14th January 2014

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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 12

The Morung Express “

www.morungexpress.com

2014 Golden Globe Awards

[ PAGE 8]

Seeking to revive Naga tattoo culture [ PAGE 2]

No resistance as protesters occupy Thai capital

[ PAGE 11]

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Tuesday, January 14, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on

PM warns of danger to secularism

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[ PAGE 9]

”

–Robert Frost

Djokovic, Serena win at Australian Open [ PAGE 12]

Immediate need for re-settlement of displaced persons: rio to Gogoi kPLT urged to call off bandh

At this point your bro-inlaw disappeared with the entire fund.

The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn

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Nagaland observes Road Safety Week KOHIMA, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The 24th National Road Safety Week is being observed in Nagaland from January 11 to 17. Banners spreading the message ‘Road Safety Awareness Drive’ with the theme ‘You First’ are seen in different corners of the State capital.

India records an average of one crore accidents a year.

While about 16 lakh accidents in India are major, an average of 1.2 lakh people die of road mishaps every year. Currently, one accident death happens every six minutes in India and according to a study, by 2030 it will be one death in three minutes. 78 percent of the accidents are caused due to the negligence of drivers, especially due to over speeding.

January 12 abduction attempt condemned

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MANgKOlEMbA, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The Mangkolemba Ao Lanur Telongjem, Mangkolemba Town Students Union and Watsu Telongjem (Mangkolemba Unit) have condemned the January 12 incident, where one youth allegedly attempted to abduct a class 10 student in Mangkolemba, under Mokokchung district. The organizations, through a press note, alleged that on January 12, one Imdongchujang (26) of Changki village and a permanent resident of Hokiyong Ward in Mangkolemba, “forcefully abducted” a class 10 student (name withheld) of Baptist Higher Secondary School, Mangkolemba from her rented residence at around 7:30 pm. It informed that the accused “attempted to take her away in a Maruti van,” but after travelling around 200 meters, the victim jumped out of the vehicle, thereby sustaining injuries to her face, rib and stomach. It alleged that the accused followed the victim to her house and “threatened to kill her.” The organizations have vehemently condemned this act and appealed for befitting punishment to the accused at the earliest. They cautioned that attempts to delay or lessen the degree of the case “will be noted with utmost concern and the three organizations will be forced to adopt appropriate course of action.”

KOHIMA, JANUARY 13 (MExN): Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, today intimated Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, of DIPHU, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The Hill Youth the “immediate need to Democratic Front (HYDF) has urged the Karbi Peomake plans for re-settleple’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) to call off its proposed ment of all the displaced bandh scheduled from January 15 to 19, on “humanipersons” of Karbi Anglong. tarian grounds.” The KPLT had called for the bandh to In a letter to the latter, Rio, express sorrow over the killing of nine Karbi persons while thanking Gogoi for in Nagaland recently. A press note from the HYDF statthe “prompt action taken ed that “free passage is required for supply of essential to instill confidence in the commodities to refugees.” It also informed that ‘Hacha minds of the public, as well Kekan,’ a Karbi Traditional Dance, is round the corner as to provide relief meaand that considering “the volatile situation, KPLT callsures,” said that immediate ing a bandh is totally uncalled for.” It added that the re-settlement is necessary bandh would hamper relief works and the peace and for the displaced persons of confidence building processes initiated by various both the Karbi and Rengma civil societies from Nagaland and Karbi Anglong. The communities “who are now HYDF further asserted that it “holds the government languishing in relief camp responsible for the violent situation.” It stated that “as in Assam and Nagaland.” media report suggests, the government had prior inRio acknowledged the telligence input on the possible clash since June 2013, receipt of Gogoi’s letter apbut never acted responsibly.” It appealed for the KPLT prising the former of the Seen here is a burnt down house in Khoaani village in the Phencherop belt of Karbi Anglong, Assam, as on December 28, and the NRHPF to “restrain themselves from indulgvarious steps taken by the 2013. The whole village was burnt down. In the ensuing violence, 15 people lost their lives, leaving hundreds homeless and ing in anti people activity” and to resolve their issues at the negotiating table.

Government of Assam to displaced from their land. “bring about normalcy and a congenial security environment in the affected areas of Karbi Anglong to enable the displaced persons ber 27, 2013 incidents. road connecting the vil- Like the rest of the people away at around 4:00 pm, Nkhenlari (Khanari) had to return to their villages.”

Too frail to speak, lage, villagers had to carry at the camp, he had to be Sunday, but not on the soil given birth, while hiding “On our part,” stated Nthϋga wrote the words the centenarian on their accommodated on the cold he called home for over a in the forests after the viRio, “we are tightening the before he breathed his last backs and trek 12km to the concrete floor at night with century. He is survived by olence erupted. They are on January 12 at the Bor- nearest road (a neighbour- hay underneath sheets of four children. now at the Borpathar remeasures to check illegal pathar High School relief ing Karbi village), where clothes acting as mattress.

Nthüga’s mortal re- lief camp. and smuggled arms in and camp in Santipur, Bokajan transport awaited, leadPeople at the camp, mains were taken to his Two meals a day, no around Dimapur.” He also Morung Express news sub-division. He was serv- ing to NH 29 and Santipur. who were with Nthϋga as native village on Monday, snacks in between, is the informed Gogoi of the aping as the government-ap- Between the nearest road he breathed his last, said where he was finally laid to daily quota of food for the pointment of a high level Dimapur | January 13 pointed headman of Pher- and the village stand two he was struggling to speak rest at around 4:00 pm. Ac- residents, whose ages committee of senior officers “to go into the causes “Bury me in the soil my an- ashan village (Nkhenlari). rivers with no overpass. It and gestured for a pen and cording to people at the re- range from two-week old and genesis of the ethnic cestors called home,” reads Appointed in 1940, he had normally takes a one-and- piece of paper. Even as his lief camp, the Assam Police infants to 90 year-olds. a roughly interpreted ver- completed more than sev- half hour trek and another condition deteriorated, insisted on a post-mortem, Concerns beyond food hovconflict that had resulted sion of the last words jothour by road to reach San- he wished not be taken to to which the family eventu- er on their thoughts howin the loss of several lives,” ted down by centenarian en decades as headman.

Old age taking a toll tipur, villagers say. Pher- a hospital. His last words ally had to relent. The body ever. With a new academic in addition to a Special In- Nthϋga N. Rengma. A son on the once robust man’s ashan has no electricity, no were in Rengma dialect, was taken to Diphu early year about to start, anxious vestigation Team of police of the soil, 110 year-old body, Nthϋga arrived at phone connectivity, and no written in Assamese script. on Monday for the autopsy parents are concerned for “to specifically investigate Nthϋga, was among the the relief camp towards medical facility; only a pri- One of the men, who saw and taken back to Santi- their wards’ school admisthe killing of nine people hundreds of Rengmas of the end of December. The mary school. the note, said that Nthϋga pur where a memorial was sion. Moreover, the three belonging to the Karbi Karbi Anglong who were 35km journey from his Nthϋga’s body was not was yearning for his vil- held in the afternoon. government schools in Sancommunity at Pachaspura forced to flee homes in the village to Santipur was up for the general rice and lage before he breathed his For the other residents tipur, which are housing the area near Dimapur, whose aftermath of the unrest not bereft of discomfort. lentil available in the camp, last. But his last wish could of the camp, life is not any displaced, are set to resume bodies were discovered on that followed the Decem- With no direct motorable said one of the villagers. not be fulfilled. He passed easier. Two women of classes this month.

January 4.”

‘Bury me in the soil my ancestors called home’

Rengma centenarian laid to rest

Sumi Aphuyemi Kukami Hoho pledge to support ‘Naga issue’ ‘Explore yourself & inspire others’

PUgHObOtO, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The Sumi Aphuyemi Kukami Hoho (SAKH)— the apex organization of the Sumi Aphuyemi—has decided and pledged to “give support to the Naga issue in the greater interest of the Nagas in general and the Sumis in particular.” To this effect, it will convene a general public meeting at the Pughoboto headquarters “at the earliest.”

This was stated today in a press release from SAKH president, Suhoje Kiho (GB), who highlighted the Hoho’s consultative meeting held on January 4 this year at Ghathashi Town that deliberated on the December 21 incident and the aftermath.

“The members that attended the meeting have vehemently condemned the incidents.

They viewed that the grue-

some aftermath would have been avoided if the NSCN authority could have accepted the demand of the public on time,” noted the release.

With regard to the “physical non-cooperation of the Sumi Aphuyemi to Sumi volunteers in the gun bathe with NSCN-IM Z.B. Battalion at Mukalimi designated Camp,” the SAKH stated, “according to our customary practice

no group or individual have the right to attack the enemy without the consent of the rightful landowner.” Quoting examples of “destructive acts by the volunteers,” the SAKH stated, “We observed that the actions taken by the Sumi volunteers were truly uncalled for disregard to the Sumi Aphuyemi was evident by the threatening acts to the neighbouring villages.”

JObSEEkErS bEwArE! nsUB cautions against misleading recruiters

bANgAlORE, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The Naga Students Union Bangalore (NSUB) has cautioned that there are many cases of young Nagas lured to the city by attractive job offers, only to find themselves working under exploitative conditions.

A press note from the NSUB president, Sunep Imsong informed that there has been an influx of Naga youth to Bangalore in recent months, looking for better jobs and recruited through individual agencies, advertisements and institutions. NSUB stated that the recruiters promise large salaries, free accommodation, food and transport.

Most of the young boys and girls are recruited as security guards, beauticians, tailors and call centre executives.

However, NSUB revealed that the young recruits go through “miserable experiences,” with less salary, long working hours, no medical coverage and crammed accommodation and that

they have to pay for their own accommodation and transport. It further alleged that the recruits are “held almost like bonded laborers,” without being allowed to leave their workplace.

NSUB cited a case involving a group of girls, who were brought to Bangalore through a “reputed institute” in Dimapur to work at a garments factory. The Union, after being contacted by the girls, visited them and was “appalled to see the conditions they were living in.”

It informed that almost all of the twenty odd Naga girls working there have been trying to leave the company. However, NSUB informed that their requests to leave were denied and that they were made to work even more.

According to NSUB, the girls were recruited by a Naga woman in Dimapur, but stated that she has been “insensitive and non responsive” towards the plight of the girls. It added that a new batch of Nagas is arriving on January 16 to join the same company.

NSUB president, Sunep Imsong informed that this is only one of many similar cases, where young Naga employees are being exploited. He stated that this has become a major concern and called for proper mechanisms in Nagaland to check such activities. NSUB further cautioned the public in Nagaland to be aware of “such misleading promises and advertisements.”

Morung Express news

Phuvkiu Village | January 13

In the continuing effort to empower and develop its student community, the Yimchungrü Akherü Arihako (YAA), the apex students’ body of the Yimchungrü tribe held its 48th general conference from January 8-12 at Phuvkiu village under Pungro sub-division in Kiphire district with the theme ‘Explore yourself and inspire others.’ At the same time, Phuvkiu Village Students’ Union also observed its golden jubilee with the theme ‘Celebrating deliverance.’

The YAA conference concluded on a high note with Parliamentary secretary for CAWD, R Tohanba, as the guest of honour in the valedictory function held Sunday night.

“Education opens the windows to the world. A society advances according to the progress in education. Education is the only instrument which will open the eyes of ignorance and deliver people from the bondage of ignorance”, the parliamentary secretary said in his address.

Tohanba said there is a paradigm shift in the field of education - its objectives and approaches. Likewise, the interest and aspirations of people and society have also drastically changed from simple to complex ones.

“Now your education should not be focused on government jobs alone but prepare your mindset towards developing your skills for earning your livelihood through diverse fields of interests”, Tohanba said.

He added that to develop a society

and to move ahead depends on how students contribute their positive thoughts and ideas. Stating that students are always on the move in search of new knowledge and understanding new ideas, he encouraged them to explore their own potentialities and try to develop those potentialities to the fullest through the system of education available to them at different stages.

“Explore yourself and inspire others is a very relevant theme to that end.

You can never be an inspiration to others until and unless you explore who you are and what you are. You need to develop your skills and potentialities by sincerely imbibing the right kind of education. Only when you explore yourself and understand your strength and live and do accordingly will others learn good things from your life and actions”, Tohanba stated.

Stating that education is a lifelong and continuous process, the parliamentary secretary also reminded the students of Robert Frost’s inspirational quote “Miles to go before I sleep” and said that if students sleep before they reach their destination, then the world will leave them behind.

Further, Tohanba stressed on maintaining unity and cultural bonds among the six-dialect speaking people constituting the Yimchungrü tribe.

Deputy Commissioner, Kiphire district, Kesonyu Yhome also exhorted the students. Parliamentary secretary for Excise, Economics & Statistics and LM&CP, T Torechu and host of district administration officials, public leaders and elders attended the closing function.

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Tuesday 14 January 2014

The Morung Express C

Seeking to revive Effort to boost Hindi through better textbooks Naga tattoo culture Hindi textbooks evaluation needed in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh

GuwahaTI, January 13 (Ians): Naga tribes have an old and rich tattooing culture. But such traditional art forms are now all but extinct and Mo Naga, a 29-yearold northeastern youth, is on a mission to revive this "unique" heritage.

Moranngam Khaling, or Mo Naga, as he prefers to be referred to, is a design graduate from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and found his love for tattooing in 2005, when in his first year in college, he along with a friend decided to buy a machine together and explore the art. Admittedly it was only modern designs in the beginning since tattoo artists around the world were rapidly discovering new styles.

"But around 2008, I started reading about Naga tattoo culture which submerged me in the world of tribal tattoo arts, its symbols, significance and their beliefs. There are many other tribes in India who have tattooing traditions, but I found the Naga tattoos unique because of their direct association with the headhunting culture and their unique beliefs associated with present life and beyond," Mo Naga, whose tattooing brand goes by the Headhunters' Ink name, told IANS. "Also, there was an urgent need to begin my journey from the Naga hills because the culture there is almost extinct and traditional tattooing practice was abandoned many decades ago. All we are left with now

KohIMa, January 13 (Mexn): Khrietuo Mejhur, Additional Director, State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Government of Nagaland inaugurated a workshop to evaluate the Hindi Text books (Elementary Level) of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh on January 13. North East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), NCERT, Shillong in collaboration with Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore at SCERT, Kohima has orga-

nized the workshop.

Mejhur, in his inaugural speech welcomed participants and hoped that Hindi Text books will be evaluated properly in this workshop, which will lead to further enrichment of the textbooks. He further observed that attitude to Hindi has changed over the years in the State and this should be an opportunity for all of us to augment the teaching learning of Hindi in the State through better Hindi textbooks.

Dr. SK Pandey, Assistant

Professor, NERIE, Shillong one of the coordinators of the program gave a brief background of the programme. Evaluation of Hindi Textbooks at elementary level was identified as one of the state needs of both Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh in their respective State Coordination Committee (SCC) meetings. After evaluating Hindi textbooks, supplementary materials for enrichment of Hindi Textbooks will also be developed later in workshop mode.

Dr. Sarajubala Devi, As-

are a few old men and women with such tattoos," he added.

The Nagas, says Mo who hails from Manipur but is now settled in Guwahati in Assam says, don't have a written script of their history. It has instead been passed down generations orally through stories and songs. A thorough study of the traditional tattoo patterns too can reveal priceless pieces of history, he believes.

"In the olden days, every major stage in life was marked with rituals and in many tribes with tattoos. Tattoos were also done for beautification purposes, but most traditional tattoos were sacred. There were tattoos which marked successful headhunting, and some were symbols and marks of their pagan beliefs. I am not trying to bring back the old beliefs and lifestyle. My effort is to tell the stories of our forefathers through art and design," Mo Naga said.

In his four years' research of traditional Naga tattoos, which took him to the interior villages of the state, Mo Naga says that he has discovered a treasure trove of patterns which he is now compiling. One such design is akin to the Turkish Evil Eye or the Eye of Horus that certain tribes of the northeast tattooed on their bodies for protection in the present life and the afterlife.

In the recently concluded Hornbill Festival in Nagaland which attracted visitors from around the world, Mo Naga said that he unveiled this design in his stall and many people, including foreign tourists, chose to get tattooed.

The ethnic significance of Mo Naga's work has intrigued and inspired many, including a British couple, James Paul Smith and Hannah Hatt, who were his first clients. "I inked them with my first Naga tattoo design that was inspired by a design generally used in Naga shawls. They have now become our cultural ambassadors in the UK," he said. His work has also got the suppport of the state government.

