Manipur Weekly

Laishram Priyankanta, Manipur's rising star

2011-07-29T07:16:00.003-07:00

Imphal, July 29 : Manipur, which has over the years produced many talented persons, has added another feather to its cap through Laishram Priyankanta, a 15-year-old film director, who currently studies in class 9.

Priyankanta has already directed three short films. The amazing thing is that these movies were shot not a professional camera but a mobile phone.

He himself writes scripts, shoots and edits the film and adds the music. And all this is done without any help from any experts.

Laishram has not been trained under any director. It is his determination to follow his passion that prompted him to learn and excel at filmmaking.

His first film Lamuknarure was screened in 2009. The crew for the film was his friends and family members.

His work has gained recognition in Manipur and he has received certificates of appreciation from many organizations.

"When I was in class III, I watched the entire making of a film at my uncle''s house. It inspired me a lot and gave me the feeling to produce one of my own," said Priyakanta .
''I want to produce a film on what is happening in our society. I want to focus more on children. So I am writing a script on that," he added.

"Priyakanta is very talented. Even though he is very young the way he directed us was very professional. He knows how to direct and how to act. His work is really professional and amazing," said Tathoi, Priyakanta relative.

" I was so happy after his film was released. I was really excited to see it. I am really happy to see my son''s work," said Priyakanta''s father

Youth like Priyakanta are brand ambassadors for change that can take place in the Manipur and are a source of inspiration for many.

Sadar Hills committee calls economic blockade

2011-07-29T07:16:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Jul 29 : The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) has announced to impose economic blockade on the two national highways of Manipur from July 31.

It will continue till August 31 and may be extended if committe's demands are not met, a statement said today.

The Committee is demanding a full-fledged revenue district status for Sadar hills, which is now under Senapati district.

The Sadar Hills are dominated by people belonging to Kuki tribe.

The Manipur government was earlier to declare it into a full- fledged district but was stopped after objections from certain community.

District status related stir were also witnessed at Ukhrul and Jiribam areas. The state has nine districts now.

Floods cause havoc in Manipur

2011-07-29T07:15:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 29 : Due to incessant rains in Manipur, water is flowing above the danger level in most rivers and some parts of the state are flooded.

Rising waters of Lilong, Nambul, Waisel Maril, Chakpi and Thoubal River crossed the embankment and flooded some parts of the Imphal city.

Flood waters have not only made commuting difficult but have also entered people''s homes in areas like Uripok, Lamphelpat, Lamsang, Nambol and Langol Grace Colony.
Vast tracts of agricultural land have also been submerged in the floods. Thousands of acres of paddy fields and fish farms have been destroyed.

The affected areas include villages on the outskirts of Imphal and Bishnupur.

"Many farmers who were running fish farms have been severely affected by the floods. Fishes worth lakhs of rupees, have escaped from the ponds. Several houses have also been flooded in water," said Priyokumar.

"Many fields and farms have been flooded. I think income will be reduced by about 40 percent this year. It is worse than last year," said Indrajeet Singh.

The State Government has set up two relief camps in the region at Tammi Chingmi market.

The government has also provided Bamboo mats to the people who are rebuilding the embankment that has been breached by overflowing rivers.

"The water is flowing above the danger level. More than 1000 hectares of paddy fields have been submerged. We urge the private organizations and the government to help us. Many displaced families have taken shelter at government relief camps," said Biren Nongthobam, a villager at the relief camp.

"Being an MLA of this region, I have opened two relief camps, one at the Tribal village and another in Thangtek. I am here to deliver relief materials especially food items to the relief camps for the affected families," said K Sarat Singh, MLA, Konthoujam District.

Recently floods in Assam left more than 2 lakh people homeless. A total of 197 villages and 5.7-lakh hectares area were affected. The worst affected was Lakhimpur.

Imphal police verify city tenant details

2011-07-27T22:03:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 28 : Police here have launched a drive to crosscheck antecedents of tenants to prevent criminals and militants from engaging in disruptive activities while staying in rented premises.

Imphal East district police, led by additional superintendent of police (law and order) Pushpanjali, carried out the drive at Telipati here yesterday and will extend it to other areas of the district as well.

“In view of the rising instances of anti-socials, drug traffickers and militants taking shelter in rented houses, Imphal East police have taken the initiative to cross-check tenants to create safe neighbourhoods and instil a sense of confidence among the public,” Pushpanjali told The Telegraph. This is the first time such a campaign has been launched in the state.

Earlier, the police had distributed verification forms to tenants in Telipati area and asked them to submit it with details of the tenants’ names, native places, occupations, respective police stations, names of house owners along with photographs of both the tenants and the owners.

Altogether 159 tenants submitted the forms and the district police yesterday carried out the physical verification.

A similar procedure will be followed in other areas having high concentration of tenants, like Paomei Colony and Sangakpham in Imphal East, between August 1 and 10. The filled and verified forms will be sent to the respective police stations of the tenants’ permanent residences for further verification.

Pushpanjali said the move was initiated after several instances came to light of outstation criminals operating from rented premises in the district. She said three frauds from Tamil Nadu, using the name of a fraud company, had stayed for about four months at Hatta Golapti in Imphal and had fled after collecting about Rs 3 crore from gullible people by promising them households items dirt cheap. “We caught the trio last month from Guwahati, where they were running the same racket, and brought them to Manipur. A few days back, a Sikkim police team came and took them to Sikkim, where they are wanted in a similar case.”

Citing another case, she said an NSCN (I-M) cadre, who had recently shot dead a retired government official in Nagaland, fled the state and took shelter at Wangkhei in Imphal East. A Nagaland police team provided clues about his whereabouts to Imphal East police but the accused fled a day ahead of the raid.
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New session for first batch of NIT to start from August

2011-07-18T00:51:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL: The new session for the first batch of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) will start from August at Takyel in Imphal West, though construction of the class rooms and hostels is taking place. Setting up of NIT is one of major projects announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Manipur way back in 2007. The state government had earlier planned to set up the NIT in the Kyamgei area in Imphal East but it was strongly opposed by the locals on the plea that the chosen site was agricultural land. tnnChief minister Okram Ibobi Singh , who inspected the construction works of the institute's temporarily site at Takyel on Saturday, said the decision to begin the first session of the institute from next month without any delay was taken keeping in mind the expectations of the general public.

He expressed optimism that from the next session, classes would be shifted to the institute's (original) site at Lamphel Pat near the foothills of Langol not so far from Takyel. The government has already acquired the land for the NIT complex there.

Three classrooms and the multi-storied hostels for boys and girls are under construction at Takyel.

While the ground floor and the first floor of both the hostels have been partially completed, construction work of the third is yet to be initiated. Both the hostels have the accommodation capacity of 75 students, at the rate of 25 to 30 students on each floor, official sources said.

Manipur works minister K Ranjit, education minister DD Thaisii, works' chief engineer and other high ranking officials accompanied the chief minister during his inspection.

Meanwhile the Kuki Student Organization (KSO) , Ukhrul district has organized a felicitation-cum-blessing prayer and seminar for successful students of standard X and XII examinations at Litan Sareikhong village in the district.

Ukhrul assembly legislature Danny Shaiza, while encouraging the brilliant students, asked them to study seriously with dedication in order to serve the society in all aspects.

Teachers in Manipur hills decry govt move to bring schools under ADC

2011-07-18T00:48:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL: Teachers serving in the hills under the Manipur schools education department have expressed their opposition against the government's decision to bring administration of all elementary schools of the area under the Autonomous District Council (ADC).

Strife-torn Manipur has six ADCs, one each intribal-dominatedTamenglong, Chandel, Ukhrul and Churachandpur districts and two in Senapati. The teachers even threatened to launch an agitation if the decision on the matter was not reviked.

The disgruntled teachers, united under the banner 'All Manipur Hill Teachers' Association' (Amhta), said in a statement that decision was an attempt to degrade the status of education and they would never accept such a government policy.

The teachers also decried the recent order to transform the School Management Development Committee (SMDC) to School Management Committee (SMC) for which an elected ADC member should be chairman and the bank account should be jointly operated by the headmaster/headmistress and the DRDA executive director. Such order is illogical and smacked of a design to further degrade the status of education in thehill districts, the association said.

A memorandum to this effect was also submitted to the governor recently with an appeal to annul the decision. Stating that the government has failed to take up any positive action towards their grievancesdespite the memorandum, the association threatened to launch a strike.

Emotional Disintegration Between Hills And Valley

2011-07-18T00:47:00.001-07:00

By Jubilate Kazingmei

In appreciation of your editorial 5, 6 and 8 July I wish to write this rejoinder to build mutual understanding. Socio political blame game is the worst game in society because it offers no remedy to any ailment that stunts the societal growth and harmony. In an ethnocentric politics of a state like ours it is easy to blame, envy and ridicule one another as we are not above narrow ethnic emotions and because we owe loyalty to our respective ethnic group irrespective of what profession we are in. unfortunately beyond cosmetics of language often expressed in media it is not difficult to see such emotions that makes readers view it with close mind. Media is other wise one that plays a vital role in making all of us feel as part of the whole. But in Manipur even our esteemed Human Rights activists are bound by such narrow ethnic emotions and that is how our honourable CM father figure of all communities in the state also glorified the violent 18th June uprising. So they say, “what would be expected of iron when even the Gold rust?” It is rather important to understand each other’s position.

The Hindu caste system and the practice of untouchability was largely responsible for the socio cultural and emotional disintegration between the hills and valley. But it may be wrong to entirely blame the valley people for the misfortune of the hill people. Rather democracy being rule of the majority it is inherent in the system that it is difficult to adequately safeguard the interest of ethnic minorities and that is happening in the whole of NE causing a violent awakening of ethnic nationalism in the entire north east. By the scheme of Provincial Autonomy enacted by Govt. of India in 1919 and 1935 the tribal areas of NE was scheduled as excluded area and the longtime administration insulation by the British was responsible for our backwardness. The British who wanted to retain the tribal areas in the north east as imperial colony did everything they could to check emotional integration between the two.

But after India’s independence Jawaharlal Nehru brought hill people of the NE into Indian dominion and in order to win their confidence and promote their closer contact and intercourses with the non tribals, moved the historic objectives resolution in the Constituent Assembly in 1947 which shaped the making of the Indian constitution. This Resolution proclaimed that India would be an independent sovereign democratic republic wherein inter alia “adequate safeguards shall be provided for the minorities, backward and tribal areas depressed and other backward classes”. The constitution makers therefore recognized the necessity of a separate political and administrative structure for the tribal areas of the erstwhile province of Assam by enacting the sixth schedule in the constitution guided by three major considerations; (i). the necessity to maintain the distinct customs, socio economic and political culture of the tribal people of the region and to ensure autonomy of the tribal people and preserve their identities, (ii).the necessity to prevent their economic and social exploitation by the more advanced neighboring people of the plain and (iii). To allow the tribal people to develop and administer themselves according to their own wisdom and geniuses.

Therefore the “Alternative Arrangement” demanded by the UNC is constitutionally legitimate. Now therefore, when one says “not an inch of Manipur territory will be acceded” one is simply making a statement of power relationship between the dominant over the dominated.

Demand for political self determination is not a crime, it is rather legitimized by the United Nations and you will agree this is Birth Right of very people in the world big or small. I’m sure the anti merger lobbyists of the valley will share this view.

When the tribals protest against development disparity it is wrongly perceived as an issue of inequality as ridiculed in your editorial. I wish to remind you Sir, and others who has the same perception about it that it is not an issue of “Equality” but “Equity” that we are not receiving our due share. For instance in all assembly constituencies except two the valley has twenty thousand plus electorates whereas, in almost all assembly constituencies in the hills except six we have thirty thousand plus to fifty thousand, yet. Delimitation was prevented by virtue of being majority community thereby depriving our right to more representation of tribals in the assembly. Competent tribal officials are denied the right to hold official position of Chief of Govt. departments and are placed as OSDs.

True, Imphal is the state capital but does that mean every institutional opportunities should necessarily be concentrated in the valley alone and run educational services in the hills merely to maintain literacy rate in the state? Our job opportunities are deprived, that is how valley people died in Gargil war as tribals, that is how many Ahmeds & Muhamads are recruited as primary school teachers in the hills and protected by authority. It is not the material wealth of the valley people we envy about and complain, but the chauvinistic attitude! Identifying the valley alone as Manipur. For instance “Kangleipak” I guess means only the valley.

True, tribals also live in the valley and in fact? I have been here for the past 16 years, one fine morning my neighbor on the left said “Tangkhuls should not be spared” and he made it sure that I hear it, on another day another neighbor on my right said “Tribalsingna Tampakda laaklaka peishaa daalaka aphao shai”. A few years ago some people went around Dewlahland, Nagaram, Tangkhul avenue and Chingmeirong with blaring loud speaker announcing Tangkhuls should not be given house rents in the valley. Essential commodities should not be sold to them. I understand these things were emotional reaction against offences committed by a few rascals. However with all such happenings we definitely don’t feel at home and we are equally insecure for that matter even in Nagaland, as you rightly pointed out that in such a situation “madness is only a step away”. Empathizing rather than intellectualizing the issue may be more practical to reconcile the issue.

Radical movement on both sides apart, the autonomous district council and the sixth schedule was a gift of Indian Constitution to the tribals of the NE for self governance and reconciliation, the inclusion of which in the Indian Constitution was not without protest even those days in the constituent assembly by the representatives of the plain people in the erstwhile Assam state. However, the sixth schedule has failed to satisfy the aspiration and expectations of the hill people for reasons that is does not confer real autonomy as the word implies. The ADCs have to depend on their respective state governments in matters of financial allotments and assistance. Mere increase of political power or autonomy without reference to financial autonomy and feasibility is considered no good solution. In the event of reorganization of states in North East India in 1971 a number of developmental functions were conferred on the ADCs but even this was considered a fragile arrangement as it did not have statutory support and the ADCs had to depend on the changing political relations with the state leadership. The development activities of the ADCs depends on the political party or leadership that runs the state administration. Even on subjects conferred to ADCs, state could make laws and override legislation made by the ADCs. It can even be suppressed and suspended by the state.

In Manipur the ADCs are not yet given sixth schedule. Sixth schedule is a constitutional mechanism for devolution of power to the hill people for self governance but this constitutional provision require collection of revenues to run the ADCs. Therefore, the hill people are sensitive about their rights particularly over land and forest. There is also the provisions of paragraph 3 (i) (g) of the sixth schedule which requires the ADCs to regulate appointment and succession of Village Chiefs and Headman which is strongly objected by the tribals as it violates their tradition of of heredity. More powers particularly power of access and control over resources are demanded but without converting tribal land into revenue land. There is therefore, confusion among the hill people themselves, while one group demands sixth schedule another group rejects it and in between the state makes no move to solve the deadlock. However, the state cannot be blamed for the stalemate entirely. Rights and responsibilities are two sides of the same coin. If the hill people want more financial power it is fair to realize we also have financial responsibilities to fulfill at least for self governance and it should also be fair for the Nagas to reconcile their own confusion as one group accepting ADC as status quo, second group demanding devolution of more power to the ADCs through sixth schedule, third group demanding alternative arrangement and the forth group demanding sovereignty, all at a time indicates we have no demand at all.

'Tribal rights in Manipur being sabotaged'

2011-07-09T21:26:00.001-07:00

DIMAPUR, JULY 10 : The Naga People’s Organization (NPO) has strongly condemned the attempt to assault the General Secretary of COPTAM by some unidentified persons on 28th June, 2011 at north AOC, Imphal. Such act of causing harm to Tribal leaders by any communal forces is uncalled for and unjustifiable, stated a press note issued by M. L Markson, President, NPO.

“It is an attempt by some anti-tribal elements to sabotage the genuine efforts and demand of the Tribal Rights in Manipur”, the press note stated while demanding from the State Government to book those responsible at the earliest without which safety of the Tribal leaders will not be compromised.

While endorsing the movement of the COPTAM, the NPO expressed resentment over the incident and suspected some anti-tribal elements behind such attempts to derail the Tribal movements against State Government’s policy to deny rights of the Tribal in Manipur.

“The birth-rights of the Tribal to protect its constitutional rights, identity, land, resources, political and social rights can never be denied by the State Government. For which, the tribal in Manipur will collectively and unceasingly struggle together until the due rights are achieved”.

Women caught in a market’s paradox

2011-06-25T21:44:00.001-07:00

By Preethi Ravi | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

Manipur’s Ema Keithel market is a much-talked about topic. Run only by women, it is considered one of the most recognisable cultural emblems of Imphal. Now, it’s all set to be recreated onstage in Bangalore.

Swar Thounaojam’s play Lucky Lobster will debut in Ranga Shankara on June 25. Thounaojam wrote Lucky Lobster when she won the Robert Bosch Art Grant for 2010.

“The performance is centred around a paradox — vendors of Ema Keithel have been glorified as an empowered collective and held as torchbearers of a broken state. However, these market nest generations of women harassed by their association leaders in the market and overworked at home to keep the families going,” says Thounaojam, 30, who has also directed the play.

The Ema Keithel is close to Thounaojam’s heart since her grandmother was a vendor and now her aunt is a vendor too. While mainstream perception of the market has been about these women’s active politics and as a powerful trade collective, their powerlessness at home went unnoticed. Thounaojam wanted to highlight this aspect. She researched this market phenomenon, talking to not just women, but academics, politicians, activists, and even the traffic police near the market!

This being her second directorial venture, Thounaojam is excited about presenting this play. The play’s four characters bring to life parts of Manipur that may be unknown to the rest of India. They are just as excited to be part of this venture.

“When I first heard the story from Swar, I was taken aback. We know very little about our own country and a play about the Ema Keithel has certainly opened up a new world for me,” says Vijay Nair, one of the actors who has a double role (one of them being a demented academic).

“It is an honour and a privilege to share the stage with an eminent theatre personality such as Lakshmi Krishnamurty,” he continues.

Krishnamurty, too, emphasises on the unusual and unfamiliar terrain the play covers. “It is different from other plays that I have been part of. It opens up a reality that is not familiar to most of us,” she says. An additional treat is store is the set of installations that bring a feel of Manipur to Ranga Shankara.

“Ranga Shankara has allowed us to transform the stage into an installation site. The installation will take the audience to the core or the context of Lucky Lobster,” says Thounaojam. Though nervous, she adds: “I am happy with the way things have gone. Bangalore’s audience is open-minded and it’s fun to put up a play for Bangalore.”

Manipur Red Cross to help conflict victims

2010-08-07T01:49:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Aug. 7 : The Manipur unit of the Indian Red Cross Society is set to provide first aid to those wounded during clashes between government forces and militants.

To ensure smooth functioning, the society has appealed to the people and the authorities to spread greater awareness of the Red Cross symbol and to check its misuse.

“Manipur is a conflict zone where frequent clashes break out between government forces and non-state actors, resulting in casualties. In such situations, the wounded need medical aid and we are ready to provide humanitarian services,” the secretary of the Manipur state branch of the Indian Red Cross Society, Dr M. Lala Singh, said today.

The society feels that avoidable deaths occur during encounters because of lack of timely and proper medical attention. “We will rush whenever there are clashes to provide medical aid. If a clash continues for several days, we will set up a camp nearby to provide medical aid to the wounded and humanitarian aid to civilians displaced by the gunfights,” he said.

However, the society feels that lack of awareness among people, including medical personnel, regarding the importance of the Red Cross symbol because of its misuse may hinder its plans. According to it, most medical personnel, drug stores and medical institutes misuse the symbol. “If people are not aware of the importance of the Red Cross symbol and unless its misuse is stopped, our humanitarian services will be hampered,” Lala Singh said.

Citing an example, he said when they rushed to Loktak lake for humanitarian aid during an army operation some years ago, the villagers, on seeing the Red Cross symbol, thought that the society’s volunteers were a medical team who had come to set up a medical camp. “Such lack of awareness does not make our task easier. I do not blame the people since doctors are misusing it. People simply think a people travelling in a vehicle having the symbol are medical personnel,” Lala Singh said.

He added that many doctors, clinics and drug stores had realised their mistake and were now using their own symbols. “But this is not enough. The state government should take steps to ban the misuse of the symbol,” Lala Singh said.

Rights activist Babloo Loitongbam said the Indian Red Cross Society’s activities were different from the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), which deals mainly with armed conflicts. India does not allow the ICRC to operate in the country. The Indian Red Cross Society’s activities are mainly meant to provide relief to victims of disasters. He said its Manipur unit could operate in conflict zones with permission from the government authorities.

Lala Singh also said his society would take permission from the authorities before moving into a conflict zone or any other area. Established in 1961, the Manipur unit of the Indian Red Cross Society opened its district units in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Senapati, Ukhrul and Churachandpur. It is trying to establish units in Bishnupur, Chandel and Tamenglong districts.

The unit has the experience of providing relief materials to persons displaced in encounters between militants and security forces at Sajit Tampak in Chandel district and Loktak lake in Bishnupur district. It had also provided aid during ethnic clashes.

2010-08-06T04:15:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Aug 6 : In the wake of economic blockade on two national highways, open sale of petrol and diesel was today initiated in four oil depots in Manipur in accordance with the decision of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF and PD) Department.

Supply of goods was hit and most of the oil depots remained closed since April due to the economic blockade put up by Naga organisations.

Petrol was currently being sold in the black market at Rs 90 per litre and cooking gas at around Rs 1,500 per cylinder, while the actual prices of the fuels stood at Rs 50.15 per litre and Rs 360 per cylinder respectively.

It was learnt that only ten litres of petrols had been supplied against hundreds of vehicles that remained queued on the streets, sources said adding security was being provided to all the oil depots.

Consumer Affairs Minister Y Erabot said security had been also tightened for the trucks and vehicles plying on the national highways.

''The state has only a three-day stock for diesel. There is an acute shortage of kerosene and cooking gas,'' Mr Erabot added.

He also informed that some policemen were found involved in selling petroleum products in black markets, saying a large number of items used for the transport and hoarding of petroleum products were seized from the campus of state Manipur Rifles and State Jail complexes.

A detailed report in this regard would be submitted to the government, according to him.

‘Sleeping Lion’ Slur on Manipur Power Plant

2010-07-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

Imphal, Jul 28 : Manipur’s 36MW-power project, which bailed the state out during emergency situations, is turning out to be a burden on the government exchequer.

This heavy fuel plant incurs heavy losses whenever it runs.

Inaugurated in October 2005 by the then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the power plant at Leimakhong near the army cantonment in Sadar Hills of Senapati district was set up at a cost of Rs 125.38 crore.

N. Mangi Singh of the CPI, called the plant a “useless sleeping lion” and demanded in the Assembly today to dismantle the project.

Approved by the Centre, the state government had implemented the project to augment the supply it received from power corporations. A firm approved by the Centre had constructed the power plant.

However, ever since the project was launched the state government hardly used it on a regular basis because of its huge operation cost.

The plant is run with the help of a fuel called furnace oil. At the time of the commissioning of the project, furnace oil was only Rs 8 per litre.

Now, the price of the fuel has gone up to Rs 35.95 per litre, making it impossible for the government to operate the plant.

Manipur’s requirement of power during the peak hours is 170MW. However, it gets only 80MW during the peak hours.

