12th January 2014

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www.morungexpress.com

The Morung Express

Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 10

www.morungexpress.com

Sunday, January 12, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

I feel like unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment, it blocks the flow of God’s blessings in life India says no US standoff as diplomat returns home

Hilary Duff separates from husband

Walking the Pilgrim Path [ PAGE 2]

US weighs targeted sanctions against South Sudan

[ PAGE 11]

[ PAGE 8]

[ PAGE 9]

‘I can knock off Nadal, Djokovic’

By Sandemo Ngullie

[ PAGE 12]

Morung Express News Dimapur | January 11

He is terrified of our pastor’s monotonous preaching and he will do anything to avoid it.

NPCC Responds to Home Minister Full text on page 5

Fire at Chumu, two houses razed

Conservation awareness increasing among people

DIMAPUR, JAnUARy 11 (MExn): Nagaland Forest Minister Y. Patton today visited Nagaland Zoological Park and met the Officers and staff of the Park. While appreciating progress of the park, he emphasized the need for more development so that it can also serve as a center for wildlife conservation. In a statement released to the media, the officer-in-charge of the Nagaland Zoological Park stated that the minister acknowledged the increase in level of conservation awareness among the people. It was further informed that the minister also inspected the area where encroachment was removed in August 2013 and assured that the construction of fencing around the evicted area will be taken up immediately by the department.

Cholera kills 71 people

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AbUJA, JAnUARy 11 (IAnS): At least 71 people have died of cholera in Nigeria’s Kano state, an official said. Abdulsalam Nasidi, project director of Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control, said Friday that 2,165 cases had been recorded in the affected areas in the past two months, Xinhua reported. The government has sent a team with drugs to the state to help control the spread of the disease and to combat the outbreak. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea, which can lead to serious dehydration and prove fatal if not properly treated. Nigeria has suffered several epidemics such as cholera, measles and meningitis over the years.

–Ja Rule

Corruption, a loss of value system—I

reflections

DIMAPUR, JAnUARy 11 (MExn): A major fire incident was averted at Chumukedima on January 11. The fire, which started around noon at Chumukedima Ward – III, completely gutted two houses. According to firemen, who rushed to the scene, flames razed two thatched residential structures and were threatening to engulf other dwellings in the vicinity. The situation worsened when an LPG cylinder burst, a fireman said. But the flames were brought under control before it could spread, it was added. The cause of fire could not be ascertained, while no injury to life was reported.

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Wrestlers from Kohima Village participate on the final day of 61st Kohima Village Sports Association Meet on January 11 at Khuochiezie Local Ground, Kohima. Khrievotuo Sekhose won the coveted Naga wrestling championship at the five-day sports event. (Detailed story on page 12)

Nagaland sees growth in population of women Our Correspondent Kohima | January 11

The overall growth in population of women in Nagaland state, between 2001 and 2011, is 12,000 in absolute numbers, which indicates a growth rate of 1.27%. This means that in 2011, the overall growth in population of women is greater than that of its male couterpart, which has decreased by -2.05%. The districts with the highest increase in female population in the last decade are Dimapur (27.96%), Kohima (24.78%) and Phek (12.04%), according to the Census of In-

dia, Provisional Population Totals Paper 2 Volume II of 2011 (Rural- Urban Population Nagaland Series 14). Districts showing a decline in female population in the last decade include Longleng (-58.04%), Kiphire (-28.17%), Mokokchung (-16.39), Zunheboto (-9-13%) and Mon (-2.70%). In the urban areas, the growth in female population is 1,17,267 in absolute numbers and in percentages, 75.48%. In males, the corresponding figures are 1, 13, 687 or 60.66%. Similar to the national trend, where the gender ratio is showing an up-

ward climb, the gap between male and female population is lesser than the last decade in Nagaland. The districts with the highest increase in female urban population are Mon (117.78%), Phek (105.29%), Mokokchung (84.94%), Dimapur (79.34%) and Kohima (67.95%). In absolute figures, the increase in female urban population in the above mentioned district are Mon (8777), Mokokchung (11920), Phek (5834), Dimapur (41415) and Kohima (24032). In rural areas, the growth of females decreased by

1,05,267 or -13.37%. The district of Longleng had the highest decline in female population in rural areas, with a figure of -36820 or -64.36%, followed by Mokokchung with a decline of 30134 or -31.03. Kiphire district also showed a decline in female rural population by -22166 or -43.89%. On the other hand, four districts increased in rural female population, namely Wokha (7. 67%), Phek (4.15%), Tuensang (3.24%) and Kohima (2.57%). In absolute figures, the corresponding figures are: Wokha (4625), Phek (2722), Tuensang (2430) and Kohima (1770).