Headhunters' Ink also has a special school in Guwahati which trains students in the nuances of tattooing-from technique to sketching and design development, and from studying the human body to exploring the culture of the region. The curriculum is designed as per an individual's requirement, so the approach used for a fine arts graduate is different from a software graduate.

"The aim is to train young artists and groom them into professional tattoo artists.

Tattooing is not a money making business for me, and I am happy training one or two serious students a year," Mo Naga added.

DIMaPur, January 13 (Mexn): Krishi Vigyan Kendra Wokha in collaboration with ICAR Nagaland centre, Jharnapani distributed 450 numbers of Vanaraja chicks under poultry seed project (TSP) to 15 numbers of selected farmers on January 10.

Dr. Moaakum, ICAR Nagaland centre, Jharnapani

in a press release stated that the chicks were distributed with an objective to establish and encourage the farmers to take up Vanaraja farming at the village level to enhance meat and egg production as well as to multiply the breed.

The distribution programme was initiated

by Dr. Moa KVK Wokha

and highlighted the purpose of the seed project.

The selected farmers of Humtso and Okotsu villages thanked Joint Director ICAR Nagaland centre and Dr. Patra, scientist and in-charge of the project for their assistance and requested to take up more such programme for the benefit of the farmers.

PheK, January 13 (DIPr): The monthly District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) meeting of Phek district for the month of January was held in the District Planning & Development Board (DPDB) Conference Hall, under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner & Vice Chairman DPDB, Phek Neposo Theluo.

While reviewing the minutes of the last meeting, EE PWD (R&B), Phek

highlighted the status of the work undertaken by the department for preparation of the ensuing CSU conference.

PHED department was also requested to provide pipe connection to the venue.

AE (CAWD) was requested to furnish GA Rest House at the earliest for accommodation of guests during the conference. Deputy Commissioner has requested all the departments to extend possible logistic support for

the conference.

Team Member, Nagaland Bee & Honey Mission (NBHM) Bodevi Shuya, and Tourist Officer, Tourism Department, Veyielo Doulo presented departmental activities. The Board approved the proposal for District Evaluation Study on mid-day meal under Phek district. In the next DPDB meeting Vety & A.H department will present their Departmental activities.

Earlier, the Chairman welcomed all the members to the meeting. The special invitees Bodevi Shuya, Team Member, Nagaland Bee & Honey Mission and Veyielo Doulo, Tourist Officer, Tourism Department were introduced to the house. The newly posted officers, AEO (Election), Olivi Thur, Phek and AE (CAWD), Phek Keninlo Rengma, were also introduced to the house.

Vanaraja chicks distributed in Wokha

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DIMaPur, January 13 (Mexn): The BJP Central Defence Analysis & National Security Cell has condemned the killing of nine Karbi persons in Nagaland and of four Rengma persons, including the burning of houses and granaries in Karbi Anglong, Assam.

A press note from the BJP CDANSC termed the violence in the two states as a “total violation of human rights and called for peaceful existence and communal harmony between the Karbi and Rengma peoples.

It called upon the two communities to stress on forgiveness, brotherhood and reconciliation.

The cell condemned the Assam Congress Government for "total failure in protecting the lives and properties" of innocent victims and for “totally neglecting the law and order situation in Karbi Anglong.”

“In the many years of their rule, the inter-tribal fabric

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DIMaPur, January 13 (Mexn): The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Nagaland participated in the 1st ever Assam International Agri-Horti Show 2014 held at Khanapara Veterinary College, Guwahati with its main objective being to exhibit the diverse range of crops grown in various districts of Nagaland including indigenous crops and spices

Directorate of School Education, Kohima.

The inaugural function was attended by Catherine Kikon, Sr. Academic Officer, SCERT, Kohima; Sukanya, TRA, SCERT, Kohima; and others participants from SCERT, Directorate of School Education and NERIE. The workshop will continue till January 19, 2014.

This was stated in a press release issued by Dr. Philip BP, Local Program Coordinator & Hindi Coordinator, Directorate of School Education, Kohima.

MEx File

CASU 43rd general session held

Mimkut festival at Athibung town

Krishi Vigyan Kendra Wokha and ICAR Nagaland centre, Jharnapani officials and others at Wokha on January 10.

of Assam has been totally destroyed,” it added.

It further demanded that relief and rehabilitation be handed over to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, in order to handle the situation prudently. It assured that “after the BJP led NDA comes to power; all the stakeholders and public civil bodies will be thoroughly consulted for ending, once and for all, the inter-tribal conflict in Karbi Anglong.”

The cell asserted that the nature of the political imbroglio and socio-economic disparities will be analyzed in depth and that a long lasting solution will be instituted through "mutual understanding and peaceful dialogue.”

The BJP Central Defence Analysis & National Security Cell was formed in 2013 with 11 Central standing Committee Members. It was formed with the aim to develop into a resource hub for authentic, timely and pragmatic inputs to the organizational and legislative wings of the party, while in opposition, and to the executive, when in government.

Mon, January 13 (DIPr): MLA & Chairman NKVIB & DPDB Mon N. Thongwang Konyak inaugurated the Chi Chingngoi Chunhoa Morung of Chi village on January 9.

N. Thongwang Konyak appealed to the people of his constituency to leave behind all political differences and extend full cooperation to the Government to pave way for community development. He informed that smooth development cannot take place in any society without peace and unity among the people. Emphasizing on the need for quality roads, the MLA said that without proper transport and communication, economic development could not be achieved. He assured that he is ready to take up any projects for the development of the community.

and its various value added products. The four daylong event kick started from January 8 to 11.

The products included cereals, pulses, horticultural crops, spices, bamboo products, honey and medicinal products. Various national Agriculture Departments and research institutions, private entrepreneurs/ NGOs and international agencies from China, Canada, Nepal, Bangladesh, Israel, Italy, South Africa, Bhutan and Indonesia participated in the event. The four day event covered exhibitions, seminars, workshops, samarohs, competition of potted plants, flower arrangement, agricultural crops,

salad preparation, drawing competition, quiz and documentary film shows.

Dr. Benjongliba Aier, Parliamentary Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Longrineken, MLA & Chairman, Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency and N. Tekatushi Ao, Director of Agriculture & SNO, Nagaland and officials from ATMA, attended the event.

The team is thankful to the Nagaland Bio-Resource Mission, Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency, Nagaland Bee and Honey Mission, Naga Fragrance and Kuda Cold Storage for extending their support. The state stall received interesting and encouraging responses from Tarun Gogoi,Chief Minister of Assam visiting the ATMA stall during 1st Assam International Agri- Horti Show 2014. one and all.

Thongwang urges to embrace peace for development Describing morung as a place of learning and teaching all kinds of human development and behaviour, he urged the people to uphold the moral values and tradition of the morung, and to make it a centre of learning. He also lauded the leaders of the morung for taking the initiative and completing the building in time.

Deputy Commissioner, Mon Angau I Thou, IAS who graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour recalled that morung was a place of learning for the young generation which imparts training to the youths to become responsible citizens of the society as per the traditions and culture of the Nagas. She appealed to the youths and the leaders of the Chingngoi Chunhoa morung to take the initiative of trans-

forming the mindset of the Konyak society by setting good examples to the people of the district, in an endeavour to march forward. She also advised them to have strong determination in acquiring quality education for human development and also to extend full cooperation to the Government for all round development of the district.

The chief guest along with the Deputy Commissioner and his entourage also visited Longgok Morung and interacted with people. Hoka, Tongmeth, Gopang and Deputy Angh of Chi village also delivered short speeches.

Earlier, Chairman Construction Committee Hanlong Konyak delivered welcomes address. Cultural dances and special numbers marked the celebration.

Nagaland exhibits diverse range of crops

ATMA Nagaland participates in 1st ever Assam International AgriHorti Show 2014

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Mon, January 13 (DIPr): Parliamentary Secretary RD and REPA C.L. John inaugurated Chingkao Chingnyu local ground and also graced the 43rd general session-cum sports meet of Chen Area Students Union (CASU) 2014 with the theme “Re-ignite” at Chingkao Chingnyu as the chief guest on January 8.

Addressing the gathering of sports persons, C.L. John said that games and sports was a part of education. He also encouraged them by citing the example of Chekrovolu Swuro and Mary Kom, who has gained popularity through sports. Welcome speech was delivered by President CASU, N. Chingkem,, while special song was presented by Chingkao Chingnyu Students Union. Chingkao Chinga Students Union (male) and Chenloishu Students Union (female) presented folk dances.

Call for peace and Phek district monthly DPDB meeting held communal harmony

BJP CDNACS condemns recent violence and unrest

sistant Professor, NERIE, NCERT, Shillong and one of the coordinators of the programme proposed vote of thanks. She thanked Khrietuo Mejhur, Additional Director, SCERT, Kohima for taking his valuable time out for the program. She thanked all including the participants who helped in the successful conduct of the program.

She especially thanked CIIL, Mysore for their important help. The inaugural function was chaired by the local program coordinator, Dr. Philip BP, Hindi Coordinator,

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Peren, January 13 (DIPr): The Kuki community will be celebrating Mimkut festival as part of 50 years Statehood celebration on January 16 and 17, at Athibung town, Peren district. The main function slated on January 17, will have the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio as the chief guest and Minister, Planning & Co-ordination, T.R. Zeliang as the guest of honour. Parliamentary Secretary, RD & REPA, C.L. John will be the chief guest at the Miss KUT contest to be held in the evening. MLA and Chairman, NHHDC, Namri Nchang would be the Chief host of the event. Rock contest and Voice hunt would be the main highlight on January 16, where Chief Secretary Nagaland Alemtemshi Jamir would grace the programme as special guest and Project Director Music Task Force, Nagaland Gugs Chishi as special invitee.

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NSSA Empowered Action Committee meeting

KohIMa, January 13 (Mexn): The Nagaland Secretariat Service Association (NSSA) Empowered Action Committee shall meet on January 15 (Wednesday) at 2:30 pm in the NSSA Office to discuss resumption and intensification of the pen-down/cease work agitation.

The agitation was suspended temporarily on December 11, 2013 for the period extending till January 15, 2014, following the Government’s written assurance letter dated 10/12/2013. NSSA President, Imti Longchar and General Secretary Johnny Humtsoe in a press release have requested Action Committee members to note the schedule for compulsory attendance.

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PTCSU 36th general session held

PheK, January 13 (DIPr): The Phek Town Chakhesang Students Union 36th general session was held on January 10 under the theme ' Going beyond Mediocrity'. Nesucho Keyho in his speech appreciated all the achievers and successful candidates in their academic career while at the same time, he also enlightened and encouraged the others by quoting the maxim "failure is the pillar to success". Also stating that present generation needs quality education, to become a successful leader he observed that it is high time to decide now or never and exhorted the younger generation for wise time management. President Phek Town Chakhesang Students' Union, Zoto Dozo delivered the presidential address with the famous addendum " united we stand divided we fall". Associate Pastor Phek Town Baptist Church Nusakho Chiero pronounced the invocation while Chairperson Nuthitalu Luruo concluded the programme with vote of thanks.

Tseminyu SDPDB appeals for peaceful co-existence

TseMInyu, January 13 (DIPr): Tseminyu SDPDB meeting for the month of January 2014 was held on January 10 at ADCs Conference Hall with Deputy Speaker, Nagaland, Er. Levi Rengma on the chair. Reviewing the last meeting minutes, the house deliberated and resolved to propose for health subcenter for Kasha and Turogvunyu which covers 8 villages under its unit. The house also resolved to appeal the National highway authority to take up road improvement and maintenance work within Tseminyu. The house further resolved to appeal both the communities of Karbis and Rengmas to restrain from creating tension but to settle differences amicably and also to respect each other’s rights for peaceful co-existence. SMO, CHC, Tseminyu Dr. Tenilo, presented the Medical department’s profile in a power point format and highlighted the different activities carried out by the department through the 12 units covering both CHC and Sub- Centers spread over the seven ranges under the sub-division. He also highlighted the grievances and requirements of the department beside the need to build a fence around the CHC at Tseminyu. In the meeting, work distribution was also assigned to all the concerned departments for Republic day celebration. It was also notified that mass social work will be conducted on January 18 in preparation of the Republic day.

The next SDPDB meeting is stated to be held at Sendenyu village community hall.

C M Y K

Regional

The Morung express

India, Bangladesh jointly patrol border AgArtAlA, JAnuAry 13 (IAnS): India and Bangladesh are jointly patrolling their common border specially in the unfenced, sensitive and vulnerable areas, an official said here Monday.

"Jawans of Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have been carrying out joint patrolling along the borders to prevent unwanted elements from crossing the borders

in view of the political turmoil in Bangladesh," a BSF official told reporters.

"Such mutual patrolling would continue until the situation becomes normal in Bangladesh. The combined guarding is being done specially along the unfenced, sensitive and vulnerable bordering areas," the official said.

India's five states - West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram share a 4,096-km border

Gaan-Ngai festival begins

ImphAl, JAnuAry 13 (nnn): Gaan-Ngai, the post-harvest festival of the Zeliangrong tribes of Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland began on Monday with the major opening event of the five-day long celebration held at Keikhu Kabui village in Imphal East.

Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, ministers, MLAs, and Z Kikhonbou Newmai, vice-chairman, Hill Area Committee, Amu Kamei, president Zeliangrong Union (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland), and leaders of various social organisations attended the celebration organised by the State Level GaanNgai Celebration Committee at Keikhu Kabui village.

Ritual ceremonies and ‘pot lannaba’ (exchange of gifts) between the villagers and the major community Meiteis specifically marked the occasion.

Gaikhangam opened the festival. In his speech, the Deputy Chief Minister noted that every community has its own festival that seeks blessings from the God, hailing Manipur as a state having various rich cultures of numerous com-

munities.

Saying that “We can’t live without faith,” Gaikhangam called for peaceful co-existence among the various groups with understanding of its other and having faith in God. Artistic performances like cultural dance and songs were also showcased at the event.

Gaan-Ngai festival has various rites and features such as prayer, worship, feasting, singing, dancing, games and sports including long-jump, shot-pot, wrestling, bull-catching, pigcatching, felicitation dances in honour of the living persons and farewell dances for the departed souls.

Other Naga tribes also celebrate similar festival after harvest. This festival, according to traditions, originated thousands of years ago at the ancient village of Makuilongdi, as a revelation of God for the wellbeing of mankind.

It was originally called “Chaga-Ngai. The Zeliangrong tribes believe this festival brings good fortune and prosperity for individuals as well as the community and country.

Assam assembly session on Feb 10

guWAhAtI, JAnuAry 13 (ptI): Assam governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik today announced to convene a oneday session of Assam Legislative Assembly on February 10. According to an official release, the Governor said: "I summon Assam Legislative Assembly to meet at 9 am on Monday, the February 10, 2014 in the Assembly chamber at Dispur." The same has been informed to the chief minister and his ministerial colleagues and all the MLAs.

with Bangladesh. A large portion of the International Border remains unfenced and porous.

There are a large number of thickly populated Bangladeshi villages and towns on the other side of the International Border, making patrolling a delicate task for the Indian border guards and other security forces. In view of the ongoing political turmoil in that country, India had earlier tightened the

vigil along its border with Bangladesh.

Tripura Director General of Police C. Balasubramanian said: "The government has asked the BSF to keep maximum alert along the border. We have asked the superintendents of police of bordering districts to take necessary measures to deal with the situation."

BSF Director General Subhash Joshi last month inspected the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura and

SEnApAtI, JAnuAry 13 (nnn): Making its strategies open for the coming of Lok Sabha polls, the NPF, Manipur State said it is open for alliance with any non-Congress party. This was disclosed by Manipur State unit NPF general secretary Athuan Abonmai.

Meanwhile, within this month Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Manipur State will announce the name of its candidate to be fielded in the Manipur Outer Parliamentary constituency of Manipur. NPF, Manipur State general secretary Athuan Abonmai said today that the party is zeroingin on a name and definitely by the end of this month they will officiallly declare the name of its candidate.

Meanwhile, the NPF leader said all the 'wrongdoings' of Ibobi Singh led Congress government of Manipur will be exposed during the Lok Sabha election campaigns. He said the Congress government in Manipur has been committing gross human rights violations with cases of fake encounters becoming very

rampant. "To hide these cases the Ibobi Singh government has made the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) non-functional," Athuan Abonmai alleged.

He alleged that the nonappointment of state chief information commissioner by the state government is to contain the RTI activists in the state. "We will expose all the corruption cases and then reported to the Centre.” On the NPF's strategies of canvassing for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, the NPF, Manipur State said the district level political conferences had started last month and will conclude on February 12.

On January 22, the NPF will have the political conference for Tamenglong district at the district headquarters and for Chandel it will be held on January 29.

