sovereignty issue slipped down for integration but failed. Further engaged themselves in the issue of affiliation of private schools of four Naga district of Manipur to NBSE which faced another humiliation failure”, Wangtin stated.
Asking the leaders, “irrespective of factions” the benefit of killing Naga leaders from other factions, Wangtin stated that failure to explain to the Nagas the benefits of such killings, such leaders must resign from national service. Wangtin stated that even the innocent Tangkhuls had failed to indict their leaders Th Muivah, VS Atem and Raising when they refused to unite with the Nagas. “If they really want to opt out from the process of peace and reconciliation”, the only alternative left for these leaders, Wangtin stated, was for them to leave the Nagas and Nagaland.
“They should first know how to love the Nagas and thereby adapt to Nagas way of life. They should stop fooling the Nagas that they will bring heaven down”, he stated. Wangtin also disclosed that so far, 19 Konyak youths have joined the NSCN (K), after the assassination of Late Ngampang. Pointing out that their defection was of great significance, Wangtin stated that there was no place for killers in society and even cautioned any Konyak boys who killed any Konyak leaders or even the other Naga leaders under no circumstances will they be excused either by the NSCN (K) or by the Konyak community, “because Konyaks are peace loving people”. Stating that the most important thing was to win the confidence of “our brothers” in national politics, Wangtin maintained that even if the NSCN (IM) leaders planned to destroy the entire Naga nationalist who oppose their system, their age factor will not permit them to do it. “Don’t let your generation curse you even after you die. Hope you will know where you are and what you are”.
No logic behind fratricidal killings: ENSF The Morung express
DIMAPUR, Sept 15(MExN): The Eastern Nagaland Students’ Federation (ENSF) has appealed to all underground factions to shun violence and stop fratricide killing. The federation has stated that the students’ community does not understand the logic behind killing each other, adding that the violent situation is afflicting fear psychosis in their minds. “The ENSF want absolute peace in Nagaland and allow every student to concentrate in their studies. Every single student lives is the most precious to the federation. Therefore, the ENSF condemn every act of violence and fractional killing in and around educational institution and students based areas,” a release stated. Retaliation and hostile attitude should be erased from the mindset of every national worker and they should be reoriented to the set goal in true spirit, it said.
It also requested the various Naga underground groups to abstain from further bloodshed among brothers in the name of sovereignty. “The upcoming students’ communities are not fool; they need not be taken for a ride. The national workers need to display their political mature-ness through rationality rather than emotionality,” the ENSF said. The student body also acknowledged the genuineness of the Naga political movement, but lamented that the present political scenario of the movement now depicts an ugly picture in Naga society as the genuineness of the cause seems to be fading away. The federation has also held contempt of the ideological conflict between various factions which becomes an antigen to Naga cause.
Truth of the Hard Truth- Nagaland Post Opinion
The circumstances of the present hoodwinked by adamant accusations to give reason for preserving on with divisive maneuvers without introspecting what one has actually been engaged that has culminated to the undesired situation has been the bane of the present.
In retrospection of the past if rationality, good sense and prudence elude ones mind, the perception of all happenings may result in the wrong and unconstructive conclusion. To understand the truth of our situation we have to rationally reason without bias or inclination in our retrospection. The Naga freedom struggle has confronted various forms of obstructive forces in its course, which were all with the singular objective to undermine the Naga aspiration. The Nagas oppositional elements nurtured by our adversaries continue to subsist till today.
Their (enemy's) goal is to keep the Naga family divided by whatever means so that we fail in our aspirations and remain as their subjects. The 1964 cease-fire collapsed with the GOI wrong judgment to subdue the Nagas spirit of nationalism by military force and forced social assimilation that led to the signing of the Shillong Accord, which was out-rightly rejected by the Nagas. In the aftermath of this infamous condemned accord, the stooges of the Indian government and the accordists tried to suppress the Naga people's aspiration through aggressive means and inhuman elimination of the Naga people who went against this treacherous accord, thus giving birth to fratricidal killings in Nagalim. With the armed operation undertaken by the accordist upon the Naga patriots who stood for the Naga nation even against the face of death, Messr. Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah were also arrested to be killed for rejecting the Shillong Accord on three occasions during which their graves were even dug.
It was through the intervention of Gen. Kholi Konyak who told the accordist that not a drop of blood of Messr. Isak and Muivah should be shed in eastern Nagalim that prevented them (accordists) from committing the crime and saved the two leaders from the jaws of death.
In the backdrop of the aggression upon the Naga people's voice and the inability to out-rightly reject and condemn this treacherous accord by the NNC/FGN the Naga people formed the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) in 1980. The formation of the NSCN was beaded by Messr. Isak Chishi Swu, S.S Khaplang, Th. Muivah and Gen. Kholi Konyak as the chairman, vice chairman general secretary and the commander-in-chief (C-n-C) of the Naga army respectively to resuscitate the Naga people's freedom movement.
The Nagas have gone through different kinds and phases of situation and circumstances between the devil and the deep blue seas. We had confronted aggressions by the Burmese, Indian army and treacherous collaborations in within that had used all unthinkable stratagems and diabolic designs to exterminate the Nagas and extinguish or struggle for freedom. In the face of all these situations many unanticipated and undesired incidents and circumstances had taken place in our past where people have lost or sacrificed their lives in the process of sustaining the Naga national movement. Today, the Khaplang camp has come out with certain allegations upon the collective leaders for the killings of many Nagas and the hampering of all unifications efforts. But to be more realistic and accurate with facts, leaving aside all accusations let us first take into account of who should be made responsible for explanation of any act committed and the reasons that led to such a deed. In the Naga army, the commander-in-chief is the overall head of all military operations/actions of its army.
Though the presidents is the commander of the army, the C-n-C plays the vital and crucial role in all decisions or policy making in the military functions of the Naga army in the Naga national struggle. Any action of the military is subjected to its commander-in-chief; hence any query upon civil authority leaders is out of question and inappropriate on military matters. Therefore, Gen Kholi the C-n-C since the NNC/FGN times till date in the Khaplang camp should bring to light the reasons of all the accused acts of the Naga army.
(To be continued...) Issued by:- MIP, GPRN, NSCN (IM)
Girl hurt in NSCN factional clash in Tousem The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 15: An 18 year old girl reportedly sustained bullet injury when two rival factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland engaged in a prolonged firefight near Makoi village in the interior area Tuosem subdivision of Tamenglong district.
The name of the injured girl has been identified as Goulumliu Riamei daughter of Kinsung Riamei and she had been reportedly evacuated to Tamenglong district hospital for treatment.

In the meantime, the publicity and information secretary of the Zeliangrong Region, NSCN(K) informed media offices in Imphal that the firefight begun about 5.30pm last evening and it continued till the wee hours today. The girl sustained injuries as result of indiscriminate firing by cadres of NSCN(IM), the NSCN(K) alleged and maintained that cadres of the outfit restrained from firing to prevent civilian casualties.
Clarifying that no cadre of the NSCN(K) are working with the MPA cadres as alleged by the NSCN(IM), the NSCN(K) Zeliangrong Region also alleged that the rival group has been giving wrong information to the Army that cadres NSCN(K) and MPA cadres are camping together at Chingkhoglong village in Tamenglong district.
FGN slams IM leadership The Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 15 : Coming down heavily on the NSCN (IM) leadership, FGN has asked the NSCN (IM) leaders who are still at home to first condemn the leadership of Isak and Th Muivah if they really stand for sovereignty and for the cause of Naga national principle.
A statement issued by Sgt Mathiulan of Naga Army, FGN slammed the IM leadership for the 30 point proposal submitted to the Government of India and for holding Indian passports.
The FGN further alleged that all Nagas were aware IM leaders draw monthly salaries from the GoI at the rate of Rs 25,000 for a kilonser, Rs 15,000 for a tatar (MP), leacy (MLA) Rs 8,000, rezou peyu Rs 5,500 and Rs 5,00,000 for maintenance of a battalion.
Further asserting that the IM leaders have been rolling in luxury inside big buildings and owning hundreds of luxurious cars, it said that they were Indian mercenaries and the battles they have been fighting are just proxy wars.
It remarked that being Indian mercenaries, NSCN (IM) leaders have no right to talk about Naga national issue and no amount of their statement could ever justify killing of Nagas. It would only invite the wrath of Naga people, it added.
Even if NSCN (IM) leaders open its door for reunification or reconciliation, no Naga would ever join them except for those young gullible Nagas who have been deceived by them or lured with Indian money, concluded the statement.
Nagaland only state to implement bamboo policies Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 15 (NPN): Chief minister Neiphiu Rio today said Nagaland is the only state in the country to have implemented bamboo policies. Rio who is also the chairman of Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA), during his visit to the Common Facility Centre (CFC), 5th Mile, Dimapur, said though the country as a whole has initiated many policies on bamboos, the central government had yet to fully exploit the potential of bamboos. The construction of the CFC started in month of February this year at an estimated cost of Rs. 5 crore.
To be renamed as Resource Centre, it would be equipped with gasifiers for generating power, treatment plants for bamboos and hi-tech machineries. After lighting a bamboo charcoal kiln at the centre, the chief minister said that given the abundance of the 'poor man's timber' in the state, bamboo could become an employment-generating "machine," especially to the local youths.
Talking to Nagaland Post at the site, Rio said with the scheduled opening of the Resource Centre next month, it would become an ideal training centre for young entrepreneurs as well as a place to utilize the facilities provided. He also expressed optimism that the centre would be a revenue-generating centre. Ruling out opening of big industries in the state at the present juncture, he said people should instead seriously take up bamboo as a profitable enterprise,
The chief minister was accompanied by MLA and advisor NBDA Khutovi Sumi, Agriculture Production Commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir who is also the secretary of agency, team leader NBDA Norman Putsure and other officials of the NBDA. Presently, around eight lakh bamboo saplings of various species have been planted at the site covering around 34 acres and the department is also planning to open a bamboo park and recreation zone at the centre.
Promises contradict performance The Morung Express Editorial
It is now quite common to experience the practice of promises contradicting performance, especially in relation to governments and political parties involved in electoral politics. Ironically it is through the promises they make that they win the confidence of people; and inevitably, the very same that gets broken time and time again by the many parties that assume political power. The degrees to which political parties deviate from their promises betray a lack of will and commitment to truly serve the needs and aspirations of the people they claim to represent.
What does the habit of promises contradicting performance truly represent and what are its implications to human society? Does it mean that once in power, politicians take the people for granted? Or, are the people so naïve and powerless that every time their politicians betray the promises made, they so ignorantly become indifferent to the abuse of trust and the arrogance of power. Nonetheless, it does certainly raise fundamental questions of trust, democratic governance and accountability to the people.
The politics of forgetting, or more specifically selective amnesia is a common trait amongst government, and in particular, political parties in power often conveniently prefer to forget the promises they made while in the opposition or on the campaign trail. While they refrain from making precise promises once they are at the helm of political power, they are compelled by circumstance to declare programs and packages, primarily resulting from the necessity of coalition politics and of course the nature of support on which they are founded.
Though governments formed on coalition politics may have its share of limitations, it does however cause problems related to the politics of forgetting. Due to the inherent nature of coalition government, selective amnesia on the part of government is much more difficult and cannot be conveniently dismissed. The promises made in the heat of campaigns just cannot remain a promise it must be translated into performance that adequately responds to the need of the people. Coalition governments do provide a minimum level of accountability from within the partners. However in practice this does not necessarily imply that all coalition governments perform in accordance to their promises nor are they held accountable in a manner that reflects coalition politics of check and balance. When a coalition government performs in contradiction to its promises and actually gets away for doing so, it reflects serious breach of trust and an indifferent attitude towards the people they represent. More seriously it implies that either the people have become an accomplice or the coalition government has gotten too powerful to the extent of ignoring the rights of people.
Nagas are in an era of coalition politics. A higher standard of conduct and commitment in its performance to fulfill its pledge is expected. Tragically, the legislature – both government and opposition – continues to function behind rhetoric of improvement and development without actual performance. The barrage of speeches without action has become the norm. Nagas must critically question whether the present situation has resulted because of the public’s indifferent attitude or because politicians have become too powerful to care for the public anymore?
Failed promises deface Tml district Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 15: Remnants of numerous foundation stones that have been laid, official buildings that have been inaugurated without the required basic infrastructure and incomplete development projects sponsored both by the Centre and the State Government have become the hallmarks of the underdeveloped Tamenglong district of Manipur.

A recent inspection tour jointly conducted by Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM) and mediapersons at Tamenglong district headquarters and Tamei sub-division was a revelation of the half-hearted efforts being made by the Government to develop one of the most backward districts of the State. Though the construction of the 33/11 KV Power Sub-Station at Tamei under NLCPR with funding through DONER was to begin in 2004 with the target of commissioning it by 2007, the project is yet to take off the ground, literally. It is still lying in the stage of the foundation stone which was laid by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh on February 8 this year.

The construction of the JNV at Tamenglong for which the Chief Minister had also laid the foundation stone in January last year is no different. Even the land development work is yet to be completed. The PHC at Tamei was inaugurated by the Chief Minister on February 8 this year.

But the smooth functioning of the health centre has been crippled due to lack of basic infrastructure. Apart from inaugurating the centre without the required furniture and equipment, condition of the staff quarter has become so apathetic that the doctors and other paramedical staff are putting up at the building which once served as the PHC.

The are also no chair, table and other furnishing items at the DIET Centre at Tamei which had also been inaugurated by the Chief Minister on the same day as the PHC. ZSUM has urged the Government to look after the infrastructural requirements of both the PHC and the DIET Centre.

Apart from the delay in the completion of the work on the road stretching from Tamei via Konphung (Nagaland border) to Tening in Nagaland with funding from NEC, the suspension bridge constructed over Barak river had been swept away in the water current thus cutting off the communication and transport line. Over and above this cracks have also started appearing on the bailey bridge construction over Magui river along Manipur-Nagaland border even before its inaugural. Aggrieved over finding sub-standard materials being used for the construction of the Composite Water Supply scheme at Tamenglong District at an estimated cost of Rs 4.65 crores under RSVY, the student body imposed restriction on all construction related activities of the said scheme. The team also inspected the ongoing construction work of the Imphal-Tamenglong Road, which has reached Tamei. It was found that WBM work on Tamenglong side of the road has been almost over, but nothing has been done on the Senapati side of the road.

ZSUM urged the contractors concerned to expedite the road work. Taken serious note of snapping of the optical fibre cable of the Telecom at various points during the course of repairing the drainage as these cable have not been laid properly, the student body has also drawn the attention of the authority concerned to the manner of executing the OFC laying work from Tamenglong to Nungba.

While inspecting the condition of the educational institutions at Tamei and Tamenglong, the joint team found nothing worthwhile to write home about. The inspection team also covered the construction work of the ITI being taken up at Tamenglong. Though the construction of the staff quarters is almost completely, the construction of the main building has stopped after erecting of the pillars, as the contractor has allegedly not come to the work site any more.
State Assembly condemns ISKCON, Vengnuam incidents; Investigation into ISKCON blast making progress: CM The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 15: Manipur chief minister, O Ibobi Singh, speaking before the state Assembly, has declined to disclose the details of the ongoing investigations on the August 16 ISKCON blast at Imphal and the August 20 firing at the Evangelical Baptist Church at Churchandpur.

Chief minister Ibobi who was replying to a calling attention motion raised by two Opposition members, BD Behring and L Ibomcha Singh, said tabling the enquiry report before the House at this time "will be premature". However, he said "the investigation is making considerable progress positively". Later the house adopted an unanimous resolution condemning both the incidents which occurred in religious places.

The chief minister while giving his statement to the house stated that both were very unfortunate incidents which occurred rarely in the country. The incident at ISKCON complex was the first of its kind that occurred in a religious place in Manipur. So, "we must condemn the incident in the strongest term", he said. He said that those individuals involved in committing the crime and the group responsible for the incident were inhuman and it was a barbarous act.

It may take time but surely the criminals will be brought to book by the police one day, he said adding that to uncover the culprits behind the blast at the soonest would not only be to the credit of the state home department but also provide a morale boost for the state police.

Before this while calling the attention of the house MLA BD Behring observed that on the day of ISKCON blast no adequate security deployment was seen despite the huge crowd. He saw the crowd and lack of security personnel on his way home from airport, he said and observed that in the previous years where wasn`t so large a crowd, heavy deployment of security was seen.

In this regard CM clarified that there was no reduction in the number of security personnel on that day. He said the miscreants hurled the bomb taking advantage of the darkness of the night. BD Behring also expressing his dissatisfaction over injury caused to two foreigners out of four who were attending the occasion and criticised the apparent lack of vigil upon the foreigners by the state CID. In a state where entry of people from foreign countries is restricted, there should have been a close vigil upon the foreign visitors by the CID which is responsible for the task, he observed.

He also urged the state government to table the detailed report on the incidents that led to the killing of one innocent and injuring four others in the shoot out at Evangelical Baptist Church, Churchandpur on August 20. Supplementing the observations made by BD Behring, MLA L Ibomcha Singh terming both the incidents as unfortunate expressed unhappiness at the attitude of the Union government in not sending even an official from the Centre to look into the incident despite the fact that news of inflicting injuries upon even foreigners reached the entire world.

He also cautioned the state government that such incidents may happen on any religious occasion in future in the state and urged the state government to expedite the investigation and without any delay detect the culprits. Both the MLAs also drew the attention of the house on the agitations that have been launched regarding the detention of TIPS leaders. They also demanded a report from the government on action taken to bring an end to the public agitations.

Clarifying on the firing incident at the Evangelical Baptist Church, the chief ministerwho is also in charge of the home portfolio stated that the innocent civilian was killed in the exchange of fire between a column of Rajputana Rifles and combat dressed cadres of an hill based militants group.

Elaborating on the incident, he said that Army troops were proceeding towards the area for a follow up action in connection with disclosures made by two valley based underground cadres. While the troops were heading towards a hideout of some underground activists as per disclosure of the apprehended cadres and when they were passing in front of the church to their vehicles, the combat dress hill based militants fire upon them apparently assuming that the security forces were about to attack them. The troops retaliated to the firing leading to the killed of one innocent person and injuring others, Ibobi stated to the house.

‘Ban on Meitei Mayek successful’ The Sangai Express Imphal, Sep 15 : The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has claimed that the ban on Meitei Mayek (Meitei Script) in the Naga areas has been very effective.
ANSAM announced the banning of the Meitei Mayek in the four districts a week ago while the banning of the CDs/cassettes of both the videos and the audios in Meitei language in the Naga areas will begin from September 17 as per the ANSAM declaration.
ANSAM has said that the banning of Meitei Mayek in the Naga areas is in full swing and claimed that so far, more than 30 vehicles which had Meitei Mayek on their number plates were caught and released after warning the drivers.
The script was erased with black paint by the ANSAM volunteers plying on the National Highway 39 in Senapati district today, stated ANSAM information and publicity secretary Souni Khapa. He disclosed that the campaign to ban the script will intensify in the days to come. The ANSAM leader warned that using of the script in Naga areas in any form will be totally banned. ANSAM will appreciate the cooperation of the vehicle owners. “They (vehicle owners) will be held responsible for any untoward incident in the event of failing to comply with the ANSAM orders,” cautioned the ANSAM leader.

Role of Thangal General in anti-British movement By GP Singh Sangai Express
The tribals of India, including those of the north-east, played notable role not only in the repulsion of the Muslims but also in the liberation of the country from the British colonial rule. They raised a banner of revolt not only against the Muslim rule but also against the British rule in India. The veil of mystery befalling some of the phases of anti-Muslim and anti-British tribal movements in India is yet to be lifted. The roles played by the tribal people of north-east India in particular in frustrating the attempt of the Muslims to establish their rule and that of the British to consolidate their imperial authority in the north-east have not been highlighted either in the tribal history of India or in the medieval and modern history of India to the extent it deserves.
The year 1857 was admittedly a landmark in the history of anti-British movement in India. The movement began in 1857 as a Mutiny as the sepoys (native soldiers to the British service) ignited its spark that blazed up into conflagration. In its second phase it turned into a Revolt and in the third and final phase it assumed the character of a national movement also called first Indian war of Independence.
The flames of 1857 movement spread to different parts of India including the north-east (Assam, including the Khasi-Jaintia Hills of present Meg- halaya and North Cachar Hills, and Manipur, both valley and hills). Volcanos were also burning beneath the north-eastern region and the people were waiting for a moment when its smouldering fires would burst into devastating flames.
The events that took place in 1857 in different parts of India kindled the spark of patriotism in the heart of Thangal General (a Thangal Naga tribe of Manipur) too and he joined the movement. He was one of the 34th Native Infantry Mutineers who mutinied at Chittagong on 18th November 1857 against the British Raj. These Mutineers after burning their lines, breaking open the jail and releasing the prisoners, and plundering the treasury marched through the jungles of HiII-Tipperah and reached Sylhet, and Cachar where three Manipuri princes were arrested for entertaining hostile design towards the British and sent to Alipur Jail. At Latu in South Cachar, the rebels numbering about 200 came up soon afterward and in fierce fighting that ensued they killed Major Byang of Sylhet Light Infantry. Twenty-six of the rebels were also killed. Few days later they were attacked by Sylhet Light Infantry under Lt. Ross. They together with some Manipuri princes headed for Mani- pur which also felt the impact of the movement. They were repeatedly attacked by regular troops. Only three or four escaped death or capture. Thangal General was one of those who escaped and thereafter took service in the royal court of Manipur state.
The above statements are evidenced mainly by the Proceedings of the Govt of India, Home & Foreign Deptt 1858-59, Volume of Letters from Govt. of Bengal, Foreign Deptt, Fort William proceedings of the Home Deptt 1857, Reports of British Officials, Official correspondence and Secret deliberations letters of 1857, and other Official Records and Documents relating to 1857 preserved in some of the north-eastern states archives, West Bengal Archives, Calcutta, and National Archives of India, New Delhi, and History of the Assam Rifles (one of the monumental works) by LW Shakespeare.
There is also an incidental notice of repercussion of 1857 Revolt in some parts of north-east India in Notes on the Thadou Kukis, by William Shaw. The author while touching upon the role of the Kukis in the said Revolt unequivocally states: “Indian troops mutinied in Sylhet and Cachar and after killing their officers gathered together and reached Manipur” It is, however, a supplemental evidence. The role played by the populace and potentates of Assam and Manipur in anti-British Revolt of 1857 is still a unrecorded part of the chapter on the said Revolt in modern history of India. After an interregnum of over three decades Thangal General rose to prominence.
— to be contd

ULFA opposes new Army installations in State By A Staff Reporter Assam tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 15 – The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has opposed the move of the Army to set up another military installation at Changsari adjoining the one already in existence and Misa. Describing the move as a “sinister” one aimed at destroying human lives and the green cover, ULFA commander-in-chief “Colonel” Paresh Baruah said it is a “new aggression” against the freedom loving people of Asom.

Baruah, in an e-mailed statement this evening, said despite assurances extending olive branch to the masses in the state, the “colonialist” Government of India has planned to displace hundreds of “our people” for the new military facilities. Once completed, the projects would force eviction of innocent peace loving people, destruction of tea gardens, habitations, flora and fauna.

He said the land acquisition plans shows that the Government of India is bent on extending the peripheral control of Misa military station and opening up inaccessible areas by railway tracks. “Once completed, this would allow movement of the aggressor military and other forces to move deep into Asom to eliminate the freedom loving people,” he stated.
PM must intervene in peace talks: ULFA By ANI
Guwahati, Sep 14 (ANI): The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh since the peace talks between New Delhi and the ULFA is deadlocked after the outfit was asked for a letter with details of the negotiation process.
The ULFA has demanded the release of five of its imprisoned leaders, which has delayed progress in the talks. According to the ULFA, the talks cannot progress without the release of the detained leaders. Indira Goswami, who has been nominated by the ULFA to mediate with the Centre, has said that the release of the jailed rebels is necessary for the talks to progress. She also said the Centre is unjustified in asking for a formal letter without an executive meeting. Goswami is leading an 11-member team of Assamese civil society leaders, collectively called the People's Consultative Group. A 10-day suspension of operations by the Army was announced by New Delhi against ULFA on August 13. This was later extended by another 25 days. (ANI)
NEC to digitalise cultural heritage of NE ethnic groups
To showcase culture of 50 ethnic tribes Sentinel
AIZAWL, Sept 15: The North Eastern Council (NEC) would be documenting various traits of the indigenous identity of 50 ethnic groups across the NE region in order to preserve their cultural heritage.
The project would include documentation and recording of vanishing traditional dances, music, songs, rituals, customs and social practices of the tribes through still photography, films, videography and audio recordings and literature,the official sources said here today.
Cultural Exchange Programme including organisation of folk festivals, formation of cultural troupes to different parts of the country and within the region under the aegis of established and recognised groups at state and national level. Support for making and procuring vanishing indigenous crafts, musical instruments, rituals and dance equipments to be reserved and displayed in museums, archives and libraries, NEC officials said.
Detailed scheme guidelines, detailing eligibility criteria, funding pattern, procedure for giving sanction have already been prepared and all proposals are sanctioned in accordance with these guidelines, the official sources added.
The officials also said there are more than 50 major ethnic groups 80 per cent of which are living in the hill areas. UNI
AASU march for Stilwell opening Our Reporter and UNI Sentinel
LEDO, Sept 15: ‘Reopen-Stilwell-Road’ slogans rent the air in Ledo today when thousands of people under the banner of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) staged a padayatra demanding reopening of the forgotten road connecting India and China via Myanmar.
“The Stilwell Road is lying unused for the past six decades. This can be a window to the East for the North-east, and it can change the economy of the entire region,” said AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharjya, who led the huge procession. He added: “If the ‘look east’ policy is to succeed, the road has to be reopened, and we will not compromise on this point. Our agitation will continue till the road is reopened.”
Successive chief ministers and Union ministers from the region have been seeking presidential intervention for the reopening of the road “but the Commerce and External Affairs Ministry is unmoved. That only shows their neglect to the North-east,” Bahttacarjya said.
The AASU is of the opinion that if India and Pakistan could have bus and train services, why the existing Stilwell road could not be reopened.
AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi said that the reopening of the road would lead to economic and cultural development of the North-east.
All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union advisor Gumjun Haider said that the reluctancy on the part of the Government to reopen the road only exposed its negligence towards the North-east.
The padayatra was joined by NESO general secretary NSN Lotha, Asom Unnati Xabha president Rohini Gogoi, noted economist RN Deka and others.
The pretext on the part of the Government is that between India and China lies 252 km of unadministered territory which is a haven for a dozen guerrilla groups operating in India, Myanmar and Kachin.
Technically from Ledo in Asom the Stilwell road stretches to Kunming, capital of Yunan province in China with a distance of over 1,100 km. It was a functional strategic road till 1952 as it was built during the World War II, but later Beijing-Delhi relationship soured and all seemed to have forgotten the road.
The road covers a stretch of 38 miles on the Indian side passing through Asom and Arunachal Pradesh. About 50 per cent of this stretch has been repaired with the initiative of the Asom and Arunachal Pradesh governments. Now the trade bodies have been demanding repair of rest of the road.
India and Myanmar made it clear that they were not willing to meet the demand to have the road reopened as they believed that if it was reopened insurgent groups would spearhead their subversive activities. The Union Home Ministry had stated this as being the prime reason for keeping the road closed. The decision irked several states in the North-east as they had been lobbying with the Centre to reopen the road in order to increase the volume of trade.
Our Correspondent from New Delhi adds: AGP MP Sarbananda Sonowal urged the Centre to fulfil its commitment by reopening the Stilwell Road to boost communication network between the North-east India and South East Asian nations. In a memorandum to the President and the Prime Minister, the Asom MP reminded them of the commitment which they had made during the Dihing Patkai Festival in January, 2003 and the ASEAN Car Rally in April, 2005 for the reopening of the Stilwell Road.
ULFA response: Deadline set Staff Reporter and PTI Sentinel
NEW DELHI/ GUWAHATI , Sept 15: The Centre is understood to have extended by five days the suspension of Army operations against the ULFA in Asom to give the banned group more time to provide a commitment about participating in direct talks.
An indication to this effect was available when the Home Ministry said the government would wait till September 20 for a written communication from the ULFA to join direct talks. The government had earlier suspended Army operations against the ULFA till September 15. When contacted, key mediator Indira Goswami told PTI that she too believed the ceasefire, which was extended for the third time last month, had been again extended by five days.
She said since National Security Advisor MK Narayanan was travelling abroad with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Home Ministry probably wanted to wait till he returned early next week.
An inter-ministerial meeting is also likely to be held here next week to review the peace process in Asom. The ceasefire is being extended despite reservations from the Army, which has warned that the ULFA is using the suspension of operations against it to regroup and extort money from traders and businessmen.
Meanwhile, in a press statement, ULFA ‘c-in-c’ Paresh Barua came down heavily on the proposed military installation at Changsari here.
“Once completed, the project would force eviction of innocent people and destruction of tea gardens and habitations,” he said.
Expressing concern over the “ill-intention of the Government of India”, the outfit said,“It is the duty of every citizen of Asom to oppose further Indianization of the greens of Asom and resist expansion of military bases.”

Frans on 09.16.06 @ 02:27 PM CST [link]


Friday, September 15th

NSCN (IM) responds to C-in-C Gen Kholi Morung Express News


NSCN (IM) responds to C-in-C Gen Kholi Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 14 The NSCN (IM) in response to the statement issued by Commander-in-Chief of the Naga Army, NSCN (K) with regard to “certain allegations” made against the collective leaders has pointed out that Gen Kholi should be more realistic and accurate with facts. “Leaving aside all accusations let us first take into account of who should be made responsible for explanation of any act committed and the reasons that led to such a deed”, stated a press communiqué issued by MIP, NSCN (IM).
Stating in clear terms that in the Naga Army set up, the Commander-in-Chief is the overall head of all military operations and actions of its army, the NSCN (IM) in its communiqué pointed out that the C-n-C plays the vital and crucial role in all decisions or policy making in the military functions of the Naga Army in the Naga national struggle. “Any action of the military is subjected to its Commander-in-Chief; hence any query upon civil authority leaders is out of question and inappropriate on military matter. Therefore, Gen Kholi the C-n-C since the NNC/FGN times till date in the Khaplang camp should bring to light the reasons of all the accused acts of the Naga Army”, the NSCN (IM) stated in pointed reference to the charge made by Gen Kholi that it was under his former comrade in arms Isak Chishi Swu and Th Muivah, now Chairman and General Secretary of the NSCN (IM), which led to the killing of a great number of innocent Nagas. The NSCN (IM) has meanwhile also acknowledged that “it was through the intervention of Gen Kholi Konyak who told the accordists that not a drop of blood of Messr. Isak and Muivah should be shed in Eastern Nagalim that prevented them (accordists) from committing the crime and saved the two leaders from the jaws of death”.
In this regard, the NSCN (IM) pointed out that in the aftermath of the infamous Shillong Accord, “the stooges of the Indian government and the accordists tried to suppress the Naga people’s aspiration through aggressive means and inhuman elimination of the Naga people who went against this treacherous accord, thus giving birth to fratricidal killings in Nagalim”.
In the backdrop of the aggression upon the Naga people’s voice, the Naga people formed the NSCN headed by Isak Chishi Swu, SS Khaplang, Th Muivah and Gen Kholi Konyak as the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary and the Commander-in-Chief of the Naga Army respective to resuscitate the Naga people’s freedom movement, the MIP stated in its communiqué. Coming to the context of unification of the Nagas, the NSCN (IM) stated that there remained “certain unanswered questions that have been obstructing all good-will gestures”. “As the Naga people are fighting for our freedom against the Indian nation, the NSCN/GPRN have been repeatedly asking the Khaplang group to disassociate from our enemy camp”, it stated and questioned as to why the Khaplang cadres in collaboration with the Indian Army fighting against the NSCN (IM). “The peaceful settlement of Mr Kitovi, their General Secretary along with his followers at the heart of Mokokchung town even prior to their ceasefire declaration is ample proof of their brotherhood in arms against the Nagas”, the NSCN (IM) stated.
Significantly, the NSCN (IM) pointed to the joint operations of the NSCN (K) with the NNC/FGN. “Khaplang and Gen Kholi also rejected and condemned the Shillong Accord (NNC/FGN) and joined the fold in forming the NSCN, but today their joint operations with the NNC/FGN against the Naga Army is an open declaration of their acceptance and embracement of the infamous Shillong Accord (acceptance of the Indian Constitution).
Further, while stating that Nagas have been striving for a unified land of the Nagas presently under the arbitrary occupation of Myanmar and India, and to liberate the Naga nation from all alien subjugation to live as a people, the divisive policy or issue of quit notice to Naga tribes/family by the NSCN (K) clearly demonstrated their isolation from the Naga issue and portraying that they were mere tools of the enemy to divide the Naga people on tribal lines as well as arbitrary boundaries.
Message of NSCN (IM) on unification: The Morung Express

The Khaplang camp loudly speaks of unity but do not practice the ethics of unifying values, morals and qualities. The NSCN/GPRN has repeatedly asserted our willingness in the unity of the Nagas. We have time and again been sending various feelers in our desire to unify. Our door is always open to all the Nagas for unification and reconciliation. But unification can never take place as long as it is simply in words and not in deeds. A unification process has to be founded on certain ideals and modalities to materialize. And this modality is to be based on the Naga national principles. One has to stop associating with our adversaries. One has to part away from anti-Naga activities. One has to stop collaborating with the enemies of the Nagas. Then only there is a meeting point of unification in its true practical sense. For the Nagas national freedom struggle and the sacrifices laid transcend all reasons of irrationality. Let us unite for the Naga people’s cause rather than our egoistic whims or individual materialistic ends, so that a new era of peaceful and integrated Naga family to strive on with the rest of the world could be brought about.
Don’t resort to fake names: NSCN (K) to rival The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 14 (MExN): The NSCN (K) has pointed out that the rival “Isak-Khadao group” was resorting to using fake names in seeking clarification from the NSCN (K) and stated that it was not them but the Naga people who are calling Th Muivah and his Tangkhul followers as non-Nagas, anti-Nagas, anti-peace and terrorists. They alleged that this group of people had infiltrated into Naga territory from Manipur since the 1970s and that they had completely manipulated the entire traditional system of the Nagas in their attempt to rewrite the Naga history.
Claiming that the “Isak-Khadao’ group were issuing press statements using bogus names such as Wanthang Konyak and Among Sanglir Ao seeking clarification from the NSCN (K), the latter clarified that there was no Konyak by the name Wanthang and hardly any Aos known as Among Sanglir. Instead the NSCN (K) advised that they should be bold enough to write their actual names, instead of using fake names “because, Nagas know their cheating game”.
On the allegation on Indian security protection, the NSCN (K) stated that it was sixty years of having a matured government and did not require the protection of any outside forces, but the unity amongst the Nagas. Clarifying that it had nothing to do with the Indian Army and IRB, the NSCN (K) instead alleged that the rival’s ceasefire monitoring cell had all along been under the protection of Indian security since 2003 and also that Indian security forces shielded them right from Dimapur airport to Hebron camp. “It is a fact that Th Muivah and Isak used Indian passport and visa and all their foreign meetings are being managed by the Indian government which is an undeniable fact”, the NSCN (K) stated. About the targeting of three leaders A Z Jami, Kughalu Mulatonu and Y Wangtin Naga, it was stated that the resolution of quit notice was adopted by the Council. “The decisions were taken by the GPRN authorities who are working under the leadership of SS Khaplang, N Kitovi Zhimomi and General Kholi. Thus there leaders alone cannot be held responsible” as it was in the interest of Naga national policy, the release infromed .
NSF meets Rio on affiliation The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, Sept 14 (MExN): The Naga Students Federation, who met Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at his official residence today over the affiliation issue, said that it would resort to agitation if the Centre fails to respond to their demands in time and said that the situation may go from bad to worse. Rio was reported to have told the student leaders that the State government has taken up the issue with utmost sincerity and now a final decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister to resolve the issue. NSF General Secretary Elu Ndang said the Federation may make another trip to New Delhi to meet the central leaders and press upon the latter to expedite affiliation. However, a definite date for the vist has not been set, he added.
Chakhesang Church detests cycle of violence The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 14 (MExN): The Chakhesang Baptist Church Council today expressed deep resentment over the frequent outbreak of violence due to factional clashes in different parts of Nagaland. A statement received here today said, “We strongly condemn this fratricidal killings and elimination of fellow Nagas which is the most detestable crime against humanity.”
While outrightly condemning the killings, the CBCC has appealed to “all national workers regardless of faction not to indulge in such acts of crime which is not only against the law of the land but against the Biblical principles.”
Expressing serious concern over the prevailing tension and violence at Pfutsero Town where heavily armed cadres of different groups move around freely in full uniform in public inhabited areas “with its devious plan of using innocent public as human shields,” the church council lamented, “The factional groups have forcefully occupied a number of private houses and already displaced several families in different colonies at Pfutsero Town.”
Under the circumstances, the CBCC has appealed to the State Government and all other concerned authorities to intervene immediately so as to provide a sense of security and confidence to the general public. “We also appeal to the Government of India to implement in letter and spirit the ceasefire ground rules and ensure the armed factional groups stay away from the public inhabited areas,” the press statement jointly signed by CBCC Executive Secretary Rev K Luruo and President Nungoyi Khesoh said.
“The CBCC shall continue to stand committed to work and pray for peace, unity and reconciliation among the warring Nagas and advocate complete stoppage of bloodshed among the Nagas. May the peace of God prevail in our land.”
Unreasonable statement peeves KIM Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 14: Reacting to news reports published in some section of the media whereby recent news items and articles issued by Kuki Inpi Manipur president P Gangte were termed 'unfortunate and uncalled for', the KIM president has questioned the logic and motive behind the statement which did not provide any corroborative reason.

Speaking to the media during a Meet the Press programme at Manipur Press Club today, P Gangte asked all concerned whether any attempt towards reconciliation and to bring the two people together again by a process of forgive and forget be called unfortunate and uncalled for.
He also asked them if making factual accounts of the incidents were unfortunate or uncalled for.

He also reminded that KIM has appealed to NSCN (K) to drop the quit notice as the Kukis know the trauma and suffering resulting from the quit notice which was served to them by the UNC with directives from NSCN (IM) .
Pointing out the difference between the quit notices served by UNC and NSCN (K), he observed that the former was because of Kukis being Kukis while in the latter definite accusations, which may hold true or not, were made against the targeted sections.

UNC wreaked vengeance with the help of NSCN (IM) for the killings by Kukis when they were still non-Christians but the vengeful killings made by UNC were when all have become Christians, asserted Gangte. Despite the statement made by some Naga civil organisations, P Gangte reiterated the stand of KIM to appeal to NSCN (K) not to enforce the quit notice served to Tangkhuls in Nagaland but to provide an alternative that would be more humane and Christian.

Alleging that the appeal made by the Naga bodies to NSCN (K) was nothing but shedding crocodile's tears as they still avoid taking up any concrete initiative to undo the damages done to their Christian brethren, he termed such attitude of the Naga bodies really unfortunate and uncalled for. Speaking during the programme, chairman of KIM Election Committee TS Ngamkholun Haokip clarified that the notice issued by one Kamkhohao Khongsai was null and void. He added that Kamkhohao was expelled from KIM for his anti-KIM activities last year for three years. He also asserted that P Gangte has been duly elected as the 4th president of KIM and is the legitimate president. Ngamkholun further cautioned all Kukis not to participate in any illegal election called by unauthorised persons.
Night of terror visits Dimapur again

Crude bomb blasts 6 Police arrests 0

DIMAPUR, SEPT 14 (MExN): The same MO, the same weapon of destruction, similar casualties. In the latest crude-bomb attack on business establishments in Dimapur, Popular bakery, situated in the heart of town, this evening at around 8 pm suffered an explosion as yet to be identified gunmen hurled a ‘home-made bomb’ into the bakery. 4 persons including the proprietor of Beijing Restaurant, Paul Siung, who was out buying provisions at the store, sustained injuries. Paul received injuries in the calf of his left leg. Moncy from Thurivallah, a grocery store owner, received back injuries while Sanjay and Sarvas Kumar, staff of Popular Bakery, suffered multiple injuries with nails which burst from the bomb remaining injected inside their flesh at the time of filing this report.
(left) SDPO Dimapur Vilhousie Peseyie inspecting the site of the blast. (right) Proprietor of Beijing Restaurant, Paul Siung, who was among the injured. (MExPix)

The latest incident tallies the number of such explosions in recent months to six. Police say the non-cooperation of shopkeepers in revealing vital information is hampering investigation. Police also say the recent blasts are related to the serving of ‘demand notes.’ Today’s crude bomb, Police revealed, was made of a 2-inch pipe filled with gunpowder and nails which caused the injuries after the fuse was lit. Dimapur Deputy Commissioner KN Ngullie and DMC Chairman Tovihoto Ayemi rushed to Metro Hospital to visit the injured and to take stock of the situation.

Grocer shot dead

Minutes after the explosion at Popular Bakery, terror revisited the commercial hub of Nagaland as a person was shot dead while having tea at a dhaba located at Kalibari Road also known as Marwari Patti at around 8:40 pm. Eye witness accounts say the deceased, identified only as Akhtar, a grocery store owner, was having tea at ‘Jain Sweets’ with two of his acquaintances when two identified gunmen entered and shot him. The two who were seated with Akhtar reportedly fled the scene after the incident. Police found Rs 18,750 from Akhtar’s possession.

Police found 4 shells at the site of the murder. A bullet of a .32 pistol was reportedly fired in the air. 3 empty shells of an M20 pistol were also recovered. Two of these bullets entered the deceased’s body while another made an impact on the floor, missing the intended target. A shaken proprietor of the tea stall, Ashok Mitra, identified the perpetrators as only ‘two dark-complexioned men.’ He informed that Akhtar and one among the two of his companions were regular customers. Police later moved the body into a truck to take it for an autopsy.

This Gandhian's goal is Naga uplift Rashmi Sarmah TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

GUWAHATI: Indians may now be re-discovering Mahatma Gandhi and his ideology, albeit as 'Gandhigiri' popularised by Bollywood, but one person has spent his entire life trying to promote the great leader's philosophy in a remote part of the country.

For several years, Natwarbhai Thakkar, Nagaland's most famous Gandhian and recipient of several national awards, has been working to bridge the gap between Nagas and rest of the country. A Gujarati from Dahanu Road in Maharashtra, Thakkar is known for his developmental and humanitarian works on Gandhian lines in the state.

In fact, Thakkar is one of the few non-Nagas to have been accepted by the Nagas into their community. His wife Lentina, who is the first Naga gram sevika trained in the Sarania Ashram in Guwahati, has helped keep up his moral. To promote all-round development of the people of Nagaland, this humble septuagenarian established the Nagaland Gandhi Ashram in 1955 in the remote Ao Naga village in Makokchung district, when he was 23.

"I was motivated by the atmosphere of idealism the country was charged with under the leadership of Gandhiji during the freedom movement. I found my guide in Acharya Kakasaheb Kalelkar, a Gandhian stalwart, who encouraged me to work for integration of people in the frontier regions with the rest of the country."

“Quit Notice” reality behind and beyond- The Nagaland Post Opnion
Of late, much hype is being created specially through print media to the extent of drawing criticism from so called international fraternities for Nagas, against NSCN (K) serving "Quit Notice" to Tangkhul community from Nagaland. Projecting the move as communal and ethnic cleansing in nature. To certain extent such contention could be agreed upon. However before giving arbitrary verdict or judgment without proper public trial let us first delve into ethnic historical composition of Naga society in general and present constitutional framework by which multi-ethnic people of NE India are despite certain grievances impartially administered with proportionate representation in almost every aspect as enshrined in the Indian constitution. It has been recorded by various historians both natives and foreigners about obscurity of Naga origin and its diverse route of migration through ages to present geographical habitat of the Nagas. At no point of time were any particular identified group of people within particularly demarcated geographical area given a commonly agreed ethnic definition such as "Naga".
However, necessitated by modern re-organization of states into various states particularly after 2nd World War and quite considerably post-colonial re-organization era in Asia, Africa and Latin American. The ethnic people of NE-India began asserting their identities in similar trend as were contemporary to these infant nation states.
At this juncture, tribal people identifying themselves as Nagas and composed of twenty 20 tribes including Kukis submitted memo to British India empire in assertion of its independence and desire to remain so without joining Indian union. That expression permeates down to grass-root level of independent Naga village republics resulted in plebiscite nearly after two decades later. This memorandum to Simon Commission and plebiscite has far reaching political and social implications that which we are experiencing specially in our present Nagaland state today as in identity conflict as to who are and not a Naga.
If tradition or culture is to be a factor of defining the ethnic race and as such present ethnic tribal asserting themselves as Naga including Tangkhuls is qualified, then entire Mongoloid stock in SE-Asia would be deemed qualified as a Naga for instance tribal people living in between Burma, China and India has so much in common with Thais of Thailand and Vietnamese or the Chinese.
However, evaluation of tribal identity of Naga as people and nation is unique and more closely subscribe to Rousseau's theory of social contract, where early people decided to bond together to survive through mutual contract in order to withstand ravages of time and to progress ahead with common needs and general welfare being inter-dependent.
Similarly, now called Naga despite republican and independent village entities in nature even within tribe, the advent of imperialism, colonialism and modern concept of nations state stimulated us to bond together as people and to assert our independent existence in the face of colonial and neo-colonial threatening forces. Pertinent reference to be made here in the context of Tangkhul-Naga Meitei identity crisis is-at no point of time in the history has Tangkhuls in any manner been associated with Nagas politically, socially or culturally. Since formation of Naga club, submission of memo to Simon Commission in 1929, formation of NNC in 1946, plebiscite of 1951 till formation of Nagaland state-1963, there had been no instance of any Tangkhuls representatives claiming themselves as Naga or any such participation in these crucial phases of Naga struggle for independence.
On the other hand Tankguls are historically, culturally, linguistically and politically has maximum affinity and closer relationship with Meities of Manipur valley than with the Nagas since pre-colonial ages. Even within the present Indian states framework, Tankghuls enjoy fair amount of any such state's privileges as entitled to any citizen from Manipur state. It is to be noted that Tangkhul enjoy vast majority of political provisions within twenty Manipur state legislative assembly seats allotted to hill tribes of Manipur, since foundation of Manipur statehood till date, Tangkhuls are the lone tribe that has twice occupied coveted chief minister's seat of Manipur assembly amongst the hill tribes, Reishing Keishing Tangkhul is at present representing Manipur in lone Rajya Sabha seat in the Indian parliament. It was during his tenure as chief minister of Manipur, he boldly made a declaration that not an inch of Manipur's hill area would be merged with Nagaland.
Isak Sumi, Military spokesman (Naga army) People Army of Nagaland NSCN (K).
New tactics of ISI Okenjeet Sandham Kangla on line

KOHIMA, Sep. 15: New tactics of ISI Of late, serious disturbing trends have been taking place which would adversely affect not only demography of the region but also internal security of the country. The recent disclosures of the findings about the appointments of the hundreds of the Pakistan`s ISI agents in the Social Welfare Department of Asom and ISI`s calculated risk to launch AIDS/HIV war to the personnel of the Indian Army and paramilitary Forces indicate that everything is fragile in the system.

According to the Opposition Asom Gana Parishad, AGP, of the 300 appointments made in the State`s (Asom) Social Welfare Department, 250 belonged to a particular community with some of them being ISI agents. They have already sent letters to the Prime Minister, State Governor, Union Ministers of Home Affairs and Social Justice and Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha, demanding CBI inquiry as the matter had "serious ramification on the internal security of the country."

The report, which was actually submitted last year July, has been made known to public only recently. "It is very dangerous for (the) security of the state in the near future," Harmohan Kakoti, a DSP, who conducted the probe on the appointment of ISI agents in the Social Welfare Department in Asom, said in a report.

On the other hand, an intelligence report reveals that the ISI has already taken calculated risk to spread HIV virus among personnel of the Indian army and paramilitary forces. The ISI`s designs meant to be implemented with the help of several anti-national militant organizations having bases in Bangladesh and making frequent forays into India`s northeastern states with the sole aim of destabilizing the country. The sources however disclosed that ISI has reportedly been successful in spreading HIV/AIDS to the personnel of the Indian armed forces stationed in the region.

Already there are sad reports that more personnel of the Assam Rifles are dying of AIDS than in operations against the militants in India`s northeastern states where the deadly disease is highly prevalent. The personnel were reportedly infected with HIV through sexual contacts with women mostly in the areas in the vicinity of the international border. There are more than a million uniformed men deployed for long durations in the remote parts of India from northeastern states to Jammu and Kashmir.

Region`s economic underdevelopment with the prolonged insurgency and the chasm that existed between the people of the region and mainland people are some of the reasons that also have given room to the illegal immigrants and the outside elements to exploit maximum advantages. Besides the rampant influx of illegal immigrants from across the international border through the porous international border is also one of the areas spawning anti-national activities.

The Tarun Gogoi Government in Asom has been accused of providing legal shields to such illegal immigrants for their narrow political mileage. Gogoi had even criticized the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajay Singh, when the latter highlighted about the entry of 6000 illegal Bangladeshis daily into Asom soil. Assam is, in fact, the breeding ground for illegal immigrants who have created massive economic imbalances, leading to serious socio-economic-political crises in the region. In fact, the long stretch of Asom forest bordering Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh has been over the years disappeared and been systematically occupied by the illegal immigrants. Unfortunately, these illegal migrants have been given legal protection with resident certificates, pattas, etc for narrow political mileage. As a result, the real Assamese people have been reduced to minority in most of the border districts and they are now voiceless.