A hundred years ago, narrates grassroots entrepreneur Abokali Jimomi, if you found a honeycomb in a forest, you marked it as yours and went back home to sleep in peace. No one would steal it. A hundred years here, if you tried the same humility, your honeycomb would be long stolen for the lone benefit of the thief. And family, perhaps. This, she feels, is corruption. “There is a total loss of a value system in Nagaland,” says Jimomi. “Rights and wrongs have no meaning anymore; it is all distorted. Things that we held true—love and respect for people and life—have been given up in this mad race for power and status, spurred by greed.” This power and status is easily available in Naga society today through the path of hoarding money (more money equals more glory), whether by downing a hook or deploying a crook. People prefer the latter for a simple reason—it’s easy. There is no struggle involved in production, according to lawyer Joshua Sheqi, nor accountability, and crooks to support you are easy to come by in Nagaland today. “The unemployed do not want to work; they want a government job because there is no one to hold officers accountable. This is not an ambition to have, and the lack of ambition is a dangerous thing as people like this who land up getting jobs, easily lose morality to favours,” Sheqi explains. But as Jimomi points out, and as peace activist Gwangphun Gangmei reiterates, “rights and wrongs are mixed up.” “Naga society has developed a selfish attitude. Our sense of morality is lost in our attitude towards society—now we only think on selfish terms and it is not outsid-

ers, but our own culture at the root of it,” he feels. This loss of the morality radar itself is lost to most. In a fast forward mode to modernity, assert almost all commentators, there is only a need to be at par with the world at this point of time. “A sense of corruption does not exist,” notes the man behind the Entrepreneurs Associates, Neichute Doulo, which is why the type of change being witnessed in Delhi cannot happen here. Hiking rates of products unreasonably and blaming any inflation on extortion, charging an exorbitant amount as taxi or auto fare during festivals, taking a cut off every government project even if meant for the disabled, all amount to corruption, but, as Doulo puts

it, since everyone is doing it, it becomes okay. And, “The more money you have, the more glory you get.” It requires no “skill set,” chips in Sheqi, not to mention the complete lack of law and order here that facilitates all sorts of crimes. Of the many ways out, Doulo has a suggestion to start with, though one that “requires a lot of courage.” “It is easy to always find an excuse or justification to steal. When I was 15, I stole a chicken from my village and we enjoyed a great picnic. It was only after I joined Moral Re-Armament (now Initiatives of Change) that I realized Frank Buchman’s words, ‘as I am, so is my nation.’ I never thought I was corrupt in everyday life, but when I realized and then apologized to my village for stealing that chicken, it strengthened my principles in a way a hinge does a door.”

BJP confident of poll win UN seeks more resources to end conflicts

Decision of Nagaland candidate for Lok Sabha to be taken by DAN Morung Express News Dimapur | January 11

BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha national vice president, Johnny G. Rengma has exuded confidence that the party would obtain majority in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and form the government at the Centre. He described the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, as an honest and secular leader whose acceptability as the future prime minister has invoked a mass movement not only among corporate houses but the middle and lower strata of the society as well. Rengma was addressing media persons at the Hotel Saramati here on Saturday. Drawing attention to a report in one of the local dailies about Chief Secretary Alemtemshi Jamir’s candidature for Nagaland State’s lone Lok Sabha seat, Rengma termed the report as “speculative.” He said the DAN coalition was a unique conglomeration of both regional and national political parties and that the issue of setting up a candidate would be addressed by DAN partners. He, however, added that the final call would be made by the leader of DAN. On the issue of Karbi-Rengma conflict, Rengma said that the situation created was due to the “Centre’s negligence of tribals.” He said that the BJP-led NDA would focus on these issues and deal accordingly to alleviate not only the economic condition of the