The government buys power from the National Hydro Power Corporation and the Northeast Electric Power Corporation.

The last time the government turned on the switches at the plant and generated power was during the recently concluded World Cup.

Despite huge loses, the government was compelled to operate it following a public demand for power during the matches.

Manipur power minister Pungzathang Tonsing said while the state paid Rs 2 only per unit to power corporations, power generated by the heavy fuel plant costs Rs 8 per unit.

“It is true that the heavy fuel plant is no longer feasible. But we will not dismantle the plant because it is being used during emergency situations like matriculation examinations or the World Cup. We are keeping it as a standby,” Tonsing said.

The CPI member said whoever formulated the project did so to ruin Manipur and responsibility should be fixed. “What kind of project is this? Fix the responsibility,” Mangi Singh said.

Manipur walkout over Naga MLAs’ resignation

2010-07-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Imphal, July 9 : Senior Opposition member and MPP Legislature wing leader Okram Joy Singh walked out of the Manipur Assembly today in protest against Speaker Sapam Budhichandra Singh’s failure to take a decision on the resignation of seven Naga MLAs.

The member boycotted the rest of the day’s business.

Joy Singh stormed out of the House after a heated duel with the Speaker.

He raised the issue of the Naga MLA’s resignation after question hour was over, seeking a reply from the Speaker on whether the resignations were accepted or rejected or withdrawn.

The Speaker said he was yet to take a decision on the MLAs,who tendered their resignations in May against the Ibobi Singh government’s decision not to allow NSCN (I-M) leader Th. Muivah to enter Manipur. “I summoned all the seven members to my chamber on May 12 to verify whether they had tendered the resignation voluntarily or under duress. I am not satisfied with the reasons given by the legislators for their resignation. I will take a decision very soon,” he said.

A heated exchange ensued after Joy Singh pressed that the decision should be taken “immediately”. The Speaker retorted that the rulebook did not specify any timeframe.

When the Speaker turned down repeated demands by Joy Singh to announce a timeframe, he stormed out of the House, yelling that he could not sit and discuss state issues with legislators who “supported” designs to break up Manipur.

M. Thohrii (Mao constituency, Senapati), K. Raina (Tadubi, Senapati), Khasim Ruivah (Chingai, Ukhrul), Wungnaoshang Keishing (Phungyar, Ukhrul), W. Morung Makunga (Tengnoupal, Chandel) and Awangbou Newmei (Tamei, Tamenglong) submitted their resignation papers from Delhi on May 6. Two days later, Danny Shaiza (Ukhrul constituency), an Independent, also out in his resignation.

The Manipur Assembly has 10 Naga members. Manipur PCC president Gaikhan-gam, tribal development and veterinary minister D.D. Thai-sii and Independent member Khangthuanang Panmei did not resign though Naga organisations, including the United Naga Council, had asked them to quit the Assembly.

Joy Singh rejected a suggestion by the Speaker that the two should discuss the matter in his chamber.

Of the seven legislators, only Wungnaoshang Keishing attended the opening day of the session yesterday and today. However, he was not present in the House when Joy Singh raised the question.

Earlier in the day, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh urged the Centre to stop illegal tax collection by the NSCN (I-M) and NSCN (K) cadres from Manipur trucks.

“The militants are imposing illegal taxes right under the nose of Nagaland police and the state government failed to check this. Because of frequent bandhs, highway blockades and harassment by Naga militants, Manipur trucks are unwilling to ply along Imphal-Dimapur highway,” the chief minister told the House while replying to Opposition member Radhabinod Koijam and Joy Singh.

He said Manipur experienced 524 bandhs and 104 highway blockades since 1995.

Manipur lost between Rs 4 to Rs 5 crore per day during bandh and Rs 2 and Rs 3 crore each day during blockades.

Ibobi Singh said his government took a serious view of the bandh and blockade culture and steps were on to check the trend.

BJP to raise Manipur issue in Parliament

2010-07-08T03:37:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL, July 8 – The BJP will raise the Manipur issue in the forthcoming Monsoon session of the Parliament this July end.

“The BJP will raise the State’s volatile situation arising out of the recently suspended blockade and the subsequent price hike of essential items, encroachment on border land, etc in both the houses of Parliament”, L Bashanta Sharma, Media affairs secretary of BJP State unit here said.

Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj will move the issue in the Lok Sabha while Deputy leader SS Ahluwalia will raise the issue in the Rajya Sabha, he added.

A BJP team led by Sushma Swaraj would be arriving in Manipur on Thursday on a two-day visit to assess the prevailing situation in the State. Rajya Sabha MP SS Ahluwalia and MP Bijoya Chakravarty and party’s zonal organising secretary P Chandrashekhar Rao would accompany the national leader.

The BJP leaders would address a party workers meet at GM Hall in Imphal soon after their arrival.

Meanwhile, in a move to control price rise, the All Manipur Anti-Drug Association, an NGO, has decided to launch a Campaign for Survival drive.

Ph Abe Chanu, the assistant general secretary of the association, said, “We have decided to launch the campaign after our drive against drug abuse and alcoholism was severely impacted by the price rise and unavailability of fuel”.

She said essential items were selling at exorbitant rates. Even the price of a matchbox shot up from a rupee to Rs 2 and potato from Rs 9 to Rs 22 per kg. She also lambasted Ministers and MLAs for remaining silent to the sufferings of the people.

When contacted, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Yumkham Erabot said that steps are on to provide supplies to the public by requisitioning 100 extra trucks to transport the essential items besides the present transport system.

We need adequate stock for normal rationing of fuel, he said adding, “It will take some more time to restore normalcy”. The State need 75 kilolitres of petrol and 220 kilolitres of diesel daily.

Why you must read this censored chapter

2010-07-07T02:27:00.001-07:00

When the truth about the flouting of tribal rights in the Red Corridor struck home, the government dropped a whole chunk of damning material from a report it had itself commissioned. RAMAN KIRPAL reports
ARESEARCHER WORKING on the State of Panchayats Report (SOPR) 2008-09 met Mahangu Madiya in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, a dangerous place for gathering data. Madiya’s story was startling. In January, he was given Rs 55 lakh compensation for his land, but the amount is sitting in his bank account. He does not even own a mobile phone.
“I am concerned with farming. My land is important to me. What will I do with this money?’’ the middle-aged farmer told the researcher from the Institute for Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), Gujarat.

FARCICAL MOVES Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 24 released a report he had commissioned from IRMA, unaware that the chapter on PESA was quietly removed
Photo: PIB

The state government plans to displace the 12,000-odd people who stay in Dhuragaon along the Indravati River, a fertile area. Madiya’s 35-acre farm is to be handed over to Tata Steel.
How and why was a colonial-era land acquisition law used in this tribal area? In Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) is supposed to be in place. This is a progressive piece of legislation that recognises the competence of tribal communities to govern themselves.
It was precisely to probe into such anomalies that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had commissioned a report from the autonomous body IRMA on the progress of Panchayati Raj in India. Two months ago, when he released this report at a public function to mark Panchayati Raj Day (the anniversary of the passing of the 93rd amendment to the Constitution), little did he know that the two-volume report had a chapter missing: the crucial chapter on the implementation of PESA in the Red Corridor.

What business does the ministry have to censor the evaluation? You may disagree with it, but why censor it?’ asks Aiyar

The chapter makes statements that are critical to the current policy in the region, which the whole nation knows is awry, not least because of the two massacres of CRPF personnel in Dantewada. For instance, the chapter says, “There is a veritable crisis in several PESA areas with despair, insecurity and a breakdown of the rule of law and access to justice within the constitutional framework.”
TEHELKA has obtained a copy of the unpublished 45-page chapter titled ‘PESA, Left-Wing Extremism and Governance: Concerns and Challenges in India’s Tribal Districts’. Of the 76 extremistaffected districts, 32 are PESA districts. The chapter damns the Centre, the state and the police forces for “a damaging mix of misgovernance, alienation and violent insurgency” against tribal people. The chapter says: “Some tribal communities, such as those in Bastar, are probably witnessing the most severe crisis since their existence.”

CURIOUS CUSTOMERS

When Panchayati Raj Minister CP Joshi (top) was told by his officials about the controversial PESA chapter, he asked IRMA to modify it. The modified version went to the Home Ministry, which scrapped it. This enraged former Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar (centre), who tried to get responses from Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Joshi. Hearing about all this, the Planning Commission’s Montek Singh Ahluwalia (bottom) apparently asked for a copy of the missing material

The report has a case study of Dokranala village in Chhattisgarh, where 40-odd families live in a cluster of huts in a clearing in the forest, accessible only by foot. The Pardhi tribes to which they belong, once skilful hunters and bamboo weavers, found it increasingly hard to survive as forests and wildlife got depleted and officials deemed their activity illegal. Armed with the Forest Act, forest guards and police burnt their homes. “The effects of such brutal State action can be debilitating for the community, and result in extreme conditions of hunger,’’ the chapter says.
Not all tribals take this lying down. In Orissa, there is a successful grassroots movement called the Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh which the chapter describes in detail. In Baliaput, a villager denied links with Maoists. “We have no arms. We only have our agricultural implements,” he says. So why did the government censor this chapter?
In 2006, when Mani Shankar Aiyar was Panchayati Raj Minister, Manmohan Singh had objected to states or the Ministry of Panchayati Raj carrying out assessments of their own performance. He ruled that an independent agency should do it. After intimating the PMO, Dr Verghese Kurien’s IRMA was picked for this specific task. It completed the first report in 2008. Not satisfied, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj signed an MoU with IRMA setting the terms of reference to include a chapter on PESA.
Did the government develop cold feet about continuing its own search for the truth about the tribal belt? Was it because the truth struck home with the Dantewada massacre in which 76 CRPF jawans were killed in an ambush? For three-and- a-half years, the government’s critics have been urging a change of policy in tribal areas. When the government’s own report said the same, why could it not accept the criticism?
IRONICALLY, THE chapter begins with Manmohan Singh’s quote: “There has been a systematic failure in giving tribals a stake in the modern economic processes that inexorably intrude into their living spaces.” Congressmen such as Digvijay Singh too have been sounding the alarm. One of them said, in effect: ‘If the State is neglectful and oppressive as it has been, it provides the water in which the guerrilla fish swim’. This is mentioned in the missing chapter, which further says: “While the senior leadership of the party (CPI-Maoist) is mostly drawn from non-tribal communities, much of the rank and file comes from local villages, and has built on their grievances emanating from the nonimplementation of PESA…’’
When Home Minister P Chidamabaram was given the mandate as the government’s only spokesperson on the Red Corridor, the PESA chapter was given a quiet burial, reportedly at the behest of Union Panchayat Minister CP Joshi. And there the matter would have rested but for the fact that this kind of censorship riled a number of people who believe that the truth must out.

Did the government develop cold feet about continuing its own search for the truth? Or was it due to the Dantewada massacre?

“It is unfortunate that the Panchayati Raj Ministry rejected the chapter not on substantive ground but on procedural grounds,” says Mani Shankar Aiyar, whose passion for his portfolio was well known in the days when he was Panchayati Raj Minister. Aiyar, now a Rajya Sabha member, shot off a letter to Manmohan Singh and CP Joshi on April 27 and subsequently to Sonia Gandhi, saying: “…I understand MOPR (Ministry of Panchayati Raj) shied away from the relevance of PESA to meet the Naxalite threat even as, ironically, you (Manmohan Singh) were dwelling on the ‘twopronged strategy’ of allying development to security in your speech on the occasion of the release of SOPR. What is the point of an independent evaluation if the reports and recommendations of such evaluations are unilaterally censored by the Government’s own ministers before they are released.’’
No minister other than Chidambaram is now allowed to speak on Naxals, but the Prime Minister himself had commissioned the independent study. “What business does the ministry have to censor the evaluation? You may disagree with it, but why censor it?” asks Aiyar.
CP Joshi, who was on the podium with the Prime Minister during the release of the SOPR report, told TEHELKA: “Editing and deleting are done at the Secretary levels. Please ask the Panchayati Raj Secretary. I have no idea if any such thing has happened.’’ Unaware of the behind-the-scenes drama, Manmohan Singh went ahead and said at the function, “We should pay special attention to remote and backward areas, which include several tribal areas. Panchayati Raj institutions should work better here, so that it helps us to handle Maoist violence” (translated from the Hindi).
When asked about the censorship, Panchayati Raj Secretary ANP Sinha played safe by sticking to protocol. He merely said, “Please ask IRMA why we dropped it. I don’t want to speak unpleasant things.’’
IRMA chairman YK Alagh, when approached for his version of the story, admitted to receiving a phone call about this issue. He told TEHELKA: “I got a call from a Joint Secretary-level official that there is a problem with the PESA chapter. I told him to sort it out with IRMA’s young team, which has prepared the report. I thought the problem must have been solved.’’
In that case, would IRMA director Vivek Bhandari be able to throw more light on the episode? He spelt out the logistics of how the report came to be prepared, sticking to the bare essentials. “Ministry of Panchayat Raj is our client and they had signed an MoU for preparation and submission of a report,” he said. “We prepared and submitted the report, including the PESA chapter. We are not concerned what our client has done with it. The matter ends here for us.’’

YK Alagh got a call that there was a problem with the PESA chapter. He asked the team to sort it out and thought it was done

But for the people who have been abandoned by their government, the matter cannot end here. Displacement, loss of access to nature’s bounty because of mining and industry, apart from destroying livelihoods, are also threats to notions of democratic and fair governance. People’s organisations have asked for a moratorium on acquisition and displacement in PESA area. This is an option that could have been urgently exercised instead of sweeping the whole issue under the carpet. Officials could also tackle the exploitation of tribals who take up wage labour after distress migration. Spending even six months in such abusive conditions damages an individual’s social confidence and selfassertion, says the report.
ON THE POSITIVE side, the chapter contains the success story of Kamayyapeta in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which has a history of enlightened self-rule. Its Gram Sabha follows PESA guidelines, holding elections and keeping people abreast of new government schemes. It is a good example of true Panchayati Raj.
Considering the wealth of empirical data it provides, many bureaucrats privately sing praises of the IRMA study. No wonder, Planning Commission’s Vice Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, it is learnt, specifically asked for a copy of the PESA chapter when he learnt of the controversy. Several copies are being sent out, including one to Sudha Pillai, Planning Commission secretary who is married to the Union Home Secretary. Aiyar says: “I did not get substantive answers from the Prime Minister and I am not surprised because it is not a normal practice in our government offices to reply to queries… I went to the PMO three-four times, but I did not get any reply. I met Mr CP Joshi also at a dinner, but he did not even take up this issue. I don’t know if some wheels are moving…’

COMPROMISED DIGNITY Instead of retaining his land after the Gram Sabha ruled against its acquisition by the State, this tribal was displaced and forced to work on others’ plots
Photo: SHAILENDRA PANDEY

When the SOPR report landed at the Panchayati Raj Ministry on March 15 this year, officials immediately spotted trouble in the form of the PESA chapter. They contacted IRMA and asked it to make modifications. This was duly done. Still jittery about its thrust, ministry officials thought it was too hot to handle and simply dropped it. Official sources say the Union Home Ministry too was shown the PESA chapter, and it immediately trashed the report on procedural grounds.
The PESA chapter upset Home and Panchayat officials because it draws on the government’s own data and fieldwork to explain the ground reality and analyse why Maoism is on the rise. It also brings out how poor tribals are victims of the arrogance of both the Maoists and the state police.
JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. IN THE LEFT EXTREMISM-AFFECTED DISTRICTS:
1 3/4th of the people have a low standard of living index
2 Female literacy is below the national average
3 Less than a quarter of the population lives in pucca houses
4 Less than a third have an electricity connection
The Maoists find such abysmal conditions a good nurturing ground for their ideology of war against the State. They speak directly to the tribals about their access to lands and forests, fair wages, the distress of farmers and weavers and awareness of basic rights. Since the State is insensitive to their problems, the Maoists preach: “We do not want to add windows to the existing house (India’s parliamentary democracy) to improve it. We want to bring down the house, and build a new one.’’

Sources say the home ministry was shown the modification, but it trashed the whole chapter on procedural grounds

“So for example, while denouncing ‘the loot of Adivasi resources’, as and when necessary to further its political and military aims, the party (Maoists) takes money from the mining industry to fund its party operations… Today the party has become corrupt, power-hungry and intolerant,” the PESA chapter says.
“So the Maoists today have a dual effect on the ground in PESA areas… They have also done an immense amount of rural development work, such as mobilising community labour for farm ponds, rainwater harvesting and land conservation works in the Dandakaranya region, which villagers testified, had improved their crops and improved their food security situation…
“On the other hand, the party ideology is brutal and cynical. It attacks perceived class opponents and even carries out assassinations, for example, panchayat members from rival political parties, who might have proximity to the administration, and are seen as exploiters of the people, or a political threat.’’
Tribals are caught in the crossfire in an armed response from the State to end Maoist influence on the ground, which leaves no middle ground in PESA areas for these communities. Amidst the civil war and the extra-constitutional Salwa Judum’s scorched earth policy, the tribals silently face violence and displacement.
Residents of 600 villages in south Chhattisgarh have been forced to flee to villages in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, and are eking out a living on the margins of existence. Living in Khammam in Andhra Pradesh and Malkangiri in Orissa, “these displaced communities are treated as non-citizens at best, or Maoist supporters at worst,” says the PESA chapter. Quoting a displaced panchayat member, the chapter says: “The Salwa Judum burnt our village and said it will finish the Naxals in three months. But the Naxals are there. The security forces are there. Our lives have been crushed.”
PESA is meant to protect precisely such villages. For the first time, a law of the land recognises the primacy of the Gram Sabha as follows:
• The State cannot acquire land without the permission of the Gram Sabha
• The State cannot issue ‘mining’ rights on tribal lands without the permission of the Gram Sabha
On both counts, the PESA chapter quoted government records to establish that the government has failed miserably. “Official studies have pointed out that the size of the operational holding in the tribal lands is eroding due to the State-led acquisition and marketisation process… The State is also emerging as a principal violator of the very laws it is meant to uphold, for example, ignoring a Gram Sabha’s opposition under PESA to land acquisition, and calling village assemblies under heavy police presence to push through land acquisition plans.”

‘The Salwa Judum said it will finish the Naxals. Both Naxals and security forces are still there. Our lives are crushed,’ says a villlager

PESA is a new legislation and overrules all the land acquisition Acts. But the states overrule PESA and apply the central Land Acquisition Act of 1894 vintage to acquire tribal land at will! “In several cases, the practice of the state government is to sign high-profile MOUs with corporate houses and then proceed to deploy the acquisition Act to ostensibly acquire the land for the state industrial corporation. This body then simply leases the land to the private corporation — a complete travesty of the term ‘acquisition for a public purpose.”
The report says there is inadequate sensitivity to the fact that tribals cannot take advantage of employment opportunities because of their low literacy levels. Nor is there a recognition that some do not want to part with their land, no matter how attractive the compensation, because it disrupts their way of life, as is the case with Mahangu Madiya.
THE MOTIVE behind the killing of the chapter may well lie in the boom in the mining industry. “When it comes to acquiring mineral resources for industry, the stakes are similarly loaded against the functioning of the PESA Act… For example, in the past years, companies paid the State a royalty of Rs 26 per tonne of iron ore, selling it for over 100 times that, or an average of Rs 3,000. This means profits run into crores of rupees.’’ A former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh told IRMA: “Its (PESA) implementation would put an end to mining projects.”
Is this why the SOPR was stubbed out? If so, this is no less a crime than the massacre of CRPF jawans. A ‘perspective’ was killed in the womb. The motive, if it turns out to be the protection of mining interests, would require another investigation, another chapter.

World Cup fever grips Manipur

2010-07-06T02:20:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Jul 6 : As the countdown to the final match of the FIFA World Cup 2010 began, people of Manipur are being gripped by the football frenzy, which even the frequent loadshedding has failed to dampen, with alternative arrangements made to watch the matches.

Manipur Police and troops, as part of civic action programmes, have started distributing DTH and television sets to various localities to enable people watch the football matches, specially in rural and hill areas.

Most clubs and organizations have arranged common public viewing places as there is improper supply of power.

Pradeep Kumar, Project Director of Manipur State AIDS Control society, said the society has started live telecast of FIFA World Cup matches from the quarter finals stage in all district headquarters and some subdivisional head quarters.

The occasion has also been used fruitfully to make people aware about HIV and AIDS. Documentaries on HIV and AIDS were screened before the matches. Five mobile integrated counselling and testing centres (ICTC) vans were stationed in five hill districts.

Manipur power officials said arrangements were made to make power available after midnight during the two semi-final and final matches. The Power department was not able to provide power specially during the 1930 hours matches earlier.

Tamenglong rally seeks separate administration

2010-05-30T00:27:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-11T01:08:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-10T05:38:00.000-07:00

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.

End impasse, Centre tells Manipur

2010-04-20T04:00:00.001-07:00

Iboyaima Laithangbam

As administration in Manipur is crippled by the government employees' strike, the Union government has asked Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to find a solution to the impasse.

Despite the government's threat of action and police intervention, the Secretariat was deserted on Saturday. The employees are demanding pay scale revision as recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.

In a statement, employees of the Public Health Engineering, Public Works Department and Irrigation and Flood Control Departments said they would join the strike on Monday. The employees of the Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat will join the strike on Tuesday.

The police have arrested three employees of the Public Health Engineering under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1984.

The striking employees do not agree with Mr. Singh's contention that the government has no money left to pay up the arrears from January 1, 2006.

If the Arunachal Pradesh government could pay, they counter, there was no reason why the Manipur government could not.

As invocation of ESMA and no-work no-pay rule have not worked, a team of Ministers has been constituted to hold talks with the leaders of the employees.

Meeting asks Manipur govt to resolve standoff Lift boycott, cry schools

2009-11-16T00:30:00.007-08:00

Meeting asks Manipur govt to resolve standoff

Security personnel keep guard in front of an Imphal school. File picture

Imphal, Nov. 16 : Worried over the loss of teaching days and inability to pay their staff, founders, principals and teachers, more than 150 private schools of the state today appealed to the student bodies to lift the class boycott by November 20 even as they decided to resume normal classes from November 21.

The meeting at Hafta Kangjeibung in Imphal was organised by the All Manipur Govt Recognised Private Schools’ Welfare Association to discuss the plight of students and schools.

A unanimous appeal of a settlement between the agitators and the government was made to restore academic normality. The gathering took place after efforts by the Okram Ibobi Singh government to reopen classes by providing police personnel on the campuses failed to restore normal classes.

Classes have been disrupted ever since the public erupted over the July 23 firing in Imphal, allegedly by police in which passerby Rabina Devi and former militant Ch. Sanjit were killed. However, classes were completely paralysed, particularly in the four valley districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal and Bishnupur after the All Manipur Students Union, Manipuri Students Federation and Kangleipak Students Association launched a class boycott campaign since September 9.

Today’s meeting also came a day after the three student bodies strongly opposed the announcement by college authorities that student union elections would be held on November 25. A statement issued jointly by the student bodies yesterday termed the announcement of the elections as an act of defiance of the ongoing class boycott agitation.

The private schools are worried that they could not hold the minimum classes fixed by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur and Council of Higher Secondary Schools.