The political conference of Churachandpur district will be held on February 7 and for Senapati district including the Sadar Hills it will be held on February 12, where top party leaders from Nagaland will attend.

Dimapur

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Rehab plan for displaced people AgArtAlA, JAnuAry 13 (thE hIndu): The Tripura government will soon come out with a rehabilitation plan for people displaced from their home by militancy. Officials are now engaged in working out modalities of a resettlement package.

“Extremists forced several thousands of people to leave their villages. Others fled their homes out of fear,” an official told The Hindu on Sunday. The displacement mainly occurred between 1997 and 2005

when armed ultras killed hundreds, injured and kidnapped many. A protest by several hundred evacuees at Bishalgarh was called off on Saturday after officials assured them of help within the next two months.

“Officials persuaded us to withdraw the agitation and

promised us to meet our major demand [rehabilitation] in two months’ time,” Gopal Laskar, leader of the Displaced Peoples’ Committee, said.

He added that the administration had in the past made similar assurances, but nothing materialised.

EXCEL COACHING AND COMPUTER CENTRE Mission Road, Near-North Police Station-Kohima.

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Contact: 0370-2290672, 9436071373, 9863143388 N.B: Hostel available for Both Boys and Girls.

NOTICE Where as Smti Y. Khumla wife of lt. Yanglim driver of Tuensang village has applied for issue of succession certificate under the Indian succession act 1925 in order to draw/receive the payment of movable/ immovable property of lt. Yanglim driver under the establishment of superintendent of police Kiphire who expire on 23/08/2013 Description of the property:1. GPF from the office of S.P Kiphire 2. GIS 3. FBF 4. Pension case 5. Any other dues etc Public are herby asked to file objection/claim if any within 30(thirty) days from the date of issue of this order.

Kesonyu Yhome IAS Deputy Commissioner Kiphire

Villagers raise their bamboo made fishing tools in celebration before participating in community fishing as part of the Bhogali Bihu celebrations at the Goroimari Lake in Panbari village, some 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Guwahati, Assam on Monday, January 13. “Bhogali Bihu” marks the end of the harvesting season in the north eastern state of Assam. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

2013 one of the driest years in one of wettest places SohrA, JAnuAry 13 (IAnS): The year 2013 was one of the driest in Cherrapunjee (renamed Sohra) -- known as one of the wettest places on the earth -in Meghalaya compared to the last 35 years. Residents of the hilltop in northeastern India say their heavenly abode is hotter and drier than ever before - due to global warming.

“2013 was the third driest year in the history with Sohra receiving only 7560.3 mm of rainfall,” Vijay Kumar Singh, the meteorological official at Sohra, told IANS. He said it was the driest year in the history of

case was handed over to the investigating agency on January 31, 2010.

The final hearing and argument of the case has completed recently in the Special CBI Court after a threeyear long trial.

SDO Dr Kishan and the two staff were abducted by NSCN (IM) and found dead at Taphou along National Highway-2 (Imphal-Dimapur road) on February 17, 2009.

“We hope Hopson Ningshen will get harsher punishment for the brutal killing case,” said the joint action com-

NPF Manipur open to alliance

14 January 2014

Intensive Coaching for CI-10 & 12 (Arts, Sc. & Com.)

Sohra when it received a rainfall of only 6,807.2 mm followed by the second driest year of 1978 when there was 6,950.3 mm of rainfall.

Looking at last year's records, Singh said: “In 2013, June 9 received highest one day rainfall of 315.4 mm and among the 12 months of 2013, July received the maximum of 1,858.8 mm rainfall.” This town records an average rainfall of 12,000 mm a year, with the maximum occurring over the southern slopes of the Khasi Hills. The highest recorded total annual rainfall was 24,555 mm in 1974.

CBI Court to pronounce verdict on triple murder

ImphAl, JAnuAry 13 (nnn): The fate of Hopson Ningshen, a Lieutenant Colonel of NSCN-IM, involved in the triple murder case of Dr Kishan and his two subordinates in 2009 will be known on January 18. The verdict of the case will be pronounced on January 18 by the Special CBI Court.

The CBI registered a case in connection with the triple murder of sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Kasom Khullen, Ukhrul district, Dr Kishan and his two subordinate staff, Token, a Mandal, and driver Rajen after the

other northeastern states to review the security.

According to media reports in Bangladesh, over 200 houses and shops belonging to the minority Hindu community have been vandalised and looted by the Jamaat-e-Islami activists in different parts of Bangladesh's Jessore and Dinajpur districts.

Fresh incidents of rapes and attacks were reported from a village close to Jessore district.

Tuesday

mittee (JAC) against the killing of Dr Kishan, Token and Rajen on Monday.

Terming the killing as a terrorist act, the JAC in a press statement said it has convened a public meeting on January 15 at Mapari Ningshingkol, Uripok Machin to take a firm decision ahead of the pronouncement of the judgment.

It appealed to all senior citizens, activists, academicians, legal professionals, civil societies, administrators, student bodies, club organizations, and press/media to attend the above meeting.

OFFICE OF THE COMMANDANT: 37 ASSAM RIFLES. C/O 99 APO 1. 11012/GS(Ops)/MCA/2013/257

Dated: 10 Jan 2014

QUOTATION CALLING NOTICE 1. Sealed quotations are hereby invited from the approved, firms/ registered firms/ approved contractors for supply under mentioned items for provn of 04 x computers with accessories for Govt Middle School, Bungsang Dimapur Dist, Nagaland (Proj Iden No. N/ SAM-IGAN005/2013-14) under Op Samaritan for the Fin year 2013-14 as under:SL. NO (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

Nomenclature Desk Acer LCD Monitor Acer UPS FT 600 VA Computer Chair Computer Tables

A/U Nos Nos Nos Nos Nos

Qty Rate (in word and figure) 01 01 01 01 01

2. The rate should be quoted in figures and words including all taxes. No cutting or over writing is accepted.

3. The quotations will be received in this office on 14 Jan 2014 at 1200hrs and will be opened on the same date and time by a board of officer in attendance of quotationers.

4. The supply order will be placed to the contractors/ suppliers whose rate will be lowest and reasonable.

5. All terms should be of BIS marked/approved quality.

6. The payment will be made on clearance of bills, 7. The department reserves the right to accept/reject any quotation without assigning any reason.

37 Assam Rifles PIN — 932037 c/o 99 APO

(A. Satchandra Sharma) Major Adjutant for Commandant

Sohra is on the edge of a plateau on the southern slopes in the East Khasi Hills district. Located 1,290 metres above sea level and 56 km from the state capital Shillong, it is known to receive the highest rainfall in the world. "But that will never happen again though we still get much rain during the monsoon.

Earlier, we got rains here even during the winter.

That is not happening anymore," said Lastborn Kharkongor, a resident.

However, most residents blamed the degradation of the eco system, with

trees felled at the hills for limestone mining and other purposes. Although local factors have led to some of the environmental problems the area faces, including erosion during the wet years due to deforestation, the scientists are pointing to global causes for the fluctuation in rain.

"Fluctuation is not influenced by local factors, it is related to climate. The climate of the entire country is changing," Surendra Singh, an Indian geographer who has extensively examine the physical and hydrological elements of Sohra, told IANS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Mao Students’ Union (MSU) and the Organizing Committee of the 80th Anniversary –cum- General Conference 2013 held at Kalinamei Village, would like to acknowledge the following Guests, Resource Persons and Dignitaries for their kind presence and contribution for the success of the conference.

Guests 1. Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Hon’ble Governor of Nagaland 2. Brigadier Ajai Singh Negi Commander HQ 59 Mountain Brigade 3. Shri. P.K. Jha (IAS) Deputy Commissioner, Senapati District 4. Mrs Kaisa Rio Lady wife of Shri. Neiphiu Rio Hon’ble Chief Minister, Nagaland 5. Mr. L. Dikho, MLA 48th Assembly Constituency Manipur.

6. Mr. Tongpang Ozukum, President, NSF 7. Mr. Lohrii Adani President, UNC 8. Mr. Athikho Chalai, IAAS Accountant General (A&E) Kohima, Nagaland

Resource Persons 1. Prof. Xavier Pfokrehe Mao Department of Philosophy, NEHU Shillong President, NEHU Teachers’ Association President, North-Eastern India Confederation of the Central University Teachers’ Association.

2. Miss K. Ela, Director, Prodigals’ Home Dimapur, Nagaland 3. Prof. L. Dehrii, SASRD, Nagaland University Medziphima Campus.

Unions & Dignitaries 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Mao Council.

Mao Naga Women Welfare Association.

Mao Baptist Churches Association.

Mao Catholic Association.

Mao Officers’ Union.

Kalinamei Village Authority.

Kalinamei Students’ Union.

Chairmen of Mao Villages.

Senior Leaders of MSU. Constituent Units of MSU. Mao Town Committee.

Mao Bazaar Business Association.

Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM).

Poumai Naga Tsiidomei Me (PNTM).

Maram Students’ Union (MKS).

Patrons.

Donors & Well Wishers.

PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE By notification No.CON-6/LOR-11/2006 dated 04/01/2014, the Government of Nagaland has constituted HPEC to enquire into the recovery of 9(nine) dead bodies at Pachaspura, Chumukedima, Dimapur by the Nagaland Police on the 3rd January 2014.

The terms of reference are as follows. i. Motives and reason for the murder and the circumstances leading to the commission of such heinous crime. ii. Whether the crime is the handiwork of individuals, groups of people or organizations. iii. The identity of the perpetrators of the Crime. iv. The identity of the 9(nine) deceased persons. v. Suggest remedial measures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.

Therefore, it is hereby informed that any person having any information/ knowledge pertaining to the aforementioned crime and discovery may come in person/swear affidavit before magistrate/notary or transmit information to the HPEC vide e-mail: hpec.nagaland@gmail.com or before the committee in the conference room of the Office of the Superintendent of Police, Dimapur on 17th and 18th January 2014 between 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. (K.N. CHISHI) Convenor (HPEC) Email: Kn_chishi@ymail.com Ph: +91-9436000088

OFFICE OF THE

SOUTHERN ANGAMI GAZETTED OFFICERS KROTHO H.Q. Jakhama, Kohima: Nagaland

ACKNOWLEGEMENT The Southern Angami Gazetted Officer’s Krotho would like to convey our appreciation and congratulate all the members who became members of the Krotho in 2013 either on Departmental Promotion or Direct recruitment in the cadre of Officers. The SAGOK urged all members to contribute their outmost in the service of the Government and the public as a whole. May the Almighty God bless each and everyone of them.

The members added to the SAGOK during 2013 are listed below.

Name Designation Department 1. Keneiwenu Viswentso 2. Vilaseno Zao 3. Khruketo Viswentso 4. Zhopo Kulnu 5. Vikhoto Richa 6. Neikhozole Kulnu 7. Kethosenu Tetso 8. Keviseyieno Sale 9. Dr. Mary Rose 10. Nothungol Kera 11. Zamuanpui Khezho 12. Thenuseto Kera 13. Nozoto Tsiikrii 14. Tosoviho Thaprii 15. Avile Vitso 16. Zakivole Visa 17. Kikhwesül Thokhwe 18. Celine Thol 19. Nongozo Rikha 20. Kekuneil Ltu 21. Medongulie Yoshii 22. Rokosalie Ziitso 23. Kepelhoutuono 24. Khoto Yoshii 25. Aluo-ii Yokha 26. Kedovikho Yoshii 27. Duzo Kiso 28. Rovi Tacii 29. Vikhreilie Seleyi 30. Dr. Viravo Kar 31. Dr Tepukul Zaphu 32. Pudukrol Pusa 33. Vimete Pusa 34. Evudi Noswe 35.Keyocho 36. Khrieko Sato 37. Khriesamhazo Rhetso 38. Noleto Pusa 39. Nothonu Vitsu 40. Visakhonu Zaphu 41. Viseyie Vitsu 42. Whebul Tsiikrii 43. Yozoto Rhetso 44. Dr. Kekucho Pusa TUOLIE SELEYI President SAGOK

Suptd.

Supdt.

Asst. Comdt.

Eng. Asst.

EAC Inspector Supdt.

BDO MO SDO Asst. Eng. Asst. Manager Inspector DPO Asst. Labour Commr.

Legal Officer Jr. State coach BDO APRO Scientist `B’ Inspector Asst. SO Asst. Dir. Dy. Comdt.

PGT Asst. Prof.

Central Store Officer i/c Physiotherapist Jr. Eng. MO MO Jr. Eng. SDO Asst. Supdt.

Asst. Manager Asst. Comdt.

Farm Manager Librarian PGT Geologist Asst. Manager Jr. Eng. Jr. Eng. Asst. Prof.

Employment Agri.

CRPF AIR Police Forest RB Manipur PHED Lumami NSCB Fire service Malaria Labour PWD Youth Resource R.B Inf. Pub. Sc. & Tech.

Police NLA Inf. & Pub. Indo-Tibet B.F School Edn. NU Postal Service Medical Ind. & comm.

Medical AIIMS New Delhi Irrigation & FC NPWD Medical SBI CISF Vety. & A.H KohimaSc.College H. Edn. ONGC Vijay Bank Mumbai NPWD NPWD H. Edn

VISOHO ZAO Gen. Secretary SAGOK.

C M Y K

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businEss

Tuesday

Dimapur

14 January 2014

The Morung Express

AAP pulls the plug on Want to quit your job? New app does it for you via text message JANUARY 13 (RE- growth, compensation or simply other app called BreakupText. Its deFDI in retail stores ToRoNTo, UTERs): Thinking about quitting feeling unrecognized, according to signers teamed up with the TheLadNEW DElHI, JANUARY 13 (PTI): Reversing the earlier policy, the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government has written to the Centre that it will not allow multi-national companies to set up multi-brand retail stores in the state.

In a letter to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), the newly-formed state government has asked the Centre to remove Delhi from the list of states which have conveyed their agreement to the policy of FDI in multi-brand retail trading.

“The DIPP has received the letter in this regard from the Delhi government and is looking into it,” an official said. Former state Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had agreed to implement the policy in the national capital.

Last year, the central government permitted 51 per cent FDI in the multi-brand retail trading and left its implementation on the states. Rajasthan, which is now being led by the BJP, is also expected to take a view on the policy on which the earlier government had given its consent.

“The DIPP is keeping its fingers crossed with regard to Rajasthan as the BJP had been opposing the policy strongly,” the official added. As many as 12 states, mostly Congress-led, including Delhi had agreed to allow global retailers to open super market chains. The other states include Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Delhi has become the first state to withdraw permission for FDI in retail sector. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the party manifesto had expressed its opposition to the policy of FDI in multi-brand retail.

“The Walmart experience shows that farmers in the US were not benefited, but deprived besides being a very bad employer,” Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s founder and now Delhi Chief Minister, had said earlier.

your job? A humorous new app aims to relieve the stress and anxiety of confronting the boss with the news by sending a text message instead.

Although the new iPhone app is meant to be funny, its creators are hoping it will take off and people will use it to leave jobs.

The Quit Your Job app takes users through a series of steps to determine why they are leaving and then crafts a text message that is sent directly to their boss.

“Despite all the advances in technology we still quit our jobs the same way we did hundreds of year ago,” said Alex Douzet, chief executive officer of TheLadders, a New York-based employment company that produces the app.

“There’s a lot of anxiety around the resignation process, so we used technology to ease the pain in that moment and make it seamless to breakup with your boss,” he added.

About 2.3 million Americans left their jobs last October, citing reasons such as dissatisfaction with career

the most recent figures from the U.S. ders to create the new app.

Department of Labor.

BreakupText, which lets users leave their significant others via a text message, costs 99 cents and is available for the iPhone.

With Quit Your Job, after sending their resignation users can browse open positions on another app called, Job Search by TheLadders, which targets positions based on the user’s job profile and career goals. The free app was launched as an iPhone app in July and released on Android last week.

