Nagalim.NL News

Monday, October 31st

Rio skates on talks thin ice ..Can one peace process be more important than the other?


Rio skates on talks thin ice NISHIT DHOLABHAI The Telegraph Kohima, Oct. 30: Can one peace process be more important than the other?
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio may have just sown the seeds of a debate on this thorny topic by warning Delhi against allowing its dialogue with an Ulfa-constituted team of mediators to overshadow the Naga peace talks.
Rio said the Naga community’s demand for integration was one of only two “pre-Independence issues” — along with Kashmir — that Delhi was still grappling with. “There were only two issues in pre-Independence India and one of those was the Naga issue. Therefore, there is no way the Ulfa talks can overshadow the Naga talks.”
Rio’s statement was in contrast to the NSCN (I-M)’s measured reaction to the first round of negotiations between a People’s Consultative Group from Assam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the capital on Wednesday.
Engaged in a dialogue with Delhi since 1997, the Naga insurgent group offered “to give suggestions" to Ulfa, if asked for by the outfit, anytime during the course of its peace process.
Phunthing Shimrang, convener of the Naga group's ceasefire monitoring cell, said his organisation was keeping watch on the progress of peace processes across the Northeast.
Rio, too, welcomed the start of “preparatory talks” to restore peace in Assam, but said Delhi and everybody concerned should not forget that the Naga issue was vastly different from the subjects raised by Ulfa.
The Assam militant group’s main demand is “sovereignty”, while the NSCN (I-M) wants all Naga-inhabited areas of the Northeast integrated with Nagaland to form “Nagalim”. Some of these Naga-inhabited areas are in North Cachar Hills, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar districts of Assam and the rest in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
On the possibility of a clash of interests between Ulfa and the NSCN (I-M), Rio said the Naga and Assamese communities could resolve their territory dispute but could find the presence of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the disputed area a big hurdle. Nagaland claims that Assam has helped illegal migrants settle in the border areas.
The boundary dispute has been dragging for three decades and is now pending in the Supreme Court.
Though he claimed to be “positive” about the outcome of the peace process, Rio cited the Prime Minister’s remark on the primacy of the Constitution during Wednesday’s talks to rule out sovereignty for Ulfa.
“Let us see how the government of India takes forward the peace talks.”
The Prime Minister is understood to have agreed to discuss all issues raised by Ulfa, but it remains unclear how both sides intend to tackle the issue of sovereignty.
The People’s Consultative Group’s brief is to prepare the ground for a direct dialogue between the Ulfa leadership and Delhi.
The S.S. Khaplang faction of the NSCN, which is known to be close to Ulfa, is one of those already doubting the effectiveness of the nascent peace process.
The outfit’s senior kilonser (minister), Kughalu Mulatonu, said the process was set to become “the biggest” political drama.
“The government of India will prop up any outfit that crawls at its knees.”

Nagaland Govt. to continue ban on swine import The Hindu
Kohima, Oct. 31 (UNI): The veterinary and animal husbandary department has decided to continue ban on import of pigs from outside the state following report of fresh cases of japanese encephalitis in UP, Bihar and parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
A press communique, issued by the Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, N Meyase, today said the decision to the effect was taken during a technical consultative meeting with the departmental officials held here on Saturday.
As per record, the transmission season for Japanese encephalitis in Dibrugarh district of Assam starts from end of May reaching its peak in August and September, the communique said, adding that Arunachal Pradesh was the latest entrant in the list of states reporting Japanese encephalitis cases.
The meeting decided to quarantine the population of swine in Nagaland during the period of ongoing sero - surveillance work by imposing ban on the movement of live swine across the inter state and international boundary with Nagaland.
It also instructed all veterinary officers in their respective areas of the state for quarantine check post to remain extra vigilant.
UCM against Delhi move on integration Newmai News Network October 30
IMPHAL: Sapamcha Jadumani, former president of United Committee Manipur (UCM) today threatened to launch a liberation struggle if New Delhi fragments Manipur while finding a solution to the Naga insurgency movement.
Speaking at a one day "Leaders Meet on Territorial Integrity of Manipur" at Hotel Excellency at Imphal today Jadumani cautioned New Delhi against breaking Manipur to resolve the Naga issue. "The UCM and the people of Manipur will launch a freedom movement," he warned.
Jadumani reminded that the people of Manipur had submitted numerous memorandums and had held a number of rallies to voice the demand for protection of the state’s boundary. "Now it is not the time to send memorandum or hold processions. Because, the people of Manipur made it very clear to the Centre that Manipur’s territory is not negotiable. The people should get themselves prepared for safeguarding their territory", he said.
Today’s programme came in the wake of reports that the Prime Minister is planning to convene a meeting of leaders of the Meitei and Naga communities in New Delhi to discuss about the NSCN (IM) demand for integration of Naga inhabited areas of the North East under one administrative unit. Several speakers during today’s discussion said calling a meeting of only Meteis and Nagas is a communal move by the Centre. "Manipur is inhabited by many communities. The land does not belong to any one particular group. It belongs to all communities", the UCM leader said.
While demanding action by political parties against the four Naga MLAs who attended the recent Kohima rally for Naga integation, Jadumani appealed to the people to boycott the political parties that refuse to take action against their MLAs who are working for disintegration of Manipur during the forthcoming State Assembly Election.
Today’s crucial discussion was organized by the UCM and it was presided by K. Langamba, the president in charge of UCM. Abdul Qaiyum, the General Secretary of All Manipur Bar Association was the moderator.
Representatives from different organizations like Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, National Identity Protection Committee, Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup, Nupi Samaj attended the discussion. There was no difference of opinion on the question of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur.
R.K. Anand, social worker said that the people of Manipur should launch an agitation to put pressure on the Centre not to make Article 3 of the Indian Constitution applicable in the states of the North East.
3-point resolution adopted to safeguard Manipur’s territorial integrity
* Re-affirmed peoples stand for the protection of territorial integrity of Manipur
* To submit peoples stand to competent authorities
* To launch democratic movement to protect the Manipur territorial boundary
UCM has been entrusted to chalk out the programme.
WRITE-WING
Nagas exiled in their own Homeland Rev Dr V K Nuh The Morung Express
It would have been a different story if the 16-points Agreement had not been accepted. It is now proved that both the giver and the receiver have made a grave mistake. After this 16-Points Agreement was signed, no conclusive solution had been arrived at.
Now for sixty years, Naga people have gone through insurmountable sufferings. Naga Churches, and the Civil Societies perused the Government of India for the last forty years that, the sooner it is solved the better so that India will be a peaceful country. No Prime Minister of India denied the uniqueness of Naga people’s struggle, but none had the political will to settle the long-standing Indo-Naga political crux. The Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India reached its first Cease-Fire in 1964. Six rounds of talk had concluded with the Government of India without success. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India affirmed this way, "Take everything except sovereignty." Mr. Kughato Sukhai, then the Prime Minister of Federal Government of Nagaland said, "Take everything but give us sovereignty." In between, they could not find solution. Today, peace talk is still going on between Government of India and the NSCN-IM. Three years back, NDA government’s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee recognized the uniqueness of Naga history. Today, UPA government again recognized the unique history of the Nagas. Mr. Th. Muivah, Gen. Secretary of the NSCN-IM said, "Federal relations with India, Integration of all contingous Naga inhabited areas."
A few days back Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister and leader for Indo-Naga peace talks visited Nagaland. His visit had sharp reactions from various quarters because he has no interest to talk to the people of Nagaland. We thought he had come with a specific purpose and to know more about the opinion of the general mass but contrary to that a negative attitude has been shown to the Naga people.
Talks have been concluded forty-two times but most of the writers said it would take time to solve the problem. Now it has been sixty years, leaders should find out solution because most of the documents for talk are in the possession of India. Developing and buying time tactics will not make the problems less; rather it will multiply the problems. One generation have gone but the problems remains the same. If Naga people demand court of justice demanding compensation from the Government of India for burning down 950 villages and for killing two lakh innocent people, will the Government of India be able to pay the price? If the expenditure spent for fighting the Naga resistance had been spent on developmental works then India would have been in a better position. If the Indian Government recognized Naga peoples rights in 1947, by now, India wouldn’t be having problems that is spreading and expanding to adjoining areas and the Nagas should not have been less than any other nations in Asia. With all these rights, will the Government of India be prepared to apologize to the Naga people for forced marriage to the Naga politics? History will not forgive unless wounds are healed through the right perspective. Naga people made six agreements for final political settlements but the Indian Government have no real political will to settle the issue. Any settlement made without the mandate from the Naga people and without unity between factions, any decision or agreement would be disastrous. There will be divisions, bloodshed. Unity must take process and not pre-condition. Reconciliation and Unity must go side by side.
Nagaland to have its own co-operative laws New Kerala
Kohima: Nagaland, which did not have its own co-operative societies act even after 42 years of statehood, will soon have its own co-oparative laws.

According to official sources, till date the Assam Cooperative Societies Act(1) of 1950 and rules were in force in the state.

Realizing the importance of enacting the state's own cooperative societies act, the Nagaland government has taken a decision to appoint Prof K Elimalai, a veteran academician and legal expert from Vaikuntha Metha National Institute of Cooperative Management, Pune, for drafting of the state acts.

Prof Elimalai had held a series of meetings with the parliamentary secretary (cooperation), principal secretary, law and justice, secretary, cooperation on October 24 before drafting the acts and the laws.
Rio heads panel on information officer post OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 30: The Nagaland government has constituted a committee to look into the appointment of the state’s chief information commissioner in connection with the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, the committee comprises I. Imkong, the leader of the Opposition, and Tokheho Yepthomi, minister for works and housing. Yepthomi was nominated by Rio last week.
The committee shall recommend to governor Shyamal Datta the appointment of the commissioner “and/or state information commissioners for constituting the Nagaland State information Commission”, a government release said.
As reported in The Telegraph, after a workshop by an NGO on the information act, the state government realised how sensitive the appointment of a chief information commissioner is, as it is equivalent in rank and pay to the chief secretary.
Even the chief minister is taking a personal interest in the appointment.
A senior IAS officer from the state is likely to be appointed to the post, sources said.
The Right to Information Act was implemented all over the country on October 12 except in Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the act, citizens have the right to ask for information, which affects them.
The government departments are now in the process of preparing the “citizens’ charter”.
“We have made a draft and are trying our best to get it printed early,” said a senior official in the department of industries.
For the time being, the government has appointed directors of the more than 70 departments as public information officers while departmental heads in various districts have been appointed as the district public information officers.

Indo – Bangla Border security alerted
By Raymond R Kharmujai - Meghalaya - Asian Tribune -

Shillong, 31 October, (Asiantribune.com); The Border Security Forces has put on high alert along the porous international Indo-Bangla border in wake of the 10/30 serial bomb blast at New Delhi.

“We have already alerted our men in the border”, Inspector General BSF (in charge for Assam Meghalaya Manipur and Nagaland), S.K. Ghosh said.

Apart from directing its frontier guards to keep an extra vigil along the Indo-Bangla border to prevent terrorists from fleeing the Country, the Union Home Ministry has also sounded a red alert to all the police headquarters’ in the North Eastern region to prevent and also to check the movement of terrorist groups.
UCM meet Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 30 : The one day public session organised by the United Committee Manipur at Hotel Excellency today re-endorsed the standing resolution of protecting territorial integrity of Manipur. The meeting held in the backdrop of constant threat posed to the territorial integrity of Manipur as a consequence of the ongoing political talks between the Centre and NSCN (IM) also resolved to apprise authority concerned on preserving status quo of state's boundary by submitting public pledges and relevant document. The day long session also entrusted UCM to chalk out future course of action on the issue. UCM's president in-charge Konsam Lanngamba presided the session with general secretary of All Manipur Bar Assn Abdul Qaiyum as the moderator.
Thoubal phones
IMPHAL, Oct 30: Telepho-ne subscribers under Tho- ubal Telephone Exchange would be facing service inconveniences for some time due to non-supply of electricity to the Exchange following the defused of the main electricity transformer since October 22. The existing two power generators in the Exchange would also not be able to run the Excha-nge round the clock, JTO, Thoubal Group Exchange informed in a statement.
‘Bandh culture in NE has negative impacts’ Newmai News Network October 30
Guwahati: Concerned by the frequent bandhs and economic blockades in the Northeast India region, leading industry and commerce body Federation of Industries and Commerce of North East Region (FINER) have now vowed to create public awareness against the bandhs.
This was informed by newly elected FINER president SK Jain today and added that the FINER is currently working on a project on the prevailing "bandh culture" of the region.
The bandhs and economic blockades called by numerous political and social organizations of the northeastern region to exercise their democratic right to protest had given a negative impression about the region outside; he said and added that the bandhs and blockades had harmed the region in several ways.
"There are instances when the investors from outside had refused to invest in the region due to the bandhs and blockades," said Jain adding that changing of this attitude and mindset is the need of the hour to bring in development uplift the region economically.
The FINER would like to play a vital role in this connection and it would now aggressively take up the issue for mobilizing public opinions against the ill-effects of these bandhs and blockades.
"The FINER had earlier carried out a survey on bandhs and economic blockades in the region showing its negative impacts on the development and economy," he said and added that the current survey would depict a clear picture in the present scenario.
Jain pointed out that the bandhs and economic blockades serve no purpose of anybody and added that there are several other democratic ways to register our protests, which would solve the purpose without harming anybody.
On the other priorities of the organization, he said that the FINER would also take up issues like the revitalization of the NE Industrial Policy and added that it would look at the issues with the NE specific attitude.
"The FINER will take up new contours of economy like health care, Infrastructure, information technology, road transport, tourism entertainment and others," said the newly elected president of the organization.
Human Rights violations by Army reported in Jiribam operation
The Imphal Free Press

Jiribam, Oct 30: Large scale human rights violations have been reported during and in the aftermath of the Army operation in Bekra area some 30 kilometer south of Jiribam police station in Jiribam subdivision of Imphal east district.

There are reports of attempted rape, molestation, third degree torture and robbery by Army troops in the aftermath of the operation. Six villagers of Lamdaikhunou including one girl who was reported to have been apprehended by Army are yet to return home though the Army claimed to have released them.

The Army has also reportedly imposed curfew in the area from 6 pm to 6 am everyday.

The offensive began on the intervening night of October 24 and 25. It is being jointly conducted by four battalions of the Indian Army. Helicopters are also being used to air drop troops for the operation, the report said.

Initially, when the offensive began there were reports of heavy fighting between the advancing Army troops and the MPA cadres of the UNLF, the source said adding no such heavy fighting is reported though Army randomly fired towards suspected areas. There was however no report of any casualties on either side.

During the entire operation, Army used at least 10 masked men commonly known as zorros to identify underground cadres.

The Army recovered a Mahindra jeep and a scooter allegedly used by the underground cadres. One trunk filled with explosive materials and devices was also recovered by the Army from a house in Dholakhal village.

A team of mediapersons was allowed to visit all the cordonned off villages in the area today. However, the Army officers supervising the operation declined to divulge details of the operation though an officer informed that the offensive is one of the biggest so far conducted in Manipur and it has a codename.

Villagers of Lamdai Khunou were about to leave the village when the media team reached. The villagers said that they were leaving as they could no longer bear the excesses of the Army personnel.

Meanwhile, state works minister Th Debendra, who is also the local MLA has again appealed to the Army not to commit any human rights violations in the operation.

Our Staff Reporter adds: around 30 members of 10 families who have been displaced from the conflict zone are still taking shelter at Town Hall, Jiribam.

Further, two members of the Manipur Human Rights Commission namely Lt Col (Retd) Rajendra Singh Rajkumar and Ng Nongyai along with members of civil society organisations and mediapersons left Imphal today for Jiribam.

The MHRC team along with the delegation of the civil society organisation are to visit the conflict zone and make on the spot inquiry about the reported human rights violation in the aftermath of the Army operation.
Centre-ULFA peace process making steady progress By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 30 – The peace process to bring the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table finally got under way with the first meeting between the Government of India and the ULFA appointed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) on October 26 but that meeting materialised after a long preparation of the ground and exchange a series of letters with noted litterateur Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami playing the lead role in the entire process. The first meeting ended on a positive note with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself attending the same and assuring to discuss all the issues concerning Assam and both the Government and PCG agreed to the need for a political solution of the issues raised by the ULFA. The PCG will meet the officials of the Government of India again next month to discuss the ways to clear the hurdles for bringing the ULFA to the negotiating table and the major points to be discussed in the next meeting include release of the central committee members of the ULFA, release of the women and children handed over to India by the Government of Bhutan, restraining the forces to create a congenial atmosphere for talks, etc. Those issues were raised in the first meeting by the PCG but the issues would be discussed in detail in the next meeting to clear all the hurdles in the way of talks.

Meanwhile, one of the members of the PCG, Hiranya Saikia, who has been involved in the process since the beginning, pointed out that way back in August last year, the ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah had assured that the outfit would keep the people of Assam informed about the talks process and the PCG was formed only to involve the civil society. He said that according to information available with him, the Central Government sent feelers to the ULFA through different government agencies for talks during the tenure of the National Democratic Front (NDA) Government also. But at that time, the ULFA rejected the proposals because the sincerity of the Government was doubtful as on one hand the Government spoke about talks and on the other hand repressive measures including secret killings were going on in the State. But after Dr Singh took over as the Prime Minister, a new beginning was made and the Centre also started the move to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table seriously.

Dr Goswami played a key role in the entire episode and Saikia said that he had introduced the litterateur to the ULFA commander-in-chief over phone after she was awarded the Jnanpith Award. Dr Goswami wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in October last year stressing the need for talks for a political solution to the issue and Saikia said that the letter was read out to Paresh Baruah before it was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and the ULFA leader made a few minor adjustments. Fortunately, the PMO took the matter seriously and the National Security Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan replied to the letter in December. In that letter, the National Security Adviser said that the Prime Minister was serious in solving the issue. The NSA said that the discussion should be unconditional and at the same time, he said that the ULFA must abjure violence to come for talks. The proposal of the NSA was rejected by the ULFA. In the last part of December last year, Dr Goswami wrote another letter to the PMO, but the Government wanted a letter from the ULFA directly.

A letter from the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was handed over to Dr Goswami in February this year , who in turn, handed over the same to the PMO. In that letter the ULFA reiterated that the sovereignty of Assam should be the core issue for talks. The Centre responded to the letter in May saying that the Government was prepared to discuss all issues, but the ULFA, in July, wrote another letter saying that sovereignty must be the primary issue for talks and all other issues would be secondary. In that letter, the ULFA also called for release of the arrested central committee members saying that it would help the outfits to take vital decisions regarding talks. But the issue of talks was deadlocked after the letter and finally the ULFA formed the PCG last month to break the deadlock and to pave the way for talks.

NSCN-K condemns Delhi blasts From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
DIMAPUR, Oct 30 – The NSCN-K while strongly condemning New Delhi blasts, has termed it as a “sheer act of irreligious terrorism”, which is a threat to freedom of religion of entire world.

It cannot simply be defined as a holocaust at the times of Diwali festivity but against the divinity of the Hindus, which has also sent a visible threat to other religions existing worldwide, the organization said in a release issued by Kughalu Mulatonu, member, Ceasefire Supervisory Board. He added, whatsoever organisation is responsible seems to be imitating the Isak gang linked with the al-Qaida that has been carrying out such terrorism in Nagaland during Good Friday and Christmas in the name of Nagaland For Christ”.

Karbi Anglong: the bubbling ethnic cauldron — Triveni Goswami Assam Tribune editorial
Karbi Anglong was known as Mikir Hills Tract during the colonial period. Post-Independence, the territory was redrawn on the map of Assam as United Mikir and North Cachar Hills District. Created on November 17, 1951, the district was formed under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to fulfil the political aspirations of the hill tribes by providing them adequate opportunities for their socio-economic and cultural development. For administrative conveniences, the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills District was bifurcated and in 1970, two districts came into being, namely, North Cachar Hills and Mikir Hills. In 1976, Mikir Hills was renamed Karbi Anglong as a mark of respect to the Karbi culture.

Fifty three years have elapsed since the autonomous district of Karbi Anglong was born, yet development in all spheres has been very sluggish. Karbi Anglong is home to numerous ethnic groups and the provisions of Article 244(A) under the Sixth Schedule have spawned several movements for autonomy amongst the people in Karbi Anglong. Subsequently, a number of armed groups have emerged and the presence of at least four such rebel groups, namely DHD (Dima Halam Daogah), UPDS (United Progressive Democratic Solidarity), KLNLF (Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Front), Black Widow (an anti-talk faction of DHD headed by Jewel Garlosa) is very marked in the district. Apart from these four groups, the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), a rebel group fighting for greater autonomy for the Kukis, is also active in this district.

Karbi Anglong has had a history of fratricidal violence among its various ethnic groups. Clashes between Karbis and Khasis, Karbis and Kukis, for instance, have been common. The roots of Karbi-Dimasa hostility can be traced to an incident in mid-2004, when tension emerged in the Missibailam area in the district, dominated by the Dimasas. The tension was over reports that the area was under the illegal occupation by the Nagas. The popular belief among the people was that some Dimasa tribal leaders had permitted the Nagas to settle in the region. Although the accusation was vehemently denied by the Dimasas, the incident resulted in the Karbi hardliners harbouring suspicions against the Dimasas blaming them for compromising their territory. In course of time, suspicions led to mutual distrust, anger and finally, hatred.

The present cycle of violence can be traced to an incident on September 26, 2005, when the bodies of three auto-rickshaw drivers, all Dimasas, were found near the town of Manza. On October 3, 2005, armed men attacked Hemari Terang, a Karbi village, and killed five members of a single family. A cycle of revenge killings carried out by both the communities have continued since then. According to official reports the total death toll has reached 72 (Karbi-60, Dimasas-9, Nepali-2, Others-1) and 1,014 houses have been burnt. The number of relief camps that have been set up so far is 50 (36 in Karbi Anglong, 7 in Haflong and 7 in Hojai) providing shelter to 22,469 people of 43 villages. The DHD and the UPDS have both entered into a ceasefire with the authorities. Yet, the role of both these outfits in the cycle of violence has come under a cloud of suspicion, with both the Governor of Assam, Lt General (Retd) Ajai Singh and the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi hinting at their involvement.

The DHD also has its designated camp in Dhansiri, in Karbi Anglong, which has become a bone of contention not only between the two rebel groups but also the common people of Karbi Anglong. The Karbis feel that members of the DHD must not be allowed to roam freely with arms and ammunition, which in a way is a total violation of the ceasefire agreement and have therefore demanded that the DHD designated camp be moved from Dhansiri. Refuting this, DHD stated that UPDS was trying to detract from the main issue by demanding that its designated camp be shifted from Karbi Anglong and instead blamed the entire cycle of violence on the Black Widow.

The present ethnic clashes are just another testimony of how vulnerable the ethnic mosaic of northeastern India is. Beneath the calm exterior, is anger and frustration festering within, waiting to explode at the slightest pretext. The current scenario raises certain significant questions about the role of the media, the policy of the government and the role of the civil society. Such conflicts have multiple stakeholders and it is for us to examine their roles in sustaining the conflict.

Of late there has been a lot of talk about peace journalism and in the current context, we must examine the role played by the media while covering a conflict. The media, being a powerful instrument of disseminating knowledge, can play a pivotal role not only by highlighting the causes of the conflict but also by trying to bridge the gap between various opposing communities thereby, contributing to conflict transformation within the society. The media can raise awareness amongst the people, mobilise them and bring them to the negotiating table to talk things out instead of allowing them to indulge in action confrontation, that is, open conflict.

The civil society too needs to take a proactive role in such a scenario. The intelligentsia has an important role to play by trying to bring the warring factions together. The policies of the government also need to be examined in such a setting. Skewed policies can aggravate an already vulnerable situation creating chaos and disillusionment among the people. For example, in the context of Karbi Anglong, the setting up of a designated camp (of DHD) when there are already several ethnic groups residing in that area, has actually created difficulties, widening the rift between the existing communities.

Therefore, for peace to prevail, a concerted effort will have to be made by the multiple stakeholders to not only reduce the animosity between the various communities but also work on transforming the conflict, to create a more peaceful social order within the society.
(The writer is a Research Associate in OKD Institute of Social Change and Development)



Frans on 10.31.05 @ 02:35 PM CST [link]


Sunday, October 30th

Nagas to have own flag, constitution and joint-defense


Nagas to have own flag, constitution and joint-defense Chizokho Vero The Morung Express
KOHIMA (MExN): The NSCN-IM leaders today said that it has made certain proposals to the Government of India for a solution to the protracted Indo-Naga political issue. Addressing the Northern Angami meeting convened by the Angami Region (GPRN) to discuss the ongoing peace process at Kohima Village, NSCN-IM Deputy Kilo Kilonser, V Horam said that the current Indo-Naga political talks have reached the point where substantive issues were been discussed.
According to the proposal, Nagas will continue to use Indian currency. Clarifying what compelled them to accept the use of Indian currency, Horam said the Indian currency is stable and have high value as they have sufficient gold deposits in the World Bank, while separate currency would have slight disadvantages for Nagas as the value will be unstable. On defense issues, the proposal is to have a "joint defense of Nagalim." This means that Nagas will have its own internal defense, while India will aid the Nagas whenever there is an external aggression, Horam said.
India is sensitive of its security, so Nagas must also be sensitive to India’s security. Government of India wants to defend Nagalim. Further, the proposed relationship between the two entities is the Federation of India and Nagalim said Horam. Nagas will also continue to use Indian passport, however there will be "nationality clauses." Other key issues, where Nagaas could have absolute authority are the National Flag, Constitution, natural resources, taxes, tourism and others.
Horam also said that time for a decision has reached for the Nagas, maintaining that almost everything had now been worked out. Deputy Kilonser, Chaplee Affairs Alezo also spoke at the meeting. The solution is for all the Nagas, he said, adding that joint effort is required and should not be misread as a wrong propaganda. Earlier Central Administrative Officer (CAO) KK Angami delivered the welcome address. Village Council Chairman’s, Goan Boras, Village elders and women organizations attended the meeting.
Naga Peoples Convention at Senapati The Morung Express
DIMAPUR OCT 29 (MExN): The United Naga Council (UNC) has decided to call for a Naga People Convention (NPC) on November 4 at 11:30 am at Taphou Naga village community Hall, Senapati. The meeting has been called to seek the opinion of the Naga people on the future course of action to be taken up by the Naga people in Manipur, according to a notification issued by the President of UNC. All past and present Naga MPs, MLAs, chiefs or chairman of every Naga village, social workers, intellectuals, professionals, all civil society and tribal Hohos, Church organizations, women organizations, employee federations, NGOs and senior citizens and public have been asked to attend the convention without fail.
Delegates and participants have been asked to make their own arrangements for their respective journeys, however lunch would be provided to all on November 4. It also stated that no audio or visual recordings of the meeting would be permitted except those authorized by the UNC, warning that any unauthorized use of gadgets would be confiscated. The release expressed regret that the media would not be permitted to cover the proceedings but assured that a press conference would be held at the end of the NPC meeting.
Dual-benefit model mooted for Nagaland OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 28: Several villages in Nagaland have proposed the formulation of a policy that integrates conservation and livelihood and is specific to the state. The recommendations were made at a three-day workshop on community and biodiversity in Nagaland organised jointly by the state forest department and the Nagaland Empowerment of People Through Economic Development (Neped), an NGO working in this field.
The participants recommended that the state should adopt a policy appropriate to its unique features such as its biological and cultural diversity, traditional knowledge and strong institutions at the village and tribe levels, besides its unique constitutional status. Speakers at the workshop included environmentalists from the Pune-based NGO, Kalpavriksh. They met chief minister Neiphiu Rio in the evening.
On the inaugural day of the workshop, environmentalist Ashish Kothari said Nagaland needs a unique and independent approach for conservation of its natural heritage. Prominent among the recommendations that were made during the workshop was one on modifying the community reserves provision of the Wildlife Act so that the village council and village members have full authority regarding use of land. It was proposed that guidelines should be developed in consultation with communities for declaring community reserves. In Nagland, 89 per cent of the forests are in the hands of the communities while the government manages 11 per cent.
Of late, several villages have taken up conservation, declared the forests as sanctuaries and banned hunting for most part of the year. The speakers stressed that the ban by the communities on consumption of wild animal meat should be implemented more effectively. The participants also agreed that the communities should be encouraged to ensure conservation of biodiversity, involving more people at the grassroots level.
Experts participating in the workshop expressed serious concern over bio-piracy and the fact that the publication of a report on this problem by the Botanical Survey of India is pending for the past 15 years. Representatives of various tribes participated in the workshop. Though they unanimously agreed upon the need to formulate a policy on conservation, there were differences over the approach. While, some sought the involvement of the Centre, others spoke for grassroots participation under the state government.
“We should start at the local level under the state government rather than call people from the national level,” an official from the forest department said. He said the government should take the initiative to form a bio-diversity cell in the departments and entrust the task to its best officers so that a databank can be created.
Neped official Vengota Nakro said: “We hope to open up new vistas with this initiative and sustain the tempo.” The NGO has been disseminating sustainable development strategies at the village level and creating micro- finance facility for the villagers.
GPRN clarifies Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 29: The office of the president of government o the people’s republic of Nagaland has clarified that dissolution and imposition of presidential rule to the Shepoumaramth region on October 4 by kilonser trade and commerce Maj S Hriipunii Pao was done without the knowledge and consultation of the president.

In a statement, president SS Khaplang said the imposition, hence, is invalid and unpractical to the functional exercise of the government. The president also directed the kilonser not to interfere in any of the regional activities. The regional authorities approved by the president are empowered to exercise their duties as per the rule of GPRN’s Ahza for the smooth function of their respective regions, the statement added.

17 detainees escape from cell Kohima | October 30, 2005 1:37:38 PM IST Webindia
In one of the major jail breaks in Nagaland, seventeen detainess of the detention cell, Nagarjan, Dimapur escaped by breaking the lock of the main door yesterday.
Official sources today said the detainees were mostly suspected Bangladeshi infiltrators and had been detained for non-possession of inner line permit to visit Nagaland.
The in-charge of the detention cell and two constables, who were on duty in the night, said after visiting the cell last night they had locked the door and went off to sleep. The detainees broke open the lock and escaped through the main gate. Meanwhile, Dimapur superintendent of police Bidu Shekhar has ordered a one man enquiry to probe the escape of 17 detainees. UNI AS KK SS1220
'Northeast to bridge India with fast growing S.E Asia': PM Kuknalim.com
PALATANA (South Tripura), Oct. 28: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the North East needed new investment, infrastructure and employment opportunities to usher in all round development in the region states.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone of Rs. 4,000 crore mega gas-based power project at Palatana in South Tripura district by the ONGC-Tripura Power Company Pvt Ltd, Dr. Singh said that the region stood at the threshold of a historic opportunity and a new era of possibilities.

Singh said as trade with neighbouring countries was expanding, India was expected to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) with ASEAN soon and the northeastern region of the country could “act as a bridge to the dynamic and fast growing south east Asia. He added a similar agreement would also take place with SAARC nations in the form of SAFTA.“The NE states especially Tripura should develop close linkages with the vibrant economies of South East Asia. It is necessary for us to see that appropriate infrastructure facilities are developed in the state so that proper linkages with neghbouring countries can be established,” Prime Minister said, adding the central government has initiated dialogue with Myanmar to improve our connectivity with South East Asia.

Highlighting the Congress-led UPA government4s attitude towards Northeastern states, the Prime Minister said the central government has paid a special attention to the region. “The focus has been both on economic development, human development and improvement of social and political empowerment of the region4s people”, he said. Prime Minister also said I am aware that Tripura has been the menace of extremism with some misguided youths taking to the path of violence at the behest of some vested interest elements and getting shelter in neighbouring foreign land.

“Some agencies, associated with foreign governments and other elements inmical to us, have also been assisting such insurgent groups in their anti-national activities,” he said without naming any country. However, he expressed hope that the problem has been reduced to a great extent and the Centre would provide all support in the state’s effort to bring back the misguided youth to the mainstream. Moreover, he felt that the ongoing fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border which shall be completed by the year 2007 should further bring down insurgent activities.

“The overall law and order situation in Tripura has improved and for that state government deserves appreciation”, he said. Prime Minister hoped that the new power project will bring new ear in the process of socio economic development of the entire region as it shall ensure uninterrupted power in the region, a basic prerequisite for industries to set up which again will open new avenue of jobs.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mani Shankar Aiyar who was present at the foundation stone-laying ceremony also assured that Congress led UPA government is committed to uplift the socio-economic development of the region. (UNI)

NE needs fresh investments: PM From Prabir Shil Assam Tribune
AGARTALA, October 29 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the North Eastern region needs new investment, infrastructure and employment opportunities to usher in all-round development. “I have often wondered over the fact that despite an abundance of natural and human resources, why have we failed to truly unlock the potential of this State and the NE region. We have not been able to fully take advantage of many economic opportunities”, the Prime Minister said after laying the foundation stone of 750-MW gas-based power project at Palatana in South Tripura district on Saturday.
The region stands at the threshold of a historic opportunity and a new era of possibilities is very much around the corner, Mr Singh said adding there is also a possibility of signing free trade agreement with the ASEAN region.

“The NE States, especially Tripura, should develop close linkages with the vibrant economies of South East Asia. It is necessary for us to see that appropriate infrastructure facilities are developed in the state so that proper linkages with neghbouring countries can be established,” the Prime Minister said adding the Central government has initiated dialogue with Myanmar to improve our connectivity with South East Asia.

Highlighting the Congress led UPA government’s attitude towards Northeastern states, Prime Minister said the Central government has paid a special attention to the region. “The focus has been both on economic development, human development and improvement of social and political empowerment of the region’s people”, he said. Prime Minister said the region may be far from Delhi but as all of you know, it is close to my heart.
“I am an adopted son of the region as I have been representing Assam in Parliament and have always promoted the interests of all NE States”, he pointed out. Prime Minister also said he was aware that Tripura has seen the menace of extremism with some misguided youths taking to the path of violence at the behest of some vested interest elements.
“The overall law and order situation in Tripura has improved and for that State government deserves appreciation”, he said. Prime Minister hoped that the new power project will bring new era in the process of socio economic development of the entire region as Assam, Meghlaya have showed interest to buy power.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mani Sankar Aiyer who was present in the foundation stone laying function also assured that Congress led UPA government is committed to uplift the socio-economic development of the region. PTI adds: On his first visit to Tripura, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today accused some agencies of foreign governments and other "inimical elements" of helping insugent groups in anti-national activities and giving refuge to such groups.

"Some agencies, associated with foreign governments and other elements inmical to us, have also been assisting such insurgent groups in their anti-national activities," he said without naming any country. Laying the foundation stone of a Rs 4,000 crore gas-based power plant to be set up by the ONGC-Tripura Power Company Pvt Ltd, Singh said there were instances of extremist groups taking shelter in the territories of neighbouring countries. The Prime Minister's comments came in the wake of an offer by Bangladesh during Indo-Bangla talks in New Delhi yesterday that Indian officials could visit the neighbouring country and see for themselves if there were any militant camps. Singh said "the fencing work along the Indo-Bangladesh border is progressing well. This should further bring down insurgent activities in Tripura".

"I am aware that Tripura has been facing the problem of extremism with some misguided youth taking to the path of violence," he said.

PM commits to make NE gateway NET News Network
Agartala, Oct 30: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Saturday reiterated his commitment to make northeast the gateway for South-East Asia and said he is going to Dhaka next month to attend the SAARC summit which he hope would give a new fillip to economic and cultural integration of the region. He claimed that the Look East policy initiated by the Congress Government in early 1990’s has brought us closer to our eastern neighbours and specially mentioned about our improved relation with Myanmar and Thailand.
He was depressed over the fact that some neighbouring countries are still providing shelter to Indian insurgents and said this won’t help any of us and urged to refrain from such activities.
He was addressing two public meetings after laying the foundation stone of two major projects, a 750 MW thermal power project and the new building complex of the Tripura Government Medical College. He made certain announcement for the northeast in general and Tripura in particular. He said the national highway no 44 considered to be the lifeline between Assam, Tripura and Mizoram as a national project.
Lamenting for lack of investment in the region for human resource development he said time has come to make serious efforts to improve the investment and quality of education particularly in the sciences and professional courses. He announced that the ministry of northeast development would hence fourth bear the 15 per cent expenditure for Sarva Shiksha Abhijan of the northeastern states.

ONGC planning big in NE NET News Network
Agartala, Oct 30: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation is planning to come in a big way in northeast as it is seeing the proposed mega power project at Palatana in South Tripura district as the beginning. Subir Raha, chairman of the oil major in the country expects that once the power generation begins by the middle of 2008 many other industries would come here where also the ONGC is expecting to participate actively.
He was addressing a press conference on the eve of laying foundation stone of the 750 MW Gas based thermal power project in Palatana by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Saturday. He said that the 4000 crore project is going to be the single largest investment in any of the state in northeast after the 1800 crore Numaligar oil refinery.
Though initially the project was suppose to be a joint venture of the ONGC, The State Government and the IL&FS, the oil major is now considering taking over the new company the ONGC Tripura Power Corporation (OTPC) fully. While asked Mr Raha admitted that it is under their consideration and a final decision is likely to be taken in its board meeting to be held in December.
He is optimist about the prospect of Tripura where they have already discovered a 4.7 MMSCMD deposit of gas and currently producing only 1.4 MMSCMD. He said the ONGC was incurring a loss of Rs 120 crore annually as the gas was remained unutilized. He is hopeful that the loss would come down considerably once the Palatana project starts generating power.
He said the 4000 crore to be invested in Palatana includes 1600 crore for setting up of a 680 KM transmission line up to Bongaigaon in Assam from where it would be connected with the National Grid line for transmission of power in different parts f the country. He said Tripura has placed a demand of 100 MW power from Palatana while five other states Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi has placed a requirement of 200 MW each. The ONGC has already approached the central government to relax the criteria to declare Palatana a mega project which will enable it to get the benefit of duty exemption.
UNLF claims SF casualties Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 29 : The underground UNLF has claim- ed of inflicting heavy casualties to indian security force personnel stationed at Laltingkhal area of Jiri-bam sub-division when MPA cadres launched an attack on October 22.
A statement issued by the outfit’s senior publicity officer claimed that 10 Indian army personnel were killed and over five sustained injuries of varying degrees when a fighting group of the MPA’s 241 Bn fired numerious rocket shells at the army’s Lal-tingkhal camp.
In the aftermath of the attack and casualties suffer- ed by the security force, three column of Indian army encircled base camp of MPA’s 241 Bn at Barak area from three directions of Imphal-Jiribam road, bhu-bon hill range of Assam and from Mizoram side, it informed.
from october 25 morning till October 27 the MPA cadres engaged security force personnel in the jungles of Vangai, Bekra and Laltingkhal, the statement statement while contending that there is no report of casualty among the MPA cadres.
Iterating that MPA with the cooperation of the people had been relentlessly fighting the Indian force, the UG outfit reminding the general public of 55 years of suppression called upon every section of the society to leave no stone unturned in ensuring Plebiscite which had become inevitable in redeeming Manipur’s glorious past.
ONGC: It’s biggest NE investment From our Correspondent Sentinel
PALATANA (Tripura), Oct 29: Tripura Power Company Pvt Ltd (OTPC), a joint venture of ONGC and Tripura Government, is expected to start generation of power from its 750-MW power plant here by 2008, said ONGC Chairman Subir Raha.
Raha was talking to mediapersons after Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the project at Palatana, 64 km from Agartala.
It would be the biggest capital investment in a single project in the North-east. The project cost, according Raha, is estimated at Rs 4,000 crore with an equity share between the ONGC and Tripura Government at 26:24 while IL&FS will invest the remaining 50 per cent.
The ONGC will spend Rs 1,650 crore for power transmission and the 680-km erection line between Palatana and Bongaigoan in Assam to establish power supply link between the National Power Grid and the consumer States. Present natural gas consumption in the State is about 1.5 million standard cubic metres a day (MMSCMD) and the production potential stands at 4.5 MMSCMD.
OTPC has identified nine North Indian States as major consumers of power while Assam, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan have already placed their demand for 200 MW each. Tripura will purchase 100 MW initially. He, however, pointed out that amid repeated persuasions, Bangladesh is yet to agree to piped transit of natural gas. ONGC is pushing for a 345-km pipeline to West Bengal via Bangladesh to release surplus gas from Tripura.
Meanwhile, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has sought intervention of Prime Minister to grant Palatana installation a mega project status to facilitate development of the land-locked State and encourage investors to set up industries in the region.
OTPC has received clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for setting up a power plant at Palatana at a cost of Rs 10 crore as forest compensation.
Crackdown on timber ‘traders’From our Reporter Sentinel
DIBRUGARH, Oct 29: In a sudden swoop, officials of Dibrugarh Forest Range here at Khalihamari seized two rafts of valuable wood from the Chandmari Ghat here yesterday. This is the second largest haul by the range office. Prior to this, the same office, under the stewardship of Range Officer Kushal Konwar Deka, had seized wooden planks of hollock timber worth Rs 2 lakh.
Forest sources said that the seized rafts comprise superior quality timber like hollock, bula, lali etc. Deka, when contacted, told this correspondent that the seized rafts were from Arunachal Pradesh and were being ferried for the bench sawmills flourishing in and around Dibrugarh town and Rohmoria. Narrating the entire operation, Deka disclosed that earlier the Forest officials had arrested two persons at the Telpani Reserve Forest on charges of illegal felling of trees and bought them to the Range Office. Both the persons, Deka said, were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court here today.
On the basis of information provided by the arrested duo, Deka said that he (Deka) and his assistant S Sultan carried out an operation at the Chandmari Ghat where they saw two rafts on the other side of the bank. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Power and Forest Pradyut Bordoloi, in a telephonic conversation, told this correspondent that as per the Supreme Court order, the seized wood should be auctioned and the proceeds would go towards the ‘revolving fund’ of the Forest Department, which would later be utilized for plantation and other works. Expressing satisfaction, the minister said that the drive against illegal felling of trees would continue.
Poverty forces family to disown slain ULFA From our Correspondent Sentinel
MANGALDAI, Oct 29: In a heart-rending scene, the family of a slain ULFA cadre refused to identify him and take possession of the body owing to sheer poverty. One of the two ULFA militants killed in an encounter with police in broad day light on October 25 at Mowamari No. 2 near here was identified as Krishna Kanta Khataniar alias Chand Barman alias Ritesh Saud of village Sarudol under Patacharkuchi police station in Baska district. On receipt of information, his brother Jatin Khataniar came to Mangaldai the next day, but denied that the body was of his brother.
However, he came to Mangaldai again and identified the body to be of his brother who had joined the outfit way back in 1993. He confessed that he had denied the body to be that of his brother on the first day because of sheer poverty. He did not have enough money to take the body to his village.However, the Darrang police yesterday made all arrangement for him to take back the body home. The Darrang administration also sanctioned an amount of Rs 1000 for the purpose.
It is worth mentioning here that the slain militant, Chand Barman, was known among the security personnel of Patacharkuchi area as Jubin Garg. He was also a most wanted militant and last year the army here had published posters containing his photograph.


Frans on 10.30.05 @ 02:50 PM CST [link]


Saturday, October 29th

PM likely to talk with Nagas, Meiteis


PM likely to talk with Nagas, Meiteis New Kerala
Kohima: To push forward the Naga political problem, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is likely to meet the joint delegation of leaders of NGOs of Nagaland and Manipur before the next round of talks between the NSCN-IM and the Centre.

According to official sources here today the meeting of the Prime Minister and the NGOs is likely to be held in New Delhi in mid November, where both the parties along with some senior bureaucrats would sit across the table with the Naga and Meitei leaders to hammer out differences among the two communities, particularly on Naga integration issue. Dr Singh would analyse the views and opinions of both the groups before pushing in his views in the next round of Naga talks, probably in Bangkok.

Sources said before the crucial meeting in Prime Minister's office Mr Oscar Fernandes, chief interlocutor to the naga talks, would also convene a meeting of leaders of Naga NGOs not only to exchange the views to futher peace process. But to analyse the outcome of last Bangkok meeting where both New Delhi and NSCN-IM leaders have expressed their satisfaction over the progress of the negotiation after a gap of eight years.
Khekiho calls for Naga unification New Kerala
Kohima: Reiterating the call for unification of Naga inhabited areas under one administrative unit, Nagaland industries and Commerce Minister Khekiho Zhimomi said the best thing for the Nagas would be to stay together. Inaugurating a council hall in the Sugarmill village in Dimapur yesterday, Mr Zhimomi described the fight for unification as ''our dream, our fight, our demand and our right''.

He said regionalism was the answer to all questions of the Nagas as well as the whole region on every aspect of politics, social and economic development. He asserted that the regional identity of the nagas cannot be safeguarded by national parties as they have, within their parties, multi-layered chain of command systems where even the Chief Minister of a state was not secured about his position. He can be removed any time at the whims of the party high command. On the Naga peace talks, he said, ''we must put in our efforts for the successful outcome of the talks so that the more than 50-year old political problem can be settled at the earliest possible time.
Rio asks youth to be more professional
Kohima | October 29, 2005 5:41:42 PM IST Webindia
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has exhorted the youth to be more professional and try to compete with the other parts of the country for their career, instead of seaching for white collared jobs in the state.
Unveiling the silver jublee stone of the Zunheboto Government College at Zunheboto town yesterday, Mr Rio lamented that the Naga youth of today were losing work culture and giving way to lethargy and stressed the need for reorientation of the educational system in the state to be more job- oriented.
''Government jobs have reached a saturation point. As per the Centre's directive, '' We can no longer create vacancies and as such the youths of Nagaland should no longer depend on government jobs alone but also look for job opportunities outside the country,'' he said.
''We have been talking only of political sovereignty and not of economic sovereignty. We have to be self- sufficient, self-reliant and economically sound. But we are not producing anything and for this the adoption of work culture among the youth is the urgent need of the hour,'' he said. He said as part of the declaration of the year 2005-2006 as the year of youth empowerment, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government has been selecting youths for training in different place of the country and even abroad to help them find employment in different fields. UNI AS KK SS ND1418
One jawan killed, five injured New Kerala
Silchar: An army jawan was killed and five were injured during the counter-insurgency operation in Jiribam sub-division of Manipur this week. Army sources said the encounter between the troops of 57 Mountain Division and militants of United Liberation Front of Manipur (UNLF) claimed the life of an Army jawan, while another was injured on October 24. During the operation four more jawans were injured. The injured Army personnel were being treated in Masimpur military hospital near here.

Six UNLF militants were also injured in the operation, Army sources claimed.

Sources said counter-insurgency operation continues in Jiribam sub-division of Manipur with troops of 57 Mountain Division all out to sanitise national highway 53 of militants. The NH connects Silchar in Assam with Imphal. The Manipur government had announced the NH-53 as the second life-line of the state following recent economic blockade on NH-37 via Dimapur. The part of NH-53 that runs through Tamenglong district of Manipur is dominated by militant outfits including: United Liberation Front of Manipur (UNLF) and National Socialist Council of Nagalim -Khaplang (NSCN-K) etc.

Meanwhile, Brigadier S S Rana 57 Mountain Division today told reporters in Mashimpur that operation was continuing along NH 53 and Army has become successful to clean the road of militants. '' Not only is the NH, but also the whole Manipur state is now safe,'' he said. He said political negotiation is needed to solve problem of militancy permanently in Manipur.
Nbcc flays RSS allegation New Kerala
Kohima: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) executive committee has refuted the news report in which the RSS had alleged that the recent carnage in Karbi Anglong was the handiwork of the Naga Churches in an attempt to divide the north east region. In a press communique here today NBCC General Secretary Rev Zhabu Terhuja, on behalf of the executive committee of the NBCC, challenged the RSS to name the church leaders who were involved in such conspiracy. It said this was not for the first time that the RSS in its related organizations had attacked the Naga church without any reason.

''We love people as god loves them. But as an organisation, we abhor the RSS which has been continually sowing seeds of communalism,'' the communique said. Maintaining that the RSS often accuses the Naga church of forced conversion, the NBCC said as a people engaging in the mission of god, ''We proclaim a message, a message of hope and life''. Besides that ''we never convert anybody'' it stated and said that ''conversion is the work of god-- the holy spirit''.