For high school leaving examination it is 160 days while for secondary schools it is 180 days. But so far the schools could conduct classes for about 90 days. Usually both the public examinations are held in March.

Another worry is that as tuition fees could not be collected from the students in the past three months the schools are finding it tough paying monthly salaries to the teachers and other non-teaching staff.

“The class boycott only makes the students, private schools and school van services suffer. It is time to end the class boycott and normalise the academic scene,” L. Rameshchandra Singh, principal of Emmanuel English School in Imphal East, said.

All the speakers, mostly principals and founders of the private schools, slammed the Okram Ibobi Singh government for not delivering justice in the July 23 firing case and also called for an amicable settlement between the agitators and the government.

The principals also opposed the government’s move to provide armed security to the schools, arguing that this could compound the problems.

“The schools may be targeted and the school vans could be attacked. In such a situation, the chances are that the young students would fall victims. So without an amicable settlement normal classes could not be held,” a teacher said.

MPSC win hockey league title

2009-11-16T00:30:00.003-08:00

Imphal, November 15 2009: Manipur Police Sports Club (MPSC) trounced Cosmo, Wangkhei 14-1 to emerge as the champion team of the 3rd Manipur Hockey League at Khuman Lampak Hockey stadium today.

The Police side needed and outright win against Cosmo as hockey Union, Lairikyengbam were heading the points table on 16 before the league competition's final match was played this afternoon.

MPSC not only defeated Cosmo by the huge margin but eventually pipped HU to the title by a single point at 17.P Adeva sounded the Cosmo board five times to take his league tally to 25 and eventually bag the highest scorer award.

Two goals each from Th Birjit, P Priyokumar and S Rabi and one apiece by N Gunamani, Bikram and N Babumacha put the match beyond the Wangkhei side for whom Sh Kash scored the face saver.

Kh Renel Singh of HU was adjudged the best player of the competition.

Large cache of arms found in Manipur

2009-11-15T06:49:00.001-08:00

Imphal, Nov 15 A large cache of arms and ammunition have been found during a search operation in Thoubal district of Manipur, police said today.

The weapons seized included bombs, 1200 ammunition of M 16 rifle, 2500 ammunition of AK 56 rifle, three wireless sets besides other weapons.

Following a report that some militants were planning to ambush security personnel, a combined team of police commandos and personnel of 26th Assam Rifles battalion launched a manhunt at Arong Nongmaikhong area in Thoubal district yesterday.

Though some militants managed to flee through a nearby lake and thick forests, the securitymen found the arms and ammunition during the search operation, the police said.

Double for Manipur

2009-11-07T03:54:00.001-08:00

Hosur: It was a memorable day for the Manipur boys and girls as they finished on top in the epee and foil group events respectively in the 17th National junior fencing championship at the Adhiyamaan Engineering College campus here on Friday.
In the final stand on, the Manipur boys defeated Madhya Pradesh 15-9 for the Epee group title, while the girls edged out Kerala 15-13 for the top slot in the foil group.
The results: Boys: Epee (final): Manipur bt Madhya Pradesh 15-9. Semifinals: Madhya Pradesh bt Tamil Nadu 15-14; Manipur bt Maharashtra 15-11. Girls: Epee (final): Kerala bt Punjab 15-9. Semifinals: Punjab bt Manipur 15-12; Kerala bt Tamil Nadu 15-10. Sabre (final): Punjab bt Kerala 15-11. Semifinals: Kerala bt Maharashtra 15-12; Punjab bt Chandigarh 15-11. Foil (final): Manipur bt Kerala 15-13. Semifinals: Kerala bt Punjab 15-8; Manipur bt Chandigarh 15-11.
Final standings: Boys (Epee): 1. Manipur; 2. Madhya Pradesh; 3. Tamil Nadu; 4. Maharashtra. Girls (Epee): 1. Kerala; 2. Punjab; 3. Manipur; 4. Tamil Nadu. Foil: 1. Manipur; 2. Kerala; 3. Punjab; 4. Chandigarh. Sabre: 1. Punjab; 2. Kerala; 3. Maharashtra; 4. Chandigarh.

Jessami land issue settled, village chief wants IRB, VDF in village

2009-11-03T02:11:00.000-08:00

IMPHAL, Nov 3 : An amicable settlement has been brought to the controversial issue of the land encroachment at Jessami Village, Ukhrul district, by Nagaland Armed Police, NAP, said the chairman of the Jessami Village Council.

Informing this during a press conference today at the Manipur Press Club, the village chairman, Kanmi Wezah, said that an understanding has been reached at a village to village level.

However there are still some instances of intimidations from village guards of a nearby Nagaland village, he said.

Further he revealed that the rest house which was taken over briefly by the NAP has again been occupied by 111 BSF.

Besides this a unit of the IRB was also posted at the Jessami village and attached to the Jessami Police station he added.

While lauding the effort of the government, and the prompt actions it took up, the chairman also appealed to the concerned government authorities to station the IRB unit there permanently viewing the ceaselessly sensitive situation which arise frequently in the border village and also in the interest of whole of Manipur.

Further while highlighting the hardship faced by the people of the Jessami village in terms of health, communication and issue of encroachment etc, the chairman revealed that Jessami village which is 116 km from Ukhrul and 200 km from the state capital has been doing without the service of even a single doctor.

Village are compel to travel long distance for treatment he said urging further the conversion of the village PHSC to PHC level with the posting of full strength of doctors and staff.

With regards to the sensitive border issue he also appealed to the concerned authorities to make the SDO and SDPO offices at the village functional.

He also hoped the village stands to gain from the recently held recruitment rally of Village Defence Force in which 59 persons of the village took part.

In connection with this issue the chairman also drew the attention of the chief minsiter through a memorandum submitted to his office calling for stationing of Village Guards at Jessami, to ward off frequent harassments and intimidations by the neighbouring villages in Nagaland.

He said these intimidations include threats to kill the villagers of Jessami while they were working in the field, shots fired at the village while constructing irrigation canal at Thetsii wet paddy field etc.

Inpui students also oppose class boycott

2009-10-24T07:58:00.001-07:00

Imphal, October 24 : After some student organisations have raised their voices against the closure of educational institutions in Manipur, particularly in the valley by the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) and Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), another student body has also come out openly against the class boycott.

The Inpui (Kabui) Students' Union has said that though the Union is very much against the killings and also opposes such incidents of fake encounter, the closure of educational institutions as a mark of protest is not the right step.

The Inpui students' body said that the closure of the educational institutions has caused irreparable loss to the student community.

The students' body then said that hampering the academic career of the students is not only the means to achieve the peoples' demands.

The Inpui students expressed concern for the class X and class XII students who would be facing Board and Council examinations soon.

The Inpui students' body appealed to AMSU, KSA and MSF to resort to other democratic means of agitation, and leave the students alone.

It is pertinent to note that All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) will be convening a public meeting in connection with the class-boycott issue on October 24 at Adimjati Campus in Imphal while the Democratic Students' Alliance, Manipur (DESAM) has convened a similar meeting on November 2 on the same issue.

Curfew after clash in Manipur

2009-10-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Oct. 23: Indefinite curfew has been imposed at Kwakta and its surrounding villages in Bishnupur district after a skirmish between a man and a woman at a local fish farm yesterday snowballed and threatened to explode into a communal clash.

Md Salim from Kwakta had allegedly misbehaved with 18-year-old Th. Hema from Moirang Santhong at a fish farm last evening.

When Hema returned home and reported the matter to her family, a group from Santhong took Salim to their village club and allegedly beat him up.

As news of Salim’s assault reached Kwakta, hundreds of villagers, armed with axes, sticks and stones descended on Santhong, damaged the club, and rescued him.

The mob also dragged away Hema’s elder brother, Th. Shyamkishore Singh, along with them.

As the situation threatened to get out of hand, a police team rushed to the area and fired several rounds in the air, ordering the warring groups to return home.

Curfew was imposed around 8pm to prevent further clashes.

Around 10pm, the police recovered a badly wounded Shyamkishore Singh, who was lying unconscious near a cremation ground in Kwakta.

He was taken to an Imphal hospital, where his condition is stated to be serious.

“Thousands of residents of Kwakta stormed Santhong club and took me to their village. I was blindfolded and beaten up. I lost consciousness. I believe they threw me away thinking that I was dead. I was lucky,” Shyamkishore Singh said from his hospital bed today.

Villagers of Santhong are now demanding that Salim and those involved in the assault be punished.

A large number of armed police personnel were deployed at Kwakta and the neighbouring village today.

No one ventured out because of the curfew, but the situation remained tense.

The local MLA from the ruling Congress, M. Prithviraj Singh, and CPI member N. Mangi Singh, representing the neighbouring constituency of Kumbi, today visited the two villages and tried to defuse the tension.

Mob torches house of suspected Manipur rapist

2009-10-23T08:38:00.001-07:00

KEIRAO - Irate mob burnt down the house of a person suspected of raping and murdering an 18-year-old woman, in Manipur’s Keirao District.

The victim Okram Tamphasana, wife of Chinglensana alias Naocha was found murdered inside a paddy field at Keirou Langthrei Loukon on October 20.
Her body is reported to have been recovered with visible symptoms of rape and several injury marks from a blunt weapon on her head.
Angry residents after getting to know that the suspected murderer was absconding burnt down his house.
“Culprit won’t be spared easily. We have burnt down his house because he had raped a girl and afterwards brutally killed her,” said Kamala Devi, a resident.
They say they will outcast the family.
The agitated mob stopped only when the fire tenders and the local policemen arrived at the spot.
“We are here to give protection to the people. As mob has already gathered, we need to take up necessary precautions so that the violence doesn’t spread further,” said S. Lalmohon Singh, sub-fire officer.

Manipur house torched

2009-10-22T23:00:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Oct. 22: Angry residents of Keirao and its neighbouring villages in Imphal East today torched the house of a suspected “rapist-murderer” after a search this morning failed to locate the person.

Hundreds of residents from five villages around Keirao set the empty house of Pukhram Momba Singh on fire this afternoon after dismantling a portion of it and destroying household articles.

Momba Singh, a resident of Keirao Bitra Mayai Leikai, is suspected to have raped and murdered his sister-in-law, 18-year-old Okram Tamphasana Devi on Tuesday.

Tamphasana Devi’s body, stripped to her lower garments, was recovered from a drain in Keirao area that morning. Police recovered a piece of cloth belonging to the victim and a blood-stained trouser of the accused from his house the same day.

Another mob lynched a suspect, Moirangthem Tiken, in the rape-cum-murder case of another woman, Sapam Memton Chanu, 35, this evening. Chanu’s body was found near Pukhao Khabam in Imphal East yesterday.

Housewife’s body found in Manipur

2009-10-21T00:01:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Oct. 21 : The battered body of a young housewife, stripped to her lower undergarments, was found alongside a drain near a paddy field in Imphal East this morning.

Okram Tamphasana Devi, 18, a resident of Serou in Thoubal district, went missing after she left an Imphal court with her brother-in-law, Pukhrambam Momba Singh, yesterday.

When her body was found, her torso looked untouched — though she had injury marks on her face — but the garment covering her lower body was missing. Police later found her phanek, a traditional skirt-like garment, lying a little away from her body. A blood-stained stone was also found near the spot.

From the manner in which the body was found, the police suspect the woman was raped before being beaten to death, probably by Momba Singh.

“Only a post-mortem report can confirm the rape ,” a police official who inspected the body said.

Momba Singh is the husband of Bimuta Devi, younger sister of Tamphasana’s husband, Okram Chinglensana.

Chinglensana in now in jail, having been arrested about three months back on charges of having links with militants.

Okram Indrani Devi, Tamphasana’s mother-in-law, had arrived in Imphal only yesterday.

Indrani Devi today said she, with Tamphasana and Momba Singh, had gone to an Imphal court in connection with her son’s case yesterday.

While she stayed back at the court to talk to their lawyer, Momba Singh and Tamphasana left for his house. Since then the two were missing until Tamphasana’s body was recovered this morning.

A police team visited the suspect’s house in Imphal today looking for Momba Singh but he could not be traced. Though the police have not disclosed any further detail, a source said the police had recovered some material evidence from Momba Singh’s house.

“We have made some progress in the investigation. We are looking for the brother-in-law for questioning. He is absconding,” a police source said.

‘Boy killer’ shot dead in Manipur

2009-10-20T09:21:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Oct. 19: Unidentified assailants shot dead a youth in the Kumbi area of Bishnupur district last night within hours of a nursery student being strangulated to death, allegedly by the slain youth.

The Uripok area in Imphal East district also erupted in anger today after a girl was injured by bullets fired by unidentified persons last night.

Police said trouble broke out after Soram Prabhakaran, 7, the son of a local businessman in Kumbi Bazar, went missing since 1pm yesterday. After five hours, his body was recovered from a bamboo grove, 1km from the market. The boy’s gold earrings and a silver necklace were found missing.

As the residents were holding a meeting in the market at night, they came to know that some people had caught hold of Pukhrambam Mangoljao Singh, 22, suspected to have killed Soram. They rushed to his house at Kangjeibung Mapal on the outskirts of the market.

When they reached there, some unidentified persons dragged Mangoljao away and later shot him dead.

His body was found this morning at Khordak Thongkhong, about 10km from his house.

The police found a note that read: “I am responsible for the murder of the boy. I have accepted the punishment meted out to me.”

In Uripok, the residents today staged a sit-in to protest the firing in the locality at 10.30 pm in which Yurembi Princi, 13, sustained bullet wounds in her left thigh.

Imphal PO re-opens passport counter

2009-10-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Imphal, October 20 : The Imphal Head Post Office has re-opened the facility of making passports.

Now, application forms for passports can be obtained and submitted to the office.

Talking to The Sangai Express, Postal Director Som Kamei said that application forms for passports have been made available at Imphal Head Post Office at the suggestion of senior citizens after communication with the Ministry of External Affairs.

Moreover, the Post Office has also started issuing passports after tying up with the regional passport office of Guwahati.

The same made available since last month, however, does not encompass provision for passport renewal.

"There are certain technical problems to add the facility renewal here", Som Kamei said.

Claiming that Manipur is the first state in the entire North East to distribute NREGS wages through post offices, Som Kamei asserted that it would be wrong to presume that post offices would not be able to handle NREGS wages even before opening accounts.

"There is no objection in opening accounts in the 53 sub-offices and 644 branch offices of Postal Department located in Manipur", he said.

The Postal Director assured that all necessary measures would be taken up.

"If there is shortage of staff or security concerns, the same would be addressed", he added.

So far the number of accounts opened in Post Office specifically for NREGS is 5219 for Bishnupur district, 4793 for Chandel, 4083 for Churachandpur, 34,097 for Imphal East, 50,299 for Imphal West, 4399 for Senapati, 92 for Tamenglong, 62,208 for Thoubal and 400 for Ukhrul district.

Till date, Post Office has distributed more than Rs 12 crores to NREGS job card holders, Som Kamei said.

Claiming that a new initiative named Project Arrow has been envisaged with a view to provide world class postal service at Imphal head office, Som Kamei said that the project would be activated in the last week of November or the first week of December.

Moreover, Imphal Head Post Office would have direct link with the Head Post Office of New Delhi.

It is reported that Project Arrow might be launched by Union Minister of State for Communications Sachin Pilot at Imphal.

Restive Manipur in a state of utter disarray

2009-10-19T00:56:00.001-07:00

Imphal | October 18 : Manipur has not had time for development. Each day is spent witnessing some sort of pandemonium. Things are in a state of utter disarray and this is visible in Imphal where not a day passes without some form of protest or another. Those observing the bizarre politics of Manipur from outside as well as inside cannot but wonder at the indifference and nonchalance of the government to the burning issues facing the state. The state government is as adamant in carrying out its stupefying agenda as the protestors are in coming out to the streets. Judging from the number of protests against the government and the effigies of the chief minister that are burnt at regular intervals, O Ibobi Singh seems to have alienated every right thinking citizen in the state. So who is the government of Manipur representing?
Though Manipur’s descent into chaos started some decades ago, things have only got worse with the death of Ch. Sanjit Singh, a reformed former militant, and Th. Rabina, a young pregnant mother, in an alleged fake encounter, which happened to be captured frame by frame by a local photographer and whose photos were published in the Delhi based weekly magazine Tehelka. Ibobi Singh now has blood in his hands, being the chief minister of Manipur leading the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government, holding the portfolio of the state home minister as well.
Having presided over the government of Manipur for five years and being re-elected for the second term, Ibobi Singh is now in his eighth year as the chief minister of Manipur. In these eight years, violence has escalated and fake encounters have become the order of the day, though none of them were captured in pictures as unequivocally as in the case of Ch. Sanjit at B.T. Road, Imphal on July 23, 2009.
Manipur today has been described as a “failed” state by academicians and theorists of democratic politics. It is difficult to think of other adjectives to describe a state where even school students are out of their classrooms and on the streets protesting against gross violations of human rights by both state and non-state actors, and who are at present deprived of attending their classes due to “class boycott” imposed on educational institutions by three prominent students organisations in the state as part of the intensification of agitation protesting the July 23 incident.
In recent times, the state, whether represented by the state or the central security forces, has been ruthless in its attempt to short-circuit militant activities. The methods adopted by the security forces, such as fake encounters, are considered by many to be self-defeating, as it is felt that using more violence to scale down violence only has a detrimental effect.
Although the present agitation spearheaded by the Apunba Lup, a conglomeration of civil society organizations in Manipur, protesting the July 23 killings is considered by many people to be justified, the sad part of the agitation is that it seems to have created a “divide” between the protagonists of the agitation and some sections of the society, which does not envisages good tidings for the society as a whole. One hopes and prays that better sense will prevail and a quick end to the present imbroglio is worked out by all concerned.

Can peace prevail in Manipur?

2009-10-18T09:23:00.001-07:00

Why not was the answer from a Manger of the lead bank of Manipur in a discussion on Aug. 1st recently. I had a chance to lodge a complaint for blurred and indelible account statement in my bank pass books updated by the computer operator of the Bank, to their Manager briefing him that I am a regular customer of their Bank but my genuine grievances could not be solved by the Bank.
The Manager showed anguish and expressed that no expert computer experts of their defective computers inspite of several reminders sent to their Head Office in N.E. state. Then I raised another suggestion why can’t you engage local experts. What he replied, there no local experts for quality repairing. Moreover he reiterated that he is fed up to work in Manipur where their is no work culture among the employees and in the existing environment of Manipur.
When enquired about his whereabouts, the reply was he hails from N.E. state. When I suggested why not N.E. states (8) form a region where all the people can lead a viable and peaceful life. He agreed to my proposal, he further reiterated, of course, who will bell the cat? The underground organizations are growing like mushroom in the N.E. areas, more so Manipur has an alarming nos. Assam has ULFA / BODO, Tripura- T.P.D.F, M.P.L.F Manipur with another 29 such organizations, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalay, Arunachal but Sikim is peaceful. How can they meet and found out a solution with varied aim and object, varied interest and without people’s support, the Manager expressed. He further continued that for bringing development and peace in N.E. states other than Manipur, the underground organizations started realizing people’s mind and opinion, which are expressed openly at every nook and corner like meeting place, group discussions, seminars, social functions / festivals etc.
Lastly, I expressed that People’s movement would be the need of the hour in N.E.S. particularly in Manipur with the aim of achieving ‘Green Revolution’ (not insurgency Revolution) through work culture which could bring a peaceful life for all half- hearted and Psychologically suffered Manipuris.

Drug protest rocks RIMS

2009-10-16T23:46:00.001-07:00

300 stockists stage sit-in

Members of the Manipur Chemists and Druggists Association stage a demonstration on Friday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Oct. 17 : Three hundred medicine storeowners today staged a sit-in in front of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences demanding closure of two stores opened on the hospital campus two months ago, fearing monopoly of drugs sale in the area.

The medical superintendent of the institute, Y. Mohen Singh, however, said the demand was unreasonable and there was no question of closing the two stores on the campus.

The institute opened two medicine stores two months’ ago after inviting tenders to “facilitate” patients in procuring medicine easily and at “subsidised rates”.

Mohen said anybody buying medicines from these two stores are getting a 10 per cent discount.

There is a 12 per cent discount for people with below poverty line cards and 15 per cent discount for cancer patients.

Besides, buying medicines from these shops also saves valuable time.

“We are taking minimal rent from the two stores. Our objective is to make medicine available easily and at discounted rates. The institute does not get any benefit from opening the two counters. It is purely for the benefit of the patients. If the patients say they do not want medicines on discounts, we will be happy to close the two stores,” Mohen said.

The Manipur Chemists and Druggists Association charged that opening the two stores on the hospital campus was an attempt to monopolise the medicine business by RIMS in the garb of discounts.

The standoff reached a flashpoint today when all the stockists in the state cut off supplies to the two medicine stores.

They are now procuring medicines from outside the state.

Manipur lightning bandh on Monday

2009-10-16T23:40:00.001-07:00

Imphal | October 17 : A “chakka bandh” has been called from 6 am to 6 pm on October 19 in Manipur by the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) to press the government of Manipur to announce the date of Autonomous District Council elections forthwith. This decision was unanimously resolved by district representatives of IDF at a meeting held on Friday in Imphal.
Speaking to Newmai News Network, the president of IDF Ngachomi Chamroy said all the hill districts will resort to different forms of agitations indefinitely after the “chakka bandh” till the demand is fulfilled. “This is a democratic fight to the finish,” the IDF president said. For the past 20 years, the government of Manipur have been saying that elections to ADC is going to be held, the last announcement being April 18, 2008 as the election date announced by the chief minister of Manipur O Ibobi Singh, said Chamroy.
It is not surprising that the ADC election has not been held even now, stated the president of IDF, adding that the government cannot ‘fool all the people all of the time.’ Continuing his assault on the delay-tactics of the government in holding the ADC election, Ngachomi Chamroy asserted that many people have been convinced by the government that the ADC election will happen now automatically.
The alibi given a month earlier to the centre by the government of Manipur for not announcing the date of the ADC election was the delimitation process being incomplete; now that the delimitation process is complete, what is stopping the government of Manipur from announcing the date of ADC election, he queried. A memorandum has also been submitted to the chief minister of Manipur today demanding announcement of the date of the ADC elections immediately.

An interview with Sitara Begum -- a shining star for Muslim women in Manipur

2009-10-15T11:29:00.001-07:00

By Anjuman Ara Begum, TwoCircles.net,

Sitara Begum hails from Porompat area in Imphal, Manipur. A renowned social activist in the state and presently head of the NGO United Manipur Muslim Women Development Organisation. Begum did B.A. in 1980 at the age of 26 and became the second female graduate among Muslims in Manipur. Her contribution to the uplift of Manipuri Muslim women is astounding. Her own life is a piece of inspiration for thousands of Muslim women in the state who were denied basic rights in the name of religion. In an interview with Anjuman Ara Begum of TwoCircles.net, Sitara Begum talked about her life and work.

Tell me about your family

My father was Late Abdul Wahab and mother Late Sona Hambi. We were 10 siblings - 7 brothers and 3 sisters. I am 6th child of my parent. I am married and have four children - two daughters and two sons.

How did you start working for the society?