“This is unchartered territory,” he said of the Quit Your Job app. “It’s an experiment to see if people will actually use it seriously. If thousands Douzet said the first few months of people download the app and only of a new year are the busiest time for one ends up using it seriously, that’s job searches. Many people wait for interesting because it’s changing betheir end-of-year bonuses before haviors,” he said. Douzet added that making a move to a new position. before leaving a job people should “It always correlates with New have another one lined up. “It’s more Year’s resolutions. People think ‘I’m appealing to know you’re in demand. not happy and want to make a move’” You’ll have more power and leverage he said. since you already have a pay check Quit Your Job was inspired by an- coming in,” he explained.

public discoursE

RHSC questions ‘which is the third force’

I

t is disheartened that the SPF in Dimapur had picked up the RNPC general secretary, Solomon Rengma like a criminal from his residence in the midnight. The district administration and security forces are aware that the KPLT and other Karbi militants and their linkmen are staying and moving around in Dimapur in total freedom. But they are not properly aware about the danger of the presence of the karbi militants poses for the civilians. Their past record is alarming for the fact that they targeted non – Karbi communities as much as possible anywhere they liked anticipating the objectives of Karbis only. Unlike Naga insurgent groups Karbi undergrounds including KPLT are premature and unpredictable in nature. Various Naga tribes have adapted themselves to live together as brothers and if any difference arises are sorted out by trust worthy

hohos, churches and NGOs in democratic ways simultaneously with non Naga communities too and even the Naga undergrounds maintain maximum restraint. But this sort of social adaptation are absent among the Karbis for which their motives for destruction of other ethnic communities are always dubious. So does any of the Karbi undergrounds. Therefore, harassing the RNPC leadership would be unnecessary.

The JACAS chief advisor and KAPF leader, J.I. Kathar accused the involvement of the third force in the carnage and ethnic cleansing of Rengma Nagas in Rengma Hills, Karbi Anglong district of Assam. But, what or which is the third force? If there is any third force involved then there must be first force and second force too and which are they? Did the KPLT act on the direction of some individuals or organizations the so called the third force? Is the government

of Assam referred to as the third force? Only the killer the KPLT or the planner the JACAS know which is the third force? The assertion of J.I. Kathar that the Assam government wanted to kill all the Karbis and after which it would finish other tribes” was a prediction happened in the form of ethnic cleansing last December and must not be taken lightly. His press statement indicates that he was aware of what KPLT was about to commit. He is misleading his people towards the undemocratic and wrong direction of reign of terror and turmoil in the district in pursuance of Karbi statehood totally undermining other communities living here prior to their advent to the Rengma Hills. If there is any third force involved behind the sudden attack on the Rengma villages last December it could be no other organization other than JACAS and KAAC judging by its boldness and confidence

in attacking and declaring war against a community.

More over there is a logic as to why should KPLT be used by the Assam government as accused for the purpose when it is deadly against the creation of new state. KPLT acted on common consensus for the fact that no karbi social organization raised voice when the economic blockade imposed and ultimatum served by the KPLT against the Rengma villages prior to the attack by it but waited to get the job done and initiated peace proposal as soon as preplanned mission was executed by their militants.

The statements of Bidysing Teron, president, Karbi students association (KSA) referring to the recent carnage and ethnic cleansing in Rengma Hills, Karbi Anglong district,” Problems of this nature will continue till Karbvi Anglong attained statehood”. Is a threat and a sort of warning to all the non karbi

SBI agrees to issue receipt of cheques

GUWAHATI, JANUARY 13 (MExN): The State Bank of India has directed all its branches to issue receipt of cheques at the counter in their bank branches, against the deposit of Employees Provident Fund dues. A press note from the Central Provident Fund Commissioner informed that the Employees Provident Fund Organization has been able to resolve a major problem of employers, with regard to the State Bank of India. It informed that earlier, the SBI did not provide receipts for cheques/drafts deposited by employers at drop boxes in the bank’s branches.

It added there were some instances of delay in clearance of cheques and that damages and interest had to be imposed by the EPFO, in delayed payment cases by the employers. As such, the issue was taken up by the Central PF Commissioner with the Chairman,

State Bank of India, resulting in the SBI agreeing to provide receipts. The note further informed that in case employers face problems, they can contact the Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioners and the Regional Provident Fund Commissioners at the EPO field offices.

aLone

Bright and sunny, life sparkles everywhere!

Somewhere, sneaking up between shadows and us are hollow notions of loneliness Flashing, winking, fleeing like homeless fireflies.

Lovisenla

Rengma Naga & Karbi embroilment

T

leave India, whereas the then inhis refers to “The Assam Rengma communities. His statement terim Government of India in and Karbi Embroilment” by T. Solo is crystal clear that the pat1947 offered to return all our tern of action plan would be and my rejoinder thereof :ancestral land and amalgamate again executed. Anything 1. As regard to consideration of all our territories under one adGround Realities as a basis for may happen to nonkarbis ministrative unit if the Nagas join boundary settlement will amount any time anywhere. And acIndia. It is on this assurance that to equating the present ground cusation may be put to any agency for the act as part of the over ground Nagas are today realities with historical realities. their strategy and game plan. in India. Therefore prior to reFurthermore the fact of the presThe Karbis are demandceiving firm reply on the question ent realities can be better assessed ing karbi state for Karbis of of fulfillment of these promises only if we care to take a look back to east Khasi Hills, Arunachal it would be too hasty to suggest the past and reviewed the past and Pradesh and other district of ‘Give & Take’ at this stage. Furfind out what has gone wrong and Assam to be placed at Rengther for the sake of clarity let us take steps to rectify the same, this ma Hills. And if ever they not use the term Assam Rengma will enable better planning for the achieve the same they will or Nagaland Rengma, as we are all future. Thus, the present ground be far more powerful and aware that there is no settled lerealities cannot be considered as will influx their people into gal boundary between the State of the sole mean to settle the present Rengma Hills in multiples of Nagaland with the neighbouring conflicts between the Rengma Nalakhs from other states and states including Assam. gas and the Karbi. districts which will bring the In view of the above it should be 2.

As against the suggestion of ‘Give ever darkest time to the non understood that the present ‘Embroil& Take’ it is to be pointed out that karbi communities living this is not only contradictory to ment’ of Rengma Nagas and the Karbis here. Therefore, various non the wisdom of our forefather but emanate from the non fulfillment of Karbi organizations must if resorted to without taking into the commitment made to the Nagas at not remain silent spectators account the historical realities the time of creating a separate State of but raise voice against all would be playing directly into the Nagaland. kinds injustice being comHope this will not be considered as game plan of our adversary. Our mitted against them. forefather only asked the then cheap publicity campaign.

British GOI in 1929 to leave us K. Thong T L Angami alone as before in the event they Convener, RHSC

Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

_

LEISURE

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Answer Number # 2760

KOHIMA

Police Control Room: North Police Station: South Police Station: Fire Brigade: Naga Hospital: Oking Hospital: Bethel Nursing Home:

232224; Emergency229529, 229474 227930, 231081 228846 228254 231864, 224117, 227337 228400 232106 227607 232181 242555/ 242533 224041, 248011 230695/9402435652 131/228404 229366 282777 232032, 231031 248302, 09856006026

STD CODE: 0370

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MALACHITE MINT MOSS OLIVE

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F O S R N R M P W J G O P E C

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Ans to CrossWord 2771

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Public SPace/lOcal

The Morung Express

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Dimapur

5

Home Minister responds to NPCC Ukhrul District vs South Korea in Educational Field

F

reedom of expression is the cornerstone of democracy and the constructive criticism makes the Governments more accountable and transparent. Of late, the Opposition Congress in the garb of “freedom of expression” started indulging in a very destructive criticism trying to bring confusion and divisions among the Nagas by their ritual wild allegations against the Government in regard to the recent unfortunate NSCN (IM)-Sumi issue in Zunheboto district.

As their recent wild allegations which they attempted to create confusion and divisions in the minds of the publics that the Chief Minister and Home Minister could not escape their blame, I am constrained to give records straight for the larger interest of the general publics as to how the State Government had initiated steps to defuse the situation in the NSCN (IM)-Sumi crisis in Zunheboto district.

When there was process of finding solution between the representatives of the Sumi Hoho and other frontal organizations and the NSCN (IM) in the aftermath of what had happened in the Zunheboto-bound Tata Sumo near Zunheboto on December 21 last, it was only expected that the process should not be hindered. And there was nothing wrong in attempting to resolve the issue or such an attempt made by the Representatives of the Sumi frontal organizations and the outfit should not be

misconstrued.

So when the news of NSCN (IM)’s assurance to hand over their cadres responsible for the incident to the district administration came in, it was taken as a positive step on the part of the parties involved in finding solution to the issue. But the failure on the part of the outfit to hand over the culprits to the district administration had come as a rude shock to all including the Opposition Congress as they had already stated in sections of dailies. This unusual development had virtually pushed the already and highly charged Sumis to inform the Chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Cell that “as part of the non-cooperation to the outfit, the public resolved to flush out NSCN (IM) cadres” from Sumi inhabited area including the “Mukalimi designated camp.”

As seen the imminent crises in the aftermath of the NSCN (IM)’s failure to hand over the culprits to the District Administration, the State Government stepped up its engagements to defuse the situation on the one side, while making foolproof security for the lives and properties of the civilians on the other.

A team of Sumi legislators led by me rushed to Zunheboto and met leaders of various Sumi frontal organizations to pacify the agitating publics. An another Team of Sumi legislators and high ranking State officials led by me also went to Ghathashi to meet leaders of Sumis who were in

more than ten thousands camping there to attack the “Mukalimi NSCN-IM designated camp.”

This was already explained in my last rejoinder to the NPCC Press Statement that the State Government had asked the NSCN (IM) on December 29, 2013 to vacate their designated camp at Mukalimi in the interest of restoring peace and harmony in the State. This issue was taken up with the appropriate authorities as the State Government, under any circumstances, would not allow any situation to go for more violence and bloodshed. Every moment was carefully observed keeping the Naga issue in mind, while taking unwavering stand to make sure that the lives and properties of the civilians were protected under any circumstances.

The Opposition Congress’ wild allegations against the Government particularly in regard to the recent incidents in Zunheboto have now become “ritual.” They have been unable to differentiate between the realities and the non-realities. If they cannot differentiate between the right and wrong or reality and non-reality, there is nothing wrong to describe that they have a sick mentality. Their attempt to target the Chief Minister for not uttering anything in regard to the recent incidents in Zunheboto is nothing but a manifestation of their “sick mentality” because whatever we had initiated is a collective stand of the Government.

I am not surprised the way the Opposition Congress even finds time to talk of R&B Department issue of my last tenure as Minister-in-Charge. I did my best as R&B Minister in the last DAN-II Government by bringing various schemes namely NLCPR, PMGSY, SARDP, NEC, CRF, ISC, etc. with equal attention to every nook and corner of the State. But as stated, the people are the best judge but for the Opposition Congress, as stated, are unable to differentiate right or wrong, reality or not reality or reasoning or not reasoning.

They have miserably failed to discharge their duties as a Constructive Opposition, for which I have nothing to elaborate further.

I am wondering the way the Opposition Congress’ still calling the actions of the Government as “incompetent” is what they wanted to see the State forces intervene forcibly and see more bloodshed and violence. If they feel that way, I have no answer but I, honestly, think whatever the Government had initiated while tackling the situation in recent unfortunate incidents in Zunheboto was the best possible means we utilized it. Let the people judge. There were Central agencies as well as Para Military forces over and above State forces during this unfortunate episode at Mukalimi area. For this very services rendered by the forces, the forces deserved appreciations.

Dimapur, January 13 (mExn): Two unidentified dead bodies were recovered in two separate locations at the Dimapur railway station on January 13. According to Government Railway Police Station, one of the deceased was a woman, believed to be around 50-55 years of age. A non-Naga, the body

was found around 7:00 am inside the ticketing hall, GRPS said. Ill-health was suspected to be the cause of death. The woman was wearing an orange sweater, grey slacks and bangle on the left wrist.

Another unidentified dead body of a man was recovered from the railway tracks at post number 25811

behind IOC depot at around 12:30 pm. The deceased had sustained severe trauma on the head and his left leg was found swollen, GRPS said.

The man was suspected to have fallen off a train. He was found wearing a pair of brown pants and white shirt. Both the bodies were shifted to the district hospital morgue for identification.

Kohima, January 13 (mExn): Naga People's Front (NPF) central youth wing has called the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee’s (NPCC) “blame game” against the state chief minister and home minister as “barren and insensitive.”

Reacting to NPCC’s statement on the recent sensational incident at Aghuito and Mukalimi designated camp episode, a press release from NPF

G. Kaito Aye Home Minister Nagaland

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fter working for the Nagas’ struggle for self-determination for seven years, I requested and was kindly given a discharge in February 2001. But for some years I gave some outside support to the Naga cause whenever I could. Then I delinked myself from that path and gave 100% attention to education.

I finished two years of my three-year theological course last December, and this is my second year working as an evangelist in Global Vision Church, Seoul. Besides my theological studies, I am serving as a professor and Academic Dean at Graduate School of LPMK (www.lpmkorea. com). Also, as Director of EngPACE, often times I equip Korean and international believers with Christian ideals of Prayer, Availability, Contact, and Example. I enjoy my teaching profession, and this job often reminds me of my days in Ukhrul District.

Beginning from mid1980s, I taught for almost a decade in Ukhrul District.

Also, I have worked as a teacher in South Korea for many years now, and there are certain aspects where I feel students and people of Ukhrul District can do well in emulating their counterparts in Korea.

The first thing that impresses foreigners is that Korean students are extremely studious. Most of

the students leave home at 5 AM and return home well after 10 PM, then go to special study schools and often remain there till 2 AM. The is the common saying in Korea: “If you sleep three hours a day, you may get into one of the top universities; if you sleep four hours each day, you may get into other universities; if you sleep five or more hours each day, especially when you are in high school, forget getting into any university.”

Journalist W. Branigin of the Washington Post says that “Korean students are the most literate bunch and do exceedingly well in the areas of science and mathematics.” This is possible because the competition is very heated and fierce and Korean students do not mind sacrificing social and family life to the supreme end of getting the best education.

President Obama's repeatedly praised South Korean system of education due to the number of engineers the country produces and the amount of time Korean children spend in school compared with America.

Secondly, discipline problems are quite infrequent in Korea. Students have great respect for teachers and they bow whenever meeting their teachers who are very hard working as well (I see many teachers going home after midnight). And all these

years I have never heard of students “skipping classes.”

Thirdly, Korea gives maximum emphasis to technology and it was the first country in the world to provide high-speed internet access to every class from primary school to university. No wonder, every student here has considerable interest in computers, and most of the houses have more than one computer.

Fourthly, Korea has always valued parent involvement in education. Parent groups meet regularly and serve as a liaison between parents and the schools.

Parents can get a clear sense of what is happening in their child’s school through the class website.

They work very hard and are quite willing to dig very deeply into their pockets to assure their children’s success in school, and children work very hard in school to please their parents. More than 95% of students attend after-school private tutoring centres to learn English, maths, martial arts or music, and their parents willingly pay the expensive fees.

The economic success of Korea as one of the richest countries in the world is in part due to the Korean reverence for education and the value placed on it.

The literacy rate of Korea was 22% in 1945, and its GDP was about Rs.

12,500 in 1970. Now the literacy is 98% and the GDP is over twenty lakh rupees.

Korea's spectacular progress in modernization and economic growth since the Korean War (1950-53) is largely because of the Koreans investing a large amount of resources in education that resulted in the huge improvement of “human capital.” As they have a hyper-competitive learning system, the government places high emphasis on it by making its deputy prime minister handle the education ministry. Korea spends four lakh sixty-seven thousand rupees per student every year. Elementary school children across Korea are served fresh wholesome food completely free from Monday to Friday.

South Korea has managed to go from massive illiteracy to topping the global charts in both quantity and quality of education.

People saw sheer determination in Koreans to build a world class country, and the commitment of every citizen to do his or her part in the grand design. Education was a central part of that grand design from the start. Can the students and parents and teachers of Ukhrul District adopt the discipline and hard working culture of South Koreans? I am sure you can surely do things like them.

Professor Timothy Kaping, Seoul

The Morung Express is introducing “Public Space” as part of our intention to provide deliberate space for the opinions of the people to be expressed and heard through this newspaper. Nonetheless, The Morung Express points out that the opinions expressed in the contents published in the “Public Space” do not reflect the views and position of the newspaper or the editor.

Police recover two dead bodies NPCC’s statement ‘barren and insensitive’: NPF youth wing members secretary, Media Cell, Janbemo Humtsoe opined that even after getting crystal summary from the home minister’s desk, NPCC is still “beating around the bush” characterized by “verbosity on chief minister and home minister’s remaining in deep slumber in defusing the Mukalimi standoff which was totally contemptuous and hypocritical.”

The youth wing “regretfully” stated that “when the

Transformation Crusade III: Spiritual revival reinforced NNC (NA) cautions

The speakers of third phase of transformation crusade pose for photograph.

Kohima, January 13 (mExn): The stage has been set up for the third phase of transformation crusade starting from January 15 till 26, 4:00 pm at Khuochiezie Local Ground, Kohima. Speaking at a media briefing of the crusade, convenor of the organising committee, Khouo Yaotsu, reflected on the 70's revival.