Ibobi urges rebels for talks- Chief minister cites Naga, Assam outfits as examples OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Imphal, Oct. 28: Bolstered by protests against militant groups, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh today urged militant groups to follow the footsteps of those which have shunned violence and opt for a dialogue. “Most of the militant groups of the Northeast have realised the futility of violence and come forward for talks. The insurgent outfits of Assam and Nagaland started the peace process. This is because they have realised that the future generation will blame them for tardy development. The outfits in Manipur should also realise these facts and come forward for talks,” Ibobi Singh said while laying the foundation stone of a new office building of the state directorate of information and public relations here today.
The appeal came shortly before officials of the Manipur health directorate and teachers and students of the Jawaharlal Nehru Dance Academy, Imphal, staged sit-in demonstrations separately today to protest against threats and extortion by militant groups. The demonstration held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital complex was attended by nearly 100 employees, including doctors, nurses and other workers.
The demonstration was organised by the joint committee of three employees’ organisations of the medical directorate and family welfare department. A similar dharna will be held tomorrow at the complex of the medical directorate. Joining in the protests were the Manipur newspapers, which decided to suspend today’s publication following alleged “pressure” and interference from militants. A 600-strong group of officials, teachers, students of Imphal’s Jawaharlal Nehru Dance Academy and their guardians also staged a similar sit-in on National Highway 39 here from 10.30 am to 4 pm. Vice-chairman of the academy Leimapokpam Damodar Singh said eight armed groups of the state have slapped extortion notices on the academy. “Apart from the demand for money, we are facing various other kinds of disturbances. The government should look into the academy’s problems and take action,” he said.
The chief minister, however, said so far the employees have not lodged any complaint with the government with regard to their problems. “We will look into their problems if the employees report to us their specific grievances,” he told mediapersons on the sidelines of the foundation stone-laying function.
Plea to confer statehood on Pondy Chenna on line
Pondicherry, Oct 28: Statehood with special category status should be conferred on Pondicherry, Congress MP V Narayanaswamy said today.
Pondicherry is situated close to Sri Lanka and there is possibility of the Union Territory facing terrorist threat and hence for strategic reasons special category status should be conferred on the Union Territory as was available for Nagaland and Mizoram, he told reporters on arrival from Delhi after attending a meeting of the standing committee of the Union Home Ministry. He said he had placed before the committee the need for conferment of statehood with special category status. (Agencies)
Army launches major operation on Manipur-Assam border Prime Minister arrives in Manipur The Morung Express
IMPHAL, OCT 28 (AGENCIES): The Army has launched a major operation to flush out Manipur insurgents near Jiribam, where ultras of Manipur People’s Army, the armed wing of major insurgent organisation United National Liberation Front (UNLF), were operating, according to informed sources. This operation follows an attack on a security camp near this border town in Imphal East district, and comes in the wake of the two day visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Tripura and Manipur. The Prime Minister will be in Manipur on Saturday.
Army personnel of different units have reportedly surrounded Barak circle area near Jiribam. Sources said MPA insurgents first attacked a security camp on October 22 by using rocket launchers and other highly sophisticated weapons but did not confirm whether the troops suffered any casualty or not. After the attack, heavy exchange of fire between insurgents and army personnel was reported and the encounter was still on today, the sources said. Insurgents in large numbers were reportedly operating from tri-junction of Manipur, Mizoram and Assam at Barak circle area, about 230 kms west of the Manipur capital, Imphal, the sources said.
Sources said army personnel in three columns entered Barak circle from Mizoram, Bhubon Ching on Assam side and National Highway 53 on Imphal-Jiribam side and were now dominating the area where insurgents were operating. Media persons posted at Jiribam town were not allowed to visit the spot where the exchange of fire was taking place. Sources said several civilians at Barak circle area were paraded before the security forces for identitification. Advanced equipment and motorboats were being used to surround the area and to detect movement of ultras on Barak river, the sources said adding: casualties, if any, on the side of the MPA are not known.
Assam for CBI probe on Karbi killings Newmai News Network October 28
Guwahati : Assam government has decided to refer to the Centre the proposal to have a a CBI inquiry into the recent Karbi Anglong crisis that had so far claimed about 80 people, both Karbis and Dimasas, and rendered several thousand of people homeless in the district. The development came after the Chief Minister, some of his cabinet colleagues and senior bureaucrats met the Karbi and Dimasa delagations from the troubled torn Karbi Anglong district at the Janata Bhavan on late Thursday evening.
The Assam Chief minister Tarun Gogoi informed the development here today and added that the apex bodies of Karbi and Dimasa communities, during a discussion with the state government here on Thursday had demanded a CBI probe into the killings. "The state government doesn’t want anything to hide, we agreed to the demand for a CBI probe and accordingly the proposal would be sent to the Central government,"said Tarun Gogoi. Simultaneously, the judicial inquiry instituted by the state government would also continue, the Chief Minister said.
The bone of contention between the Karbi ultras--UPDS and Dimasa militants--DHD, who are on the rampage in Karbi hills, is the truce-time designated camp of the DHD located at Dhansiri area of Karbi Anglong. The UPDS wants this camp to be shifted from Karbi Anglong areas.
Nagaland state to have its own Co-Operative Laws The Moring Express DIMAPUR, OCT 28 (MExN): The Nagaland State does not have its own Co-operative Societies Act even after 42 years of statehood and till date the Assam Co-Operative Societies Act (1) of 1950 & Rules were enforced by the state, stated S.Sale, Managing Director of Nagaland State Co-Op Bank Ltd(NSCB). Taking the importance of enacting states’ own Co-Operative Societies Act, stated S.Sale,the state government has taken decision to appoint ProfessorK.Elumalai Phd.Law,a veteran academician and legal expert from Vaikuntha Mehta National Institute of Co-Operative Management, Pune for drafting of the state Acts.
He informed that ProfessorElumalai had a sequence of meetings with Parliamentary Secretary(co-operation), Principal Secretary, Law & Justice, Secretary Co-Operation and meeting with CRS and his Officers on October 24. In this regard a joint meeting was organized on October 25 at NSCB Conference room Dimapur by the Registrar of Co-Op.Societies, Nagaland where seniors officials of Co-Operation Department and the state/district level organization Viz:NSCB, MARCOFED, WAFED, NSCU, KOMUL, Urban Bank and Medziphema LAMPS etc had interaction and shared their views to Professor Elumalai and V. Kehie, RCS, Nagaland presided over the meeting said Sale.
Chief Executives and senior Executives of various Co-Op. Institutions offered their views in the meeting. S.Sale, M.D, NSCB, Imtila Jamir, Addl.RCS & M.D, MARCOFED, L.Ghosito, Chairman Urban Coop. Bank, Niza Angami, President NSCU, Aotoshi, G. M, Kumol, Lhozheto Sema, JRCS, Keviyanei, Chairman Medziphema LAMPS, T. Bangerloba, Chief Executive Officer NSCU,B.K.Thadani, GM NSCB,T.Imkonglemla Longkumer, CEO, UCB, B. Haque, Education Officer, NSCU and G.B. Chetri, Addl. RCS offered the vote of thanks said the Managing Director.
UNLF claims killing of 10 army men, dead body found Newmai News Network October 28
Imphal: The banned United National Liberation Front (UNLF) has claimed that it’s Manipur Peoples Army (MPA) gunned down ten army personnel in an attack at Laltinkhal, about 15 kms from Jiribam town of Manipur’s Imphal East district on October 22. In a statement released, the UNLF said that following three columns of the army launched an operation at places like Vangai, Bekra and Laltinkhal and encounters continued till yesterday. However, there was no casualty on the side of the MPA, the statement issued by Ksh. Yoiheiba, senior publicity officer of the UNLF said. The army’s public relations office in Imphal however said there was no confirmation of casualty on both the sides. The PRO Lt. Col. SD Goswami said the army authority has not given any information on the operation. He however said that the report of the encounter was true.
The operation is still continuing. The PRO further said that some militants were either killed or wounded in the encounter. The state police also do not have any information on the encounter. A reliable source, however, said that one army personnel died and some others injured. Meanwhile, one dead body was recovered from Yairipok Ningel under Yairipok police station of Thoubal district this morning. The man identified as Md. Sahid (30) was shot dead by unidentified persons last night. Police suspected Peoples United Liberation Front behind the attack.
Rethinking our Concept of Church ashi Jamir The Morung Express Commentary
Prelude "Where are our Naga churches?" "Why are our churches so silent to the suffering of the people?" Aren’t we supposed to act justly and show mercy to our neighboring brothers and sisters who are victims of unknown reasons?" "Are our churches merely concern about the extension of the church building?" These were some questions that were raised by some profoundly anguished and touched students of Oriental Theological Seminary as they reflect on the recent suffering and pain borne by the Karbi and Dimasa ethnic people. The visit by the ABF/OTS team on 22nd and 23rd of October, 2005 to the relief camps in Diphu which was caused by the current conflict between UPDS and DHD gave the opportunity to many students as well as the teachers to recommit their lives and visions align with that of our master Jesus Christ. These questions that were raised by the students are some serious questions and it requires serious reflection on the part of the Naga churches. A time has come for the Naga churches to re-think and re-orient our understanding of church.
Mapping the Problem Apparently Nagas understand "church" as either the building in which they meet, or the denomination to which they belong. We have reduced the understanding of church and its services to a merely theatre audience, where one or several paid actors act on the stage while everybody else is looking on. To go to the church for many Nagas means to go to a big house filled with thousands of people and sit, perhaps, with sleepy eyes for one hour and return home. Many a times Nagas go to church just to go through the motion of singing, offering tithes, praying, and preaching.
Church for the Nagas has become an exclusive place for some elite group of people. The elite group consists of all the people who are not alcoholics, drug addicts and poor (those who have no money to buy some decent clothes to enter the church!). Just imagine the recent church—colossal and beautiful—built by Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo (DABA). If there is any qualm about this massive church then it is the intention behind building this church. The church was built to accommodate more people and, therefore, today it can hold some five thousand to six thousand people. But now the serious question is; how will it accommodate those fifteen to sixteen thousand Aos living in Dimapur!? Does it have any concern for those unchurch people? This is not just being skeptic about our church rather this question comes with deep concern of our understanding of "Church." No doubt, for many Nagas, we have a cheap understanding of Church. We have condensed the church to a Sunday activity, a non-relational gathering, gathering of people without any proper intention and conviction. As a result of this, our churches are cold, superficial and perhaps a place for catharsis where we ventilate our guilts that are collected during the six days of a week.
However, a time is coming when our Naga churches cannot survive with such cheap understanding of the meaning of church. For long Naga churches have domesticated the hungry and restless minds of the Naga people. However, there are many young married couples who are beginning to ask why they have to give tithes and offering, there are many young people moving from one church to another in search of the missing element in their lives. These are not just signs of another shallow and illiterate people screaming and demanding logical reasons for theirs acts. But these are profound queries bubbling out of people’s mind and heart who are craving to have meaningful reasons in things that they engaged. Little wonder it is time for the Naga churches to re-think and re-orient our concept of Church.
A Response to the Problem Acts 2:42:47 provide us with a glimpse of how the early biblical church was and how we today’s church should be: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Let us first clarify the word "Church." Church does not simply mean the church building or the denomination to which we belong. In fact, the most important meaning of the word "church" means "people of God." Therefore church means "you" and "I" who are the people of God. If church means "you" and "I", and if "you" and "I" are the people of God, then our fellowship should be relational. In other words, church should be a place where we should be able to share our joys, sorrows with one another. It should be a place where we can build intimate relationship. This relational intimacy is vividly portrayed in the early biblical church.
Soren Kierkegaard, a Danish Christian thinker purports that the church is not a limited company whose members are accountable to one another only to a certain degree. Certainly church is not limited to merely asking question like, how are you? Or make such an action packed sentence, "Jesus loves you" to a mere cliché. In fact, we never get to the bottom of our selves on our own. We discover who we are face to face and side by side with others in work, love, and learning. A church should be relational accommodating people from all walks of lives—old, adult, young, children, addicts, alcoholics, and poor. Their relationship should transcend the superficial greetings and involved in sharing one another’s problem. A church should be a place where we find ourselves not independent of other people and institutions. This is not trying to spiritualize the understanding of church. But this is what the first century Christian churches practiced and today if the church wants to fill the void of many young people who are wandering to fill the vacuum in their lives then this has to be considered imperatively. Our churches cannot afford to miss this element.
There are many addicts, alcoholics, poor and HIV patients in Nagaland. If Nagaland is statistically 95% Christian then the addicts, alcoholics, poor and HIV patients must be members of the Naga Churches. However, these sections of people in our Naga society are considered as the down caste, lowly and lesser human. What is the response of our churches to these people? Church should exist for the sick and suffering of the society (Matt. 9: 12-13). At least in terms of legislating Nagaland as a dry state by the Nagaland churches, it has been successful though it cannot be said equally in terms of its execution. As usual the law and governing body is there to be blamed for the inability of the law to carry out. However, here the church has to acknowledge her failure. Alcohol, drugs and any abusive substances are in itself not sin or things that produce sin. Usually people fall into this vicious trap only out of curiosity or frustration. Missing out the in-depth relational aspect of the church actually paralysis the only powerful tool to fight against such a mighty phenomenon. Because being committed to have a relationship with our fellow Christians means, "you become my responsibility and I become yours." In other words, it means such a responsibility to become to each other what Christ is to us.
Once our churches are rooted in such a relational foundation then the understanding that the better off should necessarily help those who does not have anything becomes the mandate (1 Tim. 5: 16). In fact our God does not want empty sacrifices but wants justice, love and mercy (Micah 6: 8). Naga churches should actively get involved in such work not to show off of our richness or power but because that is what God wants and therefore, this is what our theology should be. To make our theology real and immanent we need to see Jesus in our "neighbor’s" eyes. Once we see Jesus in our neighbor’s eyes we will empathize with the sufferings, marginalized, and victims of unknown reasons. Many young couples will not hesitate to give tithes and offerings to the church. Our Naga churches have a role to play and that is to make her members see Jesus in one another and beyond. Perhaps the sort of Church that I am talking is not possible in such existing mega churches but in a small church where people actually gather with intention and conviction to know Christ and to strictly live out the teaching of Christ in praxis. This is the imperative need in our context rather than having massive churches with people gathering without any proper intention and conviction whatsoever. If needed and if we are serious about having a relational church we should not hesitate to split our churches into smaller churches! This is not heresy but this is a quest to find meaning in our worship. Splitting our churches into smaller unit does not mean having enmity with one another. Rather it is a serious attempt to practically follow the teachings of Christ. Of course, having smaller churches do not necessarily mean having acquired relationship among the member of the churches. Even if we split the big churches into smaller churches and continue to have the understanding of church as a massive non-relational building then it is not a remedy but chaos. This is because we still need to have right intention and proper conviction in order to have relational churches. However, splitting the churches into smaller units would certainly give the impetus to create the right environment for a relational church. Let us remind once again that our Naga churches must transcend our understanding of church from that of a building, denomination and non-relational to that of Church as people of God, relational that demonstrates our commitment to Christ and displays love, mercy and justice.
‘Rehabilitation package for violence-hit in KA soon’
ULFA-Centre truce soon, says Gogoi By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Oct 28: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today expressed his hope that a ceasefire agreement between the Centre and the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) would be signed soon paving the way for direct peace talks between the Centre and the rebel group.
Talking to newsmen in the city today, Gogoi said: "Dr Manmohan is the first Prime Minister of India to have taken part in the first round of peace talks with a rebel outfit, and it is the ULFA. This itself shows the degree of seriousness on the part of the Centre to solve the insurgency problem in Assam." He said that the talks between the Centre and the ULFA-picked PCG was cordial and both the sides were sincere in their approach. On the continuation of Army operation against the ULFA in this changed situation (after the PCG-Centre talks ending with a positive note), Gogoi said: "It’s not a one-way traffic. If the ULFA exercises restraint there is no point on the part of the Government not to reciprocate it with a similar gesture. I have been assured of this by the Centre." According to Gogoi, the ultimate goal of the ULFA and the Government is the same— both want development and peace in Assam—and the only difference is the means. "While we want to stay with the Government of India, the ULFA wants to go out of it," Gogoi said.
He thanked the PCG and peace facilitator Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami for their peace efforts.
On the ethnic flare-up in Karbi Anglong district, Gogoi identified the DHD’s designated camp in Dhansiri subdivision as the bone of contention between the two tribes. "The Government is trying to find out an amicable solution," said, adding that the first duty of the Government was to erase the mistrust between the Karbis and the Dimasas. He said that a rehabilitation package for the violence-affected people of Karbi Anglong would be announced soon and educational institutions being used as relief camps would be vacated within a fortnight. On the incentives given under the North-east Industrial Policy, which is going to expire in 2007, Gogoi said that he had appealed to the Centre for the extension of the incentives. The Centre’s response, according to Gogoi, was also positive in this regard. He further said that the Ministry of Textile was actively considering to set up a national institute of fashion technology in Assam. Gogoi had appealed to the Ministry towards that end.
Placards hailing ULFA fly high Centre will convene next meet soon, hopes PCG Sentinel By a Staff Reporter
Fifteen years after the ULFA was banned, placards greeting the outfit appeared in the open at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport here today even as security personnel and top police officials stood guard all the time.
GUWAHATI, Oct 28: Fifteen years after the ULFA was banned, placards greeting the outfit appeared in the open at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here today even as security personnel and top police officials stood guard all the time. Hundreds, mostly MASS and AJYCP workers with flagcards greeting the Centre, State Government and the ULFA, thronged the LGB Airport to give a rousing welcome to the PCG team which returned from Delhi today after a positive start to the till-recently floundering peace process.
"Now, our work is to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table with honour," PCG spokesperson Arup Borbora said in a press conference here. Flanked by other members of the PCG, Borbora said that the group would sit within a few days to chalk out its future strategy."During the meeting with the Prime Minister, we discussed elaborately the role to be played by the Centre and the State Government in the peace process," Borbora said, adding that the PCG’s date with the PMO was the first step towards a political solution to the 27-year-old ULFA problem. Acknowledging the initiative of the Prime Minister, Borbora said that the Centre would convene the second meeting with the PCG soon.
KA refugees returning to their homes From our Correspondent Sentinel
HOWRAGHAT, Oct 28: With Karbi Anglong slowly limping back to normalcy, people of Tacheng Apom, Kangrongwe, Chinjan, Tacheng Rongkeleng and Rongkimi villages who have been taking refuge in the Jirikindeng forest are returning to their homes.
Over 3,028 affected people of 28 villages have been taking shelter in the 23 relief camps in the area following the spell of violence in the hill district. About 503 villagers of Lungkur area of NC Hills have also been taking shelter at Jirikideng relief camps. The refugees of NC Hills have reportedly refused to go back and told Chucheng BDO Abdul Motin that they should be allowed to live in Karbi Anglong. Meanwhile, refugees have complained of insufficient relief in the camps. Meena Phangcopi (25), who gave birth to a baby in a relief camp on October 18 told The Sentinel, "I could not bring cloths and I am facing lots of difficulty with my tender baby." "What shall I do now? It’s getting cold," said Meena who named her new born "Reliefson".
Sangma blames it on Govt
Karbi-Dimasa ethnic clash From our Correspondent Sentinel
DIPHU, Oct 28: NCP leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno Sangma, accompanied by state NCP vice president Prof. Probin Sharma, legislators Abdul Jabbar and Alok Ghosh and Akhya Rajkhowa, general secretary, NCP, Assam unit yesterday visited the strife-torn Karbi Anglong district and interacted with the media at the Circuit House. Mr Sangma termed the recent outbreak of communal riots in the district between the Karbi and the Dimasa as ‘unfortunate’ and uncalled for. The party alleged that the district administration and the police failed to curb violence raging in the district since September 26. Sangma, in his visit, held the district and the State administration responsible for the recent killings and arson. Mr Sangma, in his interaction with the pressmen, expressed concern that constant occurrence of inter- tribe conflict might lead to serious threat to the security of the North-east and stated that subversive forces might take opportunity to destroy the tranquil atmosphere generally prevailing in the region. Sangma suggested that confidence-building measures should be taken by the government to restore harmony between the two communities.
Sangma also echoed views aired by various organizations regarding shifting of DHD-designated camps from Dhansiri to NC Hills. He called it "the need of the hour". He also disclosed to the media that a parliamentary fact-finding team would be constituted to conduct inquiry into the clashes and to take remedial measures. He demanded that the Assam Government pay Rs 6 lakh as compensation to the families of those killed in the carnage. Earlier in the day, Sangma and his team visited the relief camps set up by the district administration.


Frans on 10.29.05 @ 06:55 PM CST [link]


Thursday, October 27th

NMA puts up banner for women’s empowerment


NMA puts up banner for women’s empowerment The Morung Express News
October 26
Kohima: The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) today called for a review of the letter written by the Nagaland government and addressed to the National Commission for Women. The letter, christened ‘unrealistic’ by the NMA, states that the situation in Nagaland does not warrant the setting up of a panel of the Commission. "The Naga Mothers take empowerment of women as one of the approaches to solve the miseries that afflict our Society." While acknowledging the establishment of a separate department for women the NMA lamented that the government had "forgotten the untold miseries and pains that Naga women go through." Justifying on gender equality as the "ultimate measure of humanity" in a release, the influential women’s organization said the Women Department of the State Government could have at least consulted various women organizations/groups before such an "unwanted decision was taken on behalf of the women." While stating that the move reflects the poor understanding power of the concerned authority, the release asserted: "Therefore, the Naga Mothers object to the letter written to the National Commission for Women."
Naga student marks debate history Kuknalim.com
Yaronsho Ngalung of NSU becomes first North-East student to speak at Debate

NEW DELHI, Oct. 26: In the runup to the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Students’ Union (JNUSU) polls, yesterday’s Presidential Debate made history Yaronsho Ngalung, of the Naga Students Union (NSU), became the first presidential candidate from North-East to speak at the Debate-an institution in itself in the University. Ngalung represented the NSU’s alliance with the Students for Campus Solidarity (SCS) and Students’ Solidarity (SS) for the elections. ‘‘I represent the unheard, repressed and discriminated people of the North-East,’’ said Ngalung, a Naga from Manipur, while going over the progress and perceived impasse in the dialogue process between the Centre and Naga separatists.

In bringing attention to his student group’s cause, Ngalung also mentioned similar events and ‘‘atrocities in North-Eastern States and Kashmir’’ asking for a political resolution to these issues and seeking the JNU student community’s long-standing ‘‘solidarity’’ with the marginalised, to elect him as president. And he had a few campus issues as well-more hostels, opening the 24x7 cafeteria and more ‘‘transparency in admission process to help SC/ST students and those from other marginalised sections in gaining admission.’’

However, Ngalung’s address was received with marked indifference by the audience. No questions were put to him by the audience in the question-answer session, although Naga students showed up in strength. Ngalung said later that he wanted to make a statement, and the Debate was the best place to be heard. the NSUI, ABVP and AISF-SFI candidates had a lively interaction with him. Ngalung asked them, as members of student bodies of parent national parties, about their plan for Nagas. Much music, banners and vitriol, and very little light. The Presidential Debate in the runup to the JNUSU elections yesterday night saw major student parties outwit the rivals’ stands and ideologies, and in the process, having very little to say about the campus. Mona Das of the AISA, seeking re-election and on the defensive after leading a students’ body in which other members were from the rival SFI-AISF combine, had to field criticism from candidates and later from the audience about water supply, non-establishment of the proposed 24x7 dhaba and other campus issues. But her own speech had little about the campus for the next year, and more on bigger public issues. Mona raised the issue of misappropriation of funds worth Rs 1 lakh in Ganga, her hostel, a matter that is still being investigated. While NSUI candidate Ninad Shankar Nag criticised the Left and recounted the Congress commitments to independent India, SFI-AISF combine’s Shona Mitra started with the UPA government, although she did make the obligatory promise of ‘‘more scholarships and infrastructure development’’ for the campus. Just as intrinsic to the Debate as the relentless quotes from history, dates, events, books and page numbers and articles were the flag-waving party supporters, backed by singers, dholaks and cymbals, sarcastic heckling from rivals. The independents, too, had their say. Preetam, a PhD researcher in Political Science, asked whether the ‘‘so-called student movements in JNU had anything original to offer to the rest of the country which looks up to us.’’ (ENS)
All issues open within constitution:PM The Morung Express
NEW DELHI, OCT 26 (AGENCIES): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the government is willing to discuss ‘all issues bothering’ Assam but within the framework of the Constitution.
The prime minister, who attended a historic meeting between the separatist United Liberation Front of Asom -selected People’s Consultative Group and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, said the time has come to end violence in the northeastern state.
Briefing the media after the meeting in which the contentious issues of sovereignty and ceasefire is believed to have been raised, the PM’s media advisor Sanjaya Baru said, "The prime minister said he is willing to discuss all issues bothering the people in Assam." Quoting the prime minister, Baru said, ‘I am willing to listen (to) whatever concerns that you made. I am a servant of our Constitution and you should recognise the complexity of our polity.’
Arup Borbora, a member of the 11-member PCG, said it was agreed at the meeting that the nearly three-decade long conflict ‘could be resolved through political negotiations and peace dialogue’.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who attended the meeting which lasted two hours 20 minutes, said the prime minister was ‘not afraid’ to discuss any issue but had to work within the framework of the Constitution. "It is a good message to ULFA, I hope they will respond," he said.
Borbora described the talks as ‘absolutely congenial, open minded and heart-to-heart’ and said similar rounds would take place ‘in the near future rather than in the distant future’. Official sources said the next round of talks would be held with the Home Ministry but no time frame had been fixed yet.
Quoting the prime minister, Baru said, ‘The time has come to end violence. Let us work together to bring a glorious chapter for the people of Assam.’
The meeting was held in two sessions, the first attended by the PCG, Narayanan and top home ministry officials in which Gogoi also joined.
The prime minister attended the second session, Borbora said. While it was not officially stated what issues were discussed, sources said ceasefire and ULFA’s demand for sovereignty were also discussed.
"We have expressed our view point. The Government of India also expressed its view. It was basically at a preliminary stage and Manmohan Singhji said the government is prepared to discuss all the issues that the PCG brings forward or the ULFA has been pushing through the PCG.
"We are hopeful that things will proceed in right direction in right direction to facilitate a lasting and permanent political settlement of the long conflict," he said. Gogoi said that the prime minister was ‘very keen’ to bring peace and prosperity to the northeast and asked the PCG to prepare the ground so that ULFA comes to the talks table.
Beyond Khonoma The Morung Express Editorial
With an estimated US$ 3 trillion in annual revenues, tourism has emerged as one of the world’s largest industries, contributing significantly to economies. However, tourism can also be both an opportunity for conservation and a threat to biodiversity. Therefore any plan to promote tourism need to be carefully planned and implemented so that it is both economically and environmentally sustainable in the long run. A State like Nagaland richly endowed by nature has immense potential offered by ecotourism.
Against this backdrop the inauguration of the Khonoma Green Village, a first of its kind in India is both encouraging and appreciated. Khonoma, apart from its historical context and natural beauty, the conservation efforts to enforce total ban of burning jungles, ban of commercial logging in its vast forest reserves, ban of hunting of wild animals and birds in its village grounds are indeed laudable and such community based initiative must be likewise emulated by other Naga villages and communities. As the first green village in India, Khonoma will hopefully live up to the path breaking trend it has shown as a model village promoting ecotourism and in the process generating sustainable livelihoods for its people.
Much credit should also go to the Khonoma Tourism Development Board (KTDB) for its tireless effort in steering the entire project right from the project stage to its final culmination. It is also hoped that the initiative taken will now be projected through proper marketing channel which will enable local communities to introduce visitors to their art and craft, cultural and natural heritage.
The enriching culture of the Nagas are still vibrant in the villages and the State government should encourage and support more rural tourism projects beyond Khonoma so that while preserving the rich culture and craft of the people a sustainable dimension of rural life can also set in, as a means to viable livelihood opportunities for low-income rural communities.
Besides coming out with concepts and models, for tourism to really succeed in Nagaland, both the government at the Centre and in the State should take some policy initiatives. For one, the relevance of RAP/PAP restrictions in the current context needs to be reviewed by the Centre and at least certain areas of tourist interest should either be exempt or relaxed. The state government on its part should review the ILP regime so that genuine tourists are not hassled while visiting Nagaland. Improving road connectivity to the districts and villages of tourist interest has to be given high priority as well.
The government should continue to encourage tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially, as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the local community for a more enriching tourism experience.
PM to ULFA emissaries: Talks yes, but no talk on sovereignty Indian EXPRESS
Meeting representatives of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) today, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, aware of apprehensions within the security establishment, ruled out any talk on the key ‘‘sovereignty’’ issue, saying he was ‘‘a servant of the Indian Constitution.’’
While this morning’s meeting with the ULFA-selected People’s Consultative Group (PCG) was more ‘‘talking about talks’’, the Prime Minister made it clear: ‘‘I am willing to listen to whatever concerns that you have. I am a servant of the Constitution and you should recognise the complexity of our polity.’’
Though the ULFA representatives are keen that the Centre announce a ceasefire against the extremist group, official sources indicated that the Government has no intention of replicating the NSCN (I-M) model for a dialogue with the ULFA leadership based in Bangladesh. But the 11-member PCG, which met the PM and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, appeared satisfied with the assurances. The next round of dialogue, for which dates have not yet been fixed, will be held with appointed representatives of the Home Ministry. The dialogue with the ULFA takes place at a time when the ruling Congress in Assam gears for Assembly polls next year. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PCG member Arup Borbora, son of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Borbora, said that the ‘‘long standing conflict can be resolved through sustained political dialogue.’’
Describing today’s talks as ‘‘positive’’, he said there would be similar talks in the future. ‘‘The PM has agreed to discuss all issues, including those which the ULFA is pushing through the people,’’ he maintained.

Govt ready to discuss all issues: PM From Kalyan Barooah Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 – The first round of dialogue between the ULFA-appointed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) and the Government of India got off on an encouraging note with the two sides agreeing to discuss all contentious issues and to keep the channels of communication open. It took two hours and 20 minutes of discussion to break the ice and at the end of it both sides appeared content with the discussions that was the focus of attention of the nation. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh today made it clear that the Government was willing to walk the extra mile for the sake of peace and prosperity. At the same time, he also made it clear that he has to function within the limits of the Constitution of India. The first day talks were spread over two sessions and saw the PCG explain in details the demands raised by the ULFA and also submitted a note to that effect. The discussions are now going to be taken over by the Home Ministry and the next round of talks are likely to be held next month. The first session was chaired by MK Narayanan, National Security Adviser, and the second session was attended by the Prime Minister and Chief Minister.

Prime Minister’s media adviser Sanjay Baru told newsmen that Prime Minister commended the role played by Dr Indira (Mamoni Raisom) Goswami. The Prime Minister said that the time has come to end violence and work together to open a new chapter of peace. “I am willing to listen to whatever concern you have but at the same time I am a servant of the Constitution and you must recognise the complexities of our polity,” Prime Minister said. According to PCG member Lachit Bordoloi, they discussed all the issues including the core issue of sovereignty, release of the detained ULFA leaders and suspension of Army operations. The technical details of these demands are likely to be thrashed out when they meet the Home Ministry officials. Significantly the two sides agreed to exercise maximum restraint.

Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, who was first to emerge from the meeting, told waiting newsmen that he was highly satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and he appreciated the role played by the Prime Minister and others. “The Prime Minister is very keen to bring peace and prosperity to Assam and he has requested the PCG members to bring the ULFA to the negotiation table,” he added. The Prime Minister is also very keen to bring an end to violence and the basic issue is that he is not afraid to discuss any issue. But he has to work within the framework of the Constitution. “The meeting today was a positive step and it would send a good message to the ULFA and I hope that they would also respond,” he said.

Later briefing newsmen, spokesman of the PCG, Arup Borbora said that the atmosphere was very congenial and they had heart to heart talk with an open mind. “We have agreed that the long standing conflict should be resolved through a political dialogue as it is the only effective way to resolve the conflict.” The talks progressed in a positive note and similar rounds of talks will take place in near future rather than in the distant future. Describing the talks as preliminary in nature, he said that the Prime Minister expressed his willingness and assured that he was prepared to discuss all the issues that the PCG brings forward and which the ULFA has been pushing through the group. Declining to reveal the details of the discussion, he said that they were very hopeful and talks were progressing in the right direction to facilitate a lasting and meaningful peace and a political settlement of the conflict. One of the members of the PCG said that the ULFA has sought release of six detained ULFA leaders and the women and children, who were handed over to Indian Army by Bhutan.
The mood of the group can be summed up with what Lachit Bordoloi said “At this pace, people would soon see ULFA on the negotiation table.”

The PCG members presented a traditional silk shawl and gamocha to the Prime Minister. HIGHLIGHTS

Royal Treatment: No one may be sure about the outcome of the ongoing peace process, but Government of India is not leaving anything to chance, if the arrangement made for the visiting Peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) is any indication. Apart from lodging the Group in a posh Guest House in South Delhi, all local transportation arrangement has been taken care of by the Centre. The Office of National Security Adviser (NSA) has given the task of hosting the Group to the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which has assigned a sizeable number of its personnel to look after them. The arrangement was equal to that of hospitality extended to the NSCN (I-M) delegation when they visited Delhi in 2003 after a gap of three decades.
Home Ministry missing: As the peace process is being handled by the NSA and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Home Ministry was conspicuous by its absence. When an official of the Ministry was asked about the peace process, he pleaded his ignorance saying that they were in the dark as PMO was handling the entire show. Such was their plight they were not even sure whether Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil was invited to the meeting.
Protocol problem: When Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami and Paresh Baruah’s childhood friend Rebati Phukan met NSA MK Narayanan and insisted that Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi be invited for the first round of talks with PCG, they did not realise they have put the office of NSA into protocol hassles. The Chief Minister, who enjoys Cabinet status at the Centre cannot attend a meeting convened by the NSA who is ranked as Minister of State. So Gogoi was clueless whether he was going to attend the meeting until Monday evening, as he was yet to get a formal invitation. That was when the Prime Minister stepped in and announced that he was going to be present at least for the initial few minutes. It was only after that NSA’s office got in touch with the Chief Minister, who was preparing to leave for Guwahati on Wednesday morning. “In absence of any communication I had scheduled some party programme on October 26. But now that an invitation has come I postponed my departure,” Gogoi told this newspaper.
Hardliners: The PCG had prepared themselves well and right down to the last minutes details. But when they met at Dr Goswami’s North Campus house to fine tune the drill, they were taken aback by the hard-line stand taken by one of the members. The member on the very evening of their arrival created quite a flutter when he commented out of turn and spoke strongly in favour of the demand for sovereignty to a BBC Correspondent. Panicky members soon went into a huddle and decided to reassign their role least the peace process gets derailed even before it get started. Remarked one member,” had the gentleman said these things in front of the Prime Minister, forget about the peace process, we may have been booked under the National Security Act (NSA).”

Dress code: Although there was news report about the ULFA commander-in-chief relaying a set of code of ethics to the members of the PCG, they confided that no such directions had come. But a few of them decided to wear traditional silk dress when they went to meet the Prime Minister.

Additional forces reach Karbi Anglong By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 26 – Ten additional companies of Central forces have reached the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills to bring the situation under control. The Centre decided to send the forces after the recent visit of the Union Minister of State for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal to the State to review the situation after ethnic riots claimed nearly 90 lives in Karbi Anglong.

Police sources said that eight additional companies of Central forces have been deployed in Karbi Anglong, while, two companies have been deployed in NC Hills. Though no clash has been reported from NC Hills, additional forces have been sent to the district as a precautionary measure to prevent occurrence of any untoward incident.

Meanwhile, police said that the situation in Karbi Anglong has been improving gradually and no fresh incident was reported from any part of the district in the last four days. The police and paramilitary forces have launched a massive operation in the district to nab the culprits involved in the clashes and the DIG of the Central Assam Range, LR Bishnoi is camping in the Kheroni area of the district to supervise the operations. So far more than a hundred persons have been arrested for their involvement in the clashes. Three columns of Army personnel have also been deployed in the district and more personnel are expected to reach the district within the next few days.

More than 47000 people of the hill district are still staying in the relief camps and police said that the people would have to be sent back home in a phased manner. Sources said that the administration would not force anyone to go back to their homes. But those willing to go back would have to be sent back with adequate security. Sources pointed out that in the initial stage, the displaced people of the villages located within a radius of two to three kilometres from the police stations and police outposts would be sent back to their villages and security of the villages can be provided by mobile patrolling. Similarly, the people of the villages located near the National Highways can be sent back home. In the next phase, the people of the isolated villages would have to be sent back by posting fixed pickets of police and paramilitary forces for a cluster of four or five villages. Police said that majority of the people living in the relief camps escaped from their villages out of panic and their villages were not attacked. But the State Government would have to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of the people whose houses were burnt down in the attacks.

On the positive side, police claimed that there is no enmity among the common Karbi and Dimasa people and in fact, people of both the communities are living together in the relief camps. Only the miscreants were attacked in the clashes and there have been instances, where common people were forced to burn down the houses. Because of this factor, it should not be hard to send back the people to their respective villages once the situation improves, police pointed out.
Police also admitted that “collection of intelligence” turned out to be a major problem for the security forces as the people are not too keen to share information with the forces. “Moreover, because of the rough terrain, whenever we get information about movement of any armed group, it is too late for operational purpose as by the time the forces reach the area, the miscreants get enough time to get away,” sources admitted.

Sangma expresses concern over ethnic clashes in NE From Tage T Tara Assam Tribune
ITANAGAR, Oct 26 – Former Lok Sabha Speaker and senior NCP leader PA Sangma has expressed grave concern over the growing ethnic clashes among tribal communities of the North-east region.
Talking to newsmen here on October 25 at the end of two-day NCP state executive meeting, the eight times MP from Tura Parliamentary Constituency in Meghalaya said that “tribal people of North-east region ought to respect each other and remain united”.
Advocating “development for peace”, Sangma said intra-tribal rivalry is eating into the social fabric of the region, adding that it needed to be contained urgently by giving “autonomy” to all the tribal institutions with a federal assembly in line of western parliamentary system to decide their developmental activities independently.

Speaking on the relationship of ruling Congress with his NCP, who extended its unconditional support from outside, Sangma said the Nationalist Congress Party in Arunachal Pradesh looked forward to strengthen its relationship with the Congress. “In politics, support has to be reciprocal,” Sangma said.The NCP leader who recently rejoined the party spoke about the aim to strengthen the party as an alternative national party considering that the Congress and BJP were on decline. He further informed that the meeting put forth a suggestion to form the NE NCP Co-ordination Committee adding that the NE NCP unit conference to be held in Feburay next at Guwahati would decide formation of the committee. Replying a question on the inclusion of NCP legislators in the Congress-headed government in the state, Sangma said that the party has decided to extend to the government but it was the CM’s prerogative to decide on the composition of ministry. Sangma urged both the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Government to maintain “status quo” on the border dispute and constitute a joint boundary commission involving MLAs, Chief Ministers and people from both affected areas to visit disputed areas and elicit opinion on the spot. The meeting also urged the state government to impress upon the Centre to waive off the Special Arms Forces Act and Disturbed Area Act from the insurgency infested districts of the state in the wake of gross violation of human rights commited by the security personnel.

ULFA talk : Constitution rider still on Sangai Express

New Delhi, Oct 26 : A crucial dialogue to possibly rope in the banned ULFA into the peace process got underway here today with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh setting the tone saying the Government was willing to discuss “all issues bothering” Assam but within the framework of the Constitution.
The Prime Minister, who attended a historic meeting between the ULFA-selected People's Consulta- tive Group (PCG) and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, said the time has come to end violence in the North-Eastern State.
Briefing the media after the meeting in which the contentious issues of 'sovereignty' and ceasefire is believed to have been raised, the PM's media advisor Sanjaya Baru said “the Prime Minister said he is willing to discuss all issues bothering the people in Assam.”
Quoting the Prime Minister, Baru said “I am willing to listen (to) whatever concerns that you (PCG) made. I am a servant of our Constitution and you should recognise the complexity of our polity.”
Arup Borbora, a member of the 11-member PCG, said it was agreed at the meeting that the nearly three-decade long conflict "could be resolved through political negotiations and peace dialogue.”
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who attended the meeting which lasted two hours 20 minutes, said the Prime Minister was “not afraid” to discuss any issue but had to work within the framework of the Constitution.
“It is a good message to ULFA, I hope they will respond,” he said.
Borbora described the talks held today as “absolutely congenial, open minded and heart-to-heart” and said similar rounds would take place “in the near future rather than in the distant future.”
Official sources said the next round of talks would be held with the Home Ministry but no time frame had been fixed yet.
Quoting the Prime Minister, Baru said “the time has come to end violence. Let us work together to bring a glorious chapter for the people of Assam.”
The meeting today was held in two sessions, the first attended by the PCG, Narayanan and top Home Ministry officials in which Gogoi also joined.
The Prime Minister attended the second session, Borbora said.
While it was not officially stated what issues were discussed, sources said ceasefire and ULFA's demand for sovereignty were also discussed.
“We have expressed our view point. The Government of India also expresed their view. It was basically at a preliminary stage and Manmohan Singhji expressed that the Government is prepared to discuss all the issues that the PCG brings forward or the ULFA has been pushing through the PCG.
“We are hopeful that things will proceed in right direction in right direction to facilitate a lasting and permanent political settlement of the long conflict,” he said.
Gogoi said that the Prime Minister was “very keen” to bring peace and prosperity to the North-East and asked the PCG to prepare the ground so that ULFA comes to the talks table.
He said today's meeting did not discuss nitty-gritties which would be taken up later between the PCG and Government officials. PTI S
Karbi Langpi project by June 2006 Sentinel
NEW DELHI, Oct 26 (UNI): The on-going 100 MW Karbi Langpi hydro electric in Assam will be completed by June 2006, State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here today.Gogoi had called on Power Minister PM Sayeed here to discuss the progress of the 100 MW Karbi Langpi hydro electric project being constructed by the Assam State Electricity Board. The Chief Minister thanked the Centre for sanctioning the required loan amounting to Rs 125 crore and release of Rs 40.28 crore and assured that with the timely release of funds, the project is now expected to be completed by June 2006. He also discussed the rehabilitation of the Bongaigaon Power Project and the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) work in the State.
The Central Government has sanctioned projects worth Rs. 656 crore and Rs 159 crore has been released so far. Mr Sayeed appreciated the progress made by Assam in implementation of APDRP Schemes. The Transmission and Distribution losses have been reduced by one-third and it was agreed that more serious efforts would be required in controlling the losses. The Power Minister informed the Chief Minister that the franchisee model of electricity distribution in rural areas has been circulated to other States in the country for consideration adoption. He also urged the State Government to expedite implementation of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) programme for which 100 per cent funding is available from the Union Government. The Chief Minister said that the Regional Centre of National Power Training Institute in Guwahati, set up by the Centre would provide high quality technical training facilities for the manpower in Assam and other North-Eastern States.
Hill autonomy movement suffers setback BACKDROP/ KA CARNAGE Sentinel GUWAHATI, Oct 26 (UNI): The latest spell of bloodshed in Karbi hills is construed as a major setback to the decades-old autonomous State movement in the twin hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills in the State. The autonomous state movement has been spearheaded by the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), a major political party based in hill districts, with support from different ethnic groups there, including Karbi and Dimasa tribes.
However, the unprecedented violence, a result of the bloody battle for supremacy between Dimasa militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) and Karbi ultras of United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), in Karbi Anglong since September 26 this year which has so far left over 80 persons from Karbi and Dimasa tribes dead and more than 45,000 homeless, has caused irreparable damage and mistrust between Karbi and Dimasa tribes.
This will not augur well for the autonomy movement as it is the Karbis in Karbi Anglong and Dimasas in North Cachar Hills who are basically pursuing the demand for an autonomous state comprising the twin hill districts within the State of Assam as per the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and under the leadership of the ASDC. It is a matter open for an in-depth inquiry as to who was really behind the flare-up in Karbi hills where DHD and UPDS resorted to mindless and barbaric killings of innocent villagers from both Karbi and Dimasa tribes. The present ASDC leadership is left with a herculean task of restoring the age-old brotherhood between Karbis and Dimasas for the sake of autonomy movement. "It will not be easy given the magnitude of violence witnessed by the people from both the tribes who are still under shock. Mistrust and insecurity have gripped the populace in the hill district," said a source in the ASDC.
The autonomous state movement was a brainchild of the CPI-ML which floated the ASDC in 1980s to spearhead the movement and make it popular among the masses in the hill districts. The movement suffered the first major setback in late 1990s when the ASDC was split into two groups. To make the matter worse, the CPI-ML faction of the ASDC was derecognised by the Election Commission before the last election to Karbi Anglong Autonomous District (KAADC) which is now ruled by the Congress.

Frans on 10.27.05 @ 02:17 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, October 26th

Vatican ambassador for peace in Nagaland


Vatican ambassador for peace in Nagaland New Kerala
Kohima: Visiting Vatican Ambassador and the Apostolic Nuncio Rev Pedro Lopez Quintana has urged Nagas to be preachers of peace and communal harmony.

Addressing a gathering at the cathedral here yesterday, Rev Quintana said the world was full of violence, hatred and division, and called upon the people to work for peace.

Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta said that the state has been a victim of conflict, hostility, animosity and bitterness and added the people have realised that violence cannot solve problems.

State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said Christianity does not believe in the separation of the state and religion.

''We cannot divide life between religious life and mundane life.

Christianity integrates and harmonises both. It is therefore essential that we practice in our home and our workplace what we preach as God loves and protect us, we must love protect one another,'' he added.
UNLF takes digs at NSCN (IM) Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 25 : Sharply reacting to the purported statement of Isak Chisi Swu and Th Muivah of the NSCN (IM) that Meiteis and Nagas will become one when freedom is won, the proscribed UNLF today said that the statement issued by the two leaders of the IM group is nothing but an attempt to misguide the different communities of Manipur.
In a statement, UNLF made it clear that their stand is against the policies of the NSCN (IM) and not against the Naga people and reiterated that UNLF has always and will always respect the Naga people.
On the allegations raised against the UNLF by Muivah and Swu, the statement said that ‘bad politics’ as described by the two were and are being pursued by the IM group and not by the UNLF. It was the IM group which was responsible for the Kuki-Naga clash that led to the death of hundreds and the Paite-Kuki clash. Not satisfied with this the IM group is trying its best to sow the seeds of suspicion and hatred between the Meiteis and the Nagas, said the statement. It is the agenda of the NSCN (IM) to ignite a clash between the Nagas and the Meiteis, it added.
UNLF has never ever tried to play one community against the other and will never do so, said the statement.
To the statement that Meiteis and Nagas will become once freedom is attained, UNLF countered with “How about the other communities.”
Muivah and Swu may shout that the Meiteis and Nagas will become one but their real agenda is to ignite a clash between the two communities, charged UNLF and added that the recent 52 days economic blockade imposed at the instigation of the IM group is a telling example.
The people of Manipur however did bot fall prey to the machinations of the IM group, observed the statement and added that the real agenda and aspirations of the UNLF is for all communities to co-exist peacefully with each community maintaining its distinct identity and culture.
On the other hand the IM group has been supping with the Assam Rifles and even joining hands with the common enemy in targeting the UNLF, charged the statement. The UNLF will never adopt such a policy, claimed the statement.
Making its stand clear, UNLF said that it is against the IM group, which is an organisation but is not against the Naga people at all. UNLF has been and will always respect the Naga people, asserted the outfit.
Nagas and nature have common destiny-Datta New Kerala
Kohima: Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta has called upon the people to maintain its age-old practice of respecting nature and rekindle the harmony between nature and human being.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the 3-day workshop on "communities and bio-diversity" at the Administrative Trainihng Institute (ATI) near here yesterday, Mr Datta expressed concern over the wanton wiping out of forests and wildlife.

In his keynote address, Mr Ashish Kothari, Kalpavriksh, Pune, said that for the people outside of North East, posed a stereotype views like home of many tribes, who practice hunting and persue primitive lifestyles.

Besides, being a place where insurgency was dominant factor and nigthmare for conservation, as everything that moves was hunted, he added. But if someone visits the places of the state, will realize that there were excellent initiatives across Nagaland, Mr Kothari pointed.

Chairing the function, Nagaland agriculture production Commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir advocated for amendment of the forest laws. He informed that only 11 per cent of the total forest of the state was belonged to the government and the rest 89 per cent belonged to the communities, where forest laws and bio-diversity act can not be implemented as other parts of the country.

The workshop aimed at to address various issues and provide a platform for different categories of people to take stock of the community conserved areas, so that the process of conservation was strtengthened and a state specific policy was evolved.

The workshop would also look into the existing legal and administrtative framework of conservation of bio-diversity such as the biological diversity act, the wildlife act, the village and areas act, as also the state bio-diversity board so that a comprehensive traditional community based programme was decided upon.
Women decry Rio govt’s stand on panel OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 25: Women’s organisations in Nagaland have alleged that the state government’s decision not to set up the mandatory state women’s commission due to paucity of funds was unjust.
The state government had recently written to Girija Vyas, chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), stating its inability to set up the women’s commission in the state.
It also stated that the situation prevalent in the state did not immediately warrant setting up of the commission at the state level. “Nagaland is predominantly a tribal state where women in general enjoy a fair amount of equality with men and also do not suffer severe disabilities and discrimination on grounds of sex,” the government argued.
Nagaland and Manipur are the only states in the country which have not set up the mandatory state commission for protecting women’s rights. Nagaland also does not have a single woman in the 60-member Assembly.
Rosemary Dzuvichu, an expert member from Nagaland in the NCW, said the government’s argument was not only unjust and ridiculous but also insulting to women in the state.
She accused the policymakers in the state of being gender insensitive and also questioned the government’s argument of paucity of funds for protection of women when it could “spend crores on everything else.”
Rosemary said contrary to the government’s claim that there was no discrimination against women, there were scores of cases of atrocities against Naga women. “Domestic violence has become common these days,” she added.
Led by Rosemary, a women’s team submitted a memorandum to governor Shyamal Datta on Monday. They made a strong case for implementing the mandatory state policy for women as per the national policy for women empowerment that was drafted three years ago.
She has the support of several other women’s organisations, including the powerful Naga Mothers’ Association.
The association’s president, Kheshili Chishi, criticised the government for neither setting up a commission nor implementing a policy for women.
They said the government had implemented some half-baked actions like setting up a women’s department.