I used to take all kids of my area to school when I was only 6 years old. Villagers liked me a lot for this. I was famous. I was born in 1961. I was only 14-years-old when I got married. At that time I had just passed class 10th. I had no knowledge and my level of understanding was very low. I had given birth to five children when I turned 20. Then one day I became nearly hysterical thinking that I need to do something. I cannot live a life like this. I went to the doctor and did sterilization. I took admission in class 11th and completed my B.A. in 1980 at the age of 26. I became the second female graduate among Muslims in Manipur. I was the first woman to sing song in radio. In school I had a group of 10 girls and we were very active though there were restrictions from the family and community. I loved reading books.

Then?

I helped about 300 women to sterilization. I opened a school at my own house and started to educate adult females of my community.

Did you face resistance for such work?

Yes. People laughed at me as I was teaching housewives and elderly women. People made fun of me. But it did not stop me. Now I want that Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme should start in my area. I went to CM's office and got the order yesterday (October 3, 2009).

Were your students happy?

Yes. They were very happy. Many women could count their money and read letters and newspapers.

How long you taught like this?

This school continued for 6 months. Then I established an organization called United Manipur Muslim Women Development Organisation. I don't get fund for my organization. I never run after funds. I want to empower women of all communities. Today people recognize me as a Muslim woman from Manipur. People recognize me and my contribution. I have traveled all over India and talked about my community. People from all over the world came and visited my hut and talked to me. This is my satisfaction. There is power in unity and fun in working together. I want to see all our communities get united.

What is the main work of your organization?

We are giving vocational training in tailoring and other similar works. After training they go back and work in their localities. We run schools for housewives. Also, we conduct awareness campaigns on domestic violence and violence against women in general.

What is the population of your area?

About 30 thousand people live in Porompat area. Muslims, Nagas, Meitei all are here.

What is the main occupation of the people here?

Mainly agriculture, many others are daily wagers.

What about the education level?

It's very low. Very few graduates are here. And educated women are very less. Only 7 women are graduates here.

What do you think about the Muslim insurgency in Manipur?

In 1993, a fight between Meitei Muslims and Meiteis took place and unfortunately, I think, that gave birth to Muslim insurgency. And later we came to know that some Muslims groups are active here. Situation is quite tense here. Everyday newspapers are flooded with the news of killings. Peoples are afraid to come out. Many people don't have TV. So they don't know what's happening outside. We conduct door to door awareness campaign for women to be aware of the existing situation.

What is the solution to insurgency here?

I don't believe that killing will solve the problem. We need to have peace dialogue. We need to stop fake encounter killings. The struggle will go on.

What about the fear level in people's mind?

We don't go out after 7 pm. There is wide spread extortion. People are afraid to come out.

How do you view Manipur in 10 years now?

I think in ten years from now, the problem of insurgency will be solved. Otherwise there will be civil war.

(Sitara Begum can be contacted on 09856116315 or at her home in Hafiz Hatta, Minuthong, Imphal)

Five militants killed in Manipur shootout

2009-10-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

IMPHAL - Five separatist guerrillas were killed and a police commando injured in a gun battle between the militants and security personnel in Manipur, an official said Sunday.

A police spokesperson said the shootout took place late Saturday at Leimaram village, about 30 km south of Imphal, between militants of the outlawed Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) and a joint team of army soldiers and police commandos.

“The militants fired at the security patrol and in retaliatory attacks, five KYKL militants were gunned down. A police commando was also injured in the encounter,” a police official said requesting anonymity.

A large number of weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants.

The KYKL is fighting for an independent homeland for the majority Metei community in Manipur, a state of 2.4 million people bordering Myanmar.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Manipur during the past two decades.

Manipur Rifles unit takes lead in green earth campaign

2009-10-05T04:20:00.000-07:00

Imphal, October 5 : Notwithstanding their heavy schedule in the maintenance of law and order in the State, comparatively peaceful atmosphere prevalent in Tamenglong district is being showcased by the number of cherry trees nurtured along the curvy highway stretch that leads to the district headquarters.

Thanks of relative peace in the district security forces, particularly personnel of the 5th Manipur rifles battalion had been able to contribute their mite in the protection of the environment through tree plantation activities.

Under the aegis of the battalion's Commanding Officer KC Lokho the mR personnel had embarked on the noble mission to protect the environment and begun cherry tree plantation activities since 1995 and the result is being reaped today as weary travellers on this accident-prone road could atleast stop to not only get engrossed in the beauty of the surrounding but also realise that gun-totting security personnel also have a humane heart and cares for the nature.

Cherry trees planted, groomed and protected by the 5th MR personnel adding serenity to the Tamenglong-Khongsang road

Beginning from Khongsang village the entire roadside upto Tamenglong district headquarters is being dotted with cherry trees.

Even though the serene atmosphere in Tamenglong district sometimes get shattered when gun-fights break out, mostly inter-factional showdowns, the district is today among the most peaceful zone in Manipur even since the Central Government signed ceasefire with the Naga rebel group the NSCN (IM).

It is informed that the cherry tree plantation programme began with over 1000 saplings brought from Mao sub-division of Senapati district.

Initially, the vision of the MR unit's CO to beautify parts of Tamenglong district as supplementary contribution to the global initiative of retaining the earth's green cover seems headed for disaster as there was hardly any assistance from the locals.

Apart from villagers that reside along the route uprooting newly planted saplings to plant them at their own places, stray cattles used to trample them thereby leading to premature withering of the cherry trees.

Undeterred by such setbacks, the MR personnel stubbornly persisted with their non-combat task and went on replenishing the damaged section and ultimately succeeded in their mission that today villagers prefer to rest under the cherry trees and appreciate its beauty.

Cherry flowers are said to blossom in November and the rows of plantation along Tamenglong-Khongjarol are on the verge to blossom.

Preferring to stay aloof from the media limelight inspite of his personal contribution to the cherry tree plantation endeavour the 5th MR CO cut short a recent attempt by this reporter to extract comment from KC Lokho who only muttered that the plantation activities began about 15 years back.

Despite the CO's reluctance to be drawn into the chat, some battalion personnel conveyed that on a regular basis teams of MR personnel are despatched for nurturing and protection of the cherry trees by plucking weeds and clearing overgrowths thereby also able to present a clean look of the surroundings.

When the assigned task is not so arduous or little tending is required the personnel's service are utilised in mending potholes along the highway stretch, they informed.

Expressing that there had been appreciative remarks from travellers upon witnessing beauty of the area, the MR personnel humbly commented that they could atleast extend some contribution in not only retaining the district's green foliage but could also chip in controlling soil erosion.

While most of the battalion campus had been covered with fully grown cherry trees, it is said that the CO has plans to spread the cherry tree plantation programme on an even wider scale in the district.

Students agitators reject CM`s call for end to class boycott

2009-10-02T03:50:00.000-07:00

IMPHAL, Oct 1: The three students bodies AMSU, MSF and KSA which have been spearheading the current class-boycott stir have rejected chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh`s appeal for ending their agitation.

After a long silence, the chief minister made an appeal to the three students bodies to end their stir while speaking at the closing function of the Schools Meet yesterday.

In a joint statement, the students bodies said the chief minister`s appeal has no meaning as people`s appeal for his resignation on moral ground has not been met. The students` bodies will consider the appeal only after Ibobi has resigned and punishments have been awarded to commandos involved in the Khwairamband killing.

It said by giving misleading information to the Central leaders that the current agitation in Manipur is instigation by underground elements, the chief minister is trying to save his position. His efforts are proving to be fruitless and it is like fetching water in a hollow pot, the statement said.

Reacting to chief minister`s reported statement regarding distribution of live bullets to heads of some schools, the students bodies said it was Ibobi`s drama to malign the image of the students bodies and a ploy to paint the current movement as one instigation by militants.

The three students bodies also warned of stern action against five schools which defied the class-boycott agitation.

The schools are RUDA Academy, Thoubal Wangma Taba, Peace and Freedom Academy, Thoubal Haokha, Briliant Academy, Thoubal Mela ground, KM Blooming school, Khangabok and Anandpurna School, Thoubal Tumjing Makhong.

Asking the authorities of all the five schools to explain in writings for opposing the peoples` movement and defying class-boycott stir within October 5, the students bodies warn of taking up stern action as announced earlier.

The students bodies however assured to relax its stance if the school authorities clarified through media about their wrong deeds and stop resuming classes.

Nine held in connection with bomb case

2009-09-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Sept 27 (PTI) Nine persons have so far been arrested in connection with the September 18 incident in which some unidentified persons kept a car-bomb at Manipur Raj Bhavan complex, officials said today.

They said all the nine were being interrogated.

On September 18, some unknown persons, who came on the pretext of submitting a memorandum to Governor Gurbachan Jagan, left a car laden with 25 kgs of explosives and three hand grenades, they said.

The explosives were later defused by bomb experts of Manipur police.

Militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council had earlier claimed that they had kept the explosives and added that it could hit any VIP area in the state at their will.

Govt begins major revamping of its counter insurgency organs on MHA model

2009-09-27T09:50:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL, Sept 26: In what is an obvious statement of intent of the manner the state government plans to conduct its counter insurgency campaign, the government has begun the process of revamping its police along a model recomemded recently by the Ministry of Home Affairs, MHA, Government of India.

The move had been given the green signal by the state Cabinet on September 1.

According to a highly placed official source from the state Home departrment, state the government while taking up measures for the strengthening of the state police force, is paying special priorities to strengthening the state intelligence department.

As the logical next step, the government approved the appointment of 252 additional posts for CID, Special Branch (SB) including one SP, 4 DSPs, one SO, 38 Inspectors, 77 Sub-inspectors, 25 Assistance Sub-inspectors, 29 Head Constable, 76 Constables, 2 UDA, one LDC, and one Sweeper.

Further the state gogverment has initiated the process for the raising an additional strength of 3100 Village Defence Force (VDF) after reviewing the requirement of various districts and sub-divisions.

Total of 300 VDF are approved for the recuritment for Jiribam sub-division of Imphal East district another 300 for Tamenglong, 200 each for Sadar Hills areas, Senapati district and Chandel districts, 300 each for Imphal West, Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts, 400 each for Imphal East and Thoubal districts.

Further, state government in order to meet the additional pressure on training facilities for the new recruits, has also approved the upgradation of the existing Manipu Police Training School Pangei to the status of full fledged Training College and opening of subsidiary training centre at Jiribam sub-division by creating 389 additional posts including on Joint Director at the rank of IGP, three deputy directors at the ranks of DIGs, six assistant director at the rank of SPs/Cos, 23 Subedars, 21 Jamandars, 71 Havildars, 267 Rilfe men, 31 followers, one Medical Officer, one Pharmacist, one nurse, one carrier, one stenographer, one head clerk, two UDC, three LDCs and also approved up the additional posts of 227 of Rilfe men in the ongoing recruitment process the official source added.

Further the governmnet has approved the opening of 11 new police stations at the vulnerable areas of both valley and hill districts of the state, which includes police stations at Yaingangpokpi, Maphou Dam, Boro Bekra at Jiribam sub-division, Heirok, Khongjom, Hiyanglam, Wangoo and New Keithel Manbi, Arong Nongmaikhong, Keibul Lamjao and Phoubakchao.

In order to meet the required strength of the new approved police stations state government also approved for the creation of posts 44 Inspectors, 55 sub-inspectors, 44 Head Constables, 451 constables, 33 drivers, the official source added.

On the other hand, even though the state government has begun the process of the heavy intake of fresh recruits into its police fore it is still unable to the announced the result of the recruitment tests for the different ranks in police department which was conducted more than seven months ago.

This has given ample reason for candidates that bribes may ultimately be the criterion for the induction into the state forces.

Rescheduled hearing on PDS concludes

2009-09-27T00:57:00.000-07:00

IMPHAL, Sept 27 : The public hearing conducted by a Central Vigilance Commitee team on PDS participated by consumers card holders representatives of FPS dealers association, NGOs (women self help group), transporters, etc which was rescheduled today was concluded this afternoon at Hotel Imphal.

It may be mention that the public hearing was scheduled for yesterday at Manipur State Guest House in the evening but due public protests alleging that the committee deliberately held the hearing in the evening in order to conclude the hearing without any substantive issues regarding the Public Distribution System (PDS) raised, it had to be rescheduled for today.

However, despite the acrimony yesterday the attendance today was aparse with only some people from Churachanpur, Bishnupur, and Imphal East and West districts attending.

Briefing media the Chairman of Central Vigilance Committee D.P. Wadhwa said that the committee has been examining all the reports which were submitted to the committee.

He said a lot of people said that there is always shortage in PDS products reaching the people.

He said in order to ensure performance the committee is going to take all the reports and submit it to the Central government. Those found derelicting thier responsibilities would be awarded punishment as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

The Zomi Economic Planning and Development Agency (ZEPADA) of churanchanpur mentioned that since 2006, the ZEPADA and other Churachandpur-civil societies have been relentlessly trying to improve PDS and in this connection, different forms of protest were held including a "mass empty-Pot rally against malfunctioning of PDS in Churachandpur".

Numerous representation have been made to appropriate authorities and because of its campaign the PDS has improved to some extent but the satisfactory performance is a distant dream still, they said.

Development agencies however maintained that allocation for Churachandpur district is only 5430.30 quintals of food grain, 182 KL of kerosene and 957 quintals of sugar and as per record available with the district FCS department, 9678 BPL families and 5836 AAY card holders are enlisted as PDS beneficiaries which are only 22.75 percent abd 13.71 percent respectively of 42538 households in the district and the district monthly allocation of sugar is only 2 kgs per family.

The agency also suggested the committee that additional allocation of food grain needs to be made for Churachanpur District and to fresh BPL census need to be conducted immediately in order to include all deserving landless tribals residing in the hilly terrain under BPL category which will ensure food security.

Later, the Chairman of the committee gave assurance to the development agency to inquire about the issue by submitting the report to the central government and take necessary action against the agencies and other concern authorities.

The Central Vigilance Committee on Public Distribution System members head by Justice D.P. Wadhwa arrived Imphal yesterday in order to study targeted PDS in Manipur.

Manipur villagers return home

2009-09-26T02:04:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Sept. 25: Residents of Chingnungkok, a Meitei village in Manipur’s Imphal East district, returned to their homes today after a meeting with the neighbouring Tangkhul Naga village of Happy Land where they decided to maintain peace in the area and defend themselves from armed groups unitedly. The Chingnungkok villagers had fled their homes yesterday after suspected activists of the Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Council), a militant organisation having a majority of Meitei cadres, abducted two Naga villagers from Happy Land and killed them on Wednesday night.

The bodies of N.K. Jayson, 33, a clerk in the village church, and S. Vencher, 36, a member of the village authority, were found on the road connecting Happy Land and Chingnungkok yesterday.

Amid mounting tension, residents of the two villages held a meeting at Happy Land this morning.

“We held a meeting and agreed to maintain peace in our villages. The situation is now better and Chingnungkok villagers have returned home,” N.K. Ninghor, the secretary of Happy Land Joint Action Committee, said.

Villagers of Happy Land, who were outraged by the attack on Wednesday night, were pacified today after chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh assured a delegation of the Happy Land Joint Action Committee that security would be provided to the villagers.

The delegation submitted a charter of demands to the chief minister. “Had the police or security personnel taken timely measures in the area, the unfortunate incident of kidnapping and killing of two persons and torching of the house of the village chief would not have taken place,” the memorandum stated.

The delegation demanded Rs 10 lakh each as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased villagers and a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the chief’s torched kitchen. It has set a deadline of September 27.

“The chief minister assured us that our demands would be considered and fulfilled,” Ninghor said.The villagers of Happy Land received the bodies of Jayson and Vencher from the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences after the chief minister’s assurance.

Five more persons have been arrested in connection with the planting of a car bomb inside the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on September 18, says our correspondent.

“We have arrested five more persons and are questioning them,” Imphal West senior SP L. Kailun said.

With this the total number of persons arrested has gone up to nine.

The five arrested yesterday were identified as Kh. Jiten, Ch. Laingam, Kh. Naba, R.K. Ingocha and S. Sanayaima.

They were produced before the judicial magistrate, first class, Shantibala Devi, this afternoon and remanded in police custody till October 3. The other four are also in police custody.

The KCP (MC) had claimed to be behind the parking of the Maruti 800, with 25kg explosives hidden under its cushion cover, in the parking lot of the Raj Bhavan.

The focus of the investigation now is to find out the real owner of the car and the two mobile phones fitted to the improvised explosive device in the car.
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PDS public hearing adjurned amidst heated protests

2009-09-26T02:03:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Sept 26 : A Public Hearing with consumers (card holders), representatives of FDS dealers association, NGOs (Women Self Help Group), transporters and etc which was organized by Central Vigilance Committee on Public Distribution System (PDS) today at Manipur State Guest House concluded somewhat on a pessimistic note.

The audience publicly charged the committee of intentionally holding the hearing in the evening so that the people did not have the time to come up with substantive questions regarding the PDS.

They alleged that the organisers would certainly be aware that people residing in the far flung areas would have difficulty travelling in the evening.

The concern however was put at rest with the committee agreeing to make amends by rescheduling the same hearing tomorrow morning at Hotel Imphal in the interest of people.

Earlier denying the allegation of deliberate manipulation of time, Committee Chairman Justice D.P. Wadhwa said that it was not intentional. He said the committee does not have any hidden agenda in its present campaign.

It may be recalled, the committee is headed by Justice D.P. Wadhwa, as chairman, Dayan Krishnan, Head of the Legal Team, Meenakshi Chauhan, Maomi Chandra and Shohit Choudhary, members.

The team is on a visit to the state to study targeted PDS in Manipur. The committee arrived today at Imphal by the afternoon flight and after arriving at the Imphal airport directly proceed to meet with chief secretary, principal secretary, department of FCS and other concerned officers and regional head of FCI at Manipur secretariat, Imphal.

Later they held a public hearing at Manipur State Guest House at Sanjenthong.

The Public hearing was attended by various representatives, presidents of each and every locality of the state and NGOs who come up with several question regarding the irregularities of PDS to the public in their localities in particular and to the entire state in general.

President of Luwang Consumer Club from Imphal East area maintained that the consumers in his locality do not get sufficient rice for a long time and on 19 percent of the commodity was distributed against the stipulated 35 percent each consumer is entitled.

He further noted the locality also does not get the exact amount of kerosene when it was distributed to the people, when 4 litres of Kerosene should be distribute they only get 2 litres.

He also revealed that the club receive around 30 to 40 complaints lodged by the consumers of the locality. He requested the committee to look into the matter and help the people especially those living Below the Poverty Line.

Another woman from Khongjom Sapam Mayai Leikai stressed that it is due to the negligence and weakness of the state government that the people of the state are facing various forms of problems with regard to the PDS.

Such problems have been endemic for a long time. In fact they are today a new tradition of governance.

She said it is the high time the committee did the needful to address these issues earnestly.

Women lead movement against human right violations in Imphal

2009-09-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL - Women here took out a torch rally intensifying movement against the human right violations allegedly by security personnel.

Apunba Lup, an umbrella organization of local groups, has been spearheading the agitation demanding removal of state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, and punishment to the involved commandos.

Protesters alleged that police personnel used tear gas shells, rubber bullets, mock bombs, batons and firearms to suppress the mass movement.

“What people want is that if government doesn’t take any action then we will participate in the mass movement led by Apunba Lup ceaselessly. If we don’t support this movement, then all women here would become widows. So, we have to go forward with the movement with courage,” said Ibemhal Devi, a protestor.

The mass movement has intensified since September 22. Several rallies have been conducted in all the districts of the state and effigies are regularly burnt.

Manipur has been on the boil since the killing of a pregnant woman and a suspected militant in a shootout on July 23 near the building of the state legislature in Imphal. Five others were injured in the shootout.

Protestors in the state are demanding stringent action against the police commandos allegedly involved in the shootout, which they have branded as a ‘fake encounter’.

Civil leaders' arrest protested at Delhi

2009-09-25T00:43:00.002-07:00

New Delhi, September 25 : Showing their solidarity and support to the people of Manipur in their demand for justice, civil society groups, social activists and other eminent individuals staged a protest demonstration in front of Manipur Bhavan here today.

In the wake of the arrest of environmentalist Jiten Yumnam, who was allegedly tortured by the state police, the demonstrators demanded immediate and unconditional release of all social activists arrested along with him.

Civil society members and human right activists staging a protest at Manipur Bhavan, New Delhi

They also demanded befitting punishment of all police personnel who were responsible for the BT Road killings as well as scrapping of AFSPA.

A memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi was also submitted to Resident Commissioner Shambhu Singh.

The same memorandum would be sent to the Prime Minister with endorsement from civil organisations and other eminent individuals in the day.

The organisations that took part in the demonstration today included National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW), All India Students Association (AISA), SAHELI, All India Progressive Women's Association, Peoples' Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), Naga People's Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Campaign for Peace and Democracy (Manipur), People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and Delhi Solidarity Group (DSG).

The memorandum signed by more than 30 organisations and several other eminent individuals from all over India was also sent to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Referring to the July 23 Khwairamband killings, the memorandum observed that instead of responding to the democratic and legitimate demands of its people for justice and action against guilty police personnel, the State Government led by Okram Ibobi has replied with brute force and imposed curfew in the state, and tried to cover up the story in the State Legislative Assembly.

To the democratic protests of the people for resignation of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and punishment of the guilty police personnel, the Government of Manipur responded with repressive measures like imposition of curfew, violent attacks on the protesters and the arrest of the civil society organisation leaders.

It cited the arrest of several members of the Apunba Lup, the All Manipur United Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) and environmental activist Jiten Yumnam who has been allegedly subjected to third degree torture in police custody.

"The severity of the current crisis in Manipur can be judged by the fact that it is almost impossible to find legal assistance for those arrested in the state today.

The situation is absolutely unacceptable.

There is an urgent need to intervene against the undemocratic and autocratic nature of the Government in Manipur", it pointed out.

Rights panel summons Manipur cops

2009-09-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Imphal, Sept. 24: The Manipur Human Rights Commission today issued summons to two police officers in connection with the July 23 firing that killed Rabina Devi and Ch. Sanjit.

Defying the Okram Ibobi Singh government’s directive to discontinue the inquiry proceedings, the commission issued the summons to the senior superintendent of police, Imphal West, L. Kailun, and the officer-in-charge of the police commando unit of the district, Krishna Tombi Singh, asking them to appear before it on September 29 at its Lamphelpat office.

The state human rights commission took up the case after Rabina’s husband Thokchom Chinglensana lodged a complaint with it.

The government has appointed P.G. Agrawal, a retired judge of Gauhati High Court, to conduct the probe. The judicial commission was set up on August 27.

It will ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident and make recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future.

The rights panel has sought identities and particulars of the policemen who witnessed the incident.

It also directed the director-general of police, Yumnam Joykumar Singh, to submit a copy of the statement given by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on the floor of the Assembly in connection with the firing on the day of the incident.

In a letter dated August 26, the government asked the rights panel to stop its inquiry into the killing of the pregnant woman and the former militant on the ground that a judicial inquiry was in place to find out the circumstances leading to the deaths and injuries to five others on Bir Tikendrajit Road here.