He related how the movement failed to produce much bigger results due to lack of proper knowledge in sustaining the movement, in addition to mixed responses of people, including mockeries. He opined that the movement could have borne more fruits had the people been receptive to it and acknowledged the ones who brought forth the movement.

Rev Zotuo Kiewhuo, Sr. Pastor, Koinonia Baptist Church stating the purpose of the crusade as to bring revival in Kohima said, "The Transformation crusade first and foremost started with the purpose of dealing with satanism with a desire and prayer that evil may not engulf Kohima." He

said many have been delivered, yet the influence still goes on. "The crusade will deal the issue of influence of western culture on the moral lives of the present generation," he added.

Pastor Shan Kikon, Faith Harvest Church, Kohima in his briefing stated, "Last year's crusade was a success, and I believe in the awakening and work of the Holy Spirit among the people of Nagaland the hunger and desire for the word should be higher.” The crusade, he said, is for the people of Nagaland, people from all walks of life and all religions. "Satanism comes in different forms, even our old time animism has traces of occult worship, however in recent times, the influence of western Satanism which is a deeper form of Satanism has been on a high," he opined.

Rev D. L. Sanchu, Executive Secretary, ACRCC expressed hope that the crusade would help in “implanting the word” to the hearts of Christians who live as Christians because they were Christians by birth.

Sharing his experience,

Ruokuolhoulie Solo, Pastor, Flames of Fire Church recollected how in 2009, he had started his interactions with Satanic worshippers; counselling them and preaching about deliverance from Satanism through his studies on demonology. He also related an incident on how on the evening of December 25, a “satanic worshipper” had come to their church and warned them not to hold the crusade.

A girl of Class 10, who was a former satanic worshipper also gave her testimonial on how after flunking her eighth standard during her time of depression, she entered into the group after a shadow visited her one night inviting her to join them. She related on how she used astral projections during her Satanism days.

The main speakers for the third phase of the crusade are Rev. Zotuo Kiewhuo, Pastor Shan Kikon, Rev. D.L. Sanchu, Rev. Vevozo Khamo, Executive Secretary, CCRCC and Pastor Ruokuolhoulie Solo.

Dimapur, January 13 (mExn): The Naga National Council (Non Accordist) has cautioned all ranks and files of both the civil and army wings against indulging in any kind of taxation in the name of the NNC (NA), especially in Dimapur and Kohima areas, without knowledge and authorization of the Chaplee department. A press note from the Finance Kilonser of NNC (NA) informed that this order has been initiated due to “rampant collection of contribution and donation by individuals” and termed this as “multiple taxation.”

It further directed government departments, private establishments, companies, business enterprises etc not to entertain such kind of taxation unless proper authorization/assignment order is shown to the concerned authority. In order to confirm the authorization, individuals have been requested to contact 8014590502, 8014512353, 8575336322 or 8574723254.

long cherished ongoing India-Naga political peace talk is nearing to ripe, NPCC, instead of shouldering the responsibilities collectively on a sensitive issues like Mukulimi has again reversed back to pollute already restored peaceful environment.” It accused NPCC of trying to politicize the issue by acting as safe outside player.

The youth wing further stated that NPF-led DAN government is “not a dic-

One killed in road mishap near Silonijan

Dimapur, January 13 (mExn): A Mokokchung-bound vehicle from Dimapur met with a fatal road mishap at NH 29, near Silonijan, Karbi-Anglong on January 13. According to sources, the person driving the vehicle was fatally wounded and died before reaching hospital. The sources said that an unidentified pedestrian was also injured in the accident.

The deceased was identified as one Sademnochet Changkiri, an advocate by profession. His wife survived with minor injuries, while a third passenger, said to be the couple’s son was unhurt, the sources said. The family was heading to Mokokchung to attend a wedding.

NCRC Sumi youth annual conference held

Dimapur, January 13 (mExn): Hundreds of youths from several churches attended the 29th Nagaland Christian Revival Church (NCRC) Sumi youth annual conference held from January 10-12, 2014 at NCRC Aotsakili under Zunheboto district.

The main speakers of the conference, held on the theme “For no other God can save in this way” (Daniel 3:29), were Rev. Ahoshe Chophy, Senior Pastor, Dimapur NCRC Sumi, Dr. Akaho Awomi, MBBS, MD, Livi Sheqi, and Vibo A Sumi, Youth Secretary, NCRC Sumi In the inaugural service Hekhevi, Secretary NCRC exhorted the young people to fear God and choose between wise and ignorant life. He lamented on the gun culture of the Nagas today and appealed to young people to change the trend and replace with love and friendship.

“With guns in our hand

the young have failed to respect old and vice versa. Many are orphaned or widowed,” he rued.

Dr. Akaho Awomi, in his inaugural sermon talked of how God awards knowledge, wisdom, and peace to those who do his will. Advising young people to lead a responsible life, he said, “Everything is under God’s control. Strive to become conscientious young people, he sure will bless you.”

Taking a cue from the life of Daniel in the Old Testament, he counseled young people to build God as their foundation. “Then God will bless you with wealth, wisdom, peace, fame, long life, and everything you wish for,” Dr. Akaho said.

The second day of the conference commenced with seminar on “Economic self reliance” with Nitoshe Sheqi, Proprietor “Akhiji” as resource person.

He encouraged the youths to venture out and look for

lucrative business and not only depend or look for government jobs.

Atoizu MLA & Chairman, Nagaland Hotel Management, Er. Picto Shohe exhorted the gathering in the first session of the final day of conference.

In the concluding service, which ended around midnight, Rev. Ahoshe Chophy, Senior Pastor, Dimapur NCRC Sumi, delivered a sermon based on Ephesians 1:13.

The conference saw NCRC Sumi youth compete in song and handicraft competitions. In song competition, Ighanumi Youth, Kohima Youth, and Aotsakili Youth bagged the first, second and third prize respectively. While in handicraft competition, Mishikito NCRC Sumi youth emerged as winner.

The next edition of the biennial NCRC Sumi youth conference will be held at Mishilimi NCRC Sumi in 2016.

tatorial government like Fuehrer’s Nazism in Germany that abused its constitutional powers without further reasoning. DAN government, the young wing said, is people's mandate democratic government, in which the leaders govern with due interest from the people and the voice of the people are subject to understanding.

It also declared that it was “undesirable” to see NPCC “stand on divisive

theory to resort to emotional terror amongst the peace loving citizens” when Mukalimi episode was already pacified through collective efforts from government agencies, churches, NGOs and Hoho's.

The youth wing appealed the peace loving Nagas not to be traumatized by “baffling” statement made by NPCC, but come forward and reconcile to “regain the sinking boat of Naga National Movement.”

MEx FILE

KMC CEO informs Kohima, January 13 (mExn): In view of the forthcoming Republic Day on January 26, Kohima Municipal Council CEO Elizabeth Ngully has directed all the shops, establishments, institutions, agencies etc within the jurisdiction of Kohima municipality to “sweep, clean, wash, paint, white wash the front side of the buildings and shops facing the roadside” on or before January 22, 2014 to “face-lift” the capital. All the shops and business establishments have also been requested to hoist National Flag on top of their shops and buildings by 6:00 am on January 26 in honour of Republic Day. The national flag should not be smaller than 450X300 mm, the chief executive officer said in a press release.

NAAME to organize 4th Mt. Japfu trekking

Kohima, January 13 (mExn): NAAME will be organizing the 4th Mt. Japfu trekking, a non competitive event on January 18 with the theme “Save our mountains, stop burning.” Dr. Akho Yhokha, Retd additional director, veterinary and animal husbandry and NAAME patron member will flag off the trekking at Pony Farm, above Japfu Christian College, Kigwema at 7:00 AM. All the NAAME members and well wishers have been requested to join the same.

Rain water harvesting in Sukhalu village

ZunhEboto, January 13 (mExn): A water harvesting structure under New Initiative Scheme (MMA) at Sukhalu Village was inaugurated by G Kiyevii, District Agriculture Officer, Zunheboto on January 8. Department of Agriculture constructed the water tank to collect rain during rainy season to be used for domestic and irrigation purpose. A press release received here stated that the farmers of the village expressed delight for the initiative.

NPBCA calls meeting

Dimapur, January 13 (mExn): Nagaland Police Baptist Churches Association (NPBCA), in view of the forthcoming jubilee celebration from February 3 to 5, 2014, has called a meeting of all its Jubilee Planning Board members and committee convenors on January 15, 2014, 10:00 am at NPBCA Mission Compound. Therefore, Rev Dr N Mong Lotha has requested all the committee convenors to attend the meeting with committee preparation update reports regarding the jubilee.

6

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express

C O M M E N T A R Y

TuEsDAy 14 JAnuAry 2014 vol. IX IssuE 12

Corruption and Social Relations

T

he debate over corruption is often dominated by moralist and judgmental viewpoints. And in this sense, the discourse around corruption has been influenced by an attitude of ‘class.’ Therefore, corruption is often described as political ascendance of self-interest which intensifies social, economic and political inequalities; loss of material and human resources; induces social fragmentation; creates conflict that propels a society into a constant cycle of institutional disorder and violence. This description of corruption lacks historical and cultural contextualization.

Diverse experiences reveal the relationship between corruption, development and politics as demonstrated in the recent history of third world countries, particularly in Asian, African and Latin American. They show that corruption is not limited to systemic self-interest. In fact, despite its eroding effects, corruption forms part of the fabric of social, cultural and political relationships. Patrick Chabal and Jean-Pascal Daloz emphasized that, “Corrupt behaviour is, therefore, not only driven by greed and structural forces, but also by informal codes of conduct associated with reciprocity ties within particularist and communitarian social networks.”

More broadly, corruption emerges from within many political and cultural structures in which it serves key hierarchical functions, thereby contributing to the political, as well as, the cultural status quo. In an ironic sense, corruption when ‘well— managed’ can contribute towards creating a sense of ‘political stability’ within a status quo of injustice. However, when corruption is “mismanaged” it may result in political stability and conflicts. This implies that when a situation is engendered by corruption, it is affected more by the “changes” in the pattern of corruption than by the existence of corruption itself.

The relationship between corruption and political stability or for that matter the interactive dynamic between corruption, conflict and peace is probably the most complex, and yet at the essence of the peace movement. At its heart, it means understanding the nature of corruption within its historical and cultural context, while keeping in mind that self-interest and self-preservation are not the only motivators of corruption. The most crucial aspect while engaging with corruption is to evolve a process to transform the relationship between corruption and cultural structures that function on informal codes of conduct and reciprocity within closely knit hierarchical networks and relationships. Perhaps addressing this difficult aspect of corruption presents the biggest challenge.

In the Naga context, the political and cultural dynamics are not just re-enforcing one another, but, at times, they seem to indicate that they have become one monolithic force. This makes it all the more difficult to clearly differentiate the relationship between corruption and social, cultural relationships. However, if Nagas are concerned and determined to engage the question of corruption, they will need to go beyond identifying and naming the consequences of corrupt acts. The very relationships that corruption has nurtured with political structures and social, cultural relations and networks will have to be exposed as well.

It needs to begin by re-examining the dominant definition of corruption!

lEfT wiNg |

Shweta Sharma Source: IANS

Early puberty in children is worrying for parents

T

en-year-old Khyati Khanna (name changed) refused to go to school, decided to stay indoors and shunned her friends and family after "suddenly noticing changes in her body.

"She started feeling ashamed of looking older than her age, developing breasts and attaining puberty at a very young age.

Irritable, aggressive and extremely temperamental is how I would describe her," her mother told IANS. "When I asked her, she just told me that none of her friends have reached this stage, so why her. I had no answer," her mother said. "It is very worrying. I as a mother find it difficult to talk to her," she added.

Experts said Khanna is not an exception. Increasingly children aged eight to 10 are attaining puberty early. Medical experts also said that this age group of children shows more aggression, anxiety and mood swings - characteristics indicative of puberty. "Unfortunately, yes. The aggression, anxiety and mood swings which were earlier seen in teenagers are now being seen in children aged eight to ten," Adarsh Kohli, professor at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, (PGIMER), Chandigarh told IANS. He agreed that the age of puberty is decreasing. Sharing details of a study conducted by the institute on 800 children aged between four to 12, Kohli said it was found that early onset of puberty was seen mainly in children aged eight to ten. According to Manju Mehta, professor of clinical psychology, department of psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the decrease in the puberty age is cause for worry and parents need to be more understanding.

Explaining the role media and television can play in such cases, Mehta said: "There should be television programmes, news items which focus exclusively on children. Parents should ensure children watch such shows which can help inculcate varied hobbies in them." It is also essential for parents to get involved in their child's activities, Mehta added.

"Parents should invite other children to their house and organise different kinds of games to play. Not only their child's friends, but also their parents. The elders should learn and exchange notes on parenting," she told IANS. Mehta said that in case of any behavioural changes, they should refer to notes or immediately seek help from a professional.

Sharing a case study of a seven-year-old girl who reached puberty, developed breasts and was ridiculed and mocked in her class, Mehta said parents need to be extremely supportive.

"When their child is going through this stage, which can at times lead to psychological problems, parents need to be understanding," she said. "It is very important that parents be supportive and explain to their child that it is a natural process," said Mehta.

Samir Parikh, director, department of mental health and behavioural sciences, Fortis Healthcare, said the nature of exposure children have today is mainly to be blamed. "This phenomenon of a decrease in a child's mental and physical puberty age is a cause for worry," said Parikh. "The reason primarily is the early exposure in forms of media and society at large and a change in family dynamics where children have fewer cousins, less exposure to grandparents and the less time that parents have on their hands for their children.

All of these factors make an impact," Parikh told IANS. What has changed primarily is that "children talk and do things that two decades back they would have done at a much later age," Parikh said. "From relationships to substance use, to consciousness of fashion and use of gadgets, these have all started happening much earlier," he added.

THE EDIT PAGE

O

A TIME BOMB?

f late the seeming loss of direction and resolve of the State Government is beginning to appear rather stark nakedly as it fumbles over the events that has been transpiring in the home ground. One couldn't help feel the depth of depression glossing over the news paper on the morning of 10th January 2014. All the headlines featured 'Karbi-Rengma tension' with the handsome bald headed Hon'ble Chief Minister of Nagaland presenting a bouquet to Mr. Shinde, the Union Home Minister. In the same breath of a loud appreciation and affirmation that the KarbiRengma tension deserves the attention of the State Government, the absolute absence of a situational review arising out of the Sumi-NSCN(IM) standoff is amazingly mysterious to say the least. So far, leave aside reviewing the situation with the GoI, the Hon'ble Chief Minister has maintained a sublime silence and has yet to make one single official statement explaining the stand of his Government about the 'flush out of NSCN (IM) from Mukalimi' and the volatile resolution adopted by the Sumis disallowing NSCN (IM) from having any designated camps in the Sumi inhabited area and their refusal to pay further tax to this organization. This is a problem of a volcanic proportion that will have an adverse ramification on the future of the Nagas as a whole. Other than show signs of groping in the dark, the Government of Nagaland seems to have lost its clarity of thought, vision, priority and initiative. Would the Government of Nagaland please explain where they are leading us to?

Take a careful analysis of the events that has now evolved into a Pandora's box. The unacceptable beating of Kiho GB, Shena and the indecent molestation case of 21st December 2013 were clearly a law and order issue. Cease Fire had no bearing on these acts of lawlessness against the public. Therefore, notwithstanding the Cease Fire Agreement between the GoI and the Factions, it was the bounden duty of the State Government to have acted promptly when barbaric acts of lawlessness were perpetuated by the Factions in violation of human rights and law of the land. Waiting for public pressure to initiate their reluctant action is most unbecoming of a responsible Govt. in power.

The simple equation that needs a clear perception by the State Government is that the Factions exists only because of the trust reposed on them by the people for a cause that is intended to serve the greater interest of the masses. When they violate this basic principle and instead turn their guns against their own people with their barbaric subhuman behaviours, the State Govt. is expected to sternly step in and take necessary action against the defaulters...no matter which Factions they belong. The State Government has so far rendered itself impotent by washing its hands off in each and every case of lawlessness and irreprehensible behaviours of the Factions by conveniently sweeping it under the Cease Fire carpet which is a poor substitute of an excuse. The persistent failure of the State Government to define its responsibility and to promptly act when deemed necessary has now unleashed a tidal wave of public wrath which can only escalate into a tsunami in the coming days if this "equi-closeness" policy is not properly redefined. It is a public knowledge that all political parties across the board survive with the support of one Faction or the other during the elections. The Factions can cry hoarse denying their involvement or non- involvement at a price, in the electoral process... but this elementary fact is a common knowledge which can't be wished away. The NPF led DAN Government succeeded in purchasing their mandate, reinforced by the backing of whichever

A

Khekiye K. Sema IAS (Rtd) Forest Colony, Kohima

t all ages, wisdom and a sense of gratitude appear to go hand in hand, especially for women, according to a recent study.