NSCN (IM) trying to mislead Meiteis: UNLF
The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 25: The United National Liberation Front, UNLF, has strongly refuted the NSCN(IM)`s statement that the Nagas and Meiteis would remain as one once the freedom movement got success.

Reacting to a statement made by Isak Chisi Swu and Thuingaleng Muivah of the NSCN(IM) which was published in the October 22 edition of a local vernacular, UNLF`s senior publicity officer, Ksh Yoiheiba said the NSCN(IM)`s statement was made only to mislead the Meitei community.

Observing that the NSCN (IM) statement was made specifically to put blame on the UNLF, Yoiheiba further said that it is natural for disguised and disheartened leaders like Isak and Muivah to put blame on the UNLF for the dirty reactionary politics being played by NSCN(IM).

Yoiheiba`s statement further maintained that the UNLF stood by its principles and the people of Manipur are with the party.

The people of Manipur understand that the UNLF has never indulged in any activities which could create communal hatred and its bid was to bring unity amongst all the underground organisation, Yoiheiba said adding communal politics is rather being played by NSCN(IM) and it is being understood by the people.

Ethnic clashes amongst the Nagas and Kukis and between the Kukis and the Paites which led to large scale violence and loss to human lives were all handiworks of the NSCN(IM), Yoiheiba said adding people of Manipur fully understood that the NSCN(IM) has been trying to provoke and take advantage of a communal clash amongst the Nagas and the Meiteis.

Ridiculing the observation made by the two NSCN(IM) leaders, Yoiheiba`s statement also asked whether other indigenous communities inhabting in Manipur will leave when the Meiteis and Nagas happen to remain as one.

The NSCN (IM) claims to be very cordial, but in reality the outfit has been making every possible effort to sow the seeds of hatred amongst Meitei and Nagas and subsequently to start a cummunal clash between the two communities, Yoiheiba said in the statement.

Citing an example, the UNLF statement said the 52 day long road blockade along the national highways were done under authoritative command of the NSCN(IM) only to put the people of Manipur on their knees.

However, the people of Manipur fully understood the move and the NSCN(IM) had to retreat from their stance, the statement said. Apart from this the NSCN(IM) has turned out to be a collaborator with IOF by extending support to the Assam Rifles and waging war against the UNLF, it said.

The UNLF would never indulge in dirty politics being played by the NSCN(IM) as the outfit gives equal treatment to all the communities.

Yoiheiba`s statement however maintained that this particular observation is being made relating to the NSCN(IM) only and it is not made against the Naga community as a whole. The UNLF may have contrasting ideology and conflict with the NSCN(IM) but there is no ill will or enmity between the UNLF and the Naga community, it said adding aspiration and will of the people cannot be suppressed under the behest of a few leaders.
Jasokie guided Nagaland's destiny: PM
New Delhi | October 26, 2005 6:50:54 AM IST Webindia

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has condoled the death of former Nagaland Chief Minister J B Jasokie, stating that he had guided the destiny of Naga people.
''It is not often that our nation is blessed to have men of Shri Jasokie’s idealism and commitment at the helm of affairs. We were truly blessed to have him guide the destiny of the Naga people. I salute his memory and convey my deepest and sincere condolences to his family, his friends and admirers and the people of Nagaland,'' Dr Singh said in a message to the family of the late leader and the people of the state.
The Prime Minister said he was deeply distressed to learn of the sad demise of Mr Jasokie, who was a patriot, a nationalist and a true son of India.
Mr Jasokie was a revered leader of the Naga people. After a promising academic carrier in Kohima and Shillong, he took part in the Second World War. He was also a keen sportsman.
Mr Jasokie entered public life as an active member of the Naga Independence movement but took a principled view on the use of violence in seeking a political objective. He was truly opposed to achieving his political objective through violent means, the Prime Minister said.
As an elected Member of the Interim Body, as a member of the legislative Assembly and later Minister and Chief Minister, he served the people of Nagaland with dedication and commitment. Mr Jasokie’s passionate commitment to the ideals of the Indian Republic encouraged him to join the national mainstream and participate actively in the governance of the country, Dr Singh said.
Former Nagaland Chief Minister John Bosco Jasokie died on October 19 at his residence in Kohima following prolonged illness.
He is survived by wife, two sons and three daughters. UNI SN RP AR PM1917
Khonoma: India’s envy, Nagaland’s pride Sano Meru The Morung Express October 25
Khonoma, (MExN): Much to India’s envy, the Western Angami hamlet of Khonoma was officially inaugurated as the country’s first Green Village by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio today.
Nestled among the picturesque hills of God’s very own country, Khonoma is renowned for its glorious past of valiant warriors and victorious battles, each a testimony against the mighty British Empire besides being the native birthplace of Late AZ Phizo, the most renowned Naga revolutionary apart from other prominent Naga leaders.
The Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio addressed a mammoth gathering after inaugurating the village gate in the presence of high profile dignitaries such as Assembly Speaker Kiyanielie Peseyie, Minister PHED and Land Revenue P Longon, Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Excise, Dr. TM Lotha, Parliamentary Secretaries Kaito, MC Konyak and R. Khing, MLA Vatsü Meru, Commissioner and Secretary (Tourism), Khekiye K. Sema besides other top government officials. The Chief Minister said that Khonoma was a blessing for Nagaland to be proud of. Thanking the villagers for extending full cooperation towards the implementation of the Government’s programmes and policies, Rio said that Khonoma Village had added another historical feather to its cap by becoming a model village for other Naga villages to follow.
Implying that Communitisation was basically about community participation in the Government’s functioning, the Chief Minister called upon the people to extend their fullest support towards achieving maximum results.
Khonoma is the first ever Green Village in the entire country and hence, he called upon the people of the village to maintain the status that it has achieved. Urging the people to adopt a work culture, the Chief Minister also said that with the advent of technology and its related studies to which Nagas were no strangers, it would be highly beneficial if the qualified and educated people utilized their knowledge and work for the betterment of the State. Maintaining that tourists talk only about the Naga War Cemetery, Rio said that the Naga people should be environment-conscious by preserving and developing the rich natural flora and fauna in order to turn the tourists into ambassadors of the beauty and aesthetic culture of Nagaland.
"We should uphold the traditions of our forefathers and preserve our rich cultural heritage. Tourists only talk about the War Cemetery when they visit the state capital. It is a shame because Nagaland is endowed with natural beauty in itself. So, it is up to us to develop our God given gifts for other people to talk about," Rio said.
Taking the example of Sikkim’s beauty, the Chief Minister said that Nagaland should also develop a similar attitude. He said that the declaration of the year 2006 as the ‘Year of the Farmers,’ besides other factors, would also be for the beautification and enrichment of our natural environment.
Expressing full satisfaction with the Khonoma Public Commission, Rio was appreciative of the Cardamom plantations, Tragopan Sanctuary (supposedly the only one in the world) besides the high level of civic sense that the villagers have. Besides, the uniqueness of the Khonoma Green Village Project lies in the fact that it is the only one of its kind to have gone through the Environment Impact Assessment Study done by the famed Centre for Environmental Education, India.
A number of the dignitaries present at the function also addressed the gathering. Earlier in the programme, a number of colorful cultural items were presented by the villagers. A Construction Report of Khonoma Gate was also tabled by Er. Kevisekho Kruse while Khonoma Tourism Development Board (KTDB) Treasurer Kolachalie Seyie gave a brief report of the Green Village Project. Lady Wife of the Chief Minister Kaisa Rio also spoke on the topic ‘Nature’s Utopia’. Besides felicitation of the dignitaries, short speeches were also delivered by village and tribal leaders. The function was followed by a grand community feast hosted by the Rho-u Kuotsu Kikramia. It may be mentioned that the entire cost of the project came to the tune of Rs 3 crores sponsored by the Union Ministry of Tourism and Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland.
Release of ULFA leaders, Ceasefire to figure in talks today The Morung Express
GUWAHATI, OCT 25 (AGENCIES): Setting the agenda for the much-awaited talks with the Government, the ULFA-selected Peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) tonight said it would raise the issue of release of jailed leaders of the banned outfit and a ceasefire with the security forces.
"We will raise the issue of release of nine top leaders of the ULFA languishing in jails in India and Bangladesh so that they can convene a Central Committee meeting," PCG member and Guwahati High Court advocate Arup Borbora, who was named the official spokesman of the group, told media persons in New Delhi.
"Achieving ceasefire between the banned ULFA and Government of India forces is what is basically aimed at by the PCG at this opening round of talks so that a conducive atmosphere could be created for direct talks between the ULFA and the government," a member of the group informed. The PCG has been provided with basic guidelines for discussion by the ULFA leadership. The preliminary round is aimed at clearing ‘hurdles’ to pave the way for a direct talks between two sides in a later stage to find solution to the 26-year-old insurgency problem.
The negotiations will start with a meeting with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi is supposed to be present during the meeting with Dr Singh and the 11-member PCG to be led by Delhi-based Assamese novelist and writer Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami.
First Naga Presidential Candidate appeal (Independent) JNUSU Election 2005-06) The Morung Express Yaronsho Ngalung
To enlarge the democratic space in JNU Election Manifesto
I am contesting this election as an independent candidate for the post of President. However, being an independent candidate does not mean that I do not have any political understanding.
I would like to share with you my social and political concerns and if I can persuade you that these concerns are genuine and need to be addressed urgently then perhaps I can persuade you to give your valuable vote. I have just one request. Please read this Manifesto carefully and give serious thought to the issues it seeks to raise. I am very proud to belong to JNU, as almost every student is. I think ours is a unique campus because it has a long tradition of democratic debates and discussions and exchange of views between students and also within the classrooms.
However, have you ever thought that perhaps there are some voices that never get heard? We read history of India but it does not include any history of the North east; we read political science but we are not taught about the democratic institutions of indigenous peoples that have survived and evolved; we learn about the women’s movement but I wonder how many students know that Manipur has been celebrating women’s day (NUPI LAN) and it is an official holiday. It is not only the North east which is missing from the syllabus. There is almost no mention of the socio-economic and political movements representing the aspirations of the religious minorities such as the Muslim, the movements for self-determination in the Naga areas, Assam and in other North east areas, Kashmir or even Tamils, and voices of Dalit movement or even the women’s movement are all missing from our formal academics. I think it is imperative that we should re-evaluate the syllabus so that the view of India or the world is not confined to studying the world or India from an elite perspective. My immediate concerns will be:
1. Implementation of the XIth plan which includes expansion of numbers of hostels, new shopping complex and new cafeteria etc.
2. Setting up an Action Committee to look into the grievances of students belonging to Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes, especially the problem of the women students.
3. Ensure greater transparency in the admission policy so that the SCs/STs students get their fair share of seats and fight against insidious dereservation policy.
4. Merit-cum-Means scholarships for all needy students including students belonging to the SCs/STs and to PH categories. MCM should be extended to PH.D students as well.
5. Enforce the scheme for fellowships for SCs/STs students at the M.PHIL and PH.D under the Rajiv Gandhi Fellowship programme
6. Ensuring the CSIR fellowships are disbursed in time.
7. Addressing the special problems of foreign students.
8. Supporting and promoting awareness about issues arising from gender discrimination and human rights violation.
9. Promoting innovative and creative dialoque between students from different regions and religions.
10. Promoting awareness about the special vulnerability of Muslim students, especially Kashmris students in the context of the war against terrorism and Islamophobia.
11. Initiating rain water harvesting to make the campus more eco-friendly.
12. Ensuring more books in the libraries and computers in the centres.
13. Look into the condition of the migrant labours in the campus.
14. Promoting transparency, accountability and good governance in the University.
KUKNALIM
ULFA team to talk with ‘open mind’
A total end to military operations against the ULFA and the Centre’s willingness to discuss ‘‘core issues’’ are top priorities for the 11-member People’s Consultative Group (PCG) that will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow. The PCG was nominated by the ULFA to fix the modalities of the peace talks between the government and the outlawed militant organisation. Speaking to reporters, PCG member Arun Barbora said that the group would be meeting the Prime Minister with an ‘‘open mind’’. ‘‘The government will naturally want to know our mind and we would also want to understand what the government is thinking,” he said. “The issue is 27 years old and ULFA wants a dignified solution to Assam’s strife through a political dialogue.’’ He added, ‘‘Our job is to frame the basic structure for a dialogue between the conflicting parties and resolve the issue amicably. We will also try to remove all hurdles coming in the way of direct talks between them and try make them fruitful.’’ This is the first time in over a decade that the Centre is engaging the ULFA in talks. The earlier peace initiative failed when key ULFA negotiators Arabinda Rajkhowa and Anup Chetia slipped away to Bangladesh leaving beind an embarrassed Centre and a peace process that was all but dead. The duo have since been operating from within Bangladesh along with Paresh Baruah, ULFA’s supreme commander. Barbora said the fact that civil society of Assam had been involved in the current peace process indicated ULFA’s seriousness. He said the PCG was only concerned about ‘‘bringing the two sides to the negotiation table’’. He refrained from giving any timeframe within which the ULFA and Centre would start negotiations. ‘‘No time should be wasted. At the same time, it also depends on several factors,’’ Barbora said. He said the PCG “will discuss things as they come. We are not anticipating anything’’. The ULFA formally responded to the Centre’s invitation for peace talks only after the Army suspended its operation in the forests of Tinsukia. On its part, the ULFA claimed it had suspended its own operations because of the peace process. Road to talks
• Dec 6, 2004: PM urges ULFA to give up violence, go for talks
• Sept 7, 2005: Noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami informs Centre that ULFA is ready for a dialogue. ULFA announces 11-member People’s Consultative Group that will meet Central negotiators. Goswami to be main interoluctor
• Oct 21, 2005: Centre formally sends invitation to People’s Consultative Group for talks in Delhi
ULFA talks to begin amid killings in Assam By Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati/New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) Two militants of the outlawed United iberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were killed by police in Assam ahead of landmark peace talks between the central government and representatives of the rebel group Wednesday in New Delhi.
A police spokesperson said the two ULFA militants were killed in a shootout with security forces in Mowmari village in northern Assam's Darrang district Tuesday. 'The two were on an extortion bid when police on specific information challenged them and in the ensuing encounter both of them got killed,' a senior police official said. The encounter came on the eve of the talks in New Delhi Wednesday where a group of civil society leaders chosen by the ULFA are to begin negotiations to bring an end to three decades of insurgency in Assam.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to attend the inaugural session of the talks that are scheduled to begin at 3.30 p.m. at his 7, Race Course residence in New Delhi. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would also participate in the proposed talks.
The ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland since 1979, last month nominated an 11-member People's Consultative Group (PCG), a team of prominent civil society members with noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami as their leader.
'No contentious issues would be raised by us and the aim of the talks is to set the peace process moving,' Goswami told IANS. The ULFA representatives include prominent journalists, a footballer of yesteryears, human rights activists, an engineer, a lawyer, and a doctor. The government last week formally invited the PCG for talks following a letter from the ULFA offering the outfit's desire to begin formal negotiations. 'Our aim is to see that the peace process gets rolling and then the government could think of a ceasefire,' said Goswami, who was acting as a mediator between the ULFA and New Delhi. The central government team was earlier scheduled to be led by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan. It was upgraded at the last moment with the prime minister now chairing the talks. 'We want to see the ULFA leaders holding direct face-to-face talks with the government at a later stage when their demands and other grievances could be taken up. Now we are trying to prepare the ground for peace,' PCG spokesperson and senior Gauhati High Court lawyer Arub Borbora said in New Delhi. There is tremendous hope and optimism in Assam over the talks.
'I sincerely hope there is some positive forward movement so that the ULFA could come for talks and solve the issue peacefully,' said Milika Baruah, octogenarian mother of ULFA's self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. The ULFA military chief has not visited his home since he and five others formed the outfit 27 years back.
In 1992, a group of five senior ULFA leaders were freed from jail and taken to New Delhi for initiating talks with the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. The leaders went underground after holding one round of talks.
'The situation then was quite different from now with the people of Assam clamouring for peace. Our leadership, too, is equally keen to resolve the conflict through negotiations,' jailed ULFA leader Pranati Hazarika said.
The ULFA is one of the most organised rebel outfits in the northeast where more than 30 militant groups operate with demands ranging from independence to greater autonomy.
At least 15,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Assam since 1979 when ULFA, the state's first rebel group, was founded.
3 kids die in Karbi camps
ASDC seeks NHRC’s intervention From Our Staff Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, Oct 25 — The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) today moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) while the CPI-ML staged a demonstration highlighting the recent violence in Karbi Anglong district. The ASDC delegation that called on the NHRC today asked for its intervention in the clashes that left over 70 dead and thousands injured. They demanded that NHRC should send a team to take stock of the situation in the trouble-torn district.
Meanwhile, the CPI(ML) today started a 50-hour hunger strike-cum-dharna against the Tarun Gogoi Government and the UPA Government’s inaction in containing the political turmoil leading to ethnic strife in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills. The hunger strike is being led by politburo member and Uttar Pradesh State secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh. Central committee member and secretary of the Delhi State Committee of the party Rajendra Pratholi and Delhi State Committee members VKS Gautam, Surendra Panchal and Ardhendu Roy are also sitting on hunger strike along with Singh.
The CPI(ML) has called for intervention of the President, besides constitution of an inquiry commission comprising sitting judges, preferably from the Supreme Court, which should also investigate into the role of the State government in Assam as well as the role of the monitoring committee set up to monitor the ceasefire agreement with these warring outfits by the Central Government, to bring the truth before the nation.
The party demanded urgent steps to review and revamp the ceasefire mechanism and immediate shifting of camps designated for the DHD from Karbi Anglong. They also demanded that only one designated camp per militant group in their own respective areas be allowed and they not be allowed to move to other areas with arms, as is being done at present.

PM to lay foundation of biggest thermal project in NE Assam Tribune
AGARTALA, Oct 25 – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation of a 750 MW gas-based thermal project - the biggest thermal project in the north-east - at Palatana in South District of Tripura on October 29. The estimated cost of the project to be set up by the ONGC will be Rs 5,200 crore.
Security has been beefed up here and Udaipur subdivision of South district in view of this visit, official sources said. All the police stations have been put on alert and Border Security Force (BSF) has been asked to be vigilant along the 856 km-border with Bangladesh to thwart subversive activities.
State Education minister Keshab Majumder said work for construction of a temporary helipad at Palatana was in progress. Heavy rain in the last few days had impeded work. Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh will also be coming, the sources said. The Prime Minister will be leaving for Imphal the same day. – PTI

Manipur relief team in Karbi Anglong From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
IMPHAL, Oct 25 – A joint team of four civil societies of Manipur, namely, United People’s Front (UPF), Ethnic Heritage Council (HERICON), IPSA and National Integrity Protection Commitee (NIPCO) has left Imphal on Sunday to provide relief to victims of Dimasa-Karbi feud in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

Sources in Imphal said that the team will distribute relief materials in the form of cash and kind to the victims stationed at relief camps. It added that the team would put its best efforts to bring normalcy and peace in the strife torn region. The conspiracy and instigation undertaken by a major insurgent group (at present undergoing peace talk with the Union Govt) is a dangerous ploy against the causes of the whole North-east, a press statement of UPF said, adding that the Centre’s inaction and negligence is quite unfortunate and has jeopardised the lives of neutral Meitei community living in the region.
In another development, All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) has confiscated about 100 mobile telephone forms issued by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) from different places. AMSU had earlier announced that they would seize mobile phone application forms until and unless the services of the Cellone is not improved in Manipur. The vice-president of the students’ body E Ratankumar informed the media the development. He also warned that if anybody is found selling mobile forms or if the mobile section of BSNL is found issuing SIM cards, they must be held responsible for any undesirable developments.

AMSU also strongly condemned the BSNL’s one-sided focus on money rather than paying attention to providing efficient service, stated the student leader. According to reports, BSNL had already activated around 8000 SIM cards issued to the Cellone mobile phone subscribers in Manipur which is said to be above the capacity of the present network services. AMSU has also appealed to all concerned not to hike prices of commodities in the wake of various festivals like Ningol Chakkouba, Diwali, Id and Christmas.
ULFA wants dignified solution to Assam insurgency: PCG "Our job basically is to frame the basic structure for the ultimate dialogue between the conflicting parties and resolve the issue amicably.’’ From our Correspondent & PTI
NEW DELHI, Oct 25 : Ahead of the much-anticipated meeting between the Centre and the ULFA-constituted PCG, the PMO today hinted at the possibility of the Centre declaring an unilateral ceasefire with the outfit if the first round of talks ends in a conducive atmosphere. Meanwhile, on the eve of scheduled peace talks with the Government, the Peoples’ Consultative Group (PCG) today said the banned outfit wants a "dignified" solution to Assam’s three-decade-old insurgency problem. "We want peace in Assam. The ULFA wants a dignified solution to the 27-year-old conflict," PCG member and Gauhati High Court advocate Arup Borbora told reporters here after a close-door meeting of the group here to finalise their strategy for tomorrow’s meeting with National Security Advisor MK Narayanan which will also be attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
"Our job basically is to frame the basic structure for ultimate dialogue between the conflicting parties and resolve the issue amicably. We will also try to remove all hurdles coming in the way of direct talks between them and make it fruitful," he said after the meeting which was held at the residence of mediator Indira Goswami. When asked whether the banned outfit would honour decisions which may be taken in the course of discussion, Borbora, son of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Borbora, said cryptically, "We are in actual communication."
About the agenda of the proposed talks, he said: "We will discuss the things as they come. We are not anticipating anything. Definitely the Government of India would like to know our point of view." "It is for the first time that members of the civil society are being involved in talks. This it self proves that the ULFA is very much positive about the whole process," said Borbora.
Sources in the PMO revealed that the Prime Minister has himself taken the initiative to sit in the talks and has specifically instructed the PMO to invite the Assam Chief Minister. The Prime Minister is expected to meet the Group ahead of the formal talks with the National Security Advisor MK Narayanan. On the recent statement of Chief of Army Staff, General JJ Singh, Borbora said that such comments may create misunderstandings. "People should refrain from making such comments at such an important juncture," Borbora added.
In Karbi Anglong, dejection persists amidst uneasy calm By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 25: The aftermath of the 24-day strife that left 87 dead and thousands homeless in the State’s largest district —Karbi Anglong — is no better even as the hill district is slowly limping back to normalcy. While those at the helm of affairs are engaged in mud slingging at each other, there lay a dejected lot languishing in the 56 relief camps across the district.
The worst ever spell of violence in the State in recent days has left these victims, around 44,900 in number, bereft of even the minimum requisites to lead a healthy life. What has hit these refugees most is severe scarcity of potable water and no wonder that fear of epidemics looms large in the peripheries of the relief camps. Official sources said that rice, pulses, chira and salt are being supplied to the camps but the supply is yet to be streamlined. Crisis of food supply in the coming days cannot be ruled out, official sources indicated. Worse, thousands of children and pregnant women sheltered in the camps are facing the brunt of the problem due to the absence of specialist doctors. Symptoms of sundry diseases have already started appearing in the children, especially the infants. Besides, diarrhoea and skin diseases have also affected a considerable section of the refugees. Meanwhile, the district administration has launched a peace mission from today. A team comprising representatives of political parties and NGOs will visit the camps to re-instill confidence among the tribals and restore peace in the hill district.
Delhi, Dispur sowing seeds of mistrust: Haliram Terang ASDC says Govt involved in Karbi clashesv By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 25: The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) yesterday joined the chorus of demand for the dismissal of the State Government for its alleged role in, what it called, the ‘greatest tragedy of the century’ faced by the Karbi and Dimasa people. Besides, it has demanded an impartial inquiry by a panel of sitting Supreme Court judges into the entire episode of the recent genocide in the hill district. "Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Chief Executive Member of the Autonomous Council who swore by the Constitution and the law of the land have to be dismissed," said Haliram Terang, ASDC president, while addressing a joint press conference here yesterday. He said more than 90 people had been killed while more than 50,000 people had been rendered homeless in the recent violence. "There are enough circumstantial evidences to show the involvement of the Government or its complicity in the murders and mayhem," he alleged.
Terang said that before the recent ‘artificially-created clashes’ two hill districts had witnessed three major tragedies owing to clashes among Hmar, Dimasa, Karbi and Kuki during the tenure of the present Congress Government. He suspected that the governments at Dispur and Delhi were sowing seeds of mistrust and schism among the people to prevent them from coming together and fighting for their rights. He said that the comments made by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi that these kinds of killings can happen in jungle was an "insult to Karbis and Dimasas as well as the people of the North-east." The ASDC also demanded deputation of adequate security forces in the vulnerable areas, launching of mopping-up operation in the militant-infested areas and patrolling of Karbi Anglong’s border with NC Hills, Nagaon and Nagaland. The role of the NSCN-IM in the violence could not be ruled out, they alleged.
The ASDC leader also demanded sufficient relief materials, including food, water, clothing, medicine and baby food to the victims languishing in the relief camps. Citing government officials, he said that since the government confirmed the involvement of the UPDS and the DHD in the clashes, the fact that leaders of the two outfits were roaming free was beyond comprehension. The assistant general secretary of the Dimasa Students’ Union (DSU) Koibolal Hagjer also demanded the resignation of the Hill Area Development Minister GC Langthasa and dissolution of NC Hill Autonomous Council. The Karbi Students’ Association (KSA) general secretary Biren Ingty was also present in the meeting.


Frans on 10.26.05 @ 02:26 PM CST [link]


Tuesday, October 25th

NSCN-IM denies hand in Karbi clashes


NSCN-IM denies hand in Karbi clashes October 24
Detention of DHD top brass in Hebron camp alleged The Morung Express News
DIMAPUR: The NSCN (IM), while deploring the recent flare-up of ethnic violence between the Dimasas and the Karbis, has denied its having a hand in the clashes. However, according to an Assam based news portal, Chairman of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) Dilip Dimasa is said to have revealed that its Home Secretary Kantho Langthasa was kept in custody of the NSCN (IM) from October 7 to 20. The incident seen as the root cause of subsequent ethnic frenzy in the district was designed by NSCN (IM) to fuel DHD-UPDS clash, added the report.
The report substantiating the finding added that the NSCN (IM), after the Misibailang episode where an Assam government magistrate died over the Assam-Nagaland border dispute, desperately wanted the Dhansiri camp of DHD to be dislodged. While accepting that the Home Secretary of the DHD had visited Camp Hebron, an NSCN official denied the detention of Langthasa as reported. "His visit has nothing to do with the clash," the official said. He further said that since they were adhering strictly to the ground rules of the ceasefire, the allegation was unfounded and added that the Misibailang incident had no connection whatsoever with the present turmoil in Karbi Anglong.
Meanwhile, a press release issued by Johnny Dilbung, MIP Kilonser of the outfit said, "There are certain elements with ulterior motives that are trying to incite hatred upon the Nagas and create enmity within, taking the on¬going clashes as an instrument to launch their evil designs, by dragging the NSCN’s name in the clashes, which is absolutely absurd and inconsistently bereft of any logical reasons." He further stressed on the need for both the warring Karbi and Dimasa communities to "peacefully resolve the issues of conflict rather than accumulating further aggravated losses."
With regard to the allegation that the NSCN was pursuing forced conversion, Dilbung said, "As Christian Nagas, we do not believe in forced conversions or champion violence which is completely against our religion and a grave sin in its act. This fact is clearly understood and recognized by our neighbors who bear the witness to our ways of worship and in the ethics and principles of Christianity we abide by and upkeep, and cannot be wrongly interpreted, swayed or misled according to the convenience of adverse manipulators."
Union Minister’s Nagaland visit questioned Assam Tribune
KOHIMA, Oct 24 – Nagaland Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Excise, Dr TM Lotha has questioned the manner in which the Union Minister Oscar Fernandez paid a two-day visit to Nagaland.

Talking to NEPS here on , Dr Lotha, who is also a senior BJP leader in the State, said that the Naga people had high expectations to hear something from the visiting Union Minister with regard to the ongoing political dialogue, because he was coming directly from Bangkok after political talks with the NSCN-IM leadership.

However, the Naga people were taken aback by not only his failure to meet them during his two-day stay in the State but also not mentioning even a single word about the political talks he had with the NSCN-IM leadership in Bangkok.

“This indicates that he was not serious enough to the task assigned to him,” the Nagaland Health Minister pointed out.

“Therefore the Naga people have become apprehensive about the fate of the future of the talks which is vital to the long drawn out Naga political issue.”

“He (Oscar Fernandez) may be a Congress man but he is a Union Minister holding important portfolio like Programme Implementation,” Dr Lotha stated.

“Therefore, we expect that he would meet the State Council of Ministers but he did not bother even to make a courtesy call on the State Governor.”

However, the NPCC had yesterday, clarified that the Union Minister’s two-day State visit was purely to address its members and nothing to do with the ongoing peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM. “It appeared from the NPCC’s clarification that the visiting Union Minister was misled by them (NPCC leaders) for their narrow political mileage,” Dr Lotha averred.

“Otherwise, how can a Union Minister regardless of political party he belongs to ignore making a courtesy call on State Governor while visiting a State where a popular Government is at the helm of affairs,” Dr Lotha questioned.
Nagaland Churches asked to reach out to Karbi Anglong victims The Morung Express News October 24
DIMAPUR: Advocating the need for churches in Nagaland to reach out to those affected as a result of the violence in Karbi Anglong, Dr Wati Aier, Principal of the Oriental Theological Society and a vice president of the Asian Baptist Federation said, "We had taken the gospel to them. Now it is our turn to reach out to them to show that we are in solidarity with them."
He also called for a holistic approach towards the crisis. "As Christians, we must take the risk, let us not be afraid," he said.
When asked to comment on the issue of conversion brought to surface recently, Wati had to say: "Those looking at the Church with a critical eye have to distinguish between conversion and humanitarian work."
Constructive intervention by the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) into the present conflict in Karbi Anglong through the Asian Baptist Federation could be a possible option.
Informing of this development, Wati said the BWA had already been informed of the prevailing situation. The Baptist World Alliance is a fellowship of 211 Christian Baptist unions and conventions comprising a membership of more than 32 million.
Meanwhile, Inavi Jimo, the President of the Baptist Youth Federation (BYFD), Dimapur has called for a meeting of all youth directors, presidents and representatives of Baptist churches under BYFD.
The meeting is to be conducted at the Lotha Baptist Church at 3 pm in the evening on October 25.
NSC to take a call on Naga integration
The National Security Council (NSC) headed by PM Manmohan Singh will be briefed on the Naga peace process tomorrow after which it will take a view on whether to approach the civil and political leadership of Assam and Manipur on the integration of Naga-inhabited areas.
The Centre and the NSCN(I-M) are likely to hold the next round of talks in Bangkok in late November. The NSCN(I-M), which refused to extend the truce beyond six months, had in decided to adopt a ‘‘step by step’’ approach to issues like ‘‘integration of Naga-inhabited areas’’ and ‘‘special federal relationship with India’’.

The Central team led by Minister of State for Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes wants to approach leadership of other Northeastern states on the integration issue to prevent talks from breaking down.

RSS draws flak from Church, NSCN OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph - Naga organisations accuse Sangh of playing divisive politics Kohima, Oct. 24: The Nagaland Baptist Churches’ Council and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) today blamed the Rashtriya Swayasevak Sangh of trying to stoke religious hatred in the region. The accusation came in reaction to an RSS statement, reported in the local media, accusing the Nagas of proselytising people in Karbi Anglong and provoking the Karbis and Dimasas.
The RSS has reportedly accused the Church and the NSCN (I-M) of converting Karbi Anglong residents with an aim of incorporating the Assam district into Greater Nagaland or Nagalim, one of the main demands of the NSCN (I-M). In a sharp reaction to the RSS charge, general secretary of the churches’ council Rev. Zhabu Terhuja said the Church in Nagaland had always created an environment where people of all religions live in harmony.
“But if this be the RSS’s attitude, then we cannot be sure of the results,” said Terhuja. But when asked if he meant if there would be a backlash, the clergymen refused to be drawn into any controversy.
Local dailies in Nagaland today prominently carried statements by RSS leader Ram Madhav in Chitrakoot, accusing the Church of provoking violence and proselytising the Hindus in Karbi Anglong. The Sangh has also claimed that the rebel outfits were helping in mass conversions inTirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The NSCN (I-M), in its turn, accused the RSS of trying to divide the people of the region on religious lines to further its own interests.
Phunthing Shimrang, convenor of the NSCN’s ceasefire monitoring cell, said the RSS was “ignorant” about the history of the Northeast and its ethnic diversity and added that “their outburst is sowing seeds of division”.
“If the RSS can bring such unfounded allegations against us, then we, too, could question the Ramakrishna Mission’s activities in Tirap,” the rebel said. Asked about the RSS’s insinuation on the Nagalim issue, Shimrang said it was the people’s views and aspirations that counted and not those of the NSCN or the Church. Shimrang added that while the RSS was concerned about the Hindus of Manipur, parts of which the NSCN wants included in Nagalim, its statement made no mention of the non-Hindus and the tribals, including Nagas.
In its criticism of the Sangh Parivar, the militant outfit did not spare the Assam unit of the BJP also. Shimrang accused the party of politicising the Karbi-Dimasa dispute for its own advantage.
He warned that given this kind of “divisive” attitude, “the (Naga) problem can never be resolved”. The BJP’s Northeast unit has been opposed to the integration of Naga inhabited areas.
The outfit also urged the various groups in Karbi Anglong to refrain from violence. “In advocacy of harmonious co-existence and neighbourly brotherhood, the NSCN sincerely appeals to the Karbi and Dimasa people to sagaciously abstain and refrain from violent means and initiate ways to resolve the dispute in an amicable and peceful approach, so that no further bloodshed and suffering may be endured in the process of reaching settlement to the issue of conflict,” an NSCN statement added.
IM denies hand in clash Urges Karbis and Dimasas to stop violence
By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 24: While stating that it has no hand in the ethnic clash between the Dimasas and Karbis in Assam, NSCN/GPRN has deplored the recent flare up of ethnic violence in Karbi-Anglong district of Assam that has resulted in huge loss of innocent human lives and displaced thousands of people belonging to both the communities.
In a statement, kilonser of information and publicity of the underground government of the Naga outfit Maj (retired) Johny Dilbung said that certain elements with ulterior motives are trying to incite hated upon the Nagas and create enmity within by dragging the names of the outfit in the clashes.
This is absolutely absurd and inconsistently bereft of any logical reasons, he asserted.
He clarified that the Nagas do not have any form of enmity with or dislike of either the Karbis and the Dimasas, but have been co-existing amicably with with them.
As for the accusation of forced conversions, the statement said, it does not bear an iota of truth ‘as Christian Nagas, we do not believe in forced conversions are champion violence which is completely against our religion and a grave sin in its act.’
Stating that the outfit is pained to observe the on-going clashes, the state- ment said that it is unfortunate that such a deve- lopment is taking place between the two neighbours that had been co- existing amicably before.
There may have been differences and misunder- standings between the two communities which could have been resolved harmoniously through conscien- tious diplomatic approaches instead of violent means, the statement observed.
However, taking advantage of the situation, the outfit alleged, adverse elements added fuel to the conflict resulting in bloody vengeance and vendetta, leading to unprecedented scales of sufferings and irreparable losses to both the communities.
Though the past cannot be altered or changed, nevertheless, it is never too late to end the violence and explore means to peacefully resolve the issues of conflict rather than accumu- lating aggravated losses, the statement said.
It is the ardent desire of the NSCN that peace prevails over bloody annihilations and defeats all diabolic schemes to sow divisions and hatred on religious as well as communal lines in the region, the statement said, while appealing to both the Karbi and the Dimasa people to abstain from violence and initiate ways to resolve the dispute in an amicable manner so as to avoid further bloodshed and sufferings.
Ransom demand for release of Manipur drivers New Kerala
Imphal: Suspected Naga militants have demanded Rs. 10 lakh for release of two drivers of Manipur who have been in captive at Kohima.

The drivers, from the Golden travels of Manipur, had been kidnapped at different areas by the suspected Naga guerilla, official sources said. The militant group kidnapped the two after the company failed to cough up some money, sources added.

The agency has not yet paid the amount demanded and people were agitated with the repeated harassment of passengers and drivers of Manipur on National Highway No 39 in Nagaland.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government and the Border Roads Task Force (BTRF) have decided to expedite work on the other National Highway No 53 which passes through Silchar. The road was in the worst condition and the Centre has assured to take up the works so that people will have another alternative route beside NH 39.
Another Kind of Justice Nahvind Times
HOW do nations and communities rebuild deeply fractured relationships, institutions and societies once the guns are silent? How do peace-builders develop approaches for justice and reconciliation in situations marked by large-scale violence? How do individuals and communities — in Gujarat and Kashmir, for example — address the trauma and burden of a painful history? In recent years, these questions have assumed growing significance, with efforts for peace gaining momentum in Kashmir, Nagaland and Sri Lanka, and between India and Pakistan. What has also become evident is that a sense of justice among victims and communities must be the foundation of any peace process.
Conventionally, the question of justice has been discussed in legal terminology in terms of “retributive justice”. In recent years, however, the challenges presented by situations of mass violence in countries such as South Africa, Guatemala and Rwanda have led conflict resolution practitioners and justice advocates to consider the concept of “restorative justice” to more effectively meet the need for “justice to be done”.
Attempting to evolve a culturally-sensitive vocabulary of reconciliation for the multicultural societies of South Asia, WISCOMP (Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace), in collaboration with the Sweden-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) organised a symposium on “Reconciliation in South Asia: Exploring the Terrain” in New Delhi recently.
The retributive, legal justice system and a restorative, community-centered approach to justice have the same goal: both argue that the harm caused to the victim must be restored and the perpetrator must take responsibility for his/her actions. However, the two approaches differ in terms of methodology.
Retributive justice requires the state to impose punishment on perpetrators in order to reduce direct violence, whereas restorative justice focuses on repairing harm, reducing direct violence and transforming relationships.
The case for restorative justice becomes even more compelling in a context where the legal system is simply unable to meet the need for justice. (WFS)
The untiring Heroes in Karbi Anglong The Morung Express News October 24
DIMAPUR: The government took four days to dispense relief material towards those affected as an outcome of the prevailing violence in Karbi Anglong. Prior to that, NGOs comprising of churches, humanitarian associations and volunteers had to take upon the onerous task of tending to the basic needs of displaced villagers who were pouring in by the hundreds. A relief worker who has been caring for the sick said, "I have been involved since day one. At the beginning, the scene was so chaotic we did not even have space to breathe. With a limited number of only 16 vehicles, we found it extremely difficult to carry out our activities." Bulu, who works in the Jirsong Asong training centre run by the Catholic diocese, has been actively involved in the relief work. While organizing and taking around the OTS/ABF team from Dimapur to various relief camps in Diphu for the purpose of distributing relief material, he advocated on the urgency to bring in more volunteers. Every time he visits a camp, the concern and apprehension for those affected is etched across his face. "With winter making its presence felt, the villagers now need warm clothing and proper accommodation," he said pensively.
Another volunteer named John donned the responsibility of managing the distribution of clothes in an organized manner. He placed upon himself the demanding duty of lining up the campers so as to prevent confusion in the process of distribution. "We have to be very careful while interacting with them as they are undergoing emotional problems," he said. Joseph, a comrade of John, comprehends the causes for the massacres. "The innocents should not be dragged into controversies unnecessarily," he lamented.
Demand for separate districts in Karbi areas Newmai News Network October 24
GUWAHATI: The all-party team comprising members of the BJP, Congress, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and some other parties that visited the riot affected areas of the Karbi Anglong district of the state has suggested that the district’s administration be "reorganised".
The team also said that the militant United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD, were responsible for the killings.
"The militants however did not use guns and instead used machetes in the violence to give an impression of an ethnic clash," said Prithi Majhi, speaker of the assembly who led the team.
"The district, especially with its hilly terrain is difficult to run with one deputy commissioner and one superintendent of police," Majhi said. "We therefore suggest that the district be reorganised."
State minister for parliamentary and tribal affairs Bharat Narah said that Diphu, Hamren and Bokajan, all of which were now a part of Karbi Anglong should be made into separate districts.
ULFA representatives going to Delhi for talks (IANS)
Guwahati, Oct 24: A group of Assamese civil society leaders designated by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) are leaving for talks with the central government aimed at ending nearly three decades of insurgency.
The proposed talks between the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) and the Indian government peace negotiators, led by the National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, are to be held Wednesday.
The 11-member PCG is a team of representatives drawn from Assamese civil society and chosen by the ULFA to begin preliminary discussions to work out the peace process leading to a formal declaration of ceasefire between the rebels and the central government. They were heading for New Delhi Monday.
"We are going for the talks with a positive frame of mind to facilitate and prepare the ground so that a ceasefire could be worked out and then direct talks between the ULFA leadership and New Delhi could begin," Haider Hussain, a civil society leader and editor of the leading Assamese daily newspaper Asomiya Pratidin, told IANS.
The PCG, headed by noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami, includes prominent journalists, a footballer of yesteryear, human rights activists, an engineer, a lawyer, and a doctor.
The central government last week formally invited the PCG for talks following a letter from the ULFA expressing its desire to begin formal negotiations to facilitate a bilateral ceasefire.
"I look forward to a fruitful and positive discussion with the group in a constructive spirit," Narayanan said in the formal letter inviting the ULFA representatives for talks.
The road to peace may not be an easy one, but analysts here are hopeful that the talks could help bring an end to the dragging insurgency in Assam in the near future.
"This is a step forward in the right direction and if the two sides are sincere in their approach and show a certain amount of flexibility, it could pave the way for direct face-to-face negotiations between the ULFA leaders and the government negotiators at a later stage," an analyst said.
There is a general sense of optimism across Assam with people wishing both the government and the civil society leaders luck in the talks.
Gogoi slow in tackling ethnic clashes: Assam governor Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati, Oct 25 (IANS) Assam Governor Ajai Singh has once again locked horns with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi by accusing the state government of not taking adequate steps to tackle the violent ethnic clashes that claimed about 90 lives.
In an eight-page report to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the governor said the state government lacked administrative will and was slow in controlling the violence involving the Karbi and the Dimasa tribes in eastern Assam's Karbi Anglong district.
The report said the Assam government called in the army 'late' when too many lives were already lost. It also blamed the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) for launching the attacks on rival tribal communities. The UPDS is a ragtag rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Karbi tribe and the DHD is an outlawed militant outfit waging a bush war for carving out a separate Dimasa land. The two groups are operating ceasefires with New Delhi - the UPDS has been in a truce since 2002 and the DHD entered into a ceasefire a year later in 2003. Both the rebel groups are allowed to retain their weapons under the ceasefire agreements although their cadres are supposed to remain confined in designated camps allotted to them by the government.
The governor said the two militant groups 'had a free run' with the government failing to restrain them despite both of them observing ceasefires. 'The militants should be disarmed,' the report said.
The chief minister is yet to react to the report although he maintained it was some 'third force' that was behind the recent ethnic clashes that displaced about 30,000 people in a month long orgy of violence.
Gogoi last week blamed former defence minister George Fernandes and local Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist leader Jayanta Rongpi for instigating the violence - a charge denied by the two leaders. This is not the first time that the governor has gone against the Congress-ruled government in the state. Earlier this year, Ajai Singh raised a storm with a report to the president saying some 6,000 Bangladeshis illegally enter Assam daily through the unfenced border.The report that was leaked to the media evoked sharp reaction from Gogoi, who rubbished the claims and asked Ajai Singh not to create unnecessary controversy. There are differences in opinion between the governor and the chief minister on holding peace talks with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).
Reports indicate the governor was in favour of the ULFA first declaring a ceasefire and then holding talks saying military operations against the rebels could not be stopped without a truce.
The chief minister on the other hand was trying to work out a congenial atmosphere to facilitate the talks and even advocates temporary cessation of military operations to bring the rebels to the negotiating table.

AGP hails Centre’s talks offer to PCG By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 24 – The regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has welcomed the Central Government’s invitation to the People’s Consultative Group (PCG) to initiate the process of dialogue with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). The regional party has assured all sorts of cooperation to the PCG in carrying forward the process of negotiation for the greater interest of the people of the State.

In a press release here today, the AGP has welcomed the step of the Central Government in this regard. But it has condemned the statement of the Chief of the Army Staff J J Singh on the ongoing anti-ULFA operation as unfortunate. It has demanded a statement from the Central Government clarifying its stand on the issue.

The regional party has also described the yesterday comment of State Government spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sarma on the demand of the opposition parties to dismiss the present Government in the State in the wake of its failure to maintain law and order in Karbi Anglong district as unfortunate.