In his statement, Ibobi Singh, who is also the home minister, told the House that indiscriminate firing by Sanjit killed Rabina Devi and wounded five others.

Ibobi Singh said Sanjit had fired at a police frisking party and was killed in retaliatory fire.

The Apunba Lup, a conglomeration of NGOs, has decided not to depose before the judicial commission and called the process a meaningless exercise.

Militants force shutdown in Manipur

2009-07-21T08:08:00.001-07:00

SENAPATI - A 48-hour shutdown against the Central Government’s decision to deploy additional forces has crippled life in five hill districts of Manipur.

The shutdown called by the United Naga Council (UNC) is supported by some tribal organisations.

In Senapati district, life came to a grinding halt as shops and other establishments closed in compliance with the shutdown call.

Vehicles remained off the roads and busy market areas wore a deserted look.

Last month, the Manipur Government deployed around 700 India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel and 300 police commandos in some districts of the state to help the local police combat rebels and maintain law and order.

Many residents feel that the presence of security forces would result in clashes with militants in the region. (ANI)

Pineapple queen contest

2009-07-21T01:08:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 21 : As a part of promotional campaign and to harness the talent of young girls of Manipur, the Manipur Pineapple Festival Committee is organising the prestigious Manipur Pineapple Queen Contest on August 21, 2009 at Khousabung DCC Headquarters, Churachandpur, as a part of the forthcoming State Level Manipur Pineapple Festival, 2009, according to a statement issued by the secretary of MPFC.

Aspiring contestants between the ages of 15-25 years may collect contestant forms at any of the counters given: Film Care, Yaiskul, Imphal (9862577217); Machaleima Telecommunication (Boyai PCO), Moirang Lamkhai, 03879-262498; and Songbul News Agency, Thangzam Road, Churachandpur.

The last date of submission of form is August 5, it added.

AFSPA to remain in force in Manipur

2009-07-20T08:57:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 20 (PTI) The controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) would not be withdrawn from Manipur because of continuing militant activities, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today said.

Replying to a question in the House, Singh said that although the AFSPA was withdrawn from seven assembly constituencies in Imphal municipal area last year following protests from NGOs, the act would remain in force in all other areas in view of the militant activities.

On steps taken by his government to save the life of social activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has gone on a fast unto death demanding withdrawal of the Act, Singh said special facilities, including medical care and security, is being provided to her at the J N Hospital here.

German measles outbreak in Manipur

2009-07-20T00:54:00.001-07:00

Satyajit Usham

With confirmed cases in Imphal East district, the state of Manipur is witnessing an outbreak of German measles, for the first time in its history. German measles, a contagious viral disease that is a milder form of measles, lasts three to four days.

FDA Seized of Paracetamol Overdosing
FOR THE first time in its history, the state of Manipur, is witnessing an outbreak of German measles, with confirmed cases in Imphal East district. German measles, a contagious viral disease that is a milder form of measles, lasts three to four days and can damage a foetus during the first trimester.

Dr W Motilal, Director of Health Services, in the Manipur government, said that the State's first-ever outbreak of German measles, had been confirmed in the Khurai Puthiba locality of Imphal East district. The results of nine samples which had been sent to the National Institute of Communicable Disease (NICD) in New Delhi for testing, have returned as positive.

Dr Motilal reported that the laboratory testing for German measles was confirmed on July 16, though the report was received only on Friday (July 17). He added that the test conducted in the Indian Council of Medical Research at Dibrugarh on the urine samples and the throat swabs collected from Khurai Lairikyengbam Leikai,following suspected outbreak of measles in first week of last months, have been found to be negative.

Following suspected cases of measles in Khurai Lairikyengbam Leikai area in the first week of June, health workers have also screened 832 children in the age group of three to 13 years in the neighbouring Khurai Puthiba Leikai. Out of the 30 children showing signs of fever, samples of nine children had been send to the NICD for testing and all nine samples tested positive for German measles. Taking serious note of the development, the director of health services has written to the State government recommending inclusion of MMR - Measles, Mumps and Rubella in the normal immunisation of children.

According to doctors of the health services, German measles is a milder form of measles that lasts for three to four days. The main symptoms include fever and distinct red spots followed by rashes. The viral infection can be spread through droplets from sneezing and coughing. In the case of a male child, the virus normally attacks the heart, while it may lead to blindness in case of female child. The doctors added that the outbreak of German measles was common during summer season.

MEELAL concerned over 50% mixture of English with Manipuri

2009-07-20T00:53:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Jul 20: President of Meetei Erol Eyek Loinashillon Apunba Lup (MEELal), Ngaseppam Yumjao today expressed serious concern over "almost 50% replacement of Manipuri words by English words".

In an exclusive interview, Ngaseppam Yumjao told this newspaper said that the lingua franca of the state, Meeteilon also known as Manipuri has been inccreasingly mixed with English language to the lelvel of almost 50% day by day.

He said, since the parents were interested in sending their children to English medium schools so that they would learn English language, the influence of English language has become deeply rooted in the mindset of the students.

Giving an example, the president of MEELAL said, since the olden days of our forefathers, we have been using the word of gate of our homes as Konthong.

But today the word Konthong has disappeared, and it has been replaced with the English word "gate." The present day children do not know that the word Konthong is their mother-tongue, he said.

Yumjao also pointed out the word Amangshang and said that the younger generation of today use the English word "latrine" only in place of Amangshang.

Thus, the Meeteilon is losing its vocabulary day by day, Yumjao lamented.

A community, of which language and script are slowly disappearing, is a community that is also slowly vanishing, Yumjao said adding that even though the script is being studied as part of the syllabus in the schools, we need to protect the language and script properly.

Even in the highest centre of education in the state, which is Manipur University, the number of students who come for studies in Manipuri department has gone down considerably this year, Yumjao said.

But the number of students who want to study English is very high.

Therefore it high time experts and intellectuals of Manipur got together and discussed the issue which is a matter of serious concern, the MEELAL president opined.

In this regard, MEELAL joined hands with Kangleipak Loinashillon Apunba Lup (KALAM) and Manipuri Language and Literature Development Forum, Manipur University and formed a body called Maheiroishingda Meeteilon Tamhannaba Apunba Takshin Lup.

The body will organise a two-day seminar on the same theme on August 27 and 28 at GM hall here.

Teachers of MU and Colleges and many eminent personalities are expected to take part in the seminar.

Certain resolutions will be taken by the seminar which will be implemented, he said.

Khuga dam breaching not a big problem, says CM

2009-07-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

Imphal, July 18 : There is no question of any major breakdown at the Khuga dam in Churachandpur and the government is considering official inauguration of the Khuga Multi-purpose Project by December this year.

This was mentioned by chief minister O Ibobi Singh in a supplementary answer made in the House this morning in addition to the reply of state IFCD minister N Biren, during a calling attention motion jointly moved by senior opposition MLA, O Joy Singh and MLA, T Hankhanpao on the collapse of an earthen embankment of the Khuga canal at T Daijang village.

The chief minister further mentioned that the state government is promoting the Khuga Multi-purpose Project as one of the state’s prestigious projects and operational activities for the construction had been activated with the establishment of the SPF government way back in the year 2000.

He further said that the small complaints over the leakages and breaching of the irrigation canal of the dam are operational problems which can be repaired. The officials of the concerned department have been giving full attention to the trial operation of irrigation through the canal and the breaching of the embankment had occurred due to prolonged exposure, he maintained.

The chief minister also mentioned that the SPF government overcame many problems in the speedy construction of the Khuga Multi-purpose Project, officially started in 1983 by the then government in the state which had given priority to the construction of the canal portion only.

He said with the installation of the SPF government during 2000, the priority work of construction of the main earthen dam, spillway and power component of the project had been taken up. On completion of the earthen dam and spillway portions of the project the department addressed the problem of water scarcity and started the irrigation component of the project on trial basis. The leakages and breaches on the canal portion of the earthen dam was due to lack of maintenance, and the problem would be solved in near future as the department’s officials are aware of the problem, he added.

In the meantime, state IFCD minister N Biren gave an assurance to the House that there is no need for apprehension on the dam breaking down in its final stages of completion, and the earthen embankment of the canals are not a source of worry.

The IFCD minister further said the earthen canal of the project was not constructed under the tenure of the SPF government. He maintained that in view of the irregular maintenance of the canals officials and engineers of the state IFCD had been assigned to look for any malfunctions during the trial run of the irrigation components of the dam since last year.

In the meantime, while raising the calling attention senior opposition MLA, O Joy and local MLA, T Hankhanpao pointed out the apprehension felt by the public following the breaching of the earthen embankment of the irrigation canal and questioned if the same would not happen to the main earthen dam.

Both the MLAs also drew the attention of the state government and concerned ministers towards taking of necessary steps for preventing any irregularities in the various components of the project as the local people have high expectations from the dam and its resources.

M Kaimuanthang adds from Churachandpur: The Khuga Dam Contractors Association has yet again threatened the government to launch an agitation within the next few days if the government fails to pay up all pending liabilities pertaining to works executed in the Khuga head works and other components by the authorised or unauthorised contractors.

The president of the association, Hauthang while disclosing this plan has reiterated to the IFP that if "we are not given funds by this month we will resort to any form of agitation."

According to sources, a high power meeting held earlier in the presence of the chief minister O Ibobi Singh, IFCD minister N Biren, power minister Phungzathang Tonsing, works minister K Ranjit and MPCC president Gaikhangam apart from others gave an assurance to pay up the pending liabilities to the contractors.

At another meeting with the IFCD minister, it was promised to the contractors that their dues would be paid at the earliest. However, the promise has not been kept with till date, said the president.

Twin protests affect Manipur

2009-07-17T07:07:00.001-07:00

Imphal | July 16 : The twin protests in Manipur on Thursday have affected normal life in the state. The Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM)'s 120-hour bandh demanding the release of detained student leaders under National Security Act (NSA) and the indefinite economic blockade imposed by All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) over the reservation issue kick-started since midnight of Wednesday.
Though educational institutions have been exempted from the purview of the DESAM bandh, the attendance percentage of students in their respective institutions were quite low today while goods transporters failed to ply along the two national highways leading to Manipur owing to the ATSUM protest. Large numbers of goods laden Imphal bound trucks are reportedly stranded at the Manipur-Nagaland border.
Meanwhile, inspite of the efforts of the state government to make the bandh called by Democratic Students’ Alliance (DESAM) ineffective, shops and business establishments in the Imphal area were mostly closed with attendance in educational institutions and offices being poor to nil.
Passenger buses plying between the districts of Manipur were mostly off the road and the inter state buses were also not to be seen. Traffic was thin in the streets of Imphal where only vehicles of security personnel and some private two wheelers and four wheelers were seen. Traffic police were seen at some traffic points in the forenoon but not in the afternoon.
The senior superintendent of police of Imphal West L. Kailun had appealed to the public not to support the bandh and come out for their normal activities. In the morning police vehicles were seen going around the commercial area in Imphal asking shopkeepers to open their shops through loud speakers.

Centre giving 7887 tonne rice every month to Manipur

2009-07-17T00:13:00.003-07:00

Manipur is being allotted 7887 tonne of rice every month from Central allocation, which includes 2182 tonne of APL variety, 3478 MT of and 2227 MT of AAY. According to UNI report, food and civil supplies minister Y Erabot informed this to the Assembly on Wednesday while replying to a question raised by MLA Radhabinod Koijam. Manipur also gets 606 tonne of wheat, 400 tonne of palmoline oil, 1812.2 MT of sugar, 2131 kilolitres of sk oil and 17,066 tonne of salt.

Minister of Public Health Engineering Department TH Haokip, while replying to a query raised by MLA O Joy, informed that during 2008-09 Rs three crore was sanctioned for drainage and sewarage work.

Minister of Information TN Haokip informed the House, replying to a question raised by Dr Ng Bijoy, that from 1997 the state information department had started televising via DDK, Imphal, the Question Hour of the Assembly.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who also holds the Finance portfolio, moved demands for grants for Rs 375.50 crore for Police department, Rs 1.76 crore for Vigilance, Rs 8.85 crore for Jail and Rs 7.92 crore for Home Guards department to defray the charges which will be incurred during the current financial year.

MLA Radhabinod Koijam moved a policy cut for the alleged failure of the government to maintain jails. He urged the government to manage prisons properly. The matter was also discussed earlier in the House following the alleged involvement of three inmates of Saijiwa jail in the killing of a contractor.

After the incident the state home department had decided to revamp jail security and the Chief Minister informed that mobile jammers would be installed to stop misuse of cellphones in the jail premises.

Students’ strike, economic blockade hit life in Manipur

2009-07-17T00:13:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL: Life was disrupted here on Thursday, following a 120-hour strike called by the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur demanding the release of five students who were detained under the National Security Act in connection with the killing of a professor of Manipur University on May 25.

The All Manipur Tribal Students’ Union also imposed an indefinite economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53, the lifelines of the State, demanding revision of the reservation for tribals.

Both the strike and the blockade started at the midnight on Wednesday night.

The Democratic Students’ Alliance said that as the Kanglei Yawol Kunna Lup, an underground organisation, claimed responsibility for the killing of Mohammad Islamuddin, professor of economics. there was no reason for arresting the students.

All 12 students who were arrested in connection with the case were released on bail. The government later detained five of them under the NSA.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, who also holds the Home portfolio, said the students were arrested for their involvement in the killing.

He instructed the police and para-military forces to act against the sponsors of the strike. On the tribal students’ demand, Mr. Ibobi said the reservation policy would not be revised.

Manipur govt. passes Rs 296 crore grant for four state deptts

2009-07-17T00:10:00.001-07:00

Imphal | July 17 : The Manipur legislative assembly today passed four demands for grants amounting to Rs 296,07,29,000 in the ongoing budget session of the assembly. The demands were for finance – Rs 279,23,85,000, information & publicity – Rs 4,02,64,000, excise – Rs 10,65,93,000, and sales tax, other taxes/duties on commodities and services – Rs 2,14,87,000.
Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who is also in charge of finance admitted that there is lack of proper management and transparency in the finance department in reply to a question put up by MLA Dr Ibohanbi during discussion for demands for grants. As an example, he said that he could not understand why the employees of the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) are not getting their wages reportedly for 24 months when the government is giving an amount of Rs 19,00,000 every month to the IMC. He also wondered where Rs 3,00,00,000 was gone which was given to IMC for the plot of land at Khuman Lampak where the inter state bus terminus is now situated.
Senior opposition leader O. Joy Singh raised a cut motion during the discussion for grant of demand for excise saying that social organizations like AMADA and CADA are doing the duties of the excise department by carrying out various campaigns against abuses of drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants. State minister for information and public relations (IPR), T. N. Haokip informed the house that government-public-bridge day is organized every year on Nov 1 by the department. He also said that as an encouragement to state journalists who perform their work honestly, an award carrying Rs 25,000 is given to the best journalist and a tour program for journalists is arranged every year.

Vision 2020 action plans being prepared by working groups

2009-07-16T01:59:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 15: State government has already discussed the document Vision 2020, and action plans are being prepared by the 17 Thematic Working Groups of NER constituted by the ministry of DONER with representatives from the state line department.
This was mentioned by the chief minister in the House today while replying to the questions raised by senior opposition member O Joy Singh during the question hour.
The chief minister said a series of thematic group meetings were held during October and December last year, besides a two-day conference of Thematic Groups of NER Vision 2020 convened by the minister of DONER on December 3-4 last year at Shillong which was attended by Speaker and deputy chairman of the planning Board and other state MLAs.
Answering a supplementary question, the chief minister further said in November 2007, state level discussion on Vision 2020 was held at the State Guest House at Sanjenthong which the MPs, ministers and MLAs, tribal leaders and academicians of the state attended. Moreover, successful holding of public hearing on Vision 2020 was conducted at Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Chandel districts.
Answering a question raised by opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam, he said improvement of IT, tourism, commerce and industries are some of the priority sectors and with this in mind the existing IT, STPI at Mantripukhri has been upgraded with an extension of 25 acres of land from the existing complex at an estimated cost of Rs. 25 crores.
To another question raised by MLA Dr. Khasim Ruivah, the chief minister replied that there was no such new provision to allot some stalls for tribal women in the newly constructed shopping complex at Luxmi bazar and Ima keithel.
He said the existing plots at the new Ima market, Purana bazar and Nupi Keithel at Khwairamband bazar have ben allotted to the original vendors and there are about 1803 vendors recognised in New Market, 1252 in Luxmi bazar and 840 in the old market.
The chief minister further said the state government has already taken up the matter separate tribal market in the greater Imphal areas under tribal development department and the tribal market is under construction at New Checkon in Imphal east.
The chief minister replying to a question raised by MLA, Wungnaoshang, reaffirmed that a sum of Rs. 13,00,000 had been stolen from Ukhrul police with the involvement of the police personnel of the Ukhrul PS.
Two personnel of the police department identified as Th Robindro Singh, LDC, the then cashier to SP Ukhrul and SI Kapangkhui Shimrah, the then reserve officer to SSP Ukhrul were involved in the case and have been arrested. A departmental enquiry has also been initiated, he said.

Manipur to enact legislation to conserve cultivable lands

2009-07-13T06:25:00.001-07:00

IMPHAL, July 13 – Manipur Government is likely to enact a legislation to conserve paddyland and wetlands in the State to ensure food security.

The move is being taken up after State Chief Minister O Ibobi acknowledged the need to conserve paddyland and wetlands following a discussion in the Assembly on Friday where opposition MLA O Joy of Manipur People’s Party urged for immediate legislation to conserve paddy and wetlands.

Earlier, moving a private member’s resolution, O Joy expressed the need to adopt a proper legislation to have food security in the State by preventing uncontrollable conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural activities.

He further said that Manipur was facing the problem of limited agricultural products due to decreasing area of cultivation.

In the valley alone, where concentration of population was very high, only about 1,76,000 hectares of cultivable land existed which is disproportionate to the population growth in the valley districts.

On UPA’s emphasis on food security in its annual budget tabled recently, the opposition leader pointed out the contradictory situation in Manipur where paddy fields are fast shrinking. Kerala Assembly had recently enacted a legislation to protect wetlands and paddy fields, sources said.

MLA Dr Ng Bijoy of MPP, said it would be right to have an Act to save cultivable land in Manipur from diminishing.

The Forest and Revenue Minister Thoudam Debendro said that the State Government during 1983, had started a Land Use Board on the instruction of the Union Agriculture Ministry for preservation and conservation of agricultural lands in the State with hundred percent funding from the Centre, but the Board had been abandoned with the lapse of Central funds.

Two children from Arunachal land in Manipur

2009-07-13T04:31:00.003-07:00

Imphal, July 12: Manipur Police handed over two little children, said to be from Arunachal Pradesh boarded on a bus of the Imphal Rajdhani Express from Guwahati after the travel agency hand over them to the police.
As disclosed by the two children, they are sibling. The elder brother was identified as Kuimo (12) and the younger brother Warspan (7). Their parents were identified as Shanrup and Mela as disclosed by them. They also said that they are from Keishan of Myanmar but residing at Sata of Arunachal Pradesh.
They came out from the home with Rs 150 from their father quietly to go to their original place in Myanmar. They came all the way from Arunachal Pradesh but when they loss the way they boarded to the Imphal Rajdhani express.
The two children are being kept at Deulahland Children home in Imphal under the supervision of Child Welfare Committee, until concerned parents reached Imphal,said the authority of the children home.

'State fails to take up steps to remove backwardness of SCs and STs'

2009-07-13T04:31:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 12 2009: No effective steps appear to have taken to remove the backwardness of scheduled caste and scheduled tribes in the state of Manipur even after more than five decades had passed since the Constitution came into force, lamented, the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in its report tabled to the House of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

The committee has examined the conditions of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and has made its recommendations as to the steps that should be taken up by the state to remove the difficulties and injustice being faced by the SCS and STs, said V Hangkhalian, chairman of the committee in a statement today.

The committee was constituted by a decision of the house of the state assembly to look into the implementation of the 100 roaster system with regard to the reservation of seats for the SCs/STs at time of appointment and promotion in the departments under the Manipur government as guaranteed in the Constitution of India.

Almost all the departments under the Manipur have violated the reservation rule prescribed for the scheduled castes ad scheduled tribes in services, though it is constitutionally guaranteed.

The committee conducting verifications to the information and documents provided by various departments, there found almost all the departments not complying with the 100 points roaster system of reservation of seats for the SCs and STs.

Some of the departments could not provide the information which the committee took seriously.

The committee served notice for furnishing the documents/statements regarding the present staff strength to the commissioners/secretaries of the veterinary and animal husbandry, irrigation and flood control department, education, forest and environment, medical, food and civil supply and agriculture department for examination of the same so as to know whether the departments have maintained the prescribed percentage of reservation in services in respect of SCs and STs.

However, the committee did not receive the required statements from some of the departments which the committee took a serious view, the report of the committee said.

Taking a very serious view for non-compliance with the reservation rule provided for the SCs/STs in various departments, a committee on welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes recommended the Manipur government to instruct all the heads of the department to maintain strictly in making of the appointment and promotion to posts and services, he stated.

In Manipur, more than 33 percent of the total population is represented by the STs and SCs.

It is direction of the constitution makers that in consistency with the goal of maintenance of efficiency of administration, the SCs and STs must be duly represented in the state administration.

The rule of reservation in the matter of appointment to a service or post under the state is a part of the constitution scheme.

Thus, adequate representation of the SCs and STs in the services is given over the other considerations, the committee observed.

Mention may be made that alleging that government failed to address the 100 point roaster programme, All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) has been demanding implementation of the Manipur Reservation of Vacancies in Post and Service (for SCs and STs Act 2007 by framing rules at the earliest.

They have also threatened to impose the proposed economic blockade on the national highways which was differed for four days from mid night of July 15 .

Official fined for failure to furnish documents under RTI

2009-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Imphal, The Manipur Information Commission has ordered the Director of Education Schools, Government of Manipur, Lamphelpat, to pay Rs 11,000 as compensation to a person for failure to furnish the required information sought for within the stipulated period of time under RTI.
M Rakesh, Director of Human Rights Law Network (Manipur), said the order was issued on Friday.
One Thounaojam Raseswar Singh of Top Khongnagkhong, Imphal East, had submitted an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005, on July 7, 2008, to the State Public Information Officer (SPIO), seeking information relating to pay revision of his deceased wife K.Tejbati Devi, who was a regular Head Mistress of Top Makha Primary School.
However, the concerned SPIO failed to furnish the required information.
Thereafter, Raseswar Singh lodged a complaint with the Manipur Information Commission against the SPIO for non-furnishing of the required information.
Consequently, on November 20, 2008, the Manipur Information Commission, headed by its State Chief Information Commissioner RK Angousana Singh, directed the SPIO to furnish the required information within seven days.
This time also the SPIO failed to furnish the required information within the stipulated period of time and instead the required information was furnished only on April 15, 2009.
Raseswar Singh again lodged another complaint with the Manipur Information Commission against the SPIO with a prayer for imposition of penalty to the SPIO for his failure to comply with the order of the Commission.
The Commission held that because of non provision of the information in time by the SPIO, the complainant had to attend the Commission repeatedly and suffer detriment and other harassment from the office of the SPIO which needed to be compensated under the Right to Information Act, 2005, and provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure.
The Manipur Information Commission ordered the office of the Director of Education Schools, Government of Manipur, Lamphelpat, to pay Rs 11,000 as compensation to Thounaojam Raseswar Singh on or before July 31, 2009. The Commission permitted the complainant to approach the Commission again in case of any grievance on or before August 7, 2009.