Among the participants, people who were considered wise by others also spontaneously expressed feelings of gratitude more frequently than others, Austrian researchers report.

"Wisdom is quite strongly related to gratitude," study author Judith Glück, of Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt, wrote in an email to Reuters Health.

"Wiser individuals are more grateful than others, and they are grateful for different things than others," she said.

Although considerable research has explored the nature of wisdom and of gratitude, there is little examining the connection between the two, Glück and her co-investigator Susanne König write in the Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences.

To investigate the relationship, the psychologists devised two small studies.

For the first study, they used newspaper and radio ads to solicit names of people considered to be wise. Of those nominated, 47 men and women, aged 60 years on average, agreed to participate. For comparison the study also included a random sample of 47 more adults who were similar in age and education.

All the participants were subsequently interviewed about their most difficult and best life events, as well as their most important life lessons.

Overall, 29 participants (31 percent) expressed gratitude to God, to other people or for the experience itself when they were interviewed about

"The Government of Nagaland seems to have lost its clarity of thought, vision, priority and initiative " Faction to win their election and seems to have been neutralised beyond redemption. The Government seems to have sold its soul to the Devil, abandoning its role as the protector of its people, and instead spend all their waking hours in the exercise of recuperating their election investments by hook or by crook. They seem utterly incapable of carrying out their honourable responsibility as a Government without the clearance of the shadow establishment they are linked to. Their lack of propriety and inaction is more than transparent and apparent. While applauding the prompt grant of relief for the families of the Karbi victims of the recent carnage, the present Government's total apathy and disregard for the Sumis who had died or were injured during the flush out operation at Mukalimi smacks of a sever lopsided partisan attitude. The Government's show of disrespect to the Sumi Tribe has been total. What I fail to understand is what are the Sumis Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and the MLAs in the DAN Government thinking when not even a word of sympathy has been expressed by their Chief Minister for the Sumis in this whole sordid affair? The course of event that transpired is clear. The Sumis were cornered into an optionless choice. The Government did not uphold its responsibility to act against the blatant lawlessness, no matter which Faction they belonged. It was unfortunate that it happened to be NSCN(IM) in this case. The Sumi people refused to continuously be bullied by the Factions and therefore reacted to this because of the spineless inaction of the Government. The Sumis have been subjected to repeated persecution without restraints being shown by the Factions due to compromises being enacted over and over again by the Sumi frontal organization. Instead of taking a firm stand as a Government should, the Home Minister got involved in a shameful compromising effort to let the Faction off the hook. The Sumis public finally woke up to exercise their right to protect themselves because the Government was unprepared to do so. In the process some of our sons have lost their lives. Not to talk of ex-gratia financial considerations for the victim's families, the Chief Minister of Nagaland has no official sympathy to express to the Sumi fathers and mothers shedding tears over the loss of their loved ones...

all because of the failure of his spineless Government that refused to act. Has the policy of "equicloseness" blinded, silenced and confused the NPF led DAN Government to such an extent as not to see a balanced picture? There are aggressive Sumis who have not hesitated to voiced their anger, questioning whether the Chief Minister of Nagaland values the lives of the Karbi to be more important than that of the Sumi lives. If the situation is not handled in an honourable manner it could well be seen through a Tribalistic prism and escalate the already volatile situation into a more ugly picture which must be averted at all cost. The Chief Minister must know that the people of Nagaland are more than aware what is causing his tongue-tied ailment but compromising the Government to this extremity of irrationality can only generate further chaos and therefore honourable measures should be considered consciously and promptly upheld to redress the simmering discontent slowly fomenting within the Sumi community.

Understand that the ire of the Sumis have still not been directed at the State Government as yet but with its apathetic display of indifference, the focus could change in due time. Admitting a shortfall of the Government and acknowledging the unfortunate loss of lives in an unfortunate incident would be a positive starter to sooth the festering wounds of insult that has thus far been unloaded against the Sumis. While the families of the lost children have made no move to seek Government's financial relief, it is incumbent upon the Government to consider their cases sympathetically, including those who were injured. It is the humane and honourable thing to do for a just Government without seeking permission from the NSCN(IM) if that is what is bothering them. The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of the Government of Nagaland for their inaction and not on the Sumis. Therefore the needful must be done. Testing the collective wrath of the Sumi Tribe or for that matter any other Tribes, would be a foolhardy exercise which can only result in a counter-productive conclusion.

Further, the present situation of a standoff between the Sumis and the NSCN (IM) forebodes disaster in the making if not tackled wisely. Does the Government propose that this situation be allowed to follow its own perilous course or consider finding an alternative course of reconciliation between the warring parties. To my mind, the Sumis are a part of a Tribal brotherhood and would be prepared to show due respect and listen to their counterpart Tribal brothers provided a reconciliation package is honourably presented, no matter how angry they may be at the moment.

The Naga Hoho should have been the right forum to step in but it is unfortunately more concerned with the Pan Naga Issues and does not seem to recognize that this kitchen problem has everything to do with them as well. With a dismal scenario such as this, it is incumbent upon the State Government to initiate a dialogue with all the Tribal Hohos to gather their collective wisdom on this sensitive development and begin an interaction both with the Sumis and the NSCN(IM) to find that middle path. Doing nothing is not an option. We are sitting on a time bomb. When it blows it will disastrously impact not only on the Sumis and the NSCN(IM) but the Naga population as a whole with the ultimate irreparable damage caused to the Naga National Movement.

I speak as a concerned senior citizen, unaffiliated of any political party. I am ringing the bell to wake the Government up from its indifferent slumber.

What lies ahead is an unpleasant picture that the Nagas should best avoid.

Is it wise to be grateful?

C.E. Huggins

Reuters Health their most difficult life events, such as the death of a loved one, illness, divorce or war experiences.

Twenty participants (21 percent) expressed feelings of gratitude when asked about their best life events.

Such sentiments of gratitude were more frequently expressed by the people who had been nominated as wise, the researchers note.

Forty-seven percent of wise nominees versus 15 percent of the comparison group expressed gratitude, particularly relating to their current feelings about difficult times in their lives.

Similarly, 38 percent of the wise adults mentioned gratitude when describing their best life events, versus 4 percent of the comparison group.

A 76-year-old man nominated as wise, for example, was grateful for "a new life" after surviving a heart attack. "Because of this new life, I have new lessons to learn, and I have started to see life in a different way," he said.

Another wise nominee, an 81-year-old woman, expressed gratitude as she reflected on her best life events, saying, "I can only thank God, that my life went as it did."

Likewise, a 38-year-old man, also considered wise, was grateful

for the experience of being dumped by his girlfriend. "I am very grateful that she ditched me back then, because otherwise my private life would have gone in a completely different direction."

This gratitude among wise individuals, even for negative experiences "suggests that they integrate difficult experiences into their life story as something through which they had grown," Glueck said.

"In terms of quality of life, the findings probably imply that living a good life involves an awareness of the good things in one's life, the resources and strengths that one has developed," she added.

In general, all the participants in the first study were most grateful for their family of origin, including their parents and siblings, their own children, their health, occupation, wealth and for other people, such as friends and colleagues.

Mark Baker, executive director of La Vie Counseling Centers in Pasadena, California, said his experience in psychotherapy has taught him "that those people who are able to be grateful during difficult circumstances learn more in their lives."

"We learn much more from our failures than our successes," he told

wRiTE-wiNg

Reuters Health in an email. "This produces greater wisdom," said Baker, a clinical psychologist and author of "Jesus, the greatest therapist who ever lived."

In the second study, the researchers investigated whether the first study's findings would hold among university students whose wisdom and gratitude were assessed via standardized psychological tests, rather than by nominations or interviews.

Despite the different methods and study group, wisdom was again linked to higher levels of gratitude, Glück and König report. Among the 443 students in the study, those who scored highest in wisdom also scored higher on measurements of their sense and frequency of gratitude.

These young adults, aged 28 years on average, were also most grateful for their family of origin as well as for other people and for health.

In both studies, women scored higher in gratitude than men and also expressed gratitude spontaneously during interviews more often than men - findings that Baker thinks may indicate a gender bias in the research.

When asked what they were thankful for, however, women and men had similar responses, the study authors note. This suggests "men and women might differ less in their experienced gratitude than in their readiness to spontaneously talk about gratitude," they write.

Glück and König conclude in their report, "Cultivating the experience and expression of gratitude may be conducive to dealing with the demands of life in a wise way, and in this sense, to living a good life."

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Readers may please note that the contents of the articles, letters and opinions published do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

7

TuEsday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

14 January 2014

PERSPECTIVE NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

What's next for Bangladesh?

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, left, administers the oath to Bangladesh’i Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, right, during her swearing in ceremony in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Sunday, January 12, 2013. (AP Photo)

"I

Zia Hassan al Jazeera

n death, Kadambini proved she had indeed been alive." This popular line from the ending of a Tagore novel comes to mind as the aftermath of the January 5th elections proves how the opposition's call for a caretaker government to oversee elections had been right.

The new government, however, has very little time to dwell in literary similes. Awami League has by now won 231 seats and the rest was allocated to handpicked parties to construct an opposition party.

Among these 231 seats, 154 were won before any votes were cast due to lack of contestation.

Not so credible poll On election day, TVs were reporting as little as 10 to 20 votes from the polling booths until noon, and in one instance, broadcast bored election officials getting haircuts. Facebook was abuzz with jokes about the state minister who theorised that the people were not coming to vote due to the cold weather. The abysmal turnout persisted throughout the day. However, by the evening, the election commission reported a 30-40 percent turnout rate, which seemed incredulous in light of the visible lack of voters throughout the country. No doubt that Bangladeshis and the international community, with the exception of India, were in unison in condemning the poll that deprived people of their right to choose.

This is a big deal for Bangladesh. It has turned into a tradition that people remain silent about the injustices committed during the ruling party's entire tenure and make their voice heard in ballot boxes.

Along with other deeply rooted political traditions in the country, no incumbent has been re-elected in the 42 years history of Bangladesh - never through a free and fair election, that is. But, the current government has successfully interrupted the pattern and appears undisturbed by all the criticism about the manner in which it achieved its goal.

The election commission has declared the polls a success, with a 30 percent turnout rate. But that has only served to prove how incapable Bangladeshi politicians are of conducting a legitimate poll

T

he trend analysis for 2014 coming out these days from think tanks in Washington as well as from much of the Western hemisphere forewarns us living in the eastern hemisphere that conflict in Asia is a real possibility. The signs are rather voluminous, they say: increasing competition for resources between China, Japan, India, and the countries of Southeast Asia; the tumultuous bilateral relationship between China and Japan; India and Pakistan; territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas; border disputes between China and India and rivalry in the Indian Ocean, could spiral out of control, leading to a regional conflict.

The conflict "ayes" have data on their side. The India-China border was rather active last year, with Chinese troops crossing over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on India's western sector and pitching tent for nearly 20 days on Indian territory before the issue was peacefully managed. Both China and India have modernized their military, are continuing to buy more equipment, and have increased their troop presence across the border. I have spoken and written about this with concern in many forums, weighing on the side of caution, and hoping that both countries establish more robust border management mechanisms and desist from provocative actions. China's announcement of an air defense identification zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea in November raised hackles and I argued that such moves

by China only emboldens the "China threat" camp and disturbs the peace.

Japan's own actions of buying disputed islands and the visits of its prime ministers - the latest by Shinzo Abe in December - to the Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 Class A war criminals from World War II are buried, always rub China the wrong way. Vietnam and the Philippines have meanwhile expressed anxiety at what they see as a growing assertive Chinese foreign policy bent on projecting its power in the high seas. Chinese aspirations for a blue-water navy only aggravate these concerns. Another sphere of strategic competition is the Indian Ocean region and the Malacca Strait through which most of the trade in Asia flows.

West Asia is also rife with conflict between Israel and Palestine, coupled with unstable conditions in Egypt, Libya, Iraq and Syria. The threat of terrorism from countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, where groups like the Taliban and al Qaeda are still active, is high. Nepal, Burma, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka continue to face severe crises of

under their own auspices, which in turn further legitimises the movement for conducting elections under a caretaker government.

Even hard core government supporters appear to be apologetic about this embarrassing affair. They are saving face by claiming that this poll had to be carried out to fulfil constitutional obligations and that a new election will very soon be called following new dialogue with the opposition.

Insolent government Sheikh Hasina, the supremo of the Awami League, along with the top leadership of the party, are probably not looking at the future in the same way. They seem to be fully prepared to trudge on for another five years, and undeniably possess the political acumen to counter any form of local or international pressure. It is no coincidence that an influential aide to the government, was caught whispering in an open microphone at a press conference, advising the prime minister on how to deal with allegations of irregularities from the reporters.

Those who have closely observed the government will know that Awami League means business when it comes to Bangladeshi politics. And, they are under no obligation to accept that this poll is illegitimate and unfair, although the credibility of the newly formed government is bound to be called into question. There are also expectations that there will be local and international pressure for another round of elections. But the Awami League government is well poised to play on their own terms - a situation which, judging by all signs, including surveys and previously held polls, will mean the dethroning of the current government.

At the same time, the government is structurally, financially, and organically ready to crush any opposition and to continue with their rule for the full term. Supported by a dogmatic ideology and a significant portion of the population, the ruling party is likely to continue with its strategy. Anohter major disappointment had been the War Crimes Tribunal that turned out to be a potent tool for the government to avert criticism.

(which some diplomats have jokingly called Basically No Party among themselves) is a structurally weak organisation. BNP leader Begum Khaleda Zia appears physically unwell to carry out a movement.

She appears to be dependent on her aides who have been barred from seeing her since she is under virtual house arrest. Her son, Tariq Zia, lives in exile in London and seldom makes public appearances, rendering BNP a rudderless organisation.

The party was also weakened by the arrest of its senior leaders. Many claim that the opposition's protest activities are basically being carried out by Jamale-Islamic and its student wing, not by BNP activists.

Under these circumstances, BNP is too powerless to force the government to hold new elections.

The problem for BNP is that although it is considered a natural replacement to Awami League as per Bangladesh duopoly, its own activities and polices raise valid questions about its moral right to be successor to the throne when vacated by Awami League.

It is a party that has been elected twice and was overwhelmingly rejected by the people after its last tenure.

However, the party's decision-makers seem to have learnt little and in recent times have inflamed the people by adopting violent tactics of targeting the common people during anti-government protests.

Before election day nearly 500 schools scheduled to be polling locations, were burnt down, allegedly by opposition cadres, to the utter dismay of people from across the spectrum. They have regularly torched transport vehicles and killed people who defy the blockade for their livelihoods. There were also attacks on religious minority communities in a number of places immediately after the vote, allegedly carried out by Jamat-e-Islami, its student wing and the BNP. However, in some instances the leaders of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian alliance have laid blame [Bn] on government supporters.

Population in crossfire Bangladesh is now stuck in a quagmire from which there is no visible way out. Awami League leaders will not, in any way, accept a situation where they might have to face a poll free of their influence and they will continue to run their government until a compromise has been achieved on their terms.

On the other hand, BNP and its allies will continue to call blockades, strikes and go on with the destruction of public property until the government hands over power to a neutral caretaker government for another round of elections. The consequences of people's suffering has already started to show.

Farmers are unable to ship their winter produce which is rotting in their fields, the unskilled workers and daily labourers and their families - a large chunk of the population -are struggling to make ends meet due to lack of jobs; school are closed for an indefinite period; businesses, big and small, are shedding jobs or not paying their staff. It is a miserable scenario to which the government-controlled media are not drawing attention. You can only hear grumbles of dissent and stories of suffering when you walk into the streets and speak to the people.

Bangladesh is a nation of 155 million resilient people who have learnt to live their lives on very little despite the destructive cyclones, floods and other natural calamities. People have learnt to live their lives bypassing periodic political violence as well. But, this time it appears to be going too far Floundering opposition On the other hand, BNP, the main opposition, and too long even for them to bear.

Asian conflict 'ayes' have it wrong Namrata Goswami asia Times Online

Activists from a human rights group known as National Commission for Justice and Peace form a peace sign during a demonstration demanding to effort for peace in the country, in Lahore, Pakistan on Sunday, January 12, 2014. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

national integration of minority communities and electoral conflict over their democratic transitions.