Nagaland is the next target as abnormal Muslim population has been noticed. In the last few years, there is a dramatic change in the socio-economic feature of the State. The lack of work culture, easy money, easy life style, etc are the main causes that these Muslims mostly coming from Assam have taken opportunities to stay in Nagaland. These Muslims started doing all the manual works, house construction, taxi driving, rickshaw pulling and even cultivation today. They run almost half of the shops in Dimapur, the biggest commercial hub of the State and also the capital, Kohima.

Unless the people in Asom along with the rest of the region have a serious coordinated plan to check the surge of illegal immigrants, there will be unending social chaos and destruction in the region. The findings of ISI appointees in Asom`s Social Welfare Department is a dangerous trend and the authorities should constitute a Committee to check all the departments before these elements start accessing to the key areas of the Government.
Manipur: Never Ending Story... U A Shimray The Morung Express Perspective
Imphal city is the only State’s capital situated in the vast valley [except Dispur of Assam] in the North Eastern region. The tiny Manipur state manifests unique physical features and socio-cultural entity. Topographically, it is divided into hills and valley areas, which the Hills surround the narrow Valley. Out of state’s total population, the non-tribal communities including Meitei, Pangan and migrants constitutes a largest share of population accounting 65.57 per cent. The tribal constitute only 34.43 per cent. The Scheduled Caste population is very minimal.
Hooded-face’s Day Out: Learn More…
No doubt, Imphal City is replete with myths, folklore, heritages and historical background. The largest and famous women’s bazaar or popularly known as Ima Keithel [Mother’s market] is situated in the middle of the city. Today city is filled with educated unemployed youths, AIDS is rampant, corruption is infested to all institutions and insurgency is very much mobile.
Today, what store in Manipur is – bandhs, strikes, dharna, road blockade, protest, rally, burning and destroying common properties and it’s becoming a way of life. Imphal is very absorbing city if one closely observe. The more one seek, more mysticism reveals in its own way. Indeed, frustration of the educated unemployed manifests itself in different forms. Take a simple example- a man in Ninja-like outfit Rickshawpullers covering their faces and performed their daily business. Seldom asked by the people why they are covering their faces. Even the Traffic Police dare not to ask such question. It is not just a hooded-face’s day out. The faces are hidden not because of pollution or neither because of law nor because of style, but the faces behind the scarf are the stigma of Educated Youth.
Sometimes, in Manipur democracy is intolerable. Every now and then we experience strikes, bandhs, in other words, “public curfew,” road-blockade known as “economic blockade”, and Hindi boycott [by Underground]. Undergrounds’ “diktat” [also read in different terms like extortion, levy tax, percentage-cut and donation] to government servants, contractors, businesspersons and politicians is no a new kind of business in the state. Even the media are not spare. Observing the present scenario, “diktat” tradition became too agonizing.
One interesting query here is what going on in government offices? The public is “just” watching the drama of unholy nexus of Politicians and UG, Engineers/Bureaucrats and UG, Businesspersons/Contractors and UG and even Social Organisations and UG…so on. This is open secret. Indeed, there is serious allegation of high-level politicians and bureaucrats having “link” with the underground outfits. In every Department/employees donate yearly “percentage” to the UGs [irrespective of Valley or Hills]. And every contract works are scan and undergone UG’s percentage cut. When say, there is “parallel authority” no one can say NO. So the losers are the poor common people. The long silence of the socially responsible organisations, NGOs over the issue of allegation, nexus, percentage cut…implies that something fishy is there. So there is no “question and answer” just between the licensed gun [State] and un-licensed AK 47.

Meetei Mayek, Board Affiliation…
Is Meetei Mayek movement relevance for the tribal community…? In respect of social, cultural and political situation, a movement does not hold any prospect for the tribal. Every tribal community has their own respective languages and use Roman script for writing purpose. Donald Horowitz (1985) comments that the “language is a symbol of domination.” Indeed, language is one important cultural component having immense social and political implications. And most importantly, language is cultural heritage and identity.
Unfortunately, in North Eastern region, languages used by the dominant groups often adopted as the official language. For instance, Bengali in Tripura state, Assamese in Assam state, Manipuri or Meiteilon in Manipur state and English is popular in Nagaland. In such situation, these languages became inevitable for communication as Lingua Franca. Meiteilon is commonly used as lingua franca between the various ethnic groups in Manipur. However, majority of the tribal groups cannot read or write Meiteilon because it uses Bengali script [And now MEELAL is spearheading to replace all the Bengali script by Meetei Mayek]. The linguistic problem in Manipur began during the early 1980s when the Government of Manipur attempted to introduce Meiteilon as compulsory subject in matriculation examination. But, the tribal put strong resistance and issue was settled by keeping Meiteilon as an optional for the tribal students in lieu Additional English subject is offer.
Today, Naga areas are uneasy over the issue of School affiliation to the Nagaland Board. However, the issue is not “instance coffee” solution. This affiliation required strong technical support because the issue touches inevitable state political jurisdiction and Acts. At the same time, it needed “white paper” in order to bring amendment. It is understandable for the Naga side that the issue bears strong sentimental attachment and “one-ness” Naga politics. However, one should also acknowledge that so-called “emotional politics” is not the right approach in such given present situation. Such delicate and legal involved issue needs thorough examination and proper homework before executing. Improper execution could bring unhealthy repercussions to the society.
Nonetheless, an avenue of emotion things often fails in long run. Today’s world is a world of diplomacy. Also, time to give and play mature politics so that the statesmanship is maintained. It is easy to burn down or destroy things because the given materials are vulnerable. But construction is not an easy thing. One important culture that I learn from my village elders is that Naga tradition prohibits to burn down or destroying one’s properties only nature can destroy it. Indeed, our emotional politics causes so much destruction either in the valley or hills. In 18 June uprising so much damage had been done our public properties, MEELAL activists’ burn down Manipur oldest library, and Naga civil organizations burn down many public properties. So, the question is where our rational thinking?
So much is damaged by emotional politics and it is really hitting the ethnic relationship. We all know the history of neighbour-relationship that had nurtured for so many centuries. So, let us learn from one another rather than capitalising ethnic hatred that have been embedded by the state agency. So the most important thing is to respect one another and acknowledge the important of political struggle and rights.

The writer is Assistant Professor, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore
Ugly pasts The Sangai Express editorial
Time, they say is the best healer but there are times when the cut is so deep that time also fails to heal completely and the pain still persists. And the Naga-Kuki ethnic clash that took place in the early part of the 90s can perhaps be clubbed amongst the scars which time has not been successful in completely healing. The pain still seems to persists and while Black Day is observed by the Kuki community to recollect the day in which 117 of their kindred were killed in a single day on September 13, 1993, the people of Manipur should learn a lesson from this ugly episode that violence does not pay in any sense and ethnic clashes do nothing except leave a trail of destruction, orphaning and widowing many. It is difficult to provide the exact number of people killed or the number of villagers uprooted and displaced from their homelands, but there are numerous accounts of gory deaths and mayhem from the clashes between the two dominant tribal groups of Manipur. Even as the Naga-Kuki clash singed the hill districts of Manipur, the Meite-Meitei Pangal communal clash erupted in which numerous minority Meitei Pangals were hacked to death amid rumours and false propaganda. This was not all, as the Kuki-Paite clash followed at Churachandpur district which again left many dead and orphaned and widowed many. The pain, the shame and agony of these past should not be brushed aside for there are valuable lessons that we can learn from these ugly incidents. Manipur is home to a number of community and ethnic groups and any stand off between any of these groups of people will do nothing except add to the tears and misery of the people. This is the number one lesson we have to learn from the three gory pasts we have just mentioned.
On the other hand we cannot allow ourselves to be caught by the hatred and senselessness of the past and the best way is to look forward and work for an environment where our children can enjoy the fruits of peace, communal harmony and love between different sets of people. The Black Day observed by the Kuki people on September 13 should ideally be observed by the State, not to rekindle the spirit of hatred and animosity but to declare to each other that we will not allow such senseless killings to occur in the future. The victims of the September 13 massacre were innocent Kuki villagers no doubt, but it is also true to a certain extent that it was a manifestation of how we as a people had failed to provide security and protection to our fellow brethren. It was also a telling example of how the State machineries failed totally to protect its citizens and this what we should all be ashamed of. To move forward and search for the healing touch for all the ugly incidents of the past, we have to look forward and take a leaf out of the past to ensure that it is not repeated in the future. The present is the product of the past and the future will be shaped by the present. Can we as a people, assure that such incidents will not occur again ? This is the question that we need to address to on a priority basis. And the first step is to stop pointing accusing fingers at anyone but adopt a reconciliatory stand. This would be the most noble and bravest act of all.
SP ex-secy slams Centre for AFSPA By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 14: Samajwadi Party ex-national secretary and in-- charge of North East region Mahavir Singh has slamm-ed the Union Government for continued imposition of the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 in Manipur even after the Act has failed to serve its purpose.
Though the Act was imposed to fight militancy, it has, on the contrary, bred more militancy and since the imposition of AFSPA 1958 in Manipur, numerous militant groups have mushroomed. On the other hand, under the immunity guaranteed by the infamous Act, gross violations of human rights by security forces have become the order of the day, Mahavir noted.
Consequent upon rampant killings and human rights violations by security forces, the people of Manipur have become all the more alienated and massive civil uprisings against the State have become a re-gular feature, he observed.
Maintaining that the ever worsening unemployment problem was the primary reason behind the growth of insurgency in the State, he flayed the Congress led Governments in the Centre and the State for their failure to take up any concrete step to address the growing menace.
Taking part in the press meet, president of Manipur Pradesh Samajwadi Party Dr S Dhananjoy announced that the party would field 35 to 40 candidates in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Govt dithering on talks: NDFB From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
UDALGURI, Sept 14 – The militant outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) observed its 18th Martyr’s Day at its designated camp in Udalguri today, where the NDFB chairman Ranjan Daimari’s three-page written address to the NDFB cadres and Boro people was read out. In his address the NDFB chairman accused the Indian Government of trying to lengthen the peace process with NDFB by not starting the peace talks and harping just on the issue of submission of the charter of demands. He also warned the Government of India against making the mistake of trying to weaken and finish off NDFB under the guise of a ceasefire.

On September 14, 1988, NDFB cadre Bangbur Gwra Boro was killed by security forces in Rowta. He was the first member of the NDFB to die for their cause of a sovereign Boroland. Since then the NDFB is observing the day as Martyr’s Day or ‘Mungkhlong Sun’. This year the NDFB observed the day at the designated camp at Udalguri, where rich tributes were paid to the martyrs by the NDFB leaders, cadres and people of the locality.

In today’s Martyr’s Day function at the Udalguri designated camp, the NDFB army chief, S Susrangra, and deputy Speaker, D Degra also spoke about the greatness of the martyr’s and the resolve of the NDFB to continue its struggle. Apart from the NDFB leaders and cadres, a few people from the nearby villages of the designated camp were also present on the occasion.
PM must intervene in peace talks: ULFA By ANI Thursday
Guwahati, Sep 14 (ANI): The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh since the peace talks between New Delhi and the ULFA is deadlocked after the outfit was asked for a letter with details of the negotiation process. The ULFA has demanded the release of five of its imprisoned leaders, which has delayed progress in the talks. According to the ULFA, the talks cannot progress without the release of the detained leaders. Indira Goswami, who has been nominated by the ULFA to mediate with the Centre, has said that the release of the jailed rebels is necessary for the talks to progress. She also said the Centre is unjustified in asking for a formal letter without an executive meeting. Goswami is leading an 11-member team of Assamese civil society leaders, collectively called the People's Consultative Group.
A 10-day suspension of operations by the Army was announced by New Delhi against ULFA on August 13. This was later extended by another 25 days. (ANI)
India, Myanmar talks "most productive": Indian official Nagarealm.com
New Delhi, SEP14 [IRNA] : Indian Union Home Secretary V K Duggal described the secretary-level talks held between Indian and Myanmar as "most productive." Duggal, who led a 16-member Indian delegation at the annual talks held here Wednesday, said: "We have discussed all the issues which includes security, border management, trade, drugs and smuggling besides free movement of people and release of prisoners."
India asked Myanmar to crackdown on north-east Indian insurgent groups operating from that country as the two countries grappled with the boundary dispute on the first day of their home secretary-level talks.
Both sides, however, declined to elaborate on the question of a crackdown on the militants similar to the 2003 Bhutan Army operation against ULFA or on the possibility of a joint operation.

The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like the United Nationalist Liberation Front (UNLF) and People's Liberation Army (PLA) operating from across the border.
The Myanmarese delegation, while not acknowledging the presence of these insurgents on their territory, are understood to have promised to look into the issue raised by India, the sources said.

The talks are to resume on Sept 16, the last day of the four-day visit of the Myanmarese delegation, which is visiting Ladakh tomorrow. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Brig Gen Phone Swe is leading the visiting delegation. India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar with Arunachal Pradesh alone accounting for 520 kilometers followed by Mizoram with 510.

Manipur shares 398 kilometers of its boundary with Myanmar and with Nagaland another 258 kilometers. Both sides also discussed ways for further strengthening of cooperation in tackling activities of arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other disruptive elements along the border.

The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar, particularly in the road and power sectors in which the two countries have agreed to cooperate, was also reviewed. The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is building the 151-km-long Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa road in Myanmar and it is likely to offer to maintain the road. The Myanmarese delegation later called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil and invited him for a visit to Yangon besides presenting him a momento.

Frans on 09.15.06 @ 03:11 PM CST [link]


Thursday, September 14th

`Constitution remains primary but Naga talks making headway`The Imphal Free Press


`Constitution remains primary but Naga talks making headway`The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 13: Union Minister,Oscar Fernandez has said that even though the solution of the cease-fire extension between the centre and the NSCN (IM) won`t come easy, he is optimistic to find out a solution and every effort is being made to sort out substantial issues involved during the one year extension of the peace talk.
The minister, who made the statement in a press conference held today at the MPCC office, Imphal however declined to go into details. Oscar Fernandez, while answering a query on the breaking of ground rules by the NSCN(IM) said that there is a positive direction in this matter and in the coming days ceasefire will be effectively maintained.

On the demands for the separate educational policy for the Nagas in the four hill district of the state by some Naga NGO`s and students, he maintained that education is a state subject and (even) if the NSCN(IM) wanted to include the matter in their substantive issues, the government will abide by the constitution and there is so ambiguity about it. He also expressed confidence that there will be a forward movement in the peace process with some UG group based in the state within a reasonable time and said a concerted effort is being made in this regard.

He also said that there is a need for public leaders to take initiative for it to succeed as in other states. On the forthcoming Manipur state Assembly elections, Fernandez said the election commission can take whatever necessary steps to ensure free and fair elections.

He said that CPI, a partner of Congress led SPF government in the state had good relations with the Congress and revealed that he had an informal chat with AB Bardhan, general secretary, CPI yesterday who is also in the state for political reasons. Refering to the merger of the MSCP with the Congress, the minister said, the matter has already been referred to the party high command and it is left to the state leaders to decide.

He also said that while in his stay in the state he had visited RIMS hospital, Khuman Lampak Stadium and Central Manipur University. He was briefed about the state of affairs by the chief minister. The union minister had also expressed happiness over the signs of fast pace of development in the NE states which he stated is emerging towards a world class generation.

With the launching of the proposed sports academy he further expected more international level sports personality from the state. On the other hand, he said that the centre will extend all possible help to upgrade the RIMS in a world class standard medical institute

Oscar reiterates commitment to Naga talks Newmai News Network
Imphal Union minister, Oscar Fernandes said in Imphal today that all efforts would be made to sort out substantive issues involved in the ongoing peace talk with the NSCN (IM) during the added year of extension of the cease-fire. Fernandes, who is one of New Delhi’s representatives holding negotiations with NSCN (IM) leadership visited Manipur yesterday afternoon and he left Imphal this morning. He visited the state to take stock of affairs of the Manipur Congress (I).
Talking to newsmen before leaving Imphal this morning Fernandes said he is optimistic to find out a solution, but refused to disclose details. He said disclosing everything at this stage will not be in the interest of the peace process. Fernandes, however, said that everything would be made public when something concrete could be worked out during the forthcoming negotiations. He did not say when the peace talk will resume. On cease fire ground rules of the NSCN (IM) cadres the Union minister said, in the coming days, cease-fire ground rules will be implemented effectively. Much more will be done in the coming days on the observance of ground rules. Replying to a question on the stance of the Centre on the demand for separate education policy like adoption Nagaland syllabus in the four hill distrticts of Manipur as being demanded by the Naga organizations the Union minister said education as a state subject is to be tackled by the state.
Commenting on the recent visit by a delegation of Naga organizations to Delhi to pay hill house tax of Nagas living in Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong districts Fernandes said there is no provision of the Centre to collect hill house tax. It is to be collected by the state government. He reiterated that these are state subjects and the Manipur government can tackle with these problems. Fernandes also disclosed that there will be a forward movement of peace process with some militant groups in Manipur within reasonable time.
On the holding a free and fair Manipur assembly elections, he said that the Election Commission can take whatever necessary steps to hold smooth polling. He said the CPI, a partner in the Ibobi Singh’s Secular Progressive Front ministry is still in good relation with the Congress and he held informal chat yesterday with AB Vardhan, CPI general secretary now camping in Imphal.
Gen Kholi breaks silence “Solution lies with the Naga people provided all Nagas are united” Morung Express News Dimapur | September 13
In what will go down as a significant testimonial on the Naga political issue, the much revered Naga national leader General Kholi Konyak, Commander-in-Chief, Naga Army of the NSCN (K) humbly appealed for restoring unity among the Nagas. “Sometimes, tears run down my face, considering the present Naga political scenario, but our leaders have failed to understand the ill effects of today’s unrest. Therefore, I humbly appeal to my people to work hard for unity among the Nagas for our future”, Gen Kholi stated in a rare statement received here.
Nothing will be achieved unless a consensus is formulated from among the Nagas Addressing his former comrade in arms Isak Chishi Swu and Th Muivah, now Chairman and General Secretary of the NSCN (IM), Gen Kholi raised the issue of how a great number of innocent Nagas had been killed as a result of the Naga imbroglio. “Do you remember what greatest crime our cadres have committed before God and our Naga fellows? Was it not under you (Isak and Muivah) did our cadres slaughter the following innocent Nagas when were working together?” Gen Kholi stated and disclosed how around 1500 innocent persons were killed across the Naga homeland.
Gen Kholi also disclosed about the order given by Isak and Muivah to one Captain Shing-O to kill 17 officers belonging to five different tribes.
“This was the system of Isak-Muivah administration which is directly responsible for today’s unrest in Nagaland”, Gen Kholi maintained and charged that even today, both leaders had not “quenched their thirst for blood”.
On the bitterness between the Changs and Konyaks, the General pointed out that this was created by Maj. Hao Tangkhul who on August 20, 1986 attacked the Village Guard post of Yimpang and Taknyu, which “Chang brothers blamed on innocent Konyaks”. But neither Chang nor Konyak can forsake each other under any circumstances, because they are from the same womb having the same blood, Gen Kholi stated.
Besides, Gen Kholi disclosed that in between 1985-1999, about 383 innocent Naga public were felled under the bullets of the NSCN (IM) and how even those from the Naga Army were murdered on the charges of coming late from their out pass leave.
“The despotic, chauvinistic and merciless of our leaders proved to be an unfortunate factor that brought about the ceaseless bloodshed in Nagaland as we see today”.
The General also described the political situation in Nagaland as “getting deteriorated” and blamed this on the presence of “anti-Naga elements in our society”.
“I am fortunate to witness and experience the causes of today’s unrest in Nagaland”, he pointed and blamed “anti-Naga, anti-peace, autocratic and despotic character of some of our leaders” to be the main reasons which had divided and still divide the Nagas into different camps. “Till now these leaders befool the Nagas by staying in foreign countries at the expenses of the Nagas, leaving them behind at the mercy of these anti-Naga elements”, he was quoted as saying and that these people “will achieve nothing than invite the wrath of the Nagas and curse of the living God”.
Message to Over-ground leaders: “All my over ground leaders, your prime duty is to unite all the Nagas, but your one-sided support to the Isak-Muivah group shows of your irresponsibility and instead your actions adds more fuel to the burning fire of fratricides in our society. You know that you have committed serious mistake in Naga political history by becoming a shadow members of Isak group. Therefore my appeal to you is to work for unity among the Nagas, which is the only means for an everlasting peace and solution for the Nagas”

Message to educated Nagas and intellectual groups: “And my Naga educated and intellectual groups. You also should stop writing inflammable and insulting articles in support of either of the faction so as to create the atmosphere of peace for Naga unity”.
“Those Naga leaders believe on foreign countries forgetting that solution lies with the Naga people provided all Nagas are united together. Nothing will be achieved unless a consensus is formulated from among the Nagas”, Gen Kholi stated in no uncertain terms.
Raising issues with Isak and Muivah, the General questioned as to whether the two had achieved anything by way of their destructive policy. “I repeatedly told both of you and the NNC leaders not to shed blood of Naga leaders under any circumstances. When both of you were kept under the Naga Army custody in 1978, I the same man (Gen Kholi) saved your lives and gave you a new lease of life. You as emotional leaders may deny it, but God knows what was going on. Your arrogance and pride brought about today’s unrest in Nagaland”, the General remarked. He also questioned V.S Atem on what his achievement was in visiting Tuensang town and “misguiding the Chang brothers? “Every action carries with it its equal reaction”.
Grace Collins is a ‘friend of the Nagas’: NSCN (I-M) The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 13 (MExN): Reacting to the accusations leveled against Grace Lyu Collins by the NSCN (K), the NSCN (I-M) today said: “Through media and activities, Khaplang philosophy of nationalism has been sufficiently revealed in itself of their fallacy. People no more have taste for shameful media propagandas, libels or defamations.”
The MIP of the NSCN (I-M) clarified that Grace Collins is a resource person at the Geneva United Nations World Human Rights Commission. The Yaruiwo of the organization Isak Chishi Swu met Grace during a conference of the United Nations Human Rights Commission held at Geneva in 2003, where he tabled “the Indo-Naga issue and the human rights violations being committed by the Indian agencies upon the Naga people,” the MIP release said. “It was through this introduction of the Naga people’s plight that first captured the attention of Grace Collins that led to further intense interactions and earned her sympathies for the Naga people’s sufferings.”
The organization further said that it was through ‘the friends of the Nagas’ that it could be declared in the international forum that “India had violated 25 human rights violations in Nagalim, out of the 30 United Nations charters of Human Rights violations.”
Maintaining that they do not pay the friends of the Nagas “for what they are sacrificing for us, but we owe to them the gratitude of at least thanking and praying and them,” the NSCN (I-M) appealed, “It is the sincere appeal of the GPRN to all well-wishers and friends of the Nagas that whatever vulgarity of unfounded accusations issued by the Khaplang group should be ignored in its entirety because it does not represent the sentiments or thoughts of the Nagas.”
The release also questioned, “If the Khaplang people are in their right frame of mind and truly fighting for the Naga people’s cause, why would they condemn, criticize, threaten, insult or issue libels against all the Civil societies, friends of the Naga and International communities who are tirelessly working for the Nagas’ cause by unveiling the truth?”
Oscar keeps ‘talks card’ close to chest By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 13: Terming the one year ceasefire extension period as an important phase in the ongoing Government of India and NSCN (IM) peace parleys towards finding a solution, Union Minister Oscar Fernandez expressed confidence that the next round of talks would be able to sort out substantial issues involved.
Talking to newsmen this morning, Fernandez, who is leading the Centre’s team in negotiating with the NSCN (IM) leadership said he is optimistic of thrashing out a solution.
The AICC General Secretary, however, declined to discuss details saying ‘everything would be disclosed after the talks are over’.
“It is not an issue that we can resolve in a day’s time. At the moment we are able to extend the ceasefire by another year. This issue has been raised since the last fifty years. In this one year period we’d like to discuss the main issues”, Oscar maintained during the crowded press conference at Congress Bhavan before wrapping up his two-day State visit.
“I think in the next coming months we would be able to take up some substantive issues for the discussions. I’m very optimistic that we can find it ultimately and we should be able to find it. I’m very sure that within a reasonable period of time, there would be some initiatives and some forward movements would be seen”, he observed. Explaining on his reluctance to elaborate details of the negotiations, he stated that it is not in the interest of either parties involved. To a poser on the rebel group violating the ceasefire ground rules by allegedly continuing extortion activities, the Congress leader who is also in charge of Party’s north east affairs contended that the problem is for the people of the State to deal with it. “In the last peace talks these were the main issues which we had taken up and there had been a positive moment of inclining towards the right perspective which I think you will find much better very soon,” he said.
When urged to expound centre’s stance to the ‘non-cooperation movement’ launched by some Naga NGOs against the Manipur government the Congress leader observed it is not only a state subject but is very much under the purview of the state government.
As such the demands for affiliation of schools in the four districts of Manipur to Nagaland board of School Education cannot be taken up by the centre, Fernandez said while adding that if anything is to be done on the issue it is the prerogative of the state.
He also informed that there is no provision in the Centre to collect house tax when a section of the media raised the question of handing over house tax to the central Government.
To another query on what would be the Centre’s position in case the NSCN (IM) insist that the non-cooperation movement be endorsed and discussed in the next talks, Oscar responded “What is within our purview we did it and what is not we cannot”.
The Minister asserted that if the NSCN (IM) wanted to include the matter in their substantive issues, the Government will abide by the Constitution and there is no ambiguity about it.
Fernandez also disclosed there will be a forward movement of peace process with some underground outfits in the State within a reasonable time.
Commenting on the law and order situation he said it is for the state to seek the support of the centre if it is beyond their help. The centre does the rescue of the state by extending whatever support is put forth by the state. He also recalled the recent CMs’ meeting convened by the Prime Minister to discuss the law and order and security aspects in all the State.
On the holding to State Assembly elections, Fernandez said the Election Commission of India can take whatever necessary steps to ensure free and fair poll in its wisdom.
He claimed that the SPF coalition partner CPI is still in good relation with the Congress-led Government and revealed of this sentiment echoed during an informal chat he had with CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan who is also in the State. Referring to the security aspect for the forthcoming polls, he suggested that requirement for additional security force from other States for the polls would have to be assessed by the state and subsequently propose the matter to the EC. The centre will stand by the requirement of the ECI, he added.

'K' urged to roll back quit notice Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 13: Expressing grave concern, the presidential council of the United Naga Council (UNC) has appealed to the NSCN (K) to reconsider the 'Quit Notice' served on the Tangkhul community in Nagaland.
In a joint statement signed by 12 Naga bodies including Ng Gilbert (president, CNPO) M Dilli (president NPO), D Dikambui (president, ZU AMN), R Jindashing (president Moyon tribe), KAdani Choro (president Mei Mai Mao Tribe), Ts Ngamtin, (president Monsang Tribe), Th Angrung Maring )president Maring tribe) MLMarkson (president Poumai tribe), H Khangba (president Thangal tribe), Kh Paul (president Chothe tribe), L Hingba (president Maram tribe) and Nula Kono, (president Anal tribe), it urged the NSCN faction to review the decision on humanitarian ground as it is the desire of the Naga people to sort out any differences through mutual understanding and dialogue.
Expressing optimism, the Naga bodies said that the Naga peoples effort to build understanding and oneness among the Naga family is a unwavering stand to establish a cordial atmosphere for reconciliation and hoped that NSCN (K) take a more lenient stand on the matter.

The Naga bodies while taking strong exception also termed the recent news reports and articles issued by P Gangte in recent time as unfortunate and uncalled for.
Sympathizing with the sentiments of both the Kukis and the Nagas arising out of the Kuki-Naga conflict in the early 90s, the statement said that Naga people have strived for normalcy and peace.

Towards arriving at an understanding between the conflicting communities, KIM and the UNC initiated a human approach to build confidence and defuse misunderstanding, the statement said.
The bodies also urged all to maintain harmony.
Quit notice and voice of the people In Focus The Morung Express
• Sir – The Memei Hoho with the deepest sadness and seriousness draw the attention of the NSCN (K) group of Kilonsers on the Quit Notice (Q N) served to the Tangkhuls residing in the Nagaland state.
The Tangkhuls are Nagas by blood, but by flesh they are in the political territory of Manipur, the Nagas outside the territory of Nagaland state were happy when the Nagaland Territory was detached from Assam and formed the Nagaland state. During the formative days, quite many Nagas from outside the Nagaland state specially from Manipur were employed as Nagaland government servants and were grateful to the good God and to the then Chief Minister T N Angami and all the good MLAs.
The grand design for a Naga sovereign state was started by our greatest Naga leader A Z Phizo and taken over by the two faction of the NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K).
In the course of the 58years of the Naga uprising, thousands died fighting, thousands of national workers and Naga civilians were butchered, thousands were maimed by the Indian establishment and hundreds died fighting amount the Naga in power struggle which is being continued till to this moment. This however is not a surprise in the liberation movements. In politics, break up, coming together and application of various formulae and policies are applied. Even resorting to meaner means for the better or the worst are a matter of routine. But who are at the receiving end of these power games? It is the innocent general public and the cadres of the liberation group(s).
To cease the process of bloodshed and other sad issues, its people’s organization, other outside organization and individuals give opinions and expound modalities to solve the problems.
The present hot issue of Q N slapped on the Tangkhuls residing in the over ground Nagaland state by NSCN (K) is not applicable. For pro Indian stance of Ex-Chief Ministers, Uncle Hokishe Sumi, S C Jamir and pro Meitei and pro Indian Rishang Keishing Tangkhul (names arranged alphabetically) for vested interest, can one accuse all the Sumis, Aos and Tangkhuls as enemy of the Nagas? In the circumstances, actions had to be taken up on individual or group basis of the conflicting factions. One considers the NSCN-K group of kilonsers had stuck to the quit notice after due consideration of backlash that may follow in one form or the other. The ultimate result maybe more bloodshed which is most undesirable. Factional and national struggle cannot be pushed if it completely goes against the opinion of the people. Eyebrows had being raised by the Naga liberation watcher in the European country. The flaying of Naga Hoho (NH) and the Naga Student’s Federation (NSF) who are conscience keepers are taken with the greatest sadness and will bounce negative result. In this cease fire, peace process, as well as in other times, the Naga Hoho and NSF represent the grass root level Nagas and the voices and opinion are to be reckoned. To gain support by consent or bulldoze them will indicate the leadership qualities.
Issued by: Publicity, Public Relation office Memei Hoho (Mao Council) Tadubi, Senapati District
‘No need for imposition of Meitei Mayek’ By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 13: There is no need for forced imposition of Meitei Mayek in hill districts as every body would learn it on their own, said president of Kuki Inpi Manipur P Gangte while speaking on the 6th foundation day of the National Identity Protection Committee today at Kuki Inn. The celebration attended by leaders of different communities was graced by president of Kuki Inpi Manipur P Gangte, chairman of Zeliangrong Union Imphal Zone R Chandra Haomei, former chairman of Koireng Literature Society Kungsong Wanbe and president of NIPCO Y Nabachandra as presidium members.
Speaking on the occasion, Gangte reminded that before the advent of any kind of information tech-nology in Manipur, the peo- ple of the State collectively safeguarded its boun -dary without any reservation and there was no threat to the boundary from within.
At one time, there was a deep running discrimination against the tribal people particularly in the valley but today there is no or very little discrimination against any group in the State, he observed. But what is disheartening is that among the different indigenous groups of people of the State who have been co-existing peacefully since ages, there is little faith among them today and a serious question is hanging over the issue of integrity of Manipur.
Taking into account of the unfolding scenario, the State Government as well as all the civil organisations need to give a serious thought to the issue and to devise a pragmatic course of action to save the integrity of the State, remarked retired IPS P Gangte.
He opined that the time was not favourable as of now to press for imposition of Meitei Mayek in hill districts. In addition to the existing unfavourable situation, the script is currently embroiled in an impasse over the genuineness of the two sets of scripts, he noted.
Implementation of a scr-ipt of a language in educa- tional institutes which have been included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Con-stitution is a thing that would certainly come on its own. There is no need for forced imposition. No Ma-nipuri could remain Meitei Mayek illiterate for long as is the lingua franca of the State, he said while cautio-ning that imposition of Meitei Mayek amidst the pre-vailing situation would be like arousing a hornets' nest.
R Chandra Haomei observed that the tense si- tuation in the State today is an outcome of the numerous voices of resentment. "While we continue to voi-ce our concerns and disap- proval, we need a serious introspection to rectify our mistakes inherent in ourselves", he noted.
India asks Myanmar to evict NE rebels The Nagaland Post
NEW DELHI, SEPT 13 (AGENCIES): India on Wednesday asked Myanmar to crackdown on Northeast Indian insurgent groups operating from that country as the two countries grappled with the boundary dispute on the first day of Home Secreatry level talks here.
Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, who led a 16-member Indian delegation at the annual talks, impressed on the Myanmar delegation about the need to launch a drive against the insurgents.
Describing the meeting as "most productive", Duggal said "We have discussed all the issues which includes security, border management, trade, drugs and smuggling besides free movement of people and release of prisoners."
Both sides, however, declined to elaborate on the question of a crackdown on the militants similar to 2003 Bhutan army's operation against ULFA or on the possibility of a joint operation. The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United Nationalist Liberation Front (UNLF) and People`s Liberation Army (PLA) operating from across the border. The Myanmarese delegation, while not acknowledging the presence of the insurgents on their territory, are understood to have promised to look into the issue raised by India, the sources said. The talks would resume on September 16, the last day of the four-day visit of the Myanmarese delegation which is visiting Ladakh tomorrow. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Brig Gen Phone Swe is leading the visiting delegation. India, the sources said, raised the issue of shifting of boundary pillars in Ukhrul and Chandel districts of Manipur allegedly by the Myanmarese army. However, the charge was denied by the Yangon delegation during the meeting. The Indian and Myanmarese delegations also discussed measures for maintaining calm at the border where the atmosphere is often vitiated due to unmarked boundaries running through rugged mountainous terrains. India shares 1,643km border with Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520km followed by Mizoram 510km. Manipur shares 398km of its boundary with Myanmar and Nagaland another 258km.
Representatives of Assam rifles, intelligence agencies and ministries of external were also present at the meeting. The sources said the Indian side also expressed its willingness to share intelligence information to prevent drug and arms trafficking from across the border.
Both sides also discussed ways for further strengthening of cooperation in tackling the activities of arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other disruptive elements along the border. The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar, particularly in the road and power sectors for which the two countries have agreed to cooperate, was also reviewed. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building a 151-km long Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa road in Myanmar and it is likely to offer to maintain the road. The Myanmarese delegation later called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil and invited him for a visit to Yangon besides presenting him a memento.
New effort: India-Myanmar to begin talks India Times

NEW DELHI: With the growing reports of northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, India will press for measures to flush them out like Bhutan's crackdown on ULFA at the Home Secretary-level talks between the countries beginning on Wednesday.

Steps to curb smuggling of arms and ammunition and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances will also be discussed at the four-day talks.

Sources in the security establishment say that insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland like ULFA, UNLF, PLA, NSCN(K) and NSCN(IM) are operating from Myanmar and New Delhi will utilise the opportunity to demand for flushing them out. They also cited instance of killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents a few months back.

Though Bhutan launched 'Operation All Clear' to flush out ULFA nearly three years ago, Myanmar has not so far agreed to similar action against Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs). Effective border management will also figure at the meeting which is held annually to discuss issues related to maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the border. India shares 1,643 km border with Myanmar, and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520 km followed closely by Mizoram 510 km. Manipur shares 398 km of its international boundary with Myanmar and Nagaland another 258 km.
However, boundary dispute was very minor as only nine border pillars, all in Manipur, were points of contention. It was decided to put up a 10-km fence at Moreh in Manipur but work is yet to begin. Border management and fencing too are expected to be discussed at the talks. The issues are likely to be taken up in the light of recent reports regarding smuggling of Chinese grenades and counterfeit Indian currency through the Myanmar border. The northeastern states have been voicing concern over these issues, particularly peddling of drugs and arms, pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries from the strategic point of view.

While the Indian side will be led by Union Home Secretary VK Duggal, Deputy Minister Brig. Gen. Phone Swe will head the Myanmar side. Sources said during the last meeting, held at Yangon in October last year, issues relating to security, drug trafficking, border trade, border management and proposed infrastructure projects in Myanmar were discussed.

Both sides had agreed to further strengthen cooperation in tackling the activities of insurgents, arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other hostile elements along the India-Myanmar border.

The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar, particularly in the road and power sectors, for which the two countries have agreed to cooperate, was reviewed at the last meeting and a follow up is expected this time. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building a 151-km long Tamu-Kalemyo-Kalewa road in Myanmar and it is likely to offer to maintain the road.

Indo-Myanmar talks on insurgency begin The Hindu
New Delhi, Sept. 14 (UNI): The 12th meeting of the Home Secretaries of India and Myanmar began here on Tuesday with focus on Indian insurgent groups present in Myanmar and effective border management between the two countries.
The meeting, which would continue till four days, began on a friendly note, a Home Ministry official said. The Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary, V K Duggal, and that of Myanmar by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Brigadier General Phone Swe.
The meeting is part of an annual exercise between the two countries to discuss issues related to maintenance of peace and tranquility along the India-Myanmar border. Steps to curb smuggling of arms and ammunition, illicit trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances and progress of various cross-border projects over which the two countries have agreed to cooperate will also be reviewed during the four-day talks. With insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland like ULFA, UNLF, PLA, NSCN (K) and NSCN (IM) operating from Myanmar, New Delhi will utilise the opportunity to request for flushing them out. Myanmar has not yet agreed to Bhutan like action against Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs). India shares 1,643 km border with Myanmar, and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520 km followed closely by Mizoram with 510 km.
Manipur shares 398 km of its international boundary with Myanmar and Nagaland another 258 km. Boundary dispute are very minor as only nine border pillars, all in Manipur, were points of contention. It was decided to put up a 10-km fence at Moreh in Manipur, but work is yet to begin. Border management and fencing too are expected to be discussed at the talks. The issues are likely to be taken up in the light of recent reports regarding smuggling of Chinese grenades and counterfeit Indian currency through the Myanmar border. During the last meeting, held at Yangon in October last year, issues relating to security, drug trafficking, border trade, border management and proposed infrastructure projects in Myanmar were discussed. The delegation also called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
Delhi to Yangon : Flush out UGs Sangai Express
New Delhi, Sept 13 : India today asked Myanmar to crackdown on North East Indian insurgent groups operating from that country as the two countries grappled with the boundary dispute on the first day of Home Secreatry level talks here. Union Home Secretary VK Duggal, who led a 16-member Indian delegation at the annual talks, impressed on the Myanmar delegation about the need to launch a drive against the insurgents. Describing the meeting as “most productive”, Duggal said, “we have discussed all the issues which includes security, border management, trade, drugs and smuggling besides free movement of people and release of prisoners.”
Both sides, however, declined to elaborate on the question of a crackdown on the militants similar to 2003 Bhutan army's operation against ULFA or on the possibility of a joint operation.
The sources said the Indian side took up the issue of insurgent groups like United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) operating from across the border.
The Myanmarese delegation, while not acknowledging the presence of the insurgents on their territory, are understood to have promised to look into the issue raised by India, the sources said.
The talks would resume on September 16, the last day of the four-day visit of the Myanmarese delegation which is visiting Ladakh tomorrow. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Brig Gen Phone Swe is leading the visiting delegation. India, the sources said, raised the issue of shifting of boundary pillars in Ukhrul and Chandel districts of Manipur allegedly by the Myanmarese army. However, the charge was denied by the Yangon delegation during the meeting. The Indian and Myanmarese delegations also discussed measures for maintaining calm at the border where the atmosphere is often vitiated due to unmarked boundaries running through rugged mountainous terrains. India shares 1,643km border with Myanmar and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520km followed by Mizoram 510km. Manipur shares 398km of its boundary with Myanmar and Nagaland another 258km. Representatives of Assam Rifles, intelligence agencies and Ministries of External were also present at the meeting. The sources said the Indian side also expressed its willingness to share intelligence information to prevent drug and arms trafficking from across the border. Both sides also discussed ways for further strengthening of cooperation in tackling the activities of arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other disruptive elements along the border. The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar, particularly in the road and power sectors for which the two countries have agreed to cooperate, was also reviewed. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building a 151-km long Tamu-Kalemyo- Kalewa road in Myanmar and it is likely to offer to maintain the road. The Myanmarese delegation later called on Home Minister Shivraj Patil and invited him for a visit to Yangon besides presenting him a memento. PTI

India renews plea for joint operation From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 13 – Elusive insurgent outfits of the North East are likely to come under fresh pressure in neighbouring Myanmar, with the Government of India renewing its plea for coordinated operations against the militant outfits. The 12th national level meeting of the home secretaries of India and Myanmar got under way in a cordial atmosphere with the two sides exchanging notes on issues ranging from border management to drug enforcement to exchange of prisoners. Union Home Secretary, VK Duggal led the Indian team while the Myanmar delegation was led by deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Brigadier General Phone Swe.

On the first day of meeting, India sought Myanmar’s cooperation in flushing out militants, mainly those belonging to Manipur, in a Bhutan-like operation. Several of the militant outfits including NSCN (I-M) and Khaplang factions, ULFA, besides PLA, PREPAK, UNLF, KYKL, KCP among others have set up bases in the neighbouring country. According to sources, India has formally asked Myanmar to hand over 21 Manipuri militants, reportedly nabbed by Myanmar Army recently. India further raised the case of 142 fishermen languishing in jails.

The bitterness often associated with such talks with Bangladesh Government, was missing in case of Myanmar, which has so far tried to accommodate India’s concerns. The Army across the country has on several occasions now mounted operations against the North-east based militants.
As a quid pro quo, Assam Rifles also mounted operations against the Chin National Army operating out camps in Mizoram, last year. Camp Jupiter was demolished by the Indian troops, reportedly on request of the Myanmarese Government. In a reflection of the sense of bonhomie, India and Myanmar today discussed the possibility of exchanging prisoners languishing in each other’s prisons. At the last round, the two sides agreed to allow interrogation of nationals caught in each other’s territory. On the economic front also there was development, with proposals to set up nine border posts along the international border. India has proposed to pump in Rs 80 crore to set up integrated border check posts.
Myanmar also submitted counter proposals to settle the border dispute with Manipur. The proposal for settlement of the dispute was submitted by India last year. India, it may be mentioned has fenced part of the international border in Moreh sector mainly to check movement of militants and drugs trafficking. Arms trafficking and drugs smuggling have emerged as most serious threat for India. India has also advocated the idea of allowing free movement of indigenous People living on the two sides of the international border.
Meanwhile, talking to newsmen after the opening day’s meeting, Union home secretary said that it was a most positive meeting. All serious issues including border management, trade, drugs smuggling, exchange of prisoners were discussed, he added. The delegation later called on the Home minister, Shivraj Patil and extended invitation to him to visit Myanmar. Brig. Swe gave a memento painting with Gold Work on Lacquer to the Home minister.
Meanwhile, India and Myanmar today decided to go for a joint survey of the 28 kilometres of disputed border involving nive pillars. The survey is likely to start next month. Both the coutnries also decided to open another border check point at Pangchau in Arunachal Pradesh.

Centre hints at extension of truce From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 13 – The ULFA peace process today got a fresh lease of life with Union Home Secretary, V.K.Duggal hinting at possible further extension of the suspension of operations beyond September 15. Talking to newsmen at South Block this afternoon, Duggal said since they have time in hand Government of India is yet to take a final decision on the ULFA peace process. When asked about the inter-ministerial meeting on ULFA, he replied that it was likely to be held on September 20-21.

The indication given by the Home Secretary suggested that the suspension of operation against ULFA was in all likelihood be extended by five days till September 20. By which time, National Security Adviser, M.K. Narayannan is likely to be back. The Centre was apparently not willing to take chances and take a major decision in absence of top functionaries. A final view on the peace process is now expected after September 18, when the Prime Minister is scheduled to return.

As reported earlier, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed having received a request from ULFA through one of the mediator, Rebati Phukon to extend the suspension till September 20. Sources, said that they were still expecting a response from the ULFA to break the logjam. However, the Centre is likely to take a hard view on the peace process if the outfit does not respond and officials have started talking about the possibility of calling off the suspension offer. Government of India cannot keep on extending the suspension of operations indefinitely under such circumstances,” commented an official.

Frans on 09.14.06 @ 03:34 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, September 13th

We Nagas should and shall be united- Nagaland Post


We Nagas should and shall be united- Nagaland Post

The Naga people have distinctive cultures and traditions by nature, that, from today onwards we should no longer be under the suppression of the Indians because of our differentness where the land we belong. In fact, the size and population is not compatible according to the size of our aggressors but with the will of God we have proclaimed to rule under His Sovereignty under the theme called "Nagaland for Christ" and our forefathers has committed to our Heavenly Father which was deeply rooted to all minds of all our people since from the very beginning of our freedom struggle till today.
It shall be in His will in whatever we are to do and He has a definite plan for our people where there is a man who possesses deep faith, love and well discipline towards Him shall lead our people but not by muscle power, bullets or cunningness. That, our prayerfulness to our Heavenly Father shall be fulfilled one day with one true leader to lead our Naga nation. If it is God's will, a leader may be put up either on the stones or trees that, on that day onwards our people shall be united and which will be in His own will for our Naga better future. And this will be an anointed person of God fearing man but not by might. God has created each and every one and care each of us, then why not we be united and make a good nation? We should not give up our land of rights to any other nation and shall not desolate any person of our people. About 99% of our Naga people have unanimously conducted a plebiscite at Lakhuti on 16th May 1951 and the copies were endorsed to Dr. A.Z.Phizo, the then President of Naga National Council (N.N.C) to proclaim our birth right of political freedom with the world leaders in London and particularly the highest International body of United Nations Organization (U.N.O) also a copy was given to the Government of India for her non-interference in the Naga political freedom struggles.
In 1975, the full responsibilities of the final settlement of Naga political freedom was given to Adino Phizo, the President, N.N.C because she was elected by the Nagas and all political protocol is vested up on her by the Yehzabo of Nagaland (Constitution). If the Nagas deserve to give-up our freedom struggle after such long prevailing situations, then the N.N.C. President itself has the right to do any consequences before the general publics according to the Yehzabo of Nagaland. The public have no right to stop her even if she wants to transform into other animals.
It is to appeal to all organizations of freedom fighters such as Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN), National Socialist Council of Nagaland (IM) (NSCN) or NSCN(K) to stop warring with each other or shun fratricidal acts as it is just destroying ourselves and stop criticize each other or don't seek your own rights. There is no perfect man before God in this world or before our constitutional laws. Be in your own regions and the might of the mighty barrel of guns and bullets cannot control or ruled or solved our common target of struggles but the best is to obey God's will which is the only solution to solve our common problems.
Faithfulness in God shall rule and lead the nation no other alternatives because many faithful and brilliant freedom fighters have sacrificed and shed their valuable blood for our common cause. For the sake of their sacrificial deeds, let us be united in the name of God, our Heavenly Father and go with a slogan of "Nagaland for Christ" to proclaim the glory of the Lord to bring the final solution to our Nation which is the best of all. Don't commit any revenge to any body and leave it to our God as He is the only avenger for us all. Many of our Naga bureaucrats, intellectuals and politicians have become adamant and distrusts on our political struggles.
But let us be forgive and forget all those misdeeds and fight for final solution with a united stand. All these things will be happen according to the will of God where He has a specific day and time to bring the final settlement but not by the will of our sinful attitudes or no one can stop His will.
Our Kingdom shall be the last kingdom in the world which will be God's given Kingdom and it will be very magnificent and beautiful for a period before the world. So let us ask His forgiveness before it is too late and be prepared to meet our happy day of our Sovereignty in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
This publishing may be the first and the last for us all. God bless you. Mukhave Leacy, Chakhesang Region, FGN.
Rio’s govt race to accomplish electoral promise Morung Express News
Punglwa | September 12 Spring next year will usher in a new season of education at Punglwa as the DAN government-initiated Sainik School located at Peren District begins classroom studies. Officials from the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) and its sub- contractor, Ansari Co. disclosed that formal inauguration of structural parts can be hopefully done in October end or early part of November, 2006 and the school can start running classes by April next year, though there could be minor delays. However, a September end finish is what the government as well as contractors are all aiming for, informed sources told The Morung Express.
DAN government, especially the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been assuring that the ongoing construction work would be completed in time and the class would start as per schedule. The Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the NPF led DAN government which included setting up of Sainik School in the state, could be one of the pressing reasons for the ruling dispensation to complete the project on time. With Assembly elections not far off, the completion of the school will be a huge boost for the Chief Minister and his political fortunes, analysts say. As of now, 2 three-storey dormitories, mess, staff quarters, administrative block, infirmary, water treatment plant and storage tank are on the verge of completion. The construction started in July last year.
SC chides Nagaland Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 12 (agencies): The Supreme Court has granted a last opportunity to the state of Nagaland to file an affidavit of undertaking in the boundary dispute case with the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It asked Nagaland government to file its affidavit within a week and posted the matter for hearing after three weeks. The apex court has strongly reprimanded the state of Nagaland for dealing with the court's order in a cavalier fashion as it failed to comply with the directive passed on September 13, 2004. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have, however, filed their affidavits, giving an undertaking to cooperate with the boundary commission appointed by the Centre to resolve the boundary dispute.
Assam had filed a suit in the Supreme Court in 1988 for getting the boundaries of the states demarcated as according to Assam, Nagaland was encroaching into the state of Assam.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice P K Balasubramanyan gave three weeks time to the state of Nagaland to file an affidavit and granted two weeks time to the Centre and the state of Asom to file their response to the other applications pending in the court. The court said despite two years, the Nagaland government has failed to file an affidavit and has pointed out a number of difficulties in resolving the disputes by way of oral submission which is of no avail.
During the hearing, the Counsel appearing for Nagaland said more than the boundary dispute it was a political dispute. Senior advocate K K Venugopal said wherever there is a Naga population, Nagaland has been encroaching the land.
Jamir on Mahatma’s ideologies Nagaland post
Panaji: SC Jamir, the Governor of Goa on Tuesday expounded his opinions on the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi at a function held here at the Raj Bhawan to inaugurate the setting up of the Goa Chapter of Sarvodaya International Trust (SIT). Jamir opined that perhaps, the concept of non-violence which the Mahatma lived and died for could not catch up with the present times because the person has been deified instead of the ideologies and principles that he stood for.
"It is very sad to note that the modern society is showing scant regard to the ideals preached and practiced by Gandhiji," he said. "The very soil on which he was born has witnessed much violence and bloodshed in the recent times."
He said that today the nation is faced with unprecedented challenges of religious intolerance, communalism, fundamentalism, terrorism, extremism and violence. He lamented the degeneration of the high moral and human values like truth, ahimsa, spirit of universal brotherhood and human service, which were so well practised by Gandhiji in his long public life.
"Unless and until fundamentalist and fascist forces are dealt with strongly, they would continue to act as the stumbling blocks in our path towards the all-round progress of the country," he opined.
On September 11, 1906, Gandhiji appealed to the 3000 Indians gathered at the Empire Theatre building in Johannesburg "to take an oath to resist their white colonial oppressors without striking a single blow." "With that statement, Gandhiji started a peaceful revolution, a revolution that shook the world!" Jamir said.
This non-violent movement changed the mind-set of the human race, he said. He also brought to the notice of the Trustees of the SIT an article appearing in the latest edition of the Outlook magazine wherein Gandhiji's grandson and author Gopalkrishna Gandhi was quoted as saying Gandhiji was "enshrined and vandalized."
Another historian agreed that "Gandhi was ill-served by everyone, including the Gandhians" themselves and that "he was conveniently portrayed as a saint so that they would not be threatened by his ideology."
"Perhaps, deifying Gandhiji, the person and not his ideologies, could be the reason why the concept of non-violence, the concept he so dearly loved and propagated, could not catch up with the present times," Jamir said and appealed to the Sarvodaya International Trust to give this thought a serious consideration.
"It should be the endeavour of all of us to preserve, promote and propagate the Gandhiji's legacy of peace, tolerance and communal harmony," he said. Jamir also released the book "Gandhi's Outstanding Leadership" written by Ambassador (Retd) Alan Pascal Nazareth.
Chapters of SIT have already been opened in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, New Delhi and Tamil Naduand it is dedicated to promoting the Gandhian ideals of Truth, Non Violence, Peace, Universal Brotherhood and Humanitarian Service.