CADA officials visit NREGS convergence work

2009-07-11T02:55:00.001-07:00

Churachandpur, July 11 : Officials of Command Area Development Authority (CADA), headed by its Addl Chief Engineer today visited the convergence works undertaken under NREGS with technical help from the agency in and around the township.

The convergence work was carried out with the expertise and technical help of CADA in various tributaries of the eastern and western canals of Khuga Dam with an estimate amount of Rs 1 Crore.

More than twenty villages were involved in the manual work which DRDA Churachandpur claimed was successful with around 60 percent of the projects completed so far.

The visiting head, W Kumar Singh and his team express satisfaction on the works undertaken by the villagers under NREGS and informed that they will soon press the government to begin concrete works as the manual has been kicking off very well.

IDF launches stir to demand ADC polls

2009-07-11T02:34:00.000-07:00

Ukhrul, July 10 2009: Reiterating its demand to decentralize power to the hill districts of Manipur and to hold early election to the Autonomous District Councils, the Indigenous Democratic Front (IDF) launched the mass black badge campaign today.

The black badge campaign began at 11 am from Ukhrul district Hqs, actively participated by IDF volunteers, and soon spread to all the nooks and corner of the district.

IDF volunteers launching the black badge stir and putting up posters at Ukhrul demanding early polls to the ADCs

Interacting with the The Sangai Express, the spokesperson of IDF, William S Shimray, Ukhrul unit, said that the mass black badge campaign has been simultaneously taken up in all the five (5) hill districts of Manipur, as the first phase of the agitation.

The IDF will continue with their campaign for early elections to the ADCs, till the demands of the indigenous hill people are met to enhance grass root democracy in the State, he added.

Charging the State Government of dragging its feet on the issue, William said that various representations had been submitted, highlighting the heterogeneous nature of the State and society.

Despite this, the SPF Government continues to ignore the rights of the hill people, he asserted.

Maintaining, that the election of the ADC has not been held for the last 20 years, the IDF spokesperson said that the present Government had, last year, promised that it would be held soon.

Shimray further stated that the IDF's demand is purely to evolve a democratic system of self governance, based on indigenous democracy, which is best suited for the indigenous people of Manipur.

Along with the black badge campaign, posters were also displayed on the roads and streets of the town, inscribed with slogans such as; "Give us back what is Constitutionally ours," "It is a shame that Manipur Government cannot breathe life to ADC in the hills since the past 20 years," "Devolve power to the grass root," "We want local self governance," etc.

The IDF also warned that it would take up a series of agitations in all the hill districts of Manipur until the demands of the indigenous people of Manipur are met sincerely.

Manipur theatre gets a fresh lease of life

2009-07-10T09:13:00.001-07:00

After 3 decades, Shumang leela council reproduces play for researchers, tourists, dignitaries & GenX

KHELEN THOKCHOM

A scene from the play, Eeyaithakki Thambal. A Telegraph picture

Imphal, July 9: Shumang leela is dead, long live the Shumang leela. Manipur’s conventional theatre, dead for over 30 years, has received a new lease of life in Eshei leela (play with songs) because of the efforts of the Manipur Shumang Leela Council.

For the second time in three decades, the council has re-produced successfully an original Shumang leela play with the objective of preserving the theatre for the benefit of researchers, foreign tourists and visiting dignitaries.

The experiment started last year with the successful reproduction of Abir Khan, a popular play, encouraging the council to produce another form of Shumang leela.

Produced during a 45-day-long Shumang leela workshop, an extension programme of the National School of Drama, Delhi, the council staged the latest reproduction at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Sanglen last week to a packed audience.

The council chose Eeyaithakki Thambal (Lotus in mid water), one of the most popular plays in the eighties, for the reproduction. It depicts how a family can be ruined if the housewife is wicked, and was a trendsetter at that time.

Laishram Kunjaraj and his troupe had then held 400 shows in every nook and corner of the state.

Interestingly, the reproduction has four of the play’s original cast, including 82-year-old Kunjaraj, one of the finest comedians Manipur has produced. “I accepted the request to perform in the reproduction of the play as a mark of protest against the murder of conventional Manipuri Shumang leela,” Kunjaraj, who is also the director of the reproduction, said.

The veteran artiste blamed new artistes who introduced Eishei leela for the death of the conventional theatre. “I stopped performing in Shumang leela in protest against Eishei leela. Today is the first time I am performing after I quit nearly 25 years ago and I am very happy (to be back),” Kunjaraj said.

Shumang leela (courtyard theatre) emerged in 1918 after the then king banned Moirang Prava, another traditional theatre, in 1895 because it lampooned those in power.

The first full-length Shumang leela, Harishchandra was staged in 1981. “The theatre instantly became a hit,” Loitongbam Dorendra, one of the supervisors of the workshop, said.

Shumang leela is staged in the courtyard with the audience surrounding it. It has only a pung (traditional drum) and two mandiras for accompaniment.

Eishei leela, the new theatre form, is replete with modern instruments like guitar, organ, electric drum and other wind and string instruments. Songs are an essential part of this genre. “The reproduction of a famous conventional plays, also known as “dialogue leela,” during the workshop was an attempt by the council to preserve conventional drama. The reproduction is meant for exhibition shows and for those researching in conventional play,” the workshop director and secretary of the council, Sougrakpam Hemanta, said.

“Those born after mid-eighties do not know about our conventional plays. Now they can see it,” Nomita Khongbantabam, the co-ordinator of the workshop said.

Team to test dengue outbreak in Moreh

2009-07-08T00:36:00.001-07:00

Imphal, July 7: The state medical directorate today rushed a team to Moreh in Chandel district following reports of outbreak of fever with dengue-like symptoms.

The border town of Manipur has a record of outbreak of dengue. The outbreak was confirmed by Imphal’s Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in November 2007 after blood samples collected from an eight-year-old girl, M. Vidya, tested positive for dengue at the Mumbai-based SRL Ranbaxy Lab.

Vidya was saved but her elder sister, Puni, 10, who was also brought to the hospital, died of suspected dengue.

The state health department announced total control of dengue outbreak in Moreh within eight days of confirmation of the outbreak.

The medical team headed by Th. Bhubanchandra, additional director (public health), left Imphal for Moreh this morning to investigate a possible outbreak of dengue.

Medical personnel posted at the border town reported that by June 19 a large number of people with fever and nearly 200 patients with dengue-like symptoms, were admitted to the government hospital in the town.

“We could not say whether dengue has returned in Moreh. We will carry out investigations and confirm only after testing blood samples,” Bhubanchandra said before leaving for Moreh.

The medical team, which will stay in Moreh for a few days, will collect blood samples of patients and try to conduct tests to find out if any of the mosquito species carrying dengue virus are present in the town.

After the team collects the samples, the state health department will send them to the Vector Control Research Centre, Pondicherry, for confirmation of dengue and other diseases.

An expert team on malaria is already carrying out investigations in Moreh. Reports said some patients have tested positive.

Moreh, the border town between India and Myanmar, has a large number of floating population, mostly on business trips. Health experts suspect that the source of dengue that broke out in 2007 was the South Asian countries.

Protest

An organisation of Manipuri elders, the Evening Glory Prayer Team, today staged a sit-in at Langol Tarung in Imphal West and demanded a review of the Delhi High Court ruling that gay sex among consenting adults was not a crime.

“Gay sex is against nature and this is not allowed by any religion. The court ruling should be reviewed,” said Rev. Ramkhul Pamei, spokesman for the group and a former general secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention.

The team has 60 members from different parts of the state and its members are above 60 years of age. They hold daily prayers for world peace at the centre at Langol Tarung from 7am to 9am.

Two killed: Two persons identified as Kopani Rabha, 52, and Panchu Rabha, 45, were killed by unknown criminals at Nalanga Pahartoli under Baguwan police station of Goalpara district on Tuesday night, reports our correspondent.

Woman injured in Manipur bomb blast

2009-06-18T04:33:00.000-07:00

Imphal, Jun 18 : A woman was injured when a powerful bomb, suspected to be planted by militants, exploded in Imphal West district of Manipur today, official sources said.

Sources said the bomb, attached to a two-wheeler, went off in front of the second Manipur Rifles battalion office at Pandon area near here at around 9.30 am injuring a woman passers-by.

The police and security personnel went to the high security area soon afterwards and began frisking passers-by.

The two wheeler might have been parked there either this morning or last night.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Hassle free tourism industry mooted

2009-06-11T01:37:00.001-07:00

Churachandpur, June 11 : Prophesying the vivid prospect of tourism industry in the State, Tourism Minister TN Haokip has today mooted on the need to ensure a hassle-free tourism related infrastructure development in Manipur.

"From the bottom of my heart, I plead all sections of the society to leave a space for the industry to grow," he said addressing a handful of gathering while inaugurating a lodging hotel here.

The State Government is struggling to rope in private investors on tourism sector, initially everyone was interested but on witnessing the ground reality where the gun culture floats, they quickly made a silent retreat, he maintained.

Haokip was attending the inauguration of a novel entrepreneurs Venus Hotel, as he risked the prospect of entering the hotel sector despite the volatile law and order situation in the State.

The hotel inaugurated today was only the second of its kind in the district drawing large number of foreigners and officials from outside the district.

Recalling his trips across the globe, the Minister said, except for Switzerland, there are few countries that enjoy the picturesque and pleasant atmosphere of the State.

Manipur shares a unique feature of being a plain in the midst of hills and mountains, he added.

Like any other developing nation, Manipur too will one day witness a vibrant tourism industry which will play a vital role in uplifting the State' economy.

So let us not burden the individuals or the Department of Tourism that has taken the initiative to develop the tourism infrastructure in the State, he said.

RB slams money power in politics

2009-06-11T01:32:00.001-07:00

Imphal, June 11 : Rubbing salt into the wounds of the SPF Government on the law and order front, NCP State unit president Radhabinod Koijam has today said that the only way to bring a semblance of normalcy and governance in the State is to effect a change in the Government.

Speaking at the 11th foundation day of the NCP at its office today, the Opposition leader said that if no change is effected in the present political climate then those who genuinely want to work for the upliftment of the State will taste defeat in the hustings.

Sounding a warning to the people, Radhabinod said that the political culture is such that a number of moneyed contractors and businessmen have started entering politics.

If these set of people are elected to power, then they will only rob the people instead of working for the welfare of everyone, he predicted.

The NCP leader further said that the Congress did well in the recent Parliamentary election due to money power and not because of any popular mandate from the electorate and added that not more than 15 pc voted for the Congress while the rest were bought over with money.

Money power will only pollute politics, he added.

Elaborating on what the NCP has been doing for the betterment of the State, Radhabinod Koijam said that he personally met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar of the NCP at Delhi on June 8 and urged him to formulate an agriculture policy specifically for the North East, particularly for Manipur.

The Opposition leader further said that he also met Union MoS for Rural Development Agatha Sangma and urged her to take up relevant rural projects in Manipur.

NCP MLAs Doukhomang Khongsai, Salam Joy and Th Nandakishore who were also present that the NCP is a secular party and does not believe in caste politics.

Its mantra is development for all, they claimed and added that development without peace is meaningless.

The leaders also urged the party workers to put in their best foot forward to realise the objective of the NCP and make Manipur a better place.

CBI submits charge-sheet on KVK fund misappropriation case

2009-06-11T01:30:00.001-07:00

Imphal, June 11 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted charge-sheet to case of fraudulent withdrawal of funds amounting to Rs 85.58 lakh using forged Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) card from the Imphal Post Office around three year back.

The charge-sheet was submitted in the court of the special judge, Imphal east district against four person including three officials of the Imphal Post Office stating further investigation into three others including two officials of the same post office are yet to complete. Following the prayer of the CBI, the court summoned the person involved in the charge sheet to appear in the court on July 7 .

CBI, ACB, Guwahati handling the case submitted the charge-sheeted against the former postal agent Thangjam Anupama of Wangkhei Thambalkhong Laishram Leirak, Bashab Bijay Dutta of Netaji Subhas Palli, former assistant postal master Ksh Bimola of Kongpal Kshetri Leikai and Govind Singh of Tekarchand, Baliya, UP.

They were alleged of colluders in the withdrawal of the amount Rs 85,58,425 using forged of the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) card under the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), which CBI registered an FIR case and investigate into the case.

CBI authority is yet to submit charge-sheet three persons, namely former deputy post masters of the Imphal Post Office, Chingaikim Vaiphei, GS Rongmei and SP Vaiphei who also alleged of involving in the fraudulent withdrawal of the funds.

CBI informed the court that they are yet to make arrest to any of the persons allegedly involved in the case and prayed the court to summoned them by the court.

In the charge-sheet submitted to the court, it was mentioned that during the investigation, the agency found that former deputy post masters of the Imphal Post Office, Chingaikim Vaiphei, GS Rongmei and SP Vaiphei on collusion with other persons withdrawn the funds using missing 420 KVP cards.

The fraudulent had cost great lost to the government exchequer.

In the year 1998, bank KVP cards bearing serial no.from 46 CC 8400001 to 46 CC to 100000 of Rs 10,000 denominations missed while transporting from India Security Press to Circle Stamp Depot located in Kolkata.

Central government notified the missing of the cards with the serial numbers of the missing cards.

The government also circulated the same to all the post offices across the country by issuing corrigendum.

In the later part, two persons, Bhashab Subash Dutta and Sh Govind who came to the state in collusion with the some officials of the Imphal post office withdrawn the amounts using 425 cards of Rs.10,000 denominations.

While submitting the charge-sheet, CBI also prayed the court to summon the persons allegedly involved in the charge-sheet as they are yet to taken into custody by the CBI authority.

Th Anupamaand Ksh Bimola had appeared in the court yesterday but as Bhashab Subash Dutta and Sh Govind did not appeared in the court yesterday.

They have been asked to appear before the court on July 7, 2009, the source said.

Fourteen houses set ablaze in NC Hills

2009-06-10T11:54:00.000-07:00

Haflong, June 12 : Violence continued to rock strife-torn North Cachar Hill district of Assam with 14 houses in a Dimasa tribal village set ablaze on Wednesday.

Suspected Zemi-Naga tribals burnt down 14 houses at Jiribasti under Haflong police station at around 4.00 am, police said.

There was, however, no report of any casualty or injuries, the police said.

Several persons have been killed and houses set ablaze in ethnic clashes between the Dimasas and Zemi-Nagas during the past few months.

Zemi-Naga tribals had earlier set ablaze 40 houses on June 8.

Violence has rocked the Hill district with militant outfits Dima Halam Daogah (jewel) and the rival NSCN(IM) as well as Khaplang factions targeting public, trains and public installations.

Security has been stepped up in the trouble-torn district particularly after the arrest of DHD (J) Chief Jewel Garlosa, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

SC allows CBI's plea to produce militant leader in local court

2009-06-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

New Delhi, June 09: The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld CBI's plea to allow production of an alleged Naga militant leader before a trial court here instead of in Manipur, where he is reportedly involved in the murder of three rival Meiti community members, because of a threat to his life.

The apex court also issued notice to the militant leader Hopeson Nigshen on CBI's plea for transfer of the trial in connection with the killings from Manipur to Delhi.

A vacation bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and Aftab Alam granted the plea after Additional Solicitor General Amarendra Saran submitted on behalf of CBI that Nigshen cannot be produced in a court in Manipur in view of the volatile situation in that state.

The investigation agency had also submitted that if produced in a trial court in Manipur, the accused faced an imminent threat to his life from his adversaries.

According to CBI, on February 17, 2009 Nigshen and other militants owing allegiance to NSCN (IM) faction abducted Dr Thingnam Kishan Singh, sub-divisional officer-cum-block development officer, Kasom Khullen, in Manipur's Ukhril district and five of his statf.

The militants allegedly let off two captives who belonged to the Naga community while killing Dr Kishan Singh and two others belonging to the Meiti community.

The killings resulted in ethnic tension between the Meities and Nagas and led to a series of bandhs in the Manipur. In view of the sensitivity of the killing, the state government transferred the case to CBI which subsequently arrested Nigshen on May 29.

As ethnic tension started mounting between the two communities, CBI shifted the militant leader to Delhi and has sought transfer of the trial to the capital.

Nigshen is said to be the Lt. Col of the Kiusumong battalion of the NSCN (IM )faction.

BJP workers abducted in commando vehicle

2009-05-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

Imphal, May 19 : Barely three weeks after the reports of involvement of commando personnel in abduction of one Megha, miscreants using a police commando vehicle on 16th May allegedly abducted two workers of the BJP.

The abducted persons were Loitongbam Satish alias Tomba, son of Sarat of Singjamei Oinam Thingel Leikai and Pebam Gunindro alias Peba, 45, son of late Ibomcha of Haobam Marak Keisampat.

In a press conference today family members of the abducted persons disclosed that Satish was a worker of the BJP while Gunindro was the secretary of the BJP as well as an ex-candidate of the party. They said that they were abducted around 2.30 pm from Ukhrul-Imphal road near the Sajiwa Jail whiel they were returning after meeting Karunkanta who is said to be the brother of Satish presently lodged in the Jail under NSA, along with an Activa bearing registration No. MNO1Q-3456. The vehicle belongs to Mayang-lambam Sanaton, 32, of Chingabam Irom Leirak.

Ranjita and Babita, wives of the victims revealed that they also lodged a complaint regarding the abduction at the Hiengang police station on May 17 for necessary investigation. The victims’ wives further revealed that thinking that they may be engaged in election work as the day was counting day they called up Satish later in the night but found his phone switched off. They asserted that the incident only came to light after they went out to search for the victims at Sajiwa Jail.

Demanding clarification they appealed to the perpetrators to safely release them for the sake of their children.

Meanwhile, the local club, Eikhoigi Club, demanded clarification for the abduction of Satish and Gunindro failing which they along with the family would launch agitations, it said.

UPA's CMP helped Congress in Manipur: observers

2009-05-17T02:34:00.001-07:00

Imphal May 17 : The inclusion in the UPA's Common Minimum Programme that the Centre would protect territorial integrity of Manipur helped Congress win both the parliamentary seats in the state, political observers said here today.

The assurance given by AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi during election campaign in interior Churachandpur hill district that the Congress, if voted to power, would work for protection of territorial integrity also changed the minds of thousands of electorates who cast votes in favour of the party, they said.
This could be judged from the fact that Congress candidate in Outer Manipur parliamentary Constituency, Thangso Baite, defeated his nearest rival Mani Cheranamei by over 1.19 lakh votes.

While Baite secured 3,44,517 votes, Cheranamei of People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) got 2,24,719 votes.

Outgoing MP and Naga leader, Cheranamei, had campaigned for disintegration of Manipur and formation of smaller states along ethnic lines by merging Naga inhabited hill areas with neighbouring Nagaland.

He had presented disintegration as the only solution to the Naga problem.

A boon or a curse--Mobile phones in Manipur

2009-05-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

Imphal, May 11 : Recent reports of the misuse of mobile phones by certain individuals or groups in the state of Manipur have left certain questions to be answered as to whether the mobile phones are a boon or a curse in the state. Certain features such as being ‘mobile’, handy and available almost ‘24x7’, a larger majority of the people would feel the boon. However, a critical analysis and study into recent reports of mobile phones being misused could speak otherwise.

Mobile phones made its first appearance in the state in 2004 with the launch of BSNL services by the centre. Since then many private cell phone companies like AIRCEL, AIRTEL, Reliance and the recently Tata Indicom and Vodafone have made its way into the state thus providing more choices to the users.

However, the use of SIMs under fictitious names has been a concern for security in the state with the increasing number of mobile phone related crimes and extortions.

However, the misuse of mobile phones came to its peak in the second half of 2008 when a series of monetary demands and threats were made through the mobile phones in the state to various individuals and officials including organisations and institutions.

The headmistress of Don Bosco School, Langjing in Imphal West revealed to the media that she had received monetary demands and threats through an SMS and this demand eventually led to the closure of three Don Bosco Schools of Langjing and Pheiyeng in Imphal West and Don Bosco of Chingmeirong, Imphal East.

They were however re-opened few days later having come to a negotiation with civil societies.

Following such incidents, city police under the Home department of the state began to hunt for “Black SIM” as a security measure and in a span of about two days captured over 200 such SIM cards.

As per reports, a state police officer informed this drive was launched after the police found out that individuals had bought the BSNL and other private company SIM cards and then sold them in black to other, adding this was a cause of concern for the security of the state.

L. Kailun, Senior Superintendent Imphal West district police was also reported to have informed that the high number of SIM cards in black was the main problem leading to the problem of insurgency control in the state.

“The SIM cards in black were leading to the problems of insurgency control. So we came up with this policy of collecting mobile phones,” the reports quoted the SP as saying.

This drive was further fuelled by the recovery of 18 (eighteen) mobiles from the militants under trial at the Sajiwa jail in Imphal East in October last which one could perhaps termed as a prove of the various allegations that mobiles were being use to threaten and extort money from the government officials and the general public alike.

Th. Radheshyam, the Superintendent of Imphal East district police is reported to have informed the media the raid began on October 10 and in a span of just about two days collected 18 mobile phones from the various under trial militant inmates in the jail.

Most of these militants belonged to the various state based outfits such of the Kangleipak Communist Party-Military Council (KCP-MC), Kuki Revolutionary Army-United (KRA-U) and People’s United Liberation Front (PULF) involved in extortions and monetary demands and that they were conducting their programmes through the phones from the jail, stated reports as per information deliver by the Imphal East SP.

And with the recovery of the mobiles from the militant inmates of the Sajiwa jail, speculations spread that threats, extortions and demands through the mobile would decrease.

However, the misuse of mobile phones emerged in the early part of 2009 when state based militant outfit apprehended few couples for recording their ‘immoral acts’ and circulating it through the phones.

Following this initiative, civil societies and local bodies began to keep an eye on such acts especially amongst the youth.

Reports had it locals in Imphal West district torn down a house which was allegedly rent out for ‘immoral act’ where couple recorded such deeds. This falls in great contrast to the moral value that the state observes.

No doubt, the mobile phone has all the requisites for a good entertainment viz. the MP3 players, video recording and playbacks, cameras and Bluetooth for easy transfer of files between mobiles. One cannot leave behind the availability in times of emergency and keeping in contact with near and dear ones, near and far.

However, the recent reports of the misuse of the mobile phone have raised few questions if it is boon or a curse to the state.

SoO truce : State talks past and future

2009-05-09T04:01:00.000-07:00

Imphal, May 9: Along with a serious study of the prevailing law and order situation of Manipur among other issues including progress of the Suspension of Operation signed with the Kuki UG groups and the peace progress being initiated with some other UG groups, a meeting of the Strategy Operation Group (SOG) has reviewed the past achievements as well as the future actions to be taken up today.