Countering the yesterday statement of the State Government spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sarma the regional party claimed that it was not in any way politicising the incidents of Karbi Anglong and it would never be indulging in such a game. But, it said, the acts of the ruling party to allege involvement of newer forces every passing day to cover up its helplessness and pitiable condition concerning the Karbi Anglong developments deserved condemnation. It also reiterated its allegation that the politics of Congress was behind fanning of trouble in the district.
Date with Delhi By Nava Thakuria NEPS

Guwahati, Oct 24 (NEPS) :A ray of hope after several setbacks in the peace talks between the Government of India and the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is seen finally. A consultative group, designated by the armed outfit of Northeast has now a date with the government in New Delhi next week. The People’s Consultative Group (PCG), members of which are selected by ULFA itself is going to meet the Government peace negotiators, hopefully with the Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh too on October 25 and 26.
The eleven member consultative group, declared by the ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa on September 8 has already made brisk preparation for the historic peace meeting in the capital. “We have received overwhelming response from the people of Assam with wishes for success of the talks. It proves that Assam deserves peace and its habitants are now in an optimistic mood,” said Ajit Bhuyan, a senior Assamese journalist and a member of PCG. The peace initiative group is led by Dr Indira Goswami (more popularly known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami), an eminent Assamese author with Jnanpith award on her credit, who had shaped the hope for the much waiting talks. Dr Goswami, who had met the Prime Minister on November 16 last year at South Block and started her single handed effort to bring ULFA to negotiate table.
The Delhi University professor, once colleague to Dr. Singh in the premier institution in the capital, Dr Goswami disclosed that the Prime Minister had acknowledged the legitimacy of the prolonged problems faced by Assam. She also claimed that Dr.Singh, who represents Assam in Rajya Sabha was interested to solve the problem and restore peace during his term as the prime minister of the country. Dr. Goswami, who is understood to be in touch with the hardcore ULFA leader Paresh Barua too through telephone calls from him also submitted a draft note to the National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan regarding the outfit’s justification to discuss about ‘sovereignty’ of Assam during the peace talks. The initiative by Dr. Goswami had already received the positive note from the ULFA leadership, who are fighting New Delhi for a separate homeland since 1979. The armed outfit earlier put three conditions for negotiation with the governments demanding talks to be held in third country under supervision of United Nations representative and prime issue to be discussed sovereignty. But more recently the banned underground group has left the first two conditions, but stick to the issue of sovereignty for discussion. Even after Dr.Goswami met Dr. Singh in Prime Minister Office on Tuesday, ULFA leader Mr Barua made it clear that the talks with the Union Government must maintain ‘sovereignty’ as the core issue. Speaking to the Guwahati scribes from an undisclosed location, Mr. Barua, who is believed to be hardliner insisted that Government of India must furnish its commitment in ‘Black and White’ that sovereignty would be discussed on the negotiation table. The formation of the PCG was welcome as a positive step of ULFA by the common people of Assam. The group invited public opinion regarding the modalities to tackle the task ahead of them. Fortunately thousands of e-mails and SMS were poured to the group from the concerned people living in Assam even from abroad. Lately the ULFA leaders also welcome the government’s gesture to talk to the peace negotiators. "We gratefully mention that the Government of India took up the process sincerely and the freedom craving masses of Asom (Assam) presume a peaceful and dignified solution of the conflict on the negotiating table ignoring all adversaries," the outfit said in its monthly newsletter ‘Freedom’ adding that the people of Assam are ‘desperately looking for a real political momentum of the process’.
Reflections on the peace processNorth-East Perspective Udayon Misra Sentinel The stage has been finally set for the first round of dialogue between the People’s Consultative Group and the Central Government. But uncertainties still prevail regarding the content of these talks and whether the issue of sovereignty would figure in the discussions. While it is true that the PCG has the goodwill of the people of Assam for an amicable and peaceful settlement of the insurgent problem, yet it would be rather simplistic on the part of the PCG to go to Delhi with the belief that it can speak on behalf of the people of Assam. Those who have been selected by the ULFA to break the ice with the Centre are not necessarily the chosen representatives of the people. They reflect one particular shade of opinion regarding Assam’s status vis-à-vis the Union of India. Therefore, it is obvious that the role of the PCG will be limited primarily towards clearing the decks for direct negotiations between the insurgent outfit and New Delhi. When the actual talks begin, then other segments of opinion will also have to be accommodated . And, it is here that the opinion of the civil society groups of Assam must be taken into consideration. As it is, several civil society groups have already expressed their differing views regarding the issue of sovereignty. For instance, a recent meeting of senior citizens expressed the view that complete sovereignty being out of question, efforts should be made to secure a Kashmir-like status for Assam. Organizations like the AASU and the Axom Xahitya Xabha have also time and again expressed their grave reservations on the sovereignty issue. These are only some of the views that have been expressed. Other views are sure to surface. Therefore, in such a fluid situation, it would be unwise to expect a lot from the PCG’s dialogue with the Centre.
Thinking of peace talks one is naturally tempted to draw some comparisons with the peace process in Nagaland. There the first major initiative for peace was taken by the conference of Baptist Churches of Nagaland which resulted in the setting up of the Peace Mission headed by people like Jayprakash Narayan and Bimalaprasad Chaliha. It needs to be remembered that the Peace mission was a non-partisan civil society initiative and it succeeded in winning the trust of large sections of the Naga people. Unlike the PCG, it was not nominated by the Naga underground. It was this Peace Mission which brought about the first ceasefire between the ‘Naga Federal Government’ and New Delhi in September 1964. Although peace eluded Nagaland for several decades after the Peace Mission submitted its proposals and the course of the Naga struggle took new twists and turns, yet a beginning had been made. The Peace Mission, by acknowledging for the first time the ‘national’ content of the Naga struggle, set a new dimension to the Indian State’s understanding of the struggle of the different ethnic nationalities for greater political space. Today, Naga civil society, by carving for itself an independent space, has acquired a decisive voice in the peace process.
By contrast, civil society space in Assam has been progressively denuded by years of populist agitations as well as by armed insurgency. Twenty-seven years of armed conflict led by the ULFA has severely marginalized the role of civil society. It has been traumatized by violence that has been perpetrated by both the State and the militants. The process of marginalization of civil society actually started during the Assam Movement, when certain organizations said to be representing Assamese civil society displayed an unheard of intolerance towards all forms of dissent. And, it was out of such a tradition of intolerance and authoritarianism that armed militancy was born in the state. Whatever little democratic space there was within the ULFA during its initial years soon died out as the structure of the organization became more and more militaristic. It became marked by a general incapacity to respond to dissenting voices, even from those sections which had a general sympathy for the ULFA cause. Today, the organization seems to allow space only for sympathizers and fellow travellers. Hence, it was not at all surprising that in forming the PCG the ULFA has named only those about whose sympathies it was certain. This is not to suggest in the least that those who have now taken upon themselves the responsibility of manning the peace process are not adequate to the onerous task. All the credentials of the members of the PCG notwithstanding, one cannot overlook the fact that it does not draw its strength from the representative civil society of Assam and is certainly seen by many as a partisan group. Being fully aware of this, the PCG is approaching the people of the state for their views on the ULFA-Centre dialogue. But, would it be prepared to take such views seriously as may be critical of the ULFA? Or would it be taking into consideration only those views which it finds acceptable? Pushing forward the peace process is a highly intricate matter and would involve a lot of transparency if the confidence of civil society is to be gained. And, no peace process can really succeed if representative civil society bodies are not taken into confidence. Thus, even while wishing the PCG success in its venture, one only hopes that the entire move does not turn out to be a non-starter. The PCG has given the impression that it would raise the question of sovereignty as a central issue of the talks. But, wouldn’t this be infructuous? Significantly, in its 27-year-old existence, the ULFA has never attempted to develop any mechanism aimed at ascertaining the wishes of the people of Assam on the question of sovereignty. Parallels are often drawn between the Naga position on self-determination and an independent Nagalim and the ULFA’s demand of a sovereign Asom. But such parallels could be highly misleading. Naga public opinion on the highly debatable issue of sovereignty has been crystallized over some sixty years of struggle against the Indian State and, by and large, Naga civil society, cutting across tribe and ideological lines, would not like the peace talks to be bogged down on this issue alone. There is no denying the fact that there has been a lot of rethinking on the question of an independent Nagalim and today there is talk of greater autonomy within a restructured Indian federation rather than full sovereignty for the Naga people. It needs to be remembered that it has taken a long, protracted way for the Naga peace talks to reach the present stage. In Assam, we are just about to begin the process. If this beginning leads to a cessation of hostilities between the Centre and the ULFA, then one might say that the first major hurdle has been overcome. Discussion regarding ULFA’s position on sovereignty and other related issues could follow in the subsequent rounds of talks which would necessarily have to be more representative of the cross sections of the people. Surely, no solution can be imposed on the people of Assam without ascertaining their views on the issue of sovereignty. Needless to say, the first stage of the talks would have to concentrate primarily on building some degree of trust between the two sides. One of the major hurdles in the way of a negotiated settlement would be the issue of surrender of arms. The Army Chief has already made it clear that surrender of arms would have to be a prerequisite for the talks with ULFA. Given one’s experience of peace talks, especially when the tricky question of greater autonomy/sovereignty is involved, the entire process may take years.
If today civil society in Assam is once again mustering courage to speak up against human rights violations and for peace, then nothing could be more positive for the region. It is significant that for the first time in the history of counter-insurgency the State, an army operation had to be halted because of pressure from civil society. Hopefully, this marks a new stage in civil society’s involvement in restoring peace to this strife-torn region. But it would be wrong to conclude that these demonstrations against alleged violations of human rights by the army were actually an outpouring of support for the ULFA cause. In fact, several of the organizations that actively participated in the mass protests have been ideologically opposed to what the ULFA stands for. Therefore, it would be wrong to conclude that the halt in army operations has actually been a victory of sorts for the People’s Consultative Group and an expression of support for the ULFA. The ground reality is very different. Civil society in Assam is united on the question of working out a peaceful settlement to the problem of insurgency. But it is deeply divided on the question of a sovereign Asom. Hence, it would be simplistic for the ULFA leadership and the PCG to take the people’s support for granted. They must remember that a peace process needs the involvement of cross sections of society and that, for a viable and durable peace, the opinions of those who oppose are as important as those who are with them.
AJYCP: Govt responsible for Karbi hills trouble Sentinel JORHAT Bureau, Oct 24: The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad has held the State Government’s ‘lax’ attitude responsible for the fratricidal clashes between the Karbis and the Dimasas living in harmony for ages. "Due to the carelessness on the part of the Tarun Gogoi-led Government, Karbi-Anglong has turned into a killing field," alleged Numal Dutta, president and Upen Kalita, acting general secretary, AJYCP, Jorhat. "Such inhuman and barbaric killings could have been prevented if the Government machinery had swung into action at the slightest hint of trouble," they said. Meanwhile, the AJYCP, Jorhat district committee, demanded adequate compensation to the victims of the ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong. A silent procession was also taken out in the town today demanding adequate compensation to the victims. A memo was also submitted to the Chief Minister in this regard.
Meanwhile, Putul Dutta, central committee president, AJYCP said that the Congress Government had lost the moral right to stay in power after the random massacres in Karbi Anglong which had been committed under the nose of the administration. The AJYCP leader alleged that during the tenure of the present Government, there had been several incidents of ethnic violence in the two hill districts of the State. "The State Government has failed to provide security to the lives and property of the common people though it came to power by promising to do so," Dutta said.
‘Karbi-Dimasa clash part of Nagalim plan’ Sentinel
Chitrakoot, Oct 24 (UNI): The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday accused the Church leaders for "instigating" the recent Karbi-Dimasa clashes in Karbi Anglong district of Assam in order to create "Greater Nagaland" by "dividing" three north-eastern States. The three-day national executive of the RSS here adopted a resolution to this effect, spokesman Ram Madhav told newspersons here. The resolution called upon the civil society to "thwart the separatist designs of the Church who are propagating two-nation theory". "It is the constitutional and democratic duty of the administration and the political leadership to initiate moves to defeat the communal forces," the RSS said. "The demand to include some districts of Manipur in the proposed "Greater Nagaland" will put the very existence of the small State in jeopardy and therefore the resistance of people is natural and justified."
Flaying the Manipur administration for its indifferent attitude towards the 52-day economic blockade in the hills of Manipur in July-August, the RSS said the blockade was "totally deplorable". "The proposed "Greater Nagaland" would also include parts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts where Hindus are present in large numbers. The separatist forces are trying to create divide between the Karbis and Dimasas who were so far cohabiting peacefully to achieve their plan. Many were killed as a result and thousands rendered homeless," the RSS said. The resolution also flayed the move of the churches to convert people in Tirap and Changlang districts with a view to including them in "Greater Nagaland" and called for checking the drive.
Tough task for the Assamese to make ULFA talk peace Sentinel New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI): As the Peoples’ Consultative Group converges in the capital to address the three decades-old insurgency problem with the Centre, its main endeavour would be how to bring the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table. "We are not ULFA but members of the civil society. Our main endeavour is to bring the outfit to the negotiating table for the sake of bringing peace to Assam," Peoples’ Consultative Group member and editor of leading Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin Haidor Hussain told the PTI over phone from Guwahati on the eve of their scheduled meeting with National Security Advisor MK Narayanan on Wednesday. "We will try to remove everything that comes as a hurdle to direct talks between the Government and the ULFA," he said. Another member of PCG and advocate of Gauhati High Court Arup Borbora said that the 11-member group would sit for talks with the National Security Advisor without any "preconceived notion". "We will hold talks without any preconceived notion. Let’s see what comes on to the table," Borbora, son of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Borbora, said.
Hussain said the PCG wants the talks with the Government to be held in a harmonious atmosphere so that both sides could express their views freely and exchange their ideas. He, however, made it clear that till then the PCG had not got any guideline or directive from ULFA leadership. When asked whether the PCG would like the Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to take part in the proposed talks, Hussain said that they would not mind if he (Gogoi) took part in the initial discussions. "We would always appreciate the State Government’s cooperation and support to our endeavour," he said. Borbora said it was upto Gogoi whether he wanted to take part in the meeting. MK Narayanan on October 21 had sent an invitation to the group for discussion on October 26 at the Prime Minister’s Office. "I look forward to a fruitful and positive discussion with the group in a constructive spirit," he said in the letter. Meanwhile, the PCG has expressed its "anguish" over the reported statement of Army Chief General JJ Singh that ULFA leadership should approach the Centre for negotiation after surrendering their arms, if they are genuine about their offer for talks. "We express our anguish. Such statement would not help in bringing a solution to the problem," Hussain said.


Frans on 10.25.05 @ 03:16 PM CST [link]


Monday, October 24th

PM CONDOLES DEMISE OF J. B. JASOKIE Government of India Press Release


PM CONDOLES DEMISE OF J. B. JASOKIE Government of India Press Release
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has expressed grief at the demise of the noted Naga leader, Shri J. B. Jasokie. The Prime Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the people of Nagaland and the family, friends, admirers of Shri Jasokie.

In his message, Dr. Manmohan Singh said, “It is not often that our nation is blessed to have men of Shri Jasokie’s idealism and commitment at the helm of affairs. We were truly blessed to have him guide the destiny of the Naga people.

I was deeply distressed to learn of the sad demise of Shri J.B.Jasokie. A patriot, a nationalist, a true son of India, Late Shri Jasokie was a revered leader of the Naga people. After a promising academic carrier in Kohima and Shillong, Shri Jasokie took part in the Second World War. He was also a keen sportsman. Shri Jasokie entered public life as an active member of the Naga Independence movement, but took a principled view on the use of violence in seeking a political objective. He was truly opposed to achieving his political objective through violent means. Shri Jasokie organized the Naga People’s Convention and was elected General Secretary of NPC with the formation of Naga Hills Tuensang Area (NHTA) and later the full fledged State of Nagaland. He also piloted the discussion during the October 1959 Naga Peoples Convention, which arrived at a decision regarding the formation of the state of Nagaland under the constitution of India.

As an elected Member of the Interim Body, as a member of the legislative Assembly and later Minister and Chief Minister, he served the people of Nagaland with dedication and commitment. Shri Jasokie’s passionate commitment to the ideals of the Indian Republic encouraged him to join the national mainstream and participate actively in the governance of the country. I salute his memory and convey my deepest and sincere condolences to his family, his friends and admirers and the people of Nagaland.”

DHD leader in NSCN (IM) custody NET News Network
Guwahati, Oct 23: Close on the heels of Assam Governor’s report indicating involvement of NSCN (IM) in the recent carnage in Karbi Anglong district, Chairman of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) sensational revelation regarding 14 days captivity of his home secretary in NSCN (IM) Hebron camp has added fresh substance to the report. Dilip Dimasa while speaking exclusively to northeasttribune.com informed, “ Our home secretary Kanto Langthasa who went to NSCN (IM) Hebron camp on October 7 was kept on captivity till October 20”.
Though Langthasa’s driver along with the vehicle he traveled was set free but home secretary was kept locked in a small cell, informed the driver to his senior leaders. “ I informed about this to Rajiv Agarwal, Joint Secretary of JMG along with a copy to IGP, Assam Police (special branch) Khagen Sarma,” added Dilip. Langthasa according to Dilip was allowed to move freely in Hebron Camp only after he spoke to NSCN (IM) leaders about the incident. Though repeated request was made for his freedom in view of the emergency situation in Karbi Anglong, the Naga leaders mysteriously denied to free Langthasa, informed Dilip.
The incident gained importance after a local vernacular daily Amar Asom on Sunday published news quoting an intelligence report indicating involvement of DHD (anti-talk) faction in the killings of three Dimasas on September 26 in Manza. The incident seen as the root cause of subsequent ethnic frenzy in the district was designed by NSCN (IM) to fuel DHD-UPDS clash, added the report. It may be recalled that the three bodies were dumped in a Karbi village to put the responsibilities on UPDS. The report substantiating the finding added that NSCN (IM) after the Misibailang episode where an Assam government magistrate died over Assam-Nagaland border dispute, desperately wanted the Dhansiri camp of DHD to be dislodged. The DHD cadres reportedly supported the Assam police officials in maintaining vigil in the said stretch of border. Media after the Misibailang incident reported about involvement of NSCN (IM) cadres from Hebron camp in the entire episode.
BJP demands judicial inquiry The Hindu Special Correspondent
"Centre neglecting tribals affected by violence"• Congress is responsible for the violence, says Ahluwalia
• He alleges missionaries doing relief work are using the opportunity to convert the victims to Christianity.
• A "conspiracy" seen to divert attention from main poll issue of scrapping of the Illegal Migrants Determination by Tribunal Act
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded a judicial inquiry into the violence in Karbi Anglong district of Assam by a sitting judge of a High Court and immediate relief and compensation to the victims. A 10-member BJP team led by Rajya Sabha MP and in-charge of Assam political affairs, S.S. Ahluwalia, returned here after a two-day visit to the affected areas. Addressing presspersons on Friday, he charged the Government with "focussing on the victims of the earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir and neglecting the tribals affected by the violence that has left 79 persons dead".
Mr. Ahluwalia alleged that the Congress could be behind the violence because the chairman of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council was a Congressman as were the MP and MLAs of the area. But to a question, he said he did not think the same logic could apply to the 2002 Gujarat riots when a BJP Chief Minister and a BJP Prime Minister were in place.
He said the Autonomous Council should be dissolved and the Governor should directly takeover relief and rehabilitation. A three-page memorandum was submitted to the Governor.
Relief work He charged the missionaries doing relief work in the area with using the opportunity to "convert" the victims to Christianity. "I saw chains with crosses around the necks of some victims," he said. Yet another suspect in the BJP's eyes was the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaac Muivah) since the Karbi Anglong district touches Nagaland and this area "was part of the NSCN-IM demand for a Greater Nagaland".
The party said that Karbis and another tribe in the area, Dimasas, had "lived peacefully for centuries" and that it would not be correct to blame the Dimasas for the violence as they constituted a "small three per cent minority". The violence, he said, was the result of a "conspiracy" to divert attention from the main poll issue of scrapping of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act. The Assembly elections are scheduled for April next.
Nagaland BJP disowns Alhuwallia' statement
Kohima | October 24, 2005 12:51:09 AM IST Webindia
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit has condemned the statement made by BJP's Assam in-charge S S Ahluwalia, regarding the involvement of NSCN in the ethnic clashes of the Karbis and Kacharis in Karbi-anglong district of Assam.
State party President M C Konayak and spokesman O Mozami Nqullie in a joint statement said the involve in statement made by Mr Ahluwalia was his personal view.
The BJP appreciated its Assam unit for its effort to resolve the ongoing violence in Karbi-anglong. The party also appealed to the concerned authorities and organisations to come forward and extend their help in ending the turmoil.
UNI AS PC RD PM AR RK1808
Vatican Ambassador to visit Nagaland today The Hindu
Kohima, Oct. 24. (UNI): Nagaland is all set to accord a grand welcome to his Excellency Rev. Pedro Lopez Quinatana, the vatican ambassador and Apostolic Nuncio to India, who will arrive at Mao gate here on a three-day visit to the state today.
According to church sources, the Vatican Ambassador will arrive at Khuzama from Imphal by road, where he will accorded a rich welcome by the catholic religious leaders. From Khuzama he will proceed to Jakhama at the St Joseph's College, where a cultural extravaganza will be presented in his honour.
Khonoma will be first "green village" of Nagaland New Kerala
Kohima: The historic Khonoma village will be the first "green village" of Nagaland when Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will inaugurate the gate of the village tomorrow.

According to official sources here today, the Khonoma is a favourite site to visit for hundreds of tourists, both foreign and national because of its early forays as a resilient village against the Britishers and the legendary leader of naga movement A Z Phizo.

The Khonoma gate at Keyaba will be first inaugurated by Mr Rio, while the green village will be declared open at Dzusie.

A joint venture of the Khonoma Tourism Development Board and the Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland, has augured well for both the residents and those promoting a culture of conservation and ecological balance.

Sources said the village was now equipped to handle tourists more effectively following an improved form of village administration, replete with sanitation methods with toilets and dustbins all around.
Naga rights body demands state women's commission
New Delhi | October 24, 2005 6:15:01 PM IST IANS

The Nagaland Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPHMR), Delhi, has criticised the Nagaland government for its failure to set up a state level commission for women. The human rights organisation condemned a controversial letter written by the secretary to the Nagaland government to Dr. Girija Vyas, chairperson, National Commission of Women (NCW), on the inability to establish such a commission, citing "acute financial constraints" as one of the reasons. The letter read: "The state is predominantly tribal where women in general enjoy a fair amount of equality with men in the society and also do not suffer severe disabilities and discrimination on grounds of sex."
However, M. Kikon Convenor, NPMHR, Delhi claimed the letter was a predictable response of any patriarchal, self-glorifying chauvinistic society. To support its contention, the letter cited the relative absence on atrocities against women in Nagaland and stated that problems such as the dowry system, child marriage and caste distinctions as prevalent in some of the other states were not practised in Nagaland. It said the unique social and customary practices in the Naga Society were protected under the Constitution.
But the human rights group said the debate over women's rights had always been negated by many people from the perspective of relativity and called for a fuller debate with participation of all women groups and parties concerned. It also demanded that the Naga Mother's Association, the apex body of Naga women in the state, be involved in the debate.
Nagas take to prayer in wake of quake alert OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 23: With the devastating earthquake in Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir fresh in their minds, more than 13 lakh Nagas prayed to God to tone down an earthquake, if it did occur in the region. The people were responding to an appeal by the Nagaland Baptist Churches Council to pray in the wake of a warning of a major earthquake in the region. The council’s appeal stated that Jesus had predicted earthquakes when the end of the world was near. “If the world had been destined that way, perhaps our prayers may not be able to stop the quake coming to us....but one thing we are sure is when we pray, God can moderate the intensity of the occurrence and save the people.” The council asked people to repent for their sins and humble themselves before God. “Pray anywhere, anytime,” it said.
The earthquake will be the focus of prayers as part of Sunday services all November. The council’s general secretary Zhabu Terhuja said the Asian tsunami had raised concerns in Nagaland, but the quake in Pakistan had alarmed people. The appeal said an Indo-American joint study in 2001 had predicted a major earthquake in the Northeast. “Moreover, our unrepentant way of living stands to attract the wrath of God,” it said. At the City Church here today, the pastor read out the council’s appeal and called for a minute’s prayer.
“We call upon the civil authorities to immediately take some steps in the area of information sharing and disaster management, so that should anything happen, people might be able to face it and respond appropriately,” the council said. The Nagaland government has conducted workshops on disaster management, but has no foolproof plan in the event of such an occurrence.
RSS sets down ground rules for its BJP president HEMENDRA Singh Bartwal/Lemuel Lall Chitrakoot (MP), October 23, 2005 Hindustan Times
BJP leaders queuing up for L.K. Advani's job as party president need to polish up their Hindutva credentials if they want the RSS to consider their application seriously. The change of guard happens in December when Advani bows out as per his own announcement earlier. The Sangh wants his replacement to be someone who will toe the line completely. It also wants the party to step on the pedal as far as reforms are concerned. The RSS wants the party going in the "right directions" and without delay. On the last day of the RSS's national executive on Sunday, general secretary Mohanrao Bhagwat said the replacement would be someone who would stick to the five-point agenda suggested by the Sangh: the primacy of Hindutva, strengthening the organisation, training cadres, ethical conduct and consultative mechanism in the party.
Also, the BJP leadership will have to be a collective one, not personality-driven. Bhagwat said the Sangh favoured the principle of collective decision-making and "team work" in the party, as they formed the basis of a democratic system. The RSS also made it clear who called the shots in the saffron family. It said that its business was to ensure that the BJP was moving in the "right direction" and any deviations by its leadership would be dealt with firmly. "The Sangh is firm on its ideological stand and all swayamsewaks are bound by it," he said. Though he claimed that issues like BJP-RSS relationship and the Uma Bharti episode did not figure at all in the deliberations of the national executive, it is believed that the matters have been discussed in separate closed door meetings of a few top leaders of the Sangh, VHP and BJP like himself, K.S.Sudarshan, Madan Das Devi, Suresh Soni, Ashok Singhal, Pravin Togadia and Sanjay Joshi. But Uma Bharti appears to be in trouble. On her letter criticising joint general secretary Suresh Soni, Bhagwat indicated that it was an attack on the Sangh leadership when he said that no single person in their set-up was responsible for any particular decision as it was a joint consultative process.
Meanwhile, the RSS concluded its three-day national meet with a call to its cadres to wage a war against caste hatred, conflicts and untouchability that "are hindering Hindu unity and social harmony". To this end, RSS Sarsanghachalak Madhav Sadashivarao Golwalkar, Guruji, would hold national, regional and block level seminars and functions from February next. Guruji was RSS chief between 1940-1973. RSS shakhas, numbering around 50,000 nationwide, would constitute committees to hold conferences and functions to spread message against caste hatred and untouchability and factors causing social disharmony.
Talking to presspersons, Sangh Sarkaryavaha Mohanrao Bhagwat said the organisation was working for nation building since last 80 years. The RSS also condemned the UPA Government for what it called minority appeasement and blamed the foreign hand and the Church for violence in some parts of the Northeast. The meet passed resolutions in this regard. On the other hand, the Sangh leaders lauded recent court orders including the Supreme Court directive for bridging a gap between minorities and the majority and the Allahabad High Court order in connection with the Aligarh Muslim University’s status. The RSS leaders expressed concern over reports that the UPA Government was considering setting up a ministry for minority welfare, special recruitment drive for Muslims in the Army and Islamic banking.
The resolution also flayed the Centre’s alleged move to provide reservation to Muslims nationwide akin to that in Andhra Pradesh. Another RSS resolution held foreign hand responsible for greater Nagaland movement in Northeast. The foreign hand and the Church are causing conflict among Hindu tribes to achieve their nefarious designs, it added. As a result, hundreds of the people belonging to Karbi and Dimasa tribes have lost their lives, it alleged. The Church was instigating conflicts among the Hindu tribes and then helping victims to turn them Christians, charged the resolution. The Sangh called on its cadre to build public opinion among Hindus against the minority appeasement and the ‘Church- sponsored’ violence in the Northeast.
The Sangh also dubbed the communal violence in Mau (UP) as a one-way attack on Hindus. Sangh spokesman Ram Madhav alleged that the local Muslim MLA was inciting violence there. He said according to reports the MLA was seen in a jeep during the riots.
'Rebel' MLA 'backtracks'
CHIEF MINISTER Babulal Gaur today warned that he would remove ministers who did not have faith in his leadership. His warning came soon after party MLA Phulsingh Mewada denied signing the memorandum that dissident MLAs submitted to the party's central leadership demanding a BJP legislature party meeting. Gaur issued his threat to ministers while addressing reporters in Alirajpur, Jhabua district. Announcing that he would seek to make Alirajpur a district, Gaur said: "I will remove such ministers, who do not have confidence in their chief minister and are involved in dissident activities, from the cabinet."
Gaur was, however, willing to grant an opportunity to the ministers, stating that that some ministers had sought pardon from him in writing. The Uma camp, however, discounted this. Reacting to Mewada's statement, MLAs close to Uma Bharti said Mewada had not signed the memorandum in the first place. A copy of the letter attached with a related "news item" had been released to the Press today. The letter written by the MLA from Shujalpur constituency, however, does not bear the addressee's name and date.
Or, perhaps in the photocopy it has been deleted deliberately. The “news-item” also does not bear the sender’s name and address. The MLA has in the letter on his letterhead said his signature on the memorandum was nothing but a fraud. He had not signed any such memorandum. Mewada has also expressed his surprise and anguish over his ‘signature’. He says in the letter that he has full faith in the BJP leadership and the Chief Minister. The campaign launched by disgruntled elements is condemnable and this would adversely affect development works going on in the State, he says. When asked how he came to know about his signature on the memorandum when it is available with the central party leadership only and has not been made public as yet, Mewada said he came to know from some persons. Hence his clarification. In reply to a question he said he had written the letter to Chief Minister Babulal Gaur who spoke to him in this regard about three days back.
An Uma camp member leading the campaign against Gaur said since the MLA’s signature did not figure on the memorandum at all the support expressed was meaningless. Moreover, he added, expression of support of one MLA to Gaur who had not even signed the memorandum, two days after their campaign was postponed, only vindicated their stand on the change of guard.
Face consequences if govt continues naxal killings: Gadar Manarama on line
London: Warning the Centre and Andhra Pradesh government of "serious" consequences if they continue to "eliminate" naxalites, balladeer Gadar has alleged that the State was acting like a "terrorist" which treats naxalism as a law and order problem while it has larger dimensions. The naxal sympathiser also did not see any difference between various political outfits which ruled the Centre and state as they dealt naxalism with "highhandedness".

"The State is acting like a terrorist...They are not understanding the seriousness of the situation," Gadar, who was one of emissaries of CPI-Maoist which held talks with Andhra government, told the BBC Hindi service Sunday night. "Though the authorities are talking about the issue as a socio-economic one, both the Centre and the Andhra government want to deal with it as a law and order issue," he said. He warned the government of "serious" consequences if they pursued the "dangerous" policy of "eliminating" naxal cadres.

Finding "no difference" between various dispensations in their dealing of the issue, Gadar said that though the "faces and caps" in the ruling establishment changed, their "politics and policies of highhanded dealing remain unchanged." "Whether it was the NDA government at the Centre and Chandrababu Naidu government in Andhra earlier, it is the UPA and Congress governments now, there is no change in the situation at all," he said.

Asked why the Maoists supported the Congress in the last Assembly elections, Gadar said, "We had appealed to people to root out Chandrababu Naidu and NDA. This much I accept and concede."

"However, we had urged the people to ask congress about its attitude towards the separate Telangana state. Would they deal with naxalite issue as a socio-economic issue and a blanket no for the World Bank entry in the state," Gadar said. The 56-year-old engineering drop-out said that during the last Assembly elections people were "promised the moon" on all the three issues, "but after a year and half, the reality seems otherwise."

When pointed out that the naxalites were opposed to pro-poor steps like free distribution of two lakh acres of land in the state, Gadar said that the gesture was meaningless when a huge bulk of land was still under the custody of government. "Look at the government figures itself. It tells us that one crore twenty lakh acres of land is available for distribution among the landless poor. Now out of that you choose a meagre two lakh acres. Then why do you expect us to support such meaningless decisions," he said.

Gadar rejected charges that the naxalites were resorting to killings of innocents in various parts of the country. "Let us not forget that those exploiting the poor are indulging in the worst form of violence. Poor and tribal people resort to use of force when their democratic rights are suppressed by use of force by governments," he said.

Asked why naxalites were supporting separatist movements in different parts of the country, Gadar said: "In our view it is America and the World Bank which are trying to break India. It is wrong to say that people of Nagaland or Mizoram are trying to break the country."
Assam census in ‘Naga bastis’ irks NSCN-IM Sentinel
‘The census in Naga villages is a serious development aimed at creating confusion and to frighten the Nagas’.
KOHIMA, Oct 23 (UNI): NSCN-IM has flayed the recent deployment of Assam Government officials to conduct the census in Naga villages in Aghunaqa area in the form of 5th economic census house-list by Deputy Commissioner and Chairman, District Monitoring Committee, Golaghat. Viewing the census as a serious development aimed at creating confusion and to frighten the Nagas, the NSCN-IM said it had created tension and civil disorder among the public in border areas. It asked the neutral forces to wisely understand the ethics of neutrality and maintain harmony between the two conflicting parties. It asked all the conflicting parties and neutral forces to maintain a peaceful atmosphere to carry out the talks smoothly and bring about a final solution between the Centre and the Nagas.
An appointment letter which was made available to the press showed the Golaghat Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the District Monitoring Committee has appointed Mr Doipen Gogoi, Assistant teacher of Betoni Tinable, as the enumerator to conduct the fifth economic census in the district of Golaghat.
50,000 in Karbi Anglong relief camps The Morung Express
(l)A traumatised child’s friend at a relief camp looks on while she is cajoled by volunteers distributing relief material at the Chandara Sing Teron High School, Diphu. Victim of society: (centre) This innocent cherub, one of triplets ,had to depart with her siblings who died in a hospital. (r) OTS students of Dimapur hand out clothes to displaced children roughing the uncomfortable living conditons. (MEx Pix)
Displaced persons in need of massive support Thannganing Hungyo
Dimapur (MExN): Around 50,000 people are in desperate need of proper relief in the strife-torn district of Karbi Anglong in Assam. Some have also fled to the nearby North Cachar Hills. According to official statistics, 89 people have been killed in the ongoing ethnic flare-up. However, hundreds more are believed to be missing and feared dead. Caught in the crossfire are innocent villagers who are not even aware of the political issues enveloping them. Scores of them have taken refuge in schools, community halls, playgrounds and other makeshift establishments. 49 relief camps have been erected in Karbi Anglong, as per the Deputy Commissioner’s list. Three relief camps are also said to have been set up at Dimapur, near Rangapahar. Many have fled from their homes due to fear. Some of those in relief camps at Diphu, and belonging to both the Karbi and Dimasa communities, recounted how they narrowly escaped from bullets and machetes.
Crops have also failed as the villagers, whose primary occupation is agriculture; have not been able to go to the fields. "We will have to go hungry for a year," related an inmate in one of the relief camps at Dikrong, a village which lies on the Dimapur-Diphu road. The immediate needs of those who have been displaced from their homes are warm clothing, medicines, nutritious food and round the clock counselling. Incessant rains during the last few days have added to the miseries of the campers. Adding to the trauma they have experienced, some of those sleeping on playfields are finding it extremely difficult to even get four hours of sleep because of lack of proper shelter, mattresses and blankets. The most important need of the hour, however, is constant care and support as most of these villagers are illiterate. Some of those who have taken ill were reported to have swallowed whole doses of medicines with the notion that they would be cured overnight. Jamie Momin, a doctor from Tura, and who is presently working with volunteers, told The Morung Express, "Malaria, diarrhoea and skin infections are what we’re mostly dealing with." He also said more trained nurses and doctors were required to tend to the sick and the needy. Further, Government doctors have been said to be insensitive towards the inmates. "They come to the camps, ask a few vague questions, keep the medicines, and then leave," a relief worker said.
Sanitation has also become a major concern. "Since these villagers are not accustomed to the life here, volunteers have to constantly remind them of basic sanitation and hygiene practices," said a Catholic nun based in Jirsong Asong, a training centre under the Catholic diocese which is situated at Diphu. More temporary bathrooms are also needed, she said. This reporter noticed a cooking place in very close proximity of a latrine. Phenyl and DDT have been administered but the onus on the volunteers is to impart basic awareness on personal hygiene. The biggest fear, as of now, is the possibility of the outbreak of an epidemic.
Though the Assam Government is providing the inmates with rice and dal, healthier food is what the inmates require. Sanjay, a volunteer who has driven to Diphu from Shillong said, "What they really could do with is protein rich food such as soyabean," and continued, "Some of the children are suffering from malnutrition due to deficiency in their diet."
Peace still in beckoning in Karbi hills The Morung Express
Though peace committees have been set up in various pockets of the district, clear headway is yet to be made between the Dima Halam Daoga and the United People’s Democratic Solidarity. The warring groups are not even willing to meet the members of the peace camps. An observer made his comments on the present state of violence: "The UPDS and the DHD are not in a mood to talk to each other. Unless they sit across the table and discuss their differences, people will not be able to go back to their respective homes without being wary for their safety. To bring permanent peace to Karbi Anglong, all militant groups operating in the area have to carry out dialogues."
While some are of the speculation that the Black Widow, a breakaway faction of the DHD, is responsible for the mayhem, none of the local populace which this reporter met could pinpoint a specific source. However, all are of the opinion that ‘certain politicians’ are working behind the scenes so as to disrupt harmony in the region. Six month old babies have been massacred without any remorse. Photographs of those hacked to death are not for the faint-hearted. The brutality involved is indescribable and beyond measure. A disturbing trend which portrays the involvement of a ‘third party’ is the chaos arising out of ethnic clashes yearly. A definite pattern can also be observed. There was the Hmar-Dimasa clash. What followed was the Karbi-Kuki conflict ensued by the fighting between the Karbis and the Khasi. However, this year’s clashes have been far more devastating than the previous ones. "Never has violence to such an extent been witnessed in Karbi Anglong," a relief camper said. All clashes in the past have also occurred during the Puja holidays when college students return home and before harvesting season. Out of the nine who became victims to the bullets of the DHD on Thursday, one of the deceased has been identified as a school student of Class Ten. Among those killed are college students. "The whole massacre could have been averted if the Government had immediately arrested the perpetrators to the first killing incident on September 26," an elderly man said.
‘Tough task for Assam to make ULFA talk peace’ The Morung Express NEW DELHI, OCT 23 (PTI): As the civil society of Assam converges in the capital to address the three decades-old insurgency problem with the Centre, its main endeavour would be how to bring the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table.
"We are not ULFA but members of the civil society. Our main endeavour is to bring the outfit into negotiating table for the sake of bringing peace in Assam," ULFA-selected Peoples’ Consultative Group member and editor of leading Assamese daily ‘Asomiya Pratidin’ Haidor Hussain told PTI over phone from Guwahati on the eve of their scheduled meeting with National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Wednesday. "We will try to remove everthing that comes as a hurdle to direct talks between the Government and the ULFA," he said.
Another member of PCG and advocate of Gauhati High Court Arup Borbora said that the eleven-member group would sit for talks with the National Security Advisor without any "preconceived notion". "We will hold talks without any preconceived notion. Let’s see what comes on to the table," Bobora, son of former Assam Chief Minister Golap Bobora, said. Hussain said the PCG wants the talks with the government to be held in a harmonious atmosphere so that both sides can express their views freely and exchange their ideas. He, however, made it clear that so far the PCG has not got any guideline or directive from ULFA leadership.
Russia resumes talks on building Myanmar n-facility The Morung Express
Guwahati, OCT 23 (AGENCIES): Russia has resumed talks on helping Myanmar build a nuclear research facility even as the biggest Russian arms trader is firming up plans to set up an office in capital Yangon, according to Burmese media reports. Russia’s atomic energy ministry, or Minatom, has that it has resumed talks with Myanmar’s military government on developing a nuclear research facility at Kyaukse in Mandalay division, The Mizzima Journal available here reported. Plans for the facility, to be built by Minatom, were shelved early this year after Russian officials said Myanmar’s generals could not afford the project.
Meanwhile, Russian arms trader Rosoboronexport plans to open an office in Myanmar before the yearend, Mizzima, a journal published by Myanmarese dissidents in India, said in a separate report. The state-owned company had announced its intention to have an office in Myanmar in November last year when its director general Sergei Chemezov told reporters that new offices in Belgium, Myanmar, Italy and Venezuela were on the cards. A spokesman for Minatom told Mizzima final discussions were being held on the price and financing of the nuclear research facility. "The government of Myanmar has enough money I think, so we will continue our negotiations," the spokesman said. Minatom will not be involved in building the 10MW pool-type nuclear research reactor but will supervise and provide necessary fuel for it. Myanmar’s plans to build the facility were first announced in 2002 when former foreign minister Win Aung told BBC the country planned to build the reactor for medical purposes. Most Asian countries have at least one research reactor - only Burma, Laos and Cambodia do not possess such facilities.
Mizzima, however, reported many international observers, including the International Atomic Energy Agency and the US were reportedly worried about Myanmar’s ability to maintain such a facility to international safety standards. Myanmar has had a long history of arms trading with Russian companies, buying fighter jets and hand-held weapons from various Russian dealers.
A re-definition of the word ‘Violence’ in the context of the Indo-Myanmar-Naga conflict The Morung Express Kaka D. Iralu
The word "Violence" and its opposite "Non-violence" have been so grossly misused in the context of the Indo-Myanmar-Naga conflict. Now a word as volatile as the word "violence" can be grossly misused, if the context in which it has been used is not carefully studied.
For example if a wild bear attacks my family and I violently react to its attack and stab the bear to death, would I be guilty of violence to the bear? On the other hand, if I had done nothing to protect my family and instead allowed the bear to tear my family to pieces, then can such an act be acclaimed as "A noble non-violent act"?
In the context of the violent Indo-Myanmar-Naga conflict, those Nagas who stood up to defend their families against the grisly attacks of the Indian and Myanmarese bears have been condemned as "The violent villains of the conflict." On the other hand, those Nagas who ran away from the roaring attacks of the bears and sought refuge in the bear’s dens have been acclaimed as "The non-violent heroes of the conflict." They have even been acclaimed as the fine gentlemen of Nagaland who are the foundation and even the "Bedrock of Naga Society."
In the light of these distortions of truth, I would like to ask every Naga this question: "Are those who ran away from the bears, the heroes and those who stood to fight the bears, the villains of present Naga history?" Now, if those who ran away are the "Heroes" then the noble word "Heroism" and the opposite ignoble word "Cowardice" should have no further meaning in Naga society and culture.
This would become the case, because those who stood to fight were very badly mauled; whereas those who fled, found comfort and wealth in the bear’s dens. In fact those who stood to fight were not just physically mauled but even mentally devastated so much so that some of them even went insane from their tortures. For an example read the story of Tsorielie of Mezoma village. Nagaland and India, the blood and the tears, p.329. (Besides Tsorielie, I have also seen many bullet scarred faces and tortured cripples in my research works).
On the other hand, many of those who fled to the bear’s dens are today millionaires in Naga society. Also, in regards to Naga violence against India, much have been said by the Indian Press as well as the State Press about Phizo and the NNC’s violence against India which compelled the Indian army to enter Nagaland in order to restore law and order in Nagaland.
Now, whatever the distortions of historical facts our adversaries may resort to, let every Naga know the actual facts that it was not the NNC but the Indian Government and her army that first resorted to violence and provoked counter violence across the length and breadth of Nagaland. Here remember that on August 27, 1948, it was not the Nagas who fired on the Assam Rifles; but the Assam Rifles who fired on the Nagas and shot to death Asüsü, Modo and Mahrili, when they, along with other thousands of Nagas were on a peaceful march to protest against payment of house tax to the Manipur Government. This peaceful march was staged to affirm that Naga territories did not belong to the Manipur Government or the Indian Government.In this peaceful march, besides the three dead, another four were seriously injured.
Also remember that on October 18, 1952, it was not Zasibeito Nagi who shot the Assam Police officer but the Assam Police officer who shot Zasibeito to death. Zasibeito was shot to death when thousands of Nagas were marching in Kohima town to protest against the brutal beatings of a Sema boy in Dimapur by the Assam Police. As for the accusation of violence against Phizo and the NNC, even as late as December 29, 1951 - that is - after the successful conduct of the Naga National Plebiscite of May 16, 1951, the NNC had even offered the following proposal: "To allay the fears and suspicion of India, Nagas on their part will agree to accept an Indian national to be President of Independent Nagaland for a stated period."
(Quoted from Phizo’s letter to the Prime Minister of India, dated; December 29, 1951).
In the light of these historical facts, far from starting the violence, Nagas resorted to armed counter attacks on the Indian army only when the Indian army provocations became humanely intolerable. Note the following provocative incidents for example: From 1948, Indian troops had started killing Naga civilians in the Tuensang Division. On November 15, 1954, sixty three villagers of Yongpang village were beheaded which included three top NNC leaders. (This was an Indian instigated attack led by some Pangsha villagers). Again on November 27, 1954, the NNC village of Chingmei was destroyed by bombardment assisted by one battalion of Indian paramilitary forces.
The Indian army further attacked Lenyu, Wei, Changtonyia, Longkhum, Chungtia, Mokokchung, Changlangsü and Chinkhao villages between January and March 1955. Many Naga civilians were killed and also raped in these attacks. As a result, "Self Defence Violence" erupted all over Nagaland from this period onwards. Therefore, let it never again be said by any Indian historians or their Naga collaborators that the Indian army was called into Nagaland in order to restore law and order over the violence caused by the NNC. Nothing can be farther from the truth. In conclusion, in any outbreak of violence, it is the aggressor who is guilty of violence. Here the "Self Defender" cannot be condemned as the perpetrator of violence. In other words, it is the BEARS that are guilty of violence and not the father who fought back to defend his family, his home and his land. Also in the present internal factional violence, let every Naga judge who the aggressor is. Let every Naga speak out as to which faction is refusing to offer ceasefire; which faction is refusing to sit down and talk with the other groups and who is attacking who? Let the Naga public know this fact that the one who fights back in "Self defence" is not the aggressor and therefore cannot be accused of indulging in violence against his own brother.
Karbi Anglong in Human Terms The Morung Express
In the aftermath of the recent ethnic killings in Karbi Anglong district of Assam, there is every possibility that the region may turn out to be a fertile ground for human traffickers and where women and children in particular will become vulnerable to exploitation by criminal elements seeking profit from their misery. The government machinery including civil, police, military and medical personnel along with the NGOs must take prompt measures to prevent another tragedy from occurring. This aspect needs to be made an integral component of relief operations. Enforcement agencies in Assam and also neighboring States of Nagaland must immediately alert themselves in order to detect and deter trafficking cases.
The Assam Government needs to do more by issuing the necessary guidelines in order to minimize the risk of human trafficking in and around camps where displaced and homeless people are gathering now. Registering people in camps and ensuring security during their stays; ensuring proper security for the residents of the camps, especially women and children; and increasing the general awareness of relief workers would go a long way to spoil the designs of human smugglers.
The human tragedy unfolding in the aftermath of the ethnic strife in Karbi Anglong has every possibility to be used as the perfect business opportunity by any number of human traffickers stalking the region in search of gullible victims. It has to be remembered that though political factors may be behind the crisis, at the end of the day for ordinary people who are usually the worst affected, it boils down to the basic issue of food-shelter-clothing and about daily survival. Concerned people whether in the administration, police, human rights group, churches, and NGOs need to closely monitor the affected areas and in particular the relief camps which are usually the soft targets and where the ground situation in Karbi Anglong provides the perfect setting for trafficking networks to cash in. Here the media should play an active role in educating about the issue of human trafficking and presenting the problem in human terms. The regional media both in Assam and Nagaland would hopefully assist in illuminating the problem which very often is typically shrouded in darkness. Further, as independent observers journalists are in the best position to visit some of the affected areas and try in unearthing the truth because—as is currently happening in the local media—by depending on news agencies or telephonic reporting the media may not be able to do justice to its role in such a crisis situation where people want to read and know the truth.
PM to join talks with ULFA representatives By Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati, Oct 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will himself lead the government side for talks with representatives of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Wednesday, giving a boost to the process aimed at ending three decades of insurgency in Assam.
'The Prime Minister's Office has confirmed that Mr Manmohan Singh will be present during the inaugural session of the talks with the ULFA representatives,' noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami told IANS over phone from New Delhi. Earlier, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan was scheduled to head the central team at the talks with the People's Consultative Group (PCG) nominated by the ULFA.
'The meeting is now taking place at the prime minister's residence,' said Goswami, who is a leading member of the PCG. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will also participate.
The 11-member PCG is a team of representatives drawn from Assamese civil society and chosen by ULFA to begin preliminary discussions to work out the process leading to the formal declaration of a ceasefire between the rebels and the government. ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's decision to attend the meeting has boosted the morale of civil society leaders in Assam.
'The decision by the prime minister to be part of the talks is in itself a big thing and we all are very happy,' said Ajit Bhuyan, editor of the Assamese daily Aji and a member of the PCG. Bhuyan along with nine other PCG members arrived in New Delhi Monday for the talks. 'We are going for the talks with a positive frame of mind to facilitate and prepare the ground so that a ceasefire can be worked out and then direct talks between the ULFA leadership and New Delhi can begin,' said Haider Hussain, another PCG member and editor of the leading Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin. The PCG includes prominent journalists, a footballer of yesteryears, human rights activists, an engineer, a lawyer, and a doctor. The central government last week formally invited the PCG for talks following a letter from ULFA offering the outfit's desire to begin formal negotiations to facilitate a bilateral ceasefire. 'I look forward for a fruitful and positive discussion with the group in a constructive spirit,' Narayanan said in the letter inviting ULFA representatives for the talks. The road to peace may not be an easy one, but analysts here are hopeful that the talks could help end the dragging insurgency in Assam. 'This is a step forward in the right direction and if the two sides are sincere in their approach and show certain amount of flexibility, it could pave the way for direct face-to-face negotiations between ULFA leaders and government negotiators at a later stage,' an analyst said. There is a general sense of optimism across Assam with people wishing both the government and civil society leaders luck in the talks.
'We are flooded with best wishes from the Assamese people and we hope we are able to break the ice and see the peace process comes to its logical end,' said Dilip Patgiri, another PCG member.

President’s Rule in 3 NE States demanded Assam Tribune
SHILLONG, Oct 23 – BJP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj today demanded President’s Rule in three north-eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura, alleging that the respective State Governments had failed to contain violence. Citing large scale violence in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, militant atrocities in Tripura, and “unprovoked firing” in Meghalaya over the state Board of School Education (MBoSE) issue, Punj, also the chairman of the party’s intellectual cell, said the states should be brought under Central rule to control violence. Strongly denying RSS hand behind the continuing violence in Karbi Anglong, Punj said: “It (RSS) is a nationalist organisation. It cannot do this. I strongly deny the allegation.”

Criticising the Congress Government for failing to protect the lives and property of people in Karbi Anglong, the BJP leader said people of the region would give a ‘befitting reply’ in the next elections. Attacking Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan for seeking a Muslim Chief Minister in Bihar, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Punj today said religion or caste could not be the criteria for heading a government.