Indo-Myanmar home secretary-level talks begins today IRNA India-Myanmar-Talks
The 12th meeting of home secretaries of India and Myanmar begins set to start here today will focus on Indian insurgent groups present in Myanmar territory as well as effective border management between the two countries. The Indian delegation in the four-day talks will be led by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal while the Myanmar delegation will be headed by Deputy Minister for Home Affairs of Myanmar Brigadier General Phone Swe.
The meetings are held annually to discuss various issues related to maintenance of peace and tranquility along the India-Myanmar border. Steps needed to curb smuggling of arms and ammunition and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances will also figure in the discussions. In addition, the progress of various cross-border projects over which the two countries have agreed to cooperate will also be reviewed.
Insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland like ULFA, UNLF, PLA, NSCN(K) and NSCN(IM) are operating from Myanmar and New Delhi will utilize the opportunity to demand that they be flushed out, according to sources. They also cited the instances of killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents a few months back.
Myanmar has not yet agreed to Bhutan-like action against Indian insurgent groups. India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar, and Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 520 kilometers, followed closely by Mizoram with 510 kilometers. Manipur shares 398 kilometers of its international boundary with Myanmar and with Nagaland another 258 kilometers.
Their boundary dispute is very minor as only nine border pillars, all in Manipur, are points of contention. It was decided to put up a 10-km fence at Moreh in Manipur, but work is yet to begin. Border management and fencing too are expected to be discussed at the talks. The issues are likely to be taken up in light of recent reports regarding smuggling of Chinese grenades and counterfeit Indian currency through the Myanmar border. The northeastern states have been voicing concern over these issues, particularly peddling of drugs and arms, and have pointed out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries from the strategic point of view.
Sources said that during the last meeting held at Yangon in October last year, issues relating to security, drug trafficking, border trade, border management and proposed infrastructure projects in Myanmar were discussed. Both sides had agreed to further strengthen their cooperation in tackling the activities of insurgents, arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other hostile elements along the India-Myanmar border.
Degrees of separatism M.S. PRABHAKARA Frontline India On the struggles for separation in the northeastern region RITU RAJ KONWAR

AN NSCN(I-M) MILITANT stands guard at the NSCN headquarters in Hebron near Dimapur.
ABOUT 30 organisations described variously as terrorist, militant or insurgent, are active in Asom (formerly Assam) and other States in northeastern India. The South Asia Terrorism Portal actually identifies over a hundred `terrorist/insurgent groups' in the region. Most of these are admittedly little more than names and signboards with poorly written constitutions, manifestos and charters of demands, engaged principally in extortion and racketeering. Many of these are nearly moribund. Others, with a little more substance to them and having a `greater autonomy' agenda are engaged sporadically in violent activities alternating with some kind of negotiations with the State/Central government.
About a dozen of the 30-odd `active' organisations are also engaged in `armed propaganda' that over the years has evolved into an `armed struggle' against the Indian state. While their stated objectives may differ, in their operational methods and organisational structures, they share some common features. All of them claim to represent the people and they are all, to varying degrees, separatist, indeed secessionist. All of them have, clearly or vaguely, spelt out agendas of attaining sovereignty, or what they perceive as the restoration of the sovereignty that was lost in the process of the transfer of power and the subsequent consolidation of the Indian state.
The most notable of these organisations are the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN). While ULFA seeks to restore the lost sovereignty of Asom - following British annexation of the territory after the defeat of the Burmese invasion and the signing of the Treaty of Yandabo on February 24, 1826 - the NSCN led by Isak Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah and two other Naga nationalist formations, all offshoots of the Naga sovereignty assertion initiated by the late Angami Zapu Phizo at the dawn of Indian Independence. The Naga people `declared their independence' on August 14, 1947, on the eve of India's independence.
The oldest organisation engaged in `armed struggle' in Manipur is the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), though three or four other organisations are engaged in similar struggles for the restoration of Manipur's lost sovereignty (`the undemocratic and inequitable' Merger Agreement of October 15, 1949). The history and geography of the territories involved being what they are, there are inescapably conflicting territorial issues involved in, and indeed integral to, the sovereignty aspirations. Ironically, this interface between sovereignty and territoriality impinges on all the States where these organisations are active, highlighting the fundamental contradictions of these sovereignty struggles. For instance, the Naga sovereignty struggle, were it to succeed in the way envisaged by the Naga nationalist organisations, would have the gravest implications for Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh as they now exist, and, potentially, for Myanmar as well.
How seriously do these organisations believe they can attain sovereignty, considering that their adversary is the Indian state? The leaderships of these organisations, sophisticated and well informed about history, know full well that in the larger Indian context their armed struggles have had very little impact on polity. Nearly half a century of `armed struggle' has not really advanced Naga aspirations for sovereignty.
One may well ask whether six to seven years of talks of every variety - direct and indirect, through emissaries and interlocutors and face-to-face meetings with representatives of the Government of India, including three or four Prime Ministers, in New Delhi and in foreign lands - have advanced these sovereignty aspirations. The only gain has been the legitimacy the de facto government of Nagalim has acquired, though the existence of such a government owes little to the protracted negotiations. AFP

COMMANDOS AND POLICE at a security checkpost near the Indian Oil refinery, in Guwahati.
The fact is that even the most belligerent of these separatist groups do not envisage the defeat of the Indian state by the `armed struggles'. Yet, they press on, unrelenting in their desire to secure their lost sovereignty. According to received wisdom, a nation-state, even a very weak one, does not break up except under two conditions: defeat in war and occupation by a foreign enemy. India is simply too big and too powerful a country to be defeated in war, or allow for foreign occupation. There are numerous instances of fragile nation-states continuing to remain united despite serious internal contradictions marked by conflicts related to ethnicity, language, religion and such other coordinates of classic disintegration of nation-states. But for Indian intervention, it is arguable whether the seemingly unviable state of Pakistan would have disintegrated despite the intense internal contradictions, which were exacerbated further by the lack of statesmanship of its leaders in both West and East Pakistan.
On the other hand, there is also the example of the Soviet Union, as strong and centralised a state as one can imagine, collapsing without foreign intervention, defeat in war and occupation by enemy forces. While the subsequent disintegration of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was assisted considerably by foreign intervention, even in this case developments internal to the country were, in the final analysis, the decisive factor that contributed to the destruction of the federal republic. The modest and continuing gains made by the Catalonian autonomy movement in Spain and the rather more dramatic developments in Montenegro, which in a national referendum in May voted narrowly for secession and independence from Serbia, hold promises for separatist movements in the region.
It is interesting that the current campaign in Manipur for a plebiscite on the issue of Manipur's independence, proposed initially by the UNLF and since then taken up by several `civil society' organisations, followed closely, indeed almost conterminously, in the wake of the referendum in Montenegro. Among those who addressed such a plebiscite meeting in Imphal on June 6 was the titular king of Manipur, apart from other dignitaries such as a former Lok Sabha member, a former Human Rights Commissioner, the president of the Manipur Working Journalists' Union, leaders of political parties and several women leaders - always a potent force in Manipur.
An old song had this refrain: "Tell me what you want and I'll tell you what you get." It would be tempting to see in these words a neat summary of the opacity that characterises the stated stands of these separatist organisations and the Government of India. However, an organisation such as ULFA has never minced words. The only problem is that it is impossible to accept that this stated objective, the attainment of Swadhin Asom, is a realisable one, or that even ULFA really believes it is attainable through armed struggle, unless the kind of extraordinary circumstances that prevailed in the instances cited above can be replicated in this country. This is not on the cards.
However, the persistence in the face of `proven facts to the contrary' is not in the least irrational. Rather, such persistence can be understood if one realises that ULFA and its ideologues within Asom and in metropolitan centres in India and abroad and an amorphous `civil society' network entrenched for the most part in the developed countries of the West are of the view that conventional notions about the durability, indeed the very viability of the nation-state, even one that is strong and internally coherent and just in its governance, are no more valid in the brave new world of a globalised 21st century. Thus, notions of nation-state, national sovereignty, citizenship rights derived from a country's Constitution, indeed, the distinction between a citizen and a migrant who is not yet a citizen, securely demarcated borders and such things need to be turned upside down in this new dispensation of borderless territories and shared sovereignties. Such ideas, never canvassed in respect of nationality problems and struggles in first world countries, are bouncing around in every part of the region.
Seen in this perspective, arguments about whether separatist struggles, even when these become active insurgencies (such as the Naga struggle and the resolved Mizo struggle) can ever defeat the might of the Indian state are utterly irrelevant. Indeed, the talks and talks about talks, the unending hair-splitting over procedures and protocols, about whether the Government of India should first release the five imprisoned ULFA leaders or whether ULFA should first give in writing that it will attend the talks in the event of these leaders being released, are all mere exercises in sleight-of-hand and prestidigitation intended to obscure the real agenda.
The Indian state, in this perspective, is getting more and more enfeebled, unable to resolve the larger contradictions besetting it nationally. What the struggles of these marginalised nationalities in the marginal regions of the country need to do is to keep up the pressure, keep on chipping away. With the received ideas of the nation-state themselves losing their legitimacy, such `unviable' entities as the Indian state are bound to crack up and collapse even without external aggression, defeat in war and foreign occupation. Such a reading of history informs the resolve of separatist organisations to carry on their struggles over generations. The reality that underlies the rhetoric: "We have fought for fifty years; we are prepared to fight for fifty more years," as Th. Muivah reportedly said in frustration over the lack of progress in the `Indo-Naga dialogue'.


ULFA peace initiative hits roadblock The Morung Express
New Delhi, Sept 12 (PTI): The peace process between the ULFA and the Centre appears to have hit a roadblock with both sides refusing to back down from their respective stands. While the banned group is insisting that the government should release its top leaders from jail before direct talks, the Centre has maintained that it would consider the demand only after receiving a written commitment about ULFA’s willingness to participate in parleys.
The current ceasefire in Assam ends in four days and there is no indication of flexibility from either side.
“Yes, it seems we are not moving forward,” noted author Indira Goswami, who has been mediating on behalf of ULFA for almost two years, told PTI here today.
Goswami said there was a very slim chance of the Centre extending the truce in Assam beyond September 15.
“It seems it (ceasefire) will not be possible,” she said, adding she was not expecting any communication from the ULFA before the end of the current truce.
Goswami said she had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an effort to break the deadlock, requesting him to release the jailed ULFA leaders and to take a sympathetic approach in resolving the nearly three-decade-old insurgency in Assam.
“I sent a letter to the Prime Minister on Sunday, requesting him to take a sympathetic view and release the top ULFA leaders from jail,” she said.
4 AR men killed, 3 hurt in PLA strike By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 12 : Four personnel of the 19 Assam Rifles were killed while another three were injured when PLA cadres ambushed a convoy of the security force near Leishiphung village located about 12 kms east of Lamlai police station today at about 3 pm.
The deceased are identified as Havildar Man Bahadur, Havildar Kailash Prasad, Rifleman TC Basumataria and Riflemen Bidyasagar while the three injured have been named as Rifleman Rajendra Singh, Rifleman Biresh Deb Burman and Rifleman Mahendra Singh.
The three have been evacuated to the military hospital at Leimakhong where their conditions are stated to be stable.
However independent sources said that the condition of Surendra Singh is critical as he received bullet injuries on the waist.
Biresh Deb suffered bullet injuries on the right arm while Mahendra Singh was hit on both the hands.
According to information received here, the convoy was proceeding to the 19 Assam Rifles post at Shangshak from Imphal with provisions, including fuel in two vehicles.
As the Assam Rifles men approached Leishiphung village, the well positioned PLA cadres armed to the teeth opened fire at them using bombs.
The four Assam Rifles personnel were killed at the spot and the vehicles carrying the security personnel were substantially damaged.
The bodies of the deceased AR men are presently being kept at RIMS morgue.
Search operation was launched following the attack, but till the time of filing this news, there is no report of any arrest.
The PRO of PIB (Defence Wing) confirmed the incident and added that the security personnel did not lose any weapons in the gun fight.
UGs nabbed : Imphal West District Police Commandos arrested one ex-cadre of UNLF who is now a town commander of KRA from his own house along with nine demand letters of KRA at around 7.10 am today. The arrested ex-cadre of UNLF (army no. 089) has been identified as Takhelchang-bam Dijamani Sharma alias Bosh alias Thanil (36) s/o T Chaoba Sharma of Khong-man Mangjil Mamang Kon- gba Road, said SP Imphal West Clay Khongsai in a statement, while informing that the arrested individual is now Town Commander of KRA. In the follow up actions, three more KRA activists were also arrested today, the SP informed. The KRA cadres identified as Sapam Mobi Singh alias Max alias Achou (35) s/o late S Kulachandra Singh of Thangmeiband Lourung Purel Leikai was arrested from his own residence, Leishangthem Kumar Sin-gh alias Tomba (46) s/o L Babu of Pukhao Terapur was arrested from Nagaram along with one 9 mm pistol with 6 live rounds and Waikhom Noren Singh (39) s/o W Nopur of Leitanpokpi was also arrested Nagaram, the SP informed.

ULFA seeks time till Sept 20 From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 12 – The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has sought time till September 20 to respond to the Government’s demand for a formal letter to carry forward the peace process. Highly-placed sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the coordinator of the PCG, Rebati Phukan today called up to convey the ULFA’s request for more time to respond to the government’s demand. Sources also said that the government is yet to take any decision on the extension of the suspension of operations, which expires on September 15.

Earlier in the day, a lack of forward movement in the ULFA peace process had triggered a sense of uncertainty among the officials of Government of India, as well as the mediators. With top officials including National Security Adviser, MK Narayanan away in South America, and Rebati Phukon yet to show up with ULFA’s response, a big question mark hangs on the fate of the suspension of operations. Officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) including Home Secretary, V.K.Duggal were busy with the ensuing talks with the Myanmar, there was no development on the ULFA front today. There is a possibility that the MHA might convene an inter-ministerial meeting before Friday to take stock of the prevailing situation.

At the last round of meeting on August 6, Government of India insisted on a written communication from ULFA. The mediator said, he would convey it to the ULFA and report back, if they responded. The suspension of operation was extended for the third time till September 15, overruling a stiff opposition from the Army. Meanwhile, Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami, when contacted said that she was keeping her fingers crossed and as clueless as anyone else as to what might happen after Friday. Dr Goswami on Sunday, called up Home Secretary to find out just that, only to be told that the Centre was still waiting for the written communication.

A day earlier, the author also wrote a personal letter to the Prime Minister, requesting him to intervene to break the logjam. “Having reached thus far, the peace process should not be allowed to wither away, just because ULFA has not been able to write a few lines,” Dr Goswami told this newspaper. She added that in her letter she has reminded the Prime Minister how his interventions at crucial junctures has saved the peace process in the past. The Government of India can be generous and keep the peace process going. After all, both sides have kept their word and there has been no violence in the State during the period of suspension of operations. Peace has reigned in the State, Dr Goswami said. When asked whether they were going to again call on the officials, Dr Goswami said that they have decided not to approach the Centre yet. “We will wait and see what the Government of India does on Friday,” she said. With the ULFA leadership stating that they are not willing to send correspondence before release of the five detained leaders, Dr Goswami saw little possibility of the outfit dropping a few lines to Government of India.
PM should break deadlock over ULFA talks: Indira Goswami By IANS Wednesday September 13, 11:20 AM
Guwahati, Sep 13 (IANS) Representatives of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Wednesday said a fragile peace in the northeastern state of Assam could be saved only if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervenes.
'Now all hopes are on the prime minister's personal intervention to break the deadlock over holding peace talks with the ULFA,' said Indira Goswami, a noted Assamese writer and sought by the ULFA to mediate for talks.
The prime minister is currently on a tour to Brazil and Cuba and will return early next week.
'I sincerely believe the prime minister would do something positive and not allow the peace process to get derailed,' Goswami told IANS over the phone from New Delhi. Holding of direct peace talks between the ULFA leadership and government peace negotiators have been deadlocked with New Delhi seeking a formal letter from the outfit stating that it was ready for direct talks, name its negotiating team members and specify a timeframe for the dialogue.
The main issue now blocking the start of formal face-to-face talks between the ULFA and Indian government negotiators is the rebels' demand for release of five of their jailed leaders. The ULFA maintains that the outfit is not in a position to take a decision without their five central committee leaders who are currently in jail and is hence insisting on their release. 'The ULFA says it cannot give anything in writing without having a full executive meeting and hence they want their imprisoned leaders to be released to sit and deliberate on the matter,' Goswami said. Goswami is the leader of an 11-member team of civil society leaders - collectively called the People's Consultative Group - nominated by the ULFA in September last year to begin exploratory talks with the government.
New Delhi on Aug 13 announced a 10-day suspension of army operations against the ULFA which was later extended by another 25 days. The term of halting military operations expires Friday. The ULFA, too, reciprocated the government's 'goodwill gesture' by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period. 'I think the government should release the jailed rebels and after that even if the talks fail the government would get the support of the people of Assam for trying their best to work out an atmosphere of peace,' Goswami said.
Erosion of tribal values Nagarealm.com
The intrinsic values that differentiate the tribal from the more civilised, mainstream Indian or American are the “communitarian” goals which the former strives to achieve.Taking decisions by consensus, respect for community rights over common property resources and a caring concern for the wellbeing of other members of the tribe constitutes some of the more fundamental values. But the question today is whether these fundamental values still exist among tribal communities. Or has the very concept of community changed?

One example is that of the Khasi society which practised a very egalitarian form of social conduct. Land among the Khasis was not just a plot with a commercial value. It was not what people term as “real estate”. Land was and still is indivisibly linked to cultural practices and tradition. Land provides subsistence because it is where rice and other crops are cultivated. Land is where the forest is, and the forest is still seen as a life-giving, life-sustaining, living matter. Land is mother-earth. Abusing the land is a direct onslaught on Mother Nature. Our ancestors believed in never overdoing things (wat ju leh palat). They were firm in the belief that anyone who over indulges has to pay a price.

Present society
We come now to circa 2006. What is different in Khasi society of 30 years ago and the one that exists today and still calls itself “Khasi”? What are the missing elements that threaten to fragment the Khasis now? What were the threads that used to hold the community together? Why is it that despite strong assertions and re-affirmations by different groups about the “uniqueness” of Khasi society, one hardly gets to see those rudiments of exclusivity?

In fact there are groups that even want to push for a complete makeover from matriliny to patriarchy/patriliny. Their contention is that the existing arrangement is disempowering for men since they do not inherit ancestral property. We come now to the idea of “property”. Does “property” mean only land that has a collateral value? Or is the demand of the anti-heroines influenced by the market-driven economy where any borrowing from financial institutions necessitates mortgage of land? Are the proponents of patriarchy/patriliny really concerned about equity among the siblings? Or is the drive fomented by a desire to maximise profit by using land as a commodity to set up industrial enterprise and for providing collateral to banks against loans availed? I suspect that the motivating force behind seeking the change is again the market, which believes in the power of bargaining through physical possessions. In a sense therefore, the market compels people to override cultural practices whenever it suits them.

Ironically, the proponents of change cite the most ridiculous instances to buttress their claims. For instance, they assert that when property is in the hands of women, it tends to become an instrument of abuse by the person who she marries. Indirectly, the reference is to women who marry non-tribals and who allegedly permit their husbands to conduct business on their land or to use the proceeds accruing from land for maximising profits from other businesses.

Although this may be true to an extent, there are no examples to show that men are better custodians of land. Now there is no reason why a Khasi man cannot do what the non-tribal does and make maximum utilisation of land for profit. So the angst is rather incongruous.

Let me come back to the discussion on common property resources. Forests, farmland, water sources, and catchment areas have always been considered the property of the community. At that point of time, perhaps the community meant an economically homogenous group whose aspirations were not controlled by greed and the profit motive only. Clans and communities lived close to each other and cared for one another’s needs. Not everyone would construct houses at the same time because that would lead to over-exploitation of forests since timber is cut from the forests. The clan and community heads decided who would be allowed to build and when. Also, at the time, forests had not been commodified, just as land was not.

The beginning
The problem started when the market demanded timber. Then a few enterprising Khasis who were already market-savvy found it frustrating to have to deal with the community and seek their consent each time they needed to enter the forest for lumbering. This section of tribals circumvented the customary practices of community ownership and changed it to private proprietorship rights. Hence community forests, which used to be owned by the community and which provided firewood and non-timber forest products, became out of bounds for the community. Similarly, reserve forests acquired by government were also zealously guarded in case communities entered them for collecting firewood. Obviously this tribal elite could not have distorted the customary practices without the connivance of the syiem, the bakhraw, the sordar or the rangbah shnong. All the above-mentioned are custodians of customary laws and practices and have been vested that power by the people.

Between 1970 to 1990, the forests of Meghalaya were completely denuded through over-exploitation. The more striking examples of ruthless deforestation came from West Khasi Hills because it had the most luxuriant forests. Then in 1996 the Supreme Court came up with the 10-year moratorium for export of timber outside Meghalaya. The forest merchants were badly hit. So were the labourers who depended on lumbering. Although there was not a single concrete case of starvation that could be held up with empirical evidence, the media went to town on the issue of starvation. Probably, a section of the media was bankrolled to put up the appropriate write-ups to prop the issue of starvation deaths. The government of the time became hugely unpopular for not being able to persuade the apex court to rescind its earlier ruling. Thank God for that!

Surprisingly, neither the district councils nor the traditional institutions lifted a finger to enquire into the privatisation of community land. The former enjoyed the royalty accruing from timber and the latter were perhaps co-respondents in the timber-exploiting exercise.

Mining woes
Now we face a similar situation in the area of mining. All of Meghalaya is suddenly becoming private land. There is really very little land that still belongs to the community and over which they have usufruct rights and also the right to decide how that land is to be used. We have individuals, who upon seeing that a particular area is a water source, immediately decide to acquire it and then begin to exploit the source for private gain. The land used for mining was once owned by the community. That is no longer the case. The community has not only forfeited the land but also lost the right to put a ban on reckless mining and destruction of water sources. The community today does not even have a right to say that coal mine owners should plough back a percentage of their profits to sand-fill the abandoned mines. Only the mine owners have the money and clout to buy property and good neighbours in Shillong. So ultimately, the financially weak and therefore powerless people who have lost their right to assert their voices will be the ones to suffer. How did the Khasi community suddenly evolve as one that favours the affluent and dismembers the poor? What has gone wrong? We blame the modern democratic institutions for being impositions on our “purer, democratic” traditional institutions. But the question today is whether the traditional institutions have any space for the poor. Have these institutions not been captured by affluent tribals? The poor lose out anyway. For them it’s “heads the rich win, tails we the poor lose”. [PATRICIA MUKHIM, telegraphindia]

Frans on 09.13.06 @ 04:21 PM CST [link]


Tuesday, September 12th

NNC-NSCN-IM contest funding from Delhi The Morung Express


NNC-NSCN-IM contest funding from Delhi The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 11 (MExN): Reacting sharply to the allegations of drawing 24 Lakhs yearly from the Government of India, the Naga National council (NNC) has asked the NSCN-IM to substantiate the charge with proof. “For the said allegation let them first come out with details and tell to the Nagas who is drawing the said amount and from whom also illustrate it with dates and documents. This false allegation on Naga national parent body made by the so-called NSCN-IM group leaders is not new to the Federal Government of Nagaland. Since 1979, Th Muivah alleged that the FGN leaders has sold out Nagaland to India with Rs 73 crores and next he alleged on peace campers for drawing Rs 3 crores yearly and now Rs 24 Lakhs yearly from the GoI” stated a release issued by the NNC through a member, Thomas. It stated that the Nagaland Peace Council (NPC) had issued a clarification through its president late Kenneth Kerhou on October 30, 1990.
The NNC also clarified that the Kohima Transit Peace Campers “stopped receiving free-will contribution” Rs 4,500 from the Nagaland Peace Council for which an official letter written by Eno I Temjenba, Federal representative, on 12th May, 1993 and submitted it to the president, NPC, the then Dr Rev VK Nuh. Henceforth no contribution or donation is being received by the Kohima Transit Peace Campers from the NPC” it stated.
“Yet, Muivah and his socialist sectarian leaders are still convinced with the philosophy of great Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung who said ‘you can demolish the super-power of your political opponents by raising and shouting with the political weapon of outright falsehood against them’. It is unwise for them to believe in such philosophy rather they have to realize and introspect their failure that they did not succeed and will never succeed to fight against the Nagas with the weapon of outright falsehood allegation against the NNC and FGN” the NNC asserted.
SC asks Nagaland to File an Affidavit in Boundary Dispute Case 12 September, 2006 Ind.law.com

The Supreme Court has granted a last opportunity to the state of Nagaland to file an affidavit of undertaking in the boundary dispute case with the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Apex Court has strongly reprimanded the state of Nagaland for dealing with the court's order in a cavalier fashion as it failed to comply with the directive passed on September 13, 2004.

The other two states, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, have, however, filed their affidavits, giving an undertaking to cooperate with the boundary commission appointed by the Centre to resolve the boundary dispute between the three bordering states of the north east .

The state of Assam had filed a suit in the Supreme Court in 1988 for getting the boundaries of the states demarcated as according to Assam, Nagaland was encroaching into the state of Assam.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice P K Balasubramanyan gave three weeks time to the state of Nagaland to file an affidavit and granted two weeks time to the Centre and the state of Asom to file their response to the other applications pending in the court. The court directed the matter to be listed for hearing after five weeks. (UNI) NSCN (IM) condemns killing Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 11: Strongly reacting to the killing of one of its cadres by 167 CRPF personnel at Tamenglong on September 9, the NSCN (IM) today said that the cadre was unarmed and he was killed without any provocation.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, NSCN (IM) spokesman K Chawang today said that ever since the cease fire came into force the Indian security force has killed over 200 of its cadres and added that in the event of any ugly fall out of such unwarranted killings, the GoI should be held responsible.
The NSCN (IM) can give fitting reply but has been refraining because it is committed to the peace process, said Chawang and added that if such things continue, India should be held responsible for any untoward incident.
Saluting the slain cadre, Chawang said his death will be irreparable and added that the outfit offers its salute to the departed soul.
The outfit has also strongly condemned the killing of its under secretary Dilbung Ashing Lamkang at Pallel Bazar at 7 am of August 25 by alleged ‘valley based militants’.
In a statement, GPRN asserted that it has lost many of its cadres either at the hands of Indian army and its sponsored agencies or ‘valley based militants’ after the declaration of ceasefire with the GoI. It cautioned that there may come a time when NSCN (IM)'s tolerance would be worn out and compelled to act in the same coin for which those perpetrators would be held responsible. While expressing grief at the loss of its cadre, the statement noted that the tireless and undaunt-ed spirit of nation-alism and supreme sacrifice rendered to the Naga na-tion will always be remem- bered. It also prayed for peace for the departed soul and his family.
Expedition links peoples & cultures: Datta Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 11 (NPN): Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta described expedition or exploration as a quest for unique experience and for collecting information on peoples, places and things which help create a rapport and also serve as cultural exchange among people.
Flagging off the Sewak Cycling Expedition for Peace and Development at Sewak headquarters here on Monday, Mr. Datta said adventure was part of learning and education and hoped the expedition would help connect different peoples and cultures.
He also stressed on connectivity as an important component of growth and development.
"Direct knowledge gained through the cycling expedition will help development of both BRO and general people,"he said.
He also hoped that the participants would come back with a lot of love and affection from people of various places and help the Border Roads Organization grow with more knowledge and information.
Praising the quality of work and integrity maintained by the BRO, the Governor said Project Sewak had won public goodwill and name and fame through its road development works over the years.
Referring to the Nagas' love for music, Datta felt music and dance should also be part of such expedition, saying it could inspire better cultural exchange, rapport and understanding among different tribes and communities.
Expedition leader Major Amarpreet Nayyar briefed on the purpose of the expedition and composition of the team, which will return to Dimapur on October 6.
Organized as part of the 45th raising day of Project Sewak, the 26-day expedition covering 1329 km is being held to promote peace and friendship in Nagaland and Manipur, spread awareness about the role of BRO and Project Sewak in development of both the states, strengthen the bond of friendship between Project Sewak and local people and to inculcate the spirit of adventure and camaraderie in the Project's rank and file.
The team is composed of two officers, two JCOs/supervisors and 20 subordinates from different parts of India. It will proceed through Kohima - Chakabama - Zunheboto -Mokokchung - Tuensang - Kiphire - Jessami -- Kohima - Maram - Senapati - Imphal -- Tamu (Myanmar) - Kyigon - Kalemyo - Imphal - Senapati - Maram -- Zubza -- Dimapur.
FGN reacts to allegations- Opinion Nagaland Post
For the larger interest of Nagaland people it is needed to clarify the false allegation of imposter leaders of Muivah group, which appeared in Nagaland Post on 8th September, 2006, accusing the Peace Campers for drawing Rupees 24 lacs yearly from the Government of India.
For the said allegation let them first come out with details and tell the Nagas who is drawing the said amount and from whom, also illustrate it with dates and documents.
This false allegation on Naga national parent body made by the so-called NSCN-IM group leaders is not new to the Federal Government of Nagaland. Since 1979, Th. Muivah alleged that the FGN leaders had sold out Nagaland to India with rupees 73 Crores, and next he alleged on Peace Campers for drawing Rs. 3 Crores yearly and now Rs. 24 lacs yearly from the GoI.
Under such circumstances of money matter, the Nagaland Peace Council (NPC) President late Kenneth Kerhou issued a clarification on 30th October, 1990 to clear out confusion and false allegation on the NNC/FGN. In which the NPC President stated as follow:-
"The Government of India also contributed generously towards the rehabilitation of Ex-underground prisoners released from various Indian Jails. However, this advantage of relief and rehabilitation grants do not apply to the residents of Peace Camps but those who do not connect with the Peace Camp only."
"Beside contribution towards meeting the expenses of the Nagaland Peace Council for maintenance and payment of rehabilitation money to Ex-prisoners; the Nagaland Peace Council not aware of any other financial contribution made by the Govt. of India for peace effort under Shillong Accord". (Quote; page 5 & 6)
Also to avoid misunderstanding among the Naga national workers as a whole, the Kohima Transit Peace Campers stopped receiving free-will contribution Rs.4,500/- (Rupees four thousand and five hundred) from the Nagaland Peace Council, for which an official letter was written by Eno I. Temjenba, Federal Representative on 12th May, 1993 and submitted it to the Pesident, NPC, the then Dr. Rev. V.K. Nuh. Henceforth no contribution or donation is being received by the Kohima Transit Peace Campers from the NPC.
Moreover, Church leaders had well informed and intimated to Th. Muivah and his socialist sectarian leaders that the Peace Campers are not receiving any amount of Rupees from the GoI.
Yet, Muivah and his socialist sectarian leaders still remain convinced with the philosophy of great Chinese leader Mao Tse Tung, who said, "You can demolish the super-power of your political opponents by raising and shouting with the political weapon of outright falsehood against them".
It is unwise for them to believe in such philosophy, rather they have to realize and introspect their failure that they did not succeed and will never succeed to fight against the Nagas with the weapon of outright falsehood allegation against the NNC and FGN.
Thomas, NNC Member.
Air connectivity in Northeast to get a boost The Hindu
Kolkata, Sept 12. (PTI): Aiming at expanding the aviation network in the Northeast, the Government has decided to construct an airport in Sikkim, the State's first, and identified sites for two more in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, besides permitting a new airline to launch air services in the region.
The Airports Authority of India has prepared a detailed project report for construction of a greenfield airport in Sikkim at an estimated cost of Rs 340 crore, while sites for one each near Kohima and Itanagar have been identified for construction of airfields for turboprop ATR-72 operations.
Announcing this at a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said the number of flights in the region would go up by 49 from the coming winter schedule, including 20 by state-owned Alliance Air and seven each by Jet Airways and Air Sahara.
He said the initial no-objection certificate has been granted to M/S Sky King Aviation to operate scheduled air services within the Northeast, while a proposal to grant permission for non-scheduled operations by M/S Surya Air was under consideration, an official spokesperson said.
The Parliamentary Committee members focussed on the urgent need to develop aviation infrastructure in the East and Northeast and highlighted a number of issues to increase connectivity.
UG camps on Indo-Myanmar talk menu Sangai Express
New Delhi, Sep 11: Steps needed to curb smuggling of arms and ammunition and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances will come up for discussion at the forthcoming Home Secretary level India-Myanmar talks.
The meeting, to be held here from September 13 to 16, will also review the progress of various cross-border projects over which the two countries have agreed to cooperate, an official release said today.
The meeting, held annually to discuss various issues related to maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border, is likely to discuss action against Indian Insurgent Groups (IIGs) present in Myanmar territory and effective border management.
With reports of northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, India will press for measures to flush them out like Bhutan's crackdown on the ULFA in 2003, MHA sources said.
There are reports on the activities of insurgent groups in Myanmar and their whereabouts and New Delhi will utilise the four-day talks to make the demand for flushing them out, besides raising issues like drug trafficking and smuggling.
They said some insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland were operating from Myanmar and cited instance of killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents a few months back.
Though Bhutan launched 'Operation All Clear' to flush out ULFA militants nearly three years ago, Myanmar has not so far agreed to similar action against IIGs.
The northeastern states have been voicing concern over this issue, pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries from the strategic point of view. PTI

Good faith equation in Manipur and Nagaland By Takhelmayum Devajit Singh
(Contd from previous issue) Sangai Express
In present Manipur’s context the Generals, OBCs, Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Castes are not treated fairly under economic criteria as a defect of the provisions of the MLR and LR Act 1960 in Manipur. These make them an unbalanced economic conditions as well as a social class among themselves. Such unfair policy promotes insecure lives and depressed future for more than 80% of them. Thus, the people of Manipur are facing a dictating time to tame time taking a tie.
According to Simon Commission of 1929 the Naga Club of 1881 covered except the area of Naga Hills. Thus came up the “Naga Hills District Tribal Council” in the year 1945 and this same council was called or renamed as “Naga National Council” (NNC) in the year 1946. Thus Naga is not a nation but an organization of the ‘Trust Territory’ or ‘Crown Territory’ of Sir Reginald Coupland who aimed to establish a ‘Christ Kingdom’ through the efforts of Christian missionary in the hills after spreading of Christianity through conversion. Nagaland, on the other hand has been on the verge of her right claim since the MK Gandhi’s era and catering from the clutches for freedom. The course of her chanting has been gaining more and more popularity. By now Nagaland is about to give finishing touch if she does not deter on the uncompromised demands like in Manipur’s demand for her integrity. Again, the logic of acceptable debate is in due about the Zeli-angrong (Zeliang, Liang-mei & Rongmei) region which has its rights in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam’s territory at present. The question is whether Nagaland will demand along with Manipur and Zeliangrong to become a liberal country or not.
Amidst problem creators and problem solvers mainly in Manipur, Nagaland and Zeliangrong Region the people are tossed into the mimic phobia for the past half a century or more. In these course the people of Manipur valley where mainly the Meiteis are residing is trapped because of the abrupt front of the Naga integration claiming Manipur has been with her long history. But the mounting pressure of the hill districts of Manipur along-with Nagaland is becoming a time bomb to the Meitei community and likely to sanction upto the last if the Meiteis are the abrupt fronts to the Naga cause in Manipur. It is really a fearsome situation to think about the coming few years in this State if India and Nagaland come to close the chapter by agreeing with the long standing dispute for creating a new dreamland what NSCN(IM) wanted for long. The effects may be firstly, communal clashes or riots between the Meiteis and the Nagas. It is worth mentioning that if there happens a communal clash in the Manipur valley during this present tension there may likely a loss of thousands of lives on the way to Imphal and from Imphal to other places on the National Highways. Then there may happen holocaust in the adjoining areas between the plain and the hills of Manipur. Secondly, a devastation in the valley by the Nagas as long as Meiteis remain indifferent as today. Thirdly, the solution with the Nagas and the Meiteis in the Manipur valley. Even so, geo-political benefits of the people will decide in the long run.
It is the people of this compact region (Manipur, Nagaland and Zeliang-rong) who may come to reconcile among themselves for their faith and destinies of their future without the loss of their belonging. Thus they can protect the history of these regions that they have something to be proud of. The people of these regions have been waiting for the dynamic history respecting each other, of course but from the compact whole and a quasi Federal structure of liberal outlook. And the real topic about sovereignty is between India and this above mentioned region (Manipur, Nagaland and Zeliangrong) as to come up shortly. So, the world is peeping the developments silently about this coming up of a new nation as a whole or differently as of today. — Concluded

Programmed people ? Sangai Express editorial
Given the fact that Manipur has been caught in a conflict situation for the past many, many years and in the backdrop of the numerous strategies adopted by State and non-State actors to further their agenda and propaganda, the time is perhaps right to raise the question whether we as a people are free from the shackles of ideas and ideologies imposed by others or whether we are a people who are able to express our own views and opinions and act accordingly. This question is extremely important for it is not only about how people think and act, but can have a huge impact on the direction in which the people of Manipur will proceed in the years to come. Such a situation will also have a direct impact on the mentality of the youth who today constitute one of the most important segments of the population. Ever since the guns started booming across the hills and valley of Manipur we have seen the parties on either side go on a propaganda overdrive and today psychological warfare or Psy war as it is known in its shorter version has become very common. Psy war is something different from the overt statement and open propaganda that are being waged by either side but its effect can be more far reaching than the conventional methods. It is subtle, it can be planted and over a course of time it can start to mould public opinion and very often it can highlight a distorted version of the reality at the ground. Militancy and CI Ops are today no longer seen and viewed only through the prism of the encounters and gun battles and the physical fights for territory between the underground outfits and the security force. It goes far beyond this and the situation is such that today, both parties have to acknowledge the need to take the fight to a different plane in different forms.
Manipur has seen this phenomenon during the last few years and today, militancy in Manipur is not only about the bush war being waged in the thick jungles or about ambushes and raiding camps of militants. Militancy is today not only confined in the jungles and is not understood only in terms of urban guerilla warfare but entails attaining a certain degree of legitimacy amongst the general population. This point has not been lost on the State and its agencies as well and what we see today are the subtle and overt methods being employed to get closer to the people and isolate the militants from the general population. Both sides have their agenda and belief and we will leave the matter here, but the question still remains whether the people of Manipur have been able to exercise their mental faculty freely amid the contrasting methods adopted by the two opposing sides, or whether they have been programmed to think and act according to the wishes of either party. Armed struggle always take a heavy toll on the civilian population, there is no doubt over this. The people in general may not be able to ward themselves off from cross fire between the State and non-State actors, but at least they should have the character and the mental strength to exercise their own views and opinion. This is the test that the people of Manipur should be ready to face anytime, anywhere. Are we really a people who can freely exercise our own mental faculty and then acto accordingly or do we need that little shove and push from someone else ? Think it over.

Terror threat real, improve intelligence mechanisms: Prime Minister Nagarealm.com
Sounding a dire warning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday that internal security problems had become more complex and the country faced the real prospect of more suicide attacks on economic and religious targets.

Addressing chief ministers at a meeting on internal security, the prime minister emphasised the necessity of a road map to meet the myriad challenges.

During the address to the conclave, the second in five months, Manmohan Singh also cautioned the chief ministers against unfairly targeting the Muslim community while the security agencies came down heavily in the fight against terror.

‘It is unfortunate that terrorism has resulted in certain sections of our population being targeted, with the result that a wrong impression has been created of the radicalisation of the entire Muslim community,’ the prime minister noted.

‘It is, hence, imperative that we embark immediately upon a proactive policy to ensure that a few individual acts do not result in tarnishing the image of an entire community, and remove any feelings of persecution and alienation from the minds of the minorities.’

He asked the chief ministers to be sensitive and scrupulous while dealing with terrorism.

‘In dealing with terrorism, scrupulous regard and respect for fundamental human rights of citizens, particularly of minority communities, ought to be a core concern of our law enforcement agencies,’ he said.

‘No innocent person should be harassed in our struggle against terrorism. If a mistake is made, effective remedial corrective measures must be taken well in time.’

Highlighting the threats to internal security from terrorism and Maoism that had engulfed huge swathes of the country, Manmohan Singh proposed the setting up of an empowered group of ministers, headed by the home minister and select chief ministers to monitor the rapid spread of the Maoist movement.

‘Intelligence agencies warn of a further intensification of violent activities with the possibility of more fidayeen attacks, use of suicide bombers, attacks on economic and religious targets, targeting of vital installations, including nuclear establishments and army camps.’

‘Reports also suggest that terrorist modules and sleeper cells exist in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat.’

Lamenting that not enough was done to fill up vacancies in the police forces, Singh, in a veiled attack against certain states, pointed to the need of improving the quality of state Special Branches and toning up the law and order administration.

‘Without effective law and order, economic development would be impossible,’ he said.

The importance of filling up vacancies in state police forces was most necessary while fighting Maoist violence, said the prime minister, adding that ‘good’ intelligence was primary especially at the level of the police station.

‘The police is the first responder in Naxal-related situations, and is a very important pole in this entire effort. Sensitising the police is, therefore, a critical requirement.’

Dwelling on the Maoist rebellion in the country that he descr

ibed as the single biggest internal security challenge faced by the country, Manmohan Singh pointed out that the strategy to counter it would have to be based on an effective response and a focus on reducing underdevelopment.

While praising the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh government for deploying the specialist Greyhounds force on anti-Maoist operations, the prime minister exhorted other affected states to take in hand what deliverables were possible even while preparing to meet the challenge through effective law and order measures.

On the situation in the northeast, Manmohan Singh pointed to the necessity of being sensitive to the nuances of each situation, and the encyclopaedic character of regional and tribal demands which, if not anticipated and dealt with in time, could culminate in a full-fledged insurgency.

‘States like Manipur and Nagaland in the northeast appear specially vulnerable today, and demand your personal attention. There is little scope for personal predilections that override national considerations and requirements.’

Though the overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir had shown signs improvement in the past two years, the prime minister still called for constant vigil.

‘We should remain on our guard in view of continuing efforts by anti-India and antinational elements to whip up emotions and transform these into a violent movement.’ [india-defence]

NSCN-IM Flays CRPF Firing Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR, SEP10 [NPN] : The NSCN-IM has condemned Saturday's alleged unprovoked firing by the 167 Bn. CRPF between Irang and Awangkhul villages, Tamenglong, which led to the killing of its guard commander of Zeliangrong Region, 2nd Lt. Chandemo.

The MIP secretariat, NSCN-IM, in a press release said the killing of more than two hundred NSCN-IM men by security forces during the ceasefire period has cast a doubt on the genuineness of the Government of India to solve the protracted Naga political problem. Asserting that the Naga Army too could respond befittingly in action, the release stated that the NSCN-IM had, so far, restrained itself in order to give peace a chance for the benefit of both the parties.

It however added that the present obstinacy shown by GoI, despite repeated appeals for restraints of its armed forces against committing provocative actions the Naga Army, was in contravention of all norms and of the ceasefire ground rules. The NSCN-IM also warned that in the event of any circumstances leading to the breakdown of the hard-earned peace process, the GoI would be held accountable. Conveying condolence to the bereaved family members of the deceased, the MIP secretariat said Late Chandemo, who was also the eldest son of Ms. RL Kinghen, a deputy kilonser in the GPRN/NSCN-IM, had joined the national struggle in 1993 and "served the nation dedicatedly, devotedly andselflessly till his demise."

It further prayed the Almighty God to grant solace to the bereaved family and for the departed soul to rest in peace.

Frans on 09.12.06 @ 01:01 PM CST [link]


Monday, September 11th

NSCN extortionist killed on NH-53, another held The Imphal Free Press


NSCN extortionist killed on NH-53, another held The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 10: Central Reserve Police Force, CRPF personnel escorting the IGP, CRPF, Manipur and Nagaland sector, PM Goud, on an inspection trip along NH-53 killed an NSCN(IM) cadre and nabbed another near the Irang bridge yesterday after catching them redhanded extorting money from travellers, according to a delayed report.

Reports said personnel in the CRPF column which was heading towards Imphal from the Jiri side yesterday afternoon spotted some unidentified persons engaged in a physical tussle with the passengers of a Tata Indica car near the Irang bridge. When they reached the spot, the two unidentified persons attempted to flee, upon which the CRPF personnel opened fire. One of the cadres was killed and the CRPF personnel managed to overpower the other.