tribals but generate employment opportunities. He appealed to all communities living in Karbi Anglong to re-invent the harmonious relationship which the forefathers of different communities maintained. The BJP leader also revealed that the party has assigned him the task ‘Mission Myanmar,’ the objective of which is to “maintain economic relationship with Myanmar.” In this connection, he would be meeting the Naga MPs in Myanmar on January 27 and 28 and other tribal MPs on January 29 and 30. He regretted that the UPA government took a political stand on the Look East Policy the foundation for which was laid by then Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee. With proper attention, Rengma said, India could have developed a strong economic relationship and fostered closer political ties with neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar. Stating that there was no boundary dispute between Myanmar and Nagaland, he said that the Nagas do not have any territorial ambition with Myanmar. Commenting on the huge presence of para military forces in Nagaland, Johnny Rengma said, “This much of para military forces is not necessary in the present context” since all the underground groups are in ceasefire with the Government of India. He said such presence suggested the redundancy of Assam Rifles in Nagaland. The BJP leader also felt that the tenure of an interlocutor for the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) should not be indefinite but for a maximum of 6 months which could be extendable. According to Rengma, one of the reasons for the Naga peace talks dragging on indefinitely is due to the indefinite tenure of the interlocutors.

UnItED nAtIonS, JAnUARy 11 (IAnS/WAM): UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the international community to provide more political attention and resources to the world body as it faces an overflowing plate of conflicts and disasters. “The situations in Syria, South Sudan and the Central African Republic have gone from bad to worse,” he said in his first

news conference of the new year Friday. Ban highlighted not only the immediate need to end the fighting in those countries but also the larger imperatives of 2014 in the run-up to reaching the UN’s anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and achieving a global accord to counter climate change. The year 2015 is the deadline for attaining both targets. Ban stressed that the UN was

doing its utmost to ease the suffering and provide life-saving aid in all three strife-torn countries, staying and delivering assistance wherever it could even as people continued to flee their homes and countries. “These are avoidable tragedies in which millions of civilians are paying an unconscionable price,” he said. “I am especially alarmed by the spread of sectarian animosity, and by the dangerous

regional and global spillover effects. Years of development are at stake. A generation of young people is at risk.” According to him, UN personnel were all showing tremendous courage and professionalism in all the three countries “but humanitarian assistance, vital as it is, can be only part of our response”. “The international community must pull together to help these countries find the path of peace,” he added.

Former Israeli PM Ariel Sharon passes away

JERUSALEM, JAnUARy 11 (REUtERS): Ariel Sharon, the trailblazing former Israeli general and prime minister who was in a coma for eight years after suffering a stroke at the height of his power, died on Saturday aged 85, his family and the government said. Sharon’s son Gilad announced the death at the hospital where his father had been treated. Doctors there had predicted his imminent death after his health declined sharply last week. Ministers in Israel’s rightwing government, and the political opposition, mourned a tough and wily leader who left big footprints on the region through military invasion, Jewish settlement building on captured land and a shock, unilateral decision to pull Is-

In this Wednesday Feb. 7, 2001 file photo, Ariel Sharon, then Israel’s Prime Minister-elect, looks up as he touches Judaism holiest site, the Western Wall, in Jerusalem. The son of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says his father has died on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2014. The 85-year-old Sharon had been in a coma since a debilitating stroke eight years ago. (AP Photo)

raeli troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005. “The nation of Israel has today lost a dear man, a great

leader and a bold warrior,” Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said in a statement. There was no imme-

diate comment on the death from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, with whom Sharon’s Likud party successor, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been holding U.S.-sponsored peace talks. But in Gaza, the Hamas Islamists whose political fortunes rose with the Israeli withdrawal savoured Sharon’s demise. “We have become more confident in victory with the departure of this tyrant,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zurhi, whose movement preaches the destruction of the Jewish state. “Our people today feel extreme happiness at the death and departure of this criminal whose hands were smeared with the blood of our people and the blood of our leaders here and in exile.” Related story on page 9

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12th January 2014 by The Morung Express - Issuu