“Chief Ministers are elected by the MLAs after the elections on the basis of his efficiency and not on caste, creed or religion. These factors are irrelevent,” Punj, head of BJP’s intellectual cell, told reporters here. Pointing fingers at both RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and LJP chief Paswan for allegedly seeking votes from the Muslim population by accompanying a ‘look-alike’ of Osama Bin Laden in the election meetings, he wondered whether supporting Laden would become ‘secularism’ in their (the Bihar leaders) standards. Alleging that Union Minister Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav had used his official position to secure illegal release of his brother and RJD candidate, the BJP leader, who was here to attend the party’s silver jubilee function in Meghalaya, said this type of incident compounded the party’s apprehensions of having “tainted” ministers in the UPA Government.
Earlier, Punj felicitated some of the old workers of the earstwhile Jan Sangh in Meghalaya and addressed a workers meeting at the party office. – PTI
Assembly Speaker contradicts Gogoi on Red Army NET News Network
Guwahati/Diphu, Oct 24:Declining to term the bloodshed in Karbi Anglong as ethnic violence, Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Prithibi Majhi today asserted that he during his visit did not come across anything like ‘Red Army’. This observation by the Speaker came as a jolt to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his junior Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma who were highlighting the existence of ‘Red Army’ behind the Karbi Anglong carnage. Majhi further said that the two militant outfits, DHD and UPDS can only normalize the situation while adding that the involvement of third element, however, cannot be ruled out.
Majhi visited the trouble torn district along with an 11-member team of State Legislative Assembly on Oct 21 and 22 last. Majhi further opined that there is a need of reorganizing the district into different sections because of its vast area, which makes it even more difficult to douse such violent activities. In the context of disarming the two militant outfits Majhi said that the Union Government would take decision in this regard whenever they feel the necessity. As far as violation of cease-fire ground rules is concerned, Majhi said, “There must be some sort of violation otherwise such a carnage would not have taken place”.
“The bloodshed was due to the placement of DHD camp at Dhansiri and it has been wrongly portrayed as ethnic clash”, confirms the Speaker. However, he did uphold the problem of lack of adequate security forces in the strife torn district. Meanwhile, Bijoy Krishna Handique, Union Minister of State for defence, today said that the Government is discharging its duty and more security forces would be deployed in the district if the circumstances demand so. He opined this during his visit to Diphu and also added that both DHD and UPDS should stay at their designated camps. ASDC, KSA and CPI (ML) have also submitted memorandum demanding that both outfits must follow the cease-fire ground rules, camps should not be located in sensitive areas with one camp being allowed in one district, compensation of 5 lakhs and free ration to the family of deceased and affected. The memorandum flayed the State Government for the carnage while a CBI enquiry was also sought.
Take note of Army chief’s view, PM urged
PCG leaves for ULFA talks today By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Oct 23: On the eve of its talks with the Centre slated for October 26, the ULFA-picked People’s Consultative Group (PCG) has expressed strong exception to the remarks aired by Army Chief General JJ Singh that ULFA leaders and cadres should lay down their arms first if they were serious about their talks offer. "The reported remarks by the Army chief is absolutely untimely and unwarranted and contradictory to the spirit of the peace initiative taken by the PCG," said Arup Borbora and Lachit Bordoloi, members of the PCG, in a statement here.
The nine-member PCG was scheduled to leave for New Delhi tomorrow to take part in the preliminary discussion with PMO officials at 4 p.m. on October 26, said Borbora, while talking to The Sentinel. He, however, said that it was beyond the knowledge of the PCG that whether Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would take part in the ensuing talks or not. Another source said that Chief Minister’s participation in the first round of talks was unlikely. "This discussion is to do the ground work for direct negotiation between the Government and the ULFA," the source said.
The PCG urged the Prime Minister to take note of the Army chief’s statement made on October 21 at New Delhi and to see that the ‘congenial atmosphere for the proposed talks is not affected by such remarks from responsible authorities.’ The nine-member body, however, thanked the PMO for extending a formal invitation to it and assured that it would do everything possible to facilitate the peace process. According to PCG sources, the ULFA was scheduled to give it a detailed guidelines on various issues to be raised by the members during their talks with the PMO. Sovereignty, ULFA’s ‘core issue’, is expected to come up for discussion in the talks.



Frans on 10.24.05 @ 05:29 PM CST [link]


Sunday, October 23rd

Oscar has a hidden agenda-Naga Hoho


Oscar has a hidden agenda-Naga Hoho New Kerala
Kohima: Apex Naga civil society Naga Hoho today expressed its displeasure over Union Minister Oscar Fernandes alleged refusal to hear the Naga people's views on the Naga issue during his visit to the state.

In a statement issued by the Vice-President of Naga Hoho Keviletuo Kiewhuo here today said, "it was expected of Mr Fernandes to show more sincerity to the peace process since he is shouldering the responsibility of negotiator on behalf of the Centre." "The Union Minister had failed to meet any civil society, NGO or political party, apart from congress functionaries during his two-day visit to Nagaland," he said.

The Naga Hoho said consultations with the civil societies and organizations and different spectrum of political groups in Nagaland on the part of Fernandes would have created confidence in the peace process.

It questioned whether the views of a political parties were going to be the basis of the negotiations.

While maintaining that it had no disagreement if the visit was for the political party he represented, the Naga Hoho opined that since it was his maiden visit to Naga areas after shouldering the responsibility of the centre's negotiator it was expected of him to be more realistic and show sincerity to the peace process.

It also commented that if it was an exclusive party visit, Mr Fernandes should not have made comment on the Naga peace process.

It may be mentioned here the Mr Fernandes is the leader of the delegation leading the group of Ministers in the Naga peace process, who recently met the NSCN-IM leaders in Bangkok in the latest round of talks.

During his visit to Nagaland recently, he had made number of comments on the progress of the peace talks and also gave some hints on the shape of things to come.

The Naga Hoho was of the view that such an attitude was not healthy and speaks volumes on the insincerity of the centre towards the ongoing political talks. It also expressed apprehension on whether the visit of Mr Fernandes had any hidden agenda.

The Naga Hoho further urged the centre to be more sensitive in addressing the Naga Hoho, the release added.
NSCN no to Oscar plan [telegraphindia]
Dimapur, The NSCN (I-M) today thumbed down Union minister Oscar Fernandez¡¯s suggestion that the Naga impasse could be ended with an interim solution even as the dialogue for a final settlement continued.

The insurgent group¡¯s kilo kilonser (home minister), Rh. Raising, said Delhi had not even discussed the possibility of an interim arrangement with his organisation, leave alone work towards it.
¡°It may be one among many formulas for consideration, but we are looking for a lasting final solution, a decision on which will be taken by the collective leadership (Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah),¡± he said.
Fernandez, the Union minister of state for statistics and programme implementation and leader of the ministerial group negotiating with the NSCN (I-M), said in Kohima yesterday that an interim solution to the Naga issue was possible, ¡°if agreed to¡± by the outfit. But Raising remained non-committal on whether his organisation would at all consider such an option if Delhi raised it at the next round of formal talks.
The insurgent leader met Fernandez away from the prying eyes of the media and declined to disclose whether the minister mentioned any such proposal.
¡°It was a private chit-chat, nothing for public consumption,¡± he told The Telegraph.
Raising said the Naga peace talks, which have weathered several storms along the way, were being held on an even keel and both ¡°India and the Nagas¡± must continue to respect one another¡¯s point of view on key issues.
The NSCN (I-M) kilo kilonser¡¯s meeting with Fernandez was ostensibly arranged at the eleventh hour. Just before leaving a government accommodation for Dimapur airport, the Union minister received feelers from the insurgent leader to arrange for a t¨ºte-¨¤-t¨ºte. His flight to Calcutta was delayed by over an hour, allowing him the opportunity to oblige Raising.
Raising sounded a note of warning, too. He said the insurgent group was committed to the peace process, but would not take things lying down if it did not progress in the right direction.
The next round of talks is slated for December, probably before Christmas. The NSCN (I-M) leader, however, declined to hazard a guess about ¡°any Christmas gift¡± to the impasse-weary Naga community. Fernandez told the media that the Naga issue was five decades old, but the UPA government in Delhi had dealt with it for only nine months. He said the three states, Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, opposed to the campaign for integration of Naga-inhabited areas of the Northeast were yet to have extensive discussions with Delhi. [telegraphindia]
NPMHR condemns torture of Ukhrul SI in police custody John K Kaping Kangla online

Ukhrul, Oct 22: The Naga People`s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has strongly condemned the "cruel torture" of a sub-inspector of Manipur police, Kapangkhui Shimrah who was arrested in connection with the case of loss of Rs. 13 lakhs from the Ukhrul police department meant for the district police personnel`s salary for the month of September.

Though the police officer was reportedly granted an interim bail for a month by the Ukhrul chief judicial magistrate (CJM), the rights body categorically termed the act of torture given at the time of interrogation in police custody "cruel".

The rights body convenor, Hungyo Hong in a press communiquîWurther condemned the police for illtreatment under the Indian Constitution Article 22 which lays down the rights at the time of arrest or detention and Article 5 that no one shall be subjugated to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

His treatment is condemnable, said the convenor as it is not the question of whether he is involved or not in the case.

The Hunphun Shanao Long, HSL (Ukhrul Women Council), also showed strong resentment over the ill treatment.

The president of the council, Veronica Zingkhai stated that the organization never encouraged the act of robbery or the loss of Rs. 13 lakhs from the police department but rather stressed the protection of human rights.

The president further said that when the law keepers gave such inhuman and cruel treatment to men of their own department, there is no room for security and human rights for the common men.
Peace studies centre in Nagaland University
KOHIMA, Oct. 22: The University Grant Commission (UGC) has approved a Centre for Peace Studies in Nagaland University (NU). This was stated by NU Vice Chancellor Prof G D Sharma
in a statement here today. He said the centre will be undertaking peace related studies and research in Nagaland and it would start within this year.

The VC informed that the North East Vice Chancellor's meet would be hosted by Nagaland University this year. The meet will discuss on the overall status of higher education in the north east, including Jammu and Kashmir. The conclave will take place on December 8 and 9.

He said the meeting would also deliberate upon professional education in the region. The dignitaries from the ministry of education are also expected to attend the meet. Nagaland University has already contacted Goa Governor S C Jamir for his presence in the conclave.
Kuki Inpi registers resentment on factional clashes New Kerala
Kohima: Piqued by frequent antagonistic fights between two rival factions of the NSCN, the Kuki Inpi, apex traditional body of Kuki tribe of Nagaland, has asked the NSCN (K) to immediately move to their designated camp at Songphel area.

While it asked the NSCN (K) to leave Athibung town, it asked the NSCN-IM to refrain from attacking the rival camps.

A consultative meeting of the Kuki Inp, Nagaland, comprising of Gaon Burah Union, officers, Church leaders and public leaders recently, has appealed both the factions of NSCN to strictly adhere to the ground rules in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.

It asked that the ceasefire agreement be honoured and legal code of conduct maintained to foster peace and understanding in the society.

The Kuki Inpi appreciated the district administration for deployment Indian reserved Battalion (IRB) personnel at Athibung for public security and the timely intervention of the officials in promulgating 144 cr p.c., Kuki Inpi press and publicity secretary Silas Khongsai said in a release here today.

The consultative meeting, while condemning the deteriorating law and order situation at Athibung under Peren district, had reaffirmed its commitment towards peace in the region. The meeting also attributed the presence of antagonistic feelings of the two NSCN factions as the main hindrance for social development and prosperity in the area.

It said unless the antagonism between the two factions synthesised, there could be no social change in the Naga society.

The meeting strongly condemned the October 18 incident in which an innocent lady, one Kimvah (70) was killed and her son Sehhen (30) was seriously injured, while running for safety from blank firing of the NSCN-IM, the release said.

The meeting registered its resentment over frequent incidences of firing at Athibung town which had become the epicentre of factional clashes. Reportedly six firing incidencents had taken place at Athibung within ten months' span, destroying many properties including church building, educational institutions and private houses.

Viewing with concern the gravity of the prevailing situation at Athibung, the meeting had appealed to all right thinking citizens to join hands to restore peace in the state.
NSCN (IM) link resurface in Assam Governor report The Morung Express
George Fernandes meets Kalam over Karbi violence
GUWAHATI, OCT 22 (AGENCIES): Even as the BJP sought to give a new twist to the violence in Karbi Anglong by alleging massive Baptism campaign in relief camps, Lt. Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh today signed an eight page report on the ethnic frenzy in Karbi Anglong to be submitted to the President¡¯s office. While the report hinted about failure on the part of the government machinery to contain the ongoing strife in the region, regarding the perpetrators in the strife, apart from DHD and UPDS the Governor¡¯s report gave clear indications of NSCN (IM), Black Widow and Red Army¡¯s involvement.
The State administration was also held responsible for flouting of ceasefire ground rules by both DHD and UPDS. Both DHD and UPDS reportedly occupied center stage in the Governor¡¯s report.
Commenting on the casualties and damages during the violence, the Governor¡¯s report said that government figure is much less then the actual tragedy.
It may be recalled that Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) today submitted memorandum to Assam Governor urging for an ¡®Urgent Assembly Session¡¯ and also stressed for the implementation of Governor¡¯s special power to impose President Rule (PR) in the State.
Meanwhile seeking immediate Central intervention to establish "lasting peace" in Karbi Anglong, JD (U) chief George Fernandes and a legislator from the State met President A P J Abdul Kalam and asked him to appoint a Parliamentary Committee to investigate the ethnic violence in the district.
It may be mentioned that Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had told yesterday that involvement of politicians like Fernandes in the current violence would also be probed.
The situation in Assam¡¯s Karbi Anglong district, meanwhile, remained ¡®tense but under control¡¯ with no fresh violence reported so far, official sources said.
In another development, the Assam Human Rights Commission has taken suo moto cognizance of violence in Karbi Anglong and has called for a detailed report from the state¡¯s Home Commissioner and Secretary within two months.
Show proof: NSCN (IM) The Morung Express
DIMAPUR OCT 22 (MExN): Reacting sharply to the Assam Governor¡¯s report on the Karbi-Dimasa violence alleging the involvement of the NSCN (IM), the outfit dared the ¡®report creators¡¯ to substantiate the allegations with needful proof, said Kraiba Chawang, Deputy Kilonser, MIP when contacted by The Morung Express while terming the allegations as baseless, unfounded. "If at all, it¡¯s a move with ulterior motives to sabotage the peace process". Chawang also pointed out if the organization was approached, then it was ever prepared help the two communities arrive at a ¡®peaceful settlement¡¯ of their discord.
He also feigned ignorance about other groups involved such as the Red Army and Black Widow as mentioned in the report. Further, Chawang reacting to the accusation from various quarters that the NSCN (IM) was involved in conducting forcible conversion of the tribals, in Assam said that if those who were alleging knew that the organization was involved in conversion then "they must also know how many religious leaders (from the NSCN) we might have in Assam and I hope they also tell us how many religious teachers we have there and send us the list." He said that neither the NSCN nor the Nagas believe in forced conversions.
Restive UCM mulls PM boycott over Naga issue Newmai News Network
October 22
IMPHAL: An obviously restive United Committee Manipur (UCM) has threatened to agitate and also boycott the proposed visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Manipur in the event of the failure to give satisfactory clarifications from the government¡¯s side on various stands including on the "open collection of illegal tax from the Manipur bound transporters by the NSCN-IM whose outfit is on cease-fire with the government of India".
Issuing an exclusive statement to Newmai News Network today UCM president in-charge Konsam Lanngamba said that the government should clarify on why it (government) is maintaining silence when the NSCN-IM is openly collecting huge amount of taxes on the Manipur bound transporters. "The government knows all these activities of the NSCN-IM but it closes its eyes on the outfit¡¯s activities but this time it should give reasonable explanation to the people of Manipur as to why it has been keeping quiet on the matter," demanded the UCM leader.
Konsan Lanngamba said that the government should also make clarification on the statement made by Oscar Fernandes with regard to the Naga integration demands. UCM leader then demanded that necessary clarification should also be made by New Delhi on the Armed Forces Special Power Act. "All these clarifications should be made by the government of India before the visit of the Prime Minister to Manipur. If it (GOI) fails to do so then there will be a strong agitation and boycott of the PM¡¯s visit," said the UCM president.
The UCM leader while elaborating his points said that Union Minister Oscar Fernandes¡¯ statement which said that a national level meeting on Naga integration was being conceived, should be clarified by the government as to what position/stands the Centre has taken on the issue.
Konsam Lanngamba while recalling the Prime minister¡¯s assurance during the latter¡¯s last visit to Manipur, has said that "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured us that he would do something with the AFSPA within six month but now its one year that nothing has been done in this regard. The Prime Minister even went to the extent of saying that he might even do it within three months time," Konsam Lanngamba expressed anguish.
"There has been immense pressure on the United Committee Manipur from the general public to do something on all these issues", stated the UCM president in-charge.
PCG gets ULFA guidelines for talks
By A Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 22 ¨C The People¡¯s Consultative Group (PCG), formed by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to pave the way for talks with the Government of India, is preparing its strategies for the first round of talks with the officials of Prime Minister¡¯s Office (PMO) on October 26. The members of the group will leave for New Delhi on October 24.

Members of the PCG are meeting regularly to prepare strategies and they will also meet later tonight and tomorrow before leaving for New Delhi. The ULFA leadership has communicated a series of guidelines to the PCG over phone and the formal written copy of the guidelines will reach the members of the group before the talks. It may be mentioned here that the PMO formally sent the letter inviting the members of the PCG for talks yesterday.

Talking to this correspondent, chief adviser of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) Dilip Patgiri said that the group is ready to hold talks with the Government of India in a bid to clearing the hurdles in the way of talks between the Government and the ULFA. He said that the PCG would put forward the issues raised by the ULFA during the talks with the Government of India. He said that the PCG is hopeful of a constructive and fruitful start to the peace process. He also revealed that the PCG studied the views expressed by the common people of the State on the issue of talks and those would be of great help to the group in its talks with the Government. All sections of people of Assam want a political solution to the issue for restoration of permanent peace in the State, he added.

Referring to the recent statements by senior Army officials that the operations against the ULFA would continue, Patgiri said that the PCG would raise the issue during the talks. He said that the Government should show its sincerity on the issue of talks with the Government of India and maintain restraint before the declaration of formal cease-fire to create a congenial atmosphere for talks.

Meanwhile, another member of the group, Hiranya Saikia said that majority of the people who sent their views on the issue of talks to the PCG were of the view that the issue of sovereignty should be discussed. The PCG will inform the Government of India about the views expressed by the people of Assam, he added.

Condemning the reported statements of senior Army officers, he said that by such statements, the Army undermined the PMO and would create confusion in the minds of the people.

The North East Students¡¯ Organisation (NESO) and the All Assam Students¡¯ Union (AASU) has welcomed the peace process and hoped that the talks between the Government and PCG would be successful in starting the process of talks between the Government and ULFA. The organisations also hoped that the Government would show its sincerity for the success of the talks.

UCM threaten to boycott PM's visit
Newmai News Network
Imphal, Oct 22 : The United Committee Manipur (UCM) has threatened to agitate and boycott the proposed visit of Prime Mi-nister Dr Manmohan Singh to Manipur in the event of the failure to give satisfactory clarifications from the government on various issues including alleged ¡°open collection of illegal tax from Manipur bound vehicles by the NSCN-IM which is on cease-fire with the government of India¡±.
In a statement issued to Newmai News Network today UCM president in-- charge Konsam Lan-ngamba said the govern- ment should clarify on why it (government) is maintaining silence when the NSCN-IM is openly collecting huge amount of ta- xes on Manipur bound vehicles.
"The government knows all these activities of the NSCN-IM but it (Government of India) closes its eyes on the outfit¡¯s activities. but this time it should provide reasonable explanation to the people of Ma- nipur as to why it has been keeping mum on the matter, demanded the UCM leader.
Lanngamba said the govt should also clarify on the statement of Oscar Fer-nandes with regard to Naga integration demands. The UCM leader then deman-ded that necessary clarifi- cation be made by the Centre on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
All these clarifications should be made by the Centre before the visit of Prime Minister to Manipur, it insisted while threatening that in case of failure for a appropriate response there will be strong agitation and boycott the PM's visit, said the UCM president.
The UCM leader while elaborating his points said that Union minister Oscar Fernandes' statement that a national level meeting on Naga integration is being being conceived should be clarified by the government as to what position/stands of the Centre on the issue.
Lanngamba, while recalling the Prime minister¡¯s assurance during his visit to Manipur said ¡°Prime Mi-nister Manmohan Singh has assured us that he would do something with reagrd to the AFSPA issue within six months but now it is one year that nothing had been done in this regard."
"The Prime Minister even went to the extent of saying that he might even do it within three months time,¡± he recalled
¡°There has been immen-se pressure in addition to expectation from the general public that the United Committee Manipur do something on all these issues,¡± stated the UCM president in-charge.
Tangkhul bodies rue Govt¡¯s inaction Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 22: Decrying the inaction of the State Government to the recent killing of two innocent Tangkhul cattle traders allegedly by an underground outfit in collusion with the Myanmarese army, four Tangkhul bodies have warned of launching agitation against the Government if their demands were not considered within October 25.
The demands has highlighted in a memorandum submitted jointly to the Chief Minister by Tang-khul Naga Long (TNL), Tangkhul Katamnao Sak-long (TKS), Tangkhul Sha- nao Long (TSL) and Tang-khul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL) include take up action against SDO Kamjong and OC of Chassad Police Station for the dereliction of duties, payment of ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakhs to each of the families of the deceased and flushing out all the underground elements which are not in ceasefire with the Government of India.
The memorandum sign-ed by TNL president Ram- thing Hungyo, TKS spea- ker S Ramhaoleng, TSL pre-sident Silla J Khonghay and TMNL vice president Wungmakhok V Zimik observed that the people of Ukhrul district are extremely disturbed and aggrieved by the incident.
The Tangkhuls are aggrieved and angered at the complete silence of the State Government despite having been timely informed for immediate necessary action, the memorandum said.
It is also unfortunate that the three Tangkhul MLAs are maintaining complete indifference to the incident, the memorandum said, adding that the protest rally taken out at Kamjong by the public on October 17 against the killing had also strongly condemned the indifferent attitude of the State Government and the MLAs concerned.
If the demands are not fulfilled by the Government on or before October 25, the social organisations would be constraint to take up further necessary actions against the inaction of the State Government and the Government should be held responsible for any untoward incident, the memorandum categorically stated.
Anti-drug campaign gains momentum
By Our Staff Reporter Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 22 : In connection with the formation of student body DESAM's special task force on anti-drug campaign, a programme on 'Healthy Students, Society for a Healthy and Active/Civilized Society' was conducted at the DMC Science Hall today.
Attending the program-me as the chief guest, MLA Dr M nara emphasised on concerted effort from all quarters for prevention of drug abuse as such a trend causes immense problem to the society.
regretting that many of the youths in Manipur have caught in the cruel web of harmful drugs, Dr Nara, minching no words, point-ed out that some individuals posing as active anti-drug campaigners are nevertheless involved in narcotics trade in a big way.
The problem currently besieging Manipuri society is not limited only to use of harmful drugs but includes consumption of medicines without prior consultation and proper prescription of doctors concerned, he said.
Considering the harmful consequences of this aspect, State authorities had even adopted stringent measures including prohibition of many pharmaceutical items to curtail its harmful effect. But despite such measures, banned drugs continue to flood the markets as unscrupulous elements relentlessly procures them by any means, the MLA remarked.
Observing that harsh action alone cannot prevent youths from falling prey to drug abuse or solving the problem, the former Minister suggested that eradica- tion of the menace is highly dependent on endeavours toward rooting out the source of harm drug influx in order to save the future generation.
Stressing on mass social movement to protect the society from the menace of drug abuse, Dr Nara cont-ended that the task of we- eding out drug menace need equal contribution and responsibility of all the NGOs working in the field with active cooperation of the com- mon people. He also called upon the students to take the initiatives in preventing their colleagues from becoming drug abusers.
DESAM president L Romesh presided the programme with DMC Science Principal Th Bedamani as the guest of honour.
The Eastern frontier Sangai Express Editorial
The points raised by the Churachandpur District Students' Union, seeking the attention of Delhi to the detention of five villagers of Muallum village of Churachandpur by Myanmar should not be swept under the carpet. We agree that the matter is extremely sensitive given the fact that it involves two sovereign countries but Delhi too has a responsibility towards its citizens and efforts at the diplomatic level ought to be carried out to get to the bottom of the matter and see where a solution can be worked out. As reported in this paper, the five people were arrested by Myanmarese Army on February 12 this year and while the wives of the five persons have alleged that their husbands were picked up from Zoukhonuom village which is under Singnat sub-division, we still do not have any version from the side of Myanmar under what charges they were detained. In all probability the Myanmar Army must have detained the five on the ground that they had crossed the international boundary line. However this can be a contentious issue as the boundary dispute between Myanmar and Manipur are yet to be settled satisfactorily. Moreover as the Churachandpur District Students' Union pointed out, there is something called the No Man's Land and it is the duty of the Union Home Ministry to ensure that the status quo of the No Man's Land is maintained by either side. The most surprising point was the decision of the Union Home Ministry to hand over the responsibility of negotiating with the Myanmarese side over the detention of the five persons to the Army authority based at Manipur. This is a matter concerning two countries and we doubt the wisdom behind the decision of the Union Home Ministry to entrust the task of negotiating the matter with the Army authority based at Manipur.
The boundary disputes between Myanmar and India, correction Manipur, has been festering for years. Numerous reports have been filed about the missing border pillars put up at the border area. There have been tales galore too about Myanmar intruding into the boundary of Manipur. With relationship between India and Myanmar on the upswing in recent times and with many an agreement inked between the two entities as evidenced in the recent round of talks held between a delegates of Indian officials led by the Union Home Secretary at Myanmar, we hope the matter is taken to its logical conclusion. Here we are talking about the fate of five persons who are under detention at a foreign country and India needs to use her clout and neighbourly ties with Myanmar to see how a solution can be worked out. The boundary disputes between the two countries too need to be given serious attention or else for the people living near the border area, their movements and search for a livelihood will be gravely affected. New Delhi should ensure that at least its citizens can live in security and move about freely inside their own country and to achieve this, the border demarcation needs to be made clear especially for the benefits and welfare of the people living at the border area. It is also about the security of the country against any external threats.

Peace mission wants CBI probe
From our Correspondent
DIPHU, Oct 22: An all-party peace mission today accused the State Government of failing to control the ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong district, and demanded a CBI inquiry into the clash between the Karbis and DImasas.
Visiting the violence-affected areas and relief camps, veteran CPI (M) leader Hamen Das said that the law-and-order situation in the district had totally failed.
Das also claimed that the ceasefire ground rules had been violated by the DHD and the UPDS due to the failure of the ceasefire monitoring cell.
ASDC(P) general secretary Daniel Teron demanded the setting up a designated camp for the UPDS in Karbi Anglong and the DHD in NC Hills. He added that even though the UPDS and the DHD were under ceasefire agreements with the Centre, their cadres were roaming with arms, and for this none other than the State government was to be blamed.
Asom Gana Parishad leader Utpal Dutta asserted that the ceasefire rules were violated because the monitoring cell could not keep the militants under control.
The mission included Rubul Sarma (CPI-ML), Bimal Nandi (SUCI), Ratneswar Gogoi (RSP), H R A Choudhury (UMF), Wadiat Jamal (UDF), Daniel Teron (ASDC).
Meanwhile, the curfew was relaxed in the district for 12 hours from 6 a.m. but a strict vigil was being maintained with the Army patrolling in the sensitive areas where the Karbi and Dimasa tribes fought a bloody battle resulting in 88 lives lost.
Dimasa body seeks Kalam, Manmohan intervention Sentinel
Kohima, Oct 22 (UNI): The Dimasa Sabha (DDS), also known as the Bismai Bosong, has appealed to President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to intervene and curb the ongoing ethnic violence between the Dimasas and Karbis. In a release here yesterday, the DDS also requested for relief and rehabilitation for the victims of both the communities and demanded stringent punishment against the criminals and instigators with a view to restoring trust and harmonious relations.
Holding the district administration responsible for being "indifferent¡¯ to the misdeeds perpetrated by those triggering violence, the DDS stated that extortions and kidnapings had become the order of the day. The DDS had also alleged that some external forces were adding fuel to the fire.
It said altogether three relief camps had been set up at Diphu for Dimasas. Altogether 2504 people were lodged at the Diphu Dimasa club. The modus operandi of the criminals for causing genocide in Karbi -Anglong had a similarity with the insurgent activities in neighbouring States, it said.
Hoho asks Karbis, Dimasas for calm Sentinel
Kohima, Oct 22 (UNI): The Naga Hoho has appealed to all sensible leaders of both Karbi and Dimasa communities to eschew violence and mainatain peace.
In a release here yesterday, Information and Publicity Secretary of Naga Hoho P Chuba Ozukum said the need of the hour was to maintain peace at any cost and renew their age-long mutual trust and harmony.
Such killings and violence had caused untold human sufferings and were against the moral values of human life, he said.
Ozukum said the entire North-east region had been reeling under upheavals owing to the culmination of various political economic and social problems.
It was high time the Indian intellectuals in particular and the masses in general reexamine the crux of the issues pertaining to the social and political unrest in the region.
In a seperate statement, the Naga Students¡¯ Federation (NSF) had appealed to the Karbi and Dimasa brethren to refrain from further killing and called upon the law enforcing agencies to act upon immediately to bring back the status quo for creating conducive atmosphere for peace talk.
The NSF said the Nagas could never be happy when two neighbours were in war and were deeply pained by the unfortunate incidents of rampant killings.
It appealed to both warring tribes to adapt to non-violent approach for an amicable solution and hoped better sense would prevail.



Frans on 10.23.05 @ 03:43 PM CST [link]


Saturday, October 22nd

Naga Hoho hails Source: The Sangai Express


Naga Hoho hails Source: The Sangai Express
Dimapur, October 22 (NNN): The Naga Hoho while appreciating the visit of Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes to Nagaland has expressed displeasure over his denying the Nagas a chance to express their views on the decades-old Naga political problem.

A press release issued by Naga Hoho vice president Keviletuo Kiewhuo said the hoho would have no disagreement if the entire visit was for the political party that Oscar represented.

However, the release said, since it was the Minister’s maiden visit to Naga areas after shouldering responsibility as the negotiator of Government of India, he was expected to be more realistic and sincere to the peace process.

“Does it signify that the Government of India is insincere to the peace process or a deliberate act of saying ‘my party is more important than the Naga people’s desire for an honourable solution,’? it questioned.
Leading from the shadows
Militancy first shattered the peace between Assam’s Karbi and Dimasa tribes in the late Nineties. The killings in the Karbi Anglong Hill district are the result of the same divisive politics, writes Samudra Gupta Kashyap
WHEN the bodies of three Dimasa tribals were found last month in a village inhabited primarily by the Karbi tribe, the police simply called it a dacoity. But the events that followed were much complex.

The killing sparked off more killings. Since then the Karbi Anglong Hill district, one of the two hill districts of Assam, has been on fire. Over 75 people, majority of them Karbis, have been killed while over 1,000 houses of both communities have been burnt down. Nearly 28,000 persons are living in 47 relief camps across the 10,434-sq km district.
In the midst of the violence if anything has survived it is the politics of opportunism. Various political parties as well as the two armed groups claiming to be saviours of the Karbi and Dimasa tribes respectively, have begun blaming each other for the ethnic strife. A strife which began years ago.
IN November 1951, a new district, the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills, was carved out of portions of Sibsagar, Nagaon, Cachar and United Khasi & Jaintia Hills. In 1970, it was again split up into two: the Mikir Hills district and the North Cachar Hills district. In 1976, the Mikir Hills district was rechristened Karbi Anglong.
While Karbi Anglong is dominated by the Karbi tribe, North Cachar is dominated by the Dimasas. But over 40,000 Dimasas live in Karbi Anglong. The two districts together constitute the Diphu-Autonomous Lok Sabha constituency, and both districts are autonomous districts under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Karbi Anglong incidentally is Assam’s largest district in terms of geographical spread.
TILL the late Nineties the Karbis and Dimasas lived in peace. Then came the shadow of militancy. It was followed by the birth of the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS)—a group that claims to be the messiah of the Karbi tribals and the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD)—which wants a separate state called Dimaraji exclusively for the Dimasa tribals. It claims the entire North Cachar Hills, portions of Karbi Anglong, and even Dimapur in Nagaland for its new state.
That was the beginning of a cleft between the two tribes, one which was exploited by politicians.
Initially, the NSCN (IM) supported the DHD but backed out after it found that the two hill districts of Assam also figured within the ‘Greater Nagalim’ that the Naga group stakes a claim to.
KARBI Anglong historically belongs to the Dimasas. Our ancestors ruled over Dimapur, the present Karbi Anglong hills and NC Hills and even a large portion of the Cachar district in the Barak Valley,’’ says Dilip Nunisa, chairman of the DHD, which declared a ceasefire with the government in December 23, 2002.
Since the ceasefire, the 450-odd armed cadres of this outfit have been confined to five designated camps, one of which is located in the Dimasa-dominated Dhansiri area of Karbi Anglong.
The UPDS, which too had signed a ceasefire agreement with the government on May 23, 2002, has been demanding the DHD camp be removed from their district. And, even as tension was brewing between the two groups, it was the September 26 murders that brought out it out into the open.
‘‘While the government failed to anticipate trouble and adopted a laid-back attitude, different forces looking for a opportunity, simply stepped in,’’ says Holiram Terang, a veteran Karbi MLA and leader of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), a political party that has both Karbis as well as Dimasas. Terang blames the Congress government for not reacting promptly, but refuses to name any group for the violence.
Meanwhile, the government appears to be convinced that the two militant groups are directly involved in the violence. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi summoned leaders of both the DHD and UPDS to Guwahati last Tuesday. Union home secretary Rajiv Agarwal too has said both groups had violated the ceasefire ground rules.
But those are government versions. Politics is different. The Assam Assembly elections are hardly six months away. ‘‘The Congress government is also to be blamed. It is trying to distract attention of the people from its misdeeds and failures,’’ says AGP president Brindaban Goswami.
The BJP too has made a similar allegation. ‘‘Tarun Gogoi is trying to shift the focus from the Muslims’ withdrawal of support to the Congress and his government’s failures,’’ says SS Ahluwalia, BJP leader in charge of Assam.
UCM reiterates stand on territory
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 21: Reacting sharply to the recent statement of Oscar Fernandes that a National level meeting may be held to discuss the formation of a Greater Nagalim, the United Committee Manipur today reiterated that the people of Manipur will not yield an inch of the State's territory.

In a statement, UCM said that the people are aware that if there is no Manipur there will be no Manipuris and added that the flip flop stand of New Delhi with regard to the territorial sanctity of Manipur did not come as a surprise.

UCM said that the recent statement of Oscar Fernandes that a National level meeting may be convened to discuss the integration of Naga inhabited areas is nothing but an agenda of Delhi to tamper with the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Recalling the Great June 18 Uprising of 2001, the statement said that the people have shown that they are ready to sacrifice everything to protect the territory of Manipur and added that any future designs will meet the same fate.

No force on earth can defeat the people's resolve to protect the territory of Manipur, asserted UCM and added there is no ground to entertain the demand of integrating Naga inhabited areas in the current peace talk.

The National level discussion mooted by Fernandes is just an eye wash to play the appeasement policy at the cost of others, said UCM and added that this in effect means the disintegration of the territorial integrity of other States of North East India.

The deliberate attempt of the Centre to ignore the stand of the people of Manipur is akin to adding fuel to the fire, said UCM and added that Delhi should remember that though their political stooges in Manipur may believe in the culture of high command, the people of Manipur are not ready to buy this line.

What Fernandes said was against the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government, reminded UCM and questioned what action has been taken up in this regard.

In the name of the peace talk the NSCN (IM) is today openly extorting money from the people and imposing their taxes at will with the Indian military mutely looking on.

This has raised a serious question over the credibility of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell set up by the Indian Government, said UCM further.

It is becoming clear that today the ceasefire between the Centre and the NSCN (IM) is against the people of Manipur, added UCM.
Nagaland policy to boost agriculture New Kerala
Kohima: Nagaland agriculture minister Kuzholuzo has said the Nagaland government has decided to direct all developmental policies of the agriculture sector towards increasing production, enhancing productivity and generating employment.

Mr Kuzholuzo, was speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of students' union at the school of Agriculture Science and Rural Development (SASRD) and the foundation day at Medziphema yesterday.

He said the present status of fertilizers used in the state is about 1.5 kg per hectare in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, which he claimed is quite negligible as compared to other states.

He also insisted over the need to strengthen the Nagaland state organic board, constituted under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for implementation of organic programmes.

Speaking on the occasion, Nagaland University Vice Chancellor Prof G D sharma emphasized on the need for Nagaland to go organic, saying that organic farming is an area where the state can reap rich dividends. ''No fertilizer, no pesticide'' should be the theme for all farmers in the state, he said.
Oscar Fernandes charged of violating CMP New Kerala
Imphal: The United Committee of Manipur (UCM) has accused Union minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes of violating the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the UPA government during his visit to Nagaland recently.

On the issue of territorial integrity of the north east, the central government was 'playing politics' by holding a weighing balance and issuing different statements, the UCM said.

UCM General Secretary Kh Gourashyam said during Mr Fernandes’ visit to the state, it was stated that the issue of integration of Naga inhabited areas will be discussed at the national level even when the UPA government has already declared in the CMP that territorial integrity of the north eastern states will not be affected.

He said when talks with the NSCN(IM) started in 1997 the people of Manipur were happy that a peaceful resolution of the problem of Nagaland will be brought about. But, Mr Oscar Fernandes in a statement had said that the issue of Naga expansionism will be discussed at the national level.

Mr Gourashyam describing Mr Fernandes' statement as 'baseless', said rather than bringing any tangible solution and peace, the ceasefire between the government and the NSCN(IM) have caused tremendous hardship to the people of Manipur . The NSCN is resorting to extortion and demand of ransom.

When the NSCN(IM) said "there is nothing wrong in extorting money from the people of Manipur, the Government could not do anything. Democracy has been made a farce." the UCM Secretary General said.

He said the central government should understand that people are firm on the issue of territorial integrity of the state and there is no question of compromise or talks on it. It is something inviolable, he added.

He further said that BJP leader L K Advani during an election campaign said the territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected but when NDA came to power the truce with NSCN(IM) was extended to other areas resulting in the Great June uprising of 2001 which led to the death of 18 persons and burning down of the State Assembly, Chief Minister’s residence and quarters of ministers, MLAs and offices of all political parties.

He said the NDA government after realising the folly decided to withdraw the decision. "Playing politics and creating tension in the north eastern states by central leaders should be stopped," he asserted.
‘Live and let live’; NSF to Karbi, Dimasa brothers The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, Oct 21 (MExN): The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has appealed to the Karbi and Dimasa communities to refrain from further killings stating that it was deeply pained by the unfortunate incidents of rampant killings between the two brother-communities.
In an appeal issued by K Eludang, General Secretary and WH Maring Speaker of the NSF, the apex Naga Students’ body while recalling the genesis of the prevailing Karbi-Dimasa conflict expressed sadness that the spark of the present developments had ignited a devastating flame which has resulted in the loss of 69 lives till date. It also stated that the subsequent developments leading to such costly flare-ups between the two neighbors were never expected.
While expressing the need for an amicable solution, the NSF also warned any political parties or organizations against politicizing the issue, cautioning that anything that won’t help solving the problem should not be introduced. Failure on this would only hijack and invigorate the problem, it added. The organization appealed to both the warring communities to adopt a non-violent approach for a solution. "We earnestly hope that peace will prevail thereby dawning the ray of hope of peaceful co-existence amongst the Karbis and Dimasas once again in the region", the NSF stated.
ANSAM express pain over Karbi killings The Morung Express
DIMAPUR, OCT 21 (MExN): The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has expressed pain at the abrupt violent incidents of targeted killings between the closely settled neighboring communities, the Karbis and the Dimasas in Assam. "The recent outbreak of violence in the region has rendered many civilians homeless and destruction of properties. ANSAM appeal both the communities to restrain from emotional outburst and be realistic to desist from any extreme steps of violence.
The ANSAM also appealed the involved groups to open doors for mutual understanding and resolution through peaceful dialogue", stated a press communiqué issued by Paul Langhu President and Ng. Sounii Khapa Information & Publicity Secretary, ANSAM.
The association also urged the Government of India and the Government of Assam to initiate necessary steps to protect and safeguard the innocent villagers and provide immediate relief materials for shelter, food and clothes and medical needs to the affected victims.
The Association also appreciated the initiative of the mass based organizations like the North East Students’ Organization (NESO), Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human
Rights (NPMHR), Manab Adhikari Sangram Samiti(MASS), Bodo Women Justice Forum (BWJF), Karbi Students’ Association (KSA), All Dimasa Students’ Union (ADSU) to restore normalcy in the region through peaceful and humane strategies of unraveling the grim events through a joint peoples investigative process.
The ANSAM urged the state administration to avoid unrestraint militarization in the guise of maintaining law and order in the conflict zones but to provide adequate security measures and necessary humanitarian needs besides expediting the political process in the region.
Vatican ambassador in Imphal New Kerala
Kohima: Vatican Ambassador to India Apostolic Nuncio Pedro Lopez Quinatana arrived in Imphal yesterday amidst expectations that he together with the growing catholic community in the region, will initiate a move towards a more just society.

According to church sources here today the Ambassador, as chief representative of the Pope in India, was accorded a state guest status. He will tour different parts of Imphal and will join the silver jubilee celebration of the Archdiocese of Imphal before he proceeds on a three-day visit to Nagaland from October 24.

With the Vatican having a strong influence over many western powers and having played a significant role in resolving conflict -ridden regions, the christian community, and the catholic in particular, have welcomed the visit.

According to the reports here the Vatican Ambassador arrived at Imphal and was received by Archbishop Joseph Mittathany and Archbishop Dominic Lumon. A motorcade escorted the visiting dignitary to the main town where the children waved the papal white and yellow flags.

He will lead the celebration of the silver jublee celebration today where hundreds of priests, regional bishops, nuns and laity have congregated at Imphal to join the three-day celebration.

The Ambassador's itinerary includes visit to Koirengel hospital Mary immaculate parish in Chingmeirong, the first one to be established in the diocese, besides the Pastoral Training Centre and some more schools and communities.
‘Red Army behind ethnic violence’ The Morung Express
Fernandes’ role to be probed, nine more Karbi cadres killed
GUWAHATI, OCT 21 (AGENCIES): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today opened a new chapter in the Karbi Anglong ethnic clash by pinpointing the names of ‘Red Army’ and ‘Black Widow’, which according to him are forces behind the entire episode of carnage in the district. The Red Army is believed to be a brainchild of CPI (ML) leader Jayanta Rongpi.
In another disclosure Gogoi said the government would also probe allegations that politicians, including former Defence Minister George Fernandes, had a hand in instigating ongoing ethnic clashes.
"There are reasons to suspect the role of George Fernandes and the local CPI-ML (Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist) leader Jayanta Rongpi in the recent violence in Karbi Anglong district," the Chief Minister told journalists.
Not ruling out the hand of Rongpi in the ethnic clash, Gogoi said, "Rongpi is a man who believes in the cult of arms struggle and one should not be surprised if his name is raised".
"The judicial inquiry would definitely investigate the charges leveled against these two politicians by victims of the ethnic clashes."
Justice P.C. Phukan, a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court, has been assigned to conduct the judicial probe into the clashes and submit its report to the government within six months. Gogoi also said the clashes between the Karbi and the Dimasa tribes that claimed 80 lives began after Fernandes made two quick visits to the district late last month.
"The party represented by Fernandes does not even have a single local unit in Karbi Anglong district. What business does he have to visit the area twice in quick succession just before the clashes broke out first on Sep 26?" he asked.
"Many of the victims of the clashes told us and the police about the hand of Fernandes and Rongpi in the attacks."
Rongpi, a former MP from Karbi Anglong, was also accused by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of having a role in the clashes. The Karbi tribal leader, however, denied the allegations.
Yesterday BJP in charge of Assam SS Ahulwalaia had also alleged on the involvement of the NSCN (IM) which was vehemently denied by the outfit.
"The victims have spoken about a typical identification of the miscreants and as per the police reports too the involvement of Red Army cannot be ruled out", added the Chief Minister.
On being asked, whether the State Government is thinking of disarming DHD and UPDS for their sheer violation of ground rules, CM said, "Before taking any such step one would have to assess the extent of violation of the ground rules of the cease-fire by these outfits".
Further, 1,500 additional paramilitary troopers were deployed Friday in the troubled district to prevent further clashes.
Meanwhile, nine Karbi militants were today found killed, suspectedly at the hands of the rival Dimasa tribe, in Tamulbari in Upper Assam taking the toll in the current spell of ethnic violence to 86, police said here.
According to the police, a group of Karbi extremists after torching 12 houses at Kakubasti and seven at Kisiri Bongaon villages in interior areas of a reserve forest yesterday morning headed for Tamulbari. Dimasa guerillas ambushed them as they were about to enter Tamulbari and shot dead nine of them, the police said.
Five of the slain rebels were in uniform and had torches in their hands, police said.
Senior police officials had rushed to the area and security vmeasures were stepped up.
Meanwhile, the curfew and shoot-at-sight orders continued although prohibitory orders were relaxed for 12 hours from 6:00 am this morning.
Though markets and offices functioned normally, both private and government schools remained closed as most of them have been converted into relief camps for sheltering the victims of the ethnic violence.
Formal invitation letter for ULFA talks The Morung Express
ULFA should lay down arms before talks: Army Chief
NEW DELHI, OCT 21 (AGENCIES): The Centre today sent a formal invitation letter to ULFA-selected People’s Consultative Group for talks on October 26, Assamese writer Indira Goswami said.
"I have received a letter from National Security Advisor M K Narayanan inviting the group for discussion on October 26 at the Prime Minister’s Office in South Block at 4 pm," Goswami, who took the initiative initialy, told PTI here.
"I look forward for a fruitful and positive discussion with the group in a constructive spirit," the NSA letter said.
Goswami said the PCG delegates are expected to arrive from Assam on October 24 for the talks. A retired engineer, Mukul Mahanta, who is the senior-most member of the group, is likely to be named as the leader of the eleven-member group.
Meanwhile, the banned outfit is understood to be giving its brief to the members on the agenda for the talks.
"The ULFA leadership is giving guidance to the PCG members on the agenda of the proposed talks. They are also in touch with me," Goswami, a Janapeeth award winner, said.
She, however, declined to comment on whether the "sovereignty" issue as demanded by ULFA would figure in the proposed parleys between the PCG and the government.
When asked whether Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi would also take part in the proposed talks, Goswami said that she had already suggested it but was awaiting a government response.
Meanwhile Army Chief Gen JJ Singh said today that ULFA should lay down their arms and come to the negotiating table, if it is sincere about their offer for peace talks with the Centre.
Asserting that operations against the group would continue, the Army Chief said his forces would treat the banned organisation as a "terrorist organisation".
He said ULFA cadres were at present pressed hard by the pressure put on them by the security forces and had lost much of their earlier sheen and ideological standing. Singh said moves by the group leaders to abandon their bases in the country and take shelter in other countries had not gone down well with the people of Assam.
Onus on Myanmar to resolve boundary dispute: India The Morung Express T.Siamchinthang October 21
LAMKA/MOREH: Despite the External Affairs Ministry raising three points to resolve the boundary disputes between Myanmar and India along its North Eastern States, Myanmar is yet to respond and is keeping mum over the matter.
Disclosing this to The Morung Express, reliable source informed that the Indian Government had raised three points issue. One significant point among the three proposals raised by the Indian government include that the Myanmar Government give 250 yards of land at Tamu to adjust the border dispute.
The boundary dispute comes in the backdrop of the festering wounds felt by the tribal people of the hill districts over the gifting away of Kabaw valley to Myanmar and to make sure that the sentiment of the people are not hurt and further to ensure that no stone is left unturned inform that Myanmar does not intrude into the tribal territory of the Zemi, Kukis and the Nagas, the source said.
Along with the proposal put forward by the Indian government to the Myanmar authority to yield 250 yards of land at Tamu (Myanmar), India would adjust the boundaries at Molnom and Behiang villages both in the districts of Chandel and Churachandpur of Manipur, said the sources.
The total area of land which will be adjusted against the 250 yards of land sought by the Indian Government is approximately 1.45 kms.
The reason behind India’s proposal to exchange the said areas of land is on the premise that there is hardly any human settlement at Behiang village in Churachandpur district. As for Molnom under Chandel district of Manipur the proposal was forwarded as Myanmar is keen on these areas for geo-political reasons.
The other proposal put forward by the Indian government is to stick to the present International boundary. However, Myanmar is yet to respond to the proposal of the Indian side. According to this proposal, both sides would respect the existing boundary and no construction would come up within 10 meters on either side of the border.
Concept of being a Naga The Morung Express
Former member of Manipur Human. Rights Commission Yambem Laba had justified the declaration of 18 June Holiday as Integrity Day of Manipur under the caption, "18 June events not anti Nagas" published in Imphal free press on 13-8-2005. We may recall the events that happened on that fateful day. The day was totally a mess and there was complete chaos in the state administration. The events were all stage managed. Y. Laba said that the sentiment was against the govt of India and hence the arsonist, burnt copies of Indian constitution and trio-color Flag of Indian Union. Besides burning of Constitution and Flag, the Meities agitators also burnt down a number of building including CM’s bungalow and Assembly buildings.
*Just after the ‘burning of Indian National Flag. The protestors hoisted the seven colored Meities National Flag in the Heart of ImphaI City. The same flag is still fluttering on top of Institute of Co-operative Management Building at Lamphalpat, Imphal.
*Justification of such acts encouraged the MEELAL activists to destroy the Central Library into ashes.
After burning down those buildings, they came out to the street and barked at the Nagas, like wild dogs. Laba observed that the 18 June events were not anti-Naga. Perhaps he was not informed of what happened or he is woefully unaware of the ground realities. The protestors screamed at the top of their voices, ‘’Naga hatlo" (Kill the Naga) "Hao’ hatlo" (Kill the Tribals), ‘’NagaIand da chatlo" (Go to Nagaland) and other endearments.
Over and above all those abusive words/remark, they also pelted stones on the houses of the tribal. Prof N Sanjaoba singh had patriotically stated that, "Manipur da Naga haiba iati ashi leite" (There are no Nagas in Manipur). His statement was published in Yakairol daily on 30-6-2001. If he meant Imphal as Manipur, he was right in that sense. Were all those acts/ events and statements not anti-Nagas? The day was therefore Anti-India & Anti-Naga. So Nagas are against the declaration of June 18, as state Holiday and Integrity Day.
After having Justified the events of 18 June 2001, and the subsequent anti-Naga Rallies, strikes & sit in protests. Mr Yambem Laba had come out with a new meaning to the concept of being a Naga. According to him, Naga means anti-Manipuri or Meitie to be more precise. In his X-File published in the Imphal Free Press on 20-8-2005 he said, "it appeared that The Nagas hatred for the Meities far surpassed than its hatred for Indian".
Here he attempts to throw a wedge between the Nagas and Indians which is rather irrelevant observation at this stage.
If there is at all Naga hatred for Meities today, certainly it would be the outcome of the long hatred matted out by the Meities to the tribals in early days. The concept of Mr. Laba was wrong. It is the other way round. The hate Naga policy had long been practiced since time immemorial. The Meities did not allow tribals whom they call Haos in their homes, prohibited to climb up even to their verandah, not allowed to touch water pots or pipelines, cash had to be dropped on the ground for any purchase a tribal made from Meities vendors, tribals were really a thing of untouchable in the eyes of the Meities. Such a despised feeling and attitude was in practice even up to the post Indian Independent days
Now the Meities claim for well meted and harmonious living with tribals for thousand years. This idea of good relationship and harmonious living was a recent development. This slogan come into use only after the declaration of cease fire between the. GOI & NSCN in 1997
It was rather an unexpected thing that a person like Mr. Yambem Laba, a man of good understanding who had read well would utter such a communal and provocative statement
D. Kaiphun Tamenglong Bazar