The deceased was identified as one Jandimo Lotha, 31, of Wema village of Wokha district of Nagaland, while the other is identifed as Tony Kenthawn Kamei, 31, of Bambeilong village of Tamenglong district. The CRPF personnel recovered a sum of Rs. 3180 from the possession of the latter, according to the report. The CRPF column, belonging to the 167 battalion CRPF, was escorting the IGP, Manipur and Nagaland sector, on an inspection of the CRPF posts located on the national highway.
India for Bhutan-type operation in Myanmar The Morung Express
New Delhi, Sept 10 (PTI): With reports of northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, India will press for measures to flush them out like Bhutan’s crackdown on the ULFA in 2003.
New Delhi will raise its concerns with Yangon over the activities of the insurgent groups during the 12th Home Secretary-level talks beginning on September 13. Sources in the security establishment say that there are reports on the activities of insurgent groups in Myanmar and their whereabouts. New Delhi will utilise the four-day talks to make the demand for flushing them out, besides raising issues like drug trafficking and smuggling.
They said some insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland were operating from Myanmar and cited the instance of the killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents.
They said New Delhi would take up the matter seriously with Yangon. Though Bhutan launched ‘Operation All Clear’ to flush out ULFA militants nearly three years ago, neither Bangladesh nor Myanmar has so far agreed to similar action against Indian insurgent groups.
The northeastern states have been voicing concern over this issue, pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries from the strategic point of view.
Crude bomb explodes in I-M citadel The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 10 (MExN): A crude, improvised, low-intensity explosive device exploded at Wungram Colony, Dimapur this evening at 8:30 pm, inside a thatched house.
Highly placed sources revealed that a man came looking for a person named Shimray. When a woman who answered him denied any knowledge and thereafter closed the door, the perpetrator is said to have lit the explosive device before lobbing it into the room from a hole near the door. The woman, her sister and four children - two school children and two toddlers- who were in the room at that moment, fled to an inner room upon noticing the lit device and escaped from injury, the sources said. They were said to have been watching a television programme.
Shrapnel consisted of mostly iron nails and fragments of lead, it was informed. A mobile squad of Dimapur Police later arrived to take stock of the situation after they were informed.
A number of NSCN (I-M) functionaries reside in the colony. Meanwhile, apprehensions have been raised on whether the move relates to the recent ‘Quit Notice’ served to the Tangkhul community residing in Nagaland.
NSF discourse emphasizes on core issues NSF, ANSAM decide to meet CM over affiliation issue The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 10 (MExN): Matikhru Village welcomed the Naga Students’ Federation as members discussed and resolved important agenda on September 6 during the student body’s fourth Federal Assembly.
“Among many, serious discussion and deliberation were made on affiliation of private schools in Naga areas to Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), Naga Educational Heritage Village, Nagaland University/Institute of Communication and Information Technology (ICIT)/Kheloshe Polytechnic, Redeployment of Teachers in Nagaland,” NSF Speaker WH Maring today disclosed.
The house is said to have endorsed the NSF and the ANSAM decision to meet Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at the earliest and work out a further course of action whereby careers of students who have taken up NBSE prescribed textbooks in 4 Naga Hill Districts in present Manipur State are not jeopardized.
In continuation to the pursuance for recognition of Molungyimsen as Naga Educational Heritage Village, member secretary of the Educational Heritage Committee presented a report. Satisfied with the report, the house unanimously declared recognition of Molungyimsen Village as “Naga Educational Heritage Village”.
Based on facts and figures, the NSF seriously discussed disproportionate deployment of teachers in various Government Schools in Nagaland and the obstacles and challenges it puts up in our endeavor to deliver quality education, Maring said. “Taking serious note of it, the august house unanimously endorsed the Executive Council to take up the matter with the Government for redeployment with all fairness before the next academic session.”
On stationing of Vice Chancellor of Nagaland University at the Head Quarters, the house unanimously resolved to persuade the concerned authority to ‘shift’ theVice Chancellor to the Head Quarters at Lumami Campus immediately.
Civil works for the Institute of Communication and Information Technology (ICIT) was seriously deliberated upon by the members. Not satisfied with the way civil works are being carried out, the student body resolved to take up the matter seriously with the concerned authority. “The house also deliberated on the present condition of Kheloshe Polytechnic (Asukhuto), the oldest polytechnic in Nagaland. Having felt the necessity to look into the matter, the house resolved to pursue the matter with concern authority at the earliest and further endorsed the Executive Council to shoulder responsible of taking up these matters with concern authorities.”
NSCN-IM cadre, son of Dy Kilonser killed The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 10 (MExN): An NSCN-IM cadre, Lieutenant Chandemo, Guard Commander of the Zeliangrong Region was reportedly killed by the 167th CRPF on September 9 between Irang and Awangkhul village in Tamenglong district. The NSCN-IM stated that late Chandemo, who is also a son of RL Kinghen, Deputy Kilonser, was unarmed and was killed by the CRPF battalion without any provocation.
The NSCN-IM reacting strongly at the killing of its cadre questioned the sincerity of the Government of India in finding a solution to the Naga political issue and warned that the organization is able to respond with a befitting action in the event the peace talks break down.
“The GPRN, Naga Army can also respond befittingly in action but have restrained itself to give peace a chance for the benefit of both the parties. At this rate of obstinacy shown by the GoI, despite repeated appeals for restraint of its armed forces in committing provocative actions upon the Naga Army in contravention of all norms of the ceasefire; in the event of any circumstances leading to the breakdown of the hard-earned peace process, it will be on the part of the GoI to have failed and held accountable” stated a MIP, GPRN release.
The organization stated that if the GOI is sincere in expediting the peace process to find a lasting solution, it should bring to an end all conflicts and hindrances, it was stated.
The NSCN-IM extended its condolences to late Chandemo’s family and prayed that God grant peace to the departed soul as well as comfort the bereaved family members.
Pressure groups react angrily to CM`s statement The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 9: All Manipur Government Aided College Teacher`s Association, the Manipuri Students Federation, All Manipur Die-in-harness Appointment Demand Committee, all of which have been launching different forms of agitations regarding their respective demands are up in arms against chief minister O Ibobi Singh`s declaration that none of the demands are reasonable and the state government is not a position to fulfil them.

Mentioned may be made here that during his speech yesterday at the inaugural function of Manipur Fire Service`s Thoubal substation, the chief minister had outrightly rejected the demand for upgradation of aided colleges, revival of the die-in-harness scheme apart from the demand for affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to Nagaland board.

Reacting sharply to the chief minister`s revelation, All Manipur Government Aided College Teacher`s Association said such irresponsible statement from the head of the state revealed Ibobi Singh`s illogical, short sightness and irresponsibility regarding the issues confronting the state.

The Manipuri Student`s Federation, in the meantime, said the chief minister`s speech is nothing but an invitation to more violent agitations from organisations which are currently up in arms on the issue of school affiliation and the upgradation of aided colleges.

Though the chief minister has rejected the demand by some Naga bodies regarding affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to Nagaland board, despite being head of the state, O Ibobi Singh himself remain inactive in tackling the violent agitations in the hills, MSF said in a statement.

While accusing the chief minister of showing indifferent attitude to the demands of the students of aided colleges who have been deprived of attending classes for over two months, the MSF said that arresting striking teachers or lodging agitating students under NSA would not bring any solution but rather deepen the situation.

In the meantime, All Manipur Die-in-Harness Demand Committee said last night`s ransacked of electricity office at Mekola in Imphal West was carried out by its volunteers who were deeply anguish over irresponsible and illogical statement of head of the state.

Asking the chief minister O Ibobi Singh to made a clarification to what he had stated yesterday at Thoubal, the committee cautioned that SPF government shall have to borne responsibility for more destructions to be done on government properties.

Ngullie’s ‘Damage control’ tip to BJP? Replace Dr TM Lotha The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 10 (MExN): Nagaland BJP’s Organizational General Secretary O Mozamo Ngullie while iterating his decision to resign from the party as irreversible and final has also called for replacing Health Minister Dr TM Lotha as “a bit of damage control exercise” since the latter has shown disrespect and ungratefulness to the party leadership. Nagaland BJP had earlier rejected the resignation letter of its General Secretary on grounds that he being one of its senior-most members, the party felt the need for him. The party took this decision at its meeting held August 28 at BJP president MC Konyak’s residence.
“The party’s rejection of my resignation and sincere request to reconsider my decision are positive steps towards safeguarding the party. This also exhibits the true spirit and dedicated services of the party leadership. However with sincere apology, my decision taken on 16 August cannot be reversed and it is final” said a statement from Ngullie, while expressing gratitude to the state leaders for their confidence in him.
Mozamo, however, maintained he did not expect any “post-resignation farewell comments similar to the tunes echoed by writers of BJP doom and Dr TM Lotha” after his “exit”. “As I am nobody in the BJP any longer, it was unnecessary to hurl baseless allegations against me. The statement of Dr TM Lotha, the Deputy leaders of the BJP legislative party and Minister Health & Family Welfare (August23, 2006) and the news item captioned ‘Nagaland BJP doomed’ ( September 2/3, 2006) written by so-called BJP workers are strikingly similar in nature having the common characteristics. Unfortunately such radicals are presently corroding the BJP which will definitely have its chain of chemical-like reactions to have its own effects in due course of time” asserted Ngullie in his reaction.
According to him the statement made by Dr TM Lotha is true “in a way as I made a silent and solo exit from the BJP to avoid damages to the party”. The BJP like other political parties has proper set up of its functionaries with specified roles within specified jurisdictions he explained adding that responsibility within the assembly is different to organizational responsibility. “The statement made by the deputy leader even without knowing the reason of my resignation speaks volumes of his lacking in the BJP organization. He has shown his disrespect and ungratefulness towards the party and its leaderships whereas no individual is above the party” Ngullie stated in his reaction to the Health Minister’s comments. Ngullie suggested that “it is high time the party undertake “a bit of damage-control” by replacing Dr TM Lotha.
“I had only expressed my satisfaction that for the first time, seven BJP MLAs were elected during my presidentship. I never claimed that I got them elected but as the president, I led the state leaders and workers during the elections. I was appointed only 25 days before polling not three months as claimed to face the electoral battles against many odds. We achieved to make history for BJP and this history may repeat or not but it cannot be erased” Ngullie asserted.
NSCN-IM flays CRPF firing Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 10 (NPN): The NSCN-IM has condemned Saturday's alleged unprovoked firing by the 167 Bn. CRPF between Irang and Awangkhul villages, Tamenglong, which led to the killing of its guard commander of Zeliangrong Region, 2nd Lt. Chandemo
The MIP secretariat, NSCN-IM, in a press release said the killing of more than two hundred NSCN-IM men by security forces during the ceasefire period has cast a doubt on the genuineness of the Government of India to solve the protracted Naga political problem.
Asserting that the Naga Army too could respond befittingly in action, the release stated that the NSCN-IM had, so far, restrained itself in order to give peace a chance for the benefit of both the parties. It however added that the present obstinacy shown by GoI, despite repeated appeals for restraints of its armed forces against committing provocative actions the Naga Army, was in contravention of all norms and of the ceasefire ground rules.
The NSCN-IM also warned that in the event of any circumstances leading to the breakdown of the hard-earned peace process, the GoI would be held accountable.
Conveying condolence to the bereaved family members of the deceased, the MIP secretariat said Late Chandemo, who was also the eldest son of Ms. RL Kinghen, a deputy kilonser in the GPRN/NSCN-IM, had joined the national struggle in 1993 and "served the nation dedicatedly, devotedly andselflessly till his demise." It further prayed the Almighty God to grant solace to the bereaved family and for the departed soul to rest in peace.
Turbulent peace Nagaland Post Editorial
As usual, September 6 this year was observed as Peace Day by the Nagaland Baptist Church Council while an elaborate service was organized on the occasion by the Nagaland Peace Centre at Kohima to commemorate the signing of the first cease fire agreement between the Government of India with the undivided Federal Government of Nagaland on the day in 1964. Much water has flown down the rivers in Nagaland since then. The first cease fire was unilaterally abrogated in 1972 by the Government of India following the failure of six rounds of peace talks. The abrogation was also followed by re-launching of military operations in order to break the back of militancy. If the same yardstick is applied today, the two current cease fire agreements would have had to be abrogated years ago. In retrospect, the Government of India had taken a very harsh and unwise decision in abrogating the 1964 cease fire without giving peace a chance. The price has been heavy for both sides and particularly for the Naga people. In a twist to the decision, the Government of India's Nagaland blunder has landed itself with a situation in which the problem has been magnified into factional killings and all kinds of activities inimical to the well being of the people. Obviously the happenings have also landed New Delhi in a difficult situation. Some would tend to say, that the problem has turned inwards. In the light of the events post-September 6,1964, it would seem to some that observance of Peace Day is quite confusing. However for some, the day is a reminder that the people's desire for peace and not war. There are many issues that confront the people over what they understand by peace. If there is no more hostilities between the armed groups with the Government of India then there is peace. However in the context of the opinions and demands made by various people today, absence of peace has also come to mean presence of inter-factional war for territorial supremacy and spilling over into all kinds of unwanted activities. Perhaps Peace Day has is also an occasion to remind ourselves of what has gone wrong and where. These also lead and encourage us to debate over core issues concerning the bigger Naga family that is rife with tribalism, corruption, anti-socialism and the need to frankly and boldly admit mistakes. The political leaders on both sides (overground and underground)now past seventy, who have been involved with politics since the fifties and sixties, have the opportunity to set things right today. And perhaps that is the significance of Peace Day. If they fail to do so, they will forever miss the opportunity and that will be a great tragedy.
On DAN government’s minimum programme- Nagaland Post Opnion
The government of Nagaland has not imple-mented as per the common minimum programme. All the developmental activities of the Hydro Electric projects had been developed in the banana leaf, Indian Ocean and rivers.
DAN government misused the money for the improvement of the Likhimro Hydro Electric project 24 MW under Kiphire district 2003-04 budget allocation was 0-point but during the CFY expenditure incurred to the end was amounting to Rs. 21, 588.00 lakhs, Sl. No 5 (800) (2) major head. To whom the DAN government has given the work order, for the improvement of the Likhimro Hydro Electric Project. For 2005-06 budget allocation DAN government had sanctioned Rs. 6.00 crores but still delaying policies is around Likhimro project, instead of improvement of the project, the DAN government has already sold to the private company.
The government of Nagaland has totally neglected to take up the big projects in Nagaland. As per the NEEPCO survey, the Tizu and Zingki basin (Tributaries) Hydro Electric Project 150 MW was started in the year 1982 under Longmatra area in Kiphire district 59 A/C Sitimi and Syg.
It is one of the best and viable Hydro Electric project in Nagaland, then why the DAN government has not included in the common minimum programme for taking up the viable project and in order to solve the educated unemployment youths of Nagas. Dikhu Multipurpose Hydro Electric project 120 MW under Mokokchung district is one of the second highest projects in Nagaland, but so far no action has been taken by the government of Nagaland.
T. S. James Sor Sangtam, Secretary, Nagaland Youth Congress.
Good faith equation in Manipur and Nagaland
By Takhelmayum Devajit Singh Sangai Express
The men living in Mani-pur like all the depressed chauvinism under the Indian expansionist have been cautioned for the fake encounter, custodial tortures and killings for joining underground outfits or uprising for restoring sovereignty of the one time independent country since the merger to the Indian Union with the 'Instrument of Accession' in 1949. Since then there has been no security in this fragiled State. Such Indian atrocities in Manipur have nothing to complain to anybody for the cause of 'Sovereignty of Manipur'. As the trend passes today the Indo-Manipur conflict, the Indo-Naga issue, the Naga-Naga conflict and the Manipur-Naga tussles say all these above come to their own days.
The name of Manipur itself is a corrupt name and came after the Vaishna-vism which evolved since 1967 AD after the reign of King Kyamba. Like this, Naga is also a borrowed or an entitled name by the then British and came to be known as Nagaland on July 20, 1960 within the Indian Union as a State from the Naga Hill district of Assam and Tuensang Frontier Division. On the other there was no Naga in Manipur. Now, all these names (Manipur and Na-galand) are coming to change to the likes of their originality. Before coming of the name Nagas there are the clans called Tang-khul, Mao, Zeliang, Liang-mei, Rongmei, Maring, Ka-bui and the names of Kuki-Chins clans etc in Manipur as today in course of time. Likewise, there are Ao, Se-ma, Angami, Lotha, Chake-shang, Konyak etc in Na-galand till today in course of time. And different religions gave the forceful impacts in Manipur after converting Vaishnavism and Christianity among her subjects.
Still, Manipur remains unity in diversity as the people living in this State have been the descendants of the ancient forefathers living in the hilly surroundings. Accor-ding to Captain Hudson's 'The Meitheis' it is mentioned that the people of Manipur valley were the settlers or descendants of the surrounding barbarious tribes. Moreover, the alluvial plain of Manipur valley was formed due to the deposition of silt of the southerly flowing rivers from the north of Manipur. Thus, it was once the lake covering one tenth of the total area of the State. Loktak lake and some other lakes and swamps still exist today though most of the valley is for-med and as sedimented suiting for dwelling and agricultural practices in course of time. She is the proof that the people from the surroundings hills have been migrating here for habitation and living from immemorial times till today. Again Meiteis are not foreigners. Today Manipur represents a cosmopolitan State. So, they should not be sectarian nor communal like some self style autocratic leaders of the State.
The people have been walking a long way and they now come to senses that they should base on reality for the common pool and that should be acceptable by all the citizens of this State. Some low political profile leaders can never claim authority of self justice. The only thing is that the mandate for anything say Naga integration or Manipur's freedom should be under reasonable public acceptance. In the same way the MLR and LR Act of 1960 is one of the main causes and defects of divi-ding between the valley dwellers and the hilly inhabitants among themselves in Manipur. Taking the chance some sectarian leaders have been building up self style assurances to the people who trust them or by forces in some kinds. The people should not neglect that such type of hypocrisy is due to the lack of political principles, unreasonable political hypnosis or political unconsciousness. One thing Manipur and Nagaland as so called now a days have geopolitical differences.
It is not the time of class clashes, if so, there will be sidetrack at all. So, it is necessary to check the drawbacks and meaningless dramas. Manipur's metabolism can't be uprooted at any time at any cost. Some persons who have been trying to deviate by creating a new history without consensus is beyond the mainstream. It is not a political dimension but a crucifixion to self and to their fellow citizens. The people are so perturbed because of the mere stage of trekking towards a juvenile juncture for Manipur's freedom and international recognition during this recent development. To this certain height, the gesture within herself seems a contempt for a sorry thorn like the head hunters of the clans throughout Manipur now a days as liked under the village chiefs once upon a time. Yet, those are siphoned apart from her unique genealogy and analogy. Such fascination continues by some sections of Manipur's hill tribes. In reality the world itself has come up from such sectarian period. But Manipur is a living dead of her one time sovereignty under Indian occupation. Manipur has been suffering from the divide and rule policy that Meiteis, Muslims and no other Indian nationalities can't contest any election in the hills but the tribals of the State are allowed to contest any election anywhere in the State making an undemocratic State in India. Such conditions heighten the futile heaven of the ‘Warning Lords’ in Manipur today.
On the other the improper system of demarcating ‘Revenue Districts’ in the State somehow or the other heightens the turmoil of the present situation. Moreover the systems of varied election systems in Manipur for MPs, MLAs, Panchayats, Municipalities, Hill District Councils etc are worth mentioning that all those are the fabricating institutions for the mounting pressure in Manipur’s integrity. Furthermore, it was after the Khongjom war (1891) that the then political agent Maj HST John Maxwell who took over the charge of Manipur administration from Brig. Gen. H Collet made the division of the State into two i.e. the valley and the hills keeping outside the administration of the -hills from the
jurisdiction of the then Maharajah Churachand of Manipur as the hills had not been a part and parcel of Manipur perpetuating divide and rule policy of the Britishers. Again, under the Indian umbrella the system of autonomous Hill District Councils in Manipur is defective in the State’s unity and integrity. On the other, the British’s colonial expansion and the role of missionaries are taking place in Naga integration.
— To be contd
UNLF leader flown in by special craft By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express Kh Ibotombi recuperating after being brought to Imphal
IMPHAL, Sep 10 : The general secretary of the proscribed UNLF Kh Ibotombi (55) who was arrested by a special police team from Manipur on September 5 at Coimbatore along with an aide was brought to Imphal today at about 3.10 pm by a special flight.
The aide, Salam Bung was also brought along with the ailing underground leader.
Ibotombi who was arrested from a hospital at Coimbatore after undergoing spinal surgery was transferred to the MR medical unit here while Salam Bung has been taken into police custody.
The UNLF leader was earlier supposed to have been airlifted to Imphal on September 6, one day after his arrest, but considering his health, the Judicial Magistrate of Coimbatore had remanded him to Judicial custody till September 19 after which they were lodged at the Coimbatore Central jail.
It is still not yet clear when Ibotombi will be produced before the Court here, said a source.
Ibotombi who has many aliases including Sunil, Tomba, Khundongbam etc was picked up by the police from Ganga hospital along with his aide by the police team from Manipur.
A lap top, cell phones, Rs 35,000 in cash and clothes were seized at the time of the arrest.
Pictures relating to a centre run by the Manipur People's Army for training the cadres in loading rifles, AK-47, light machine guns and using rockets were also recovered, said an earlier report filed by PTI from Coimbatore.
A special police team which had gone to arrest Ibotombi brought back the UNLF leader today.
Newsmen rushed to Tulihal airport on receiving information of his arrival.
MPA militant leader taken to Imphal by special flight Assam Tribune
COIMBATORE, Sept 10 – The General Secretary of banned militant outfit Manipur People's Army (MPA) Khundong Bam alias Thomba, who was arrested here some days ago, was today airlifted to Imphal by a special flight.

Thomba, against whom many cases have been registered in Imphal, was arrested from a city hospital where he was recuperating after a spinal surgery on September 5.

His aide, Salam Punk, was also arrested the same day.

Both have been kept in the Central Jail here since then as there was some delay in arranging a flight to take them to Manipur and getting ‘legal clearance’ for the transit.

Armed with necessary warrants and clearance, a six-member team led by a senior police official from Manipur took Thomba and Punk from the jail to airport under a tight security cover provided by special police force. –PTI

Arrested UNLF leader brought back to Imphal The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 10: General secretary of the underground UNLF, Kh Ibotombi who was arrested with his aide at Coimbatore on September 5 last were brought to Imphal by a special flight of the Indian Air Force today afternoon at Imphal. The Indian Air Force flight which carried the general secretary, Khundongbam Ibotombi alias Tomba, the leader of the proscribed UNLF and his companion Salam Bunka arrived at Imphal`s Tulihal Airport at around 3.30 pm. A team of Manipur police led by SP CID, Special Branch, accompanied them.

Mention may be made that the underground leader was arrested from City hospital, Coimbatore along with Bunka by a team of Manipur police on September 5 and were briefly lodged in the central jail at Coimbatore. Ibotombi, who is the general secretary of the UNLF and the second in-command of its armed wing, the MPA, is wanted by the Manipur police in connection with many cases. The underground leader was taken directly to the 1st Manipur Rifles unit hospital in an ambulance amidst heavy security deployment along the airport road.

Salam Bunka has been detained at the Imphal police station.

Ibotombi was in Coimbatore for a spinal compression surgery at the City hospital, Coimbatore where he was arrested. Reports also said that he was staying at Coimbatore since August 22. He had undergone two compression surgeries in the spinal cord.

According to agency reports, Military Intelligence interception of a telephone call made by one Tomba to a UNLF base in Manipur led to the detection of the whereabouts of the MPA leader. The Coimbatore city police in coordination with Intelligence Bureau and Manipur police arrested Ibotomba and his accomplice after eight days of surveillance.

A laptop, cell phone, Rs. 35,000 in cash and clothes were seized from the position of the separatist leader. In the meantime, highly reliable reports reaching here said that in the wake of arrest of the separatist leader from Coimbatore, the police there were making frequent searchs at hostels and other sheltering points. In such a condition, Manipuris mostly students were facing frequent harassment from the police there.
Who are these people whom M’laya pushes to Asom?
By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 10: Fifty suspected Bangladeshis, who were reportedly pushed to Asom by Meghalaya on Saturday, have been detained at the Jorabat police station.
According to reports, the Meghalaya Police last evening escorted the suspected persons to the Jorabat and Baraunibat area along the Asom-Meghalaya border and left them there.
It is learnt that the Khasi Students’ Union rounded up the suspected persons from different places of Ri-bhoi district and handed them over to Renga Police Station of Meghalaya. The detainees were later pushed to Asom by the police after they reportedly claimed to be residents of Dhubri and Barpeta.
A senior city police official said they have not been intimated about the matter by their Meghalaya counterparts.
Police sources said 36 of the detained persons claimed to be residents of Barpeta while the rest said they were from Dhubri. However, they failed to produce any valid documents of citizenship. Local people who accosted the suspected immigrants said barring one or two, the rest were unfamiliar with Asomiya language.
Barely two months back, the Meghalaya Police had pushed around 102 suspected illegal migrants to Asom. Reports said during the last three months, nearly 500 suspected Bangladeshi migrants have entered Asom from Meghalaya following a state-wide crackdown on illegal infiltration by the police and organizations of the neighbouring State.
When contacted, the officer-in-charge of Jorabat police station said investigation was on to ascertain their credentials.

Frans on 09.11.06 @ 03:31 PM CST [link]


Sunday, September 10th

Govt urges USSC to call off agitation Nagaland Post


Govt urges USSC to call off agitation Nagaland Post
Dimapur, Sept 9 (NPN): The State government has urged the United Sangtam Students' Conference (USSC) to withdraw its agitation assuring that the demands of the Conference would be looked into. In a letter addressed to the USSC chairman, State Additional Chief Secretary Lalthara requested the USSC to withdraw the agitation in order to create a congenial atmosphere for the government to address the grievances of Conference.
The government assured that it would address, within the shortest possible time, all demands of the USSC including the issue of transfer of Seijomong from Commandant, 3rd NAP, and his posting as Superintendent of Police, Tuensang.
USSC, the apex student body of the Sangtams, had begun its first phase of sit-in-protest against the transfer and posting of Sejongmong on Friday. Meanwhile, the Eastern Nagaland Students' Federation (ENSF) has urged the State government to fulfil the demands of the USSC, reports our Tuensang Correspondent. The ENSF in a statement issued by its president Y.P. Chillio viewed that transfer of Sejongmong as SP, Tuensang, was "wrong".
"If the State government wants to be fair in its dealings it should bring another official in place of Seijomong," the ENSF demanded. It lauded the DAN government for initiating several developmental programmes in the under-developed districts but at the same time affirmed to stand by all its federating units that were "fighting for the cause of the people".
The ENSF cautioned that though it has a "moral obligation" to the DAN government, yet it would not hesitate to go against the government in the interest of the "Eastern Nagas".
India to demand Bhutan-type operation in Myanmar Sunday, September 10, 2006 (New Delhi):NDTV
With reports of northeast insurgent groups operating from Myanmar, India will press for measures to flush them out like Bhutan's crackdown on the ULFA in 2003. New Delhi will raise its concerns with Yangon over the activities of the insurgent groups during the 12th Home Secretary-level talks beginning on September 13. Sources in the security establishment say that there are reports on the activities of insurgent groups in Myanmar and their whereabouts.

New Delhi will utilise the four-day talks to make the demand for flushing them out, besides raising issues like drug trafficking and smuggling. They said some insurgent groups from Manipur and Nagaland were operating from Myanmar and cited the instance of the killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents.

They said New Delhi would take up the matter seriously with Yangon. Though Bhutan launched 'Operation All Clear' to flush out ULFA militants nearly three years ago, neither Bangladesh nor Myanmar has so far agreed to similar action against Indian insurgent groups.

The northeastern states have been voicing concern over this issue, pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries from the strategic point of view. (PTI)

Affiliation move cannot succeed: MSF The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 7: The Manipuri Students Federation has said the current movement being initiated by some Naga civil society bodies loyal to the NSCN(IM) regarding affiliation of private schools located in four hill districts of Manipur namely Ukhrul, Chandel, Senapati and Tamenglong to the Nagaland Board can never be fulfilled or realized.

Asserting the movement has root in the NSCN(IM)`s political agenda of having a greater Nagalim which can never be achieved or realized, a MSF statement said forcible imposition of Nagaland board textbook upon students in the four hill districts will not only spoil career of the Naga students in particular but also to the future generations of the people living in the four hill districts in general. The political application that these Naga civil society bodies have been adopting in the affiliation issue is to have more land for Nagaland, it said.

The demand that Nagaland Boad textbooks should be taught in schools located outside its jurisdiction contradicts the general norms as being practised by every states in the country, the MSF said adding the step being taken by some Naga civil society in Manipur on the issue have revealed the hidden agenda behind the movement.

Made wiser by the fragmentation of the state into four parts, Assam government made compulsory for every schools in the state to follow textbooks prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education Assam. However, the Board of Secondary Education Manipur Act of 1972 says that only the schools which are recognised by the board will have to follow textbook prescribed by the board.

The Naga bodies which are initiating the affiliation issue is taking all the chances from the loophole that the BSEM Act had made, the MSF said adding it was due to lack of both the short and long term planning by the state government on education policies.

Generally students bodies launched agitation on the matter relating to lack of infrastructures or shortage of teachers or towards improving standard of education. But the current movement is being done due to insistence by some vested interest group to achieve their goal without ever acknowledging the interest of other communities inhabiting in the four hill districts, the MSF said adding those initiating the current movement should be solely responsible in case career of the students are spoiled out of the current movement.

The MSF fully understand that the adoption of Nagaland boad textbook in schools of Manipur is a stepping stone towards making a Greater Nagaland and hence the students body remain silent on the affiliation issue. The MSF however maintain it began to keep an eye so as to avoid destruction to educational related infrastructures and saving career of students in the four hill districts which are being spoiled by the current affiliation movement.

Pressure groups react angrily to CM`s statement The Imphal Free Press
IMPHAL, Sep 9: All Manipur Government Aided College Teacher`s Association, the Manipuri Students Federation, All Manipur Die-in-harness Appointment Demand Committee, all of which have been launching different forms of agitations regarding their respective demands are up in arms against chief minister O Ibobi Singh`s declaration that none of the demands are reasonable and the state government is not a position to fulfil them.

Mentioned may be made here that during his speech yesterday at the inaugural function of Manipur Fire Service`s Thoubal substation, the chief minister had outrightly rejected the demand for upgradation of aided colleges, revival of the die-in-harness scheme apart from the demand for affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to Nagaland board.

Reacting sharply to the chief minister`s revelation, All Manipur Government Aided College Teacher`s Association said such irresponsible statement from the head of the state revealed Ibobi Singh`s illogical, short sightness and irresponsibility regarding the issues confronting the state.
The Manipuri Student`s Federation, in the meantime, said the chief minister`s speech is nothing but an invitation to more violent agitations from organisations which are currently up in arms on the issue of school affiliation and the upgradation of aided colleges. Though the chief minister has rejected the demand by some Naga bodies regarding affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to Nagaland board, despite being head of the state, O Ibobi Singh himself remain inactive in tackling the violent agitations in the hills, MSF said in a statement.

While accusing the chief minister of showing indifferent attitude to the demands of the students of aided colleges who have been deprived of attending classes for over two months, the MSF said that arresting striking teachers or lodging agitating students under NSA would not bring any solution but rather deepen the situation. In the meantime, All Manipur Die-in-Harness Demand Committee said last night`s ransacked of electricity office at Mekola in Imphal West was carried out by its volunteers who were deeply anguish over irresponsible and illogical statement of head of the state. Asking the chief minister O Ibobi Singh to made a clarification to what he had stated yesterday at Thoubal, the committee cautioned that SPF government shall have to borne responsibility for more destructions to be done on government properties.
Tangles of conflict Himmat Singh Gill Holy Warriors by Edna Fernandes. Penguin/Viking. Pages 332. Rs 450.
OFTEN it takes an outsider to tell us Indians a simple home truth. Journalist Edna Fernandes, of Indian origin and brought up in London, journeys into the heart of Indian fundamentalism, as she terms it, and comes out with a long list of intolerance and radicalism that has gripped large segments of the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Sikh population. Winding her way through this vast land, she ends her book with a finding, that "the new India is looking for a leadership which understands the formidable challenges of economic and social change ahead, not one purely seeking to avenge the religious wrongs of the past". The question she leaves unanswered, however, is that will our religious leaders come forward with a will and purpose to steer their flock away from bigotry and revenge; if and when there are fair and sane political leaders around who will not pander to electoral vote banks and play populist politics for their own and party gains.
In the Kashmir valley, where claims and counter claims continue to be made depending on whom the author speaks to, elicits a typical Kashmiri inhabitant’s reply, "Azadi (we want)—Freedom from Indian security forces. Freedom from terrorists". A senior police officer says, "Infiltration has improved over the last year", by which he really means that infiltration has declined. A political issue has raised its head, and the growing currency is the intelligence funds that buy informers and sources. Elsewhere in Delhi, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, opines in an interview with Edna, "You know, we have been framed. The international community has placed the Muslim inside the frame of terrorism. This has to end." Adil Saddiqui, head of public relations at Deoband in early 2005, is not against education for women as the Taliban were, "We’re not against education of women. Education of women is encouraged. But not alongside men, it has its...evil effects". Mufti Habibur Rehman at Deoband when asked whether violence in the name of self-defence was un-Islamic, says, "It is not un-Islamic. It is necessary. Every moral law allows for self-defence. They are fully authorised". There are so many different voices that speak for the Muslim generation and mind, and Fernandes seeks all shades of opinion for her book.
Covering Punjab the "land of the pure", the "militant messiah" and "this turbulent priest" (Bhindranwale), Operation Bluestar, and the killings of Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, Edna traces a troubled mosaic of the times. She says, "Brar (Maj-Gen K. S. Brar who conducted Operation Bluestar) denied that tanks were used inside the Golden Temple, but other observers reported that tanks were indeed deployed". Brar, of course, needs to recheck his statement, because hundreds who know the details of the operation would vouchsafe otherwise. In an interview with K.P.S. Gill "over whisky" at his Talkatora Road house in the autumn of 2004, Edna quotes Gill speaking of Indira Gandhi that "she didn’t want an Army operation" in the Golden Temple. However, after the BSF and the CRPF expressed their inability to carry out the task, the "Army was called in and they said it would be a question of two hours". Gill continued his interview, "If 1,800 policemen die, I tell you, 5,000 terrorists will die", and utterances, as Fernandes narrates, " ‘I doncare about the Sikhs who call me Butcher of Punjab,’ he said, lifting the tumbler to his lips and polishing off the last of its contents. ‘They tried to destroy me. They tried to build up a case against me. It collapsed around them’."
Edna writes that the "anti-Sikh atrocities ignited a new wave of Sikh fundamentalism that raged for another decade" (this is after Indira Gandhi’s assassination), but leaves unanswered the question as to who were more to blame for the troubled 1990s in Punjab, the rulers with their grand strategies and their law enforcers who worked with a vengeance, or some who let power get to them and never quite comprehended the armed might of the state.
Fernandes is direct and blunt on Gujarat and blames squarely " the Vajpayee’s government that failed to act in February, 2002, when Gujarat was engulfed by communal riots and the state administration was clearly complicit". For Nehru, "the cult-like Association of National Volunteers or RSS was nothing less than an ‘an Indian form of fascism’," she writes. About Hindutva, she writes, "I hope, India will force Hindutva to recognise its own limitations and to adapt itself".
Awarding a plus to country’s religious diversity, Edna hopes that "India will not be straitjacketed into one religious identity, whether that is a Hindu Raj or anything else". The country’s 24 million Christians are also put under the microscope. In Nagaland, such is the "locals’ zeal for Baptist Christianity" that it forms the thrust of their quest "to secede from India and establish a ‘Nagaland for Christ’". In Goa, "a nascent movement among the Catholic community is calling for the Church to admit to the atrocities committed in the name of faith and for Goan Christians to view their history in context," Edna writes about the early era of the Inquisition. Is Edna’s book a travelogue or an unbiased history of contemporary India, and its principal religions and flag-bearers? Possibly both, but whatever it be, her fresh and languid style of telling a story for the modern generation can capture any reader’s interest.
UNC explains ANSAM bans By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 9: The Uni-ted Naga Council (UNC) has indicated that ban imposed on Meitei Mayek (script), films and songs by All naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) has become inevitable to check dilution of Nagas’ history from the impact of the Meitei endeavours.
According to UNC general secretary Azang Long- mei Meitei films, songs and script influence the Nagas’ identity, tradition and culture thereby evoking the prohibitions.
Moreover, the Nagas have unfettered rights to live together under a single administrative unit in order to protect and promote their identity, language and their own future, he maintained.
Endorsing the prohibitions, Azang opined that it (ban) could be construed as a part of the Nagas non-cooperation movement against Manipur Govt as was adopted by the Naga People’s Convention.
Echoing similar sentiment on bans enforced in the hill districts of Senapati, Chandel, Ukhrul and Ta-menglong - UNC’s publi- city secretary S Milan asserted that Nagas’ aspira- tion to unite under a single geographical entity and administration unit is not a recent development.
“Nagas are one and we have to make our own future and others should appreciate our movement ins- tead of defying it,” he said and cited carving out of Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chattisgarh states to drive home his point.
The Manipur Govt majority of which are formed by Meitei legislators has always been a stumbling block on our path to achi-eve our legitimate goal, he alleged while saying ‘we can have a good and friendly neighbourhood’.
Mention may be made that ANSAM in a statement yesterday had announced ban on script with immediate effect and set Sept 17 as the deadline to enforce the ban on Meitei CDs/cassettes.
Naga students’ body ‘bans’ Manipuri language Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 9 – A Naga students’ association has “banned” the use of Manipuri language in four Naga-inhabited hill districts of the State with immediate effect, reports PTI.

The All Naga Students’ Union Manipur (ANSAM), in a statement yesterday, said that “imposition” of Manipuri language on the Nagas would not be tolerated.

The ANSAM said they would also “ban” Manipuri songs and films in Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Senapati and Chandel districts from September 17.

Official sources said there was no question of imposition of Manipuri on the Nagas and added the language was the linguafranca of more than 30 different communities in the State.

The sources pointed out there were several Naga or Kuki communities such as Tangkhul, Mao, Kabui, Maram, Khongsai and Thadou who spoke Manipuri.

Our Correspondent adds: Earlier, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has reiterated that his government will not bow under any form of pressure from any quarter.

Reacting to the series of strike by some hill-based student organizations for the proposed affiliation of some schools under Nagaland Board , Ibobi said yesterday that affiliation or textbooks were introduced on certain policies adding one State cannot interfere in policies of other states.

He also appealed to all not to call bandh or blockade as part of pursuing their demands. It may be worth mentioning here that under the renewed directive of the All Naga Students Association Manipur, as many as 28 government high schools were ransacked in the Ukhrul district on Wednesday evening and the effigies of the Chief Minister and Education Minister were burnt at the Ukhrul district headquarters.

Effigies were also reportedly burnt in Chandel area which is dominated by the Naga community the same day as part of intensifying their agitation against the Manipur Government’s opposition to the affiliation of over 100 private schools in four Hill districts of the State under Nagaland Board of Secondary Education.

Naga students body said, the Manipur Board textbooks distorts the history of the Naga community. They further alleged that the majority Meitei community has imposed ‘Meitei script’ on the Hill students.

However, the State Government had been clarifying that there is no such pressure or distortion which the Naga student bodies as well as United Naga Council refused to accept.

Inaugurating the newly constructed Fire service sub-station here at this district headquarter, 24 km south of State capital, Chief Minister Ibobi appealed to the people to work for the welfare of the future generation.

On the issue of aided college teachers strike, Ibobi once again stated that the demands of the teachers are unjustified. Ibobi was not happy over the numbers of teachers which outnumbered the students and also the poor performance of the government aided colleges.
Myanmar's rights abuses create health crisis Nagaland Post
BANGKOK, SEPT 9 (DPA): Rampant human rights abuses have created a humanitarian crisis in eastern Myanmar, on a par with other disaster zones seen only in Africa, says the first epidemiological survey on the country's conflict areas. The survey, aimed at demonstrating the correlation between rights abuses and declining health, was conducted by the Back Pack Health Workers, voluntary mobile health units that have been operating in eastern Myanmar since 1998. 'Chronic Emergency', the first survey of health conditions in a region where the government is waging a campaign against ethnic rebel groups, found that mortality rates, disease and malnutrition were far higher than elsewhere.
"The mortality rates are more like those of Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, Sierra Leone and other disaster zones," said Voravit Suwannvanichkij, a researcher from John Hopkins University who helped compile the survey. Infant mortality in the area was found to be 91 to every 1,000 births, compared with Myanmar's national average of 76 per 1,000 and Thailand's 18 per 1,000.
Child mortality for under-five-year was 221 per 1,000, compared with Myanmar's average of 106 per 1,000 and Thailand's 21 per 1,000. "One out of every 12 women in this area may lose her life around the time of childbirth, deaths that are largely preventable," said the survey report.
By far the biggest killer in the area was malaria, which infects 12 percent of the population, giving rise to increasing incidents of drug resistant forms of the disease. Of the 2,000 households surveyed, a third had suffered from forced labour, 10 percent from forced displacement and a quarter had had their food confiscated or destroyed by the Myanmar military.
Security stepped up in hill schools, Govt offices Nagarealm.com
Imphal, Sep08 [TSE] : To prevent recurrence of the September 6 incident, wherein volunteers of suspected student organisations targeted Government schools located in the hill districts, security measures have been strengthened in and around Government institutions.
Senior police officials including IGP and DIG have reportedly rushed to Ukhrul district today to take stock of the prevailing situation there after the violent repercussion on the ongoing text book row resulted in huge loss of properties of Ukhrul Higher Secondary School.

While sources confided that strong security steps had been taken up in Ukhrul district, SP of Chandel district G Bimolchandra sharma told The Sangai Express of similar measures being adopted at Government offices and schools while mobile security teams have been put on high alert.

"We have extended all out effort to foil any damage on such installations," said the police officer and added that the recent agitation in the district was limited to burning of effigies.

according to Tamenglong district SP Chownghuna, personnel of manipur Rifles/police have been put on static guard at the Zonal Education Office (ZEO) located in the district headquarters in addition to intensifying mobile checking in and around Government run educational institutions.

Police sources also affirmed that state forces have been put on high alert in the periphery of Senapati district Deputy Commissioner's office where the ZEO office is attached.

The fluid situation prevailing in some of the hill districts is associated with the agitation call of ANSAM demanding affiliation of hill district schools to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education and denouncing alleged misinformation campaign slur launched by the State Government.
Karbi Anglong goes all-out to bid violence goodbye The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 9 (MEN): Different Organizations in Karbi Anglong, Assam and Meghalaya are working hard to restore peace in the conflict torn Karbi Anglong district, and to adopt pre-emptive measure, so as to thwart the repetition of the like of the last Karbi-Dimasa conflict along the sensitive Assam-Meghalaya border, which is dominated by tribal populations.
On September 5 last, mass peace rally was held at Am-e (Kanduli) along the Assam-Meghalaya border, where hundreds of peace lovers from different villages of the area partook in the said rally. It was jointly organized by Diphu Citizens Peace Forum, United Christain Forum, PCI and CYPM. Similar peace moves had also been held in various places, earlier, in the border where tribal populations were predominant. Several eminent personalities from Hamren, Kanduli, Halflong, Diphu and Shillong spoke during the rally.
Prominent among the speakers were Welson Kro, Ex-MAC, T. Lavo from Jowai, D.C Haia. While strongly voicing against the violence, all of them echoed the necessity of peace for the development and prosperity of the region. The speakers also maintained that violence conflict is never a part of the tribal traditions and culture, and called upon the people of the region to maintained unity and peace amidst all diversity for the prosperity of the area.
Tom Mangathuthazhe of Diphu Citizens Peace Forum told The Morung Express that the idea of the rally is to help people restore peace in their area; sensitized them on the adverse impact of violence on developmental process and also as precautionary measure against the possible violence in future along the vulnerable Assam-Meghalaya border. Tom also said that rally is significance in the wake of the possible involvement of ‘third force’ in churning up violence amongst the different ethnic groups of the area, as experience in the last Karbi-Dimasa conflict.
Source also said that after the rally a meeting was convened by the organizers for the villages Gaonburas, where more than 38 leaders from different communities attended the meeting. The meeting was aimed at strengthening the peace initiative by sensitizing the village elders on the futility of violence, and to make them aware of the various forces detrimental peace in the area.
Besides, the peace messages from the leaders of the area, songs on peace was presented by College Youth on Peace Mission (CYPM) while cultural items were also presented by the local youth to foster peace in the region.

Frans on 09.10.06 @ 06:06 PM CST [link]


Saturday, September 9th

KMHR calls for sanity, urges K to drop quit notice Source: The Sangai Express


KMHR calls for sanity, urges K to drop quit notice Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 08: Expressing concern over the quit notice served on the Tangkhuls in Nagaland by NSCN (K), the Kuki Movement for Human Rights however observed that when the UNC served quit notice on the Kukis at the behest of NSCN (IM) on October 22, 1992 and subsequently murdered 900 innocent Kukis including women and children besides uprooting 300 villages, not a single voice of condemnation or disapproval was raised then.

In an open letter addressed to the president of NSCN (K), KMHR noted that quit notice served to anybody is a direct violation of human rights and it therefore appealed to NSCN (K) to withdraw the notice to avoid any unwanted incident. It also urged the UNC and its supporters including the NSCN (IM) to settle the destruction done to the Kukis following the quit notice served on them by UNC at the earliest. Any settlement for the destruction committed by them must be according to the law of the Kuki Inpi, it asserted.

The Great Kuki Invasion and the Kuki Rebellion etc during the British colonial period are clear testimonies of the Kukis' unyielding fight to defend the so called 'Independent Hill country' comprising of the present day Northeastern India and Northwestern Burma, it said.

Late AZ Phizo was also thought of defending the same country as much as the Kukis did, it said and added that Kukis respected the movement while observing that the movement became a communal one with the birth of NSCN (IM) which was clearly demonstrated by the quit notice served on the Kukis and the subsequent carnage.

The human rights body noted that the demand for greater Nagalim raised by NSCN (IM) within the Indian Union is a clear act of giving away the 'Independent Hill country' to India.

The people of 'Independent Hill country' are not against any Government though strongly oppose to any attempt to uproot them from their ancestral land and their customary administration, KMHR said and maintained that for any meaningful peace in the region, these two indestructible tribal heritage namely their land and customary laws should not be disturbed or threatened.

As such, the fight within and without must be ceased and any possible cause of human rights violation must be negated, said the rights body.
TCU’s appeal to revoke ‘quit notice’ Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA: The Tenyimi Central Union (TCU) today appealed to the NSCN-K leadership to pay heed to the public sentiment and exercise restraint and urged the NSCN-K to revoke the "Quit Notice" it had served to the Tangkhul community earlier. TCU president Z.M. Sekhose in a press release issued here today said the union was constrained to speak out its opinion that serving quit notices, which is contrary to the Naga culture and tradition, has become a plague.
"There are varied political shades of opinion and the Nagas have been quarrelling among themselves for supremacy so that their political opinion shall prevail. But, we should not lose our vision about the country which we dream of and for which our people have been working with great sacrifices during the last five decades. There may be different political shades of opinion, but we should not lose sight that together we shall build a nation one day," the released stated.
TCU also said Naga public are at present sandwiched between forces which are at "antagonizing positions for which there is every likelihood of displeasing, either side if the public speak out."
"This is the reason that the public are reluctant to speak out the truth that is in their mind today," Sekhose said and warned that if the NGOs did not speak out the truth, the society would become "minus the truth." While stating that the aspiration of the Naga general public was for building a nation free from severe wounds and scar, he added factional enmity was against the wishes of the general public. "Indeed, nothing is more futile than going on quarrelling, killing and assassinating one another among our own people," TCU president said.
Gun battle in Phek, 2 reported killed Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, SEPT 8 (NPN): The combined force of FGN and NSCN(K) cadres that had laid siege to the NSCN(I-M)camp near Phek Basa since Tuesday, resumed the attack and the resultant exchange of fire lasted for about three hours.
According to sources, the firing started at around 8.40 am and continued intermittently till 11.40 am. The combined force of FGN and NSCN(K) claimed that two from the rival NSCN(IM)cadre died in Friday's clash. District police and civil authorities were not in a position to ascertain the casualties as nobody could venture into the vicinity of the clash.
Meanwhile, it was reported that both sides have already rushed reinforcements to the area. On Tuesday,a combined force of NSCN(K) and a faction of FGN numbering about 70 to 80 men attacked the NSCN(I-M) killing three and injuring four others. The NSCN(K) and FGN combine have yet to vacate the area. It was learnt that the camp occupied by the NSCN(I-M) was previously occupied by the FGN that was vacated after an attack by the NSCN(I-M).
NSUP appeals for justice- Nagaland Post Opnion
We the Naga Students' Union Pune, strongly condemned the incident which happened on 19th August '06. On that fateful day, one innocent Naga boy, working in Wipro BPO (Pune) as well as studying BA II year, was allegedly kidnapped by Vivek Mukherjee and his accomplices who are all workers in Wipro BPO (Pune) too. They took him to an unknown location, there this innocent Naga boy was locked in a room and accused of forging Vivek Mukherjee's cheque of Rs. 50, 500 and withdrawing the money from a HDFC bank in Mumbai on the 24th of July 06.
However on that particular day, this Naga boy was in his office as he had a work shift on that day and on top of that he has never been to Mumbai in his life. He was beaten and forced to admit to the crime of which he hadn't done after which he was only released with the demand that he pay the over said amount within 24 hours without which his life as well as his cousin's life would be in danger. Without any proof they target the innocent Nagas, this is a clear sign of racial discrimination. We had remained silent for all these yeas in spite of the many discrimination and injustice done to us. But this time it has crossed the threshold of our tolerance and humanity.
We appeal to all Naga authorities as well as the people of Nagaland to condemn such an act of injustice and demand the stiffest and the sternest action against those responsible at the earliest at this incident had outraged the sentiments and modesty of not only him but all the Nagas. We also reported to the Bund Garden police stations, Pune to see that justice is done to him at the earliest, for the mental and physical torture that he was made to undergo and also to ensure that such incident do not happen in the future.
Chongphe Angh, President NSUP Aomeren Jamir General Secretary, NSUP
NSCN(K) confirms Quit Notice as 'Final' Kuknalim.com (UNI)
KOHIMA, Sept 8:: The NSCN(K) has reiterated that its 'Quit notice' against the Tangkhul community in Nagaland is 'final' and would continue for an indefinite period of time. In a release issued by the Secretary of Ministry of Information and Publicity(MIP) that the Council of Kilonsers(Ministers) has confirmed that the Quit Notice has been served against the Tangkhul community presently in Nagaland.

The NSCN(K) is of the opinion that the Tangkhul community was mainly responsible for "dividing the Nagas". Meanwhile, reports said that several families of Tangkhul tribe are fleeing homes as they did not want to take risk.

Atleast three families under Mond district have already left the state. A few more families out of 13 Tangkhul families have already moved out to their home district Ukhrul in Manipur, while the rest families were provided security by the NSCN-IM. Sources said about twenty to twenty five Tangkhul families have already left the state, specially from Kohima and Dimapur towns. However, the state government has assured that all measures would be taken up measures to ensure that no innocent peopel were targetted.