All of these serve us a recipe for impending conflict in Asia, and 2014 might just be that year. Likely theaters of conflict are West Asia, East Asia and South Asia, which suffer from both internal and external turmoil. Military modernization

by China and India, and the presence of nuclear weapons in Asia only darken the atmosphere so much more. The worry is that bickering politicians within India, Pakistan's overtly strong military, and China's authoritarian regime simply may not have the skills to avoid regional conflict, by which I mean all-out war. While this kind of analysis has a certain ring of truth to it, and is a likely scenario, it does not capture a deeper reality of Asia; that of a continent on the curve of hope. Asians are starting to enjoy better living standards, better healthcare, better job opportunities, better purchasing power parity and dreams of a better future. None of the conflicts are the primary indicators of where people in Asia want to be or where they want to go.

For Asians, the two things that matter most now are: economy and pros-

perity, and by that I mean mental and physical wellbeing; a life that offers the basic human needs. Of course, there is rampant inequality, and poverty levels in some of the Asian states are high, but people are coming out in large numbers empowered by the latest communication technologies to speak about the ills in their societies and are willing to act to bring about a change.

Protests in Tunisia and Egypt against long-standing authoritarian regimes are these visible changes, while the massive undercurrents of anger against corrupt practices in China and India have seen the new regime in China prioritize fighting corruption within China as its primary goal and the new political party, the Aam Admi Party (Common Man Party), in India winning elections in a strategic state like Delhi on the political platform of bringing about better governance. This is unlike earlier political trends in India - of waging elections in the name of caste, class and ethnicity. These are new phenomenon of people's power which none of the threat analyses could predict.

If we check the economic curve of

Asia last year, China recorded a 7.6% growth rate, whereas India recorded 4.8% in the second quarter of 2013 while it was 4.4% in the first quarter. While much lower than earlier growth rates of 8% to 9% for China and 6 to 7% for India, the scene is not bad. Southeast Asia registered a growth rate of 5.8% in 2013 despite the typhoon that hit the and political unrest in Thailand. Central Asia is making steady progress in its development curve, with investments in mining, tourism, oil and other natural resources.

So, despite the territorial disputes mixed into the picture of somewhat slow economic growth, military modernization, inequalities, and worrisome trends towards regional hegemony on the part of China, I boldly argue that a hot conflict is not going to happen in Asia - for the simple reason that while governments are bickering and there are serious differences over foreign policy, one thing is common amongst the people of Asia: the desire for peaceful development. Everywhere you go, people's aspirations focus on better education and housing, better entertainment, better travel, better tourism, better music, you name it ... and given that Asia collectively is young - despite perhaps an aging Japan and a future aging China - there is energy, dynamism and creative technology. People in the age group of 20 to 45 are traveling, migrating from one state to another, starting new businesses by being entrepreneurial, and are taking agency into their own hands. Hence, while a Western tourist at a first glimpse of the chaotic streets of Delhi or the smog in Beijing may see chaos, I see dynamism, energy, work ethics, aspirations, hopes, and an unwillingness to give in to war. That is why there is growing support for regional mechanisms for more freer travel, visa on arrival schemes, freetrade zones, and the like.

Artists across Asia are traveling, young people are protesting for a better life, businesses are getting more consumer-satisfaction oriented, etc. The buzzword is to be resourceful, to get something more out of life. Therefore, despite the tired narratives of the Western discourse of potential conflict, territorial wars in Asia, people in Asia are on the march: to make their lives better and integrate with the world better ... and hence, while we should be rightly concerned with factors that may give rise to tension and therefore find ways to mitigate, it is rather important that we do not exaggerate the conflicting trends and their likely impacts either.

Dr Namrata Goswami is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi and a former Senior Fellow at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), Washington, D.C.

2014, a climate emergency

T

Paul Rogers

wo months ago, on 8 November 2013, a devastating typhoon struck south-central islands in the Philippines. There were early warnings of what was to come, but over 6,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands of homes and livelihoods destroyed. Some initial news reports indicated that wind speeds had reached nearly 320 kph (200 mph), figures that seemed scarcely credible, even in sudden gusts in an exceptionally strong storm. Soon, more detailed data became available, including two separate reports of sustained wind speeds lasting for ten minutes, making them a more reliable basis for assessment of typhoon Haiyan.

The Hong Kong Observatory put the sustained speed prior to landfall at 275 kph (170 mph), and the Chinese Meteorological Administration at 270 kph (167 mph). These may possibly be the highest speeds of a tropical storm ever recorded; they certainly mean that typhoon Haiyan was exceptional by any standards.

In the nine weeks that have followed the Philippines' typhoon there have been further remarkable weather events across the world: among them the highest temperatures for almost a century in Buenos Aires, record low temperatures across central areas of north America, and a series of storms affecting the coasts of north-west Europe. In Britain, for example, the Meteorological Office was publishing weather warnings every day for six weeks.

The accelerating pace of extreme weather events is an acute challenge to political leaders

The forewarning What appears to be happening is best described as the development of a more “energetic” climate, with increasingly intense weather activity stemming from more energy in the atmosphere due to carbon emissions. It follows the almost unnoticed report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) in Geneva, published in July 2013, on the trends of 2001-10 and comparisons with earlier decades (see "The global climate cliff", 18 July 2013).

The significance of this WMO report - The Global Climate 2001-2010: A Decade of Climate Extremes - was that it eschewed predictions stemming from computer models (however sophisticated they might be) in favour of actual measurements and comparisons with data on previous weather stretching back well over a century. This approach, rooted in experience, observation and comparison, generated some notable findings for 2001-10: • it was the warmest decade on record for both land and sea surface temperatures and for both northern and southern hemispheres • it saw sea levels rising twice as fast as the trend in the last century • it saw a rapid loss of Arctic sea ice, and an accelerated decrease in the net mass of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.

The WMO commented that during the decade the world had “experienced unprecedented high-impact climate extremes”. The words can be seen as an informed forecast of typhoon Haiyan and the other events of 2013-14.

The transformation The aforementioned column cited the clear evidence in the WMO report of an increase in the severity of weather events, and reflected on whether this might be enough to incite strong intergovernmental action. Its conclusion - suggesting that "a truly serious shift in political outlooks" was needed, but that it appears such a transformation might "only come in the wake of great misery" - was hardly optimistic.

Six months on, however, a passing comment by Britain's prime minister David Cameron can be seen as, so to speak, an interesting straw in the wind. Cameron, responding in parliament on 8 January 2014 to queries about the extensive flooding that has hit many towns and coastal areas, said: “Colleagues across the [House of Commons] can argue whether [the flooding] is linked to climate change or no. I very much suspect that it is. The point is that whatever one’s view it makes sense to invest in flood defences”.

Cameron's early leadership of his Conservative Party from 2005 was marked by his emphasis on climate change, though this was always unpopular with many of the party's MPs, financial backers and supporters, many of whom are climate-change sceptics. Their views are backed in turn by free-market think-tanks and foundations and most of the leadership of the world's fossil-fuel industry.

The industry's stance is hardly surprising. If climate change does have to be stopped and carbon-dioxide emissions cut by 80%, then the great majority of the fossil carbon in proved and exploitable reserves of coal, oil and gas cannot be used. This would make the value of these reserves - on which fossil-fuel industry investment is based - essentially worthless: the industry would become a house build not on carbon but on sand. This is simply unacceptable to the industry, which therefore must argue that human-induced climate change simply cannot be happening - end of story.

Against this industrial, political and propaganda background, it is striking that Cameron could even suggest a link between the floods and climate change. But the indications are that he still does not grasp the scale of what needs to be done. There is no doubt that flood defences do need to be improved - but in itself this will only help stop climate change if it is accompanied by radical moves towards low-carbon economies. The improvement of flood defences would mean only installing barriers that in due course will be overwhelmed - it puts off the evil day, nothing more, and in isolation achieves absolutely nothing for the long term.

The problem in Britain - and in many other industrial countries - is that the climate-change denial lobby is so strong, so well funded and so effective that it is politically difficult for any major figure to stand up and say what needs to happen. The latter requires a degree of political leadership that is currently absent across the spectrum.

There is no pretending that it would be easy, because moving to an ultra-low carbon economy requires major short-term changes that might be singularly troublesome in order to prevent longer-term disaster. David Cameron’s remark is a small step. But it still looks as though far worse weather events over the entire world will be we will have to be experienced before the political classes come to their senses.

Readers may please note that, the contents of the articles published on this page do not reflect the outlook of this paper nor of the Editor in any form.

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NATIONAL

Tuesday 14 January 2014

The Morung Express

India scrambles to save tigers from deadly virus

In this Friday, Jan. 10, 2014 photo, a Royal Bengal tiger walks inside its enclosure at Alipore Zoological Garden in Kolkata, India. India is scrambling to protect its beleaguered tiger population after several big cats tested positive for a virus common among dogs but deadly to other carnivores, experts said. In the last year, canine distemper virus has killed at least four tigers and several other animals across northern and eastern India, according to Rajesh Gopal of the government’s National Tiger Conservation Authority. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

NEW DELHI, January 13(AP): India is scrambling to protect its beleaguered tiger population after several big cats tested positive for a virus common among dogs but deadly to other carnivores, experts said.

In the last year, canine

distemper virus has killed at least four tigers and several other animals across northern and eastern India, according to Rajesh Gopal of the government’s National Tiger Conservation Authority.

The revelation is bad

news for wild tigers — already endangered by rampant poaching and shrinking habitat as India undergoes breakneck development to accommodate the staggering growth of its 1.2 billion people. That same economic development and popula-

tion growth means more people — and more dogs — are coming even closer to wildlife. India will now test every tiger carcass it finds for the virus, Gopal said, while authorities also consider a massive campaign to vaccinate dogs against

canine distemper.

“We cannot vaccinate every dog, of course. But even 50 percent of dogs in the zones around sanctuaries would help,” Gopal said.

He did not give details of the plans being considered.

There is no vaccine for big cats. The cases being found across such a huge swath of India, however, suggests the disease could already be running in the wild, experts said, though they agree much more research is needed.

“These are very disturbing finds,” said Dr. A.K. Sharma, head scientist at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, which performed the canine distemper lab tests. “The cases were quite distant from each other, and the latest was an area where there are no dogs. So it appears the virus is spreading.”

Since two cubs tested positive in a zoo in the Bihar state capital of Patna a year ago, Sharma and his colleagues have found at least four more cases — a red panda in the northeast state of Manipur, a wild tiger in West Bengal, a zoo lion in Darjeeling and last month a wild tiger in the Dudhwa Tiger reserve in Uttar Pradesh.

“In the last case, forest guards said they saw the

Indian Army chief warns Pakistan NUJS to have policy New Delhi, JaNuary 13 Reports quoting Pakistani wards human rights violation... against sexual (iaNS): In a clear warning to military sources said a civilian Our rules of engagement are Pakistan, Indian Army Chief Gen was injured in firing by Indian based on those followed by a Bikram Singh said Monday any troops near the LoC on Satur- civilised society.” Asked about harassment of interns militant who crosses the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir will be fired at. He also said army needed to continue guarding the torubled northern state “under the present circumstancs”.

“We will fire at any militant trying to enter through the LoC,” Gen. Bikram Singh said at the annual press conference ahead of Army Day on January 15.

His comments came as reports in the Pakistani media blamed India for violating the cease-fire and firing at a civilian near the LoC. He, however, added that “attempts are on to ensure ceasefire agreements are adhered to by both sides. It is our endeavour to control it, not escalate it”. “If rules are followed by our neighbours, we follow them too. If rules are broken, we won’t sit on it, we will break them too,” he said.

day. General Bikram Singh said ceasefire violations have been to aid infiltration of militants from Pakistan. He also noted that the frequency of ceasefire violations have come down remarkably ever since the meeting of the DGMOs (Directors General Military Operations) of the two countries last December.

On the issue of army’s deployment in Kashmir, Gen. Bikram Singh said it needs to stay in the state. “Armed forces need to stay on in Kashmir under the present circumstances,” he said. “We should wait for conditions to improve before making changes to the national strategy regarding the army deployment in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

He also said there is “zero tolerance” for human rights violations in the army.

“There is zero tolerance to-

the Armed Forces Special Powers Act ( AFSPA), Gen Bikram Singh said: “The military viewpoint is that we have to wait for some time to monitor the situation. A decision will be taken only after that.”

Speaking on reports on slow progress of road construction along India-China border, the army chief said that the government was planning to outsource some of the construction work. “There are plans to ensure that infrastructure is created on the border. There are large number of roads and railway lines that have been identified to be constructed.

There are some slippages on the timeline but we need a more focused look on this. There is an initiative from government to outsource some of the road construction in the area.”

KolKata, JaNuary 13 (Pti): Hit by successive complaints by two of its exstudents about sexual harassment during internship, the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WB NUJS) on Monday said they were giving final touches to a policy to handle such cases.

WB NUJS spokesperson Ruchira Goswami told a news agency the premier legal varsity’s policy against sexual harassment of interns would be ready after a month.

University officials said law students would also be sensitised on how to deal with such cases and would be encouraged to lodge complaints if they are victimised. “Students are extremely vulnerable during their internship as they are afraid to complain against harassment by seniors in the legal fraternity.

So we are drafting guidelines and frame rules on how to combat sexual harassment during internships in particular,” the officials said. Established in 1999 by the Bar Council of India in conjunction with the government of West Bengal, NUJS is ranked among the topmost law schools in the country.

‘Social media fanning communal intolerance’

New Delhi, JaNuary 13 (iaNS): Social media has been playing a destructive role in inciting communal violence in India and time has come to check its misuse, National Commission for Minorities chief Wajahat Habibullah has said.

Habihullah also pointed out that riot control protocols have not been revised for decades. “Social media had a key role in the Assam violence and Kishtwar (Jammu) as well. This time (in the Muzaffarnagar riots) also, social media played a major role,” Habibullah told IANS in an interview.

“A mechanism is needed to monitor such misuse of social media. The sad part is riot control plans that exist at present were made by

(the colonial) British rulers. It has not been modernised to suit present times,” said Habihullah, who has been heading the commission since July 2010.

According to Uttar Pradesh Police, a controversial video clip that reportedly showed the lynching of two Hindu Jat boys that was circulated fanned the riots in Muzaffarnagar. But the footage was found to be actually two years old and from Pakistan, the police said.

Sangeet Som of the BJP was accused of circulating the fake video that reportedly escalated the unrest resulting in the communal riots. Som was arrested and later released. In July 2012, during violence in Assam between indigenous Bodos and Muslims, images

Mafia posing threat to Arvind Kejriwal’s life? Security beefed up

New Delhi, JaNuary 13 (zeeNewS): Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, who has become a national icon in country’s fight against corruption, is facing big threats to his life from mafia. Reports on Monday said that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B Ministry) has issued an alert to Delhi Police that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is facing threats from water and tender mafia due to his anticorruption policies.

However, despite pressure from the UP Police and Delhi Police for accepting ‘Z’ category protection, Kejriwal has refused to accept any security cover. The AAP leader has said that he does not need any protection for himself and instead wants the Aam Aadmi (common man) to be protected first. As per reports, the I&B sources claim the threats have come from the water and tender mafia, which can go to any extent if Kejriwal continues to pursue his anti-corruption policies.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had revealed that Delhi Police is providing adequate security to AAP convenor without his knowledge. He also claimed that Kejriwal was put under a security blanket shortly after he became the Chief Minister. The Ghaziabad police has deployed 20 policemen outside AAP chief’s apartment in Kausambi after receiving alert from IB Ministry, as reported.

were circulated on the social media, fanning panic resulting in the exodus of lakhs of northeastern citizens to their home states from different parts of the country.

Similarly, riots that broke in Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir after Eid celebrations were also followed by postings on the social media. The situation was controlled in time and the riots were contained. “In Kishtwar, the material on social media were noticed and controlled, otherwise the riots would have spread in the whole of Jammu and Kashmir,” Habibullah said. He also lamented that the frequency of riots in the country has increased over the past decade.

“Frequency of riots has increased. It is a cause of concern,”

he said. “When (the 2002) Gujarat riots took place, the country had not had such conflict in years. Gujarat was the worst since independence... since (the 1984) anti-Sikh riots (following the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi),” said the former Chief Information Commissioner, who had stepped down in 2009 to become the RTI watchdog in Jammu and Kashmir before taking up his present assignment).

“But I still believe the basic sinuses of India’s culture are still intact. The sad part is we don’t celebrate our differences any more.

But the experience of Muzaffarnagar, when we see Hindus seeking the Muslims to come back, it gives a positive sense”.

animal in a confused state before it died,” he said.

Experts said there are likely more undetected cases, since testing for canine distemper has not been routine and few animals that die in the wild are ever found. Canine distemper virus, a close relative of measles, is associated mostly with domestic dogs though it has infected — and ravaged — other carnivore populations.