Frans on 10.22.05 @ 11:13 PM CST [link]


Friday, October 21st

Civil body tells NSCN factions to stop killings


Civil body tells NSCN factions to stop killings Morung Express News October 19
Peren: The Kuki Inpi Nagaland (KIN) has stated that an elderly woman, Kimvah (70), was killed and her son Sehhen (30) was injured while fleeing from blank firing committed by NSCN (IM) cadres. A press release issued by Silas Khongsai, Press and Publicity Secretary of the KIN said the aforementioned statement was confirmed. A consultative meeting of the body comprising the GB Union, Kuki officers, church leaders and public leaders was held at Molvon on October 18 to discuss the law and order situation in Athibung Town concerning the Kuki Society at large, Silas informed. "Through a lengthy and deliberate discussion, it was concluded that the main hindrance for social development was the presence of antagonistic feelings between the two rival factions of the NSCN," the release said and questioned, "Is this killing the fruit of ceasefire?" The meeting reasserted that it was very unfortunate that Athibung Town, a small hamlet under Peren district, was always being the epicentre of factional clashes. Within a span of only ten months, this is the sixth time that fighting has erupted in the area. "The meeting resolved that the NSCN (K) of UT-II should immediately be moved to their designated camp allotted to them at Sangphei area and they should immediately leave the main town," the release said. The KIN further called upon the NSCN (IM) to refrain from attacking the rival’s designated camp and strictly abide to the ground rules provided to both sides in accordance with the ceasefire agreement they have with the Government of India. The KIN also hailed the initiative of the district administration in deploying IRB personnel at Athibung for public security and timely intervention of the EAC by imposing curfew under CrPC 144.
New spokesman of NSCN (IM) Sangai express editorial
Two new points have emerged from the recent round of talks between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India if the statements issued by Oscar Fernandes on behalf of Delhi and the statements of Naga Hoho vice president Keviletuo Kiewhuo are any indications. From what Mr Fernandes told newsmen at Dimapur a few days, it is clear that the Centre has not totally rejected the demand to integrate all Naga inhabited areas under one administrative unit. Mr Fernandes' disclosure that a Central meeting may be held along with the States whose boundaries stand to be affected to discuss the Lim demand of the IM group is more than ample proof that the Centre is still toying with the idea of capitulating to the demands of the IM group. On the other hand, Mr Kiewhuo has more than clearly hinted that sovereignty is something which no longer on the agenda of the talk. We are sure Mr Kiewho did not just echoed his thoughts but parroted the stand of the NSCN (IM) when he said, “NSCN (IM) should not go beyond the aspirations of Naga people.” Just Exactly what the aspirations of the Naga people that the Hoho leader was alluding to is a question worth asking now and it is extremely significant that he later went on to say that Naga issue could have been resolved in the 60s if the Naga leaders had not insisted on sovereignty. His statement as reported by news agency Press Trust of India runs thus, “There was an opportunity to resolve the issue in the sixties as the international political situation was conducive for a favourable settlement but unfortunately the Naga leadership insisted on sovereignty.” No Naga civil organisation leader would have the gumption to dismiss sovereignty if this was something contrary to the principles of the NSCN (IM).
The lie has been exposed. The Centre is still entertaining the idea of a Greater Lim at the expense of the neighbouring States while the NSCN (IM) has chosen to veer away from its earlier demand of sovereignty and settle for something else like a Greater Nagalim. It is unfortunate but true that the NSCN (IM) which has a waged a bush war against the Indian Government for years for sovereignty should now suddenly see India as an ally to dismember neighbouring States particularly a State like Manipur, which has a 2000 year old history. Before, it was the Indian Government and its security forces which were viewed as the enemies of the Naga people but today, that equation has changed and the enemy or the rival is today the people of Manipur, particularly the Meitei people. Strange how the course of history can change and stranger still how people who have faced the same situation together for years and suffered together for ages should today be pitchforked against one another because of a concept conjured up to solve the issue of one group of people at the expense of another. We will not be surprised if tomorrow, the Government of India agrees to push forward the agenda of the NSCN (IM) and in a way become its spokesperson. The test has begun and it will be interesting to see how Delhi change its steps according to the drum beats of the IM group. Mr Ibobi and his colleagues too should not sleep over the new development but think out ways to politically neutralise whatever agenda is cooked up.
NPCC clarifies on Union Minister’s visit Neps

Kohima, Oct 20(NEPS): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) made it clear that the two-day Nagaland visit by the Union Minister Oscar Fernandes along with his lady wife was a private one and had no connection whatsoever with the ongoing peace process nor were there any State official activities.
Clarifying to complaints raised by ruling NPF and BJP parties that the Union Minister’s latest visit to Nagaland would send wrong signals to various sections as he did meet the State cabinet and civil societies, the NPCC said the Union Minister, being a CWC Member and also in-charge of North East Congress Committee had come to Nagaland to address the PCC members� meet on October 19, 2005 at Congress Bhavan, Kohima. Expressing surprise on the hue and cry made by the ruling NPF and BJP parties in the State for the Union Minister’s not meeting the State Cabinet and civil society, the NPCC asserted that Fernandes, being the Union Minister had been accorded as a State Guest. At the same time, he being a convener of the Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS also took the opportunity of meeting the State Chief Minister to discuss about the upcoming HIV programs in the State in particular and northeast in general, besides common interests. “Otherwise his two-day visit to Nagaland has no connection at all with the ongoing peace process or any other official activities in the State, although he is the chief negotiator of the Government of India in the ongoing peace process with the NSCN (IM),” it stated.
The Union Minister however expressed his happiness on the fruitful dialogues they had in their latest round of political talks with the NSCN (IM) leadership when media persons caught him in the airport and after the PCC meeting in Kohima. Ridiculing the statements of NPF President Dr Shurhozelie and BJP leader Mozamo Ngullie, the NPCC informed that they should not blame the Union Minister for their failures to meet him as whoever made an effort to contact or meet him during his stay in the State were given the opportunity to meet him. �They should also not be confused on the accord given to the visiting Union Minister as these are the established rules in parliamentary form of Government like ours,� the NPCC statement pointed out.
A brief profile of J B Jasokie Morung Express News
Son of late Dr. Khosa Angami from Khonoma village, he was born in 1925. He matriculated from Kohima High School in 1948 and studied up to B. Sc (Final) in St. Edmund’s College, Shillong. He served as guide and scout for the British Forces in the Battle of Kohima in 1944 during the Second World War. A keen sportsman, he was declared Individual Champion of the Eastern Upper Assam Tournament as an all-round athlete in 1948. He joined the Naga Independence Movement and went underground in 1953 serving as Publicity Officer and acting Secretary of the Naga National Council. He differed with Phizo on the means to be adopted to achieve Political end and after the Naga National Council resorted to violent means, Mr. Jasokie broke away and came overground in 1955. He organised the Naga People’s Convention and was elected General Secretary of NPC will the formation of Naga Hills Tuensang Area (NHTA) and later the full fledged State of Nagaland. He also piloted the discussion during October 1959 Naga People’s Convention which arrived at a decision regarding the formation of the State of Nagaland under the Constitution of India.
He was elected Member, Interim Body in February 1961 and appointed Executive Councillor in-charge of Forests, Medical, Public Health, Excise, Jails, Commerce and Industry. He was elected as Member to the Legislative Assembly in the first General Election in 1964 from Kohima Town Constituency and appointed Minister from 1964 to 1969. He was re-elected from the same constituency in the second General Election in 1969 on NNO ticket and appointed Minister. Winning again in the 1974 General Election, he was elected leader of the Opposition NNO Legislative party in the Assembly and became Chief Minister for a brief period on 10th March 1975 following the fall of Vizol’s Ministry. Mr. Jasokie was appointed member of AICC soon after the NNO merged with Indian National Congress in June 1976.
He was re-elected in the 1977 General Election and unanimously elected leader of Opposition, Congress Legislative Party. However, in 1980 he resigned from the Congress (I) and formed a regional party called the Naga National Party (NNP). Later it merged with a faction of UDF and formed yet another regional party under the banner of Naga National Democratic Party (NNDP).
In June 1980, Mr. Jasokie took over as the Chief Minister for the second time in his political career and continued to be so till the fifth General Election in November 1982. He was returned to the Assembly in the fifth and sixth General Elections. He was later appointed Minister in-charge of Planning in the Cabinet of Mr. Hokishe Sema. Re-elected from the same Constituency in 1987 and thereafter retired from active politics.
North East legislators to meet on AIDS Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, Oct. 20: Concerned over the threat posed by HIV/AIDS in India, the centre is organising a conclave of the legislators of the eight north eastern states, including the chief ministers, ministers and MLAs at Guwahati on November 19 next. This was disclosed by the union minister of state for programme implementation Oscar Fernandes at Dimapur yesterday in a press conference and called for united effort to curb the menace. Mr Fernandes, who is also the convenor of the parliamentary forum on HIV/AIDS, said the meeting, which would be chaired by Assam Chief Minister, would chalk out strategies for containing the menace.

It will be the first ever meeting of the chief ministers of the region on the subject, where Peter Piot, Executive Director of the UN AIDS programme is also scheduled to attend meeting.

Mr Fernandes invited Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, his cabinet colleagues, leader of the opposition I Imkong and Congress legislators. Stressing on the protection of youth, who are being affected by HIV/AIDS, he said the disease was gradually moving to the general population and unless urgent steps were taken with a political will India would overtake South Africa. India holds the dubious record of second place in the world with 5.134 million hiv/aids pateints. South Africa has 5.6 million HIV positive victims, he said. (UNI)
Anti-retrive viral centre to screen HIV/AIDS to be set up New Kerala
Pondicherry: An anti-retrive viral centre would be set up at the Government General Hospital here in the first week of December, to screen HIV/AIDS patients, Pondicherry Lt Governor M M Lakhera announced today. Inaugurating a conference on business response to HIV/AIDS conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry(CII) he said a high level team of medicos would screen the patients and treatment would be given as per their recommendations. He said as many as 7800 persons have tested HIV possitive in the union territory. There were 500 cases of full blown AIDS, of which 200 had died, adding that the administration was taking all steps to make Pondicherry AIDS free.
He said ninety per cent of India's 51 lakh AIDS Patients were from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Manipur. As per the United Nations estimate 20 to 25 million more people would be affected by the disease in the next seven years.
According to CII estimates by 2010 the GDP of the country would fall by 17 per cent because of AIDS affliction.
Subliminal BJP tensions to surface in RSS meet New Kerala
New Delhi : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Friday began its national executive meeting at a particularly piquant time with many thorny issues prickling ties with its political wing, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Though the three-day RSS meeting in Madhya Pradesh's Chitrakoot town is not officially scheduled to discuss problems with the BJP, reliable sources indicated that issues like L.K. Advani's resignation as party president in December and who would lead the party next would inevitably come up.
RSS leaders said the organisation would also "definitely" discuss Advani's controversial remarks at the party national executive in Chennai last month about RSS intervention in party affairs and that it should not be seen as remote controlling the BJP. Interestingly, Advani, who attended last year's meeting in Haridwar, will be conspicuously absent this year after he irked RSS leaders by praising Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah during his visit to that country.
Sanjay Joshi, the BJP general secretary in charge of organisation, will represent the party instead at Chitrakoot. There are other troubling issues as well, creating tension in the once seemingly indestructible Sangh Parivar.

BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan's remarks that the collective leadership could solve its problems arising from Uma Bharati's letter to RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan about party infighting would in all likelihood be discussed as well. "It is clear that the RSS leadership is not happy with the way the BJP functions. The present developments are damaging for the prospects of the BJP as a political party. It's a concern for the organisation," said a senior BJP leader. The BJP has been dogged with dissent in several states, including the party-ruled Madhya Pradesh where former chief minister Uma Bharati is leading a campaign for a change of guard to replace Babulal Gaur. The party also faced embarrassment when Mahajan talked to media, reportedly blaming the top leadership for the troubles in the party. Other than politics with the BJP, there is plenty on the official agenda of the three-day meet, attended by around 350 volunteers from different parts of the country.

According to RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav, the meet would include brainstorming sessions on the "present situation of northeastern states, violence in the name of greater Nagaland, India-Pakistan talks in the context of Kashmir issue and increasing caste-based violence in the country".
Also on the agenda is chalking out rehabilitation schemes for the quake victims in Jammu and Kashmir. The RSS has sent a delegation to the state, where at least 1,400 people were killed in the Oct 8 earthquake. The delegation will submit a report on the rehabilitation programme.
N E legislators to meet on AIDSKohima | October 20, 2005 Webindia
Concerned over the threat posed by HIV/AIDS in India, the centre is organising a conclave of the legislators of the eight north eastern states, including the chief ministers, ministers and mlas at guwahati on November 19 next. This was disclosed by the union minister of state for programme implementation Oscar Fernandes at Dimapur yesterday in a press conference and called for united effort to curb the menace. Mr Fernandes, who is also the convenor of the parliamentary forum on HIV/AIDS, said the meeting, which would be chaired by Assam Chief Minister, would chalk out strategies for containing the menace.
It will be the first ever meeting of the chief ministers of the region on the subject, where Peter Piot, Executive Director of the UN AIDS programme is also scheduled to attend meeting. Mr Fernandes invited Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, his cabinet colleagues, leader of the opposition I Imkong and Congress legislators. Stressing on the protection of youth, who are being affected by HIV/AIDS, he said the disease was gradually moving to the general population and unless urgent steps were taken with a political will India would overtake South Africa. India holds the dubious record of second place in the world with 5.134 million hiv/aids pateints. South Africa has 5.6 million HIV positive victims, he said. UNI AS BA SKM1750
Another forest conservator`s house attacked by gunmen The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Oct 20: Even as the staff and employees of the state forest department have been condemning at dharnas and protests the attacks on their staff by gunmen suspected to be from underground groups, attacks on the officials of the forest department are continuing. Yesterday, two gunmen with masked faces fired upon the residence of the conservator of forest, Laikangbam Sharatchandra at Nagamapal Kangjabi Leirak.

According to residents of the area, the incident happened at around 7.30 pm yesterday. The two unidentified men entered the house of the conservator which had already been abandoned by the family fearing possible consequences after they failed to provide a monetary demand of Rs. 5 lakhs made by an underground group some one month back. The residents stated that the two gunmen broke the iron padlock that locked the house and entered the house and destroyed the furniture and other materials inside the house. The TV set was also destroyed by the gunmen. Thereafter the gunmen also caused damage to the maruti car parked in the garage.

As the house had been abandoned by the family who were taking shelter in the house of a relative in the neighbourhood, none of the members of the family were affected in the attack by the gunmen. Strongly condemning the act of the gunmen, a meeting of the residents of Nagamapal Kangjabi Leirak was held today. The meeting resolved to keep a close vigil in the area at night time. As per the resolution of the meeting one woman from each family in the locality would turn up and gather at the local meira shang and go on rounds in the bylanes in the locality the whole night so that such incidents are not repeated in the locality in future. It may be noted that following frequent attacks on the employees and staff of the forest department by unknown gunmen in the last few months, the latest being the shooting in the leg of a conservator of forest, Thambou Singh at Wangkhei on October 7, the employees condemned the attacks on their colleagues, at a sit-in-protest staged on the next day of the shooting incident.

Ex ULFA cadre starts life anew, exposes rebel outfit s hollow ideology Ani
Guwahati, Oct 21 (ANI): Many young and promising youth joined the separatist outfit ULFA in quest for what they believed would be a better future for the state and the people.
But few years with the organization has made them realize the hollowness of the separatist movement and its ideology. Shristi Sharma also known as Seema Biswas, was once a dreaded member of ULFA, but now the 25-year old believes that an entire generation has been misguided and destroyed by the separatist outfit, and that peace and normalcy are essential for the future of the Assamese people.
Sitting on a different pedestal and trying to direct her life and the lives of those who work under her, Shristi is now the proud owner of two restaurants and a sweet shop here.
A few years back the very mention of her name evoked terror. Today she is a beacon of hope, and it would be wrong for people think of her as inexperienced due to her age. Life's harsh experiences have taught her a lot, including the futility of violence and the importance of peace and normalcy.
"I joined in ULFA in 1998. I knew about ULFA, but I did not know about its ideology. I had problems in the family. A relative of mine killed my father. I wanted to take revenge, that is why I joined ULFA," said Shristi Sharma, ex ULFA cadre.
For Shristi, life has taken a full circle.
Once destruction and mindless violence used to be her daily business. But after her surrender life has taken a different turn. Instead of arms and explosive training, she was given computer training by a rehabilitation centre. And the young mind was moulded to think positively and constructively.
Today she talks about creating and not destroying, about peace and not violence, and a new dynamic future very different from a past trapped in a directionless quagmire.
"We should live in peace. Killing and violence is futile. I did kill when I was immature. Now I understand the importance of peace in life. This is the best life," Shristi added.
One look at her present life will make one believe she is enjoying every bit of her new existence.
Without being a trained cook she guides others in the art of cooking. A born leader, she has always dreamt of guiding other people in life. And that's what she is doing.
She knows how important it is to have a good guide and good mentor. This hard realization has come from the experience she had being an ULFA cadre where she saw brilliant young people waste their lives for an exploitative leadership. "The ULFA ruined so many good lives. Subhash Sharma from Nalbari, Narayan Das, they all died without any reason, they could not achieve any thing. A generation of brilliant youngsters have gone waste. This should not happen again. The ULFA should come to the negotiating table."
This realization has come from the experiences of her present life. She now knows that peace and economic development go hand in hand. And the two decades of violence by the ULFA has affected the economic growth and prosperity of this Assam. Shristi also questions the ULFA and its leadership- "who are they to claim to represent the interest of the Assamese society when people do not support them?"
"The ULFA has lost its power, and especially after Bhutan and Dhemaji blast, their support has come down. If you want to fight for Assam and you do not have popular support, then how can you dream of an independent Assam? This is meaningless," she said. Shristi has big dreams. She is not happy to be the owner of two restaurants and one sweet shop in the heart of Guwahati. She wants to be the richest woman in the whole of Assam. She is the only surviving member of her family but she is determined to build her life anew, and believes steadfastly in the philosophy of life being al about 'promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep'. (ANI) By Peter Alex Todd
Hope ahead of peace talks with ULFA representatives Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service
Guwahati, Oct 21 (IANS) A general sense of optimism prevails in Assam with talks between representatives of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and central government peace negotiators beginning next week in New Delhi. The proposed talks, aimed at ending close to three decades of insurgency, between the People's Consultative Group (PCG) and the negotiators are scheduled to be held on Oct 25 and 26. The 11-member PCG is a team of representatives drawn from the Assamese civil society and chosen by the ULFA to begin preliminary discussions to work out the peace process leading to formal declaration of a ceasefire between the rebels and the Central government. The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979. 'The central government has already sent air tickets for the PCG team members to come from Guwahati to New Delhi for the talks. Accommodation for the members in New Delhi was also being arranged by the government,' noted Assamese writer Indira Goswami told IANS. India's National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan is expected to lead the government team of negotiators in talks with the PCG. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is also likely to be present in the meeting.
'There is a possibility of a meeting between the PCG members and the prime minister subject to time and convenience,' Goswami said.
Goswami, who teaches Modern Indian Languages at Delhi University, was nominated by the ULFA as PCG leader. 'We are all praying for a positive outcome and indeed very hopeful about the peace process moving forward in the right direction,' said Goswami, who has been mediating on behalf of the ULFA for more than a year now. People across Assam are hopeful of a solution to the violent insurgency in Assam. 'We are all waiting for something positive to happen as people in general are sick and tired of the killings and bloodshed in the region,' said Dharanidhar Barman, a doctor in Assam's main city of Guwahati. The proposed talks could bring the ULFA leaders face-to-face with the government peace negotiators at a later stage.
'It is grateful to mention that the government of India took up the process sincerely and the freedom craving masses of Asom (Assam) presume a peaceful and dignified solution of the conflict on the table of negotiation ignoring all adversaries,' ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement.
The last round of direct talks between ULFA rebels and the Indian government took place in New Delhi in 1992. The talks ended abruptly after the five ULFA rebels -- who were released from prison for the dialogue with then prime minister Narasimha Rao -- went underground.
Gogoi said the Indian Army had called off military operations against the rebels last month to pave the way for talks. 'We want to give peace a chance,' the chief minister told IANS.
At least 15,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began in Assam in 1979, with more than 30 militant groups in India's northeastern states fighting for causes ranging from independence to greater autonomy.

Centre to deploy more forces in Karbi Anglong By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 20 – The Union Minister of State for Home, Sriprakash Jaiswal today assured Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi that the Centre would soon send 10 companies of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel to control the situation in ethnic riot hit Karbi Anglong district. The Union Minister today visited the hill district to assess the situation and held a meeting with the Chief Minister and senior Government officials to review the situation in the district where more than 70 persons have lost their lives in ethnic clashes between Karbi and Dimasa communities.
An official release said that in the meeting, Gogoi sought more forces from the Centre as the State Government was finding it difficult to contain the situation because of the withdrawal of 15 companies of paramilitary forces. Jaiswal said that the Centre was forced to withdraw forces from Assam because of the elections in Bihar. But at the same time, he assured that 10 companies of forces would be sent to Assam within the next two or three days.
Gogoi told the Union Minister that the shortage of force and the difficult terrain in the hill district made it difficult for the government to bring the situation under control and revealed that 20 additional companies of police personnel have been sent to the district. He said that the State Government held talks with the leaders of the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) as well as with social organisations representing the Karbi and Dimasa communities for restoration of peace. He said that an all party team would visit the district tomorrow in an effort to restore peace, while, a delegation of the ruling party would also visit the district. He said that steps have been taken to provide relief to all the affected people and sought cooperation from the Centre to bring the situation under control. Jaiswal assured that the Centre would extend all possible help to the State Government for restoration of normalcy in the trouble-torn district.
The meeting was attended among others by Ministers of State Rockybul Hussain and Himanta Biswa Sarma, Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajiv Agarwal, DGP PV Sumanth, IGP Khagen Sarma, Commissioner to the Chief Minister BK Gohain and others, the release said.

Dialogue with ultras necessary: Governor From Raju Das Assam Tribune
SHILLONG, Oct 20 – Meghalaya Governor MM Jacob underscored the establishment of dialogue processes between States and insurgent groups here in the north-eastern region for its overall peace and progress. Jacob pointed that the “current dialogue process” between some States and insurgent groups provided lessons for all. He emphasised that such dialogue process should be “strengthened in the North-east”. The Governor, who was speaking as the chief guest at a two-day national seminar on ‘Peace process in North-east India’, said: “Violence and counter violence…completely bring down the value of human lives”. Peace depends on the commitment of dialogue, which in turn “necessitates mutual respect and tolerance” between the two sides. This enables “scrutiny of one’s claims alongside those of the other parties”, Jacob told the gathering.

Drawing attention to the “violent conflict of the north-eastern region”, Jacob said: “Fall in human security is a major concern.” Rampant acts of terror and extortion “signify facets of stateless society”, Jacob said. Moreover, victims of such terror have often been blurred by a stigma of belonging to one group to the other, which in effect endangers the community itself, the Governor stated.

A major impediment to peace in the region was the claim of ‘superiority’ of one community over the other. “Superiority should be based on morally superior acts and thoughts which are an intellectual and moral plank of reason of treating others as morally equal…this in turn shall establish peace,” Jacob asserted. On the world’s fight against terrorism and insurgency, Jacob said: “In the UN and other world forums, India used to appeal to all nations to fight against terrorism and insurgency. But only after the 9/11 event in America, that the world body considered the urgent need of tackling terrorism.”
The other side of Karbi Anglong tragedy NET News Network
Guwahati, Oct 20: The orgy of hate between the two communities of Karbi and Dimasa in Karbi Anglong district of Assam is likely to hard hit the ginger production of Assam. The ginger produce of area is valued at Rs 284,42,75,000. The fiasco is also likely to result in the delay or withholding of projects worth Rs 13.5 Crores in the ginger sector. There is also apprehension that Karbi Anglong may loss German export orders worth Rs 5 lakh, which it was likely to beg this harvesting season. With almost 69 persons losing their lives in the recent spurt of ethnic violence over the question of control of the land within the Dhansari Reserve forest, the farmers, which are mainly from the Kuki tribe, are sacred to visit the field. Torching of houses, curfew and shoot at sight orders have forced farmers to remain confined to their houses. They are not able to visit the farm site. Some local spices companies have also shelved their plans of setting up ginger candy and ginger paste producing plants in the area.
Local spices companies, which were planning to make an investment to the tune of Rs 10 Crores in setting up paste and candy plants, are now giving second thought to the proposal. The crop season of ginger starts from March and harvesting is done towards the end of October. Karbi Anglong accounts for 20 percent of the total ginger production of Assam. The area under ginger in Northeast region is 33,2000 hectares which gives total production of 191, 000 tonnes. Northeast produced about half of the total ginger production of India. The total ginger production in India is about 275,000 tonnes. As per the records of Assam agricultural department, nearly 16244 hectares of land of Assam is under ginger cultivation, the state produces 113771 tonnes of ginger annually. The annual ginger production of Karbi Anglong is about 22, 754 tonnes. However 90 percent of Karbi Anglong's productions are exported to Northern India and Pakistan. During last season the retail market price of ginger was Rs 30 per kg.
Officials in the state horticulture department felt that such ethnic strife would create problem in harvesting and transporting of the ginger. There will be labourer shortage in the area. " The fear psychos among the farmers and the reluctance of traders to transport the ginger produce from the trouble torn district will have a negative impact on the ginger production of the state. Harvesting of the ginger will be delayed, as it will take considerable time before farmers get back to the field. Security scenario is so bad that even regular transport operators are not willing to send their vehicle in the district," he said. Appreciating the ginger produce of Karbi Anglong, Germany has even expressed its willingness to purchase gingers from the area. Germany is examining the samples of the ginger. The setting up of the four collection centres as planned by export promotion agency, Agricultural and
Processed Food products export development authority (APEDA) for the assistance of the ginger growers is also likely to be delayed. The project cost is around Rs 3.5 Crore. Official in APEDA told that it has planned to set up collection centres before this harvesting season but now the project is delayed. Samples of Karbi Anglong's ginger are being examined by Germany. " We were expecting export orders to the tune 10, 000 kgs from Germany but the situation there is not congenial for export. The farmers might not able to produce and transport the requisite volume of ginger," he said. Ginger is one of the earliest known oriental spices and is being cultivated in Northeast both as a fresh vegetable and as a dried spice. Karbi Anglong is one of the ginger-producing belts of Assam. The Nadia and the Rio-De-Janeiro variety of ginger, which is produced in this area, is even exported to Azadpur Mandi of New Delhi from there it is exported to Pakistan. The ginger produced in the area is organic and have less fiber content.
ULFA peace talks: CPI smells a rat By a Staff Reporter Sentinel
GUWAHATI, Oct 20: The CPI doubts the sincerity of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre on the political dialogue with the proscribed ULFA. The party feels that the ‘U-tern’ taken by the Centre on the ‘talks’ with the outfit might be a plot to derive political mileage in forthcoming Assembly elections in the State. "In the recent past, the BJP, while in power at the Centre, took advantage of the ceasefire agreement with the NSCN(IM) in Nagaland elections," said Promode Gogoi, national executive member of the CPI, while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here. "We should not forget that the direct negotiation between the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and the ULFA leadership was sabotaged by Delhi and Dispur, both under the Congress rule, to create a rift in the outfit," he said. Gogoi appealed to the people of the State to remain vigilant against any bid to derail the peace process.
On the ‘non-Congress and non-BJP alternative platform’ in the coming election, Gogoi said the State council of the party had reviewed the political situation and favoured a broad-based alliance comprising the AGP, the AGP(P) and both fractions of the ASDC.


Frans on 10.21.05 @ 02:24 PM CST [link]


Nagaland pays homage to ex-CM


Nagaland pays homage to ex-CM
Source: The Sangai Express
Kohima, October 20 (NNN): Braving a steady drizzle, thousands today gathered at the Local Ground here to pay their last respects to former Nagaland Chief Minister John Bosco Jasokie who died Wednesday morning at his D’Block residence here after years of fighting a losing battle against cancer.

The mortal remains of the late leader was laid to rest at his residential compound after being accorded full state honours at the Local Ground.

State Governor Shyamal Datta, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Opposition Leader I Imkong were among many who paid homage to the departed leader.

Paying rich tributes to Jasokie, the Governor described him as an upright leader and one of the most distinguished citizens of Nagaland who set numerous examples for his successors.

Describing his death as an irreparable loss for Nagaland, he conveyed his sympathies to the family of the late leader while also praying for eternal peace of the departed soul.

Also, speaking at the funeral service, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio paid rich tributes to Jasokie, describing him as one of the great sons of Nagaland and one of the most distinguished and prominent figures among the Nagas.

Recalling his illustrious life as a leader of the Nagas the Chief Minister said he had known him as a lovable person with jovial disposition and a good sense of humour which endeared him to both colleagues and his people in the opposite bench.

He was a true cosmopolitan in his outlook.

He was always accessible to all sections and communities, irrespective of their religion and background and was a peace-loving person.

He was also a rare politician without any enemy, the Chief Minister eulogized.

He also recalled him as a multi-faceted personality with varied interests and talents and who excelled in music and sports and a good singer and composer.

Describing late Jasokie as his mentor, the Chief Minister conveyed his indebtedness to him “for what I am today, because it was under his guidance and leadership that I grew up in public and as a politician”.

In his death, we have lost a father figure whom we revered, trusted and looked up to for guidance and advice, the Chief Minister said adding the sense of loss is indeed great and without him the burden on our shoulders become much heavier.

The people of the state have lost not only a popular public figure but a great statesman as well, he said.

On behalf of the Nagaland Government and on his own behalf, he conveyed heartfelt condolences to Mrs Jasokie and other members of the family and prayed for his soul to rest in eternal peace.

Opposition Leader I Imkong also paid rich tributes to the departed leader while Goa Governor SC Jamir’s condolence message was also read out at the funeral service.
NPCC clarifies on Union Ministers visit Oken Jeet Sandham – Asian Tribune
Kohima, 21 October, (NEPS): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) made it clear that the two-day Nagaland visit by the Union Minister Oscar Fernandes along with his lady wife was a private one and had no connection whatsoever with the ongoing peace process nor were there any State official activities

Clarifying to complaints raised by ruling NPF and BJP parties that the Union Ministers latest visit to Nagaland would send wrong signals to various sections as he did meet the State cabinet and civil societies, the NPCC said the Union Minister, being a CWC Member and also in-charge of North East Congress Committee had come to Nagaland to address the PCC members meet on October 19, 2005 at Congress Bhavan, Kohima.

Expressing surprise on the hue and cry made by the ruling NPF and BJP parties in the State for the Union Minister not meeting the State Cabinet and civil society, the NPCC asserted that Fernandes, being the Union Minister had been accorded as a State guest. At the same time, he being a convener of the Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS also took the opportunity of meeting the State Chief Minister to discuss about the upcoming HIV programs in the State in particular and northeast in general, besides common interests.

Otherwise his two-day visit to Nagaland has no connection at all with the ongoing peace process or any other official activities in the State, although he is the chief negotiator of the Government of India in the ongoing peace process with the NSCN (IM), it stated.

The Union Minister however expressed his happiness on the fruitful dialogues they had in their latest round of political talks with the NSCN (IM) leadership when media persons caught him in the airport and after the PCC meeting in Kohima.

Ridiculing the statements of NPF President Dr Shurhozelie and BJP leader Mozamo Ngullie, the NPCC informed that they should not blame the Union Minister for their failures to meet him as whoever made an effort to contact or meet him during his stay in the State were given the opportunity to meet him.

They should also not be confused on the accord given to the visiting Union Minister as these are the established rules in parliamentary form of Government like ours, the NPCC statement pointed out.

- Asian Tribune –
Congress gets Oscar; NPF, BJP left out‘Peace talks on positive direction’ Morung Express News October 19
KOHIMA/DIMAPUR: Union Minister of State for statistics and programme implementation Oscar Fernandez, who is also the head of the Group of Ministers (GoM) engaged in the Indo Naga-Political talks said that there has been advancement in the peace parleys with the NSCN (IM).
Oscar termed the recent talks in Bangkok as "fruitful," adding some breakthrough has been made in the talks. Preferring to keep mum, he said the NSCN (IM) had put two points for discussion- one is autonomy and other is integration.
Speaking at the PCC members meeting at Congress Bhavan, Kohima, Fernandez who had recently participated in the peace talks in Bangkok, said the NSCN (IM) has also forwarded some more proposals against the proposals of the Government of India, which are being studied by the Government of India, he said.
He also emphasized the need of more and more such meetings to remove the deadlock and make a breakthrough of the Naga political issue.
Later during the day, Fernandes told newsmen at Dimapur that he was unaware of the contents of a booklet which carries an interim plan which could be utilized by the Central Government towards addressing the Indo-Naga problem. On the ‘federal relationship’ proposed by the NSCN (IM), the Congress leader said some issues which are feasible would be accepted straight away while others need time for consultations and deliberations. "The talks are not conclusive," he said. When asked to reveal if Delhi had any plans to involve the NSCN (K) in active dialogue process, he said progress on the talks with the IM group would pave way towards "considering the whole problem."
‘Oscar visit a let-down for Nagas and Peace Talks’ Morung Express News
October 19
DIMAPUR: The visit of Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes to Nagaland appears to have created confusion and also criticism from the ruling DAN alliance partners the NPF and BJP with both parties pointing out that the Union Minister’s itinerary had been completely stage-managed by the State Congress Party.
The Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) taking serious cognizance of Union Minister of State, Oscar Fernandes’ visit to Nagaland yesterday, observed that his earlier visit to Bangkok for political discussions with Naga leaders last week had evoked high expectations that the Union Minister would meet cross sections of the Naga society and discern the minds of the Naga people to solve the long-drawn political problem. However, according to the NPF, the Union Minister did not ‘even bother’ to meet the Governor of Nagaland, the State Cabinet or the NGOs and Church leaders etc. which proved a disappointment likening it to a ‘cold attitude’ which it said was contrary to expectations of the people.
NPF President Dr Shurhozelie, in a press statement in this regard asserted that if the Ministerial Team for the Naga Peace Talks headed by Oscar Fernandes is not sincere and serious towards their respective assigned responsibilities, the Naga peace process would be at stake. Referring to the visit of Fernandes to Nagaland yesterday, the NPF President stated that the itinerary of the Union Minister was planned and worked out entirely by the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee and in it was included an official appointment with the Chief Minister of Nagaland and understood as to have been an event for serious political discussions. "But ironically it was more or less a courtesy call and no official discussions took place" lamented the NPF President.
Meanwhile, the state BJP in a separate statement toed the similar lines of grouse as the NPF’s. The State’s BJP President MC Konyak, and O Wozamo Ngullie, General Secretary, in the statement termed the visit of Fernandes as "totally unbecoming" which had "left behind a scar in the VVIP Officials Tour Records of Nagaland." Citing many an instance of what the BJP implied as being suggestive of cold-shouldering the expectations of the Nagas from the Union minister’s visit, the statement regretted that his failure to honor various important protocols had completely ignored the important and basic responsibilities of the State Government.
Maintaining that Fernandes’ visit had aroused the suspicion of the people as to what the Congress party was devising, the State BJP maintained that the attitude of the Union Minister and the Congress (I) was not positive but an expression of their ignorance of their roles. Adding that the visit was "unfortunate" the statement cautioned that under such leaders the people would be the ultimate losers.
Government declares two days of State mourning Former CM Jasokie expires Morung Express News October 19
KOHIMA: Former Chief Minister J.B Jasokie expired today at his private residence in D. Block Kohima at around 10:40 am after a prolonged illness. Jasokie who was 80 years old leaves behind his wife, 2 sons, 2 daughters and 18 grand children.
The funeral service will take place on October 20 at 1:00 pm in the Kohima Local Ground. According to family source, Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio would attend the funeral service.
The State government has declared two days of State mourning from today which will continue till tomorrow October 20. The national flag will be flown at half mast as a mark of respect for the departed leader.
The Governor of Nagaland Shyamal Datta while expressing his shock at the demise said that Jasokie was an institute and played a pivotal role in the formation of the state under the Constitution of India when he organized the Nagaland People’s Convention. Datta stated that the State had lost a dedicated political leader, an able Legislator, an experienced administrator, and above all a fine specimen of human being, who had weathered many troubled situations with a great understanding and vision. "He will be remembered forever for the valuable services he rendered to the people of the state", Datta said in his condolence message.
The Governor further conveyed his heartfelt condolence to the family members and prayed to the Almighty God to give them strength to bear the tragic loss

Karbi Anglong conflict is not ethnic in nature:
A “Third Force” involved athili
Civil society needed to intervene
KOHIMA, OCT 20 (EMN)

The Karbi Students Association (KSA) and the All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU) today said there is an urgent need to recognise that common Karbi and Dimasa people were not part of the heinous attacks and that there was a “third force” responsible for the ongoing conflict.
Biren Ingti of the Karbi Students Association (KSA) and Prafulla Hafisa of the All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU) said this during a citizen’s meet held at the B.P. Baruah Sadan in Guwahati to discuss the ongoing violence in Karbi Anglong.
“The conflict in Karbi Anglong is not ethnic in nature,” stated one resolution adopted and maintained that the Karbi armed opposition group - United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and Dimasa armed opposition group, Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) - were not responsible for starting the conflict.
The Peoples Committee for Peace Initiative in Assam today concluded that this conflict was not a struggle between common Karbi and Dimasa people and had all the hallmarks of a state-induced conflict.
The house therefore called upon both armed organisations to urgently sit and have a dialogue so that they can take measures to contain the conflict and reassure the Karbi and Dimasa people that they will work together.
It urged Karbi and Dimasa civil society organisations to work together.
In a significant move representatives of Karbi and Dimasa students’ organisations resolved to jointly work together and the Peoples Committee would take out a large solidarity meeting, fact-finding and relief operations in the affected areas.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chattra Parishad (AJYCP), Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), Mishing Memang Kebang (MMK), Asom Sahitya Sabha, Boro Women’s Justice Forum (BWJF), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), besides representatives of civil society organisations from all over the region, particularly from Assam.
The meet was chaired by Dilip Patgiri, AJYCP and presided over by Dhanabir Laishram of AMUCO, Lachit Bordoloi, advisor of MASS, Birinchi Neog of Moran Students Organisation and Khanin Das of All Assam Central-Semi Central organisations.
Dr. Jagadish Patgiri of the Asom Sahitya Sabha said that citizens should be vigilant against the machinations of the government.
Prakanta Warisa, vice president of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), reiterated the urgency to bring normalcy back and feared the violence spreading to other parts.
Dr. Ranoj Pegu, of the Mishing Memang Kebang (MMK) and Ms. Anjali Daimary, of Boro Women’s Justice Forum (BWJF) cautioned ethnic armed opposition groups about playing into the hands of the state while engaging with the state.
Hiru Bathari, a survivor from Hanlocrook village in Hamren sub-division whose village was burnt down, said that he had grown up in Karbi Anglong and always would continue to believe that the land belonged to him and his Karbi brethren and that they could share it and live in peace.
Lachit Bordoloi of MASS and Rajkumar Baishya of Purbanchal Lok Parishad (PLP) also reiterated that the government was not interested in the peace and security of common people.
He cautioned the armed opposition groups that if they did not begin to disown these acts, they would be responsible for the growing insecurity and violence that is being experienced by common people.
Dolly Kikon of NPMHR extended the Naga civil society’s concern about the ongoing violence in Karbi Anglong and also its sympathy for the victims of the violence.
Artax Shimray, advisor of NESO said one needs to urgently take steps to provide relief for the victims of the violence and take steps to ensure that further militarisation of the region is avoided.
ZU to fight change of railhead
Ramkung Pamei

TML, Oct 19: The Zeliangrong people today took a resolute stand to fight against any move to change the railhead route from Tupul village of Tamenglong district and the proposed construction of the much hyped Tipaimukh high dam.

The annual assembly of the Zeliangrong Union (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland), the apex body of the Zeme, Liangmai and Rongmei tribes was held today at the Zeliangrong House and took the decision after Adi Riamei, vice-president of the ZU introduced the agenda.

Riamei informed the assembly that the government has proposed the shifting of the railhead to give way for the construction of the Tipaimukh high dam. This action of the government is anti-people, disgusting and is to be condemned in the strongest terms, he said adding that Zeliangrong people will fight tooth and nail against the government`s new move.

The assembly of the three tribes from the three states under the banner of the ZU adopted several other resolutions including celebration of the silver jubilee of Makuilongdi reestablishment, observance of platinum jubilee of Haipou Jadonang in a grand manner next year, passing of Rs. 6.50 lakhs budget for ZU administration for the year 2005-06 and organisation of a felicitation programme for outstanding individuals from the three constituent tribes of the Zeliangrong and other officials.
Deputy Home Minister visits strife-torn Karbi Anglong District
Friday October 21 2005 00:00 IST
GUWAHATI/KARBI ANGLONG: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Sri Prakash Jaiswal has arrived in Assam for a review of the situation arising out incidents of ethnic violence in the north eastern state's Karbi Anglong District.

Jaiswal, who is also being accompanied by senior officials of his ministry, is expected to meet Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and senior members of the Unified Command Structure to get a first hand information of the causes behind the almost three weeks of ethnic violence in the district, and what remedial steps have been taken to bring the conflagration under control.

The minister's visit comes a day after the Assam Government decided to call in the army to restore peace and calm in Karbi Anglong after shoot-at-sight orders and a curfew failed to contain ethnic violence there.

So far, 78 persons been killed and close to 200 houses torched in the remote district, forcing residents of the area to leave for safer havens.

Unified Command Structure administative head and chief secretary S Kabilan, operational commander and 4 Corps G-o-C Lt Gen H S Lidder and DGP P V Sumant took the decision to deploy troops after recommending the same to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The army, paramilitary forces and police are already patrolling the violence-affected area.

According to official sources, 5000 Dimasas have fled the relief camps in Karbi Anglong to neighbouring Nagaon and North Cachar Hills districts where they are in majority while 1000 Karbis had taken shelter in and around the district headquarter town of Diphu.

The ongoing violence between the Karbi and Dimasa tribes in the district has going on intermittently for the past three weeks.

The genesis of the violence can be traced to a grenade explosion on September 24 at village Parokhowa, near the adjoining eastern Assam district town of Nagaon, in which eight persons were injured. It was a random attack near a market, and not directed at a particular community. Two days later, bodies of three Dimasa auto rickshaw drivers were found near the town of Manza in Karbi Anglong district.

The revenge killings have been going on since then, and if reports from the remote Assamese district are to be gone by, then, 200 homes of the Karbi people have been set ablaze.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogo visited the violence-torn district last week and squarely blamed the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD), of 'violating cease-fire ground rules'. On Tuesday, he met their representatives to discuss ways to bring a volatile situation under control.

Gogoi warned that the state government would be left with no option but to take stern action against these two groups if they did not call a halt to their militant activities.

The UPDS is a rag-tag rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Karbi tribe and the DHD is an outlawed militant outfit waging a bush war for carving out a separate Dimasa land.

The two groups are operating ceasefires with New Delhi - the UPDS involved in a truce since 2002 and the DHD entering into a ceasefire a year later in 2003.

The cease-fires observed by the two groups have become a complete mockery with militants roaming around with automatic weapons. In a district sandwiched between Meghalaya and Nagaland, Karbis are the dominant tribe and account for about 40 per cent of the total 812,320 population.

The Dimasas account for about 15 percent with at least half-a-dozen other ethnic groups like the Kukis, Khasis and the Hmars cohabiting together in Karbi Anglong alongside a sizeable non-tribal population. There are many reasons for the violence escalating in recent weeks.

Murky tribal politics at the local level was one of the plausible causes for tempers running high. Politicians from the ruling Congress party in Assam and the opposition parties like the BJP, the CPI (ML), and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) were in one way or the other responsible for the mayhem by instigating either the UPDS or the DHD to carry out a show of strength.

This assumes significance as the state Assembly polls are due early next year and like in any other northeastern states, militants often help win candidates from their respective communities.

There are, however, just four Assembly seats in the district and in the past many elections it was always the Karbi candidates that won the polls - many believes the DHD was trying to prepare the ground from now on by trying to make a Dimasa candidate win the elections.

The two rebel groups want their areas of influence to be dominated by their own community members as any incentives or concessions granted by the government in the near future could be exclusively shared among the respective communities instead of sharing the dollops with their rival members. This is being seen as another reason for the ethnic violence.
Centre warns Assam militants
- By Our Special Correspondent Asian Age
Guwahati, Oct. 20: The joint secretary, home, Rajiv Agarwal said here on Thursday that there were glaring instances of violation of ground rules by the two militant outfits United Peoples Democratic Solidarity and Dima Halam Daogah in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. "If it continues the government will force to disarm them even forcibly," he added.
Mr Agarwal who visited the trouble-torn district with Union minister of state Sriprakash Jaiswal on Thursday told this to reporters at Diphu.
This report came when chairman of the DHD Dilip Dimasa was addressing a press conference here denying their involvement in ongoing violence in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
He, however, did not rule out the possibility of involvement of anti-talk faction of the DHD, which is operating under a new name "black widows."
The DHD chairman Dilip Dimasa, however, reiterated their charges that the UPDS was responsible for igniting the clash by killing three Dimasa boys in Manja area of the district on September 26.
"Our stand is very clear, the UPDS have started the clash and so they should end it. The Dimasa have only retaliated," Mr Dimasa said. He alleged that the failure of the state machinery escalated the situation more.
Meanwhile, the UPDS has also denied their involvement in the carnage. The UPDS general secretary Mukrang blamed Dilip Dimasa for the clash and demanded that the designated DHD camp at Dhansiri should be shifted immediately.
The Union minister of state, home, Sriprakash Jaiswal who paid a short visit to the trouble-torn district met Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. He also reviewed the law and order situation of the state with senior home ministry officials.
Meanwhile, curfew in ethnic violence-hit Karbi Anglong district was relaxed on Thursday for six hours from 8 am and the situation was "tense but under control" with no untoward incident reported so far, official sources said.
According to a late night report, the security forces recovered seven more bullet-ridden bodies from Hembrem sub-division area of the district on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr Tarun Gogoi is at the receiving end of the Opposition, not only for making a casual remark like "such a carnage is bound to happen in a jungle," but also because he failed to fine tune the state administration to tackle the crisis situation.
Most of the Opposition political parties of the state have alleged that a large number of pregnant women and children below three years are languishing in the relief camps without any proper care.
The fact-finding team of Bharatiya Janata Party led by its Central leader S.S. Ahluwalia suspected the role of Christian missionaries working at the behest of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah).