According to a reliable source, the meeting which was held today was very significant in the sense that it was convened soon after reviewing of the law and order situation of the State at New Delhi during a meeting presided over by Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and was attended by Chief Secretary of the State, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and DGP on May 6 .

Today's meeting presided over by Chief Secretary Rakesh was attended only by top officials of the security forces operating in Manipur and the discussion covered all the problems related to law and order and measures being taken up by the security forces in this regard.

The meeting of the Strategic Operation Group (SOG) attended only by Additional Chief Secretary (Home), DGP, three IG (Law & Order), GOC of 57 Mountain Division, IGAR (South) and top officers of BSF and CRPF also deliberated on the follow up actions of the recent Operation Summer Storm launched under 57 Mountain Division at Keibul Lamjao National Park of Loktak lake.

With regard to security measures required in connection with laying the railway track from Jiribam to Tupul and then upto Imphal, the meeting took up all the issues related to the existing security problems along Imphal-Dimapur Road as well as along Imphal-Jiribam Road and deployment of adequate security cover.

The achievements of the security forces including ongoing counter insurgency operations have also been deliberated at the meeting.

Apart from discussion on the progress of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) signed between the Government of India and Manipur on one side and two joint groups of various Kuki-Chin-Mizo UG groups on the other, the SOG meeting had also pondered over the steps being initiated for peace talks with one of the PULF faction as well as with KCP-MC group.

While discussing the responsibility to be shouldered by various units of the security forces in containing the problem of law and order in the State, today's meeting had also touched on the current issue related to closure of the drug stores in the State following threats and extortion demands from UG groups.

Besides reviewing the activities of the security forces, the meeting had also finalised various future course of actions to be taken up, the source informed.

However it declined to elaborate on the matter maintaining these are very sensitive.

Meanwhile, another round of meeting between the Government and the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) of the Kuki UG groups namely UPF and KNA/KNO which have entered into peace talks with the Government was held today.

Presided over by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) DS Poonia, who is also the Chairman of JMG , the meeting held at Ist Manipur Rifles Battalion complex here was attended by representatives of UPF and KNA/KNO.

According to a reliable source, among other agenda, today's meeting discussed issues related to construction of 11 designated camps both for UPF and KNA/KNO and completion of the work within a timeframe of three months.

Today's meeting also decided to revise the amount of Rs 50 lakhs finalised for construction of the designated camps in the previous meetings.

Out of the proposed 11 designated camps to be set up, seven are for UPF.

However, after discussion it was agreed that one more designated camps would be allotted to UPF during the meeting today.

Accordingly the total number of designated camps to be set up for UPF has increased to 7, the source disclosed, adding that issuing of identity cards to most of the cadres of UPF and KNA/KNO have been completed.

Today's meeting did not take up the proposal of UPF to increase the number of identity cards to be issued to its cadres to 200 as it was decided in the previous meeting of the JMG that the matter would be considered after the cadres started staying in their respective designated camps, the source further disclosed.

Naga cause not detrimental to Manipur's cause: Ngouba

2009-05-09T03:45:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 08 2009: Contd.from yesterday .

"The naga cause cannot be said to be detrimental to Manipur's cause," said the Vice President of the Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) and also Chief of Army Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Mahoharmayum Ngouba during a press conference held on the morning of May 5 at the PLA's Training Command Head Quarter located somewhere near Indo-Myanmar border in Ukhrul district.

Ngouba said, "There had been times when Naga cause turned out to be quite helpful to Manipur's cause and it's believed that it will be helpful in future as well.

Because Nagaland is not a few thousand kilometers away from Manipur, it is an immediate neighbouring country".

"Therefore a neighbouring country is always associated with our history and will be associated in the ages to come.

What we must see is desirable to keep a little away from the country or the views of an organisation.

Because it is believed that to take part together in a long lasting and better worldly journey will evolve from a condition in which communities of both sides enjoy a mutual understanding, like-mindedness and sharing in all spheres," Ngouba affirmed.

He said, "It will be wrong to think of all Naga people as anti-Manipuris and it will also be wrong to take all Manipuris as anti-Nagas.

As such the present situation of division and differences of opinions will depend on the policies of certain Naga bodies".

The Vice President was replying to a question raised by a journalist on the alleged link between the RPF/PLA and the NSCN-IM.

He said, "It is not only the RPF that has relations with the NSCN.

Other revolutionary organisations operating in Manipur and other surrounding countries too have relations with the NSCN".

"Both groups of the NSCN are having ceasefire agreement with the Government of India.

One is in the so-called peace process while the other one has been trying for a long time to take part in it.

There is no question of both the groups withdrawing from the process either".

He said, "Now the parties do not seem to be all that close to the NSCN as in the past.

The stand taken by the NSCN has become a hindrance to the rest of the revolutionary groups".

On another question placed by this newspaper on the tangible involvement of the NSCN-IM in the elections held under the Constitution of India by fielding candidates who would lobby in the parliamentary fora for the Naga cause while the RPF has been boycotting all elections held under the Constitution and banning anyone who is a former cadre of the outfit from contesting in the elections as a candidate, Vice President Ngouba said, "The political and social reality of the Nagas is a little different from the political and social reality of Manipur which would have been seen by the people".

"That too, the political and social reality that existed in the eighties and the political and social reality of the nineties are greatly different from that of the present.

Even in our own experience, the Naga people used to stand solidly behind the Naga movement and the representing organisation that fought against India.

But today all that had been negated by the policies of the NSCN," he pointed out.

He asserted that "it is questionable if the NSCN's objective under the Constitution of India has been achieved so far by putting up candidates in the elections".

On another question from a journalist on India's influence over the UN and other countries regarding not extending support to the insurgent groups of Manipur, the PLA's CAS replied, "it's not always true that only the rich and powerful countries can influence the relationship among the nations and change the prevailing order".

He further said, "It's quite natural for India to try to do the same.

India will do anything to protect its interest.

For us too, we, as a nation�big or small�shall do what ought to be done.

We are carrying on with our liberation movement with the conviction that it's not the rich and powerful countries alone that shape the international relations".

Ngouba further pointed out, "The parties involved in the war seem to forget that there are two sides in the job.

It's not a war that's played on the script of a drama.

There are two opposing sides in a war.

It's the people that either of the two sides tries to bring to its side.

People are kind of a trophy�a prize of war".

He said, "Since people are the decisive factor in the principles of a revolutionary war, it's the side on which the people stand that unfailingly wins.

Its significance is known to all concerned.

However, the means to translate this significance into reality seems somewhat difficult on the side of the revolutionary groups.

But it doesn't happen to be all that difficult on the part of the enemy since, apart from having one point something billion people, its economy is included in the one to ten ranks in the world.

Moreover it's a country rising in military and technology".

"Therefore, the enemy has advantages in bringing the situation prevailing in today's theatre of war to the direction of its liking," the CAS of PLA admitted.

"However if they are asked, does this make them believe that they will win the fight, they say no," Ngouba said and made reference to reports published in the newspapers in which Army Commanders and Generals had said that the military can't solve the issue.

The RPF leader also admitted that the insurgent groups lacked means and resources for taking forward and working harder on the situation, not only in terms of materials but also in moral and other issues.

"Yet it's a relative matter.

There will be no question of the enemy winning as it has larger number of population and is bigger or we will be defeated since ours is a small nation with lesser population.

It's just that they are taking a little more advantages," Ngouba said.

Regarding the mass mobilisation by the RPF/PLA for its movement, the Chief of PLA said that all the (revolutionary) parties feel the necessity of mass participation in the liberation movement.

"However, the parties seem to have different views and strategies on how to embrace the people in the movement.

"To the RPF, mass participation in the liberation movement should be based on systematised phases," he said.

He further said, "When we come back to the reality, after forgetting ourselves for a while, we find that what we believed ourselves to be contradicts the reality and that disappoints".

CRPF organises religious tour for 30 elderly Manipuri people

2009-05-08T08:51:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, May 8 In an endeavour to build a long- lasting bond with people from the"remote areas", the CRPF is taking 30 elderly people from the northeastern state of Manipur to visit religious places in north India.
Under initiative taken by the paramilitary force as part of its Civic Action Programme, the group of 30 would leave Delhi on a eight-day trip for the holy place from May nine.

The group, comprising both men and women, would visit Vrindavan, Mathura, Haridwar and Rishikesh to see religious and other important places.

" CRPF organises various welfare activities in the area of deployment and provides the people necessary assistance and logistic support to build a friendly relation with the local people. The aim of this programme is to build long-lasting bonding with the people of remote areas,"a statement released by the force said.

Designated banks for salary drawal

2009-05-08T01:38:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 8 : With regard to the Government order for compulsory payment of salaries and other entitlements of State Government employees, Manipur Rural Bank branches located at Imphal, Singjamei, Kwakeithel, Lamphelpat, Lamlong and Porompat have been identified as designated branches for such payments.

A notification issued by the Chairman of Manipur Rural Bank also appealed to all State Government employees to open their bank accounts at these branches for hassle free payments and also to avail loans from Manipur Rural Bank.

World AIDS Orphans Day observed

2009-05-08T01:37:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 8 : Observing World AIDS Orphans Day, a number of children took out a rally at Singjamei today besides offering light to the souls of children killed by AIDS.

After the main rally, the main function of the observance was held at the office of the FXB India Suraksha, Manipur Branch at Singjamei.

The function was graced by Singjamei Ward No 16 Councillor Meisnam Subash, MACS joint director Abhiram Mongjam, secretary general of Organisation for Salvation of Man Prem Konsam and executive director of Human Rights Law Network Manipur Meihoubam Rakesh as presidium members.

Speaking at the occasion, Abhiram Mongjam said till March this year 1914 children living with HIV have been registered in ART centres.

However, a large percentage of these children who have the benefits of ART suffer from irregular consumption of ART drugs.

Saying that children are future pillars of a nation, he asserted that it was the responsibility of every section of the society to take care for the health of children.

As such, no one should harbour any thought of discrimination against children living with HIV.

He further observed that the problem of HIV/AIDS was not exclusively medical but rather it was a political and economic issue.

Efforts were being made to open link ART centres in Manipur under the third phase of NACO's programme Abhiram said Once these link ART centres were opened, the problem of people requiring ART would be certainly mitigated.

Rakesh Meihoubam observed that Juvenile Justice Boards opened at district level under Juvenile Justice Care and Protection Act have not been functioning properly.

In addition to appointing members with little concern for the welfare of children, these boards lack fundamental supports, he noted.

Prem Konsam exhorted the people to strive towards providing required nutrition and education to "AIDS orphan" of Manipur without waiting for external funding.

Prizes were also distributed to the winners of the spot painting competition for children held under the theme "My Dream" yesterday.

Today's function of World AIDS Orphans Day was organised by FXB India Suraksha, Manipur Branch.

Tangkhul scholar UA Shimray no more

2009-05-08T00:55:00.000-07:00

Imphal, May 8 : One of the rising intellectuals and erudite writers, UA Shimray (36) passed away at Wockhardt Hospital Bangalore after suffering a stroke on May 6 .

UA Shimray

Son of former Minister A Aza, UA Shimray was working as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bangalore University at the time of his death.

He did his schooling from Manipur Public School and graduated in Geography honours from Delhi University.

The late young man then did his Masters and PhD from JNU.

A condolence service will be held at Tangkhul Baptist Church tomorrow at 3 pm after the body arrives.

UA Shimray also contributed regularly to The Sangai Express and other newspapers in Manipur.

His articles were incisive and questioned the prevailing socio-political issues, particularly pertaining to the Nagas.

The Tangkhul Katamnao Long, Delhi has expressed shock and anguish over the untimely demise of UA Shimray the initials standing for Ungshungmi.

In a statement issued to the press, the student body said that he was its convenor during the term 1995-96 .

He was also the first Chairman in drafting the Constitution of the TKLD in 2003 .

The Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights has also expressed deep shock over the sudden demise of the young man.

In a statement, NPMHR paid homage to him as a man who held 'firm belief in human values, rights and dignity.

He was an excellent and a sincere researcher whose work is unmatched.

His numerous publications during a short span of his academic life is proof to that'.

Tekcham Polo Club clinches winner's trophy

2009-05-07T09:51:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 7 : As the 26th N Hazari State Polo Tournament organised by the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association concluded today at Pologround Imphal, the Tekcham Polo Club clinched the winner's trophy after defeating its rival MPSC in the final match played today.

The final match today was played between Manipur Police Sports Club (MPSC) - A and Tekcham Polo Club - A.Both teams played the match with full determination to win.

Every individual players played their part very well as the fate depends on each and every actions of all the players.

Although lost the match to Tekcham Polo Club, MPSC scored the first goal of the match which upset the players of Tekcham Polo Club a little bit.

The goal was scored in the 5.30 minute of the first chukkar after both teams played a competitive match from the very beginning.

The goal was scored by S Boby of MPSC.

Whereas no players of MPSC could not scored any goal in the chukkar.

S Bimol of MPSC too scored a goal against Tekcham Polo Club in the 0.01 minute of the second chukkar and lead his team by two goals ahead of his opponent team.

Although a little bit disappointed with two goals ahead of them, players of Tekcham Polo Club did not lose their heart and played the match more substantially.

As a result of their hard efforts, P Ojit of Tekcham Polo Club scored his team's first goal against MPSC of the match in the 3.08 minute of the second chukkar.

He was followed by another goal from M Doren in the 5.35 minute of the same chukkar which equalise the score position for both teams.

As both teams have equal score positions, they played the match more substantially with better coordination than before.

As they played the match with almost equal skills and tactics, the third chukkar concluded without a single goal by both teams.

In the fourth chukkar, S Bimol of MPSC scored one goal in the 0.50 minute while it was equalise by a goal of P Ojit of Tekcham Polo Club in the 5.35 minute of the same chukkar and the match concluded tie.

In extra chukkar P Ojit of Tekcham Polo Club scored the first goal against MPSC in the 2.27 minute of the extra chukkar and defeated MPSC by one goal which lead them to the podium to be honoured with the champion's trophy.

Meanwhile, after losing the match, MPSC won the runner up's title.

S Budhachandra, IAS, Commissioner, DCAPDS, President, Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association graced the closing function as chief guest.

President, Manipur Equestrian Association and Vice President, Manipur Olympic Association, Dr S Joykumar was the president of the function.

Director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandary Services, Manipur, Dr Th Jeevan and Naorem Ongbi Sanatombi were also present in the closing function as guest of honours.

Nagaland is landslide-prone

2009-05-07T04:25:00.001-07:00

Kohima, May 7 : Nagaland state where the life line of Manipur, NH-39 passes through is a landslide-prone area with as much as 88% of the total area falling under potential of and susceptible to short- to long-term stability problems.

Experts from allied departments from all over the country at a two-day programme on management of landslides in North East India which commenced at Hotel Japfu yesterday at Kohima also said that due to excessive monsoon rain in the region, states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Nagaland suffer extensively due to landslides.

They pointed out that the precarious condition of Nagaland is greatly affecting normal life in the state, causing loss of lives, damage to property, infrastructure, communication, forestland, modified landscape, and is causing the ecosystem to be fragile.

Also, it is incurring losses in terms of human settlement, compensation, relief and rehabilitation, realignment and costly repair of communication, thus critically hampering the state's policies and programmes, said the experts who disapproved the landslide hazard control policy of the Nagaland government describing it as unregulated and haphazard without any coordination.

The problem needs to be tackled from the grassroots level, they observed.

Also sharing his views, Professor Glenn T Thong, from the department of Geology, Nagaland University said that it has become imperative to sit across the table in order to evolve strategies and tackle the problem due to the fact that during monsoon seasons, states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Nagaland suffer extensively due to landslides.

The brainstorming session mainly focused on the issue of landslides occurring within the North East region due to adverse geomorphic and geological conditions, heavy and prolonged rainfall, indiscriminate cutting of slopes, unplanned developmental activities, and deforestation.

The programme was organised by the department of Geology, NU Kohima, and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, government of India, New Delhi.

The main resource persons were Dr.

Trilochan Singh of DCS Ltd.

New Delhi, Prof.

T N Singh from IIT Bombay, Dr.

S Ibotombi of Manipur University, Imphal, Dr.

A Kar from CGWB Itanagar, K A Lotha, DGM Nagaland, and Dr.

P P Nageswara Rao, Director at NESAC Shillong.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the participants of the programme would be visiting two important landslide areas within Kohima town on Wednesday.

11 killed as bus overturns in Manipur

2009-05-07T04:09:00.001-07:00

Tamenglong(Manipur), May 7 : Eleven persons, including seven women, were killed and 48 others injured when a bus carrying them overturned at a village near the district headquarters town this morning.

The accident occurred when the bus driver was negotiating a hilly curve at Sangrungpang village, about 20 km from the district headquarters, police said, adding the bus was coming from Tamenglong district headquarters to state capital Imphal.

While eleven persons, including seven women, and a one-year-old child died on the spot, 48 others sustained injuries, the sources said. Twenty of total injured persons were referred to Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital here where their condition was stated to be serious, sources said.

Police and other forces rushed to the spot to rescue other passengers in the bus. There were a total of 70 passengers in the bus.

Awareness campaign against swine flu near India-Myanmar border

2009-05-07T04:08:00.001-07:00

Kamjong (Manipur), May 7 : Veterinary doctors and other authorities have geared up to combat swine flu outbreak by launching awareness campaign among residents and by organising massive vaccination for pigs in villages near India-Myanmar border in Manipur.

Doctors recently organized an awareness campaign in Awongtang Kamjong border village of Ukhrul District, around 120 kilometers away from Imphal.

As preventive measures, department workers and officials have started awareness programme in border areas such as Kamjong and Poi in Ukhrul district, by visiting and conducting public meetings with the representatives of different civil organizations of the Kamjong Village.

Doctors are highlighting the probable threats of transmitting the disease from the livestock animals that are illegally imported from Myanmar to the village.

"Especially here people of this place are doing business of livestock trade especially pig or avian’s and other livestock. As this place is important place for transportation of animals from international border area, so we like to give message to people for taking precautionary measures of the dreaded disease of swine flu," said Dr. K. Gopal Singh, a disease specialists.

Authorities are also appealing other civil bodies and church representatives to check and prevent any kind of import of livestocks from Myanmar, as the State Government has already banned such imports of livestocks.

Residents involved in the livestock trade are happy with the awareness progaramme as they believe it would really help in dealing with deadly disease to great extent.

"The Veterinary Department has already announced the disease as deadly and dangerous disease. We are grateful and happy that the efforts taken by the department to educate and make us aware of the disease," said S. D Lowin Singh, a resident.

Although the Central Government has only issued an advisory to all states in the remote northeastern region and not sounded any particular directives, the State Government has initiated preventive measures against swine fever.

No dirth of writers, but publication work slow, says Governor

2009-05-07T04:07:00.001-07:00

Imphal, May 7 : A two-day national seminar on `Challenges of Publishing in the North East` was inaugurated by the Governor of Manipur, Gurbachan Jagat this afternoon around 3 pm at the conference hall of the State Guest House in Imphal. The seminar is being jointly organised by the Federation of Indian Publishers, New Delhi and Writers` Forum Imphal.

During his inaugural speech the Governor expressed his satisfaction and noted that the Writers` Forum, Imphal, founded in 1988 by a group of like minded writers and literary men with the main objective of taking up the task of book publishing in Manipur, had so far published more than 70 books written by eminent authors.

He said that for developing countries like India and particularly the state of Manipur, the role of book publishers was very important as through them all branches of knowledge were being spread in society. They deserve every encouragement, he added.

India has advanced increasingly in the trade of book publishing with the development of printing technology. It is estimated that around 70,000 new books are published in India every year. This figure, though impressive, is rather small in view of per capita terms. Therefore, India has to raise the numbers of the actual production and sales of books. Oxford University Press, Cambridge University, Orient Longmans, Macmillan and a few other foreign publishers had set up branches in this country and many Indian publishing firms, on the other hand, had started capturing a big portion of the global market place, he said.

The international firms and many other publishers dealing with regional languages were doing good business in book publication, but the north east states are still lagging behind the other states of the country for two main reasons - small population and lack of infrastructure. Assam is somewhat better as compared to the other states of the region. As for Manipur, the situation is not good as professional publishers are not coming in this direction, he said.

The Governor observed that Manipur was a very beautiful state where many talented poets, writers, artistes had been and are born. It was famous for its games and sports, dances, theatre, cinema, etc and its beautiful and unique cultural heritage contributed to the enrichment of the glorious and age-old cultural mosaic of the country.

Such attributes of Manipur inspire the poets and writers, in their creativity, he said but wondered why inspite of the good number of poets and writers the publication of books in Manipur was not upto expectations. The most important factor could be the small market, he said while also lauding the Writers` Forum, Imphal which stood steadfast in order to develop book publishing in Manipur.

He was confident that the efforts of the seminar would help in creating awareness on the short and long term strategic and policy implications for the challenges and prospects of publishing in the state of Manipur. He also complimented the Federation of Indian Publishers and the Writers` Forum, Imphal for organising the seminar and exhorted them to contribute their best in promoting the trade of book publication.

The seminar was also attended by Prof N Tombi Singh, a scholar, Ratan Thiyam, theater director and Shakti Malik, official of the FIP, New Delhi.

Controvery over Geeta's appointment: High Court maintains status quo

2009-04-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

Imphal, April 29: A ruling of the Gauhati High Court yesterday has maintained status quo on the controversial appointment of Sanjenbam Geeta Devi as the Chairperson in-charge of Council of Higher Secondary Education Manipur.

According to advocate Y Nirmolchand, who appeared on behalf of Geeta, the ruling of the court implies that she will continue to hold her earlier post of Additional Director of Education (S) .

The ruling of the High Court followed a writ petition filed by Geeta challenging the Government order appointing her as the Chairperson of the Council.

Among other reasons, Geeta cited that she does not fulfil the requisite norms/qualification to hold the post of the Council's chairperson and contended that such order was in contrary to the provisions under sub-section II of the Section 12 of the Manipur Higher Secondary Education Act, the lawyer informed.

The Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) has rightly detected the flaw in the Government order of appointing the petitioner to such a post, he added.

After hearing both parties Justice UB Saha , in his Imphal Bench sitting on Monday maintained the status quo.

The court has also issued notices to the State respondents including Commissioner/ Secretary and Director of Schools Education to give their replies on the writ filed by the petitioner within four weeks.

Moreover, the respondents have been asked to reply within a week as to why the operation of the Government's order appointing Geeta as the Council's Chairperson should not be stayed as prayed by her or " why such further or other orders as to this court may deem fit and proper should not be passed".

While opposing Geeta's appointment to the post of Council's Chairperson, DESAM has demanded the Government to revoke the appointment order.

The All Manipur College Teachers' Association (AMCTA) has also demanded the authorities to review the order.

It is said according to the standing norms, a person who holds the post as Director in School Education or Higher Education can be appointed as the Council's Chairperson.

Government college principals who have 15 years of experience and having reader or selection grade qualifications are also said to be eligible for the post.

Manipur parties protest over alleged proxy voting

2009-04-25T23:56:00.000-07:00

Imphal | April 26: The Left front and Democratic co-ordination committee of Manipur formed jointly by the All India Forward Block (AIFB), Rashtrya Samata Party (RSP), Janata Dal (I), the CPI and CPI (M) Saturday protested and demanded re-polling in 16 (sixteen) polling stations of Thoubal and Andro assembly constituencies in Manipur alleging the Congress had manipulated the voting in these polling stations during the second phase polling in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency.