Quit Notice and the Deeper Issue The sharp polarization that has been happening in our society for quite sometime is an issue of grave concern for all of us. Now, with the “quit notice” issued by NSCN(K) to the Tangkhul community in Nagaland .the polarization seems to be taking a turn for the worse. Instead of coming closer, we seem to be drifting further apart. Why is it that whatever can go wrong in our situation keeps going wrong?

The present issue also, once again, clearly demonstrates that, in the Naga context, we all still continue to see and interpret happenings through the prism of tribes. This could be largely due to the fact that individual Naga identities are inseparably linked to clan, khel, village and tribe identities. And this cultural view continues to dominate our beings despite modern mannerisms, fashions and adopted attitudes. We may take the high moral ground of rationality and philosophical/ideological discourse when it suits us but this is what we all really still are. It is not practiced only by the people in the NSCN (K) but by all Nagas. We are all seen and we all look at other Nagas as part of our respective tribe identities. This trait quickly comes out and most visibly especially when we have our backs against the wall and no alternatives seem available. It enjoins on each of us the obligation to remember that we all carry individual responsibilities as well as collective ones to our communities and the larger society.

But let me first of all make clear my position on the ‘quit notice’ of the NSCN (K). In the early 1990s when the Kukis were told to quit Nagaland and this reached Kohima, I wrote in my newspaper (I was editor then) that this was wrong. For my stand I got into some difficulties but apart from a few friends there was no “squeak” of support from anyone. But I was at peace because I believed it was the right thing to do. I see absolutely no reason today to change my stand. The faults and mistakes of some cannot be visited on an entire community. And there are always good people in every community. At this point, for instance, I think of my senior friend and former colleague, Dr Tuisem Shishak, who launched and kept going, till retirement recently, the Patkai Christian College which we all know about. I do not think I would want him to leave Nagaland even from a purely selfish point of view, leaving aside larger considerations.

What gives me hope in the present case are the reports in the newspapers (having been away, I read about a week’s collection at one go) from NSCN–K’s leadership that innocent Tangkhuls will not be targeted. It shows that some re-thinking is going on. The NSCN (K) must rescind the targeting of the Tangkhuls as a tribe.
Equally, it is important to examine why the NSCN (K) may have been driven to this unreasonable and extreme step. Such examination is required not just for the sake of the NSCN (K) but for the good of the whole Naga society and so that no such mistakes will be repeated in future. Because of our given tribal context what each does or fails to do has consequences for us and for our communities. Likewise, the good that we do will be reflected on our communities too. The mindset extends from the personal to the community and national affairs. It is unrealistic and impractical to expect otherwise.

Let us consider our society. It is made up of a collection of disparate tribes, claiming to be a people and a nation, and have actually fought for so many decades for such aspirations, but now it seems to be tearing apart at the seams even before the contours of such national ambitions could be clearly mapped out. Tragically, instead of delving deeper into the actual malaise and design faults confronting us and dealing with the real mechanics of the Naga Car we want to build, we seem to have stopped at only imagining the shapes and colours of the final product. Unhappily for us, the Naga Car we want will first have to go through the visioning, designing, engineering, and production processes, and correcting any faults, before we can possess and drive it safely. Unless we are prepared to go through the long and difficult, even painful, processes required, the cost will be paid, as it has already been paid, and still being paid, in numerous more lives and may result in the ultimate sacrifice of our people-hood. What we are experiencing now are warning signs.

What has our society become today? We have reached a stage where no one can say anything to anyone anymore. Power and strength, and wealth as a means to achieving these, are the only things we understand, threats and intimidations are the only languages we speak, and deep suspicion has become the hallmark of our inter-personal relationship whether between individuals or between groups or parties. This is not a society, far less a nation, that can move forward and fulfill its God-given destiny. Permanent revolution and chaos are the only words one can think of to describe such a volatile state. A society at war with itself cannot be expected to grow and move forward. Neither can anyone help it.

The Naga national movement which first launched the process of our people-hood today seems to have become the single-most divisive factor in society. The present “quit notice” is also a direct political fall-out of the movement. Suspicion and fear, exclusiveness, assassinations, bitterness etc. have all led to the present state of affairs. The Angami too, the tribe to which I belong, have often been regrettably guilty of failing to be large-hearted enough and inclusive enough. Unless we correct these mistakes and unless we include everyone the Naga river of blood will keep flowing. Ours is a very small people and we need everyone. All of us but especially the leaders must ask themselves the kind of legacy, of peace and future or bitterness and hate, they want to bequeath their children.

We are all agreed that our society has become wounded and hurting badly. Wounds need healing, not further wounding. Clever stratagems and manipulations, however successful in the short-term will only wound further and entrench our already difficult situation, making it impossible. What our situation demands is a humble acknowledgement that things have gone wrong, that we have all played a part in allowing things to go wrong, and to do all we can to put right what we can. Explanations and justifications, and selective indignations, will only make things worse by adding insult to injury. Propaganda is a lot of energy wasted as by now, every Naga has already made up his/her mind about who is right and who is wrong and where his/her position should lie and will not effect too much shift in the minds of our people. What we have to effect is a shift from who is right to what is right for all Nagas. Only then will there be a corresponding shift in our situation from impasse towards solution. As a senior friend keeps saying, life is about challenges and responses and what we are and what our situation becomes depend on the quality of our responses to the challenges confronting us. So long as we keep on reacting instead of responding adequately to the challenges before us, there will be no movement forward.

Let us also appreciate each other. Although we are all capable of the worst, there is also so much good in our people. I recall, for instance, Mr Wangtin Konyak writing a moving letter in the immediate aftermath of the killing of Ngampan Konyak, paying tribute to his leader and stating his feeling of hurt but also expressing forgiveness and declaring his resolve to work for the good of all Nagas. I did not see any response of appreciation in the newspapers. I, for one, regrettably failed to do so publicly although, without knowing him, my respect for him rose in my heart. Quite often, lack of appreciation hardens hearts and instead of lifting the spiral of positive attitudes in society creates situations that could, perhaps, otherwise be avoided.

After all the mistakes we have all committed, and also paid the price for them, we need to begin to sensitively listen to one another to begin again. When we stop listening to one another’s cries and appeals, we usually provoke the worst in each other.

What we desperately need in our situation is a respected neutral body from within Naga society to facilitate and translate our slogan of reconciliation to real healing. Perhaps, the Church is the only body left that can perform this painful but necessary task. But will we allow it? Our society is so riven and our thinking follows the path of anyone not for us being against us that making the worst possible interpretations of what anyone says has become the norm. Killings continue everyday that even condemnation of such acts has become routine and tiresome. We have become so de-sensitized and de-humanized. Without healing, it is doubtful if there will be solution. On the contrary, the chances are greater for further bloodshed and perpetration of more legacies of bitterness to take place.

It is also a fact that solution can only come from within Naga society. Outside help and support, however powerful and important, cannot assist us where we have refused to help ourselves. At most we will reduce their efforts to mere nuisance value, a peddling of our connections vis-à-vis the Government of India and other factions. This is not to underestimate or undermine the help outside friends can give but merely pointing out a fact. It is unfair to them also and I am sure they will be the first to agree. Only we can assist them to assist us. When we do not help ourselves no one can really help us. The bell has been tolling for the Naga people for a long time now. Will we hearken to it late as it is and give a chance to mothers to dry their tears, hardened hearts to soften and become human again and for our children to dream about their future? Only we can provide the answer. [Charles Chasie]

Wangyuh’s SoS on Mon blockade Kuknalim.com
DIMAPUR, Sept 8:: Lok Sabha MP Wangyuh Konyak has urged Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to intervene in the blockage imposed on Mon district by the Sonari Truck Owners' Association (STOA) while also apprising the minister of the immense hardship faced by the people of the district.
In a communiqué to the Union Home Minister from Mon, Wangyuh said it was unfortunate that a single local union was holding both the districts of Mon and Sivasagar in Assam to ransom accused the Sivasagar district administration of remaining a mute spectator.

Wangyuh said though the people of Mon had no objection to the diktat of the STOA against sending trucks to Mon yet the association had not right to obstruct other vehicles. He also said that Mon was facing scarcity of essential commodities and other materials that has reached a point of crisis. He also informed Patil that the district administration, police and NGOs of Mon had attended several meetings at Sonari to explain about the action with regard to the complaint of the STOA but these had fallen on deaf ears. The MP urged the Union Home minister to intervene so that the "age-old tradition of good neighbourhood attitude remains undisturbed."
It may be mentioned the economic blockade commenced on September 3. (NPN)

Centre asks state to tackle factional clashes Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 8:: The Centre has reportedly taken serious note of the continued inter-factional clashes among various underground factions and asked the Nagaland government to cautiously tackle the situation. Unabated inter-factional clashes have caused a lot of disturbances in several pockets of the state and people fled from their homes, official sources said.

The NSCN(K) and Federal Government of Nagaland(FGN) continued firing at a NSCN-IM camp near Phek district since Tuesday, killing three NSCN-IM cadres and injuring a few others, sources added. Meanwhile, Lt Gen R V Kulkarni, who is also the chairman of the Cease Fire Monitoring Group (CFMG) of NSCN-IM and the Cease Fire Supervisory Board (CFSB) of NSCN(K), said he has submitted a report to the Centre on the inter-factional clashes and appealed all the underground factions to stop factional feuds. The state government had taken the matter seriously and entrusted the state Commissioner to tackle the issue. Commissioner T N Mannen said he had talks with the NSCN-IM leaders to withdraw their forces from the camp.

Tension ran high in the area as reports of heavy gun battle between the outfits occurred. The District Administration had deployed Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) in the Phek Basa and nearby villages to restore peace. (UNI)

ANSAM bans Meitei cassettes, films and Mayek Newmai News Network
Dimapur, Sep 8: The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has banned the CDs/video cassettes, audios in Meitei language in the four hill districts of Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel. ANSAM has also banned the use of Meitei Mayek (Meitei Script) in these four districts.
In a statement issued to Newmai News Network today, by ANSAM information and publicity secretary Sounii Khapa, the Naga student body said that the ban on Meitei Mayek in the four hill districts will be enforced immediately while the ban on Meitei language CDs/cassettes of audios and videos will become effective from September 17.
“Manifesting our stiff opposition against imposition of dominant will upon the Nagas by the Government of Manipur, the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) in consultation with its constituent units and subordinate bodies has resolutely decided to restrict using of Meitei Mayek in all the Naga Hill Districts of the present State of Manipur with immediate effect,” said the ANSAM statement.
Further it said that, in pursuance of Naga Peoples’ Convention (NPC) resolution adopted on November 4, 2005 and in concurrence with the directives from the office of the United Naga Council (UNC) of September 6, 2006, the ANSAM informs all the units and sub-ordinate bodies to implement the ban on Meitei language audio/video CDs/cassette in the hill districts of Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati with effect from September 17, 2006.
It warned that dealers/parlours of CDs/cassettes operating in all these four hill districts are asked to take note and comply with this directive. Violators will be strictly penalised, warned the student body. The public are also requested to extend cooperation towards this step, added the ANSAM statement.

Leave the schools alone Sangai Express Editorial
The ransacking of Government schools in some parts of the hill districts has added another chapter to the demand to affiliate the private schools located in these districts to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education. It is hard to understand why students should take recourse to such destructive methods to press home their demands and in a way the destruction caused to the properties of the Government schools was sheer madness. However what is disturbing is there seems to be a pattern behind this madness and this what everyone should be wary of. The demand to affiliate to the NBSE and to follow the text books prescribed by the Board of the neighbouring State has seen different methods being adopted. First it was the act of consigning to flames the text books prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur in Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong districts. Then followed the vitriolics poured out against an official of the BSEM on the ground that he had leaked concocted and cooked up information to the press. Now it is Government schools being targeted and effigies of the Chief Minister and Education Minister being consigned to the flames. The question is what now ? What course of action will be taken up later ? We agree that in a democracy everyone has the right to protest and air his/her grievances against the Government. This is the beauty of democracy and notably student organisations have been the ones to avail the privilege to strike and launch agitation against the Government if their cry for ‘justice’ is not heard. There is nothing wrong in students airing their opinion and demanding their rights from the Government but when students start taking the destructive route then it becomes undesirable. It was precisely because of this we had expressed our strong reservation against the burning of Government files by members of the Manipuri Students' Federation some time back. A school is a sacred institution. To the students it should be their Church, Temple, Mosque, Gurdwara according to their faith. To our understanding a school is not merely a structure of concrete with class rooms, benches, desks, blackboards and the other physical entities that are visible to the naked eyes. Far more than this a school is a living symbol of knowledge. The sanctity of a school should not be anything less than a place of worship, for knowledge itself is something beyond the profane, it is sacred. Student organisations, no matter what cause they are pursuing need to realise that targeting educational institutions do nothing except besmirch their reputation and can raise questions over their credibility. The students of the four hill districts can take up other course of agitation to press home their demand but serious thoughts ought to be given on the mode of protest they plan to launch. Targeting the very school which were once the temple of learning for their elders and themselves too at one point of time or the other will amount to nothing much except cutting off the nose to spite the face. Schools and books are sacred. Let's respect the sanctity of these institutions and ideally students should be the people leading the way in paying their respect to the temple of learning instead of desecrating them. Our stand on the matter is clear. Stop targeting educational institutions and books in any course of agitation.

MSF cites Board rule flaws in text book issue Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 08: Contending that the issue of favouring Nagaland Board prescribed text books in hill district schools of Manipur is part of the hidden agenda of the NSCN (IM), the Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) opined that flaws in Board of Secondary Education Manipur Act is indirectly aiding some Naga organisations with vested interest.

reacting to the recent incidents of violence in some hill areas, the student body said some vested groups under the garb of protecting Nagas' unity and history are undermining interest of the student community and compromising their future career.

If one of the basis of preferring Nagaland Board text books is to protect history of the Nagas can the NGOs point out any particular content of Nagas' interest being safeguarded or projected in the Nagaland Board's text books, questioned the MSF.

Moreover, the pursuit of certain Naga NGOs for affiliation of hill district schools to Nagaland Board of Secondary Education and adopting the neighbouring State's text books is part of the NSCN (IM)'s hideous campaign to amend for failure in extracting concrete assurance from the Government of India on creation of Greater Nagalim, maintained the MSF in a release.
Observing that agenda of those NGOs involved in the text book issue are similarly to that pursued by the NSCN (IM), the student body asserted that adopting NBSE text books is akin to laying the foundation for realisation of Greater Nagalim aspiration which, however, is still a distant dream.

Calling upon the parents/guardians of the victimised students to leave no stone unturned to save the future of the children MSF suggested that reliance on BSEM text books is the only guarantee for a brighter future of these student community.

MSF also blamed Naga NGOs fuelling the text book imbroglio of neglecting interest of students of non-Nagas who form substantial percentage of students in the hill districts. Regarding alleged loophole in the BSEM act, MSF cited an Act of Board of Secondary Education, Assam wherein all the schools in assam State are mandatory to teach the assam Board's text books unlike in the BSEM act which limits its legality to those educational institutes recognised by it.

MSF also accused non-Naga MLAs/Ministers of remaining silent to such a sensitive issue rather than chalking and framing out education-related policies/acts that could thwart designs of destructive forces. n the otherhand, the student body also charged the IM group of NSCN of instigating select NGOs to create confusion in the Manipuri society and added that resources for expanding the sinister agenda are being collected from manipur vehicles plying along National Highways 39 and 53.It also described as unfortunate some of these Naga NGOs including certain student bodies of deviating from the principle of a student organisation and having more inclination towards destructive policy whose end result would only be a more chaotic society and cause chasm amongst various communities that had been living together for ages.

With the entire world racing towards advanced knowledge on information technology and students of Manipur steadily progressing ahead to compete with their counter-parts it is indeed very despairing to learn that vested interest groups are creating man-made barriers to choke aspiration of the students, mentioned the student body.
PM may visit Nagaland in Dec-Jan Assam Tribune
KOHIMA, Sept 8 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may visit Nagaland in December or January next to inaugurate the Sainik School at Punglwa in Peren district.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio, after returning from New Delhi, told reporters here yesterday that he has extended an official invitation to the Prime Minister to visit the State either in the latter part of the year or early 2007.

If Singh accepts the invitation, it will be his maiden visit to Nagaland after assuming office in May 2004, Rio said. The Chief Minister said he has also requested the PM to lay the foundation stone of the Kohima campus of the Nagaland University during his proposed visit. –PTI
Politics and religion don't mix By Kuldip Nayar, Special to Gulf News
Whoever advised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to have a meeting with Muslim religious leaders did not serve him well. The very idea of a secular polity mixing religion with the law and order problem has serious repercussions. The Prime Minister's meeting has established a court of appeal of sorts. Unwittingly, the exercise has put the entire Muslim community in the dock while Mumbai bomb blasts were the handiwork of only a few.
Autonomy If terrorism is the determining factor, the government should have had a meeting with Sikh religious leaders when Punjab was burning. Similarly, the Nagaland is all Christian. No religious leader has been associated with the talks on the quantum of autonomy for the Nagas. In the past, Manmohan Singh resisted a meeting with religious leaders it was to discuss the anti-America feeling among the Muslims following the visit of US President George W. Bush to India. So why did the Prime Minister agree to meet them this time? Was it a move to win over Muslims?
Manmohan Singh was, however, on the right track when he addressed state chief ministers and advised them "to treat the community with sensitivity". This was long over due. The Muslim community is treated indiscriminately and the sins of Pakistan still visit them. True, the nation has been shocked to find terrorists among Indian Muslims because the impression so far has been different: they were praised for not responding to the Taliban's call for jihad in their fight at Afghanistan. To put the blame on the Muslim community or to pick up "Muslim suspects" at random, as it has been done after Mumbai blasts, is not to deal with the problem squarely. This is, in fact, what the Al Qaida wants so that it may recruit from the community the innocent who go through untold indignities at the hands of police almost daily.
The fact is that there are chinks in our pluralistic policy. We must analyse where the nation has gone wrong and why some Muslims have become so desperate that they have opted to become part of the network which they had shunned in the past. We should also find out how the contamination began and when. Some say it was after the demolition of the Babri masjid while some attribute it to the happenings in Gujarat.
Both arguments may well be true. I think they are contributory factors. The real reason is economic. Muslims' share in the cake has been very small. They have been left to fend for themselves. When the affluent from among them left for Pakistan after partition, the artisans, craftsmen and the like stayed behind because they did not want to leave the land of their forefathers. They could not afford education for their children. The government did little.
Education Unfortunately, education was not on the priority list of post-independent government. A special attention to the minorities was not even considered pertinent. I do not know why India's first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad could not have his way when he reportedly proposed some "weightage" for Muslims. Besides education, there are many other fields where Muslims have felt discriminated, particularly while finding accommodation. They have to live in certain localities where they are bound to acquire the ghetto mentality.
Even in the redress of grievances they find authorities treating them with disdain. That the community has been used as a vote bank is nothing new.
This has happened election after election. Promises made to them were mere promises. On the other hand, the Muslims who were on the defensive for nearly four decades have begun to speak up. They were held responsible for the partition of the country which the majority community felt had brought it all ills. But their argument now is that two generations had paid the price if that was what was sought to be exacted. In any case, the youth believes that the "sins of their forefathers should not visit them". Why should they be denied their due?
Whenever Hindu-Muslim riots have broken out, the Muslim community finds that the authorities are generally on the side of Hindus and, at some places, the police even help them. Many commissions have pointed this out in their reports but no action has been taken against the erring policemen. The Muslim community has every right to feel bitter. But the betrayal of the country by some of its members is unthinkable. Some Hindus also have done so but seldom in the name of religion. The blasts at Varanasi, Bangalore, Delhi and now in Mumbai have not only tarnished the image of Muslim community but have made the BJP and other Sangh parivar members say: "We told you so". The RSS efforts to convert pluralistic India into a theocratic state get strengthened. The problem with the parivar is that it has not yet appreciated the pluralistic ethos of the country.
The few Muslim terrorists remind me of Sikh terrorists who were able to spoil the peace of Punjab for many years. Bhindranwale was a symptom, not the disease. Still, the entire community suffered terribly. I want to offer the same advice to the Muslim terrorists as I did in the case of Sikh terrorists long ago. During my recent trips to the US and the UK, I repeated it. The few Muslims who have been driven to terrorism because of the "circumstances" should realise that the government and the country are two separate entities. Mistakes of one should not visit the other. Governments can be changed through the ballot box. But the harm rendered to the country is irreparable.
Likewise, the Muslim community should realise that their grievance is against the government which can be changed through the ballot box. Any harm to the country is indefensible. As Jawaharlal Nehru said, who dies if India lives and who lives if India dies? Our forefathers sacrificed all to free the country from bondage. Now it requires peace and unity for economical development. By indulging in killings and destruction, we only stall its progress.
Kuldip Nayar is a former Indian High Commissioner to the UK and a former Rajya Sabha MP.
ANSAM bans Meitei Mayek, movies, songs in 4 districts The Imphal Free Press

Dimapur, Sept 8 : The All Naga Students Association, Manipur ANSAM has banned video and audio CDs/cassettes in Meiteilon language in the four hill districts of Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel. ANSAM also banned the use of Meitei Mayek (Meitei Script) in these four districts. In a statement to Newmai News Network issued by ANSAM information and publicity secretary Sounii Khapa, the Naga students body said that the ban on the Meitei Mayek in the four hill districts will be effected immediately while the Meitei language CDs/cassettes of audios and vedios will become effective from September 17.

"Manifesting our stiff opposition against imposition of dominant will upon the Nagas by the Government of Manipur, the All Naga Students` Association, Manipur (ANSAM) in consultation with its constituent units and subordinate bodies has resolute decided to restrict using of Meitei Mayek in all the Naga Hill Districts of the present state of Manipur with immediate effect," said the ANSAM statement.
Further it said that, in pursuance of Naga Peoples` Convention resolution adopted on November 4, 2005 and in concurrence with the directives from the office of the United Naga Council of September 6, 2006, the ANSAM informs to all the units and sub-ordinate bodies of ANSAM to implement the ban on Meitei language audio/video CDs/cassette in the hill districts of Tamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul and Senapati with effect from September 17, 2006.

It said dealers/parlors of CDs/cassettes operating in all these four hill districts are asked to take note and comply with the directive. Violators will be taken stringent disciplinary action, added the ANSAM statement.More govt schools attacked: The Paomai Students Union (PMT) and the Mao Students Union have ransacked government schools under their respective jurisdiction in protest against chief minister O. Ibobi Singh recent remarks on the text books issue and the alleged false propaganda made by Manipur education minister L.Nandakumar. Poumai students president said that of the various schools ransacked in the last two days Paomata High School and Tunjoy High School were the most badly affected under its jurisdiction. While Mao students president said that two government schools under the Mao students Union jurisdiction have been ransacked today.

Manipur outfits warn drug pedlars with death penalty From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 8 – In a move to check the growing use of drugs, alcohol, ‘khaini’ and ‘zarda pan’ among the people, three major Manipur-based underground outfits – People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup and United National Liberation Front – will award death penalty to those involved in smuggling heroin number 4 powder, opium, spasmo-proxyvon capsules and other equivalent drugs in the region without any trial.

Death penalty will also be awarded to anyone found smuggling in Zarda pan, Talab and Khaini as well as the traders involved in wholesale of the said items. The stricture will come into force from September 15 next. The statement issued here jointly by KYKL, PREPAK and UNLF.

For those selling Zarda pan, Talab and Khaini in loose will be forced to shut their shop for one whole month. If the guilty still do not fall in line but continue selling the same, then their shops will be permanently sealed, said the statement.

Indian Made Foreign Liquor is not only injurious to health but also drains money from the State, said the three outfits and added that punishment to bootleggers and those involved in smuggling in the liquor will range from bullets in the legs to death penalty.
The outfits further said that for those involved in brewing and selling country liquor, the punishment will range from impounding their wealth or a bullet in the leg or both.

As for those who consume the banned substance, the punishment will depend on the gravity of the crime and will even include the capital punishment, added the statement. The outfits said that of now there will be no ban in brewing country liquor strictly for religious and traditional purposes. However, if the liquor is brewed for commercial purpose, then stern action will be taken, they warned. Outlining the reasons for the stand adopted against drugs, alcohol and the other intoxicants, the statement said that Manipur has been hit hard by alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction to other substances and chemicals. Not only has the dependance on these substances affected the health of many, but it has also drained a huge amount of money from the State. A packet of Talab may cost just Rs 4 and a person accustomed to taking this item may spend just Rs 4 each day. However if this is multiplied by three lakhs users then it works out to Rs 12 lakhs per day which in turn works out Rs 3.6 crore per month and Rs 43.2 crore per year.

For a poor State like Manipur this is a huge amount, observed the three outfits. The same is the case with Indian Made Foreign Liquor. The use of heroin amongst the youngsters has led to the fast spread of HIV/AIDS, said the statement.

Deadlock in talks Assam Tribune Editorial
Extension of the suspension of Army operations against the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) up to September 15 to create a congenial atmosphere for direct talks with the militant outfit is a positive sign as till date, the ULFA also reciprocated positively to the Government’s gesture and refrained from indulging in any kind of violence. The Government of India suspended the operations against the ULFA on August 13 and after years, the Independence Day celebrations this year went off peacefully, raising hopes for a political dialogue between the Government and the militant outfit for a permanent solution to the problem of insurgency, which has been haunting the State for more than 27 years. However, only suspension of operations for a few days will not bring in permanent peace in the insurgency-hit State and for that the Governments at Delhi and Dispur will have to explore all possible avenues to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table. For the first time in its 27 year long history, the ULFA has taken a step forward and showed a positive mindset for talks with the Government for a political solution to the problem and one hopes that the Government will take full advantage of the opportunity to start the process of talks.

However, the process seemed deadlocked with the ULFA insisting on the release of its five jailed central committee members to enable the outfit to hold its central committee meeting to discuss the issue of talks with the Government, while, on the other hand, the Government of India has been insisting on a formal letter from the outfit with the assurance to come for discussion. Of course, it may be difficult for the Government to release the jailed leaders of the ULFA without receiving any formal communication from the outfit as in case the process fails after their release, the Government will have to answer the entire nation. The bad experience of releasing ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia in the early 1990s may have also played in the minds of the Government officials as Chetia managed to escape after he was released from prison to hold talks with other leaders of the outfit on the issue of talks with the Government. The ULFA has shown its willingness to come for talks by forming the people’s consultative group (PCG) to hold initial parleys with the Government and if the outfit is really serious on the issue of talks, it should not take the demand of the Government for a formal letter to pave the way for the release of the five jailed leaders as a prestige issue.

Moreover, both the Government and the ULFA should take care to ensure that the ongoing peace process is not derailed at any cost. A recent statement by the Army where sweeping allegations like the outfit’s involvement in fake currency racket in collusion with the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) were made, should have been avoided at this juncture as such statements may seriously affect the process. One fails to understand what prompted the Army to issue such a statement but it gave lots of ammunition to the PCG to hit out against the Army accusing the entire force of sabotaging the peace process. On its part, the ULFA should also maintain restraint and strictly instruct all its cadres not to indulge in any act that may affect the peace process. No ULFA member should indulge in acts like extortion and none of them should move around with weapons as any such act will force the police to take action against them to maintain law and order in the State and the Government also made it very clear that the suspension of operations would be withdrawn if any militant is found to be indulging in any unlawful activity.

Frans on 09.09.06 @ 01:21 PM CST [link]


Friday, September 8th

India to seek Myanmar’s help to check drug trafficking POLITICAL BUREAU


India to seek Myanmar’s help to check drug trafficking POLITICAL BUREAU Posted online: Friday, September 08, 2006 at 0000 hours IST The Financial Express

NEW DELHI, SEPT 7: Concerned over growing cases of insurgencies and drug trafficking in the North East, India is expected to raise the issue with Myanmar during the 12th home secretary level talks between the two sides which begins here on September 13.
Besides security issues, incidents of drug trafficking and smuggling are likely to figure during the four-day talks, sources in the Union home ministry said. They said some insurgent groups in Manipur and Nagaland were operating from Myanmar soil, citing instance of the killing of some Assam rifles personnel by insurgents a few months back. They said new Delhi will take up the matter seriously with Yangon. The northeastern states have been voicing concern over such incidents pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East asian countries and from strategic point of view. Border management and fencing are some other issues expected to be discussed at the talks. The last such meeting was held at Yangon in october last year.
Nagaland Govt introduces communitization program Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: "The Nagaland Government has now introduced the communitization programme, where the consumers are to come to the Government agency for technical support for water supply with a demand driven approach," said Additional Chief Engineer (Administration) PHED, Er. Mhondamo Ovung, speaking at the inaugural programme of the Information, Education and Communication & HRD workshop sponsored by the Communication and Capacity Development Unit (CCDU), PHED, at PHED Section Office, Raj Bhavan Area, Kohima on September 7.
Er. Ovung said that the consumers will acquire the necessary land for both catchments and installations, plan the scheme components as per their own requirements, implement the scheme and on commissioning, take over the scheme for operation and maintenance.
Er. Ovung said that this reforms programme aims to involve the consumers and let them participate in water works for their own benefit. He said that the scheme belongs to the consumers and hence they should also bear their share of the cost, operate the different systems themselves, maintain the different components, conserve and sustain the scheme. He further said that the Department can help to educate the consumers through the existing programmes of the Government such as the IEC and CCDU Cells. Stating that the department is confronted with multiple problems and difficulties such as rugged topography, scarcity of perennial water source, high cost of transportation, law and order, land disputes, pilferage, lack of consumers' sense of ownership, lack of sense of civic etiquette, consumers' non participation in sustaining the installations etc. He called upon the people to abandon their casual attitudes and cultivate optimum habits and urged upon the people to participate in the programme of communitization for the benefit of the society and that of posterity.
An official release stated that Executive Director CCDU (PHED), Er. Kevisekho Kruse brief on the objective of the workshop stressed on the communitization policy of the Government and urged upon the people for their support. He said that funds received from the Twelfth Finance Commission (TFC) Award will be utilized in the scheme. Implementation of works of TFC Award will be carried out through Water Supply and Sanitary System (WATSAN) Committee and the concerned PHED Division under the direct administration of Additional Chief Engineer PHED (Administration). Functioning of WATSAN committee and Capacity building works will be monitored by the CCDU (PHED), he added.The programme was chaired by EE, PHE, Division Kohima, Er. Y. Tep.
Operation Freedom- Opinion Nagaland Post
The on going operation "Freedom" carried out by the combined forces of eastern Command, Southern Command of Naga army, federal government of Nagaland and NSCN (K) has caused much speculation to the general public. To avoid any confusion that might arise due to false propaganda, we are giving out this statement. The virgin forest area of "Thürizutsa" located in between Lozaphuhu village, Phek village and Phek Basa village had been occupied by NSCN (IM) gangsters since March 2006. despite he plea of the public to let them leave the camp, mockingly they continue to encamp there spreading their message of hatred and animosity and desperately trying to enroll anti-social gangsters to enhance and magnify their fold in the eye of the public.
Holding the principle of the NNC and FGN, we ever respect the autonomy of regions as well as individuals which is in contrast with the policy and doctrine of NSCN (IM) which is the sole reason for the present confrontations since 5th September 2006. Now and forever we shall remain Nagas in blood and spirit and ever uphold the age old values of our people which some people aim to destroy in the guise of Naga nationalism.
In the cause of Naga nation all Nagas can be one but in the mission of selfishness and dominance by some particular people or tribe we cannot join hands. The Nagas also ought to understand this reality and shun anti-Naga elements as we are a democratic people and nation. We do not derive pride or satisfaction over loss of precious lives but it is more necessary to protect the mass and our national principle which we expect our people to understand. At anytime we are ready and prepared to safeguard our rights and our ongoing operation shall continue unabated.
Col. Hangchiu Joint Operation Commander Eastern Command Naga Army, FGN
Col. Shishu Joint Operation Commander Southern Command Naga Army, FGN
FGN misleading Naga people: NSCN (IM)- Opinion Nagaland Post
Certain stooges of enemies in capitulation into their (enemy's) policies are trying to mislead the people with false propagandas of the national movement course and misconstrued definitions of the Naga socialism aimed at sabotaging the Naga people's aspirations. The Naga freedom movement that has traversed across various hurdles and obstructions has been repeatedly deliberated through various platforms, which every sensible Naga citizen is well acquainted with today. But the pawns of adversaries are continuing to spin divisive and deceptive yarn to misguide the Naga people. In spite of illogical misleading allegations, the NNC/FGN should first clarify to the Nagas on what grounds they manifest themselves.
Why was the Shillong Accord signed against the will of the Nagas? Why could not they condemn this treacherous accord despite its out-right rejection by the Nagas? Why are the NNC/FGN still in transit camps? Why were all the arms belonging to the Nagas surrendered due to this accord? Why is Rupees 24 (twenty four lakhs) lacs being drawn for the transit campers (Shillong Accordists) every year from the Nagaland state government finance department's exchequer? If NNC/FGN say they are still functional and actively fighting (alive) for the Naga freedom, besides enjoying enemy hospitality, acting as their (enemy) tools to subdue the Naga movement and orchestrating divisive bloody policies in collaboration with them (enemy), what have they been doing hitherto, achieved or initiated towards the Naga cause during all these years after the treacherous surrendered Shillong Accord of 1975?
Why were so many Nagas butchered for rejecting and opposing the Shillong Accord after it was signed in 1975? NNC/FGN should first answer these questions to the Nagas for legitimacy and credibility prior to entering into any discussion.
Coming to the Naga socialism, interpretations of socialism in suiting to ones convenience of objectivity to permeate distrust persists. But contrary to whatever interpretations; the NSCN/GPRN is founded on democratic socialism. Our democratic socialism is different from that of Marxian Socialism or Communism. The Naga Socialism is rooted on the ethics of Christianity, upholding or motto 'Nagalim for Christ'. Equality is the essential feature of our socialism, embracing the equality for all Naga peoples; equal representation, equal opportunity and privileges irrespective of poor or rich, advanced or backward Naga tribe without discrimination. It does not cherish inequality that brings injustice and suffering in a society. Democratic socialism on one-hand embraces the virtues of 'democracy and socialism' while on the other hand the repression of communism and the inequality and inefficiency of capitalism. It puts emphasis on social interests and co-operation instead of individual interest.
Democratic socialism grants individual freedom and upholds different kinds of rights. It does not execise coercion in the cultural and religious fields. The individual is free to lead his own way of life, entertain his own views, practice his own religion and resort to any vocation without any intervention from any sources. Democratic socialism strikes a balance between socialism and individualism so far as the state is concerned. The state intervenes when it must to suppress anti-social activities to give justice to the people. The welfare of the citizens is the goal of the state that moves on the path of democratic socialism.
Unlike Socialism /Communism, Naga Democratic Socialism does not believe in nationalization of all industries. It advocates democratic planning and not totalitarian planning. It believes in planned growth of society. It admits the existence of both public and private sectors. It advocates both these sectors should work in co-operation and not in conflict. Democratic socialism advocates certain common ownership of important means of production for the welfare of the people. Democratic socialism makes as country democratic by broadening the base of democracy. It is aimed at realizing real democratic where the poorest of the poor can participate and contribute his best for the nation. Democratic socialism strengthens the grassroots of democracy vesting powers in the hands of the regional bodies. Any changes to our democratic socialistic principles can be undertaken through a democratic process with the view for the welfare of our people and harmonious living suiting our needs and requirements with the times. In short, it is not rigid. The Naga people's democratic socialism is adopted to safeguard our traditional, cultural, political, customary and social heritage and to protect our unique diverse identities from external and alien invasion. Our democratic socialism is aimed at enabling the Nagas to develop and prosper in our own separate ways without any outside interferences, thus protecting our identity as a people race called the Nagas as bestowed to us by God since our creation.
As for the repeated numerous accusations that the NSCN/GPRN has proposed for the acceptance of the Indian constitution, special packages, for integration only, solution under the Indian union, etc, etc, the Naga people should clearly know that these accusations are only aimed at confusing the Nagas, diverting attention from the real issue, alienating the Naga family, sowing the seeds of distrust, dividing the Nagas, creating apprehensions and to subdue the Nagas ardent aspirations as an integrated nation people. The Nagas should never be swayed by adverse elements' wrong propagandas but clearly understand that, as the Collective Leadership of the NSCN has asserted time and again that they will never let the Naga people down, any solution within Indian union and constitution is simply not possible and not acceptable.
The Nagas will carry on to fight for our inalienable birth right as a people and continue to defend our identity till justice prevails. Issued by: MIP, GPRN (NSCN-IM)
Rio stresses on support of all sections for affiliation Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 7:: State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio called for support of all sections of the Naga society with regard to the affiliation of Schools of the four Naga inhabited Hill districts of Manipur with the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE). The Chief Minister was talking to media persons at his private residence on his return from New Delhi on the 6th of September after attending the Chief Ministers’ meeting with the Prime Minister. He said that he has met the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and apprised him on the urgency of the issue so that there can be an early solution as the future of more than fifty thousand (50,000) Naga schools students lie in jeopardy which needs to be addressed at the earliest. He added that he has submitted to the Prime Minister in written along with relevant documents and papers for which the Prime Minister gave a positive assurance for finding an early solution. However, the Chief Minister mooted of two board of School Education system in Manipur if the move for affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur to the NBSE fails to materialize. He further said that it is not right for the MBSE to impose the Meitei language and script on the minority Nagas since the Constitution of India has provisions for protection of the Linguistic Minorities.

Commenting on the State Congress’ move against the DAN Government regarding the affiliation issue, Rio said that it is not the DAN Government who has asked the schools in the four hill districts of Manipur for affiliation to the NBSE but it was the wishes of the people and the students belonging to the said districts. He also said that if the Congress is sincere they should approach the Government of India instead of blaming the DAN Government. He also wanted all the Nagas to stand united on any Naga issue irrespective of one’s political affiliation. (DIPR)

Wind of change: Check bogus NGOs and save money Okenjeet Sandham Kangla
Kohima, Sep 7: The recent arrest of a political leader and staffs of postal department in Nagaland in connection with the missing of several Demand Drafts amounting to crores of rupees that were sent from Delhi is just the tip of the iceberg. Such activities have been pretty continuing for quite sometime. The most shocking is the attempt to fraudulently withdraw over Rs 8 crore meant for the Nagaland State Aids Control Society, NSACS by a political leader, who was founder president of Nagaland Unit of Samata Party. This Demand Draft was sent to NSACS by the National Aids Control Society, NACO. Interestingly, it landed in the hands of Mr Humtsoe who, after over a month of absconding, was arrested on August 28 last from a three start hotel in New Delhi by a special team of Nagaland Police.

There have been many such cases where middle men usually control business transactions between the respective State departments and the related Ministries at the Center. These people, armed with authorization letters from most of the respective State departments, normally approach the related Central Ministries to release the amounts and in return, they demand huge percentage. Not only such middle men culture but several NGOs have also been indulging in many murky deals in many centrally sponsored schemes. The Union Home Ministry, on many occasions, used to expose such activities and even bring out lists of blacklisted Non-Governmental Organizations –NGOs in the north-eastern region for allegedly having nexus with the separatist groups. The Ministry also charged that about 1000 blacklisted NGOs out of the total around 40000 in the region have mostly become conduits for the huge federal developmental funding to the militant groups.

There had been strong protests from many NGOs in the past whenever the Union Home Ministry announced of such blacklisted NGOs in the region, countering it (such announcement) as nothing but an attempt to throttle the region`s educated unemployed youths from moving forward as most of them were generally dependent on various centrally sponsored schemes. They had even accused the Center of trying to make NGOs as scapegoats for their inability to contain the militant organizations in the region.

In spite of all these allegations and counter-allegations, the fact remains is that there are thousands of bogus NGOs in the region siphoning off various federal development funding. Even NGOs in the name of working for HIV/AIDS started mushrooming just to suck funds, while reports of some bogus NGOs duping various national and international donors to pour funds for their orphanages which were actually non-existent coming in.

Many NGOs including Co-operative Societies in Nagaland and Manipur have been getting regular Central and State development funding under various schemes. Interestingly, many of them are manned by those close relatives of VIPs or VIPs` family members themselves. But a close scrutiny would reveal most of these NGOs or Societies are one-man affairs----from Chairman to Secretary to Treasure to Member, etc. Yet the activities go on unchecked.

One wonders whether the State Governments have just failed to check such bogus activities and forward their papers to the Central Ministries for funding or been partners in the deals. The former DONER Minister, CP Thakur, had once blamed the politicians and bureaucrats for helping the NGOs siphon off the Central development funding. The Government of India despite facing stiff opposition from various quarters still feels that the fast mushrooming of NGOs will be one of the major roadblocks towards curbing militant activities in the region. The State Governments should seriously sensitize the whole system and see which are genuine and de-recognize bogus ones to save the Center`s money that can be used for some developmental purposes in the States.
PM may visit state to inaugurate Sainik school Kuknalim.com
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may visit Nagaland in December or January next year to inaugurate the Sainik School at Punglwa in Peren district. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio, after returning from New Delhi, told reporters here yesterday that he has extended an official invitation to the Prime Minister to visit the state either in the latter part of the year or early 2007.

If Singh accepts the invitation, it will be his maiden visit to Nagaland after assuming office in May 2004, Rio said. The Chief Minister said he has also requested the PM to lay the foundation stone of the Kohima campus of the Nagaland University during his proposed visit. (PTI)
Security beefed up at Ukl schools By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 7: Security personnel in adequate strength have been deployed in and around Government educational institutions and offices of Ukhrul district in view of yesterday’s rampage by suspected volunteers of youth organisations of the district.
Agitating against alleged misinformation campaign by the State Government, unidentified youth inflicted substantial damages on the school properties in Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel districts yesterday. The schools were targeted as part of the non-cooperation movement announced by ANSAM against the State Government. The agitation is also in pursuit for expeditious affiliation of private schools in some hill districts to Nagaland Board of Secondary Education. While no major damages were reported in yesterday’s agitation from Tamenglong, Senapati and Chandel apart from burning of effigies of the CM and Education Minister, Ukhrul Higher Secondary School bore the brunt of the arsonists’ ire as support posts of eight classrooms, windows and doors of the library block and furniture in the principal’s room were destroyed beyond redemp-tion. during an interaction with some media persons today, Ukhrul's Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pal maintained that after detailed discussion with the Ukhrul SP arrangement for deployment of security personnel in and around Government schools and offices have been activated. Moreover, the SP had been intimated to submit a report in connection with yesterday’s violent incident, said the DC.
According to a staff of the school, over 150 students from the district’s private schools have been newly enrolled in class IX and X of Ukhrul Hr Sec School this session.
The staff also disclosed that volunteers of TKS had raised strong objections for entertaining admission of these students. Speaking on the security aspect, the staff asserted that district authorities were urged to arrange security cover for the school but it went unheeded and lack of man- power was cited owing to the present uncertainty gripping Pettigrew College.
The staff also clarified that structure and building material targeted yesterday was the boys’ hostel block which had been utilised as classrooms as the actual building is under construction and further appealed to the State authorities to ensure speedy replacement/repairing of school materials to enable the students resume their academic pursuit.
On the other hand, despite security in the school premise, students had to return home as conducting classes was out of the question due to scale of the damage caused.
KYKL warns drug peddlers Nagaland Post
Imphal, Sept 7 (IANS): Three separatist groups in restive Manipur have threatened to kill drug traffickersand tobacco dealers and punish liquor vendors with a bullet in the leg, a joint statement said. The statement by the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) said the ban on sale and consumption of heroin, opium, Spasmo Provyvon tablets, chewing tobacco products would come into effect Sep 15. "Drug traffickers would face capital punishment without any trial and anyone found guilty of selling liquor would get a bullet in the leg," the rebel statement warned. The three militant groups are fighting for independent homelands for the majority Hindu Metei community in the state of 2.4 million people.
The separatists, however, exempted brewing of homemade liquor used for religious purposes. "Drug abuse had only compounded the problem of HIV/AIDS but also taken a heavy toll on the mental and physical health of the youths," the statement said.
India's northeast, which borders the heroin producing "golden triangle" of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar, has a major problem with intravenous drug use that is the most common cause for the spread of AIDS in the region. According to various estimates, there could be up to 100,000 intravenous drug users in Manipur, a majority of them believed to be HIV positive. During the past three years, at least a dozen drug peddlers were killed by militants in Manipur and several of them shot at their legs for failing to reform.
A number of militant groups have, of late, turned crusaders against social evils - an attempt seen by many to secure public support and consolidate their hold in the society. The KYKL two years ago warned of death penalty to local women in Manipur who do not adhere to a traditional dress code. The code prohibits women from wearing trousers or saris in public. Instead they have to don traditional sarongs known as phaneks. The KYKL last year shot at 10 people in the leg for helping students copy in examination halls, besides punishing in public three university teachers for allegedly tampering with some students' marks.
There are at least 19 rebel groups active in Manipur with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy and the right to self-determination. More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in the northeastern state during the past two decades.
India to raise UG issue to Myanmar Sangai Express
New Delhi, Sep 7 : India will raise its concerns over reports of insurgent groups in the northeast operating from Myanmar during the 12th Home Secretary level talks between the two sides beginning here on September 13. Besides security issues, incidents of drug trafficking and smuggling are likely to figure during the four-day talks, sources in the Union Home Ministry said. They said some insurgent groups in Manipur and Nagaland were operating from Myanmar soil and cited the instance of the killing of some Assam Rifles personnel by insurgents a few months back. They said New Delhi will take up the matter seriously with Yangon. The northeastern States have been voicing concern over such incidents pointing out the importance of Myanmar as the gateway to East Asian countries and from strategic point of view. Border management and fencing are some other issues expected to be discussed at the talks.
The last such meeting was held at Yangon in October last year. While the Indian side will be led by Union Home Secretary VK Duggal, Myanmar Deputy Minister Birg Gen Phone Swe will lead the other side. Sources said during the last meeting, issues relating to security, drug trafficking, border trade, border management and proposed infrastructure projects in Myanmar were discussed. Both sides had agreed to further strengthen cooperation in tackling activities of insurgents, arms smugglers, drug peddlers and other hostile elements along the India-Myanmar border. The status of various infrastructure projects in Myanmar, particularly in road and power sectors over which the two coutnries have agreed to cooperate, was also reviewed at the last meeting and a follow was expected this time too. India and Myanmar had signed an agreement for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas in 1994, under which Home Secretaries of both countries are to meet one a year while Joint Secretaries are to hold sectoral meetings every six month. The last sectoral level meeting was held in Kolkata in July last yar.PTI

Tripura CM to boost Asom CPM From Our Correspondent Assam tribune
AGARTALA, Sept 7 – After consolidating its position in Tripura, the Communist Party of India, Marxists, CPI (M) is now looking for revival of party organization in Asom. The CPI (M) politburo, highest policy-making body of the party has decided to regain past glory in Asom by adopting various steps.
Party sources said here on Monday that politburo member and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has been assigned with the task to look after the revival process in Asom.

In order to start the revival process, a preparatory meeting involving party leaders from both States was held in Dharmanagar on Sunday. A ten-member delegation of Asom headed by State party unit secretary and MLA Uddhab Barman attended the meeting. “Various organizational aspects to rejuvenate party in Asom have been discussed in the meeting. Tripura CPI (M) State unit will extend full support to strengthen the party in Asom”, said Khagen Das, CPI (M) MP from West Tripura constituency shortly after the meeting.

“A number of decisions have been taken to strengthen the party unit in Asom”, he said declining to give details about the outcome of the meeting.

Centre may release 3 of 5 jailed ULFA cadres Staff Correspondent Sentinel
NEW DELHI, Sept 7: There are indications from the Union Home Ministry that the process of releasing the top five jailed ULFA cadres, a demand which the outfit has been insisting before direct talks could be held, may take off after September 15. The indications come even as the outlawed outfit refused to send any written communique mentioning the time, place and the names of its representatives for the direct talks, as sought by the Centre.
On Tuesday, the Centre had extended its suspension of Army operations against the outfit — for the third consecutive time — till September 15. It also asked the outfit not to indulge in violent activities.
“There is no reason why we should discontinue the peace process,” a highly-placed MHA official told The Sentinel. MHA sources also indicated that in lieu of releasing all the five top jailed cadres, the Centre might come up with a proposal to free three of them.
Earlier, Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi urged the Union Government to continue the peace process in the interest all-round development of the State.
Reciprocating to the Centre’s gesture of suspending Army operations, the ULFA had not indulged in any subversive activities since a fortnight.
PTI adds: The Unified Command today reviewed the overall security scenario in Asom in the backdrop of the peace initiatives started with the ULFA.
In a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary S Kabilan, the Unified Command, reviewed the situation following the extension of cessation of operations against the ULFA till September 15.
The meeting discussed the recent reported demand of extortion by the ULFA and its fallouts, official sources said.
The meeting, attended by GOC 4 Corps of the Army, besides representatives of the BSF, CRPF and the State Police, also discussed the law-and-order situation in North Cachar hill district and the border areas with other States.