N E legislators to meet on AIDS
Kohima | October 20, 2005 10:44:10 PM IST Webindia

Concerned over the threat posed by HIV/AIDS in India, the centre is organising a conclave of the legislators of the eight north eastern states, including the chief ministers, ministers and mlas at guwahati on November 19 next.
This was disclosed by the union minister of state for programme implementation Oscar Fernandes at Dimapur yesterday in a press conference and called for united effort to curb the menace.
Mr Fernandes, who is also the convenor of the parliamentary forum on HIV/AIDS, said the meeting, which would be chaired by Assam Chief Minister, would chalk out strategies for containing the menace.
It will be the first ever meeting of the chief ministers of the region on the subject, where Peter Piot, Executive Director of the UN AIDS programme is also scheduled to attend meeting.
Mr Fernandes invited Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, his cabinet colleagues, leader of the opposition I Imkong and Congress legislators.
Stressing on the protection of youth, who are being affected by HIV/AIDS, he said the disease was gradually moving to the general population and unless urgent steps were taken with a political will India would overtake South Africa.
India holds the dubious record of second place in the world with 5.134 million hiv/aids pateints. South Africa has 5.6 million HIV positive victims, he said.
NPMHR appeals for peace The Morung Express
Kohima, Oct 19 (MExN): The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has expressed concern over the recent eruption of violence between two neighboring communities, the Dimasas and Karbis in Assam leading to loss of many lives, destruction of properties and further creating an environment of fear and insecurity.
While condemning the killings of innocent civilians, the NPMHR in a statement issued by Nepuni Piku Secretary General, Secretariat Dr. Lanu Sashi Longkumer Convener, NPMHR Nagaland sector appealed to the groups in conflict for restraint and understanding to restore peace and normalcy in Karbi Anglong and the NC Hills (Assam).
It also called upon conscientious leaders of the two communities to take up proactive initiative to pave way for peoples to people’s dialogue to facilitate mutual respect and building of trust, to restore the age old peaceful relations as neighbors and to abort any possible evil designs of vested interest seeking to create disinformation, panic and division. The NPMHR also questioned the role of the state administration and security agencies for what it alleged as not providing adequate security to the innocent civilians leading to the serious humanitarian crisis. "The Government of India will be held solely responsible in the event of any further regression of the already tense environment" warned the organization.
It also called to all the concerned to selflessly support and contribute towards initiating humanitarian aid to the suffering innocents at this juncture of pain and uncertainty.


Frans on 10.21.05 @ 09:47 AM CST [link]


Thursday, October 20th

Karbi Anglong conflict is not ethnic in nature:


Karbi Anglong conflict is not ethnic in nature:
A “Third Force” involved
Civil society needed to intervene


athili
KOHIMA, OCT 20 (EMN)

The Karbi Students Association (KSA) and the All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU) today said there is an urgent need to recognise that common Karbi and Dimasa people were not part of the heinous attacks and that there was a “third force” responsible for the ongoing conflict.
Biren Ingti of the Karbi Students Association (KSA) and Prafulla Hafisa of the All Dimasa Students Union (ADSU) said this during a citizen’s meet held at the B.P. Baruah Sadan in Guwahati to discuss the ongoing violence in Karbi Anglong.
“The conflict in Karbi Anglong is not ethnic in nature,” stated one resolution adopted and maintained that the Karbi armed opposition group - United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and Dimasa armed opposition group, Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) - were not responsible for starting the conflict.
The Peoples Committee for Peace Initiative in Assam today concluded that this conflict was not a struggle between common Karbi and Dimasa people and had all the hallmarks of a state-induced conflict.
The house therefore called upon both armed organisations to urgently sit and have a dialogue so that they can take measures to contain the conflict and reassure the Karbi and Dimasa people that they will work together.
It urged Karbi and Dimasa civil society organisations to work together.
In a significant move representatives of Karbi and Dimasa students’ organisations resolved to jointly work together and the Peoples Committee would take out a large solidarity meeting, fact-finding and relief operations in the affected areas.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chattra Parishad (AJYCP), Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS), Mishing Memang Kebang (MMK), Asom Sahitya Sabha, Boro Women’s Justice Forum (BWJF), All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), besides representatives of civil society organisations from all over the region, particularly from Assam.
The meet was chaired by Dilip Patgiri, AJYCP and presided over by Dhanabir Laishram of AMUCO, Lachit Bordoloi, advisor of MASS, Birinchi Neog of Moran Students Organisation and Khanin Das of All Assam Central-Semi Central organisations.
Dr. Jagadish Patgiri of the Asom Sahitya Sabha said that citizens should be vigilant against the machinations of the government.
Prakanta Warisa, vice president of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), reiterated the urgency to bring normalcy back and feared the violence spreading to other parts.
Dr. Ranoj Pegu, of the Mishing Memang Kebang (MMK) and Ms. Anjali Daimary, of Boro Women’s Justice Forum (BWJF) cautioned ethnic armed opposition groups about playing into the hands of the state while engaging with the state.
Hiru Bathari, a survivor from Hanlocrook village in Hamren sub-division whose village was burnt down, said that he had grown up in Karbi Anglong and always would continue to believe that the land belonged to him and his Karbi brethren and that they could share it and live in peace.
Lachit Bordoloi of MASS and Rajkumar Baishya of Purbanchal Lok Parishad (PLP) also reiterated that the government was not interested in the peace and security of common people.
He cautioned the armed opposition groups that if they did not begin to disown these acts, they would be responsible for the growing insecurity and violence that is being experienced by common people.
Dolly Kikon of NPMHR extended the Naga civil society’s concern about the ongoing violence in Karbi Anglong and also its sympathy for the victims of the violence.
Artax Shimray, advisor of NESO said one needs to urgently take steps to provide relief for the victims of the violence and take steps to ensure that further militarisation of the region is avoided.


Frans on 10.20.05 @ 06:17 PM CST [link]


Wednesday, October 19th

Union Minister asks for patience on peace talks


Union Minister asks for patience on peace talks Kuknalim.com
DIMAPUR, Oct. 18: Pointing out complexity of the decades-old vexed Naga political problem, Union minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes said “everything is not possible in one go; we have to move step by step”

The minister who arrived today in Dimapur made the comments in an informal interaction with some journalists.

To a query, Fernandes said there could be an interim solution.

“If it is agreed upon (by the parties concerned) interim solution could be thought of”.

The Minister down played demand for maintaining transparency in the ongoing peace talks stating “it’s the final result that matters and not transparency”.

He said it was not viable to update people on the outcome of each and every meeting between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) leadership.

Further, the Minister denied receipt of any threat from the NSCN (IM) about unilateral abrogation of the ceasefire and said the truce could be extended after expiry of the current term.

On the recently-held Bangkok meeting, he said the meeting was “fruitful” and “straight forward” where various issues were discussed in free and frank manner.

“There was a feeling that we should meet more and more as far as possible,” he added.

To another query with regard to Naga integration, he said that the Government of India may hold a central level meeting to discuss modalities about NSCN (IM)’s demand for integration of contiguous Naga inhabited areas.

The Minister also said that it depends on the outcome of the central level meeting and the states that are likely to be affected would be invited to another meeting with central leaders to discuss the contentious issue further.

It may be mentioned that following upgradation of the peace talks from bureaucratic level to political level Oscar is leading the Ministerial delegation that has already held a series of talks with the NSCN (IM).

The Union Minister later left for Kohima where he was scheduled to hold a meeting with CM Neiphiu Rio in the evening. (NNN)

Talks with NSCN-IM fruitful: Oscar Webindia

Kohima Union Minister for Programme Implementation and AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes today described the talks held recently between the Centre and the NSCN-IM in Bangkok as fruitful.
Talking to newspersons after a meeting of Congress workers here this morning, Mr Fernandes said talks with the NSCN-IM in Bangkok had started in a very cordial atmosphere and hoped that some breakthrough would be made as both the parties have agreed to continue the peace process. He said talks should continue in the near future to break the deadlock. He opined that a solution to the Naga political problem was possible and stressed on frequent talks between both the parties.
He said the NSCN-IM had put out two points--autonomy and integration of Naga areas-- over which discussions were held. They also put forward some proposals for the Union government, he said.
Mr Fernandes arrived here last evening and held talks with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and discussed the issue of HIV/AIDS in the state. He left today for Dimapur on his way to New Delhi. UNI AS KK AK DS1330
Govt should show more decisiveness: Naga Hoho NEW DELHI, OCT 19 (PTI) Outlook
Suggesting a time frame for resolving the Naga problem, an apex body of all Naga tribes today warned that there was a danger of talks between the Centre and NSCN(IM) collapsing if they continued endlessly. "I am optimistic about the talks, but equally concerned that it should not go on and on. It is bound to collapse if we fail to arrive at a decision within a specific time frame," Vice President of Naga Hoho Keviletuo Kiewhuo told PTI here.
"Government should not insist on a solution under the Constitution. This may be the last and final opportunity to find an amicable solution," he said. Maintaining that any solution to the problem should be a "durable and permanent" one, he said, "I don't think any military expedition is going to defeat the spirit of the Nagas and Government of India should now show more decisiveness in bringing peace." The Naga Hoho leader expressed optimism about the ongoing talks between the Centre and the dominant Naga insurgent group and said while the Government should not insist on a "resolution under the Constitution" as it might jeopardise the peace initiative, the Naga outfit should also "not go beyond the aspirations" of the people they represent.
He observed that improvement in bilateral relations with China and Myanmar have given India a "dramatic advantage" in its peace parleys with NSCN(IM). The Naga leader, who was present in Bangkok during the latest round of political talks between Union Minister Oscar Fernandes and NSCN(IM) General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah from October nine to October 11, said progress had been made on several points and "positive indications have emerged".
Centre to consult with other states to resolve Naga issue KOHIMA, OCT 19 (PTI) Outlook The Government today said it would take the views of all the states which would be affected if the demand for integration of Naga inhabited areas of the North Eastern region was fulfilled. The government is in favour of broader consultation on the Naga demand towards finding a lasting solution to vexed political problem and that is why the opinions of the states would be taken, Union Minister of State for Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes told reporters at Dimapur. A dialogue process was being conceived at the central level in this direction, he said. Fernandes, the leader of three-member Group of Ministers (GoM) formed by the Centre to carry forward political dialogues with the NSCN (I-M), said the Naga peace process was progressing well and the last round of Bangkok talks was 'fruitful'. However, he admitted that the Naga issue was a complex one and the Centre found it difficult to resolve at one go.
"Considering the complexity of the decades-old political problem, everything is not possible at one go. We have to move step by step," Fernandes, who arrived here yesterday, said. Expressing concern over the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in north eastern states, the Minister informed that a meeting of all legislators of eight states of the region would be held in November at Guwahati to chalk out a strategy to tackle the menace. The Minister, who yesterday called on Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, today addressed a Congress meeting at the NPCC Bhavan here.
Hurdles to solution to Naga problem still exit SANAT MUKHERJEE, KOLKATA The Independent Oct. 14 – A hesitant acknowledgement by New Delhi that "some headway" achieved at Bangkok peace talks on Nagaland with Isak Chishi Swu-Thuingaleng Muivah-led NSCN –IM, the most important Naga insurgent outfit in Nagaland was good news for the involved parties. The comment given to a news agency by the Indian interlocutor to Naga peace parleys denoted how complicated was the scenario even after numerous confabulations since 1950 between two main players – New Delhi and Naga insurgents. The government interlocutor the programme implementation and statistics minister Oscar Fernandes simply said, "Some headway is there, I cannot give details". The terse government acknowledgement said that the 3-day crucial peace talks, which ended October 11, with major Naga insurgent outfit – NSCN (IM) – in Thailand capital, was welcome departure from earlier ones since both sides agreed to hold further parleys in the second half of the November.
It was learnt that two sides agreed to approach the Nagaland peace process issue "step-by-step" instead of tackling the vexed problem at a one go. Simultaneously, two sides would try to crack number of existing contentious issues. The most intractable issue, as known to every Nagaland observers, was the insistent demand of the Naga insurgents’ on inclusion of all Naga-speaking zones in the region to be included to Greater Nagaland. As appeared this point was the stumbling block for solution to Naga problem. The people of the adjoining areas were vehemently opposed to this demand. The governments of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam already made known their views to New Delhi on this issue. In Manipur, the situation degenerated into open conflicts between Manipuris and Naga people, mainly living in hilly tracts. Without delving into vexatious issues, the leader of Naga delegation to Bangkok talks, the general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Nagaland), T. Muivah told media in Bangkok, "Suffice it to say for now that we want an extremely close relationship with India. It is for India to decide for itself what that relationship means".
However, the Indian negotiators insisted for clarification about what they meant by "Independence", "Sovereignty" and "Freedom". They felt that unless this point was cleared, the peace dialogue would not attain the desired goal. The Naga team was reportedly told that of their 31-point proposal for settling Naga problems, only five were debatable. It would be worth quoting here the five tricky issues, acting as impediments to five-decade old Naga imbroglio. These are – a common citizenship, joint defence of Naga territory, a separate state flag and control over natural resources. Interestingly, the Indian interlocutors sought clear clarification from Naga representatives what they would do in the case of their demand about sovereign status, if New Delhi "resolve them in the best interest of the Nagas"? Muivah told newspersons that the Indian delegation seeking clarification about the Nagas position in respect of "sovereignty" might construe India contradicting Naga history of independence and self-governance. And "That would be insulting and would upset our people". Suffice it to say for now that we want an extremely close relationship with India. It is for India to decide for itself what that relationship means", he added. The Naga observers insist that one should not expect a final solution via some parleys either in India or abroad. "What the next stage of the Naga peace process needs most is not fresh ideas but active efforts to link what happens behind closed doors with dialogue outside". The Naga leadership and the Indian government must now pool together enough political will to draw a viable blueprint and appropriate roadmap to achieve a prosperous Nagaland.
Finding the centre in Nagaland YOGINDER K. ALAGH Wednesday, October 19, 2005 Indian Express
A few kilometers away from Kohima, on the Hill Road to Mukokchung, is the village of Merema. After the rains the hills have an ethereal quality to them. Nagaland is, of course, very beautiful in every sense of the term. The idea of a plains-man going to a Naga village is not exactly encouraged by the Sahebs, but I would recommend it. Apart from the abundant natural beauty, the Nagas are very deeply rooted in their culture, which in spite of their deservedly energetic, even aggressive image, is actually highly structured and civilised. In the early ’80s I had gone to an Ao village with my friend Mirachiba. This time it was further up and it was an Angami village. The village has around 150 households and it is difficult to give its exact geographical area in physical units. It has given 200 acres for the Kohima campus of Nagaland University. These acres are actually a hill. In the setting sun, which happens early in the Northeast since for some unknown reasons we still have not shifted to time zones in our large country, the hill is breathtakingly lovely.
All that I could say was that we should level as little land as possible, let the landscapers use the natural contours and, for heavens sake, cut as few trees as possible. Also, build the architecture as close as possible to Naga styles as in the master plan of the Lumami campus and we would, I genuinely believe, build one of the more beautiful campuses in the world. I said so and the Morung Post from Dimapur quoted me as talking of the prettiest campus in the world. I hope we will build up Nagaland areas for tourism and the hospitality industry could build its training and planning infrastructure at Merema. To get back to the village, Thiejo Vienhuo, registrar of the university, a former JNU-ite, is connected with the village; he acts as my pointsman and translator. The leaders of the village are respected men — Khirchie, the village council chief and Snokichie, the head of the GB. I really don’t know what’s happening in all of Nagaland and statistics for the state leave much to be desired, but this village is not as prosperous as the one I went to in the ’80s and I only hope wistfully that this is an outlier, not the trend.
They grow paddy, the japonica variety which is coagulated, and by now the Kmenyu bread has arrived with hot tea. It is fried, like a poori, but is made from the local rice and very tasty. There is also a snack made from rice, like a cereal. Of course, they grow the spices and the vegetables which make Naga broths what they are. Very spicy, boiled and very nourishing and tasty. In the Northeast I would any day prefer the ethnic food to the North Indian varieties offered as hospitality. In Kohima’s best hotel, ethnic dishes are tucked away in the last page of the menu. They are rice and different kinds of meats and fish boiled with lots of greens and vegetables and the heavenly spices. I bring them back with me to rural Ahmedabad, and the house hasn’t smelt the same since.
The area is very rich. Nature has showered its gifts in plenty. The Naga king spice is to be touched and tasted to get a sense of its power. I think of Kunming only around 45 minutes from here by plane and the rocketing demand of red chillies in western Chinese food. They are getting vegetarian with a vengeance since the revival of Buddhism and the demands for spices are infinite. I talk of the wonder plant, Stevia. Now that the carcinogenic aspect of saccharine and asarpartame is conclusive, the world is switching to Stevia, originally from the Amazon jungle — a vegetable product which is a sweetener, but good for your BP with no calories for the diabetic. Well, it grows wild here. In other parts of India it fetches upto a lakh of rupees a hectare for factories which package and market the sugar substitute. The biotechnologists and genetics people at the Agriculture Campus at Medzephema talk of documenting the wealth, but even with their enthusiasm, given the neglect of research, it seems a long haul. I make a note to lobby with my friends at the ICAR. Meanwhile in Merema, we talk of exotic vegetables and spices and they tell me they grow a gourd which is like an eggplant. I am puzzled and Neiffii-O, the vice chairperson of the Women’s Khel, runs out and brings in a vegetable which looks like an eggplant and is a gourd in taste. Suddenly, it hits me. This is used aplenty in Thai red curry. Believe me, in decades to come, if all goes well, this region will be the strong arm of the sub-continent as it looks East. Is it providence, but as I wing back to Kolkata, the Nagaland Post on Sunday carries a story on Stevia.

NE under quake Zone-V, Nagaland working on it Kohima October 18, 2005 Webindia
The state governments of the North-Eastern states face a gigantic task of making people aware that they fall in the vulnerable quake prone Zone-V, though Nagaland has already started working on it. This was disclosed by Kewachu Semy, joint director of Administrative Training Institute (ATI) in a disaster management programme held here recently.
He said Nagaland, alongwith the other NE states, was not safe from natural calamities, such as landslides, flood and earthquake. He said, ''We cannot remain susceptible to impending dangers and need to percolate information to all government set-up, institutions, NGOs and civil societies.'' ''Whenever disaster strike, devastation of high magnitude occur and people are greatly inflicted,'' he said. He also informed that in order to deal with natural disasters, the Home department has taken several initiatives.
A Disaster Management Authority, with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio as Chairman, is in place and so is a state steering committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary with other departmental heads as its members. He further said that for quick dissemination of information, control rooms have been set up in the state capital and all the district headquarters, while disaster management framework had been adopted assigning responsibilities to various stakeholders. MORE UNI AS BA AK HS0933
Former Nagaland CM dead Kohima | October 19, 2005 Webindia
Former Nagaland Chief Minister John Bosco Jasokie died this morning at his residence here following prolonged illness. He is survived by wife, two sons and three daughters. Born in 1925, Mr Jasokie started his education in government high school,Kohima and then in St. Edmund's college and St. Anthony's college at Shillong. He served as the guide and scout for the allied forces during World War II and took part in the famous Kohima war in 1955. A keen sportsman, he joined the Naga independent movement in 1953. He worked as the publicity secretary and acting general secretary of the Naga National Council (NNC). He was the organizer of the Naga Peoples' Convention(NPC) and served as its general secretary. The Naga hills district of Assam and Tuensang in Nagaland were under the then north east frontier agency (NEFA-now Arunachal Pradesh) and NPC was the main architect for the formation of present state of Nagaland following discussions with Jawaharlal Nehru.
Mr Jasokie was elected as the member of the then interim body which was constituted to rule the state after getting statehood in February 1961 and appointed the executive councillor in-charge of forest and industries.
He was elected to the Nagaland assembly from Kohima town in 1964 and was Forest Minister from 1964 to 1969. He was re-elected from the constituency till 1974 and later become the leader of the opposition. UNI AS PL VA ND1506
Rule of law fundamental to democracy: Apang
Itanagar | October 19, 2005 2:42:11 PM IST New Kerala

Law and order is fundamental to the existence of a functioning democracy and a civilized society, Arunachal Chief Minister Gegong Apang said. Addressing the inaugural session of the inter-state security meeting at police headquarters here yesterday, Mr Apang said that the rule of law is the foundation of modern economy. ''As the instrument for maintaining the rule of law, an efficient, effective and accountable police administration is one of the most essential institutions of the state'', he said.
The police must have confidence in their professionalism, honesty, integrity and efficiency. The police and security forces must be viewed as friends of the ordinary people, honest citizens, while they instill a sense of fear in the minds of lawbreakers and enemies of the state, the chief minister emphasised. ''Today our focus should be on the grave threat posed by terrorism, which now poses a threat to all civilized societies. It poses a challenge to the democratic societies too. For this, you have to make yourself professionally, intellectually and technologically well-equipped to deal with this new challenge to our internal security,'' he said, urging officers to meet the challenges head on. Stressing on improvement of the coordination apparatus in dealing with security matters, Mr Apang called for involving civil administration in any operation to avoid unnecessary problems.
Earlier, in his welcome address, state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Amod Kanth informed that the meeting was the fourth in the series conducted for tackling security problems involving officers from other NE states and other forces. Home Minister Jarbom Gamlin, Chief Secretiry Ashok Kumar, DGP from Nagaland, Assam and senior Army officers also addressed the meeting. UNI XC PL VD BS1359
Curfew continues in Assam’s Karbi Anglong District New Kerala
Karbi Anlong (Assam): Curfew continued for the third consecutive day today in Assam’s Karbi Anlong district, which was imposed on Monday after rebels killed 22 Karbi tribals, taking the toll in the last two weeks of ethnic clashes to 70. Tribal militants on Tuesday clashed with Army soldiers and torched scores of houses despite an indefinite curfew and shoot-at-sight orders here.

Meanwhile, the Centre has asked the Assam Government to use police and paramilitary forces in order to curb the violence, which caused devastation in the state. “We have told the Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of the Unified Command, to use these forces, not only use these forces but also take some political steps to see that it does not happen again,” said Home Minister Shivraj Patil. Despite of army and paramilitary forces patrolling the area sources have described the situation as ‘tensed’. The Director General of Police P.V.Sumant has been camping in the district since Monday to keepthe situation under control. The ongoing violence between the Karbi and Dimasa tribes in the district has going on intermittently for the past three weeks. The genesis of the violence can be traced to a grenade explosion on September 24 at village Parokhowa, near the adjoining eastern Assam district town of Nagaon, in which eight persons were injured. It was a random attack near a market, and not directed at a particular community. Two days later, bodies of three Dimasa auto rickshaw drivers were found near the town of Manza in Karbi Anglong district, some 320 kilometres east of Assam’s main city of Guwahati. The revenge killings have been going on since then, and if reports from the remote Assamese district are to be gone by, then, 200 homes of the Karbi people have been set ablaze. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogo visited the violence-torn district last week and squarely blamed the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD), of ‘violating cease-fire ground rules’. On Tuesday, he met their representatives to discuss ways to bring a volatile situation under control. Gogoi warned that the state government would be left with no option but to take stern action against these two groups if they did not call a halt to their militant activities.

The UPDS is a rag-tag rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Karbi tribe and the DHD is an outlawed militant outfit waging a bush war for carving out a separate Dimasa land. The two groups are operating ceasefires with New Delhi - the UPDS involved in a truce since 2002 and the DHD entering into a ceasefire a year later in 2003. The cease-fires observed by the two groups have become a complete mockery with militants roaming around with automatic weapons.In a district sandwiched between Meghalaya and Nagaland, Karbis are the dominant tribe and account for about 40 per cent of the total 812,320 population. The Dimasas account for about 15 percent with at least half-a-dozen other ethnic groups like the Kukis, Khasis and the Hmars cohabiting together in Karbi

Anglong alongside a sizeable non-tribal population. There are many reasons for the violence escalating in recent weeks. Murky tribal politics at the local level was one of the plausible causes for tempers running high. Politicians from the ruling Congress party in Assam and the opposition parties like the BJP, the CPI (ML), and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) were in one way or the other responsible for the mayhem by instigating either the UPDS or the DHD to carry out a show of strength. This assumes significance as the state Assembly polls are due early next year and like in any other northeastern states, militants often help win candidates from their respective communities. There are, however, just four Assembly seats in the district and in the past many elections it was always the Karbi candidates that won the polls - many believes the DHD was trying to prepare the ground from now on by trying to make a Dimasa candidate win the elections. The two rebel groups want their areas of influence to be dominated by their own community members as any incentives or concessions granted by the government in the near future could be exclusively shared among the respective communities instead of sharing the dollops with their rival members. This is being seen as another reason for the ethnic violence.
Armed outfits drawn into ethnic flare-up Newmai News Network October 18 DIPHU: The militant outfit United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), presently having a ceasefire with the Centre has declared "war" against the Dimasa Halong Daogah (DHD), a Dimasa militant outfit, following the killing of 33 Karbi people by suspected Dimasa extremists yesterday in the Karbi Anglong district, even as the bodies of 6 Dimasas were recovered this morning from Deramukh near the Karbi Anglong border in the North Cachar district. A seventh dead body, suspected to be that of a third community was also recovered. The army today carried out flag marches in the affected area while security forces had carried out two operations against DHD operatives, said additional superintendent of police, Karbi Anglong, NN Goswami.
With the recovery of the bodies this morning, the toll in the ongoing clashes between the Karbis and Dimasas has risen to over 70. Suspected Dimasa extremists meanwhile torched at least 70 houses belonging to Karbis in the past 24 hours, despite an indefinite curfew being clamped in the area. Well over 10,000 people have been rendered homeless in widespread arson in the district. Close to 27,000 people have been lodged in refugee camps, TK Barman, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said.
Top officials and representatives of leading political parties today rushed to the district to contain the situation. As a first step, the government has replaced the Superintendent of Police of Karbi Anglong and also shifted seven additional deputy commissioners from the neighbouring districts of Kamrup, Golaghat and Nagaon to the affected district to streamline and tighten the administration. Director General of Police PV Sumant has been camping in the area for three days now. Chief Secretary SS Kabilan also visited the district while Governor Ajai Singh was on his way to Karbi Anglong at the time of filing this report this evening.
The DHD on its part has condemned yesterday’s incident while denying any involvement in the killings, and also said that it would not respond to the UPDS’ declaration of an all out confrontation. "We expect the government to protect us," said Dilip Nunisa, President of the DHD.
Claiming that the DHD was behind yesterday’s killings, President of the UPDS, Haren Singh Bey has said that his men would "root out the DHD from both East and West Karbi Anglong". "We have the necessary weapons and the cadres and will shoot any member of the DHD we see in Karbi Anglong," he said. Both the DHD and the Karbi United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) have been on a ceasefire with the Centre.
Blaming the Congress for the ongoing violence in the district, leader of a faction of the Karbi Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) Holiram Terang said that the situation was a result of the ruling party’s "failure on all fronts". Leader of the opposition and President of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) Brindabon Goswami said that the violence was the result of the government’s "conspiracy".
Agro potentiality in Nagaland through Organic Farming Morung Express News October 18
DIMAPUR: A workshop on "Organic Cultivation & Post-Harvest Technology On Major Crops" jointly organized by the Indian Institute of Spice Research (IISR), Calicut, Department Of Horticulture, Nagaland and Spices Board, Dimapur got underway at Tourist Lodge, Dimapur today. Nyeiwang Konyak, Parliamentary Secretary, Horticulture was the chief guest of the workshop and Z.R. Yanthan, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Kohima Nagaland was the chairperson. The workshop began with the introduction of Resource Persons from Indian Institute of Spice Research (IISR), Calicut and District –Wise participants. Z.Z. Sema, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Kohima Nagaland gave the welcome address while vote of thanks was given by Dr.Elithung Lotha, District Horticulture Officer, Dimapur Nagaland.
Addressing the workshop on the topic" Problems and Prospect of Organic Farming," Dr.G.S.Munda, ICAR Barapani Shillong stated that by applying organic farming, North Eastern Region with its favorable climatic condition and with proper selection of crops, would be able to produce and compete in the international market. He pointed out that the lack of awareness, lack of proper marketing channel, lack of processing and value added facilities; low incentives from the government, non-identification of accreditation and certifying agency on regional basis were the major weakness of the people of the North Eastern Region. "North Eastern Region is the home of niche crops like lemon, joha rice, passion fruit" stated Dr. Munda and added that the best quality of ginger and the major share of orange, pineapple and cardamom are grown in this region.
Dr.K.Kandianna, IISR Calicut, gave information on the concepts, principles, and practices of Organic Farming. "The principles of Organic Farming is to sustain and enhance the health of soil, plants, animals and man" said Dr.Kandianna and added that Organic Management must be adapted to local conditions, ecology and culture. Organic farming is gaining popularity and accepted by people all over the world, said Dr.Kandianna.
The topic "Organic Cultivation of Chilies in NE region –practices and trends" was addressed by Dr.D.S.Yadav, ICAR Research Complex for NE Region, Shillong.
"A very small area is cultivated with no fertilizers but the yield of chilies is very high" stated Dr.Yadav and said that it showed the potentiality of the region. He said that Nagaland had tremendous scope in production and export of chili.
The post lunch session was addressed by Dr.R.Dinesh, IISR, Calicut on the topic "Organic Nutrient Management in blackpepper, ginger and turmeric."
While pointing out that 24% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) came from agriculture and allied sector, Dr.Dinesh lamented that agriculture as an activity was threatened by loss in fertility of the soil and had become the major concern of agriculture. "Chemical fertilizers have only selected nutrients and may lead to the deficiency of nutrients in plant and thus should use alternatives like Bio-Fertilizer, Bio-Pesticide, Organic manures etc which contain all nutrients" Dr.Dinesh said.
Curfew continues in Assam's Karbi Anglong District Ani
Karbi Anlong (Assam) Oct 19 (ANI): Curfew continued for the third consecutive day today in Assam's Karbi Anlong district, which was imposed on Monday after rebels killed 22 Karbi tribals, taking the toll in the last two weeks of ethnic clashes to 70. Tribal militants on Tuesday clashed with Army soldiers and torched scores of houses despite an indefinite curfew and shoot-at-sight orders here. Meanwhile, the Centre has asked the Assam Government to use police and paramilitary forces in order to curb the violence, which caused devastation in the state.
"We have told the Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of the Unified Command, to use these forces, not only use these forces but also take some political steps to see that it does not happen again," said Home Minister Shivraj Patil. Despite of army and paramilitary forces patrolling the area sources have described the situation as 'tensed'. The Director General of Police P.V.Sumant has been camping in the district since Monday to keepthe situation under control. The ongoing violence between the Karbi and Dimasa tribes in the district has going on intermittently for the past three weeks. The genesis of the violence can be traced to a grenade explosion on September 24 at village Parokhowa, near the adjoining eastern Assam district town of Nagaon, in which eight persons were injured. It was a random attack near a market, and not directed at a particular community. Two days later, bodies of three Dimasa auto rickshaw drivers were found near the town of Manza in Karbi Anglong district, some 320 kilometres east of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
The revenge killings have been going on since then, and if reports from the remote Assamese district are to be gone by, then, 200 homes of the Karbi people have been set ablaze.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogo visited the violence-torn district last week and squarely blamed the United People's Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) and the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD), of 'violating cease-fire ground rules'. On Tuesday, he met their representatives to discuss ways to bring a volatile situation under control. Gogoi warned that the state government would be left with no option but to take stern action against these two groups if they did not call a halt to their militant activities.
The UPDS is a rag-tag rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the Karbi tribe and the DHD is an outlawed militant outfit waging a bush war for carving out a separate Dimasa land. The two groups are operating ceasefires with New Delhi - the UPDS involved in a truce since 2002 and the DHD entering into a ceasefire a year later in 2003.
The cease-fires observed by the two groups have become a complete mockery with militants roaming around with automatic weapons.In a district sandwiched between Meghalaya and Nagaland, Karbis are the dominant tribe and account for about 40 per cent of the total 812,320 population. The Dimasas account for about 15 percent with at least half-a-dozen other ethnic groups like the Kukis, Khasis and the Hmars cohabiting together in Karbi
Anglong alongside a sizeable non-tribal population. There are many reasons for the violence escalating in recent weeks. Murky tribal politics at the local level was one of the plausible causes for tempers running high. Politicians from the ruling Congress party in Assam and the opposition parties like the BJP, the CPI (ML), and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) were in one way or the other responsible for the mayhem by instigating either the UPDS or the DHD to carry out a show of strength. This assumes significance as the state Assembly polls are due early next year and like in any other northeastern states, militants often help win candidates from their respective communities.
There are, however, just four Assembly seats in the district and in the past many elections it was always the Karbi candidates that won the polls - many believes the DHD was trying to prepare the ground from now on by trying to make a Dimasa candidate win the elections.
The two rebel groups want their areas of influence to be dominated by their own community members as any incentives or concessions granted by the government in the near future could be exclusively shared among the respective communities instead of sharing the dollops with their rival members. This is being seen as another reason for the ethnic violence. (ANI)

BJP team visits Karbi Anglong By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 18 – The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today sent its top leaders to strife-torn Karbi Anglong district to make a first-hand assessment of the situation there where ethnic violence has claimed over 70 lives so far. Led by SS Ahluwalia, MP and the party’s in-charge for Assam, the delegation comprises state party president Indramoni Bora, former Union minister Bijoya Chakraborty, MPs Rajen Gohain and Narayan Chandra Borkatoki and party spokesman Ashokananda Singhal among others. The team left for the hill district by road. During its visit, the BJP team will go to the areas worst affected by the violence. It will meet with the affected people, make an on-the-spot study of the situation and interact the people from all walks of life to defuse the volatile situation and try to restore normalcy, Siddharth Bhattacharjee, convenor of the BJP media cell, informed.
Gogoi meets UPDS leaders for peace solution NET News Network Guwahati, Oct 18: The United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) today demanded immediate shifting of DHD designated camp from Karbi Anglong’s Dhansiri area and arrest of its top leaders for fanning ethnic frenzy in the hill district. The outfit, which is maintaining ceasefire with the government since 2002 felt that cadres from the Dhansiri camp is carrying out subversive activities in the district. Publicity secretary of the outfit, Tung-eh Nongloda informed this to northeasttribune.com after coming out of a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and other senior ministers. In a bid to solve the ongoing ethnic strife in Karbi Anglong, the state chief minister Tarun Gogoi today held meeting with UPDS, which will be followed, by another meeting with DHD before finally meeting Central government representatives on Thursday. “ State government favoured the demand of shifting of designated camp from Dhansiri but said that decision cannot be taken without consulting the central government as Designated camp decision was taken by Joint Monitoring Group (JMG). Chief minister assured us to take up the matter on Thursday’s meeting with central government,” informed Nongloda. On being asked whether UPDS would sit with DHD for a peace outcome, Nongloda stairway refusing the idea said, “ We are not going to sit with DHD under any circumstances as this will amount to encouraging their subversive activities”. Dima Halim Daogah (DHD) is currently observing 'ceasefire' with the government. The outfit has four designated camps in Dhansiri in Karbi Anglong and Doyangmukh, Haflong, Maibong all in North Cachar Hills. Apart from UPDS leaders and members of other Karbi apex bodies, the others who attended today’s high-level meeting in Dispur were state Home Minister Rokybul Hussain, Finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarmah, Chief Secretary, Home Commissioner B K Gohain and IGP (Special Branch) Khagen Sarmah.
Assam ethnic violence continues, 7 more bodies recovered NET News Network Guwahati, Oct 18: With no sign of respite, Assam's violence-scarred Karbi Anglong continues to burn with the recovery of another seven Karbi dead bodies and as many as 167 houses burnt in the bitter rivalry between the Karbi and Dimasa tribes. While six bodies have been recovered from Doyangmukh area another one was recovered from Karbi village Tissobasti, under Diphu police station, where unidentified miscreants set ablaze 23 houses last night. In retaliatory attacks in the same police station area, 46 houses belonging to Dimasas at Upper Ikironi and another 30 at Alturambasti were set on fire early this morning. The violence spread to the Baithalangsu police station area where at Jeramukh village 30 houses were set ablaze in addition to 18 houses at Haripur, 17 at Rangjumi and three at Dhelapara -- all belonging to Dimasas. Several Karbi villagers from Sarsim under Kheroni police station were reported to have been taken away by miscreants into deep jungles and their fate was not yet known. Shoot-at-sight orders along with a 24-hour curfew clamped in the strife-torn hill district continued today. Reports of firing for violation of the prohibitory orders by miscreants were also received. No casualty has been recorded so far. Describing the situation as 'tense', the sources said that the army, paramilitary forces and police were patrolling the area. Director General of Police P V Sumant has been camping in the district since yesterday to control the situation.
The Chief Secretary and head of the anti-insurgency organisation, Unified Command Structure, Headquarters, S Kabilan, the Unified Command Structure commander and 4 Corps G-o-C, Lt Gen H S Lidder, also arrived at Diphu to chalk out a strategy to deal with the escalating situation. Thirty four Karbi tribals were massacred yesterday in the worst-ever day-long violence between the two warring tribes, taking the toll to 70 in the fights have been continuing since September 26. Thousands of houses have been burnt and an unaccounted number of livestock has also perished. Meanwhile, an all-party delegation of the state Assembly and a BJP delegation, led by S S Ahluwalia headed for the strife-torn district in its attempt to restore confidence of the people. The last major ethnic flare-up in Karbi Anglong district had erupted in September, 2003 and lasted for three months. At that time the fight was between the Kukis and Karbis who consider the Kukis as a rival immigrant tribal community occupying their land. They had clashed over occupation of the commercially valuable ginger-rich Singhasan hill leading to the killing of over 60 from both sides and torching of over 500 houses then. Meanwhile, Centre has asked the Assam Government to use the police and paramilitary forces and also take some political steps to bring the ethnic violence in Karbi Anglong district, where 34 Karbis were massacred on Monday. "We have told the Chief Minister, who is the Chairman of the Unified Command, to use these forces; not only use these forces but also take some political steps to see that it does not happen (again)" Home Minister Shivraj Patil told reporters in Bangalore. "Assam has always been very well equipped. There are nearly 75,000 men and officers. We have given full liberty (to the state government) to use these forces", he said. "Army is there, paramilitary forces are there and state police is there".
KARBI HILLS BLEED Sentinel From our Correspondent
Flare-up spreading to fresh areas fast - 29 hacked to death
Gaoburha among 5 charred - 100 villagers held hostage - 24-hr curfew clamped DIPHU, Oct 17: As many as 34 Karbis, including women, were hacked to death by miscreants in two separate incidents in Karbi Anglong district this morning as the communal flare-up between the Karbis and the Dimasas is spreading fast to newer areas necessitating 24-hour curfew in the hill district. Shoot at sight has been ordered in the district. According to sources, in the first incident miscreants stopped two Diphu-bound buses from Zirikinding at Charchim, 20 km from Kheroni police station in the district, dragged as many as 29 passengers out, lined them up, tied their hands from behind and hacked them to death. All the victims are Karbis. As if that was not enough, the miscreants went to two other Karbi Villages, Tussak and Sarsu, nearby and charred five others, including gaoburha John Ingti, besides setting afire over 100 houses. The miscreants also took away 100 others of the two villages to an undisclosed location and held them hostage. Fate of the 100 Karbis is not known. According to the local people, the 100 villagers have already been killed but the police maintains that they have been missing.
The first vehicle was completely gutted while the other was partially damaged. The two long-distance buses belonged to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. The driver of one of the buses managed to escape. The bus passengers reported the incident at the Milu police outpost, Kheroni police station, about 130 km from here. Meanwhile, the SP, along with security forces rushed there and launched a massive combing operation. It may be mentioned here that over two hundred abandoned houses of Karbis were torched yesterday.
Centre moved for more forces: Gogoi Sentinel By a Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Oct 17: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi condemned the killing of 34 people in Karbi Anglong today and said that he had already written to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil for additional forces for the troubled hill district. Talking to The Sentinel Gogoi said that extra frces had already been rushed to the district. Rubbishing allegations of Congress’ involvement in the incidents, he said seven additional deputy commissioners from different districts of the State were deputed to assist the administrative machinery in the district.
Gogoi asked G-O-C of 4 Corps Lt Gen HS Lidder and Chief Secretary to draw a special strategy to combat the orgy of violence in the district. The Chief Minister once again invited the Dimasa militant outfit Dima Halem Daogah (DHD) and the UPDS to come for dialogue with the government to solve their problems. Gogoi further said that an all-party delegation would visit Karbi Anglong shortly to take stock of the situation.
Dimasa Sabha cries for peace Sentinel
KOHIMA, Oct 17 (UNI): In the backdrop of ethnic violence in Karbi-Anglong, the Dimasa Dharma Sabha (DDS) has appealed to the Assam Government to do the needful to bring the situation under control. The DDS had also appealed to the leaders of Hemphu Mukrung, Lahiman Sangh, Skanmintar Karbi Amei (apex body of Karbi community) and the Jadikhe Naiso Hosom (apex body of Dimasa community) to set up a peace committee to bring peace and to facilitate for dialogue between the leaders of both communities. The DDS had also urged the Central government to come to immediate action to bring normalcy in Karbi Anglong. While the Karbi-Anglong was reeling under incidents of ethnic violence, the Karbis and Dimasas of Tumpreng area of the district had been wise enough to display their age-old mutual trust, unity and integrity.
The DDS alleged that some nefarious forces were creating mistrust between Dimasa and Karbis, who had been living together in harmony for centuries. Leaders of both communities constituted a peace committee and organised a peace rally on October 12 at Tumpreng in south Karbi Anglong, where it was resolved that peace would be maintained at any cost.
India, Myanmar to quiz rebels jointly Sentinel
NEW DELHI, Oct 17 (PTI): Giving a boost to mutual ties, India and Myanmar today agreed to hold joint interrogation of persons arrested on drug and arms smuggling and for insurgency-related activities. During the five-day Indo-Myanmar Home Secretary-level talks in Yangon, the Myanmarese side made it clear that "it would not allow negative elements to use its territory for carrying out hostile activities against India." It also agreed to intensify action against arms smugglers and punish them severely if found on Myanmarese soil, a Home Ministry spokesman said. While the Indian delegation was led by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal, the Myanmarese side was headed by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Brig-Gen Phone Swe.
The spokesman said: "In a significant boost to mutual cooperation, both sides agreed to hold joint interrogation of persons arrested for drugs and arms smuggling and for insurgency-related activities." Both sides also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in curbing trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances, the spokesman said quoting reports reaching here from Yangon. At the start of the talks on October 13, the two sides had decided to cooperate in tackling activities of insurgents and other hostile elements along their borders with Yangon giving the assurance that it would severely punish arms smugglers.
Bodo bodies see hand of third force in KA clashes Correspondent Sentinel
KOKRAJHAR, Oct 17: Frontal Bodo organizations — the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), the ABSU, the ABWWF and the NDFB have appealed to the Karbi and Dimasa communities to restrain themselves from engaging in the ongoing ethnic feud in Karbi Anglong hills district which originated from the killing of three Dimasas on September 26 . The Bodo bodies have urged the two communities to end the clashes and instead uproot the causes behind it. The president of Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) Brajendra Kumar Brahma, in a press release issued here yesterday, termed the incident as most unfortunate. He said that both the Karbis and Dimasas have been living together peacefully since ages, and expressed the hope that they would continue to do so. Brahma suspected role of some third force in the clashes. He appealed to both the communities to maintain peace and amity to revive their age-old brotherhood.
ABSU president Rwngura Narzary said the Bodos too had a bitter experience of ethnic clashes between the Bodos and Santhals in 1996. He urged both communities to refrain from further conflict. The ABSU president also criticized the State Government for failing to provide adequate security to the people and for not controlling the situation. He said that the district administration was just watching helplessly when the need of the hour was efficiency. Rajya Sabha MP U G Brahma, after his visit to the affected areas in Dhansiri, Hafjan, Engleng Serok Community Hall and Dimasa Club termed the conflict between Karbis and Dimasas as most unfortunate. He said that because of security lapses in the affected areas, the arsonists were having a field day and were torching houses at will. He urged the State Government to take immediate measures to stop clashes and restore sanity in the district.
The Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner G Tripathy in his meeting with the ABSU, AASAA, Karbi Students’ Association (KSA), both Kramsa and Engleng groups, and Dimasa Students’ Association (DSA) said that the district needed ten more companies of para military forces to control the situation. Tripathy said that 10 companies of CRPF, 3 companies of APBn and 3 columns of Army have been pressed into service to control the situation. San Kramsa, president of KSA, said that a third force was operating behind the scene for political gains. Gobinda Basumatary, secretary general of the NDFB, also appealed to the Karbis and Dimasas to refrain from such senseless killings and to restore peace and harmony in the region respecting each other’s sentiments.


Frans on 10.19.05 @ 04:04 PM CST [link]


Monday, October 17th

LAST MILE PROBLEMS WITH THE NAGAS


LAST MILE PROBLEMS WITH THE NAGAS Twenty-Twenty - Bharat Bhushan The Telegraph After eight years of cease-fire, the Naga peace process has finally started making some progress. However, the proper implementation of the ceasefire between the Indian security forces and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) and some conceptual problems still dog the two sides.
The NSCN (IM) claims that more of its cadre have been killed in the eight years of the ceasefire since 1997 (exceeding 100) than in the previous nine-and-a-half years (only 40), when the insurgency was at its peak. The NSCN (IM) claims that the number of Indian security personnel killed by its cadre after the ceasefire is zero, compared to more than 200 in the nine-and-half years preceding the ceasefire. This included seven colonels killed in the single year 1993-94.
Under these circumstances, the general secretary of the NSCN (IM), Thuingaleng Muivah, is bound to be under pressure from his cadre to call off the ceasefire. If this ceasefire breaks down, then so would the other Suspension of Operations Agreements in the North-east, including with the Karbis, Dimasas, Khasis, Bodos and groups in Tripura. A ceasefire with the United Liberation Front of Asom may then seem like a distant dream.
The argument being given by the Indian security establishment is that the ceasefire is limited to Nagaland alone. Were the NSCN (I-M) to take the same interpretation of the cease-fire, would it be all right for it to target Indian security forces in Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh or, say, Delhi? Remember that S.C. Jamir had barely escaped a murder attempt at Nagaland House in New Delhi. The government of India cannot have two different interpretations of the cease-fire — one for its security forces and the other for the Nagas. It is unreasonable to expect that Muivah can keep talking peace while his cadres get ambushed outside Nagaland.
There are others who claim that if Muivah will not settle, a settlement should be arrived at with the rival faction of S.S. Khaplang or the Naga National Council. Khaplang is a Myanmar Naga supported by the Indian security forces. Indira Gandhi had refused to talk to Khaplang saying that she could not negotiate with a Burmese citizen. Would Indian leaders want to do that now? And if the NNC could settle the Naga issue, then why didn’t the Shillong Accord work, to which the NNC was a signatory? India should attempt to strengthen its main dialogue partner rather than threaten to weaken it.
A ceasefire is meant to reduce mutual suspicion and make both sides more reasonable as they get to understand each other better. It is evident that eight years of ceasefire have not done this. But what is very clear is that it has made the Naga insurgents more reasonable. From talking about total independence from India, today the Nagas are talking of fashioning a close federal relationship while still claiming that they remain sovereign. When Muivah met the prime minister earlier this year in New Delhi, he told him that the Nagas consider themselves sovereign. This one statement has now become the biggest hurdle in exploring a peaceful settlement. Muivah has time and again said that sovereignty lies with the people. However, New Delhi thinks that Muivah is being deliberately ambiguous about what he means by “sovereignty”.
If the Nagas are sovereign then Indian negotiators could argue that they should be able to freely take a decision to pool their sovereignty with that of the rest of India’s — subject, of course, to the agreement reached with them. In the peace talks in Bangkok last week, it was discussed how the people of Sikkim had decided to exercise their sovereignty to join India. The Nagas might decide to do the same provided constitutional guarantees are provided to maintain their “uniqueness” — their distinct cultural, linguistic and political identity. Muivah says he wants a “federal” relationship with New Delhi. It makes sense from his point of view — from separateness he wants to negotiate a relationship of closeness. The nature of this relationship, he says, will be determined by the terms of the agreement with New Delhi.
New Delhi, on the other hand, wants him to give up “federalism” and accept the Indian Constitution as it is. What could be the golden mean that satisfies both? Indian negotiators need to ask themselves: Do we want the Indian Constitution to be the point of departure or the point of arrival for a settlement? If the insurgent Nagas can eventually be brought under the purview of the Constitution, with modifications to accommodate them, then what is wrong? One can call it asymmetrical federalism or recognizing “the unique history and situation of the Nagas”.
However, though the Indian Union is federal, it is more limited than say, the US. Its history and processes of formation were different. This places limits on how asymmetric our asymmetric federalism can be. Wisdom lies in recognizing this constraint and working within the degrees of freedom it offers.
The time has come to give up posturing and climb down from the polemical positions that necessarily have to be taken in the initial stages of a major negotiation of this kind. For this, New Delhi has to stop seeing the acceptance of the Indian Constitution as the point of departure with the Nagas (after all, it has dropped this precondition with the Kashmiris). Muivah, on his part, has to give up ambiguous references to “sovereignty” and “federalism”. If the federal relationship he proposes is to be as close as possible to being within the Union of India, then form should compromise with content.
Within such a compromise, it should be possible to address positively all the proposals made by the NSCN (I-M) — from sharing of competencies to ensuring that Naga uniqueness is preserved through various instrumentalities and structures of governance. Within the Union of India — which Muivah does not accept as a framework of settlement — Nagas can live in a single political unit and govern themselves democratically. The genius of the Indian political leaders will lie in achieving this while keeping the honour of the Nagas intact.
One of the most remarkable outcomes of the extended ceasefire has been that the Naga civil society groups have gained strength. Today, Naga civil society bodies like the Hoho, Naga Mothers Organization, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights, the Naga Students' Organization can criticize the NSCN(I-M) and give direction to the peace process. A decade ago people were assassinated by the underground for trying to do so.
The NSCN(I-M) has quickly adapted to this change and engaged the Naga civil society organizations — holding regular consultations with them. Engaging civil society has made the NSCN(I-M) more realistic and appreciative of their influence and criticism. New Delhi, however, has not addressed Naga civil society organizations in any way. The latter also need to be convinced that the Indian Constitution is flexible enough to accommodate the aspirations of the Nagas. If they appreciate the difficulties of the government, then these opinion makers can be a force multiplier for peace with the NSCN (IM).