Over hundreds gathered at the Raising Athletic Union (RAU) ground in Imphal East and demanded the chief electoral officer (CEO), Manipur to conduct re-polling in the sixteen polling stations for a free and fair election.

Two major political parties of the state, the Manipur People’s Party (MPP) and the CPI, on April 22, the day of voting for Inner Manipur constituency, had alleged the Congress had manipulated voting, including proxy and impersonation, in many a polling stations of Thoubal district. In this regard, the two parties had demanded for re-polling in the sixteen polling stations. The CPI had also declared it would go on a protest from Saturday demanding re-polling.

The CPI had decided to organise the protest at the Keishampat traffic junction in Imphal West with the permission of the concern deputy commission. However, in what could be termed a blow to the plan to organise the protest in the district, the Imphal West district magistrate, A. Ibocha Singh order section 144 Cr.
PC of the Code of Criminal procedure citing police reports of the likelihood of peace being breach and public tranquillity being disturbed in the Imphal West district from 10:00 a.m. Saturday until further notice.

As such, the venue of the protest was shifted to the RAU ground in Imphal East district. During the protest, CPI state secretary, L. Iboyaima asserted the committee would not quit pressuring for re-polls in the sixteen polling stations especially in Thoubal, Andro and Khundrakpam 1/21. The Left Front leaders at the centre are also pressuring the chief election commission of India regarding the proxy voting, he informed.
CPI candidate Dr. M. Nara and CPI (M) executive member Kh. Santa will leave for the Capital tomorrow to inform on fake voting in Manipur and pressurise re-polling, the secretary of the CPI informed. The CPI will not be silent on this matter and will even resort to judicial moves to shelter the matter, Iboyaima added. Also condemning the act of the Congress, L. Sotinkumar, CPI agent expressed shock over the voting getting over at 8:30 a.m. in some polling stations of Andro with over 90 percent polling records.

EVMs stored safely in strong rooms in Tripura

2009-04-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

AGARTALA, April 25 : With over 80 per cent polling recorded in Tripura - the highest in the country so far in the 15th Lok Sabha election - polling officials deposited the EVMs safely in the strong rooms last night.

According to official reports, except 18 polling parties, which had conducted elections in farthest locations in Tripura, roughly about 18,000 polling staff had deposited 2,990 EVMs till late last night.

The counting of the poll is scheduled to be held on May 16 after the fifth and last phase of elections. The report said the commission had received six complaints from different political parties.

The Left Front demanded re-poll in one booth under Asharambari Assembly segment of East Tripura (tribal reserved) seat while the Congress accused the CPI-M of proxy voting in the southern part of the state.

“An EVM developed technical problem after casting of 109 votes in a particular booth in Asharambari area, which forced the authority to replace the EVM and voting was disrupted for about an hour. So we demand fresh polling there,” CPI-M state secretary Bijan Dhar said.

Police said no untoward incidents related to poll were registered with police till last night. Altogether 25,000 security personnel, bolstered by day long air-surveillance, ensured peaceful polling in 3,008 booths spread across the state.

Tripura had set a record in the electoral history of voter turnout in post-Independent era in the country when it registered 91.86 per cent turnout in last year’s state Assembly election held on February 23.

In this Lok Sabha elections too, the percentage of casting was highest in the country so far, Additional CEO Dilip Acharjee said.

Manipur deputy speaker arrested; resigns

2009-04-18T05:40:00.001-07:00

Imphal, Apr 18 : Manipur's Deputy Speaker Th Shyam Kumar, who was out on bail in connection with a three-year-old case, was arrested here today after which he resigned from the post.

Kumar submitted his resignation to Speaker Budhi Chandra, shortly after his arrest, sources in the assembly secretariat said, adding Chandra accepted his resignation. The deputy speaker was arrested here and produced before a court which sent him to jail, police said.

According to police sources, Kumar had earlier been arrested in early 2007 from Delhi airport allegedly along with two Manipur insurgents and materials related to underground activities in the state seized from them.

Kumar had allegedly financed the two insurgent members who belonged to United National Liberation Front (UNLF) while they were trying to go to Kathmandu, sources said.

However, Kumar had denied the allegation saying he was going to Kathmandu to seek admission for his sister in a medical college.

The three had been arrested under different sections of Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

MPP fires at 'Army's human shields'

2009-04-17T04:43:00.001-07:00

Imphal, April 17 : MLA RK Anand of MPP has stated that use of innocent civilians as human shield by the Army in their ongoing Operation Summer Storm at Loktak Lake is illegal and should be condemned strongly.

Addressing a public meeting held in connection with the election campaign of Manipur Democratic Alliance's candidate Th Chaoba at Malom Bazar under his Naoriya Pakhanglakpa Assembly Constituency today, Anand asserted that use of innocent civilians as human shield by the Army which is in violation of the existing laws in the country should be stopped.

Saying that MPP strongly condemns such conducts of the Army, he also accused the Congress and the CPI which are coalition partners of the ruling SPF Government, with giving free hands to the Army.

When the undergrounds set up their camps at the hills, the Army could do nothing and the Government remained indifferent.

But it has allowed the Army to launch operation at Loktak lake, Anand further charged.

Maintaining that Manipur is a lawless State today, Anand observed that the number of people in the State who have fallen to the bullet is more than the number of people who have been killed by AIDS.

The day would not be far when the whole Manipuri society would be wiped out, he said, adding that the Government has been encouraging such senseless killings yet pretending to be innocent and seeking the votes of the people.

People should teach a fitting lesson to the Government this time, he said.

He also charged that the Congress and its coalition partner CPI shied away from their responsibility when proposal was placed in the Assembly for taking a resolution to the effect of withdrawing Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur.

Anand categorically stated that there is no reason why the public should cast their votes in favour of Congress and CPI when the two National parties have not said anything about making the report of the Jeevan Reddy Commission public.

If the public want annihilation of the Manipuri society, they may vote for the two National parties and if Manipur is to be saved then they should support MPP candidate Th Chaoba.

MPP president Dr L Chandramani who also addressed the meeting noted that the efforts being made by the Government to acquire more land for expansion of the Tulihal Airport has given new suffering to the people even before they could overcome the suffering caused from setting up the airport at Naoriya Pakhanglakpa Assembly Constituency.

The Government has closed its ears to the complaint of the people, he charged, adding that it is Government which has separated from the people.

Observing that the people settling along the Tiddim line are supporters of regional parties, Dr Chandramani also highlighted the notable works accomplished when MPP was at the helm of the Government in 1972 .

The popularity of Congress party has come down day by day because of its own sinful acts in the past, Dr Chandramani said.

In the Indian election, 700m voters, 28 days, 250,000 police: world's biggest democratic poll begins

2009-04-16T11:07:00.001-07:00

• Gandhi's ruling Congress party remains favourite
• Big players expected to seek coalition partners

Link to this video When voters in parts of central and eastern India go to the polls today it will mark the start of the largest democratic ballot in history, a rolling wave of voting in five phases that will stretch over a month and demand formidable security measures, given the twin threats posed by Maoist rebels and jihadi terrorists.
To get some idea of the scale consider this: 43 million citizens, more than the adult population of England, have been added to the electoral roll since 2004. More than a million electronic voting machines are to be deployed at 828,000 polling stations. No voter will be more than 2km from a ballot box.
Elections can be violent. In the first phase of polls five years ago more than 20 people died. Although the central government has a million-man army, most election security is handled by a 250,000-strong paramilitary force.
In the light of the terrorist attack in Mumbai last year election policing has been beefed up, and the Indian Premier League, the Twenty20 cricket competition, has been shifted to South Africa as it clashed with the polls.
Ever since the Congress party and the Gandhi family lost their grip on power in 1989 no single party has been able to run India. At the last election the Congress party took only 145 seats out of 543, with 26% of the vote. It took office by sharing power with partners.
Despite the arrival of coalition politics, turnout has remained stable at around 60% and poor minorities are more likely to vote than anyone else.
There are three main groupings: the United Progressive Alliance, dominated by the Congress party; the National Democratic Alliance, built around the Bharatiya Janata Dal; and the Third Front, centred on the Communists. This means that, unlike in Britain or the US, the election will almost certainly not be dominated by a single personality. In an opinion poll this year for the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, a Delhi thinktank, no leader enjoyed 25% approval as a possible prime minister.
The most popular leader is probably Sonia Gandhi, president of the Congress party. Gandhi, 63, who was born in Italy, has proved an astute politician, winning the last election against the odds but refusing to become prime minister, knowing her foreign birth would become too hot an issue. Instead she appointed Manmohan Singh as prime minister, leaving him to formulate policy while she handled the complex deal-making involved in coalition building. She also brought in her son Rahul, 38, who has begun to rebuild the party. Her daughter Priyanka, 37, is a star campaigner who draws huge crowds but so far has not contested an election.
The Congress party, say pundits, is the favourite because it is in power and can point to tangible achievements. For example, it pushed through big pay rises for 4.5 million government employees this year, engendering goodwill in urban areas.
The elite applauded Singh for winning a knife-edge parliamentary vote last year in which he secured a nuclear deal with the US that allowed India to keep its atomic weapons and still be sold nuclear reactors. Most important perhaps in terms of votes, the Congress coalition also set up the first social security scheme in India, guaranteeing 100 days of work to poor households in the countryside. Although the cost is estimated at 400bn rupees (£5.4bn) this year, it should bring in votes among India's 600 million agricultural workforce.
"This scheme has been a real winner for the Congress," said Manoj Joshi, a political columnist. "There is a better mood in the countryside. Some of this is because of good monsoons, but Congress will get the votes."
In the opposite camp is the Bharatiya Janata party, led by Lal Krishna Advani, 81. The party's pollsters say it should win votes based on three main issues: terror attacks, the dynastic politics of the Congress party and the appeasement of minorities, especially Muslims.
These three issues were fused in the uproar over speeches by Varun Gandhi, 29, the great grandson of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Although a Gandhi, he has become a mascot for the BJP. In March the budding poet told cheering crowds in a marginal constituency that he would cut the "head of Muslims" (sic) and if anyone raised a finger against Hindus he would "cut that hand".
Another powerful line of attack is that India's economic growth, which has been at 8% for five years, never reached the ordinary man. "What has [he] seen? Price rises, joblessness and poverty," said Sudheendra Kulkarni, an aide to Advani.
However, the real power lies with the regional parties. Congress and the BJP square up in only seven out of 28 states. In almost every other state, the contest boils down to one of the national parties facing a local politician.
The most important of these is likely to be Kumari Mayawati. Her dedicated cadre of workers from the Dalit group (once known as untouchables), and her wooing of the upper castes created an upset in 2007 when her party swept to power in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Her policies are claimed to be about social justice but in reality are designed to capture jobs through quotas for her supporters. Mayawati's victory in the northern state, which has 80 seats and is considered a bellwether of public opinion, was a political earthquake.
Analysts say Mayawati's significance is the possible emergence of a third national party. If the regional parties coalesce around her, said Mahesh Rangarajan, a political commentator, she could be the "fulcrum of a new power arrangement". If Mayawati gets 40 or more seats, "she is possibly prime minister", he added.
• This article was amended on Thursday 16 April 2009. In the article above we referred to Kumari Mayawati's "untouchable workers". This group of people were known simply as "untouchables". This has been amended.

Boycott I: Mani shunned

2009-04-16T00:24:00.000-07:00

Mani Charenamei

Imphal, April 16 : The Thoubal District Development and Demand Council, an organisation formed by voters of eight Assembly constituencies today announced that it would boycott Mani Charenamei, who is seeking re-election from Outer Manipur constituency.

The president of the council, Sougrakpam Roben, said the council decided to boycott Charenamei, who is contesting on a Peoples Democratic Alliance ticket, for advocating Naga unification in his election campaign. The announcement came on the eve of tomorrow’s polling in the constituency.

Seven Assembly constituencies in Thoubal district — Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Hiyanglam, Khangabok, Wabagai, Kakching and Sugunu and Imphal East’s Jiribam — are included in Outer. The majority of the voters in these constituencies are Meiteis.

As the constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, other tribals under the banner of the council have fighting for the right to contest elections in the Outer.

The council is also demanding the creation of one more Lok Sabha seat out of the eight constituencies, which has a total of 207,888 voters. Charenamei is openly campaign for the unification of all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas and he promised voters that he would continue to fight for Naga unification if re-elected.

By promising Naga integration, Charenamei has been targeting Naga voters, who are a majority in this constituency. However, a boycott may not have much impact as Charenamei could garner only 2,224 votes in the last election. But he is likely to get the support of the Scheduled Tribe voters in the eight Assembly constituencies, particularly the Nagas.

The council did not support any particular candidate but its president appealed to the voters to vote for candidates who could fight any design to break Manipur’s territorial integrity.

“Mani openly said he was elected by the Nagas, so he would work for the Nagas in Parliament. This is very unfortunate because he is not representing only the Nagas but various communities living in his constituency,” Roben said.

Nine candidates are in the fray in this constituency. The others are Thangso Baite (Congress), M. Yamkhongam (RJD), Thangkhangin Ngaite (Lok Jana Shakti Party), Rose Mangshi Haokip (Independent), Lamlalmoi Gangte (Independent) L.B. Sona (NCP), D. Loli Adanee (BJP) and Valley Rose Hungyo (Independent).

Ex-MLA files complaint against Charenamei

2009-04-16T00:20:00.001-07:00

Imphal, April 16 : Alleging the PDA candidate of Outer Manipur constituency, Mani Charenamei of violating the Model Code of Conduct published by the Election Commission of India, RTI Activist, L Ibomcha, and former Secretary (Law) and Ex-MLA has sought the detention of Mani Charenamei under NSA to the Chief Election Commissioner.

L Ibomcha has wrote to the CEC, N Gopalaswami, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi referring to news reports in local dailies on April 12 issues based on the statement made by Mani at election rallies at Kasom Khullen, Lambui, Nambashi, Phungyar, public ground of Kamjong in Ukhrul on April 9 and 10 .

The complaint letter of L Ibomcha which was made available to the press alleges Mani Charenamei of making provocative and inflammatory statements on the contemptuous issue of integration of all contagious Naga inhabited areas of Manipur to the state of Nagaland with a view to form a 'Nagalim' on the basis of Naga Community.

The complaint letter contends that Mani Charenamei has attempted to disturb harmony among the different communities in the state and to incite violence in Manipur.

L Ibomcha accused Mani of committing offences under Section 123 (3-A) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951; Section 124-A and 153-A of IPC for sedition and promoting enmity between different groups; Section 2 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1961 for questioning the territorial integrity or frontiers of India; and Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, for preventing him from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of the State Government.

Further, the complaint letter stated that in order to prevent Mani from acting in any manner prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, his detention under Section 3(2) of the NSA, 1980 may be recommended.

Campaigns for Outer Manipur concludes

2009-04-15T01:08:00.000-07:00

Imphal | April 15 : Campaigns for Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency concluded Tuesday evening. Manipur will go to polls for the Outer constituency Thursday, April 16, joining the nation in its first phase election to the 15th Lok Sabha. In the said state elections, over 17 (seven) lakh voters will decide the fate of nine candidates in the state’s lone seat for the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency.

The nine candidates of the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency are LB. Sona of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), D. Loli Adanee of the BJP, Jhangso Baite of the Congress, Mani Charanamei of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA), Jamkhongam Haokip of the Rashtrya Janata Dal (RJD), Rose Mangshi Haokip of the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP), ValleyRose, Thangkhajin and Lalammoi Paite as Independent candidates.

Meanwhile, campaigns for the Outer Manipur constituency concluded Tuesday evening at about 4:00. Following the conclusion of the campaign, voting ballots and electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been sent to the respective assembly constituencies for the elections, as per reports. According to the reports, election officers and those on duties have also been deputed to their concerned constituencies.
In the said elections, 17, 35, 982 registered voters, as per Election Commission, are set to exercise their franchise and elect their representatives in 2193 polling stations. This is reported to be 132 more than the previous election. Meanwhile, as per unofficial source, Churachandpur district has the highest number of voters numbering 1, 75,696 with Tamenglong having the least – 78, 126 voters. Ukhrul district has 1, 00,994 voters, Senapati district- 1, 44,383, Chandel district - 91, 406 while seven Assembly Constituencies (ACs) of Thoubal district lying within the same constituency has 1, 85,021, and Jiribam AC has 26, 587, added the unofficial source.
On the other hand, it is perhaps interesting to note that campaigns hit high with the various candidates and their concerned political parties wooing the voters over the past days with various assurances and promises ranging from peace and development to rights of the indigenous people of the hills. However, with hardly a day left for the voting, the candidates are now left to the mercy of the voters to elect their representative for the 15th Lok Sabha elections.
It is also interesting to note the Congress, BJP and the PDA are seen as the main rivals in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency with the party and the candidates reportedly taking a hit at one another during the campaigns and assuring better things than the other. But, with the campaigns over , they are for the moment left to the mercy of the voters and only time can perhaps tell who the people elect as their representative.

KNF threatens villagers: PDA

Dimapur, April 14 (MExN): The People’s Democratic Alliance of Manipur today said threats have been issued against villagers by the militant group KNF. The militant group threatened villagers of Piyang Maring and Yamolching villages under Khoibu polling station 42 of Tengnaopal assembly constituency on April 12. According to the party in a note today, armed militants of the KNF numbering about twenty surrounded the villagers and threatened them that “if they do not vote for the Congress (I) candidate, all the villagers would be eliminated after the election”. The villagers of Parengtong village under Machi ‘B’ polling station of the same constituency were also threatened by the KNF on the morning of April 14, said the PDA. The frightened villagers of the said villages are expressing anxiety over the threats issued by the KNF militants. The militants are also seen moving around freely in the hill areas under 42-Tengnaopal assembly constituency, the PDA said.

Manipur elections 2009 constituency

2009-04-15T01:07:00.001-07:00

India - Manipur elections 2009 constituency list
Names of BJP and Congress candidates

: Inner Manipur Lok sabha constituency 2009
: Dr. Thokchom Meinya is COngress candidate
: W. Nipamacha Singh is BJP candidate

: Outer Manipur Lok sabha seat 2009
: Thangso Baite is Congress candidate
: D. Loli Adanee is BJP candidate

Fire in Manipur secretariat

2009-04-13T01:11:00.002-07:00

Imphal, April 13 : A fire inside Manipur state secretariat North Block complex today reduced a chowkidar’s quarters to ashes and partially damaged two rooms of chairperson of Manipur State Commission for OBC.

Four fire tenders fought for nearly half an hour to bring the fire, which broke out in the quarters at 11.30am, under control.

CRPF personnel guarding the complex first saw smoke billowing out of the quarters and informed the fire department. Police suspected electric short circuit as the cause of the fire.

The chowkidar, Thangin Haokip, was not present at his quarters when the fire started.

Later, Haokip told the police he had seen smoke inside his house before going out and had tried to find the source. “I saw smoke in my house and I tried to find the source but could not. I switched on the ceiling fan and the smoke seemed to disappear. Then I along with my wife and son went out. But I turned off the electric heater before I left.”

The chowkidar said nearly Rs 15,000 worth of property was destroyed in the fire.

As the fire had spread to adjoining room of chairman of Manipur Commission for OBC, H. Kaminikumar Singh, it damaged a computer set, fax machine, some documents and furniture. It also damaged furniture in the room of the chairman’s staff, adjoining the quarters.

Rural development and panchayati raj minister Md Allauddin inspected the damages caused by the fire.

“Had not the fire fighters arrived on time the fire could have spread to other buildings,” the minister said.

The police ruled out foul play as the office complex was well guarded and being a Sunday, there were no visitors.

The heat of the fire caused minor damages to an office car parked near the chowkidar’s quarters.

Md Allauddin said all the reports of the commission were stored in the computer and if the system was completely damaged the reports would be lost.

He, however, hoped that hard copies of the reports were available at the minorities department.

The North Block of the state secretariat houses offices of several ministers, secretaries and section offices of the various departments.

Tourism fest opens in Imphal

2009-04-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

Imphal, April 13 : The Manipur Tourism Festival 2008-09 was opened this evening at BT Park, south extension with the avowed aim of projecting and showcasing Manipur and to promote it as a favourite tourist destinations.

The festival also has the moto of seeking to create communal harmony and feeling of oneness amongst the people of the state.

The additional chief secretary in charge of tourism, DS Poonia who was chief guest maintained said Manipur is a little Shangrila “a bejewelled land’.

This little corner on earth is a veritable paradise where mother nature has been extra generous in delivering her bounty.

He even said, it should be be one of the seven wonders of the world.

He said its easter gateway Moreh being the transit of foreign trade, will emerge as a very important business sector for South East Asia.

Upgradation and development of road is vital he said. The state government is also working hard to lift up the protection area permit (PAP) and develop the tourist sector in the state, Poonia said.

He said the state government will give extra effort to upgrade transits sector in the state and with the coming of railway will also increase connectivity with other parts of countries.

B.B. Sharma, the director of Tourism who presided over the function also noted that Loktak is the largest fresh water lake in the North East region a veritable miniature inland area. Some of the people of Manipur need to protect the lake. We should know that it is the property of every people living in the state perhaps its protection and keep it alive is duty of every people. Only state government concern will not be able to protect Loktak Lake.

Manipur is a lucky state as the state is comprise with mix communities and we should be proud of its rich heritage culture. So, people should guide the tourists very well and need to show our rich hospitality.

AK Choudhury, the Major General of IGAR South said that the festival will bring change in tourism sector and if the state maintain to develop the tourism sector it will help in the economic development in state.

The present Manipur Tourism Festival is one of the series of Tourism Festivals which is sponsored by the Tourism Department, Government of Manipur. The previous Tourism festival were successful and well received by various people of Manipur as well as tourist who had come to see the festivals.

The festivals presented the different faces of Manipur in terms of its Art & Culture, Indigenous sports, Eco & Adventure Tourism Avenues which are the thrust areas of Manipur for development into a favourite tourist destination.

The Manipur Tourism Festival 2009 will be larger in scope with more tourism related activities and publicity. This year there are stalls from a few foreign countries and some other states. Furthermore cultural programmes are also arranged from outside Manipur as well from foreign country.

The festival will last till 21st of April from 6 am to 5 pm.

Poll panel curbs on cash, liquor

2009-04-12T04:57:00.001-07:00

Shillong, April 12 : The East Khasi Hills district administration has invoked Section 144 CrPC prohibiting carrying not more than Rs 50,000 in cash with immediate effect to check bribing of voters before the Lok Sabha elections.

The district administration has declared April 16, the day of polling, as a dry day to prevent the practice of distributing liquor to the electorate.

Deputy commissioner B. Dhar told mediapersons today that the Election Commission was aware of the distribution of money and liquor during elections. Police and the excise department have been asked to conduct surprise raids to prevent supply of liquor bottles during campaigns.

Dhar asked the parties to wrap up campaign by 4pm on Tuesday. The 24-hour bandh called by the HNLC from tomorrow evening has also been prohibited under Section 144.