Frans on 09.08.06 @ 02:53 PM CST [link]


Thursday, September 7th

Datta joins Naga chorus for peace Correspondent Nagaland post


Datta joins Naga chorus for peace Correspondent Nagaland post
Kohima, Sept 6 (NPN): State Governor Shyamal Datta on Wednesday joined the Nagas in their chorus for unity, peace and solution to the vexed Indo-Naga political problem during the observance of 42nd Peace Day.
"People's thirst for peace makes it clear that we need peace," said the Governor while addressing a thanksgiving service organized by the Nagaland Peace Centre at the Zonal Council Hall here. The thanksgiving service was organized to commemorate the first ceasefire between the Nagas and the Indian government in 1964.
Expressing deep concern over continued factional killings among Nagas, Datta called for cessation to fratricidal killings. He described factional killings as an "aberration" and said the aberration continued because "we have drifted away from the path of human norms and values".
Commenting on prevalent fear-psychosis among people in the State, Datta pointed out that no country, nation or society, how strong it might be, could survive without the voice of its people. The strength of the society lies in the voice of the people and the time has come for the Nagas to stand up and find a course and chart it out, he said. The Governor urged the Nagas to assert themselves of their views, norms and values of lives stating life is precious and must be guided properly by moral values. Earlier, delivering the introductory note, Lhusi Haralu, former Director, Nagaland Peace Centre, briefed on the circumstances that brought about the first ceasefire between the Nagas and the Indian government in 1964.
Also speaking, the chairman of Nagaland Peace Centre, N. Theyo, appealed to the people to work towards strengthening political forces for peace and to pray for final solution of the Naga political issue. "Peace is understood not just in military terms but a phenomenon encompassing economic development, socio-political justice, democratization and respect for human rights," Theyo pointed out. Chaplain, Baptist College Kohima, Kedo Peseyie, in his speech gave the message on the theme "A man to stand in the gap". He cited the example of Prophet Ezekiel, who stood for truth and obedience to God, and said such people were needed among Nagas today.
Earlier, Executive Director, Nagaland Peace Centre, Lhusi Haralu, gave an introductory speech on the thanksgiving service while Rev. Chen Rengma delivered the invocation and Lord's Prayer. Khrieleno Terhüja delivered a speech on "This would I say" where she expressed the hope and desire of the Nagas to live in peace and achieve development. A special song was presented by the Chakhesang Baptist Church choir. Members of the Nagaland Peace Centre, church leaders, NGOs and dignitaries attended the function. The FGN also observed the Day at the Chedema Peace Camp.
A statement issued by FGN Kilo Kilonser Shevohu Keyho stated the Nagas always acknowledged the "great achievement" made by the members of Nagaland Peace Mission and NBCC who had worked tirelessly for bringing about peace between the Indians and the Nagas at times of intense gun battle and heavy operation by the Indian Army in Nagaland. Shevohu gave thanks to God for guiding and protecting the Naga nation and added "no Naga leaders committed any political mistake in the history of Naga nation".
The FGN Kilo Kilonser appealed to the Naga youths to realize how God was guiding the Naga nation and said "it is our bounden duty to uphold God's gift of peace and protect our people through peaceful means so that we live as a nation among nations of the world."
‘Quit notice’ Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 6 (NPN): The NSCN-K has re-iterated its 'quit notice' against the Tangkhul community and said the notice was final and would continue for an indefinite period of time. Consequent upon the quit notice, secretary MIP (NSCN-K), said the council of kilonser GPRN (NSCN-K), in a resolution also decided "that the nomenclature, Isak-Muivah (I-M) would be replaced by Isak-Khodao (I-K). The NSCN-K further said that henceforth it would address the N
Rio knocks PM’s door on affiliation Staff Reporter Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 6 (NPN): After meeting Union ministers for Home, Shivraj Patil, and Human Resource Development (HRD) Arjun Singh, chief minister Neiphiu Rio finally knocked on the door of the Prime Minister and urged the latter to resolve the impasse arising out of the affiliation issue.
At a press briefing held here Wednesday at his private residence, the chief minister disclosed that during his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday evening in New Delhi, he had submitted in writing the state government's position on the issue of affiliation of private schools in the four hill districts on Manipur to the NBSE along with relevant documents and papers.
According to Rio, the Prime Minister's response was "yes, it's a very serious issue and we must find a solution," and assured to study the affiliation issue in detail. Rio expressed optimism that the Prime Minister would soon give his opinion to the HRD Ministry.
The chief minister also said he had frankly told the Prime Minister as well as Home and HRD ministers that since ANSAM and private schools of the four hill districts in Manipur had made up their mind not to join the Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), alternative arrangement should be made if these schools were not to be affiliated to NBSE.
The HRD Ministry is now reportedly waiting for the opinion of the Prime Minister. Taking a dig at the Nagaland Youth Congress (NYC) and the Congress for criticizing the government on the affiliation issue, the chief minister said "on Naga issues, I think we should have one voice," adding such issues should not be taken along party lines.
Rio said if state Congress was really concerned about the issue, then it should take initiative and approach the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre instead of accusing the DAN Government. "After all it is not DAN government who initiated the move for affiliation, ANSAM and the private schools approached the state government for affiliation and the state cabinet said it has no objection but first it must approach the HRD Ministry," he added.
He also said there were contradictions within the Congress party itself and pointed out to the alleged assurance of opposition leader I. Imkong to ANSAM delegation and NPCC president Hokheto Sumi's to the state government to go slow on the affiliation issue.
Rio said it was not right for a majority community to impose its language on minorities and added that Article 30 (1) of the Indian Constitution provides protection for linguistic minorities.
On his earlier proposal for an interim agreement to the Naga political issue, Rio defended his proposal saying "if it seems too difficult, then they should even go for interim agreement, which is a process to further continue (the talks)."
The chief minister said the main concern of the state government as "facilitator" was that there should not be a "deadlock" in the talks; "what is agreed upon can be utilized, what is not agreed upon can be continued and discussed," he added Meanwhile, the chief minister informed that he had extended invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to inaugurate the Sainik School at Punglwa in December or January next year. Singh is also likely to lay the foundation stone of Kohima Campus, Nagaland University, during his visit.
NNC cadre killed in factional clash Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Kohima, Sep 06: In continued factional feuds, armed unidentified youths shot dead a suspected cadre of the NNC/FGN at Lhisemia Khel, Kohima village, last evening at around 5.45.According to Nagaland police sources, unidentified gunmen, numbering around four to five approached the victim, who was reportedly playing cards with some of his friends and shot him at close range.

The victim has been identified as Saloni Poumai, son of late Reikholo of Chingmai-Khunao village. Meanwhile, intermittent clashes have been reported between the two warring NSCN factions near Phek area in Nagaland today. However, casualties, if any, are yet to be known.

The factional clashes between the NSCN-K and and the NSCN-IM are fiercely going on in Nagaland's Phek district and at Zunheboto in the last few days.

Mention may be made that the battle for control of Zunheboto appears to have reached a war-like situation with skirmishes between the two rival NSCN factions becoming an almost-daily feature, particularly in Zunheboto district, where the June 14 Zunheboto Agreement was signed between the two factions. Starting Saturday, the two factions have been heavily engaged in fierce firefights in villages near Zunheboto and the factions appear to be heading for an ultimate showdown even as the Sumi Hoho is desperately trying to broker a ceasefire between the two factions.
It was revealed that the two factions have been clashing on an almost-everyday basis.

Even on Sunday, the two clashed at Vekuho, the sources claimed, adding that both the factions ceased fire after public intervened. Zunheboto district is presently reportedly tense with reports of both the factions building up and reinforcing troops for what an imminent showdown.
Improve law & order, Manmohan tells States The Morung Express
New Delhi, Sept 5 (PTI): With intelligence warning further intensification of terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sought closer cooperation between the Centre and states and asked Chief Ministers to personally monitor steps to improve intelligence generation and collection.
He also asked Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states to be “especially sensitive to the nuances of each situation.” Addressing a conference of Chief Ministers on internal security here, Singh proposed constitution of Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to be headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and includes select Chief Ministers of the state to closely monitor the spread of the Naxalite movement.
Referring to the inputs by intelligence agencies, he said, these warned of a “further intensification of violent activities by externally-inspired and directed terrorist outfits in the country.” The agencies have spoken about the possibility of more “fidayeen” attacks, use of suicide bombers, picking up economic and religious targets and vital installations including nuclear establishments and army camps, he said.
The Prime Minister said reports also suggested that “terrorist modules and sleeper cells exists in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat.” Regretting that terrorism has created a wrong impression of radicalization of the entire Muslim community, he said the adverse consequences of the “prevailing insecurity” among minorities, especially Muslims, could be “extremely deleterious for our polity”.
Thanksgiving service affirms call for peace The Morung Express
KOHIMA, SEPT 6 (DIPR): A thanksgiving service, organised by Nagaland Peace Centre was held today at the Zonal Council Hall, Kohima. Governor Shyamal Datta was also present at the function.Addressing the gathering, Shyamal Datta urged the Naga people to assert themselves, of their views, norms and values of lives. He also said that life is precious and must be properly guided by moral values and called upon the people to work for peace from among themselves. “By rejuvenating the wall and boundaries of morality we can capture and explore prosperity, growth, friendship and co-operation for the common welfare of the people,” he said.
Chaplain, Baptist College Kohima, Kedo Peseyie gave the message on the theme “A man to stand in the gap”. He cited the example of the Prophet Ezekiel who stood for truth and obedience to God, adding that such people are required amongst Nagas today. Executive Director, Nagaland Peace Centre, Lhusi Haralu gave an introduction of the thanksgiving service while Chairman, Nagaland Peace Centre (NPC), N Theyo gave the opening remarks. Rev. Chen Rengma said the invocation and the Lord’s Prayer. Khrieleno Terhüja gave a speech on “This would I say” where she expressed her hope and desire for Nagas to live in peace and achieve total development. A special song was presented by Chakhesang Baptist Church choir.
Responsive reading of Bible passages from the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel was led by Lhusi Haralu. Rev. Dr. VK Nuh, member of Governing Body, NPC said the closing prayer and benediction. Members of the Nagaland Peace Centre, church leaders, NGOs and dignitaries attended the function.
Peace encompasses all dimensions-NPC The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 6 (MExN): Strongly reminding that peace encompasses all dimensions of life, human rights and society, the Nagaland Peace Centre has called for strengthening “political forces” for a final solution to the protracted Naga political issue.
“Peace is understood not just in military terms but a phenomenon encompassing economic development, social-political justice, democratization and respect for human rights” reminded NPC Chairman N Theyo at the thanksgiving service in commemoration of Peace Day held at Zonal Council Hall, Kohima September 6. While calling for a concerted effort for strengthening the “political forces” for peace as well as praying for a final settlement of the Naga political issue, the peace center asserted: “These pillars of peace are interrelated and mutually reinforced. Peace cannot be imposed upon the will of the people nor can peace exist without the removal of eco-political oppression”. The center stood on the Bible: “(The) Bible makes it clear to live in right relationship with one another and with God. The right relationship can be established between people in absence of eco-political oppression”. The NPC however did not elaborate what “eco-political” implies. It quoted Yoder: ‘“Jesus came so that things might be as they ought to be both among people and God and even in Nature”’.
The Federal Government of Nagaland also stated in a separate release that the Naga people has a challenge in upholding “God’s gift of peace” to withstand its enemies for the interest of the Naga nation rather than “fighting against our own people”.
Bring changes in CF rules, Rio to PM The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, SEPT 5 (MExN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today acquainted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the several issues of importance in Nagaland. In the meeting of Chief Ministers convened by the country’s premier, Rio, while stating that Nagaland has remained largely peaceful, lamented that the State continues to suffer the consequence of the unsettled Naga political issue. “The number of factional clashes in the current year shows a rising trend, compared to the incidents recorded during last year.
The ongoing ‘turf war’ between the rival factions of the UG outfits is responsible for this situation,” he said. He termed this as the biggest problem, adversely affecting public peace and order in the State. More significantly, he said, “There are certain grey areas regarding the degree of intervention to be done by the State agencies, in the matter of enforcement of the ground rules.”
The Chief Minister has urged upon the Centre to introduce necessary changes in the ceasefire ground rules and to ensure accountability of the parties for strict adherence to the (ceasefire) ground rules.
On the raising of Indian Reserve Battalions, he impressed upon Delhi the need to urgently frame norms and guidelines for the deployment of such battalions outside their respective States. “In assignments such as anti-naxal operations, it is essential that the police personnel are appropriately trained to deal with the situation such as handling explosives, bombs and landmines.”
Raising concern over the influx of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Rio said that with the increased threat of the ISI in the country, and in the absence of a coordinated policy and approach in handling illegal migrants, the Northeast can become a hotbed of terrorism.
Expressing gratitude on the Police Modernisation Scheme which has now been made 100% CSS in respect of Nagaland, Rio however placed on record that Nagaland, “while being a ‘resource challenged’ State, was perhaps one of the few States in the country that contributed more than the stipulated State share of 25% during the last many years when it was funded on 75.25 pattern. He has asked Manmohan to take note of this and requested for a more liberal allocation when the next allotments are made. Rio also strongly felt that the basic requirements of the Village Guard organizations in Nagaland should be included either under the Police Modernization Scheme, or under SRE.
Students ransack govt schools in 4 districts, burn effigies of CM, EM The Imphal Free Press

SPT/UKL/TML, Sept 6: Student volunteers burnt the effigies of state chief minister O Ibobi Singh and education minister L Nandakumar and ransacked government schools across four hill districts today as part of their stir seeking affiliation of schools in these districts to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education.

The volunteers, acting under the aegis of the All Naga Students Association, Manipur were expressing resentment at the chief minister` alleged attempts to draw away students from the ongoing movement for affiliation to the NBSE by promising them accomodation in government schools. In Senapati, the Senapati District Students Association took responsibility for organising the demonstration.
Speaking before the crowd while setting the effigies on fire, Isaac, the president of the Senapati District Students Association said that the demonstration is an expression of resentment to the statements made by the chief minster that "the students from the hills will be accommodated unconditionally

UNLF leader remanded to Judicial custody
Additional police team sent to escort rebel leader, arrival date not yet certain
Ibotombi being carried to a police ambulance in Coimbatore Sangai Express
Coimbatore, Sept 6: A Manipuri separatist leader and his aide, who have been arrested here, were remanded to judicial custody and lodged in the Central prison today.
Ibotombi alias Khundongbam, the leader of banned outfit Manipur People’s Army, and his aide Salam Bunk were arrested from a city hospital by a Manipuri special police team yesterday.
As per original plan, the duo was to be taken to Imphal last night itself, where Ibotombi was wanted in many cases.
However, considering the “health condition” of Ibotombi, who had undergone a spinal compression surgery, the Judicial Magistrate ordered his Judicial custody till September 19, after which both were taken to Coimbatore Central prison, police sources said.
The Manipur police team was making efforts to bring in a special aircraft to airlift them, the sources said, adding that both were likely to be taken from here on September 8.
A reliable source informed The Sangai Express that an additional team has been sent to Coimbatore today to escort back the rebel leader and his aide.
However it is not yet certain when the duo will be brought back to Imphal as there is the question booking flights and other details, explained the source.
The source refused to divulge the number of personnel detailed to bring back the UNLF leader as well as the leader of the advanced team which went to Coimbatore for the arrest.
The UNLF leader who is also known as Tomba had a key role in the armed struggle by the UNLF’s Manipur People’s Army and is said to be the second in command. He is believed to have arrived here on August 22. He underwent a surgery for two compressions in the spinal cord.
The interception of a phone call made by Tomba to a UNLF base in Manipur by the Military Intelligence wing revealed his whereabouts. Immediately, the Intelligence Bureau and the Manipur Police coordinated with the Coimbatore city police and Tombo was brought under surveillance and kept under watch for eight days.
A search was on for Tombo for the last two decades and the Manipur Govt had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh. He was a “proclaimed offender” for declaring a war against the Indian Govt, seeking indepen- dent Nationhood for Manipur.
A team headed by the Commissioner of Police, Coimbatore City, Karan Singha arrested Tomba, and his companion. They have been remanded to judicial custody and lodged in Coimbatore Central prison.
A laptop, cell phones, Rs 35,000 in cash and clothes were seized. Pictures relating to a centre run by the Manipur People’s Army for training activists in loading rifles, AK-47, light machine guns and using rocket launchers were also recovered, sources said. Besides picking up a student who is suspected to have come to the hospital to see Tomba, the police secured nearly 20 Manipuri students studying here for questioning.
(Agencies and Staff Reporter)
CM’s effigies burnt to protest TIPS arrest Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 6: Effigies of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh have been set on fire at various places demanding repealing of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from Manipur and release of TIPS general secretary Leitanthem Umakanta and publicity secretary Thabi without any condition from police custody. At Khergao Junior High School, Kongpal Iranpham Thongkhong and Heirangoithong, the effigies were burnt by the activists of Meeot-Meenei Kanba Apunba Lup amidst slogans demanding the uncon-ditional release of the arrested TIPS activists and decrying the excesses being committed by the security forces under the immunity granted by the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
ISKCON peace rally By Lt Col H Bhuban Singh (Retd) Sangai Express
There was a grenade attack on ISKCON Temple Complex, Imphal, on 16 August 2006 during the Ras Leela, symbolising the birth of Lord Krishna. The grenade blast had caused the death of six persons, so far. A Peace Rally was organised on 23 August in response to the attack. The rally started from ISKCON and congregated at Thau Ground, where a public meeting was held. I participated in the rally right from start. But after ushering in the people at the public meeting place, I left the meeting place at 12.30 p.m. as I had an appointment in the early afternoon of that particular day. So, I express my apologies and regrets for missing the public meeting. Now, I am expressing my views on the Peace Rally.
I must congratulate the organisers for calling it a Peace Rally, rather than calling it a Protest rally. It was really a peace rally, with all the intents good - no criticism, no revenge mood and no hatred. When mankind started life on this earth of ours, our fore fathers lived in caves and dug-outs, since they did not know how to build a dwelling house. Of course, those early men barricaded their cave-homes with some protective fencing in order to ward off wild animals and other fellow human beings. From time immemorial, it has been observed that human beings were the worst enemies of human beings.
The practice of head-hunting was prevalent everywhere. Along with head-hunting, the attackers used to capture young women who were to become wives and small boys who were to be brought up as slaves and those were the orders of the day. During the colonial days of seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, such kind of or similar practices were prevalent. When the United States of America was passing through this transformation phase from Wild West to democratic freedom, gun-slingers used to shoot and kill at random. Those attackers used to carry off young girls and married ladies. But they soon realised that violence brought more violence and more revenge, with no let up in sight.
Some philosophers and saintly people thought for a way-out to stop these mindless killings. Thus, came religion. Religion sobered them. After the battle of Kalinga, Emperor Ashoka was so moved by the immensity of killings that he devoted the rest of his life for spreading Buddhism. The Jats of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan were famous for revenge killings. They believed in the dictum of ‘eye for eye’, ‘tooth for tooth’. If a Jat father was killed, it was the duty of the Jat son to kill his father’s killer.
“In this process, the Jat son might also get killed at a young age of twenty seven or so. If the young Jat widow happened to be pregnant at the time of her husband’s death and if the child, born after the death of the young Jat father happened to be a boy, then it became the duty of the young widow to brainwash her young son from the age of three to avenge for the killing of the child’s father. This way, killings and revenge killings would carry on for generations. Nowadays, such things are rare and everyone including the brave and ferocious Jats have realised the stupidity of such acts of revenge killings.
Therefore, the crux of the matter is religiosity and ability to pardon your enemies. The ISKCON attack must be viewed in that light. Lord Jesus Christ was reputed to have preached that if someone slapped you on your right cheek, you must offer your left cheek to be slapped again. Mahatma Gandhiji, through non-violence, compelled the biggest colonial power of the world to leave India. Non-violence is the key to peace and tranquillity.
But mankind does not seem to have learnt much of a lesson as yet. Thousands of people got massacred daily, I repeat, daily in the Republic of Congo, in countries like Ethiopia, Sudan etc. In Iraq, the land of Saddam Hussien, factional killings among the Shias and Sunnis happen almost every day. Why kill in the name of religion? Religion does not preach violence; on the other hand, it preaches tolerance, love and peace. Therefore, the ISKCON Peace Rally was a great success, in as much as there was no ill will against anyone. And the perpetrators of the crime must realise their own mistakes and commit no such crimes in future. It is this realisation and change in thinking mode, which is more important than anything else.

Centre firm on written word from ULFA From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 6 – It’s a Catch 22 situation again, with the Centre standing firm on a written communication from ULFA and isn’t likely to change its stand until the outfit complied, highly placed sources said. ULFA’s argument for not submitting anything in writing has few takers at the Centre. The mediator duo of Rebati Phukon and Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami were told last evening that the Government of India needed something in black and white before releasing the five prisoners, sources said.

The next 10 days of the extension of suspension of operation is going to be crucial because the mediators have to submit the banned outfit’s response within that period.

Sources said that it was pointed out to the mediators that the Centre had nothing in writing from ULFA to show that the peace process was on and on the basis of which the Government of India could work towards releasing the central committee members.

At least few lines from ULFA stating that they are coming for talks would be enough to get things rolling, Phukon and Goswami were told.

The duo had met National Security Advsier, MK Narayanan and Union Home Secretary, VK Duggal to deliver the Peoples Consultative Group (PCG) letter. The meeting led to extension of the suspension, but it came with a subtle warning that should there be any reports of extortion, regrouping or movement of cadres with weapons, the Centre would have the option of calling it off.

The Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, has also, while addressing the Chief Ninister’s meet on internal security, admitted that about ULFA’s extortion drives.

Meanwhile, sources said that the mediators told the NSA and Home Secretary that the ULFA was not in a position to give anything in writing because of most its top leadership were scattered. They conveyed that ULFA leaders have not been able to get together to take a collective decision on the issue. The ULFA had earlier conveyed that it was willing to give in writing but only after the central committee meeting.

However, Phukon said that he would again get back to ULFA leadership and PCG and convey the Centre’s standpoint. The only positive thing going was the reign of peace prevailing in the State. The Chief Minister yesterday made a strong case for continuation of the ULFA peace process. “We should keeping trying to bring ULFA to the negotiating table,” he said.

The Centre and State seem content that the guns have fallen silent and hence bent on pushing the peace process to its logical end, despite stiff opposition from the Army and intelligence agencies.

Bombs recovered in Manipur From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Sept 6 – A number of powerful improvised explosive devices were detected and defused at various parts of the State capital since the past few days.

Kh Ningthemjao, 70, of Kwakeithel Heinoukhongnembi, hurt in the August 16 ISKCON temple blast died at Catholic Medical Centre, Koirengei near here on Tuesday raising the death toll to six. One more bomb was recovered from the roadside of Indo-Myanmar road at Kiyamgei this morning around 10.30 am. The bomb squad of Manipur Police safely defused the bomb, at the non-residential Lamphelpat area.

Mention may be made here that a powerful IED, weighing more than one kg was safely defused at the crowded Singjamei market place in Imphal on Monday.

Students ransack govt schools in 4 districts, burn effigies of CM, EM The Imphal Free Press

SPT/UKL/TML, Sept 6: Student volunteers burnt the effigies of state chief minister O Ibobi Singh and education minister L Nandakumar and ransacked government schools across four hill districts today as part of their stir seeking affiliation of schools in these districts to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education.

The volunteers, acting under the aegis of the All Naga Students Association, Manipur were expressing resentment at the chief minister` alleged attempts to draw away students from the ongoing movement for affiliation to the NBSE by promising them accomodation in government schools.

In Senapati, the Senapati District Students Association took responsibility for organising the demonstration. Speaking before the crowd while setting the effigies on fire, Isaac, the president of the Senapati District Students Association said that the demonstration is an expression of resentment to the statements made by the chief minster that "the students from the hills will be accommodated unconditionally

Army to expose NE to national media Nagarealm.com
Kohima, Sep04 [NNN] : A 25-member team of media persons from both the national electronic and print media would be arriving in Kohima on September 17 on an exposure trip to the Northeast organized by the Indian Army.

The exposure trip of the members of the national media is an initiative of GOC Nagaland and IGAR (North), Maj. Gen. S.S. Kumar, who had taken up the issue with Chief of Army Staff, Gen. J. J. Singh during his recent visit to Dimapur. The media team would be flown in by special aircraft till Dimapur or Guwahati from where they would be flown to the capital by army chopper. During their overnight stay, the team is expected to meet Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Governor Shyamal Datta and others apart from members of the local media fraternity.

The media team would be putting up at Hotel Japfu during their overnight stay. The team would also fly to Mokokchung and Wokha by army chopper as part of the trip. The team is scheduled to fly by chopper to Imphal on September 18.

Centre to set up new major IT programmes Nagarealm.com
Aizawl, Sep07 [UNI] : In a bid to improve the standard of Information Technology (IT) in the North East region, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has decided to implement some new programs.The IT Ministry has already setup Community Information Centres (CICs) at 487 blocks in the seven NE states, including Sikkim, to provide connectivity at the block level and thus promote application of IT for accelerating socio-economic development of the region, official sources said here on Wednesday.

The CICs will help tackle the digital divide by providing internet access and IT enabled services and also facilitate citizens interface with the Government. With the help of the Centre, Education and Research Network (ERNET) India has also set up point-to-point high speed links in ten universities of NE region including states of Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.

These links help students and faculty of these universities to acccess internet, hosting web servers and e-Journals, distance learning and Digital library.

Apart from this, ERNET India would be setting up campus wide local area network at Arunachal University. The Government has also provided NICNET infrastructure at all state secretariats and 70 districts of NE and Sikkim. In addition, the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has provided video conferencing studio at all NE state secretariats.

The officials also stated that Software Technology Partk (STP) has been set up at Guwahati, Imphal and Gangtok to provide datacom services to promote software exports.

With an aim to help the weaker sections, fee reimbursement assistance is being provided to the students belonging to the Schedule Caste (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) in the NE region in the accredited institutes for DOEACC 'O' and 'A' level IT courses.

A regional institute of E-learning and IT is being setup by DOEACC at Kohima at a total cost of 20 crore over a period of four years to provide education and training in the area of information, electronics and communication in the non-formal sector. To provide special health services in the NE states, two district level telemedicine centres are being set up in the States of Mizoram and Sikkim in association with Apollo Hospital, Delhi. The district hospital at Namchi, Sikkim and Aizawl Civil hospital has been connected with the system at Naga hospital at Kohima, which is connected with the Inderprastha Apollo hospital, New Delhi, for consultations.

Apart from this, implementation of advanced hospital management systems is underway at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Imphal in Manipur. The IT Ministy has so far spent Rs 87.67 crore to implement all these projects in the NE region and ther new project such as e-governance, implementing State Wide Area Network (SWAN), Electronics test and development centre at Guwahati and Agartala are in the pipeline, the officials added.

Frans on 09.07.06 @ 05:11 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, September 6th

Rio calls for changes in Cease Fire rules Nagaland Post


Rio calls for changes in Cease Fire rules Nagaland Post
Dimapur, Sept 5 (NPN): In the face of continued factional clashes, State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday urged the central government to introduce necessary changes in the ceasefire ground rules and ensure accountability of the parties for strict adherence to the ground rules.
The chief minister made this appeal while addressing the chief ministers' conference with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Rio said though the general law and order situation in the State remained "largely peaceful", yet the people continued to suffer the consequence of the unsettled Naga political issue owing to the ongoing "turf war" between the rival factions of the undergrounds.
The chief minister said this continued to be the biggest problem, adversely affecting public peace and order in the State.
He added much effort had been made to encourage NGOs, tribal hohos and other civil societies to participate in the peace-building process and that there were some positive developments in the area.
"Today there are voices among the public, who freely give expression to opinions and even openly condemn factional fights," he said.
Rio also drew Dr. Singh's attention to the issue of influx of illegal migrants into Nagaland.
He pointed out that combating the menace would be a difficult proposition for the State unless it received the support and cooperation from the other neighbouring States.
The chief minister warned that with the increased threat from Pakistani intelligence agency ISI in the country and in the absence of a coordinated policy and approach in handling illegal migrants, the Northeast could soon become a hotbed for terrorism.
Further, Rio urged the central government to provide the required logistical support to the Village Guard organization by including it either under police modernization scheme or SRE.
Further, pointing out that maintenance of security in the sensitive Myanmar border is directly related to improvement in basic infrastructures, especially road communication, he urged the Centre to consider raising of fund allocation for the centrally-sponsored Border Area Development Programme.
Reject destructive policy of Muivah: FGN Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Sep 05: Charging NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th Muivah and his socialist Tangkhul leaders with systematically eliminating leaders of other Naga communities, Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) has called upon the Nagas to reject the destructive policy of Muivah.

In a statement made available to the press, deputy Rali Wali Kilonser of FGN Gaibon Panmei categorically stated these killings and destructive policy of Muivah and his Tangkhul leaders brought hatred against the Tangkhul community by the Nagas at large.

Now the Nagas are not in the dark of NSCN (I-M) activities and even a small boy knows the terrorist activities of IM group. As the Nagas can no longer tolerate the the terrorist activities of socialists Tangkhul leaders, some Naga regions issued 'quit notice' showing the level of intolerance and anger against the socialist Tangkhul leaders, the statement explained.

But the interpretation of quit notice 'to all Tangkhuls', the statement hastened to add, would be totally wrong. No innocent Tangkhul is to be victimised. Rather it should be targeted to reject Muivah and his socialists Tangkhul leaders, the statement said, adding that the Eastern Nagas rejected them and without them they enjoy peace among themselves.

So also the Western Naga people would also feel peace if these Tangkhul socialist leaders are not in their land. Reacting to the 30-point proposal submitted by Muivah to the Government of India to negotiate with the Indian leaders, the statement said that the on-going so called peace process is a surrender and selling process of Nagaland to India.

This is a clear evidence to all the Nagas that NSCN (I-M) group betrayed Naga people and Naga Nation and they are traitors, the statement said. As we all are Christians, we have no reason to support such murderers and perfidious leaders and let them to commit heinous crimes in Nagaland. But to reject them altogether along with their socialism is the right objective to do by all Nagas, the statement said.
Indian PM warns of real terror threat to internal security Peoples Daily
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh warned the country of serious terror threat to India's internal security at a meeting Tuesday.
"Intelligence agencies warn of a further intensification of violent activities on their part with the possibility of more ' fidayeen' attacks, use of suicide bombers," Singh said when holding a meeting with chief ministers of states about internal security.
India also faces possible attacks on economic and religious targets, vital installations like nuclear establishments and army camps while terrorist modules and "sleeper cells" exist in cities, he said.
Northeast Indian states like Manipur and Nagaland remain vulnerable for militant attacks, he said.
In India-controlled Kashmir the situation has shown signs of improvement in the past two years but the government will have to remain on guard, he said.
Singh also pushed the chief ministers from states to improve intelligence capability including collecting and analyzing tips.
Although stressing anti-terrorism much, the Indian Prime Minister showed worry about the insecurity among minorities, especially Muslims.
"It is unfortunate that terrorism has resulted in certain sections of our population being targeted, with the result that a wrong impression has been created of the radicalization of the entire Muslim community," he said. He said the states need to immediately adopt policies to ensure that a few individual acts do not result in tarnishing the image of a community and remove any feelings of persecution and alienation from the minds of the minorities. Source: Xinhua
PM warns CMs of terror Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 5 (IANS): Exhorting chief ministers to revamp past security practices and brace themselves to prepare for new age terror, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday that intelligence agencies had warned of more terrorist attacks, possibly on economic and religious targets, as well as on nuclear installations.
Singh's grim forewarning comes nearly two months after a series of bombs on commuter trains in Mumbai, India's financial hub, that killed 186 people.
During the address to the conclave, the second in five months, Manmohan Singh also cautioned chief ministers on the threats to internal security from terrorism and Maoism that had engulfed huge swathes of the country and which was spreading to other states.
"Intelligence agencies warn of a further intensification of violent activities with the possibility of more fidayeen attacks, use of suicide bombers, attacks on economic and religious targets, targeting of vital installations, including nuclear establishments and army camps."
"Reports also suggest that terrorist modules and sleeper cells exist in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat."
"Concern about the increasing activities of externally inspired and directed terrorist outfits in the country is justified," Singh told the internal security meeting.
Almost as a reaction to Singh's grim observations, home minister Shivraj Patil immediately announced a sum of Rs 9 billion for shoring up security in all coastal states with Rs 5 million earmarked specially for Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Singh also cautioned the chief ministers against unfairly targeting the Muslim community while the security agencies came down heavily in the fight against terror.
This, he stressed, was imperative to offset a sense of alienation among India's roughly 140 million minority Muslims and ensure that efforts to stamp out Islamist militancy do not victimise the entire community.
"It is unfortunate that terrorism has resulted in certain sections of our population being targeted, with the result that a wrong impression has been created of the radicalisation of the entire Muslim community," the prime minister noted.
"It is, hence, imperative that we embark immediately upon a proactive policy to ensure that a few individual acts do not result in tarnishing the image of an entire community, and remove any feelings of persecution and alienation from the minds of the minorities."
Bemoaning that not enough was done to fill up vacancies in the police forces, Singh said states needed to bring "beat constables" into the fold to help in pre-empting militant attacks.
He also pointed to the need for improving the quality of state Special Branches and toning up the law and order administration.
later Patil announced that police and beat constables would be roped into the intelligence wing as well as improve on the working ratio between the police and public.
Tuesday's conference was primarily aimed to discuss and fine-tune security strategies to tackle terrorism and insurgencies across the country as well as improve coordination between New Delhi and the states.
Dwelling on the Maoist rebellion in the country that he described as the single biggest internal security challenge faced by the country, Manmohan Singh pointed out that the strategy to counter it would have to be based on an effective response and a focus on reducing underdevelopment.
The Andhra Pradesh government came up for praise for deploying the specialist Greyhounds force on anti-Maoist operations and Singh exhorted other affected states to take in hand what deliverables were possible even while preparing to meet the challenge through effective law and order measures.
Besides terrorism, the meeting also discussed the insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir where Singh said the overall security situation had shown signs improvement in the past two years but it was necessary for New Delhi to maintain its guard.
"We should remain on our guard in view of continuing efforts by anti-India and antinational elements to whip up emotions and transform these into a violent movement."
For the last two months, India has been on a heightened security alert, with fears of more attacks across the country, particularly in New Delhi and Mumbai, and at airports after a US embassy warning on Independence Day.
Centre extends ceasefire in Assam Nagaland Post
New Delhi, Sept 5 (PTI): Extending the ceasefire with banned ULFA for the third time till September 15, the Centre tonight said that it was expecting "some communication" within a fortnight on whether the insurgent group would participate in the talks directly.
"We are expecting some communication" from the banned organisation within ten days, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said after his meeting with the ULFA mediators Indira Goswami and Rebati Phukan, who handed over a letter from PCG for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
He was replying to a question whether the Centre expected some communication from the ULFA over its decision to participate in the talks directly.
In the meantime, the Centre has decided to extend the suspension of army operation till September 15 as requested by Peoples' Consultative Group, mediating on behalf of ULFA, Duggal said.
This is the third time that the Government has extended the suspension of operations against ULFA, which was announced for the first time on August 13 for 10 days and again for 15 days on August 23.
"Chances of talks (direct) are very good. Things are moving in the right direction. There are few rough edges which have to be smoothened," Duggal said after the meeting which was chaired by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Intelligence Bureau Chief E S L Narisimhan.
But the word of caution was again echoed by Duggal who said the Government may reconsider suspension of operation if the outfit indulges in activities of "violence or extortion or carrying of weapons by ULFA cadres."
Asked about release of top ULFA leaders, Duggal refused a direct reply saying the process should be "simultaneous" from both the sides.
Replying to a question on whether he is hopeful of positive response from the outfit, he said "there is no reason as yet of not being hopeful."
Mediator for peace talks Rebati Phukan, who is a childhood friend of ULFA "Commander in Chief" Paresh Baruah said "there is a good chance of direct talks between the Government and ULFA."
Phukan said Government was very sincere in holding direct talks with ULFA and the peace initiative is moving in the right direction.
"Government is sincere in its effort and we are trying our best to make the peace process successful," Phukan said.
He said there may be some "positive developments" in the next ten days.
Noted Assamese author Indira Goswami appreciated the Government's decision to extend suspension of Army operation in Assam and said both the Centre and ULFA have shown "flexibility" in the peace process.
Angami warning to Khaplang faction Nagarealm.com
Kohima, Sep4 : An influential organisation representing the Angami tribe has cautioned the Khaplang faction of the NSCN against any attempt at “racial cleansing”, be it by asking Tangkhuls to quit Nagaland or by other means.
Mhiesizokho Zinyu, president of the Angami Public Organisation, said his organisation was trying to build “a great Nagaland” where all Nagas, irrespective of their tribe, “walk with their heads held high and with a sense of brotherhood”.

He said the NSCN (K)’s recent “quit notice” to Tang-khuls — NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah is from that community — would have far-reaching consequences.

Zinyu said, “Whatever the issues confronting the Nagas, it is unfair to condemn any tribe en bloc just because some of the tribesmen hold a different stance.”

Zinyu said racial cleansing was against the “policy of Naga brotherhood, unity and reconciliation”. He urged the NSCN (K) to reconsider its stand.

“The Naga public hopes and aspires that unity and brotherhood will reign supreme once the Nagas are consolidated as a free people in a sovereign state that the community dreams of. But the political trend on the home front today is not stable,” Zinyu said. [telegraphindia]

PREPAK, KYKL, UNLF crack anti-alcohol, anti-drug whip By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
AMADA volunteers consigning seized liquor to flames
IMPHAL, Sep 5 : With the stated objective of checking the growing use of drugs, alcohol, Khaini, Talab and Zarda pan amongst the people of Manipur, three underground outfits, PREPAK, KYKL and UNLF have announced a ban on the sale and consumption of the said intoxicants.
A statement jointly signed by the Deputy Secretary, Publicity and Research, Apabi Mangang of the KYKL, R Meitei for the Dept of Publicity and Propaganda for PREPAK and Ksh Yoiheiba, Senior Publicity Officer, Dept of Publicity for UNLF said that the strictures will come into force from September 15.
According to the three outfits anyone found smuggling heroin, kani, SP tablets and other drugs similar to the mentioned ones would be awarded the capital punishment without any trial.
Death penalty will also be awarded to those involved in smuggling in Zarda pan, Talab and Khaini as well as the traders involved in whole sale of the said items.
For those selling Zarda pan, Talab and Khaini in loose at the lanes and by lanes will be forced to shut their shop for one whole month. If the guilty still do not fall in line but continue selling the same then their shops will be permanently closed down, said the statement.
Indian Made Foreign Liquor is not only injurious to health but also drains money from the State, said the three outfits and added that punishment to bootleggers and those involved in smuggling in the liquor will range from bullets on the legs to death penalty.
The three outfits further said that for those involved in brewing and selling country liquor, the punishment will range from impounding their wealth or a bullet on the leg or the two penalties.
As for those who consume the banned substance, the punishment will depend on the gravity of the crime and will even include the capital punishment, added the statement.
The three outfits further said that of now there will be no ban in brewing country liquor strictly for religious and traditional purposes. However if the liquor is brewed for commercial purpose, then stern action will be taken up, they warned.
Acknowledging the drive taken up by different civil society organisations to curb the use of drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants, the statement said that there have been instances when the members of such organisations have been attacked and targeted.
Even misinformation campaigns have been launched to discredit the members of such organisations. If such practices continue then fitting punishment would be awarded to those responsible for turning against the people who are engaged in anti-intoxicants drive.
The three outfits also advised the members of the civil society organisations not to go overboard while punishing the wrong doers and to give all a fair trial. The guilty should not be treated like animals, added the statement.
Outlining the reasons for the stand adopted against drugs, alcohol and the other intoxicants, the statement said that Manipur has been hit hard by alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction to other substances and chemicals.
Not only has the dependence on these substances affected the health of many, but it has also drained a huge amount of money from the State.
A packet of Talab may cost just Rs 4 and a person accustomed to taking this item may spend just Rs 4 each day. However if this is multiplied by three lakhs users then it works out to Rs 12 lakhs per day which in turn works out Rs 3.6 crore per month and Rs 43.2 crore per year. For a poor State like Manipur this is a huge amount, observed the three outfits. The same is the case with Indian Made Foreign Liquor.
The use of heroin amongst the youngsters has led to the fast spread of HIV/AIDS, said the statement and added that the new challenge today is tablets which are increasingly being used by the youngsters. It is very difficult to detect a tablet consumer as it does not smell like alcohol. Moreover tablet users are known to behave properly showing due respect to the elders. Such young people usually keep to themselves and as tablets are cheap, they do not have to demand too much money from their elders. It is only when the situation takes a turn for the worst that the problem is detected, said the three outfits. The outfits also urged the people to extend all their co-operation to the drive to cleanse the society and to check the use of intoxicants so that the people of Manipur do not fall prey to addiction.

One more succumbs to take ISKCON terror toll to six By Our staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Sep 5: With a 70 year old man, hurt in the August 16 blast at ISKCON temple complex, succumbing at a private medical centre today the total death toll in the terror attack has gone up to six.
the elderly blast victim has been identified as Khundongbam Ningthem-jao of Kwakeithel Heinou- khongnembi.
Ningthemjao, who sustained bomb splinter wounds in the throat and abdomen areas, was initially hospitalised at RIMS before being shifted to Catholic Medical Centre, Koirengei where the 70 year old breathed his last at around noon today.
The body has been handed over to family members after post mortem at RIMS morgue.
It may be mentioned that one person died on the spot in the bomb attack, two failed to respond to treatment at RIMS, another succumbed at Langol’s Shija Hospital (private) while a girl victim also passed away at Shijao hospitals on August 18.
Body taken amid two rallies : Rallies were staged before and after the body of Longjam Surjit Singh was brought from RIMs morgue today even as the local people of Samurou under the banner of Mayai lambi Meira Paibisingi Lup convened an emergency meeting and flayed the JAC formed in connection with the youth’s death.
The mortal remains of the Samurou Makha Leikai youth had been subsequently cremated accor- ding to religious rite.
Post mortem on Surjit’s corpse was conducted yesterday in compliance with a District Magistrate order to dispose off the body in case family members do not claim it by 1 pm today. A protest rally previously planned for today to denounce the killing of Surjit by personnel of 22 Maratha Light Infantry on August 31 midnight did not assume the expected magnitude, said source and added that two other rallies of minor intensity was organised.
Moreover, a press release of the Samurou Lup inform-ed of two peace rallies preceding a public meeting wherein resolutions adopted, among others, appealed to organisations concerned against extending coopera-tion to any movement of the JAC.The other decisions pertains to continued peaceful mode of agitation until the guilty security personnel involved in slaying the innocent civilian and seeking public cooperation to its future course of movement, added the Lup’s release.

Centre denies move to free detained leaders From Our Spl Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Sept 5 – National Security Adviser, MK Narayanan today denied any move on part of Government of India to unilaterally release five of the detained ULFA central committee members. The NSA's comment that came before his meeting with the two mediators, Rebati Phukon and Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami, is significant, and indicates that the Centre is yet to make up its mind.

Talking to newsmen, Narayanan said that there was no question of releasing the leaders before the outfit comes for talks. "Let them come for talks first," he said.

Union Home Secretary, VK Duggal, who was also present with the NSA chipped in and said that there was no question of releasing the ULFA leaders now. The officials were briefing newsmen after the one-day meeting of the chief ministers on internal security.

The meeting attended by Union Home Minister and Chief Ministers, was also joined by National Security Adviser, MK Narayanan, besides senior officials of the Home Ministry. The meeting held at the Prime Minister's Race Course Road house also saw the Union Home Minister make presentation on the internal security scenario in the country.

Earlier, the Prime Minister asked the Chief Ministers of the North-Eastern States and J and K to recognise a fundamental reality, that in dealing with problems of peripheral States and societies, they needed to be specially sensitive to the nuances of each situation, and the encyclopaedic character of regional and tribal demands which, if not anticipated and dealt with in time, could culminate in a full-fledged militancy.

"States like Manipur and Nagaland in the North-east appeared specially vulnerable today, and demand your personal attention. There is little scope for personal predilections that over-ride national considerations and requirements," he said.

The Prime Minister said that the Union Home Minister had briefed the Union Cabinet last week, on the prevailing situation. A number of proposals to improve matters were also outlined.

The main stress was on capacity building and improving the capability of the States to deal with current and future problems. Capacity building at the State level is most crucial, and, if there were any financial constraints, the Centre would be willing to provide necessary assistance, Dr Singh assured. Pointing out to the assembled Chief Ministers that without effective law and order, economic development was impossible, the Prime Minister chided them for not doing enough. "Our understanding, however, is that the States are not doing enough even regarding the filling up of existing vacancies in the Police and other law and order agencies, or improving the quality of the State Special Branches, or toning up the law and order administration," he said.

"I also recommend to you paying more attention to improving the 'software' needed for the maintenance of peace. I mean by this, improving intelligence generation and collection, as also the overall strengthening of your intelligence mechanism. Analytical capabilities need to be enhanced. Proper benchmarks need to be established against which progress and performance can be measured," he further added. The Prime Minister further suggested the constitution of an 'Empowered Group' of Ministers, with chief minister as members and proposed to be headed by the Home Minister, to closely monitor the spread of the Naxalite movement. The Group could meet at frequent intervals and review special measures that need to be taken, nature of assistance to be provided, exchange of personnel between States.

On the prevailing insecurity among minorities, especially Muslims, the Prime Minister reminded that adverse consequences of this could be extremely deleterious for the polity. It is unfortunate that terrorism has resulted in certain sections of our population being targeted, with the result that a wrong impression has been created of the radicalisation of the entire Muslim community.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while addressing the meeting on internal security, advocated the need for extension of the suspension of operations against the ULFA. He said that the efforts to bring the ULFA for direct talks should continue and asserted that the law and order situation in the state improved considerably. He admitted the existence of Jehadi groups in Asom and said that the State should remain alert in this regard. The Chief Minister said that economic backwardness and the problem of unemployment are two of the biggest problems facing Asom and called for special packages for the overall development of the State.

NLFT ultras abduct 6 tribal villagers From Our Correspondent Assam tribune
AGARTALA, Sept 5 – Six tribal villagers were kidnapped yesterday by outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT-BM) from South Gokulnagar in West Tripura district.

This is a major militancy- related incident after the last month’s militant strike near Amabassa in Dhalai district in which three security personnel were killed in an ambush. The incident has triggered panic among the people.
Police said a group of heavily armed insurgents stormed South Gokulnagar village, about 13 km south east from Teliamura police station on Monday midnight and abducted 16 tribal villagers at gun- point. Later, 10 of them were released while six were held hostage, police said.

The insurgents passed a message with the released persons to the hostages’ family to pay ransom for their safe return. “The NLFT-BM ultras had earlier demanded huge subscriptions from the tribal villagers. As the villagers failed to pay the money, the NLFT ultras attacked them. The six hostages are believed to have been taken to Baramura Hill range”, said Nepal Das, SP (Operation). Police said combined forces launched a massive combing operation to apprehend the fleeing ultras. Additional companies of Tripura State Rifles (TSR) have been rushed to Teliamura to intensify the combing operation. “The combing operations are being conducted cautiously as the militants are fleeing with hostages. Any wrong step can put their life at risk”, he said.

Senior police officials rushed to the spot and were monitoring the combing operation launched by the combined forces. The international border with Bangladesh has been sealed to prevent the ultras from crossing over to Bangladesh, said a BSF official.

ISKCON blast claims yet another victim The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 5: The August 16 bomb blast at the ISKCON campus at Imphal has claimed yet another life with one of the more seriously injured victims succumbing today at the Catholic Medical Centre, Koirengei.

This has brought the total death toll in the blast to six.

The 70 years old victim was identified as Kundongbam Ningthemjao, hailing from Kwakeithel Heinoukhongnembi, Imphal.

Ningthemjao was initially admitted to the RIMS hospital with multiple injuries in the wake of the blast, but he was transferred to the Catholic Medical Centre Koirengei in view of his serious condition.

After struggling for life for nearly three weeks, Ningthemjao passed away at around 11 am this morning, doctors informed.

Ningthemjao`s last rites were performed this evening itself at the ISKCON complex at Sangaiprou.

It is pertinent to mention that the four persons were killed on the spot or in the immediate aftermath in the bomb attack at the ISKCON complex on Krishna Janma day. Around 50 others were wounded, among whom a young girl died two days later.

The Baptist Youth Fellowship, Imphal division, has meanwhile issued a statement strongly condemning the ISKCON bomb attack, as well as the firing incident at the Evangelical Baptist Convention Church, Vengnuam, New Lamka, in which a co-worker, Thawngkhanlian Ngaihte, was killed and several other worshippers injured.

While sharing the grief of the victims and their families, the BYF appealed to all sections to protect the sanctity of religious places and to refrain from such barbarous, inhuman and terrorist acts in future.

Frans on 09.06.06 @ 02:53 PM CST [link]


Tuesday, September 5th

RSM against giving free hand to NSCN IM Source: The Sangai Express


RSM against giving free hand to NSCN IM Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Sep 04: Rashtriya Suraksha Manch (RSM), a New Delhi based voluntary organisation working for the protection of sovereignty of the country, has cautioned the Government of India against giving undue advantage to NSCN (I-M) in utilising the ceasefire extension period as strength building opportunity towards achieving its demand of formation of Greater Nagaland.

In a memorandum forwarded to the President of India, the organisation observed that the Government of India should ensure the Naga rebel outfit strictly adheres to the ceasefire ground rules during the ceasefire period and stopped from massive campaign in favour of its sovereignty demand through mass contact programmes and open air public meetings.

Taking the advantage of the ceasefire, NSCN (I-M) has been trying to spread its tentacles and penetrate into unreached regions by using masked organisations and the recent movement for affiliation of schools in the four hill districts of Manipur with Nagaland Board is a game plan of NSCN (I-M) advanced through Naga students in Manipur, the memorandum said.