Oscar Fernandes to visit Nagaland Kohima | October 17, 2005 Weindia

Union Minister for Programme Implementation and Statistics Oscar Fernandes, who is also the Congress' in-charge for the North East, will pay a two-day visit to Nagaland beginning October 18.
Leader of the Opposition in the Nagaland Assembly I Imkong will recieve Mr Fernandes, on his arrival at Dimapur, after which he will proceed to Kohima.
The senior Congress leader would meet Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and other Congress leaders, including the NPCC president and the presidents of the district Congress committees, according to a Pradesh Congress release here.
He will address a meeting of the Congress Workers, the next day, at the Congress Bhavan here.
After the meeting, he would proceed to Dimapur, where he would make a brief halt at Chumukedima Police Complex before leaving for Kolkata. UNI AS RH SS DB1224
NSCN (I-M) reiterates unification demand By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 16 – The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) is sticking to the demand for unification of the Naga-inhabited areas of the States of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh despite strong opposition from the concerned State governments. Highly-placed official sources said that the NSCN leadership had raised the demand once again in the recent talks with the representatives of the Government of India at Bangkok. Sources said that the Central Government representatives made it clear to the NSCN leadership that it would not be possible on the part of the Centre to impose the same on the concerned State governments till a consensus on the issue is arrived at.

Sources pointed out that time and again the Central Government had made its position clear to the NSCN leadership and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during a visit to Nagaland, also made the Centre’s position clear. But till date, the NSCN is still sticking to its demand.

It may be mentioned here that the NSCN has been demanding unification of the Naga-inhabited areas for the formation of greater Nagalim and the map of the proposed Nagalim, prepared by the outfit, includes parts of seven districts of Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. The Assam Government has made its position clear on the issue and opposed the demand, while Manipur witnessed strong protests against the demand, which turned violent.

Official sources said that though talks with the NSCN have been going on for years, discussion on substantive issues started only recently and the outfit has submitted a list of more than 30 demands including the demand for unification of the Naga-inhabited areas. However, sources refused to divulge whether the NSCN has given up the demand for a sovereign Nagalim or not.

Sources also admitted that the Naga problem would not be solved through talks with only the Issac- Muivah faction of the NSCN, and that the Khaplang faction would have to be taken into confidence for a permanent solution. Sources said that though a ceasefire pact with the NSCN(K) has been signed, talks on substantive issues with the outfit have not yet started and the outfit has also not yet submitted its list of demands. The Government would like to start formal talks with the NSCN(K) after the talks with the NSCN (I-M) make some headway.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) today made it clear that it would not compromise on the territorial integrity of Assam for the solution of the Naga problem.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, AASU general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi said that the students’ union welcomed the peace process in Nagaland and “we want a solution to the problem for restoration of peace in Nagaland. But we cannot allow anyone to create disturbance in Assam in the name of restoration of peace in Nagaland.” He asserted that the geographical integrity of Assam must be maintained and the AASU would never compromise on the issue. He said that the AASU has very cordial relations with the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) but in the talks with the NSF, the AASU made its stand clear on the issue on several occasions.

It may be mentioned here that several students’ bodies of the north-eastern States had talks with the leaders of the NSCN during their last visit to India and the AASU and Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union made their stand clear on the issue before the NSCN leaders. The AASU and AAPSU made it clear that they would not compromise on the geographical territory of the two States for the solution of the political problem of the Nagas.
British WW II veterans walk down memory lane
Kohima | October 17, 2005 12:15:06 PM IST Webindia

A group of British World War II veterans relived the forgotten battle of Kohima by holding a commemorative service to pay homage to hundreds of their comrades buried in India's northeastern state of Nagaland.
Forty-one members of the Royal British Legion offered prayers and laid wreaths over the weekend at the War Memorial in the Nagaland state capital Kohima.
The Kohima cemetery, which is completely terraced, contains 1,420 Commonwealth burials of World War II.
"I never imagined that visiting the War Memorial could be so emotional. Once at the cemetery, I could not just check myself and cried like a baby," 92-year-old Hilda Martin Smith told a small gathering of Indian Army and civil officials.
Smith was part of the British forces engaged in the region to ward off advancing Japanese forces in 1944. Hundreds of Indian soldiers and locals from the region fought alongside the British to repulse the Japanese attack.
Like Smith, Tommy Taylor, 82, was lucky to have survived one of the fiercely fought battles, although many of their colleagues perished in the war and were laid to rest in the hills of Nagaland as well as in valleys in adjoining Manipur.
Now, 61 years after the bitter battle, British war heroes were on a trip down memory lane to this action filled region to pay their homage to their lost comrades.
"Today, we are here to pay our respects to our comrades who sacrificed their lives," Taylor said.
The British team would be visiting the War Cemetery in Manipur's capital Imphal Wednesday.
The Royal British Legion was formed to perpetuate the memory of those who died in the service of their country.
Despite the Allied forces suffering heavy casualties, they managed to beat back the Japanese soldiers. The British and the Indian Army cemeteries commemorating those who died in the World War II in Nagaland and Manipur are well-maintained with little stone markers and bronze plaques recording their anguish and sacrifice. These graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. "When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today," read an epitaph in one of the graves. IANS)
Air cover for troops in North East The Morung Express
AGARTALA, OCT 16 (AGENCIES): The Centre is actively considering a proposal to provide air cover to the security forces engaged in fighting rebellion in the North-east. This is to give an upperhand to the state armed police and Central paramilitary forces in counter-insurgency operations in the region.
State authorities have been told by the Union home ministry that the Centre is considering a change in the present strategy for combating outlawed militants with adequate importance to the ongoing process of peace negotiations. The Centre has already banned as many as 13 underground outfits in the North-east, including seven in Manipur and two each in Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya. The Centre’s security plan envisages providing air cover to the forces for surveillance and operational purposes and also to evacuate injured personnel for immediate medical attention. Sophisticated weapons and effective communication system are now being made available with the security forces fighting insurgency. The BSF has seven helicopters which can now be easily used by the paramilitary forces in their counter-insurgency operations.
The Centre has been implementing a scheme for reimbursement of security-related expenditures incurred by states seriously affected by militancy. Under the scheme, expenditures are to be incurred on capital works in jails and detention centres attached to police stations, special training for police forces and prison administration personnel for counter-insurgency purposes, as well as the raising of Indian Reserve Battalions.
Till 31 January this year, funds worth over Rs 31 crore were released by the Centre for Tripura as reimbursement of security expenditure. Assam was given Rs 25 crore and Manipur Rs 6 crore, respectively.
Situation tense in Karbi Anglong The Morung Express
Abandoned houses torched, 4 bodies recovered
DIPHU, OCT 16 (PTI): More than 60 abandoned houses were set on fire today in fresh outbreak of ethnic violence and four bodies recovered in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.
The police said the four bodies were recovered from Hojaipur and Bokolia, Singh Teron and Jamunapar areas today following violence that had erupted yesterday after a two-day lull. Over 120 houses of both warring Dimasa and Karbi groups burnt yesterday.
More than 60 abandoned houses in Hojaipur area were torched today and the bodies were yet to be identified, they said.
The police said that five people were missing from the Singh Teron area.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has made an appeal to the people to maintain communal harmony and ensure innocent people were not harmed.
In a message through Guwahati Doordarshan, Gogoi urged the people as well as the media to show restraint.
Night curfew is on while the army is conducting patrolling in vulnerable areas.
Thirty-five lives of the communities have been lost in the ongoing ethnic strife in the hill district since September 26.
The situation in the ethnic strife hit district was ‘tense but under control’, police said adding, the army, police and para-military forces were patrolling the vulnerable areas.
Public Opinion? Akum Longchari The Morung Express
The process of formulating ‘public opinion’ is fundamental for democratization and progression of a people. ‘Public opinion’ is distinct from the ‘mind of a crowd.’ It is a systematic process of sensitizing people and represents the expression and wisdom of a nation’s experience and vision. Formulation of public opinion is a participatory dialogue process which exposes prevailing contradictions. It seeks to liberate the oppressed and those that oppress, for they too are victims of their own blindness.
Nagas have become vulnerable to many internal and external influences because of the various transitions it had to undergo. It has also not really healed from its collective traumas which has caused a greater sense of disconnection and disunity. The question that emerges is where is Naga public opinion? Does it even exist? Or has public opinion become the State itself?
The irony is that people have not been able to adequately confront the state because of a created relationship of dependency and control. The state presents itself as the only ‘legitimate’ unit of organization to represent the people and the sole authority to provide ‘employment’ and ‘resources.’ It also systematically controls the mind of people. Subsequently, those ruling have tactfully managed their source of power through a system, which centers in the hands of a few people. Often power is defined in terms of money, gun and the ability to create fear; but these are only the tools to enforce their perceived power over people. In reality their power lies in their strategies, planning and action that are well-planned in promoting their own self-interest at the expense of people.
Ironically, while people desire to free themselves, they also feel an overwhelming perceived sense of powerlessness and hopelessness and are faced with a moral dilemma around the question of survival. The state and its bureaucracy have ensured that people feel powerless to survive without patronage from state politics. Inevitably, people fall victim to electoral politics, which has succeeded in deepening the many ‘ism’ that we see around us. It ‘freezes the mind’ from any creative thinking to transcend the status quo. Eventually, electoral politics is reduced to a state where a bag of rice or Rs. 500 determines the vote.
This has grave ramifications since, what we often perceive as real, becomes real in consequence. Consequently, we have begun to have a false reductionist and parochial understanding of the realities that lie around us. Thus, politics has effectively been reduced to state politics, unity to uniformity, just peace to suffer peacefully, peace process to cease-fire, cease-fire to no fighting, the Naga movement to factions, Christianity to Baptist, reconciliation to forgive and forget and so on..... we can keep going. In the emerging internal contradictions do Nagas realize that its greatest threat is, ‘self-defeat?’
22 Karbis massacred in Assam ethnic conflict By Indo Asian News Service
Guwahati, Oct 17 (IANS) At least 22 Karbi tribals were killed and three critically wounded in Assam Monday after militants attacked two buses, taking the toll in two-weeks of ethnic clashes to 58.
A police official said the incident occurred at 8.30 a.m. at Jirikinding village in Karbi Anglong district, about 320 km east of Assam's main city Guwahati.
'The passengers of one of the buses managed to escape but Dimasa tribal militants brutally killed 22 people from another bus using crude weapons and firearms,' Karbi Anglong's District Magistrate D.D. Tripathi told IANS by telephone from Diphu.
All the victims were members of the majority Karbi tribe.
'Preliminary reports indicate the attack was carried out by militants of the Dima Halom Daoga (DHD),' Tripathi said.
A police official quoting witnesses said a group of 20 to 30 Dimasa militants stopped the two buses near a thickly forested area and asked Karbi passengers to stay inside the buses. They allowed others to leave.
'The passengers of one of the buses sensed trouble and fled to a jungle but the militants virtually slaughtered passengers from the other bus, killing 22 people on the spot,' a police official said requesting anonymity.
Three seriously injured passengers were admitted to a nearby hospital with multiple wounds.
The militants later set on fire both buses even as some of the rebels entered the jungles to look for the passengers who escaped.
'Most of the people killed bore injuries inflicted with sharp weapons like spears and machetes and some of them had bullet wounds as well,' District Magistrate Tripathi said.
Karbi and Dimasas have been engaged in a bitter turf war for years, with the situation turning violent in recent weeks after armed militants of both tribes attacked rival community members.
On Sunday, four people were killed, two of them Karbis, and up to 150 homes torched by rival tribesmen in the running ethnic clashes.
So far at least 1,500 homes have been set ablaze during the ongoing violence, triggering a massive exodus of villagers from both tribes.
'An estimated 30,000 people are in makeshift shelters and their numbers are growing by the day with fresh streams of people leaving villages out of fear,' Tripathi said.
The outlawed United Democratic People's Solidarity (UPDS), a ragtag rebel group fighting for a Karbi tribal homeland, and DHD, a militant group campaigning for a Dimasa homeland, were suspected to be behind the attacks.
The Karbis have borne the brunt in recent attacks with armed DHD rebels killing 47 of the 58 dead, police said.
Authorities last week called out the Indian Army to quell the ethnic violence and enforced night curfew in Karbi Anglong.
'A massive hunt has been launched with army and paramilitary troops being rushed in strength to the area where the 22 people were killed,' Tripathi said.
Violence continues in Karbi Anglong From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
DONGKAMOKAM, Oct 16 – The violence in strife-torn Karbi Anglong continued with the recovery of three more bodies even as 44 houses were set ablaze in different areas today. While two bodies were recovered from Doldoli, the other was found at Hojaipur – both under Diphu police station. The bodies have not been identified till filing of this report.

There has been no let-up in the burning down of houses either. Twenty-five and 14 houses were set ablaze at Dhansiri and Borlangpher respectively today. Late last night, five houses were torched at Manja-Hojainala area.

With the recovery of the three bodies today, the toll in the ongoing ethnic clashes in the district has gone up to 35 (including two killed in a crossfire between militants and police on October 8). The bloodbath had started on September 26 when three people were killed.

The toll could mount further, as ten persons have been missing from the Doldoli Ramsing Hanse village since October 10.

Meanwhile, night curfew has been clamped within a distance of 10 km from Diphu town from 6 pm to 6 am. This has been done to prevent loss of life and property of people and further deterioration of the law-and-order situation, the Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong said.

Police has so far arrested around 100 people in connection with the violence.

The orgy of unprecedented carnage has cast a spell of fear and gloom in the entire district. The mayhem has been going on unabated for nearly three weeks now. Even after the deployment of additional security personnel, the violence has not subsided, with incidents of killing and burning down of houses occurring with alarming regularity.

PTI adds: Meanwhile Minister of State for Home Rockybul Hussain visited several relief camps of the warring communities and announced reinforcement of two more companies of CRPF and three of the Assam Police Battalion to maintain peace in the district.

The Army was also conducting patrolling in vulnerable areas. Officials described the situation as “tense but under control” today.
22 Karbis hacked to death in Central Assam NET News Network
Diphu (Assam), Oct 17: In one of the goriest incident in recent history of the state, at least 22 Karbi tribals, including eight women, were hacked to death and three injured by militants today in strife torn Karbi Anglong hill district of central Assam.
District Superintendent of Police Pankaj Sarma told northeasttribune.com that unidentified militants, with their faces covered in black cloth, waylaid two buses coming from Jirikinding to Hamren and the district headquarters of Diphu at Jengkha at around 8 a.m.
The insurgents then identified Karbi passengers and after asking them to alight from the Diphu-bound bus hacked them to death before setting their vehicle and the other bus on fire completely burning down the first one and the other partially.
The Hamren-bound passengers reported the incident at the Milu police outpost under Kheroni police station, about 130-km from here, Sarma said. The two long distance buses belonged to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. The SP, alongwith security forces, rushed there and cordoned off the area and intensified security arrangements. Meanwhile, on Sunday night, around 200 armed people attacked three villages- Dokterang, Singterang and Hemariterang and set ablaze 30 houses belonging to Karbi community. Biren Sing Terang whose residence was also burnt down informed northeasttribune.com that five security personnel on duty fled from the site of incident after seeing the 200 strong crowds. “ Additional security reached after half an hour and exchange of fire between the crowd and CRPF personnel continued for around 15 minutes,” said Terang. A 60 year old disabled woman, Kachik Kramsapi had a miraculous escape after the mob set ablaze her thatched hut, informed Terang.
NESO to raise Garo Hills issue with NHRC From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
TURA, Oct 16 – The North-East Students’ Organisation (NESO), a conglomerate of student unions of the north-eastern States, will take up the killing of nine civilians in police firing at Tura and Williamnagar on September 30 with the Government of India and the National Human Rights Commission, in New Delhi.

Terming it as nothing short of a re-enactment of the Jallianwalla bagh tragedy, NESO has sought stern action against the guilty officials and police personnel who committed this gruesome murder. The NESO along with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), which happens to be a part of the organisation, has resolved to exert maximum pressure on New Delhi and the Meghalaya Government at Shillong to bring to book the culprits who were involved in the two incidents in Garo Hills.

A twenty member team of the North Eastern Students Organisation (NESO) led by its chairman Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharya and the All Assam Students Union (AASU) led by its president Shankar Prasad Ray and vice president Digantamoni Bora, took stock of the situation on their arrival at Tura on Saturday.

The student leaders, accompanied by members of the Garo Students’ Union and the Joint Action Committee, held a meeting at Orchid Lodge and later visited the victims in the Tura Civil Hospital. They also visited the scene of the carnage at Tura Chandmari playground and witnessed the bullet marks that remained in and around the field clearly showing the brutality of the security forces on that tragic day.

Speaking to mediapersons, Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya expressed shock over the incident and condemned the brutality of the government forces while simulteneously demanding for a judicial probe within a stipulated period of time and exemplary punishment to the guilty officials and security personnel.

“We are believers of non-violence and the peaceful gathering at Tura and Williamnagar on September 30 was a democratic right. No one can suppress that. On one side, the Government, both central and state, calls upon the people of the North East to come to the mainstream but, on the otherhand it commits murder on the very people who are a part of the main stream. If this is not double standards, then what is? The government must clarify on this issue,” stated Dr Bhattacharya.

The NESO and AASU would take up the human rights violation by the government with the National Human Rights Commission and have also cautioned the people to be wary of a delay in the judicial probe to be constituted by the government. A memorandum to the Government of India have already been submitted by the NESO leaders with regards to the ‘Bloody Friday’ incident in the Garo Hills. “It was a pre-planned strategy of the government to kill innocent civilians, including students, otherwise how could simulteneous firing take place at both Tura and Williamnagar leading to the death of nine persons and bullet injury to more a hundred unarmed civilians. The Government must clarify whether or not they respect the non-violent and peaceful movement of the people,” pointed out Dr Bhattacharya.

The NESO Chairman was highly critical of the role of the national media which failed to highlight the Garo Hills tragedy. “For them India does not exist beyond Kolkata,” he remarked bitterly.
Ethnic discourses in the Northeast — In search of an alternative paradigm — By Sanatomba Kangujam (Contd from previous issue) Sangai Express
Now, in order to protect their spheres of influence and maintain the status quo, the Meitei elites harp upon the ideology of Ma-nipuri Nationhood based on the historical sanctity of the Territorial Integrity and democratic value of ethnic pluralism based on peaceful co-existence.
a) Manipur, which comprised of both the valley and the hills was an Independent Princely State for about two millennium. b) Manipur was annexed into the dominion of India against the wishes of the people and that the Merger Agreement of 1949 is null and void as per the provisions of international laws and the Manipur State Constitution Act 1947. c) Manipur has a definite historical international boundary at the time of its integration with India and the legal sanctity of its political boundary was upheld by various international treaties besides being recognised by United Kingdom and other powers. Therefore India cannot alter the boundary of Manipur and the Article 3 of the Indian Constitution cannot be applied to Manipur. d) The territorial boundary of Manipur cannot be altered by virtue of universal principle of international law i.e. UTI Possidetis Juris which states that whatever the circumstances the right to self-determination must not involve changes to existing frontiers at the time of independence except where states concerned agree otherwise. e) The demographic patterns of Manipur demonstrate that the hill districts of Manipur are inhabited by various tribes, Nepalese and several other communities. Since time immemorial, these tribes along with the Meiteis have had cultural, social and economic bonds. All kinds of tribes are also residing in the valley of Manipur harmoniously. Besides, it may be noted that the lingua-franca among these tribes is the Manipuri language. f) No hill district is exclusively inhabited by a particular tribe. And the concept of “Naga-dominated areas” is a farce as the Kukis who are settled extensively in the hills have captured 11 Assembly Constituencies against 9 by the Nagas in the 7th Assembly Election (2000). So far, the Kukis have returned 4 times from the outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency whereas the Nagas 6 times.
g) The Manipur State Assembly has unanimously resolved to protect the present boundaries of the State on four occasions on the floor of the house in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001 respectively.
h) The people of Manipur have passed historic resolutions on 4th August 1997 and 28th September 2000 to protect the Unity and Territorial Integrity of Manipur. Besides, the Manipur People’s Uprising of 18th June 2001 stands as the living testimony to preserve the territorial status quo of Manipur. i) The economic ties between the hills and the valley people is an inseparable one. Any disturbance to this economic compulsion would certainly lead into a grave economic crisis in the State where both the people from the hills and valley would suffer. j) In the first democratic Government of Manipur formed in 1948 two tribal leaders viz; Major R. Khathing and Mr. Teba Kilong were appointed Ministers apart from making Mr T.C. Tiangkham, the Speaker.
k) The so-called Naga tribes of Manipur were never a signatory to the memorandum submitted by the Naga Club to the visiting Simon Commission in 1929. l) That the Naga-Akbar Hydari Accord, 1947 between the then Governor of Assam Hydari and representative of Western Angamis, Eastern Anga-mis, Kukis, Kacha Nagas, Rengmas, Semas, Lothas, Aos, Sangtams and Changs had no jurisdiction over Manipur as Manipur then was an independent princely State. m) No Naga tribes of Manipur had participated in the plebiscite of 1951 held in the Naga Hills under the leadership of Phizo. Rather the Nagas of Manipur have been participating in the democratic process very successfully and quite imminently since the first Indian Election of 1952.
n) That the 16-Point Agreement (which was never agreed upon in its entirety and which has been disowned by the NSCN and the Naga Hoho) between the Government of India and the Naga People’s Convention in 1960, and the 1964 ceasefire between the GOI and the NNC are null and void as far as Manipur is concerned as the people of Manipur were never consulted in the process.
0) That the hills people and the valley people are racially of common origin and they are not “two different people”. As such they are destined to co-exist together peacefully as “One People.”
These are the ideological ingredients of the mainstream ethno-political discourse of the Meiteis. Such well articulated agenda for the territorial integrity has been systematically propagated by the dominant elite groups of the Meitei community. This is nothing but a strategy of the Meitei middle-class elites to protect their spheres of influence by preserving the geo-ethno-political status quo.
Concluding Remark:
Such diametrically contradictory ideologies are being advanced by the elites of the respective ethnic groups resulting in a cross cutting conflict situation in Manipur, which renders its historical existence at stake. Considering the stances adopted by each of the competing elite groups, it is unlikely that a commonly acceptable solution could be brought about so easily in the near future. However the resolution of the existing conflict will to a large extent depend upon the accommodative capacity of the Indian Federal Polity. And the challenge before the Indian State today is whether India can evolve itself into a Multi-Ethnic Nation-State or not. But only time will tell about the shape of things to come.
Here lies the responsibility of the intellectual community to explore various strategies to resolve the conflict situation prevailing in the North East in general and Manipur in particular. It is high time on the part of the Scholars, Researchers, Thinkers, Writers, Academicians, Social Activists etc. to free themselves from the shackles of the dominant elites by shedding narrow ‘isms’.
The intellectuals should cease to serve the reactionary elites of this parasitic regime and rather endeavour to create a free and fearless academic atmosphere where intellectual freedom shall be secured to all the investigating minds. Let us also strive our best to initiate an alternative discourse by heralding a new era of scientific research based on value-free objective analysis of empirical facts and events.
Finally, I would like to remind that social phenomenon occurs due to the operation of specific social laws and the task of discovering such social laws and engineering the process of social change for human welfare in the light of that laws lies with the intellectuals. This is a case of theory building and a challenge before us.
Intellectuals of the North -East, Unite!

Frans on 10.17.05 @ 01:17 PM CST [link]


Sunday, October 16th

Naga charming: Centre may invite north-east leadership to talks table


16 Oktober 2005 Sunday

Naga charming: Centre may invite north-east leadership to talks table SWARAJ THAPA Posted online: Saturday, October 15, 2005 at 0000 hours IST

NEW DELHI, OCT 14: Seeking to gradually widen the ambit of discussions with the Nagas, government negotiators engaged in the peace process are planning to involve the political leadership of the north-eastern states. This follows a fresh proposal the NSCN (I-M) leadership has offered regarding Nagaland’s relationship with New Delhi during the second round of talks in Bangkok last week. The team of negotiators led by Union minister Oscar Fernandes is waiting for PM Manmohan Singh’s approval to begin parleys with the N-E leadership, especially in states bordering Nagaland, before they sit down with the NSCN brass for the third round of talks that are likely to be held in the third week of November.

Mr Fernandes, who heads the GoM entrusted with the responsibility to hold political level talks with the Naga leadership, is back from Bangkok where he held five sessions of discussions with them. He will be briefing the Prime Minister next week on the issue. There are already indications that the talks have ended on a positive note with both sides agreeing to a “step by step’’ approach to address the vexed Naga issue.

NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah, who was accompanied by a 12- member team at Bangkok, is now preparing a non-official paper on the proposed relationship that Nagaland can have with the Centre. He will present the paper at the next round of talks. There have been indications that the Naga proposal moots a federal structure as the framework for Nagaland-Centre relationship.

It is on this issue that Mr Fernandes and his team want to secure the views of political leaders and groups of different northeastern states.

Mr Muivah, in fact, was eager to continue the discussions in the first week of November itself. However, government negotiators said this would be difficult given that the UPA leadership would be engaged with the Bihar assembly polls.

The NSCN has been seeking a ’Greater Nagaland’ through unification of Naga dominated areas in the northeast, a demand strongly opposed by Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Naga leadership, however, were somewhat skeptical about the utility of the ongoing cease-fire in Nagaland. This view was voiced in the context of the killing of three NSCN (IM) cadre including a “Colonel’’ by Meghalaya police. Raising it at the Bangkok meeting, the NSCN leadership demanded that their representatives be part of the team conducting an inquiry into the deaths.



BJP begins poll preparationSource: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 15: With an eye on the next State Assembly election which is fast approaching, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Manipur Pradesh would be holding a mass Chintan Bheithak to be attended by party National leaders at Imphal on November 5 and 6.

BJP National vice president M Venkaih Naidu, National vice president (north east in charge) and MP from Madhya Pradesh TC Ghehlot, All India general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Joshi, MP from Arunachal Pradesh and National secretary (North East in-charge) Tapir Gaon, North East BJP Organisation in-charge V Satish, general secretary (organisation) and BJP Manipur-Nagaland co-ordinator Abhinash Koli would be among those who are expected to take part in the Chintan Bheithak, informed a reliable source.

Besides discussing the prevailing political development in Manipur, the congregation would assess to find out whether the local and district units of the party has been holding meetings regularly and carrying out the party work properly or not apart from discussing other important issues of the party, the source added.

Royal British Legion revisits war memories The Morung Express

Kohima, Oct 15 (MExN): Marking the 60th anniversary of the World War II, forty one members of the Royal British Legion came to pay their homage to those who laid down their lives in the war. A heartfelt remembrance ceremony was held Saturday, at the Kohima War Cemetery.

The remembrance service was marked by a parade from the 2nd Assam Rifles who also gave the Guard of Honor. A special hymn "Lord thou has been our refuge from one generation to another," was presented by the Choir of Minister’s Hill Baptist Church, Kohima.

The laying of wreaths was led by Brigadier John Farmer representing the Royal British Legion and Brigadier RL Sharma of the 2nd Assam Rifles after which Brigadier John Farmer shared his experiences. The memorial service was conducted by the officiating chaplain Reverend Dr Neiliezhu Usou.

On Sunday, a private visit will take place for the veterans for which the cemetery will be closed to the general public. Atuo Mezhür, Manager of the Naga War Cemetery informed that the visit would be an emotional one as they will be locating the graves of their loved ones to place their wreaths.

On Monday, they will be leaving the capital city for Imphal to attend a similar service to be held there on Wednesday.

It may be mentioned that the Royal British Legion based in UK regularly organize such war grave pilgrimages for war veterans, war widows and family members of the demised.

Hildra Martin Smith, who was a Lieutenant in the British Army during the Kohima Battle, now 84 years old, also came in a wheel chair.

TMPO threatens to 'take its own course of action'

DIMAPUR, Oct. 15: Tuensang Mon Public Organisation (TMPO) has threatened to "take its own course of action" after the government failed to meet two of its three demands in connection with the Sept. 15 shooting incident...

near Silonijan, Assam, in which a Naga person was killed and another seriously injured, when security personnel of a civil servant assaulted the passengers of a bus allegedly in a drunken state.

The TMPO in a memorandum to the state home minister had demanded immediate termination from service of ADC Mokokchung, Khalong and his bodyguards involved in the shooting incident, along with ex-gratia payment of Rs 20 lakh to the next of kin of the victim and a government job on "compassionate grounds" to a relative of the deceased. This, the organisation had demanded was to be done in addition to meting out "befitting punishment" to all those who were guilty, as per law.

However, according to TMPO, the government has so far conceded to only one demand by appointing the victim Peter Yimchunger's wife as a police constable. A press release issued by the TMPO said the alleged district administration officer "became a murderer when he issued firing orders to his bodyguards resulting in the killing of Peter Yimchunger and injuries to some other passengers they were travelling in to Tuensang". (Newsfile)

Fresh violence in Karbi Anglong village The Morung Express

DIPHU, OCT 15 (PTI): Fresh violence erupted in trouble-torn Karbi Anglong district today when 67 houses of both warring Dimasa and Karbi ethnic groups were torched in four villages, police said.

Over 100 people, some of them in battle fatigue and armed with guns, entered Dimasa village Longithapadaw opening fire and mowing down animals before setting the houses ablaze around 5 am, they said.

The attackers then went to next village Mazgaon and repeated the same violence and burnt down 14 houses. Eighteen more houses at adjacent hamlet Nasugrungdisa were also set affire.

Another group of people attacked Karbi village Longmili around 10.30 am and burnt down 10 houses there.

However there was no casualty in today’s offensive, police said, adding the four villages were almost abandoned.

The situation in the ethnic strife hit district was stated to be "tense" and the army, police and paramilitary forces were patrolling the affected and vulnerable areas.

No violence was reported on Thursday and yesterday even though it claimed 31 Karbi and rival Dimasa lives since September 26 last.

The clash between the two warring Karbi and Dimasa tribes began on September 26 when three Dimasa autorickshaw drivers were hacked to death by unidentified attackers at Tissom village.

The intensive retaliatory violence began from October two when five members of a Karbi family were hacked to death at Hemari Terang village, followed by killing of three more Karbis at upper Dikrong two days later.

NSCN-IM ultra killed
From Tage T Tara
ITANAGAR, Oct 15 – One suspected NSCN-IM militant was killed yesterday in an encounter with Assam Rifles operating in the insurgency infested districts in the North West of Jangkhrum village bordering Changlang and Tirap districts of the state.

According to official sources, security forces recovered assorted equipment and ammunition like 0.22 rifle, 25 live round bullets and one Chinese grenade from the slain militant. The body of the militant, yet to be identified, has been handed over to the OC, Changlang Police Station, along with the recovered ammunition and a case has been registered under section 121/307 (IPC) and R/W Section 10/13 UA (P) and 27 Arms Act, the sources added.

The area was brought under the Disturbed Area Act over the years back following repeated clashes between NSCN -IM and NSCN-K groups

A cry of hope to fight HIV/AIDS The Morung Express Sothing WA Shimray October 15

Ukhrul, (MExN): Even though Ukhrul has the highest positive rate in the state, the people are hopeful that one day the menace of HIV/AIDS would be conquered. This positive attitude was marked today when school children’s came together at Viewland Baptist Church to participate at the 3rd School Watch Club Annual Event 2005 organized by El Shaddai Resource Centre under the theme ‘Beyond Edge – Hope’.

The programme was organized to create awareness and instill the attitude of positivism among the younger generation especially the students. Competitions events viz. Karaoke, Just a Minute (JAM) besides various items was presented which was focused on eradication of the deadly disease.

The Treasury Officer, Mr.Ningam Chamroy, who is also the SDO i/c of Ukhrul, was the Chief Guest at the function. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest lauded the initiative taken up by El Shaddai Resource Centre and appeals to the public to join hands with each other in the fight against the menace of HIV/AIDs in the District. The school students also openly declared their will to fight against the threat to save the future generations.

ULFA welcomes New Delhi's peace initiative By Indo Asian News Service

Guwahati, Oct 16 (IANS) The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) Sunday welcomed New Delhi's gesture in agreeing to hold talks with the outfit's representatives aimed at ending decades of insurgency in Assam.

'We gratefully mention that the government of India took up the process sincerely and the freedom craving masses of Asom (Assam) presume a peaceful and dignified solution of the conflict on the negotiating table ignoring all adversaries,' the ULFA said in its monthly newsletter Freedom.

The proposed talks, aimed at ending close to three decades of insurgency, are to be held between the People's Consultative Group (PCG) and the government's peace negotiators Oct 25-26 in New Delhi.

The 11-member PCG comprises representatives drawn from Assamese civil society and chosen by the ULFA to begin preliminary discussions to work out the peace process leading to formal declaration of a ceasefire between the rebels and the Central government.

'The people of Asom (Assam) are desperately looking for a real political momentum of the process,' the ULFA, which has been fighting for an independent Assamese homeland since 1979, said in the statement.

The rebel group, however, said forces inimical to the peace process were trying to sabotage the efforts.

'A section is still busy to fabricate an antagonistic environment to continue military operation against ULFA and to sabotage the political process of resolution by mongering nefarious rumours,' the statement said.

New Delhi last fortnight called off an army operation against the ULFA following threats by the rebel leadership to pull out of the peace process.

The ULFA warned the Congress-led government at the centre against trying to take advantage of the proposed talks for political gains.

'The present endeavour may be a political night game to win the forthcoming assembly election by the ruling party,' the ULFA statement said. 'Ambiguity still prevails whether talks is a pre-poll issue or a way for resolution of the conflict.'

Foreign firms in Arunachal to hunt for oil By Syed Zarir Hussain, Indo-Asian News Service

Guwahati, Oct 15 (IANS) A consortium of French, Canadian and Indian firms is to begin exploration in Arunachal Pradesh for crude oil and natural gas.

An Indian petroleum ministry official said the central government awarded exploration rights at the 295-sq km onshore block in the northeast Indian state bordering China and Myanmar to a consortium of three companies.

This will be part of the global bidding process under the New Exploration Licensing Policy.

'The consortium includes Operator Geopetrol International Incorporate of France and Canoro Resources Ltd of Canada, which have 30 percent stake each, besides the National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) of India,' the official told IANS.

Canoro and Geopetrol, a subsidiary of the French Geofinance Group that operates in about 80 countries worldwide, have been jointly engaged in exploration work in the oil-rich northeastern part of India for the last decade.

The two companies are now part of the Kharshing oilfield in Arunachal Pradesh that they began exploring in 1995.

The official said the contract for the exploration was awarded for a seven-year period followed by a 20-year production term for any commercial discovery. A five-year extension is possible in the event of commercial viability.

'The consortium is expected to carry out 2-D and 3-D seismic surveys and at least seven wildcat drilling of up to 2,000 to 4,000 metres in the next three years,' the official said.

'No wells have been drilled on the block and there is limited seismic coverage over the area where the consortium has been assigned to carry out the difficult task.'

India produces about 30 million tonnes of crude annually, with the northeast accounting for a fifth of it.

NTPC is one of India's well-known power generators. This would be the company's first venture in the upstream oil and gas business.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), a premier Indian oil exploration firm, has also come up with a whopping Rs.33 billion ($735 million) project to double its crude production in the northeast in the next three years.

ONGC currently produces 1.5 million tonnes of crude in Assam state.

'We have taken up a slew of strategies to increase production to about nine million tonnes annually by 2008 in the northeast,' said the petroleum ministry official.

An Australian firm is currently engaged by the state-owned exploration company Oil India Ltd (OIL) to have a thorough re-look at the existing oilfields and reservoirs to enhance production possibilities.

'The idea is to extract more oil from the aging wells using advanced technologies,' the official said.



Fresh violence in Karbi Anglong From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
DONGKAMOKAM, Oct 15 – Dawn-to-dusk curfew was clamped in Diphu police station area following the orgy of violence in Karbi Anglong with miscreants torching 120 houses in Longnit and Bagmari areas in the wee hours and during the day today. The deputy commissioner of Karbi Anglong, G D Tripathy speaking over phone said that situation in the trouble-torn district is tense but under control. Army personnel are patrolling the vulnerable areas. The district administration is providing relief materials to the 20,000 violence-hit people living in 38 relief camps, he added.

President of AGP Brindaban Goswami rushed to the district today to take stock of the situation and he visited some relief camps. He appealed to both the communities to maintain peace.

‘Even after the visit of the Chief Minister of Assam, violence has not stopped, rather it has increased which proves that the government machinery is involved in the incidents’, Goswami said in a press conference today at the Circuit House in Diphu.

The general secretary of UPDS Horen Sing Bey talking to this correspondent said that the DHD camp at Dhansiri should be shifted for permanent solution of the problem and for permanent peace. He also appealed to the people of both the communities to maintain peace and harmony.

However, Dilip Nunisa chariman of DHD while appealing to both the communities to maintain peace and harmony, criticised the government and administration for failing to contain the violence. Apathy of the district administrationhas led to deterioration in the situation. A third force is also behind the incident, Nunisa added.

Nunisa further said if after the incident of September 26, in which three Dimasas were hacked to death, a peace committee had been constituted then the situation would not have worsened.

However, the SP of Karbi Anglong said that it was the handiwork of dacoits and dropped the matter which deteriorated the situation, Nunisa added.

A peace committee comprising political parties, NGOs, district administration and different ethnic communities is visiting the violence-hit villages and relief camps scattered in Diphu and its adjoining areas to ease the prevailing tension. Peace meetings and peace processions have been reported from different parts of the district.



ULFA treads carefully on forthcoming talks
NET News Network

Guwahati, Oct 15: The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) today expresses its gratefulness to central government for positive response to peace initiative and raised eyebrows at a “section of collaborators” trying to sabotage the initiative.

Reacting in the latest edition of “Freedom”, the outfit alleged, “ A section of collaborators are still busy to fabricate an antagonistic environment to continue military operation against ULFA and to sabotage the political process of resolution by mongering nefarious rumors”.

However, the proscribed group expressed gratefulness to,“ Govt. of India for taking up the process sincerely and declared temporary withdrawal of military operation against ULFA to create necessary congenial atmosphere”.

In a bid to avoid confrontation in the wake of forthcoming talks between PCG and PMO office, the outfit rued at rumours like " Mrinal Hazarika, commander of 28 Battalion entered Sivasagar from Dibru-Saikhowa with 18 others", " 52 boxes entered in Dihing-Patkai forest", " ULFA aims to attack BDOs (Block Development Officer) and Chairman of Gaon Panchayat (Village Government)", "ULFA allies communal organizations and plan to kill Monmohan Singh"- etc. The outfit felt that such comments are not only incompatible but may stand as impediment to the whole process.

Also resting apprehension about talks may be the pre-poll agenda, the outfit assured that present initiative is taken keeping in mind the freedom craving masses of Asom who “presume a peaceful and dignified solution of the conflict on the table of negotiation ignoring all adversaries”.



Ethnic discourses in the Northeast
— In search of an alternative paradigm —
By Sanatomba Kangujam
Contd from previous issue
The dominant Naga elites are propagating such ideas in their effort to carve out their exclusive spheres of influence through the instrumentation of armed organisations and civil societies. The intensity of their movement reached its zenith when the United Naga Council (UNC) serve quit notice to the Kuki villagers resulting in the bloody Naga-Kuki ethnic clash of 1992-94. Besides, the Senapati Declaration, a draft resolution of the Naga People’s Convention held in June 2001 demonstrated a firm determination of the Naga elites for any communal show down with the Meiteis.
Kuki ethnic resurgence: The background
There was a movement for the integration of the Kuki inhabited areas of Manipur into the Lushai Hills to form Greater Mizoram. It may be recalled that a violent secessionist movement for a sovereign Mizoram was launched by Laldenga as a reaction to the expansion of Assamese middle-class which culminated in the passing of the controversial Language Bill in 1960. The imposition of the Assamese language upon the hill tribes generated stiff resistance from the tribal elites who were already prepared to exercise their influence in their respective domain. The tribal resistance to the hegemonistic design of the Assamese elites found manifestation in the ethnic movements of the Naga Hills and the Lushai Hills demanding sovereign independent states which ultimately resulted in the creation of Nagaland and Mizoram.
The Mizo armed insurrection led by Laldenga finally came to an end after the signing of the Mizo Accord leading to the formation of Mizoram as a full-fledged State in 1987 within the Indian Union. However, the Kukis of Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Burma were left out from the purview of the political settlement for various reasons. One apparent factor was the clash of interests between the Mizo elites and the Kuki elites. Initially, Laldenga tried to enlist the support of the Kukis inhabiting the neighbouring areas on the card of Independent Greater Mizoram. But, later it turned out to be a mere political strategy to broaden his operational base. Then, the failure to materialise the dream of Greater Mizoram induced the dis-illusioned Kukis of both Myanmar and India to explore a strategy for ensuring their racial survival that gave birth to the philosophy of Zale’n gam or an independent Kuki Nation. Parallel with this development, another ethnic mobilisation in the form of Zo-reunification movement for a unified and independent Zogam of the Zo people has also emerged. The visualised Zale’n gam or Zogam consists of all the Kuki-Chin-Zomi ethnic groups scattering in the three countries of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Now-a-days, various ethnic armed-outfits have been proliferating within the Kuki-Chin-Zomi ethnic movements characterised by intra-ethnic group conflict demanding their autonomous or independent homeland. But the Kuki-Chin-Zomi ethnic groups conflict resulted in bloody factional feud. This can be ascribed to the uneven formation of the middle-class due to uneven responses to the process of modernisation in all its aspects rather than mere leadership crisis, electoral politics or external influences. The expansion of the spheres of influences by the Kuki elites came into clash with that of the Naga elites and the Meitei elites who also have been pursuing the same line of action. This resulted into the Naga-Kuki clash of the 1990s and armed confrontation between the Kuki and Meitei insurgent organisations from time to time.
The Kuki narratives: Quest for a homeland
The movement for Kuki homeland initiated by the Kuki elites with the objective to carve out their exclusive spheres of influence necessitated to contrive certain ideological strategies for justifying their action.
a) The Kuki nation had already existed even before the arrival of the British and they had exercised sovereign authority over their land.
b) The Kuki nation was arbitrarily divided and placed in India, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
c) The Kukis had fiercely resisted the British colonial expansion that resulted in the Kuki War of Independence of 1917-1919 and 1943-1945.
d) The Meitei nation-State had been already conquered by the British in 1891 while the Kukis were subjugated only after the Kuki rebellion.
e) The Kukis were never ruled over by the Meiteis. On the contrary, the Kukis had extended military assistance to the Meitei kings.
f) Zale’n gam has been co-existing side by side with Kangleipak without affecting each other’s sovereignty. Therefore, Kang-leipak does not have the right to claim any part of Zale’n gam.
g) The hill districts of Manipur are neither exclusively inhabited nor dominated by the Nagas.
h) That the categorisation of the so called old Kukis like the Chothes, Chirus and Anals etc. into the Naga fold defies all logics of history, culture, language and ethnicity as they are more related to the new Kukis such as the Thadous and the Vaipheis.
i) That the Nagas have perpetrated heinous atrocities against the Kukis in violation of Human Rights.
j) That the Meiteis have exploited the Kukis in various ways in the past and in the present.
k) That the creation of an autonomous independent homeland exclusively for the Kukis is a prerogative historical right of the Kuki ethnic community.
Today, we witness proliferation of armed outfits among the Kuki-Chin-Zomi groups resulting into the inter-ethnic group conflict with the Nagas and internecine warfare within-the groups while simultaneously posing serious challenge to the unity and integrity of Manipur. Because, movement for Zale’n gam or Zogam or their ethnic philosophies have ideologically as well as geo-politically challenged the raison d’ etre of the historical existence of Manipur as a political entity in the same manner as the movement for Nagalim has done.
The Meitei narratives: Reconstructing a fragmented nationhood
The dominant elites of the Meiteis who had political edge over the tribal elites are today confronted with the dual challenges of Naga irredentism and Kuki resurgence. The newly emerged middle class elites of the Meiteis exercised monopoly in the power structure of the State resulting in the peripheralisation of the tribal elites from the Manipur mainstream. In fact, the development of ethnic insularity and political exclusivism among the tribals of the surrounding hills, which manifested in the Naga Integration Movement and Kuki demand for a homeland are reactions to the expansion of the Meitei elite groups in the spheres of administration, geo-politics, economy education, culture etc.
— to be contd



Fresh violence in KA, 100 houses torched
Pick up age-old brotherhood threads; Karbis, Dimasas urged

Our Bureau
DIPHU/GUWAHATI, Oct 15: After a two-day lull, fresh violence erupted in the troubled Karbi Anglong district where miscreants burnt down over 100 abandoned houses in two Dimasa villages in Lungrat area, around 26 km from Diphu police station, rendering over 5,000 people homeless, sources said. There was no casualty in the incident which took place in the wee hours today. The affected people have been put up in relief camps. Meanwhile, 144(3) CrPC has been clamped in Diphu town covering a parameter of five kilometres.

According to sources, about 30 armed militants, accompanied by hundreds of villagers armed with sharp weapons, went on rampage and set afire the abandoned houses while the militants fired at random in the air. Blazing infernos were seen at Halfjan under Diphu police station and at a place within the vicinity of Diphu town till filing of this report. Till now as many as 41 relief camps have been set up in the district.

Hills and Barak Valley Commissioner Dr M Sashadhar Nath told this correspondent that the district administration had already identified the sensitive and the hypersensitive areas and deployed security personnel there.

Meanwhile, AGP president Brindabon Goswami, accompanied by senior party leaders, visited the hill district and briefed the press regarding the situation in the hill district. ASDC leader Holiram Terang was also present in the press briefing.

Goswami blamed it on the State Government for its failure to bring the situation under control. There are reports of acute shortage of food and medicine in the relief camps.

A peace mission, which was constituted on October 12 with Hills and Barak Valley Division Commissioner Dr S Nath as the chairman, has been visiting the relief camps and the affected areas. Dr Nath is accompanied by MLAs Bidya Sing Engleng, Rupon Sing Engti, Jagat Sing Engleng, KAAC CEM Khorsing Engti, KAAC EM Mongol Sing Engti, and others.

Meanwhile, the Greater Guwahati Dimasa Kachari Association, the Amri Karbi National Council, the Assam Plains Karbi Adarbar and the Greater Guwahati Karbi Students’ Association discussed the situation in Karbi Anglong in a meeting here today, and appealed to the Karbis and the Dimasas to strengthen their age-old bond of brotherhood. In a resolution, the meeting condemned the incidents in the hill district resulting in loss of life and property.

The meeting also urged the State Government to determine the causes leading to the violence, take steps to apprehend the culprits and rehabilitate the affected families.

All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya and president Sankar Prasad Roy, in a press release issued today, also condemned the violence in the hill district. The two AASU leaders appealed to the Karbis and Dimasas to exercise restraints

Frans on 10.16.05 @ 01:48 PM CST [link]


Saturday, October 15th

Green hope for Khonoma Phizo birthplace curbs hunting & boosts eco-tourism


Phizo birthplace curbs hunting & boosts eco-tourism NISHIT DHOLABHAI The Telegraph
Khonoma, Oct. 13: At the birthplace of the legendary A.Z. Phizo, Nagaland is building a model for wildlife conservation.
With the harvest season approaching, the Khonoma Youth Organisation is busy issuing “permits” for hunting down select wild animals that are damaging standing crop.
In a society where hunting is a way of life, Khonoma’s method — of imposing fines on hunting — is paying rich dividends. “Earlier, people would just go in and kill the marauding animals. They were, of course, hunted for their meat. Now, all that has changed,” said local tourist guide M. Michael.
Earlier this year, the village youth “arrested” three men for hunting a bear. They were looking for its innards, used as medicine and sold at exorbitant rates.
The culprits thought they would merely pay a fine to the village youth organisation and be let off, only to book a profit on the h