Tamenglong rally seeks separate administration

Tamenglong, May 29 2010: A mass rally was held today organized by Concerned Organization for people's Affairs Tamenglong district against the state government decision to go ahead the ADC election in Hills District of Manipur under the controversial ADC Act and against the indiscriminate firing of IRB and police commandos in Khumji (Lukhambi) near Noney on 28 May where the civilians were injured and brutally beaten up the innocent by the state forces.

The mass rally seeks separate administration and justice from the government of India.

The rally submit joint memorandum to Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh through the Deputy Commissioner Tamenglong Sumant Singh, IAS seeking separate administration for Nagas and seek justice.

The Nagas of Manipur have been peacefully protesting against the enforcement of Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 2008 .

Manipur (Hills Area) District Council Act 2008 combined with the Manipur Gazette (office memo no 16/2/misc/2008 cum (Rev) dated 26 August 2008) issued by Principal Secretary, Revenue which put the Hill district of Manipur under the revenue department of Manipur without the consent of the hills people, the memo stated.

The memo further stated that the District Council Act 2008 threatens to take the rights of tribal to land and resources as safeguarded by the constitution of India and hence the memo requested Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, to prevail upon the state government from enforcing the act against the will of the people.

It also stated that in the continued process of the harassing the innocent Naga public, the arm forces of Manipur Commandos and IRB personnel indiscriminately fired upon the innocent public at Khumji (Lukhambi) village of Tamenglong district yesterday afternoon in which vehicles they were escorting met with an accident due to their negligence of the drivers.

However, the IRB and Cdos fired upon the innocent civilians in which Miss Esther Kamei 25 and Miss Ariang Riamei 45 of Khumji was shot in their lower limbs while Robinson Kamei 25 of Khumji village was brutally beaten after being dragged out from his residence, the memo stated.

The memo also stated that the Zeliangrong people of Tamenglong have completely lost confidence to continued living under such suppressive rule of the Manipur Government which continually violent and trample upon the Zeliangrong Naga's rights.

The lives of tribal Nagas are no more secured under the oppressive rule of the communal Manipur Government.

And there was no other option but to request the Government of India to establish separate administration for the Nagas to govern by themselves, the memorandum stated.

The memo was signed by Lungniliu Gangmei, Guiliangliu Panmei Coconveners, Concerned Organisation for People's Affairs, COPA Tamenglong and Kinderson Pamei, Convener of Naga People's Movement for Human Rights, NPMHR.

Manipur Govt takes steps to procure food, fuel

IMPHAL, May 11 – Manipur Minister for Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Yunkham Erabot has assured that the problems relating to food and fuel scarcity in the State would be sorted out within a week’s time.

Minister Erabot’s assurance came after the economic blockade on National Highways and subsequent unrest arising out of NSCN-IM leader Th Muivah’s proposed trip to the State dealt severe blows to normal life in the State.

The Minister said that the government has taken up steps to procure essential items from FCI godown at Silchar to replenish the depleting food stocks. The FCI has given clearance for collection of the State quota of rice, sugar and other items. The stock will be replenished within a week’s time, he said and added that at present, 567 kilolitres of petrol, 1611 kilolitres of diesel, 218 ATF, 856 kilolitres of kerosene are in the government oil depots.

These stocks have been left after distribution to the oil pumps on rationing system and have been kept reserved for emergency needs of security forces and the government.

Hospitals in the State have announced that routine operations will be suspended while petrol pumps have remained closed for the last few days.

Currently, prices of all essential commodities have been hiked double the actual prices. The prices of petrol and diesel have been hiked three times the government control rate in the black market.

Imphal-Churachandpur Transporters and Owners Welfare Association staged a sit-in demonstration here on Monday in protest against blockade of the State’s life line.

The Association also announced that they would not be able to take the wheels until and unless there is enough fuel for the transporters.

Manipur hit by shortage of essentials, life saving drugs

Imphal, May 10 (IANS) The price of petrol soared to Rs.150 a litre while most hospitals were running out of life-saving drugs and oxygen in Manipur Sunday following an indefinite economic blockade launched by various Naga tribal groups Thursday to protest the state government's decision to prevent separatist leader Thuingaleng Muivah from visiting his birthplace.
'Maybe by Monday we would be forced to stop all routine operations with stocks of oxygen and other live-saving drugs drying up,' said Y. Mohen, superintendent of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Sunday.
RIMS is the only medical college and hospital in Manipur's capital Imphal.
'Same is the case with other government and private hospitals with supplies of oxygen hit due to the blockade, besides stocks of life-saving drugs fast disappearing from the shelves of chemists,' a Manipur health department official said.
All vehicles carrying essentials to Manipur were stopped at Dimapur in adjoining Nagaland since Thursday to protest the state government's decision not to allow Muivah, general secretary of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) separatist group, to visit his birthplace in Ukhrul district.
Landlocked Manipur depends on supplies from outside the region with trucks carrying essentials from the rest of India passing through Nagaland.
'A kilogram of rice is selling at Rs.60 to Rs.70, while items like baby food and other essentials are becoming scarce even if someone was willing to pay double the actual price,' said Bimala Devi, a housewife in Imphal.
Simmering tension continues in the bordering areas between Manipur and Nagaland after security forces Thursday killed three supporters of Muivah and injured 70 more in clashes with Naga protestors who wanted Muivah to travel to his birthplace.
The Manipur government had banned 75-year-old Muivah's trip to his home village, saying it could stoke unrest. Muivah has since deferred his visit to Ukhrul.
A police spokesperson said in several areas of Manipur's Senapati district, dominated by Nagas, Muivah-supporters have blocked the highway by staging sit-in protests leading to disruption in road communication between Manipur and the rest of the country.
'Almost at every 200 metres you find big boulders and trees blocking the road and in some places trees have been set on fire to prevent movement of troops,' an army commander said.
The NSCN-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) rebel outfit is operating a ceasefire with New Delhi since 1997 with the two sides holding close to 60 rounds of peace talks aimed at ending one of India's longest running insurgencies.
The Manipur government maintains the ceasefire with the NSCN-IM does not extend beyond Nagaland and hence Muivah's visit to Manipur was not acceptable.
The NSCN-IM had earlier demanded that all Naga-inhabited areas in the northeast, including Manipur, be integrated by slicing off parts of three neighbouring states to unite 1.2 million Nagas and create a Greater Nagaland.
The demand is strongly opposed by the states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
The violent insurgency in Nagaland has claimed around 25,000 lives since the country's independence in 1947.