The memorandum further said that of late NSCN (I-M) has cleverly coined the word 'Unique history of Nagas' as a trick intended to make the innocent Nagas and the people of the country believe that Nagas were not an integral part of Indian society.

'NSCN (I-M) must be told emphatically that Naga society is an integral part of the larger Indian society and no plan to segregate Nagas from Indian society will be allowed', the memorandum urged .

Stating that the demand of Greater Nagaland by NSCN (I-M) to cover hill districts of Manipur, one-fifth of Assam and four districts of Arunachal Pradesh which would be ten times bigger than the existing Nagaland is an impossible proposition, the memorandum pointed the neighbouring States are strongly opposed to the very idea of grouping incongruous Naga inhabited areas.

The memorandum also urged the Government of India to caution NSCN (I-M) from associating with anti-India organisations or foreign countries which are hostile to India and stop issuing Restricted Area Permits (RAP) to American, British, German and other foreign Nationals with doubtful integrity to enter Nagaland.
Angamis warn Khaplang faction Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Sept 4:: The Angami Public Organisation has cautioned the Khaplang faction of the NSCN against any attempt at “racial cleansing”, be it by asking Tangkhuls to quit Nagaland or by other means... Mhiesizokho Zinyu, president of the Angami Public Organisation, said his organisation was trying to build “a great Nagaland” where all Nagas, irrespective of their tribe, “walk with their heads held high and with a sense of brotherhood”.

He said the NSCN (K)’s recent “quit notice” to Tang-khuls — NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah is from that community — would have far-reaching consequences.
Zinyu said, “Whatever the issues confronting the Nagas, it is unfair to condemn any tribe en bloc just because some of the tribesmen hold a different stance.”
Zinyu said racial cleansing was against the “policy of Naga brotherhood, unity and reconciliation”. He urged the NSCN (K) to reconsider its stand.

“The Naga public hopes and aspires that unity and brotherhood will reign supreme once the Nagas are consolidated as a free people in a sovereign state that the community dreams of. But the political trend on the home front today is not stable,” Zinyu said. (The Telegraph)

Join hands for permanent peace in Nagaland: Jamir The Imphal Free Press

New Delhi, Sept. 4 : Former Nagaland chief minister S C Jamir wants all the groups in Nagaland to work together for permanent peace in the state. In an interview to ANI, Jamir emphasized the need for peace in Nagaland to take advantage of the emerging global opportunities.

Jamir, who is presently the Governor of Goa, was in Delhi last week to attend a function organized by a Naga students` body. He took the opportunity to exhort the younger generation of Nagaland to work jointly for a better future. He underlined the importance of a Nagaland, "which is not divided in thinking and which is one in aim".

"Well it is the will of the Naga people whather it is Ao (a tribe) or other groups all of them should become one. It is not a peace but a political process and Naga people aspire for a permanent final political settlement, which should be honourable and acceptable to everyone," Jamir said.
The search for peace is mutual. Centre believes a peaceful Nagaland is in the interest of the whole country and the northeast in particular. The Naga groups too are under pressure to join the mainstream and end the air of uncertainty. That`s the reason that the issue of sovereignty and other divisive agenda does not find favour with the people of Nagaland, he said.

Nagaland has already made a firm step forward towards normalcy; there are various examples in the state to demonstrate the change.
Jamir, who has been one of the architects of modern Nagaland, thinks of a vibrant Nagaland in times to come. He is a strong votary of the country`s Look East policy and believes that this policy will change the economic face of the region in general and Nagaland in particular.

Jamir expressed hope that the Look East policy launched by the Central Government would benefit the northeastern region. Post ceasefire era, the state has seen an overall growth and Nagas having enjoyed the aroma of peace are not ready to part with it.

The younger generation in the state is also being promoted to learn at least one language of the South East Asian countries. Nagaland government is seeking investment from outside. Some national companies are exploring the state`s rich bio-diversity to market it outside.
Act fast on affiliation assurances – Cong to DAN ‘50,000 students in four hill districts of Manipur about to lose session’ The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 4 (MExN): Expression serious concern that the academic session for the year 2006 of more that 50,000 students in private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur, is closing to an end, the Nagaland Pradesh Youth Congress cautioned the DAN Government that failure to address the matter urgently would have far-reaching consequences.
“The present affiliation issue is another assurance of the DAN government to have no objection in affiliating the private schools from four hill districts of Manipur to Nagaland Board of School Education. The DAN government is in a habit of assuring people of whatever demand is brought before them since the time they started their election campaign in 2003. If the DAN leaders are so committed to serve the people they should fulfill their promises instead of playing with the people for the sake of power” the NPYC thorough its President Kughato S Aye and Prasielie Pienyu General Secretary stated.
“The circumstances leading to the DAN government assurances of having no objection and supply of NBSE text-books resulted in burning down of the Board of Secondary Education of Manipur (BSEM) text-books by students of private schools in the four hill districts of Manipur. This may have a far-reaching consequence on the career of the students who will stand to lose one academic year, if the DAN government does not act upon to solve the affiliation issue” the Congress youth asserted. The Pradesh also reminded that the affiliation issue is a “serious constitutional issue as well as a genuine human problem” and the DAN government without ascertaining the “technical feasibilities” had assured civil societies that all efforts would be made towards affiliation of the private schools.
The Youth Congress also took note that in the last State Assembly session there was much talk and expectation from the people that the DAN government would introduce a bill regarding the affiliation “but instead of bringing the bill to pass in the House, the DAN government shifted the responsibility to the Union Government and Ministry of Human Resource Development to decide the affiliation”. It also pointed out that the ball is now in the court of the DAN government to decide whether the students from the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur can appear examination with NBSE syllabus for the academic session 2006.
“The sincerity of DAN government is very much in doubt when the Chief Minister who recently led a DAN delegation to meet central leaders on affiliation issue, is remaining silent on the outcome of the discussion after coming back to the state. The NYC while iterating the Congress’ consistent stand for unity and peace, reminds the DAN government that their days are counted to remain in office if their assurances given to the people are not fulfilled” the Congress cautioned.
Who is the author of division among the Nagas and their territory?- Nagaland Post Opnion
As unity of component parts of the body of a man into the whole is a natural necessity, so it is with the nation. Things are also created to exist together in perfect harmony with each other in this beautiful garden of the earth. Recognize it or not, Nagas wherever they are, belong to one nation racially, historically and culturally. Above all, they speak the same political language. Sovereign Naga people have been running their own (self) government in Nagalim, independent of others since time immemorial. At no stage of history have they ever been subjugated by any alien power either by conquest or consent. And that those political powers which attempted to divide or divided the territorial integrity of Nagalim and destroyed the harmonious and peaceful existence of the Nagas is viewed as a heinous crime against Naga nation on one hand and total violation of the law of nations on the other.
Division of Nagalim into many parts and com-partmentalization of the Nagas into groups, factions or parties came mainly from colonial policy of the British and the Indian aggressors. The worst kind of policy was bifurcation of Nagalim into east and west, placing the poor Nagas into different political planets by the British power. The partitioning of the Naga territory and the creation of the so called Nagaland state by India is another diabolic attempt to subdue the brave Nagas into perpetual submission and slavery. This kind of artificial division if kept unopposed and made to prolong for longer period of time, Naga brothers and sisters would eventually become foreigners to each other. The power of assimilation is as such that children of the same parents, if they are to be brought up in different social systems and environments would never speak the same language. Division of Nagalim is a deliberate attempt on the life of Naga nation and a systematic political strategy to uproot the Naga culture, social values, history and everything Naganess from the surface of the earth. It is a serious political crone.
As compelled by cir-cumstances, Naga people put up tough resistance against the surging waves of the Indian aggression for decades. Since the current of the Naga nationalism was very strong to be stopped with military might, the Government of India switched over to political option as part of its strategy to subdue the Nagas. It was however, discovered later that political talks held in sixties was nothing but a deception aimed at dampening the revolutionary spirit of the Naga people on the one hand and strengthening their military position on the other.
In the meantime, some of the leaders who were won over to their side through false promises and political bait finally ended up with the 'Revolutionary Government' that divided the Nagas into two camps. The division took a heavy toll on the Nagas besides damaging to a great extend the unity and solidarity of the Naga national movement for independence.
The oneness of the Nagas was further divided on account of the Shillong Accord. Mr. L.P. Singh who engineered the accord proudly claimed that he had finally subdued the brave Nagas through the Shillong accord. However, the reality is that an accord was signed but the problem remained unsolved. We know that any accord or agreement which betrays the future of the Nagas is no solution at all. Rather, that is part of the problem. It is so because the framework of the accord was based on the Indian constitution. Narasimharao, the then Prime Minister of India told the Collective Leadership in the talks, "Had it not been your leadership, the Indo-Naga problem would have been solved with the NNC and Federal leaders under the framework of the Accord, but it was through your leadership that the Naga people were able to escape the network of the accord. You are very shrewd." Thus the issue was saved through the sustained movement of the people under the collective leadership of the NSCN.
The fallacy is that certain stooges of the adversary who write against NSCN covertly or overtly every now and then stated, "The Shillong Accord was signed under duress and that it has no binding on the NNC and Federal government." But the argument goes, if it was signed under duress why didn't they condemn it afterwards? How do they explain about their staying comfortably in the present transit camp for over thirty years? Every Naga knows they are in the pay role of the enemies.
At the instigation of the Indian intelligence wing the pro-Shillong Accord NNC members staged a military coup where all top ranking leaders including Isak and Muivah were arrested to be executed. In the process, about a hundred national workers and their family members were brutally killed so that the accord could be implemented smoothly. In order to further strengthen their position, an armed wing called Peoples' Militia of Nagaland (PMN) was formed, financed and armed by the Indian state. They later fought against the NSCN, the champion of the Naga people's cause for about a decade until they were totally liquidated. These actions remained unanswered whether the accord was signed under duress or not. Indian leaders and their Naga collaborators can never absolve or run away from all these dirty and bloody politics.
The most treacherous national crime ever committed by the leader at the highest echelon was the abortive coup attempt of the Indian-backed SS. Khaplang in whom they found a good instrument against the NSCN, the national council of the Naga people. He is such a type pf man who can be easily won over through flattery and tinsel medal. Being a power-monger, he is ready to trade even his own brothers and sisters for a chair. In fact, he had butchered hundreds of innocent Naga brothers and sisters just to please his master and coalition partners. Quoting the sweetest words 'peace offensive', he justifies killing scores of innocent pastors, students, bureaucrats, teachers and businessmen. In their further attempt to tear down the edifice of NSCN, the enemies through Khaplang formed an organization called Nagaland Youth Liberation Front (NYLF). However, it was nipped in the bud. Unity move without principle is another counter revolutionary strategy to divide the Nagas, to which some of the feeble minded sections of people subscribe. No doubt, NSCN is also very much for unity among the Nagas. But it insists that everything stands on its own principle. Unity among the warring Nagas should be built on the solid ground of national principle. Our national independence movement is principle-based. The current peace process is principle-based and solution too has to be principle-based. We believe every sensible Naga understands the stand of NSCN. It should not be made the scape-goat of the enemy's satanic policy.
Intimidating statements or notice to Naga civil societies, international support groups and friends of the Naga people and also serving of 'Quit notice' to a particular tribe is diabolic and the language of communal forces which has no place in the modem political dictionary. It will rather destroy the cause of the Nagas than serves it. It is politically suicidal, isolationism and self-destruction. Khaplangs must study the history of the Nagas first before they teach others. We are not to teach them the A.B.C. of Naga history. They must be informed that Naga people can no longer be befooled with any kind of communal magic. Even a boy of yesterday can understand who is behind the writing of this 'Quit notice'. It will boomerang on the author. Slander, hatred, conspiracy, negative criticism, communalism ect., never builds up any kingdom on earth. It is through open heart communication, admission of one's own mistakes and hard reality, appreciation of good points of each other and cooperation with each other that builds a harmonious nation. Issued by: MIP, GPRN, NSCN (IM)
Factional clashes in Zbto, 1 killed Correspondent Nagaland Post
KOHIMA, SEPT 4 (NPN): Rival NSCN factions continue to exchange heavy fire in Asukuto village under Zunheboto district that began on September 1, Friday till Monday followed by another clash at adjacent Naghutomi village. Monday's clash at Naghutomi village reportedly started around 2pm and casualties, if any, was not known so far at the time of filing this report.
When contacted, SP Zunheboto N Sangtam confirmed the report but said no reports of any casualty have been received. Sangtam said he was awaiting for a report from a police team of the Zunheboto P.S. that went to the spot. It was reported that on Friday, one cadre member of one of the factions was reportedly killed while another injured in the exchange of fire at Asukuto village. Sources said the villagers had concealed the identity of the dead body and the faction for fear of worsening the situation if the identity was revealed.
Sources also said another exchange of fire that lasted for about two hours, took place in the same village on Saturday. However, no casualty was reported on the second day.
According to sources, the offensive between the two factions could have worsened had not the villagers and public stepped in to caution both sides of the June 14 ceasefire agreement signed between the two NSCN factions and the public in Zunheboto.
The situation was tense in the area as both the factions continue to move in full combat gear while the public continue to make every effort to diffuse the charged atmosphere.
Meanwhile, according to NSCN-K army spokesman Isak Sumi, two NSCN-IM cadre members have surrendered to the NSCN-K on Sunday. The two identified as Sgt. Maj Isato and Khabor Vitolu who brought along with them a vehicle (Gypsy) belonging to Vitoi, a deputy kilonser of the NSCN-IM, the NSCN-K spokesman added. Isak also disclosed that another member of the rival faction surrendered to the NSCN-K at Athibung.
AR to develop tourist spot in Nagaland Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Kohima, Sep 03: Nagaland has just identified a new tourist spot, a spot so close to Kohima and yet known to very few. Just a stone's throw away from the Phesama Hydroger site, roughly a 100 metres away, is a breathtaking waterfall which seems to be falling down straight from the skies.

While very few people knew people knew about its existence, the Assam Rifles, who on invitation from the media fraternity of Kohima, visited the site this afternoon, was awestruck at the beauty of the spot and have promised to developed the spot into a tourist destination. The AR Maj Gen SS Kumar, who is also GOC Nagaland, his Dy GOC, Brig Brijpal Singh, and other senior officials were totally impressed and were seen displaying their childish side at the site.

Interacting with the media persons, Gen. Kumar promised to put up decorative footbridges and ropes to help picnickers get to the waterfall while also assuring to install 3 stalls which would have fast food to cater to picnickers. Apart from this, Gen. Kumar also promised two pools, one for children and one for grownups at the site so as to encourage family outings and picnics at the site. He would also be inviting Guv Shyamal Datta and others to visit the spot.

He expressed hope that together (AR and the State Govt) can start major initiatives soon to develop the site into a tourist hotspot.
The GOC and his officers also appreciated of the media fraternity for introducing him and his officers and their spouses to the "otherwise-unknown paradise".
Army to expose NE to national media Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Kohima, Sep 04: A 25-member team of media persons from both the national electronic and print media would be arriving in Kohima on September 17 on an exposure trip to the Northeast organized by the Indian Army. The exposure trip of the members of the national media is an initiative of GOC Nagaland and IGAR (North), Maj.

Gen. .S.SKumar, who had taken up the issue with Chief of Army Staff, Gen. .J.JSingh during his recent visit to Dimapur. The media team would be flown in by special aircraft till Dimapur or Guwahati from where they would be flown to the capital by army chopper.

During their overnight stay, the team is expected to meet Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Governor Shyamal Datta and others apart from members of the local media fraternity.

The media team would be putting up at Hotel Japfu during their overnight stay. The team would also fly to Mokokchung and Wokha by army chopper as part of the trip.
The team is scheduled to fly by chopper to Imphal on September 18.
ULFA wants PM to break stalemate Nagaland Post
GUWAHATI, SEPT 3 (AGENCIES): The negotiators of the People's Consultative Group nominated by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom have decided to send a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to break the stalemate in the peace initiative by releasing five top militant leaders from jail.
PCG members Lachit Bardoloi and Arup Borbora in a statement issued in Guwahati on Sunday evening informed that the PCG meeting held on Saturday night took a decision to call for intervention from the prime minister to facilitate the release of five top jailed leaders of ULFA "as per decisions taken on June 22 meeting between the PCG and government of India representatives".
The PCG informed that release of these senior ULFA central committee leaders would lead to breaking of the deadlock in the peace initiatives that had been successful in facilitating temporary suspension of army operation and restraint on part of ULFA.
The PCG was of the view that the atmosphere in Assam was now congenial to facilitate direct talks between the ULFA and government of India provided the government agreed to release the five ULFA leaders from jail as sought by the militant group.
The PCG coordinators - litterateur Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Rebati Phukon - would soon meet the prime minister to submit the letter from the PCG seeking his intervention in release of ULFA leaders from jail for the greater interests of the peace process.
The ULFA demands release of its central committee leaders -- Pradip Gogoi, Bhimkanta Buragohain, Mithinga Daimary, Pranati Deka and Ramu Mech -- from jails so that they could be present in the ULFA central committee meeting to help the group to take a final decision whether to hold direct talks with the government of India or not. However, the government of India has sought a letter of commitment from the ULFA leadership expressing its willingness to hold direct talks, assurance of presence of ULFA commander in chief Paresh Baruah and chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa in talks and a specific date and venue for holding talks.
The government indicated that it might release the jailed ULFA leaders if it received the letter of commitment from ULFA. However, the ULFA termed the fresh condition from the government as delaying tactics and asked the government to honour the decisions of June 22 meeting between the PCG and government representatives and release five of its leaders from jail for the greater interests of the peace process.
NDFB rules out floating political party By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 4 – The National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has ruled out any possibility of it forming a political party in the near future and dismissed reports of this nature in a section of the media. The NDFB is on a peace process and it is solely concentrating on finding the ways and means of successful political settlement of the “Indo-Boro imbroglio” through negotiation with the Indian Government, said NDFB spokesman S Sanjarang in a fax message today.

“Where is the question of NDFB’s formation of a new political party while the question of solution of the Indo-Boro problem is still far away?” countered Sanjarang while expressing “regret” that some political parties and leaders have “mistaken and misunderstood us and our approach.”

The NDFB is not hankering after power and is not interested in power politics, the NDFB spokesman asserted while dismissing reports in some newspapers as “nothing but an idea impregnated in an unsound and ill-motivated mind of some vicious circle.” Such reports are false, baseless, politically motivated and without substance, he said. “It is a deliberate attempt on the part of the malignant propagators to fulfil their ulterior motive at the cost of the NDFB’s image.”

Sanjarang said the NDFB, in the interest of successful as well as meaningful settlement of the Indo-Boro problem, has to interact with politicians and political parties of many hues on many occasions. “This does not mean that the NDFB is on process of forming a new political party in collaboration with some political parties as well as some disgruntled politicians.”

The NDFB leader said that if the outfit has ever met any political leader or party it was solely with the intention of garnering support and help towards the successful accomplishment of the peace process and not for forming a new political party with some disgruntled political parties or leaders.

“We express awful pity for those parties, politicians and vested interests who are making desperate attempts to elevate themselves to the political forefront at the cost of the NDFB’s image and also at the cost of the Boro issue,” Sanjarang said. Warning all those “hatching conspiracy against us” to refrain from propagating such false and baseless reports, the NDFB leader also appealed to the people not to be misled by such “destructive propaganda.”

Northeast’s own airline takes off in December Kuknalim.com
NEW DELHI, Sept 4:: After years of poor air connectivity, the Northeast will finally see a regional player take the skies, challenging the notion that this sector is an unprofitable goner...

Skyking Aviation, a year-old Shillong-based company, has secured a no-objection certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to start flying in all the seven states.

This is the first time that a private carrier has been allowed to operate in the Northeast. The services, scheduled to start by December, will connect 10 destinations. In the first phase, the low-cost airline will fly daily to cities including Aizwal, Agartala, Imphal, Dibrugarh, Lilabari, and Barapani with Guwahati as the main hub. The second phase will connect destinations like Bagdogra, Jorhat and Gangtok. Fares will hover in the range of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000.

Ronal Rickman Sangma, Skyking’s promoter and one of the directors said discussions are on with Singapore’s GE Capital Aviation Services, a unit of GE Capital Services, to raise funds and lay out the financial plan. “We plan to take three aircraft on lease to start with and add two more within the next six months,” he said. The other promoter is Chinku Gare Momen.

The company is already in negotiations to take on lease one five-year-old 35-seater and four 50-seater Bombardier aircraft. It is also talking to Lufthansa and other companies in the UK, Canada and Germany for leasing planes. There are 25 airports in the Northeast and three more are being developed in Gangtok, Kohima and Itanagar, capitals of Sikkim, Nagaland and AP, respectively. (Indian Express)

AASU activists taking out a procession with earthen pots in the city on Monday, demanding immediate supply of safe drinking water to every household in the State. (Sentinel) No authority
Asom Government not authorized to update NRC By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Sept 4: While the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and other organizations in the State have been demanding for an early update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), 1951, what is being lost on them is that the main hurdle for updating the NRC is the Asom Government’s inability to go about the whole exercise unless the Centre formally authorizes the State Government to update the NRC. The NRC update exercise appears to have landed in a hazy maze with official sources pointing out that any citizenship-related matter like NRC is a subject in the Central List and not the State List. In other words, a State government is not a competent authority to deal with the matter.
Following the May 5, 2005 tripartite talks with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), New Delhi had agreed to update the NRC. Subsequently, the NRC Directorate was set up for the purpose.
The fact that the State Government is unauthorized to deal with the NRC exercise prompted Dispur to send repeated reminders to the Centre to iron out the issues involved. The matter was even raised when VS Lalli, Secretary (Border Management), MHA, was here to review the border situation in the Northeast recently. But the response from Lalli was,“It’s a sensitive matter. I will have to take up the issue at New Delhi, and only then can say anything.” But till so far the Asom Government has not received any communication from Lalli.
According to sources, unless the Citizenship Act, 1955, is amended and the State government is authorized by the Centre to update the NRC, the process of updating NRC would never be a smooth affair for the State Government. So much so, the whole exercise may even collapse in due course.
Sensing the complications, both Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh are reported to have said that the process of updating the NRC is unlikely to be completed before 2008 even as the earlier targeted time was May, 2007.
But with New Delhi purportedly treading slow on the issue, the whole exercise is braced for trouble, soon if not now.
Even though the Centre had assured to bear all the expenditure involved in the NRC Directorate, a proposal by Asom Government to involve 21 officers in the NRC Directorate was turned down by the Union Government saying it “cannot create new posts, the State should adjust them.”
In another glaring example of the Centre’s lackadaisical attitude, an amount of Rs 2 crore, agreed in principle by the Centre for “data entry process’’, is still to be released. It may be mentioned here that Rs 1.2 crore has already been released by the Centre for the purchase of equipment for NRC update. Given that the NRC update work is going on in many districts of the State, it remains to be seen whether the parties concerned, including the AASU, would mount pressure on the Centre to formally authorize the State Government to update the NRC.

Frans on 09.05.06 @ 05:14 PM CST [link]


Sunday, September 3rd

Another blast in Dimapur Kuknalim.com


Another blast in Dimapur Kuknalim.com
DIMAPUR, Sept 2:: It was the fourth blast directed against a shop in Dimapur when unidentified miscreants tossed a crude explosive device at M/s Gurbachans Radios...

dealing in various domestic appliances and electronic goods at the Nyamo Lotha Road(old Church Road)Saturday at around 2.20 p.m.Two persons sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital for treatment. They are out of danger sources said.

Eyewitness accounts disclosed that three persons were seen in a suspicious manner at the door of the shop just before the blast. Sources disclosed that two non-locals proceeded towards Bata Charali side,while local went towards the New Market after which the explosion took place.

The two persons who sustained injuries have been identified as Santosh Kumar Gupta, an auto driver who was injured on the right temple and abdomen and Manik Gurung who was injured in the neck. SDPO Dimapur V. Peseyie and SDPO Niuland Vesuprah Kezo rushed to the spot and conducted investigation. Police suspect that the crude bomb was hurled with intent to scare the proprietor and staff of the shop. They also did not rule out extortion as a probable reason.

According to sources, goods worth Rs. 209760 were damaged by the blast.

It may be recalled that the first such attack was on April 22 at M/s Orchid; the second on May 29 at M/s Plaza and the third on August 12 at M/s Krishna Trading Co. at Naharbari.

So far none of those responsible for the blasts have been identified or arrested
Blast condemned

The NSCN-IM has condemned Saturday's blast and said the act was shocking and cowardly and persons responsible for it should be brought to book at the earliest.

CAO, UT-1 (NSCN-IM) P Kihoto Yepthomi termed as "devilish design" the perpetrators who might be intending to popularize their organization through such acts and called upon the citizens of Dimapur to cooperate with the UT-1 NSCN-IM authorities in nabbing the culprits.

The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) and Dimapur Naga Students' Union (DNSU) have also condemned today's bomb blast in the heart of Dimapur. NSF in a press release said bombing of business centers has become very frequent in Nagaland, especially in Dimapur, and added that such acts have created fear psychosis in the minds of people.

"The Federation cannot imagine possible reason that could have influenced them to indulge into such inhuman acts and calls upon the law and order keeping agency to beef up security measure to guarantee safety of the citizens," it added.

DNSU said the market place was not a place for committing barbaric crimes and called for total cessation of "heinous crimes" that endanger the lives of innocent public. The Union also appealed the authority concern to take precautionary measures to make the market place safe.
(NPN)
NBCC prayer points for Peace Day Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR, SEPT 2 (NPN): As in the past, to commemorate the cease fire agreement between the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN)with the Government of India on September 6,1964, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has come out with prayer points for the Ceasefire/Peace Day which falls on the day, according to Director of Peace Affairs(NBCC) Rev.L.Kari Longchar.
In a press communiqué, Rev.Kari urged upon the Christians to "cry in true repentance with contrite hearts to God with pertinent prayer points," and to "register our thirst for peace."
Recalling the qualities of the Naga national workers in the past who "were near to the heart of the people as they were non-violent,sacrificial,united and kind to the public,"Rev.Kari lamented that the present day national workers led "strange lifestyle" that made them "an object of derision."
He appealed to all Nagas to pray for a "spiritual transformation" to take place in the lives of the national workers.
He however pointed out that while it was easy "to blame underground people only, the overground elements are adding fuel to the division of the Nagas. Corruption and social evils abound in public life." He urged for prayer for repentance of public their leaders to shun the path of corruption and wicked devices so that these leaders would honour God and serve their people.
Rev.Kari also blamed the Church leaders for having failed in their prophetic ministry which allowed the society to decay. He pleaded for a prayer for a mighty revival to visit church leaders so that "healing, peace, truth and justice should be generated from their lives."
Other prayer points of the Peace Affairs of the NBCC include-turning away from the Naga predicament of division, hatred, violence, killing and self-destruction; prayer for all Naga national leaders to discover God's will in their lives and His purpose for the Nagas and asking God's forgiveness for misuse of the slogan "Nagaland for Christ" under which killing, extortion and evil practices which have invited the wrath of God upon the Nagas. Urging the Nagas to praise God for His unfailing love and to beseech God for divine healing on the Nagas, the NBCC added "If we surrender ourselves to God, He can make us a new people of peace."
Quit Notice and the Deeper Issue By: Charles Chasie
The sharp polarization that has been happening in our society for quite sometime is an issue of grave concern for all of us. Now, with the “quit notice” issued by NSCN(K) to the Tangkhul community in Nagaland, the polarization seems to be taking a turn for the worse. Instead of coming closer, we seem to be drifting further apart. Why is it that whatever can go wrong in our situation keeps going wrong?

The present issue also, once again, clearly demonstrates that, in the Naga context, we all still continue to see and interpret happenings through the prism of tribes. This could be largely due to the fact that individual Naga identities are inseparably linked to clan, khel, village and tribe identities. And this cultural view continues to dominate our beings despite modern mannerisms, fashions and adopted attitudes. We may take the high moral ground of rationality and philosophical/ideological discourse when it suits us but this is what we all really still are. It is not practiced only by the people in the NSCN (K) but by all Nagas. We are all seen and we all look at other Nagas as part of our respective tribe identities. This trait quickly comes out and most visibly especially when we have our backs against the wall and no alternatives seem available. It enjoins on each of us the obligation to remember that we all carry individual responsibilities as well as collective ones to our communities and the larger society.

But let me first of all make clear my position on the ‘quit notice’ of the NSCN (K). In the early 1990s when the Kukis were told to quit Nagaland and this reached Kohima, I wrote in my newspaper (I was editor then) that this was wrong. For my stand I got into some difficulties but apart from a few friends there was no “squeak” of support from anyone. But I was at peace because I believed it was the right thing to do. I see absolutely no reason today to change my stand. The faults and mistakes of some cannot be visited on an entire community. And there are always good people in every community. At this point, for instance, I think of my senior friend and former colleague, Dr Tuisem Shishak, who launched and kept going, till retirement recently, the Patkai Christian College which we all know about. I do not think I would want him to leave Nagaland even from a purely selfish point of view, leaving aside larger considerations.

What gives me hope in the present case are the reports in the newspapers (having been away, I read about a week’s collection at one go) from NSCN–K’s leadership that innocent Tangkhuls will not be targeted. It shows that some re-thinking is going on. The NSCN (K) must rescind the targeting of the Tangkhuls as a tribe.
Equally, it is important to examine why the NSCN (K) may have been driven to this unreasonable and extreme step. Such examination is required not just for the sake of the NSCN (K) but for the good of the whole Naga society and so that no such mistakes will be repeated in future. Because of our given tribal context what each does or fails to do has consequences for us and for our communities. Likewise, the good that we do will be reflected on our communities too. The mindset extends from the personal to the community and national affairs. It is unrealistic and impractical to expect otherwise.

Let us consider our society. It is made up of a collection of disparate tribes, claiming to be a people and a nation, and have actually fought for so many decades for such aspirations, but now it seems to be tearing apart at the seams even before the contours of such national ambitions could be clearly mapped out. Tragically, instead of delving deeper into the actual malaise and design faults confronting us and dealing with the real mechanics of the Naga Car we want to build, we seem to have stopped at only imagining the shapes and colours of the final product. Unhappily for us, the Naga Car we want will first have to go through the visioning, designing, engineering, and production processes, and correcting any faults, before we can possess and drive it safely. Unless we are prepared to go through the long and difficult, even painful, processes required, the cost will be paid, as it has already been paid, and still being paid, in numerous more lives and may result in the ultimate sacrifice of our people-hood. What we are experiencing now are warning signs.

What has our society become today? We have reached a stage where no one can say anything to anyone anymore. Power and strength, and wealth as a means to achieving these, are the only things we understand, threats and intimidations are the only languages we speak, and deep suspicion has become the hallmark of our inter-personal relationship whether between individuals or between groups or parties. This is not a society, far less a nation, that can move forward and fulfill its God-given destiny. Permanent revolution and chaos are the only words one can think of to describe such a volatile state. A society at war with itself cannot be expected to grow and move forward. Neither can anyone help it.

The Naga national movement which first launched the process of our people-hood today seems to have become the single-most divisive factor in society. The present “quit notice” is also a direct political fall-out of the movement. Suspicion and fear, exclusiveness, assassinations, bitterness etc. have all led to the present state of affairs. The Angami too, the tribe to which I belong, have often been regrettably guilty of failing to be large-hearted enough and inclusive enough. Unless we correct these mistakes and unless we include everyone the Naga river of blood will keep flowing. Ours is a very small people and we need everyone. All of us but especially the leaders must ask themselves the kind of legacy, of peace and future or bitterness and hate, they want to bequeath their children.

We are all agreed that our society has become wounded and hurting badly. Wounds need healing, not further wounding. Clever stratagems and manipulations, however successful in the short-term will only wound further and entrench our already difficult situation, making it impossible. What our situation demands is a humble acknowledgement that things have gone wrong, that we have all played a part in allowing things to go wrong, and to do all we can to put right what we can. Explanations and justifications, and selective indignations, will only make things worse by adding insult to injury. Propaganda is a lot of energy wasted as by now, every Naga has already made up his/her mind about who is right and who is wrong and where his/her position should lie and will not effect too much shift in the minds of our people. What we have to effect is a shift from who is right to what is right for all Nagas. Only then will there be a corresponding shift in our situation from impasse towards solution.

As a senior friend keeps saying, life is about challenges and responses and what we are and what our situation becomes depend on the quality of our responses to the challenges confronting us. So long as we keep on reacting instead of responding adequately to the challenges before us, there will be no movement forward.

Let us also appreciate each other. Although we are all capable of the worst, there is also so much good in our people. I recall, for instance, Mr Wangtin Konyak writing a moving letter in the immediate aftermath of the killing of Ngampan Konyak, paying tribute to his leader and stating his feeling of hurt but also expressing forgiveness and declaring his resolve to work for the good of all Nagas. I did not see any response of appreciation in the newspapers. I, for one, regrettably failed to do so publicly although, without knowing him, my respect for him rose in my heart. Quite often, lack of appreciation hardens hearts and instead of lifting the spiral of positive attitudes in society creates situations that could, perhaps, otherwise be avoided.

After all the mistakes we have all committed, and also paid the price for them, we need to begin to sensitively listen to one another to begin again. When we stop listening to one another’s cries and appeals, we usually provoke the worst in each other.

What we desperately need in our situation is a respected neutral body from within Naga society to facilitate and translate our slogan of reconciliation to real healing. Perhaps, the Church is the only body left that can perform this painful but necessary task. But will we allow it? Our society is so riven and our thinking follows the path of anyone not for us being against us that making the worst possible interpretations of what anyone says has become the norm. Killings continue everyday that even condemnation of such acts has become routine and tiresome. We have become so de-sensitized and de-humanized. Without healing, it is doubtful if there will be solution. On the contrary, the chances are greater for further bloodshed and perpetration of more legacies of bitterness to take place.

It is also a fact that solution can only come from within Naga society. Outside help and support, however powerful and important, cannot assist us where we have refused to help ourselves. At most we will reduce their efforts to mere nuisance value, a peddling of our connections vis-à-vis the Government of India and other factions. This is not to underestimate or undermine the help outside friends can give but merely pointing out a fact. It is unfair to them also and I am sure they will be the first to agree. Only we can assist them to assist us. When we do not help ourselves no one can really help us.

The bell has been tolling for the Naga people for a long time now. Will we hearken to it late as it is and give a chance to mothers to dry their tears, hardened hearts to soften and become human again and for our children to dream about their future? Only we can provide the answer.
NSCN (K) flays 38 AR for "anti-truce activities" Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR, Sep02 [NPN] : The NSCN (K) has strongly viewed the "anti-ceasefire activities" of the 38 Assam Rifles at Noni in Tamenlong district of Manipur and termed them as "strict violation of Naga laws according to the laws enshrined in the international laws." Lt. Col. Khamingkhu, 2 in-charge, 1st BN, Naga Army, GPRN, in a release issued here, stated that the Manipur and Indian governments had "blatantly failed to respect the laws governing the ongoing ceasefire between the NSCN (GPRN) and the Government of India by heinously subsiding the 38 Assam Rifles to adopt all forms of terrorism alongside the Isak-Khodao terrorists."

He alleged that relevant documents captured from the 'SS' Under Secretary Asing Lamkang of the Isak-Khodao terrorists were sufficient evidence of their links with the Assam Rifles, Manipur Commandos, Indian armed forces and Intelligent agencies. "Involvement in drug trafficking and opening of rehab centre, Dimapur are symptoms of whitewash and there is nothing serious behind the curtain", he said.
He also said the RPF (PLA), one of Meitie outfit, was also found "assisting Isak-Khodoa terrorists in Manipur and sharing extorted money with the Indian security forces and involved in numerous cases of human rights violations. "The so-called Manipur's Isak-Khodao-sponsored NGOs are advised not to interfere in the day-to-day affairs of the NSCN (GPRN) and Nagaland. The NSCN does not bother about the Nagalim people and just as it issued Quit Notice to Kukis, UNC and Lim Guards, they must surf in their own waters. Don't try to be as pests before the NSCN and invite pesticides", the release added.
The NSCN (K) asked the Naga Army in Shepoumaramth, Amamcht and Zeliangrong regions to carry out nationalistic duties more vigorously so that tomorrow's generation would not witness any "terrorists and terrorism in the Naga country."
"We have destroyed the Tangkhul men in our soil to create and lead independent lives in an independent country. Expel the Tangkul men the Naga soil for the sake of sovereignty and glory of the NSCN (GPRN) and future generations", the release added.
Solution on affiliation- Nagaland Post Column
Greetings to you all and a very warm love and regards to you. I am concerned the government of India as well as the state government of Nagaland and Manipur had been unable to resolve the issue of Nagas in the four hill districts of Manipur regarding affiliation of school. I am of the opinion that affiliation of school under NBSE by the four hill district of Manipur would be technically impossible as that would involve the administration of education under the government of Nagaland which would not be acceptable by government of Manipur. The government of Manipur imposing Metei administration of the government has denied the Nagas of their freedom of speech and expression. Constitutionally every tribe has the right to protect their custom and tradition which is guranteed by the constitution is deprived to the Nagas in the four hill district of Manipur.
Remedies:-
1.The government of India should accept proposal for setting Naga Board of School Education Manipur (NBSEM)
2. The NBSEM should be an autonomous board so that the administration of education is not deprived to the Nagas.
3. NBSEM should not be under the administration of Manipur/Nagaland government but an autonomous board directly administered by the ministry of human resource development.
4. Education of the four Naga Hill of Manipur should be taken as a top priority by the government of India. As education is the pillar of building a prosperous nation. The career of students' in the four hill districts of Manipur should be guaranteed by the government of India. Lastly I do pray that the government of India as well as government of Nagaland/Manipur would accept my memorandum for the welfare of the students' community.
T. Thonwalo, Naga, Social worker, Kohima, Nagaland.
CM to take up affiliation issue with HRD ministry The Imphal Free Press
imphal, Sep 2 : Manipur CM O Ibobi Singh along with state chief secretary and the BSEM secretary in-charge, S Budhachandra are scheduled to leave for New Delhi tomorrow.
Reliable souses said that they will call on the Union minister of human resources development, to discuss, among others, issues arising out of the demand for affiliation of private schools in Naga dominated hill districts of Manipur to the Nagaland Board of Secondary Education. The state team is also expected to meet the Union Home Minister to discussed the present law and order situation of the state. Regarding the law and order situation a high level meeting of top officials of the state police dept. is also convened this evening at the state police HQ.
Raising Day The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sep 2: The headquarters 9 Sector Assam Rifles widely known as HQ MP Range celebrated its 51st Raising Day with gaiety and fanfare.
The 9 Sector AR was raised on September 1, 1955 as joint headquarters at Tuensang, Nagaland and is the oldest sector headquarters of the Assam Rifles, said a release by the PRO, IGAR(S).

Since raising, the HQ 9 Sector has worked relentlessly to ensure peace and tranquility in the region besides reaching the masses with its civic action programmes for the upliftment of villagers by providing basic amenities in the area. Brigadier PK Kayastha, commander 9 Sector, in his address exhorted all ranks to work relentlessly in pursuit of excellence so that the foundations laid by the forefathers are strengthened and kept always at a higher edifice. All officers, ladies, JCOs and families participated in the events.
Kacharigaon and Kashiram Ao end dispute with ‘peace agreement’The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 2 (MExN): Kacharigaon Phevima Village and Kashiram Ao Sector have settled a boundary dispute and other matters between the two areas by signing a “peace and understanding agreement” September 1 at the Council Hall, Kacharigaon, Dimapur.
Kacharigaon Phevima Village was represented by its Chairman Vitho Zao, Head GB Pfuruya Yhoshu and Village Council member Mathovi Yhoshu while Kashiram Ao Sector was represented by its Chairman Temjen Jamir, Head GB Imsu Imsong and Village Council member Lipoklemba. The agreement stated that both the villages, located within Dimapur, share a common boundary but since it was not clearly defined and maintained, inconveniences and disputes arose. Taking serious view of this, both the villages deliberated on the matter and executed the agreement on September 1.
The agreement stated that both the parties shall be in possession of their respective land, physically occupied and on the basis of spot verification conducted by both the parties on February 22, 2005. The areas presently occupied by the Assam Rifles were claimed by both the parties. However, Kacharigaon Phevima Village “conceded and clarified that the village as a whole will not take responsibilities of any individuals after the execution of this agreement” according to the agreement.
In this regard both the villages have agreed that past altercations, differences and disputes which arose earlier in respect of the boundary is now settled amicably and declared that the agreement shall stand final and binding on both the parties, including its respective individuals and members of the village. Both the villages agreed to maintain peaceful co-existence and shall stand by each other “in times of peace and stress.”
With the signing of the agreement the two villages sought the cooperation from neighboring villages such as Aoyimkum, Senjum, Signal Angami and Razhuphe to strive towards unity. It was also agreed that the Court of ADC (J) Dimapur be approached after execution of the agreement to obtain consent decree in the pending case TS No.14 of 1981 on the basis of the said agreement.
2 Meghalaya girls rescued from Mumbai brothel Nagaland Post
SHILLONG, SEPT 2 (PTI): Two girls from Meghalaya were rescued from a Mumbai brothel by the state police, who arrested two persons, including a woman in connection with the incident, a senior police official said today. The police team led by Inspector U P Singh, officer-in-charge of Rynjah police station rescued the girls from Mira Road in Mumbai with the help of police there.
East Khasi Hills district police superintendent A S Rynjah said the two girls, who were kept in a Mumbai flat for flesh trade, were being brought here. The woman trafficker and her accomplice were also being brought here.
He said a complaint was received at the Rynjah police stat ion on August 24 last saying that two girls were 'enticed' by one woman to work as maid servants at Kolkata. But the woman later sent the duo to Mumbai and kept them in a flat. On receiving the information, a case under immoral traffic prohibition act was registered and the police team was sent from here to rescue the girl.
Meanwhile, the police carried out an anti-infiltration drive at Keating Road and Police Bazar area of the city. They also conducted a search at a hotel under construction in the heart of the town today. During the drive, 170 people were picked up. Out of them 99 were released after verification and 71 persons including 10 beggars were asked to go back to their hometown in Assam to enable them to produce valid official documents to support their claim of being genuine Indian citizens, police said.
Assam rail projects hampered by insurgency Nagaland Post
GUWAHATI, SEPT 2 (AGENCIES): In Assam, several key railway projects have been suspended after repeated bids by insurgent groups to extort money from contractors.
Extortion demands come to railway contractors in Assam almost every week. The demands are mostly from the Naga rebel group NSCN (IM) and the Black Widow group active in the North Cachar Hills of Assam.
In the last four months, there have been three incidents of violence.
The latest was on August 28 when an excavator was set on fire. Now contractors working on the multi-crore gauge conversion project between Lumding and Silchar say they have had enough.
"We want to suspend work in the Lumding-Silchar section because of law and order. There are so many insurgency groups giving notice and creating problems.
We can't fulfil their demands," said the association.
"On 28th one of our machines was burnt, extortion was made but no demand note was given. They burnt and threatened that next time they will kill us," it added.
At present this sector has a meter gauge rail which has been running since the 1890s. Some 20 construction companies from Assam and outside are engaged in converting the gauge.
It is one of the most challenging railway engineering projects involving 32 tunnels and more than 300 big and small bridges on a 171 km hilly stretch.
But due to militancy the project is running years behind schedule. "We have asked railways and home department but there's no response. So we have only two options -suspend work or under compulsion compromise with the insurgent groups," the association said. The Railways say they are equally helpless as they have limited forces and law and order is a state subject. So until the state administration takes notice this national Project may have to wait.
I’m not an Indian citizen : Anup Chetia By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Sept 2 “ I am not an Indian citizen. I am an Assamese,” said the ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia reacting to the demand by the Government of India for his extradition from Bangladesh. The militant outfit in a report in its monthly mouthpiece “Swadhinata” said that ever since his arrest in Bangladesh on December 21, 1997, Anup Chetia had been maintaining that he was not an Indian citizen but an Assamese.

The report said that when India demanded his extradition from Bangladesh, his reaction was the same. The ULFA also maintained that if India and Bangladesh sign any agreement for extradition of prisoners of both the countries, its effect would not fall on the Assamese people.
Violence marks central Asom bandh From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
MORIGAON, Sept 2 – Sporadic incidents of violence marked the 36-hour central Asom bandh called by the All Tiwa Students’ Association (ATSA) and the Karbi Students’ union (KSU) at 5 pm today. The bandh was given in support of Sixth Schedule autonomy to the Tiwas.

Miscreants set ablaze an auto van near the GKB College, Morigaon, around 2-30 pm today. A kiosk was also burnt down. Earlier in the morning, miscreants set three motorcycles on fire at Barsila under Mikirbheta police station around 9-30 am. Tension prevailed in the area, where the Superintendent of police, Morigaon, together with security forces, rushed. Miscreants set ablaze the Maruti car of a junior engineer at Barapujia, in Nagaon-Morigaon PWD road.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened at Raha, Nellie and Jagiroad following incidents of stone-pelting on vehicles on the National Highway-37. While three persons have been arrested in Morigaon, four other arrested at Mikirbheta.
ULFA to Centre: Release leaders and talk in 48 hours By ANI
Guwahati, Sep 02 (ANI): Assam's rebel outfit ULFA has said that it will be ready to hold talks with the Centre in Dispur within 48 hours of the release of five of its leaders.
Peace talks came to a halt last week after a letter was sought from the outfit with details like the names of the outfit's negotiating members and the timeframe for the holding of the talks. The conditional demand for talks was made in the outfit's mouthpiece 'Swadhinata' or 'Freedom' where they have stated that there is no need for another letter, as their demands have already been made clear.
A ten-day suspension of operations by the army against the ULFA was announced by the Centre on August 13, with a 15-day extension added later. This comes to an end on September 7. (ANI)
No question of letter on talks, but we are serious, say ULFA By Indian Express
The outlawed United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) today dismissed New Delhi's request for a letter assuring the government that the outfit wanted to sit for talks, with its e-mouthpiece "Swadhinata" saying it was the ULFA which had made the first move to speak of shunning violence and solve the "Indo-Assam conflict" through peaceful talks.
The latest issue of "Swadhinata" also accused the government of holding back the proposed talk process "in the name of just one letter of assurance." The e-mouthpiece of the outfit came a day after peace facilitator Indira Goswami met Union home secretary VK Duggal and conveyed to him that the ULFA was firm on its demand for release of its five senior leaders from jail.
"Elections were held and a new government installed (in Assam) by telling us about talks. August 15 was observed without any incident. Now the Government of India is in no hurry to hold talks. That exactly is why it has come up with this issue of a letter of assurance," the editorial in the outfit's e-mouthpiece said.
The ULFA also accused the government of trying to dictate terms to compel it to come out for talks. "It wants ULFA to assure that it will come for talks within 15 days. It wants assurance on Arabinda Rajkhowa and Paresh Barua attending the talks. It wants us to agree on the date and venue as dictated by the government of India. And if we fail, the signal is clear; it (the government) will let loose its occupational forces against the peace-loving people of Assam in the name of operations against the ULFA," the e-mouthpiece said. The ULFA also accused the government of trying to forget the outfit's earlier assurance that it was ready sit for talks in Dispur itself "and that too in a 48-hour notice if our conditions are fulfilled".
Asserting that the ULFA was still "serious" about the peace talks, the outfit's e-mouthpiece said that the constitution of the People's Consultative Group (PCG) and the responsibility vested on it to negotiate with the government was by itself enough to prove its sincerity. "The constitution of the PCG and vesting responsibility on it to talk (to the government) on our behalf should be considered more serious and significant than a two-line letter," the e-mouthpiece said.
Buses stoned by agitating surrenderees The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Sept 2: At least three inter-state passenger buses were damaged by surrendered undergrounds who were agitating against the Manipur government failure to absorb them in the state IRB units even though they had been selected by a special DPC as followers. Police arrested three surrenderees on the charge of causing damage to the vehicles and took them into their custody. The arrested surrenderees were identified as one Madal, Nur Hussain and Chuingampao currently staying at the dog squad quarters at the commando complex, North AOC, Imphal.

The surrenderees had called an indefinite bandh on the national highways in the state from 6 am this morning protesting against the government`s negligence towards them . This morning the surrenderees smashed the wind shields of the passenger buses parking near the 2nd Manipur Rifles gate and in front of the Manipur Service Commission office near North AOC on the NH-39 for picking up passengers. The ill-fated buses bear registration no. MN01-1735 (Rajdhani Travels), MN01-1655 and MN01-1209 (both belongs to Assam State Transport Cooperation). Front windshield glass and side windows of the vehicles were destroyed in the stoning.

Eyewitness account said that passengers requested the agitators not to attack the vehicles, but their pleas went unheeded. Fortunately none of the passengers sustained any injury. Among the buses two were plying the Imphal-Guwahati route under the Assam State Road Transport Cooperation. Mention may be made that earlier, out of 83 surrendered militants, 46 of them have been selected as riflemen in the 4th IRB and obtained basic training for absorption to service. However, remaining 37 surrenderees who were to be absorbed as followers have still not been given their appointments. Demanding issue of offer forms and absorbing them in the service, the left out surrenderees had on August 31 announced their intention to launch an indefinite total bandh on the National Highways from this morning.
In the meantime, a spokesperson of the surrenderees has demanded the unconditional release of the three men arrested by the police this morning for stoning the passenger buses.

New rebel outfit in south Assam Nagarealm.com
Silchar, Sept.01 : A new rebel group, the United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA), has started operating in the south Assam districts of Karimganj and Hailakandi.
Police confirmed that the gang has already masterminded at least four kidnappings, all in Hailakandi, during the past four months. The rebel group is extorting money from farmers, teachers, traders and government officials living in rural areas in these two districts.

The group first attracted attention last month when it abducted eight farmers from Killarbag village under Katlicherra block in Hailakandi district.
The captives were, however, freed after eight days when the CRPF and Assam Armed Police launched an extensive raid in the jungles of Katlicherra block on the Assam-Mizram border.

According to police, UDLA is being led by a Reang duo, S. Moni, 30, and Manaraj Reang, 28. The small group comprises only 30 members. Apart from SLRs, it also has an AK-47 assault rifle. Another militant group, called the United Liberation Front of Barak Valley, has recently started operating in Karimganj. Led by one P. Apeto, this gang draws its cadres from the Reangs and Bengali Muslims. Both these gangs have come up when the most powerful rebel force in the Barak Valley, the six-year old Barak Valley Youth Liberation Force — led by Parameshwar Reang — is fighting a losing battle against the paramilitary forces. The outfit is also rocked by internecine quarrels. [telegraphindia]

Frans on 09.03.06 @ 01:27 PM CST [link]


Saturday, September 2nd

NNP, NSCN (I-M) discuss unification Nagaland Post


NNP, NSCN (I-M) discuss unification Nagaland Post
DIMAPUR: The Naga National Party, led by its president Ng. Hungyo, and NSCN (I-M) leaders discussed the proposals put forward by the NNP to stop fratricidal killings among the factions/groups and to facilitate unification of them, at a consultation meeting held at Dimapur on August 28.
At the meeting the NSCN (I-M) leaders expressed their willingness to listen to the opinion of the people in the larger interest of finding a peaceful solution to the vexed Naga problem. They appreciated the efforts of the NNP in taking up the challenges and working for peace among the Nagas. They also assured to consult each other on matters relating to the Nagas. The NNP appealed to all Naga armed groups and their supporters to be united and work together for a common goal.
The team of the NSCN (I-M) included Qhevihe Chishi Swu, Convenor, Steering Committee, Mhonsao Kikon, Speaker, Tatar Hoho, and A. K. Lungalang, Member, Steering Committee, while the NNP president was accompanied by Th. Rapei, vice-president, Valley Rose Hungyn.
The NNP will be looking forward to meting more Naga leaders in its bid "to be more effective in our mission."The NNP further appealed to all warring factions/groups to maintain utmost restraint from factional feud while working for peace and unity.
Talks after leaders’ release: ULFA Nagaland Post
GUWAHATI, SEPT 1 (IANS): The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Friday said it was ready to hold talks in Assam's capital Dispur within 48 hours if New Delhi released its five jailed leaders.
"It seems the government of India has deliberately forgotten our earlier stated stand that we are ready to hold talks within 48 hours if our demands are met," ULFA said in its mouthpiece Swadhinata. Holding of direct peace talks between the ULFA and government negotiators was deadlocked with New Delhi last week seeking a formal letter from the group saying it was ready for direct talks, name its negotiating team, and specify a timeframe for the dialogue. The Centre reviewed the situation in Assam during a meeting chaired by Home Secretary V K Duggal on August 28. "There is no need for writing a fresh letter to the government as the ULFA has already expressed its desire to solve the problem politically through talks," the statement said. New Delhi on August 13 announced a 10-day suspension of army operations against the ULFA. This was later extended by another 15 days.
The term of halting military operations expires September 7. The ULFA too reciprocated the government's "goodwill gesture" by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.
"It is not important as to who represents ULFA in the talks. Will the government clarify in clear terms if it was going to discuss the issue of sovereignty (independence)," the ULFA said. "The most important issue is whether the government would withdraw the occupational forces (army and paramilitary) from Assam."
The main issue now blocking the start of formal face-to-face talks between the ULFA and Indian government negotiators is the rebel demand for the release of five of its jailed leaders. ULFA says it cannot take a decision without their five central committee leaders in jail. The Indian government fears that ULFA could back out of the talks once the five jailed leaders are released. The People's Consultative Group (PCG), an 11-member team of civil society leaders nominated by the ULFA to begin exploratory talks with the government, too is pressing New Delhi to release the jailed rebel leaders.
Nagaland BJP doomed?- Nagaland Post column
The local press recently reported on August 17' 2006, the resignation of O. Mozamo Ngullie from the posts of BJP general secretary (organization), spokesman, and from the primary membership of the party because of personal reasons and also dissatisfaction over the interferences of the party central leaders while the state unit has qualified leaders.
But interestingly, his resignation was rejected by the state BJP on August 28' 2006 because his expert leadership was need for the party. This is the point we, the following concerned party workers of over so many years wish to point out some shortcomings to protect the party from mismanagement in future.
Mozamo, a senior party state adhoc ex-president and general secretary and a spokesman has already expressed his support to Ekyimo Kikon, JD (U) candidate from 39 Sanis AC, as he is a prospective candidate in future election as per the news of 23 August' 2006. now, after all his disloyalty to the party and also his dissatisfaction of the party, he was taken back to the party by rejecting his resignation letter by the state BJP on 28 August 2006. why? Then in the past. Why did the state BJP not reject the resignation of senior leaders like Pukato Sumi, Dimapur 1 mandal president? Or Kuhoi, former BJP Dimapur Municipal Council, member from ward 5? Or a BJP member of Naginimora town committee? They were equally important party members and leaders like Mozamo. Or why the state BJP not counter the dissolving of the BJP unit of Longkhim-Chare mandal or the Mangkolemba and Phek districts? Different rules for different people?
There are many other expert BJP leaders and not only Mozamo who unrightfully claimed credit for the victory of the seven BJP legislators in the 2003 assembly elections. The victory of BJP party in the assembly elections are actually due to the selfless sacrifices of founder leaders as N.C Zeliang, Pious Lotha and Dr. Rhetso, Dr. Rhetso was removed as state BJP president just three months before the elections and Mozamo became adhoc president. But the victory of BJP legislators were due to the long term sacrifices of the founder leaders and not because of Mozamo's three months tenure before the assembly election. How did he not give them credit? This is selfish.
We appreciate and give credit to the sacrifices of our founder leaders as well as other senior leaders who sacrifices have gone unnoticed. We also thank all the BJP legislatures for keeping the party strong. But what we want to say is that the state BJP should not force a party member or leader to continue in his posts, especially important post, after he has resigned. Because, that leaders forced to continue, will not be able to contribute anymore to the welfare of the party. Resigned members and leaders cannot be reliable. And in this case, M. Ngullie has already expressed his support to a non BJP candidate of 39 Sanis constituency as prospective JD (U) candidate in the next election which means Mozamo is anti-party activity. This is democracy. No one can force another. Like what health minister Dr. T.M Lotha has said, party members can go or come. But the party remains.
At the same time, posts reserved for central party appointments such as BJP general secretary (organization) should not be illegally filled up by the state BJP for its own interest, without the cooperation of the central BJP. Today, there are two BJP general secretary (Orgn) against the existence of just one post. Officially, Avinash Kohli is the rightful one, as he was appointed by the BJP centre. But the Nagaland BJP also illegally appointed another one Mozamo which is not accepted by the centre. And therefore, Mozamo also feel bad about centre. He has resigned as he was not happy with centre, but this is due to the state BJP falsely appointing him as general secretary (Orgn) where he is not supposed to be. So this is the problem of mismanagement of party organization by Nagaland BJP. But the consequence is the BJP party organization in Nagaland.
The recent developments have made party grass root workers to think and ask, what is going on in the Nagaland state BJP? We cannot understand. Because BJP stands for transparency. The management of the party has to be transparent. The party has to keep loyal mass based party members and leaders who has the mandate of the party grass root workers. Not resigned unreliable party leaders without party loyalty. Otherwise, the party will fall.
K. Yim Member, BJP, Dietho, Member BJP, D.T Pusa, BJP member, David, BJP member, Ramjan Das, BJP member, Akuto Yeptho, BJP member, Yambo Lotha, BJP member, Lalchand Prasad, BJP member, Arenla Longkumer, BJP member, Y. Mary, BJP member and Keditsu, BJP member.
(Concerned Nagaland Bharatiya Janata party members)
Naga bodies demand PDA to apologise Newmai News Network
Imphal, Sep 2 : United Naga Council (UNC), All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Naga Women Union Mani-pur (NWUM) and the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) to- day asked Peoples Democratic Alliances (PDA) to ‘tender unconditional apology within four days time for unnecessarily dragging the frontal Naga organisations for political mileage and make early clarification in writing to the organisations concerned’.
The joint statement of frontal Naga organisations said that they were compelled to question ‘the unscrupulous claims’ of the PDA as published in one local daily on August 17 last month saying ‘the political statement which tries to garner the support of the Naga organisations in a wrong perspective is uncalled for and condemned the PDA for taking undue advantage without the consent of the Naga people’.
“The frontal Naga organisations in the present state of Manipur make our stand clear that we have neither endorsed nor support the PDA for the forth coming Legislative assembly election of Manipur and we have no allegiance to any political parties”, said the joint statement signed by UNC, information & publicity secretary S.Milan, ANSAM information &publicity secretary, Sounii Khapa, NWUM secretary publicity & statistic Joyce and S. Phamhring, convenor NPMHR (south sector).
Kacharigaon and Kashiram Ao end dispute with ‘peace agreement’ The Morung Express
Dimapur, Sept 2 (MExN): Kacharigaon Phevima Village and Kashiram Ao Sector have settled a boundary dispute and other matters between the two areas by signing a “peace and understanding agreement” September 1 at the Council Hall, Kacharigaon, Dimapur.
Kacharigaon Phevima Village was represented by its Chairman Vitho Zao, Head GB Pfuruya Yhoshu and Village Council member Mathovi Yhoshu while Kashiram Ao Sector was represented by its Chairman Temjen Jamir, Head GB Imsu Imsong and Village Council member Lipoklemba. The agreement stated that both the villages, located within Dimapur, share a common boundary but since it was not clearly defined and maintained, inconveniences and disputes arose. Taking serious view of this, both the villages deliberated on the matter and executed the agreement on September 1.
The agreement stated that both the parties shall be in possession of their respective land, physically occupied and on the basis of spot verification conducted by both the parties on February 22, 2005. The areas presently occupied by the Assam Rifles were claimed by both the parties. However, Kacharigaon Phevima Village “conceded and clarified that the village as a whole will not take responsibilities of any individuals after the execution of this agreement” according to the agreement.
In this regard both the villages have agreed that past altercations, differences and disputes which arose earlier in respect of the boundary is now settled amicably and declared that the agreement shall stand final and binding on both the parties, including its respective individuals and members of the village. Both the villages agreed to maintain peaceful co-existence and shall stand by each other “in times of peace and stress.”
With the signing of the agreement the two villages sought the cooperation from neighboring villages such as Aoyimkum, Senjum, Signal Angami and Razhuphe to strive towards unity. It was also agreed that the Court of ADC (J) Dimapur be approached after execution of the agreement to obtain consent decree in the pending case TS No.14 of 1981 on the basis of the said agreement.
No alternative to unity: APO Nagarealm.com
DIMAPUR, SEPT01 [NPN] : The Angami Public Organisation (APO) has said that though Angamis have been misunderstood often for advocating Naga unity and reconciliation, but the Angami people saw no alternative to unity and reconciliation if the Naga were to survive as a people. APO president Mhiesizokho Zinyü in a press release said "We believe the Nagas have a common destiny and we have not lost hope that good sense will prevail among the political groups again, so that one day the factional hands will stretch out far above any ism to embrace one another in Christ and work hand in hand."
Zinyü also said at the present crucial juncture of Naga history, the most vital thing was to raise and uphold the standard of "our revolution," and that these would depend on how rightly one responds to the challenge of the day in order to reach the Naga national goal, which is to build a nation free from barrier of class, tribe, sex fear and scars, he added.

Towards this end, APO reiterated its appeal to all Naga political groups to shun violence and to ponder on taking up the hard task of reconciliation and reunification. It also stated that though perception of freedom might differ from person to person and group to group, but as far as the general public is concerned, it is one of a united nation free from fear, hunger, oppression, violence and disease. APO however lamented that the present political trend in Naga society was "neither wholesome nor enviable in many respects."

Dwelling on the situation in the "Naga country" plagued by factional differences and killings, Zinyü said a bitter tragedy in the Naga political struggle was that over the years, many innocent people have been made scapegoats and victimized or killed for no fault of theirs. "The tragedy is the wounds are getting deeper and deeper. It is true that nothing would please the enemies of the Naga freedom more than the Nagas tearing themselves apart with their internal strife and clashes," the APO president added.

Meanwhile, expressing concern with the 'Quit notice' served to the Tangkhul community by the NSCN-K, APO said it upheld the view that racial cleansing was contrary to its policy of Naga brotherhood, unity and reconciliation. It also felt that whatever issues confronting the Nagas, it was unfair to condemn any tribe en bloc just because some of the tribesmen hold a different stance. The APO president further said "APO is not the arbiter of Naga politics, but our concern is building a great Nagaland where all Nagas, irrespective of tribes, walk with their heads held high in dignity with a sense of brotherhood." It hoped that the NSCN-K leadership would reconsider their stand on the quit notice, which, APO said, was apt to have far reaching ramifications and repercussions.
NC for Naga-type talks with militants Nagarealm.com
Srinagar, Aug31 [GK] : National Conference provincial president Dr Mehboob Beg has asked the government to start a dialogue with Kashmiri militants on the analogy of Naga militants, possibly in a third country. The supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen has already hinted at the outfit’s willingness to participate in talks and NC chief patron Dr Farooq Abdullah has welcomed it,” said Dr Beg in a statement today. Dr Beg said the Hizbul Mujahideen’s demand for reduction of troops’ number in J&K to that of 1989 position was in itself a positive step aimed at resolving the matters through talks. “This demand of Hizbul Mujahideen is in no way equivalent to the demand for demilitarization,” said Dr Beg, adding that it was right time for India to initiate steps for resolving Kashmir issue. Meanwhile, the NC senior leader Sharief-ud-Din Shariq, while commenting on the expansion of council of ministers, said, “The chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has failed to meet his commitment on expelling corrupt and tainted elements from the ministry.” He alleged the chief minister’s claims on providing a clean and transparent administration had proved hollow. Shariq alleged the several new faces inducted in the ministry were known for corruption and nepotism.
Talks after leaders’ release: ULFA Nagaland Post
GUWAHATI, SEPT 1 (IANS): The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Friday said it was ready to hold talks in Assam's capital Dispur within 48 hours if New Delhi released its five jailed leaders. "It seems the government of India has deliberately forgotten our earlier stated stand that we are ready to hold talks within 48 hours if our demands are met," ULFA said in its mouthpiece Swadhinata. Holding of direct peace talks between the ULFA and government negotiators was deadlocked with New Delhi last week seeking a formal letter from the group saying it was ready for direct talks, name its negotiating team, and specify a timeframe for the dialogue. The Centre reviewed the situation in Assam during a meeting chaired by Home Secretary V K Duggal on August 28.
"There is no need for writing a fresh letter to the government as the ULFA has already expressed its desire to solve the problem politically through talks," the statement said.
New Delhi on August 13 announced a 10-day suspension of army operations against the ULFA. This was later extended by another 15 days. The term of halting military operations expires September 7. The ULFA too reciprocated the government's "goodwill gesture" by announcing cessation of hostilities for an indefinite period.
"It is not important as to who represents ULFA in the talks. Will the government clarify in clear terms if it was going to discuss the issue of sovereignty (independence)," the ULFA said.
"The most important issue is whether the government would withdraw the occupational forces (army and paramilitary) from Assam."
The main issue now blocking the start of formal face-to-face talks between the ULFA and Indian government negotiators is the rebel demand for the release of five of its jailed leaders. ULFA says it cannot take a decision without their five central committee leaders in jail. The Indian government fears that ULFA could back out of the talks once the five jailed leaders are released. The People's Consultative Group (PCG), an 11-member team of civil society leaders nominated by the ULFA to begin exploratory talks with the government, too is pressing New Delhi to release the jailed rebel leaders.
Exhibition on human origins, genome concludes Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 2 The Morung Express
The month-long exhibition on ‘Human origins, Genome and people of India’ under the aegis of the Anthropological Survey of India (ASI) and hosted by the Anthropological Society of Nagaland concluded this morning here at the State Academy Hall. Prof. K Kannan, Vice Chancellor Nagaland University graced the occasion as the chief guest. Prof. Kannan stressed on the need to include Anthropology as one of the subjects in school as well.
An Inter-school quiz competition was an added highlight of the function. It may be recalled that the exhibition which was inaugurated by Governor Shyamal Datta on July 26 last, evoked deserving response from many visitors in the state.
According to ASI, the exhibition attempts to present very interesting glimpses into what the scholars have been doing for years, most of the time away from public eyes, “and help us to appreciate their efforts as well as the uniqueness of our human species.”
The exhibition presents a panorama of activities of some of the hunter-gatherers, nomads and pastoralists, who have retained age-old knowledge about local ecology.
Another interesting section of the exhibition presents glances of recent research projects undertaken by the ASI; the projects have often offered some notable leads for biological and cultural changes that are sweeping the human surface of India.
This exhibition has specially been designed for the students and common persons. It was observed and hoped that the exhibition would play an important role in understanding the past and present of the human species, with special reference to India, and “inspire all of us to think about the future of human beings and the space they occupy in the vast universe.”
Dr. BF Kulirani Head of Office, ASI, NERC Shillong welcomed the gathering.
A topic on “Human Genome and POI” was delivered by Dr. BN Sarkar, Anthropologist, ASI, Kolkata while AR Sankhyan and K. Mukhopadhyay both from ASI, Kolkatta spoke on the topic “Human origins - Indian perspective” and “Human diversity and human adaptation” respectively.
Dr. Barun Mukhopadhyay from Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkatta also spoke on the topic” Ethical issues in DNA study.”
Shore up Intelligence system Nagarealm.com The Statesman
Soon after the recent train blasts in Mumbai, the Prime Minister said we needed to improve our Intelligence system. Such remarks are not new and have often been passed by various prime ministers and Presidents of our country ever since terrorism infected India some 20 years back when Zia ul Huq of Pakistan opted for this mode of confrontation with us.
The pedantic definition of terrorism incidentally is, it is the fourth and most intense stage of irregular warfare and is usually resorted to by a country that is unable to win a war with another through regular warfare.
Today, a situation prevails where not only Jammu and Kashmir ~ the initial target of this scourge ~ but also most other states have been suffering from terrorism in one form or another. One of the principal factors that help to thwart terrorism is the competence of a nation’s Intelligence system.
India’s performance has been dismal. A holistic study of this vital component is necessary to determine what precise steps should be taken so that we are better prepared.

Several international institutions of repute have been analysing terrorism in all its facets ever since the infamous Baader-Meinhoff and Carlos gangs began its depredations in Europe in the mid-1970s. Post 9/11 (and 12/13 in our case) India’s experts on terrorism have been regularly deliberating with their counterparts from the USA and Russia on how to combat this spreading cancer. Regrettably, we do not appear to have learnt much from these exchanges, specifically on professionalism in Intelligence. This shortcoming must be rectified soon if we desire to tackle a disease that is inexorably gnawing at our vitals.

We must remember one truism namely, it is the common public who become victims of terrorism. Those who pronounce lofty statements like, “We will not be cowed down by terrorism” are invariably secure themselves, courtesy their special protection groups and Z category status.

We need to adopt certain positive measures to protect the public. Blaming the authorities for their failure to protect us is not going to get us anywhere. It is high time we took the reins in our own hands. The first item on the anvil is rectifying a few, key, faulty, domestic policies. The Kashmir problem tops the list. Even after 60-odd years, this problem cannot be settled bilaterally. Ergo, we should refer it to a third party so that an amicable solution can be arrived at. India’s intelligentsia has to take the initiative for this and force the government’s hand. Next, critical, socio-economic issues such as the Maoist and the Kamtapur movements must be addressed head-on. These issues are neither law and order nor security-related matters but pertain to the denial of basic requirements to the affected people to enable them to lead a decent quality of life.

Such requirements are food, housing, clothing, health care, and education. The irony is while we boast that we are a nuclear power, we continue to remain in the bottom rung area, year after year, in the UN’s annual assessment of the Human Development Index. This irrational imbalance must be straightened not only for the sake of development but also for the safety of our very lives.

What we fail to realise is, when the deprived citizens find their fundamental rights to existentialism being brazenly denied, they take recourse to joining the Maoists. Nepal makes an excellent case study of this aspect of statecraft but Nepal’s heartbreaking experience seems to have rendered no educative value to us. Added to this is another looming crisis. Most states are procuring land from their rural landowners for industrialisation.

But the process of such procurement is flawed because in a majority of the cases proper rehabilitation of landowners is not being done. The Narmada Dam project amply witnesses this gross lacuna. Our intemperate methods will only push these discontented people into the arms of the Maoists, resulting in a boost to terrorism. The Maoist movement is the greatest threat to India’s democracy, a threat for which we ourselves are at fault.

Three other problems, all socio-political in nature, need to be addressed. These are the Naga problem, the contentious Ulfa issue, and fencing of the entire India-Bangladesh border. Bangladesh has been dubbed by various world watchers as the next nascent Afghanistan in that this country is gradually becoming a terror bastion of the sub-continent in tandem with the terrorist camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. There is no gainsaying Dhaka’s permanently hostile anti-India posture, a posture that it precipitates by encouraging terrorism on our soil. New Delhi in conjunction with Kolkata, Dispur, Shillong and Agartala ~ these being the capitals of the states that have common borders with Bangladesh ~ must complete the ongoing fencing mission quickly so as to prevent illegal, cross-border traffic between these two countries.

These issues have a direct or indirect connection with Intelligence and counter-Intelligence. There is an inescapable requirement today of having a Cabinet-rank minister both at the Centre and the states. He/she will be accountable for all aspects of Intelligence, the former to Parliament and the latter to the state Assemblies. Our drawback here is although we have numerous efficient Intelligence agencies, there is no accountability nor any centralised coordination and monitoring of the overall Intelligence system. This responsibility should be assumed at the political level. Surely, if we can have ministers for such portfolios as NRI matters, we can have the same for a much more crucial discipline such as Intelligence. A major negative characteristic that our countrymen possess is a lack of awareness on matters that have a bearing on Intelligence.
Developing a sense of inquisitiveness among our people in all walks of life is the need of the hour. The Directorate of Audio Visual Publicity should be tasked for creating a campaign for our citizens to induct a feeling of becoming mentally attuned towards noticing uncommon incidents.

This campaign can be organised through television, radio, subjective films at cinema halls, documentaries, posters, newspapers, and popular magazines. Non government organisations should be co-opted wherever possible.
Professional teams must visit suburbs, villages, districts and the like to spread the awareness programme. Also, roadside shows at major traffic intersections in towns and cities should be put into operation. “Do’s and don’ts” pertaining to Intelligence need to be drilled into the people’s minds in as simple a language as possible under maximum publicity.
Over a period of time, such a campaign is bound to have the desired effect. Intelligence as a special subject should be taught from the school level upward, right through to university.

Our student community will make good communicators and advisers on this subject to people at large. Intelligence cells need to be set up in all paras or localities. If the localities can organise successful puja festivals throughout the year, surely they can just as well take on the responsibility of Intelligence in their respective localities.

All that they are required to do is to maintain a lookout and report any suspicious persons or activities to the local police station. They must differentiate between “seeing” and “observing”, to quote Sherlock Holmes! Landlords too need to inculcate this trait of informing the police regarding any unknown tenant keen to rent accommodation on their premises.

Any major terrorist strike plot requires a working infrastructure to include a safe house for the strike team, a separate place to store their munitions, a secure get-away plan, establishing cells and moles in the target locality, and telephonic and wireless communications. It is here that our local intelligence system can play a vital role in pre-empting the strike. Dogs too can be trained to become Intelligence contributors. A moot point being currently mulled is, should the subject of Law and Order be changed from its present status of state control to Central control directly under the home ministry? The reason for this is, the efficacy of our police, particularly its once renowned Intelligence management, is in the doldrums today due to politicisation of the force.

Perhaps, changing the status as suggested even as a trial measure, could transform it for the better. India’s railways are one of the most vulnerable segments to terrorist strikes. Some suggestions to strengthen Intelligence are, not allowing visitors on the platform, instituting a security check for training passengers, using selected porters as “eyes and ears”, and amalgamating the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police into one composite unit for enhancing accountability. Intelligence inspectors should make it a habit to keep moving from bogie to bogie while the train is in motion. The Metro rail security system too needs a rethink, especially, screening of commuters. There is much scope for improvement in the all-round security layout of our airports. We should learn from 9/11 as well as from the recent Heathrow airport crisis. Not allowing hand baggage inside the aircraft, deploying sky marshals, using closed circuit television in the flight deck for monitoring the passenger cabin, including toilets, and creating a foolproof system of ensuring that both the passenger and his registered baggage board the aircraft are some thoughts in vogue. Apropos the last point, it needs to be ensured that a terrorist in the guise of a passenger does not check in his baggage containing a time bomb and quietly slip away without boarding the plane. Bus depots too, especially, long-distance bus travel arrangements, must build a high standard of Intelligence system. Travelling by long-distance buses has become commonplace in India today, hence we have to ensure the safety of the bus passengers in equal measure as that of the train and the plane passengers.

Lastly, there should be ruthless deterrent laws for a captured terrorist. The best law is to first extract maximum information from him and then execute him after a quick summary trial. His local collaborators, too, should get the death penalty. Such a step will act as a deterrent to all those wanting to carry out terrorist acts. India must shed its notoriously “soft” attitude. There should not be a single captured terrorist in our jails ~ the Azhar Masood cum Omar Sheikh incident put the government of the day into a hugely humiliating position with the IC 814 flight’s hijack. The end result was the loss of an innocent life. It also brought out the shabby security of (the then) Indian Airlines. The bottom line on terrorism is, the people of India have to rise to the occasion to defend themselves and their property against this all-pervasive evil. Affirmative Intelligence is the corner stone for defeating terrorism.
A concerted and professional effort on our part will go a long way in making our lives more secure and our nation certainly possesses the potential for this. There is no truer maxim in this regard as, “God helps those who help themselves”. [Statesman]
[The author is Lieutenant-Colonel, Indian Army.]

Frans on 09.02.06 @ 11:19 PM CST [link]


Friday, September 1st

IM man killed Sangai Express


IM man killed Sangai Express
Kohima, Aug 31 : One NSCN (IM) cadre was killed when FGN cadres ambushed a party of the NSCN (IM) at a jungle between Phek Basa and Old Phek this morning at around 6.40 am, reports NNN. According to Phek Police sources, FGN ca-dres, numbering around 25-30 ambushed the party of NSCN (IM) num-bering around 15-20, killing one of the NSCN (IM) cadres, identified as ‘L/Corp.’ Angam Zeliang, on the spot. Heavy ex-change of fire reportedly took place between the warring factions from 6.40 till after 7 am, the police sources said.

Heading for the mess Okenjeet Sandham

Kohima, Aug 31: Although some underground organizations in Manipur initiated "social reforms" by punishing corrupt officials in many areas of the state, the big question is "Can they check the unfair means practiced by the contesting candidates during the general elections in the state?" They may easily say we don`t interfere in the Indian election but the fact is wrong candidates getting elected with their money and muscle powers have really affected the whole society and the "social reform" carried out by them has little meaning if they don`t check such malpractices.

The underground elements can work out a system where the youths of every locality can form a vigil group with their blessing to check the activities of those contesting candidates using illegal methods to win elections. They should draw various guidelines for the contesting candidates and the political parties, while creating an environment for the candidates to contest without fear or favor. Besides, the publics should be allowed to choose the right candidates. This way the candidates and political parties will have less chance to involve the youths in the electoral malpractices too.

However, the disclosure by former Manipur Chief Minister and present Rajya Sabha Member, Rishang Keishing, that militant organizations in Manipur are planning to put up their own candidates in the ensuing Manipur Assembly elections is every serious and in fact, this writer had on many occasions highlighted about the underground interferences in the past Indian elections and also politicians seeking their support during elections.

Earlier, underground groups used to warn candidates not to contest in Indian elections and even cautioned the publics to keep away from the electioneering process. In the past, many powerful underground organizations in the northeast carried out disruptive tactics on the polling day and even hurled bombs on many polling stations.

Interestingly, many of them started interfering in the Indian elections today, while there is increased sign of seeking their support by politicians to ensure their victories in the elections.

The former Nagaland Chief Minister SC Jamir, who is now Governor of Goa, blamed his party`s electoral debacle to the NSCN-IM interference in the last general election in the State. Hours before submitting his resignation to Governor Shymall Datta, he told the press in no uncertain terms that the election his party (Congress) fought was classic as they did not fight with any political party. "We have fought with the NSCN-IM and not with any other political parties," Jamir said. "This is a very classic feature and we welcome the NSCN-IM if they are really interested to join Indian elections."

It is generally believed that the powerful NSCN-IM was behind in removing Jamir Ministry. There had also been reports of Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) cadres` interference in the electioneering process in the last general election in Nagaland`s Phek district areas, resulting in the defeat of sitting Congress MLAs.

There have been debates on the electoral reforms on how to stop corruption by contesting candidates during elections and the general conclusion was that money and muscle power during elections was the root cause of producing corrupt governments. But they hardly discussed on the underground interference in the Indian elections in the state and never took the matter seriously. This had promoted some militant organizations to put up their own candidates. The militant organizations` plan to put up their own candidates in the ensuing general election in Manipur will have far reaching consequences than the politicians` use of money and muscle power during the elections.

The biggest mistake the politicians made is allowing interference of underground elements in the elections and seeking their support for their narrow political mileage. By now, the underground organizations must have thought that after all what is the difference between supporting candidates of political parties and putting up their own candidates in Indian elections?

If what Keishing said is correct, the general publics have every right to question the particular underground organizations as to what moral authority they have to seek their support in their fight against the Government of India. We cannot allow conflicting ideologies to prevail within the organizations. The people have suffered enough and they should not be misled anymore.

It is generally believed that the powerful NSCN-IM was behind in removing Jamir Ministry. There had also been reports of Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) cadres` interference in the electioneering process in the last general election in Nagaland`s Phek district areas, resulting in the defeat of sitting Congress MLAs.

What are obstacles to peace?- By Rev. L. Souhie Mhasi
All of the Nagas want peace. If so, what are the obstacles to peace?
At Bangkok, in reply to questions Th. Muivah said, "We want reconciliation and peace. So we sent our men to Naga reconciliation meeting at Kohima and our representative spoke in the meeting. But you NGOs and Church leaders, you should do your home works. Let NNC/FGN come out from the Transit Peace camp and let NSCN (K) detach them from Assam Rifles camp. If not, our unity will compromise Naga National principle."
A Transit Peace Camp is known to all. Regarding NSCN (K), how far their collision with the Assam Rifles is we do not know except once the wrath of the public was poured on them and they were driven out from Mokokchung when their Oking was there.
In spite of anything, we insist that there should be peace and an end to hostility. What is killing for? It is mainly for domination over and area. Should there be designated camps? All Naga inhabited areas belong to any Nagas irrespective of factions or organizations. Dominance of an Area for free taxation is the main root cause of killing. No Naga should be deprived of his or her birthright of free access anywhere. When peace is declared among the factions, it will pave the way for understanding and unity of all of the Naga as a result a settlement with Government of India will be a peaceful settlement and the move for integration will have the backing of consolidated Nagas.
But however high political goal NSCN (IM) will be soaring, if killing is going on, it will be a great missing of the mark morally and a settlement with the GoI will be viewed as a factional settlement.
There should be a meeting point of understanding. NNC/FGN and NSCN (K) are saying that they are for sovereignty and NSCN (IM) is going to compromise Naga National principle in their talk with the GoI. Had they changed for their positions and NNC/FGN or NSCN (K) taken the place of NSCN (IM) in the talk with the GoI, will they do better?
In the context of the present situation, if any settlement short of sovereignty will not be accepted, it means to defer the issue to figure generation. On the other hand, apart from sovereignty, any settlement without prior declaration of peace among the factions will not be peaceful settlement. Nagas have to come to a point of understanding.
History should not be repeated, on the basis of the 16 points agreement, the statehood started running its administration with Security Forces in aid of Civil Administration. It has to deal with underground, national workers and the policy was so dirty, cruel and horrible.
Curfew was imposed on the villages every now and then, then combing jungle operation was constant, apprehended persons out of suspicion were subjected to inhuman tortures even electric shock and jails were fully packed and prisoners were sent to Assam, Meghalaya and Bengal. The scenario made church leaders concentrated more on peace work than on church normal works. Such diabolical history should not be repeated.
Should we be complacent about the continuity of killing? No, we will never take it for granted. Killing will be taken as an act of anti- cross of Christ and a denial of the way of the cross. We have to deny selves and to take up the cross under any circumstances.
ULFA camp exists in Bhutan: Asom DGP Nagaland Post KOKRAJHAR, AUG 31 (UNI): Director General of Asom Police Deepak Narayan Dutta today said intelligence inputs suggests the presence of some camps of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Bhutan. The Unified Command has been asked to keep a close watch on the movements of ULFA in the state, the DGP said.
''Border Security Forces (BSF) has been kept on high alert in border areas, especially in Cachar sector, after the recent firing incidents there,'' he said.
DGP is here to inaugurate the new office building of the Kokrajhar police station. Expressing concern over incidents of witch hunting in the state, the top police officer said that the government will launch a special project to create awareness among the masses on the ill practice. The DGP also reviewed the law and order situation of the Kokrajhar district with the DIG, Western Range, paramilitary forces and other concerned agencies. There are 7 police stations and 12 outposts in Kokrajhar district.
India asks Bangladesh to destroy NE ultra camps Kuknalim.com
SHILLONG, Aug 31:: India has asked Bangladesh to destroy 172 camps run by North Eastern insurgents in its territory and to apprehend 103 militants including top ULFA leaders based in that country officials said today, reports PTI. The BSF provided the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) with lists of the rebel camps and militants and sought strong action against Indian insurgents operating from Bangladeshi territory during the three-day coordination meeting between border guards of the two countries that ended here today. The list of 103 militants included ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, its general secretary Anup Chetia, and top leaders of insurgent groups like both factions of the NSCN, NDFB, ATTF, NLFT, KYKL, PLA, HNLC and ANVC.

“We asked them to take appropriate action against them,” S K Dutta, BSF's Inspector General for the Tripura, Cachar and Mizoram frontier, told a press conference here after the meeting. In a departure from the trend during similar meetings in the recent past, the BDR did not give any list of anti-social elements and their hideouts in India. “This time the BDR has not given us any list,” said Dutta. At the last meeting, the BDR had given a list of 79 ‘camps’ in Tripura and 10 in West Bengal. Asked how he was viewed this development, Dutta, who led the Indian side during the meeting, said the discussions were ‘fruitful’ and the BDR “appeared to be more receptive and reciprocating” to the BSF's suggestions.

The BDR delegation was told during the meeting in ‘unequivocal terms’ that its troops started the firing in Asom’s Cachar sector early this month by using heavy weapons and mortars, Dutta said.
“Such unprovoked firing with heavy weapons caused misery and civilan casualties. This also led to tension and breach of peace and tranquility on the border,” he said. The BSF stressed that under no circumstances would it allow Bangladeshi civilians to encroach on Indian land.

To this, the BDR claimed Indian land in Harinagar and Kinokhal areas in Cachar sector were ‘adverse possessions’. When asked to produce documentary evidence, the BDR failed to do so while the BSF was in possession of authentic documentary proof. –PTI

Welcome peace By RS Jassal Sangai Express
North East region of India is strategically located, boxed by Bhutan, China, Myanmar & Bangladesh and connected to rest of the country by a thin (20 mile wide) corridor. This region is resource rich, infrastructurally poor & conflict scarred. In the last six decades almost all the States have been conflict ridden except Mizoram which is recovered fully and now a leading peace state and Meghalaya-Aru-nachal afflicted fringley of late. Out of these Naga insurgency is the oldest surviving insurgency. August 1997 was the land mark in the history of Nagaland when peace process commenced between NSCN & GOI. On 31 Jul 2006 ceasefire between the two have been extended by another year dispelling all the speculations of its abrogation.
Probably taking the cue United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), largest UG outfit of Assam, has also announced "it would exercise restraint" in reciprocation of Army's announcement. It is a welcome and encouraging sign after 27 years of outfit's existence and struggle in flux.
On 31 Jul 07, the peace process between the two will complete a decade of its existence. Ten years is a long time to create history. Peace, progress & development in Nagaland is result of this process. Improved law and order, has assisted the divided secluded area bound Naga village autonomous states to modern vibrant strong 60 member Legislative Assembly a state of Indian Union, establishment of University, 25 acre sprawling modern IT hub, medico-connectively, impressive first of its type Police HQ in NE, VDBs with equi sharing of developmental funds, viable Human development Indexing (11th in India), increase in number of tourists (domestic & international), cropping up of music/fashion industry, hike in real estate prices, participation of Naga entrepreneurs in Brazil fair, international recognition of Naga lady farmer by IFPRI Washington for inno- vativeness, youth taking up entrepreneurship up to etc are the visible results of peace process in Nagaland. The same has been welcomed by all & sundry with open arms, especially, the youth since people of Nagaland have suffered from the gun culture for last 60 years. It will not be out of place to quote a few reactions of youth who do not want to lose out on these golden moments.
"Without fuel even a vehicle cannot travel. Peace is very important, without it how can our state progress or develop" Imkong Longkumer a college student opined.
"We should grab this opportunity because we have to develop our state a lot. We still have a long way to go by grabbing this opportunity and utilizing it in a right way for a common welfare and common development" Dr. Longri- a social activist.
"After coming of the ceasefire, there has been a lot of change because before ceasefire we could not run our business freely but after ceasefire we can run our business freely" a young Yimchunger girl running boutique and a fashion designer.
Not only the youth but organisations like United Peoples Democratic Party (UPDP), Naga HoHo (an apex body), NMA, NSF, GB Association, ANSAM etc. have also welcomed the extension of ceasefire. GB Association has gone to the extent of saying if Nagaland is for Christ why not follow HIS teachings of scarifying, forgiving and reconciliation. In the spirit of Christianity it will be apt to quote following psalm & a proverb.
'The voice of Lord is powerful and the voice Lord is majestic' - Psalm 29:4
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding " - Proverb 3:5
Barring inter & intra factional violence one har-dly reads or hears about it in Nagaland. What more there is no bandh, no JAC like Manipur. Otherwise news of innocent killing by miscreants, a grenade blast, calling of bandhs by some outfits (for vested interests) is a common scenario in other North Eastern States; especially, Assam & Manipur. These violent acts are a means of arms twisting for meeting vested interests. If we analyse the complete mosaic of insurgency in North East region we shall see that mother organisations have fragmented into smaller splinter groups. These sub organisations are more interested in territorial control under the garb of ethnic revivalism over some part of state for smaller aims.
As a Manipuri settler I feel the aims of freedom have transformed into extortions for easy money and easy life. Most of the leadership of these outfits small or large are living lavishly outside the country and enjoying on the money extorted/send by the outfit. Now there is a public outcry at large against these violent activities. Condemnations by various forums, issue of warnings by public to various UG groups (to quote Sumi HoHo in Zunheboto) fighting for territorial control. Luke warm response to boycott call by certain UG organisations on Independence Day etc. are certain indications of this outcry. Shunning their reticence All Manipur Nupi Marup has urged the PM for initiating concrete steps towards resolving the problem of insurgency in Manipur and protect the integrity of the state which I also feel is a correct step they feel that they are in actual battle field due to interference of various insurgent groups in normal life. As a part of North East I feel why fight over small territories when the complete territory of the state & nation belongs to us we are free to move as we like. If we want peace, progress, prosperity, development & good governance we need to remember the saying "United we stand Divided we fall". After all each state is interdependent on each other for survival & economic development. We need to have a unity of body & mind in physiological, psychological & spiritual sense to fight all forces negatively impinging on societal harmony.

India asks Bangla to destroy NE ultra camps Assam Tribune
SHILLONG, Aug 31 – India has asked Bangladesh to destroy 172 camps run by North Eastern insurgents in its territory and to apprehend 103 militants including top ULFA leaders based in that country, officials said today, reports PTI. The BSF provided the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) with lists of the rebel camps and militants and sought strong action against Indian insurgents operating from Bangladeshi territory during the three-day coordination meeting between border guards of the two countries that ended here today. The list of 103 militants included ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, its general secretary Anup Chetia, and top leaders of insurgent groups like both factions of the NSCN, NDFB, ATTF, NLFT, KYKL, PLA, HNLC and ANVC.

“We asked them to take appropriate action against them,” S K Dutta, BSF's Inspector General for the Tripura, Cachar and Mizoram frontier, told a press conference here after the meeting.

In a departure from the trend during similar meetings in the recent past, the BDR did not give any list of anti-social elements and their hideouts in India. “This time the BDR has not given us any list,” said Dutta. At the last meeting, the BDR had given a list of 79 ‘camps’ in Tripura and 10 in West Bengal. Asked how he was viewed this development, Dutta, who led the Indian side during the meeting, said the discussions were ‘fruitful’ and the BDR “appeared to be more receptive and reciprocating” to the BSF's suggestions.

The BDR delegation was told during the meeting in ‘unequivocal terms’ that its troops started the firing in Asom’s Cachar sector early this month by using heavy weapons and mortars, Dutta said.
“Such unprovoked firing with heavy weapons caused misery and civilan casualties. This also led to tension and breach of peace and tranquility on the border,” he said. The BSF stressed that under no circumstances would it allow Bangladeshi civilians to encroach on Indian land.

To this, the BDR claimed Indian land in Harinagar and Kinokhal areas in Cachar sector were ‘adverse possessions’. When asked to produce documentary evidence, the BDR failed to do so while the BSF was in possession of authentic documentary proof.

Arunachal to have airport soon Assam Tribune
KOLKATA, Aug 31 – Arunachal Pradesh would soon have its own airport near its capital Itanagar, providing easy access to the state nestled in the eastern Himalayas, and give a fillip to its tourism industry. “Feasibility study for the airport has been completed and work on it will begin soon,” North East Tourism Development Corporation chairman Ajai Singh said here yesterday.
“The airport, likely to be serviced by many airlines, will bring the remote State with virgin beauty nearer to the other parts of the country and increase its tourism potential,” Singh, who is also the Governor of Asom, said at a tourism meet for the East and North East here.

Tezpur in Asom is now the nearest airport to the State capital. Though the North East has the highest density of airports in the country, Arunachal does not have a single one, thus losing out on its tourism potential.
The State, however, has a helicopter service, but that is inadequate, tour operators from the North East said. Arunachal had an airport at Lilabari, but it was closed some years ago. – PTI

20 Manipuris get 10-year jail terms in Myanmar The Imphal Free Press

New Delhi, Aug 31 : A court in western Myanmar has sentenced 20 Indian nationals, arrested in May for timber logging, to over 10 years each in prison. Twenty-one Indians from the northeastern state of Manipur, including a six-year-old boy, were arrested near the India-Myanmar border May 6 along with three trucks near Aisi village in Tonzang area in Chin state.

Apart from charges of poaching and illegal timber logging, the arrested persons were also charged with illegally crossing the international boundary. A Tonzang lawyer told Mizzima News the court released the boy because he was underage but charged 19 others for illegal logging and one for poaching. While the Indian national charged for poaching was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the 19 others were sentenced to 12 years, a legal source said.

The 20 convicted would be shifted to the Inndainggyi prison-cum-labour camp in Sagaing division. According to the source, the legal proceedings at the Tonzang township court were done in a hurry following New Delhi`s intervention. Earlier this month, Mani Charenamei, an MP from Manipur, raised the issue in parliament and also met Myanmarese embassy officials here to discuss the matter.
Manmohan to visit Manipur
‘Enquiry committee won’t be able to deliver justice’ Sentinel
IMPHAL, Aug 31: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has agreed to visit Manipur in September or October and lay the foundations of various projects in the State.
Manipur Information Centre official said the Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh called on the Prime Minister at his office in South Block in the capital yesterday and invited him to visit Manipur in the last week of September or October.
Officials said the Prime Minister accepted the invitation and expressed his willingness to visit Manipur. The Chief Minister requested him to lay the foundation stones of the Loktak Downstream Hydro Electric Project, the National Sports Academy at Khuman Lampak and the Manipur Institute of Technology, a constituent institute of Manipur University during his visit. The Loktak downstream electric project was announced when Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, while the other projects were sanctioned during the tenure of the UPA Government.
The Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to upgrade the Manipur Institute of Technology to the level of National Institute of Technology (NIT) or Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) level and the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to the status of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). During the meeting, the Chief Minister reminded him of several development initiatives for Manipur announced by the Prime Minister during his visit in November 2004. The State Government had taken up those initiatives in right earnest and some were in various stages of implementation, he said.
In a letter submitted to the Prime Minister, the Manipur Chief Minister mentioned that the work on the Capital Project had started. A composite complex having Assembly complex, High Court and Secretariat will be taken up at Imphal. In the first phase, the work of the Secretariat had been taken up. The construction of High Court Complex had also started. The Chief Justice of India Sabharwal had laid the foundation stone for the High Court at Imphal recently. Kangla, the seat of power from where Manipur Kings ruled and occupied by Assam Rifles since 1891 was handed over to the State in November 2004 and was managed by the Kangla Development Board and a plan was being prepared to develop it as a historical site as well as tourist destination, the Chief Minister said.
The Special Employment Programme announced by the Prime Minister had received an enthusiastic response from the youth and was under implementation. The survey work on the extension of railway line from Jiribam to Tupul (Imphal) had started and was expected to be completed by December this year. Ministry of Railways was paying special attention to the project. The District and Sub-Divisional headquarters were being developed and road communication systems to these headquarters were being specially improved. (UNI)
Three-day Shillong meet ends BSF asks BDR to destroy ultra camps, arrest rebels Meet snippets
* BSF asked BDR to destroy 172 NE ultra camps in its territory and to apprehend 103 militants, including top ULFA leaders, based in that country
* The BSF provided the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) with lists of the rebel camps and militants and sought strong action against the Indian insurgents
* The list of 103 militants included ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, its general secretary Anup Chetia
* The BDR claimed Indian land in Harinagar and Kinokhal areas in Cachar sector were under “adverse possessions”

From our Staff Correspondent and PTI Sentinel
SHILLONG, Aug 31: Even as the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) continued to feign ignorance about the presence of Indian insurgents in their territory, India today asked the neighbouring country to destroy 172 camps run by northeastern insurgents in its soil and to apprehend 103 militants, including top ULFA leaders, based in that country.
The BSF provided the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) with lists (given below) of the rebel camps and militants and sought strong action against Indian insurgents operating from Bangladeshi territory during the three-day coordination meeting between border sentinels of the two countries that ended here today.
The list of 103 militants included ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, its general secretary Anup Chetia, and top leaders of insurgent groups like both factions of the NSCN, NDFB, ATTF, NLFT, KYKL, PLA, HNLC and ANVC.
“We asked them to take appropriate action against them,” S K Dutta, BSF’s Inspector General for the Tripura, Cachar and Mizoram frontier, told a press conference here after the meeting.
“Both sides agreed in principle to institutionalize a bilateral mechanism to combat terrorism and organized crimes,” he said.
In a departure from the trend during similar meetings in the recent past, the BDR did not give any list of anti-social elements and their hideouts in India. “This time the BDR has not given us any list,” said Dutta.
At the last meeting, the BDR had given a list of 79 “camps” in Tripura and 10 in West Bengal.
Asked how he viewed this development, Dutta, who led the Indian side during the meeting, said the discussions were “fruitful” and the BDR “appeared to be more receptive and reciprocating” to the BSF’s suggestions.
The BDR delegation was told during the meeting in “unequivocal terms” that its troops started the firing in Asom’s Cachar sector early this month by using heavy weapons and mortars, Dutta said.
“Such unprovoked firing with heavy weapons caused misery and civilian casualties. This also led to tension and breach of peace and tranquillity on the border,” he said.
The BSF stressed that under no circumstances would it allow Bangladeshi civilians to encroach on Indian land.
To this, the BDR claimed that Indian land in Harinagar and Kinokhal areas in Cachar sector were in “adverse possession”. When asked to produce documentary evidence, the BDR failed to do so, while the BSF was in possession of authentic documentary proof.
The problem of arms and ammunition being smuggled from Bangladesh to India by a powerful syndicate that enjoyed support of organized smugglers and mafia gangs of the neighbouring country, was also discussed in the meeting, Dutta said.
While the BDR denied this, saying arms were not produced in Bangladesh, the BSF gave proof saying the weapons were coming to India via a particular route in the Chittagong area.
The BDR delegation was, however, concerned about the smuggling of drugs and psychotropic substances. The BSF informed the BDR of a large amount of drugs that was seized at the border while being smuggled to Bangladesh.
The presence of a large number of illegal Bangladeshi nationals and their continued influx to India was also brought to the notice of the BDR. The BDR was asked to take effective measures to check this, Dutta said.

WANTED INDIAN INSURGENTS
LIST CONTINUING DETAILS OF WANTED INDIAN INSURGENTS ABSCONDED
AND RESIDING IN BANGLADESH

Frans on 09.01.06 @ 05:45 PM CST [link]



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