It brought the U.S. black-footed ferret to the brink of extinction in the late 1970s. In Tanzania in 1994, an epidemic likely introduced by tourists’ dogs wiped out at least a third of the 3,000-strong African lion population in Serengeti National Park.

The possibility of a disease like canine distemper hitting the world’s last population of wild Asiatic lions was a major consideration in last year’s Indian Supreme Court’s decision ordering Gujarat state to safeguard the species by transferring some lions to a second, faraway sanctuary.

While dogs can often recover from the disease, other animals including tigers, lions and leopards suffer fever, seizures and delirium before they die. There is no known cure.

Some experts said it

was pointless to try to limit the disease, given how closely millions of Indians live alongside wildlife. Instead, the country should focus on other, proven threats like poaching, prey loss to hunting and human encroachment into forests.

“Thinking we can control this is totally unrealistic. We have to live with it now, and assess whether it’s really serious yet,” said Ullas Karanth, the Bangalore-based Asian science director of Wildlife Conservation Society. “What South Africa has done, quarantining huge areas and creating disease-free spaces in the wild, is not feasible here.”

India is home to more than half of the world’s estimated 3,200 tigers. An ongoing tiger census should give an updated count in a year. Despite dozens of tiger reserves in place, their numbers have sunk from an estimated 5,000-7,000 in the 1990s, when their habitat was more than twice as large.

Illegal poaching remains a stubborn and serious danger, with tiger parts fetching high black market prices due to demand driven by traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

Deforestation and urban growth, meanwhile, bring the cats ever-closer to hu-

man settlements — and into conflict with villagers who will hunt any wild animals near their communities or livestock.

That tigers may now face another threat from disease is alarming, said Thopsie Gopal, an Indian expert in animal emerging infectious diseases who was not involved in the test cases. “This is a serious situation,” said Thopsie Gopal, who has no relation to Rajesh Gopal. “Maybe tigers are eating infected dogs, or maybe it is spreading in the wild.”

He suggested India could resume its policy of vaccinating cattle against rinderpest, another virus similar to canine distemper. Increasing antibodies against rinderpest in the environment could help boost defenses against canine distemper, he said. “It might be too late, but might be worth trying,” he said.

Indian experts also want to search living tigers for natural antibodies that could be used in creating a vaccine. But there are obvious challenges in capturing the reclusive and dangerous nighttime predators for blood tests. “It would take a lot of funding and a lot of manpower,” Sharma said. “We’ll see if the government agrees.”

India breaks free of polio

An Indian medical volunteer administers polio immunization drops to a child at a railway station in Allahabad, on Monday, January 13. (AP Photo)

New Delhi, JaNuary 13 (reuterS): India on Monday marked three years since its last reported case of polio, paving the way for it to be declared free of the crippling virus and boosting efforts to wipe out the disease globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.

The country’s last case of the wild polio virus was detected on Jan 13, 2011, in a two-year-old girl in West Bengal. Three years without any new cases means India can be declared polio-free. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the only countries in the world where the disease remains endemic.

“We give huge credit to the government... It makes us extremely proud and highly responsible for having helped the government to reach this incredible achievement,” India’s WHO representative, Nata Menabde, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Menabde said the WHO would officially declare India as polio-free by the end of March, when the legal process for certification was completed.

Until the 1950s, polio crippled thousands every year in rich countries. It attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection. The highly infectious disease often spreads in areas with poor sanitation - a factor that helped it keep a grip on India for many decades - and children under five

are the most vulnerable. But it can be prevented by population-wide vaccination.

India had been considered one of the toughest places in the world to eradicate polio. Many families in poor, high-risk states such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh migrate for work, while other communities live in remote or inaccessible areas. Menabde said millions were involved in the drive to immunize children by giving them polio drops. They targeted migrant families at bus stations, on trains, at construction sites, and at local festivals. Some used motorcycles or trekked by foot to reach remote villages.

As a consequence, over 170 million children are immunized every year, with millions more targeted on house-to-house visits. The drive has cost the government $2.5 billion since 1995. In 2009, 741 Indians fell sick with polio, nearly half the world’s cases that year. The number dropped to 42 in 2010 and only one in 2011. India’s success has given impetus to the global fight against polio, Menabde said.

“While the whole global eradication was stagnating, India has been the rescuer of this belief that it is possible,” she said.

“Polio eradication is a very costly operation and so donors and partners were losing hope and patience. Now they are all very actively mobilised into channelling their efforts.”

PM warns of danger to secularism

New Delhi, JaNuary 13 (iaNS): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday warned against attempts to derail India’s secular values by redefining secularism as a minister called for quotas for minorities.

Addressing the annual conference of state minority commissions here, the prime minister said both majority and minority communities should work together to maintain harmony. Minority Affairs Minister K. Rehman Khan meanwhile said the government was considering the Ranganath Misra Commission report on reservations for minorities.

Manmohan Singh warned against those who “work against India’s secular thought by attempting to redefine secularism”. “To maintain communal

harmony, both majority communities and minorities have to work together to create an atmosphere of acceptance and harmony.

“In most parts of the country, the relationship between the majority and minority communities is harmonious although there have been instances where this relationship has been put to severe test, especially of late.

“These aberrations tarnish the image of our country and our society. They cause pain and suffering to the affected people,” he said.

The communal riots in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh last year left more than 60 people dead and left thousands homeless. He stressed that “pluralism is the keystone of India’s civilization and culture” and “reli-

gious harmony, not mere tolerance, is the bedrock of India’s secularism”.

Manmohan Singh said his government had set up many institutions to “ensure that minorities should not only be provided adequate safeguards but also given equal access to development opportunities”. He said 17 State Minorities Commissions were in existence and more such commissions were being planned in other states.

Rehman Khan meanwhile said the constitution was being wrongly interpreted to deny minorities their “legitimate rights” by denying reservations. Khan said a “new tendency is emerging to interpret the constitution in such a way to deny the legitimate rights of religious minorities as based on religion.

“When minorities demand reservation based on the backwardness or demand certain affirmative action from government to better their economic backwardness, it is turned down as no reservation or affirmative action could be taken based on religion.” Khan added such reservation would be in tune with the spirit of articles 15 and 16 of the constitution.

Article 15 talks about prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and article 16 is about equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.

“The ministry is looking into recommendations of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission for identification of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic

minorities and to recommend measures for welfare,” Khan said.

The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, headed by former chief justice Ranganath Misra, suggested that instead of the 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 15 percent be set aside for Muslims and Christians, leaving 12 percent for the OBCs. Khan said the issue could be addressed by treating each religious minority as “a class of citizens and not as a religious group”.

The UPA government had announced a 4.5 percent quota for backward minorities which was quashed by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which said religionbased quota was constitutionally invalid. The government has moved the Supreme Court against the order.

International

The Morung Express

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Dimapur

9

No resistance as protesters occupy Thai capital BANGKOK, JANuAry 13 (reuters): Tens of thousands of Thai antigovernment protesters occupied parts of central Bangkok on Monday, meeting no resistance from the authorities, ratcheting up a two-month agitation to force the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Police and soldiers kept a low profile as the “Shutdown Bangkok, Restart Thailand” drive got under way in the city of about 12 million people, and the mood among protesters was festive, with many singing and dancing in the streets. Although major intersections that normally teem with cars and trucks were blockaded, city trains and river ferries were operating, most shops were open and motorbikes plied the roads freely.

But protesters said they were prepared for a long haul to tighten the noose on the capital, suggesting the crisis could drag on for days, if not weeks, threatening to inflict substantial damage on Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.

The upheaval is the latest chapter in an eight-year conflict pitting Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and her self-exiled brother, billionaire ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was

Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban speaks to his supporters Monday, January 13, in Bangkok. The protesters seized key intersections across Thailand’s capital on Monday, blockading major roads into the heart of Bangkok’s glitzy downtown districts at the start of a renewed push to derail elections next month and overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. (AP Photo)

ousted by the army in 2006 and sentenced to jail in absentia for abuse of power in 2008, but the former telecoms tycoon still looms large over Thai politics and is the dominant force behind his sister’s administration from his home in Dubai.

In a bid to end the unrest, Yingluck - who has a commanding majority in parliament - called a snap election for February 2. Protest leader Suthep Thaug-

suban has rejected the poll, which Yingluck’s Puea Thai Party would probably win.

As the blockade began to bite, Yingluck invited the protest leaders and political parties for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss an Election Commision proposal to postpone the vote, according to a senior aide of the prime minister.

However, the protesters are determined to install an appointed “people’s coun-

cil” to change the electoral system and bring in other reforms to weaken Thaksin’s sway. “This won’t end easily, and the turnout today is impressive, so it seems this deadlock looks set to continue,” said Sukum Nuansakul, a political analyst and former dean at Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng University. “Suthep has said he won’t negotiate with the government, yet the government said today it will

try to invite all warring parties to the table. The protest group’s aims to overhaul the political system in this country won’t happen overnight. This could be just the beginning.”

Eight people, including two police officers, have been killed and scores wounded in violence between protesters, police and government supporters since the campaign against Yingluck’s govern-

Smith said the controversy surrounding Bae was a “bad situation” that “overshadowed some of the things that we were doing.”

“Dennis is not a member of the State Department, he is not a member of the U.N.,” Smith said. “For them to put the flag in his hands and say go and negotiate and talk about it, he probably would have made it worse, you know.” He said North Korean officials had invited the team back “at any given time.”

On Monday, Rodman reiterated that his trip was one of goodwill. “This is not a bad deal,” he said. “I want to show people that no matter what’s going on in the world, for one day, just one day, no politics, not all that stuff. “I’m sorry for all the people and what’s going on, I’m sorry,” he continued.

“I’m not the president, I’m not an ambassador, I’m just an individual that wants to show the world the fact that we can actually get along and be happy for one day.”

Rodman and Kim struck up a friendship when the basketball-player-turnedcelebrity first traveled to the secretive state last year.

MOscOw, JANuAry 13 (IANs/ItAr -tAss): Six months before his death last December, legendary gun designer and inventor of the AK-47 assault rifle, Mikhail Kalashnikov, wrote a letter of repentance to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill I. In the letter, Izvestia reported, the designer shared with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church his emotional concerns and doubts about his responsibility for the deaths of people from the gun he had invented.

“My inner pain is un-

ers had joined a march from what has been the movement’s main camp at Democracy Monument in the old quarter. Among them was Prasert Tanyakiatpongsa, a small business owner, who backed Suthep’s plans for electoral reforms. “I’m not sure if we can achieve what we want in a day but maybe we can after a week ...

We are not out to clash with police. We will sit and we will meditate,” Prasert said.

Although rumours of a coup are rife, the military, which has staged or attempted 18 coups in 81 years of on-off democracy, has tried to stay neutral this time and army chief Prayuth Chanocha has publicly refused to take sides. But some fear extremists or agents provocateurs could instigate violence to provoke military intervention, leading to a repeat of 2010 when more than 90 people, many of them Thaksin supporters, were killed in an army operation to put down a rally that had closed parts of central Bangkok for weeks.

The latest protests took off when the government tried to push through a political amnesty that would have let Thaksin return home without serving jail time for corruption. The bill was ultimately withdrawn but the agitation gathered pace. Thaksin, who redrew “SIT AND MEDITATE” National security chief Thailand’s political map by Paradorn Pattanathabutr courting rural voters to win said around 20,000 protest- back-to-back elections in

2001 and 2005, gained an unassailable mandate that he then used to advance the interests of major companies, including his own.

He is opposed by the elite and establishment, who feel threatened by his rise and regard his sister as a puppet. Thaksin’s opponents include some academics who see him as a corrupt rights abuser and the urban middle class who resent, as they see it, their taxes being used for his political war chest. The unrest has hurt tourism and further delayed huge infrastructure projects that had been expected to support the economy this year at a time when exports remain weak. Consumer confidence is at a two-year low.

Protest leaders say they will not shut down public transport or Bangkok’s airports. Anti-Thaksin protesters shut the two main airports for days in late 2008, causing chaos for tourists and exporters. However, the central bank, finance ministry and some other ministries have been forced to move operations to buildings around the city or even to neighbouring provinces.

“The aim is not war,” Kasit Piromya, a former foreign minister and member of the opposition who joined Monday’s protests, told Reuters. “We have to keep pressure on the government until it is crippled and cannot function.”

bearable, I have been facing one and the same unsolvable question: as my gun deprived people of lives, then I, Mikhail Kalashnikov, 93, a son of a peasant woman, a Christian and an Orthodox, am guilty of the deaths of people, be them even enemies,” the newspaper quoted the letter as stating.

Kalashnikov also presented his views on the future of the country and mankind. “Correct, more churches and monasteries have appeared in our land, but the evil is not diminishing still!... Good and evil live

“That letter was very timely during the attacks on the church. The patriarch thanked the legendary designer for the attention and position and replied saying that Kalashnikov was an example of patriotism and correct attitude towards the country,” Volkov said.

He added the church had a quite clear position concerning the designer’s responsibility for the deaths of people - whenever guns protect the fatherland, the church would support both the designers and the military using them.

ment started in November.

Shootings were reported overnight near a government administrative complex that protesters began to blockade late on Sunday and at the headquarters of the opposition Democrat Party, which has thrown in its lot with the protest movement.

At one junction, near the American and Japanese embassies, around 100 protesters sat on the road to halt traffic. Som Rodpai, 64, said they would leave after nightfall, amid fears their citywide protest could spark a violent reaction. Suthep’s stated goal is to eradicate the influence of the Shinawatra family on Thai politics, but he says he would call the protests off if, as some fear, civil war breaks out. Pro-Thaksin groups started rallies in several provincial regions on Sunday but are steering clear of Bangkok for now.

The government has deployed 10,000 police to maintain law and order, along with 8,000 soldiers at government offices.

“We don’t want confrontation with the protesters ... In some places we will let them into government buildings,” Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Sunday.

Rodman apologizes for not helping missionary ‘Kalashnikov repented AK-47 invention before death’

BeIJING, JANuAry 13 (AP): Former basketball star Dennis Rodman apologized on Monday for not being able to help an American missionary detained in North Korea while he played there to celebrate the birthday of his friend and leader Kim Jong Un. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything,” Rodman told media on his arrival at Beijing airport from a weeklong trip.

“It’s not my fault. I’m sorry.

I just want to do some good stuff, that’s all I want to do.”

He said he would return to North Korea next month, but gave no details.

Rodman and the squad of retired NBA players he took to North Korea for an exhibition game marking Kim’s birthday have met with criticism in the U.S. because of North Korea’s human rights record and its development of nuclear weapons. Acknowledging the controversy surrounding the trip, one of the players, Charles D. Smith, said Rodman “opened the door and he did some missteps along the way.”

In an interview in Beijing, Smith said Rodman’s singing of “Happy Birthday”

Former NBA basketball player Dennis Rodman is followed by journalists as he arrives at the Capital International Airport in Beijing from Pyongyang, on Monday, January 13. A squad of former basketball stars led by Rodman had a friendly game with North Korean basketball players in Pyongyang. (AP Photo)

to Kim before the exhibition game at a Pyongyang stadium was something that he alone had decided to do. “I think that it might not have been the right thing to do, but he did it ... if it was done in private it would be different, but when it’s done in the open like that, people are going to have opinions.”

During the trip, Rodman was also slammed for not us-

ing his influence with Kim to help free Kenneth Bae, the missionary in poor health who has been detained for more than a year for “antistate crimes.” Rodman apologized last week for comments he made in a CNN interview implying Bae was at fault, saying he had been drinking and was upset because some of his teammates were under pressure to leave.

on, they are neighbours, they are fighting, and, more scary, is that they jointly find peace in our souls - this is the conclusion I have approached in the end of my life on the earth,” he wrote.

“Light and shadow, kindness and evil - two opposites of one, which are not capable of existing without each other? Is it really the way god has made? And the mankind has to vegetate in that co-existence?” The patriarch’s press secretary Alexander Volkov told Izvestia Kirill had received the letter and even replied to it.

Have asthma? Don’t shy away from your doctor

New yOrK, JANuAry 13 (IANs): Can’t find relief from asthma symptoms? Grill your doctor frequently to better understand your problem, says a study. In order for asthma treatment to be effective, patients need to increase communication with their physicians, said researchers.

“When patients do not understand their condition or treatment plan, they may not follow life-saving guidelines, putting them at increased risk for asthma attacks,” said allergist and article author Stanley Fineman, past president of the American College of Aller-

gy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Fineman noted that only eight to 13 percent of asthma sufferers continue to refill inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions after one year. Taken early and as directed, these inhalers can improve asthma control, normalise lung function and even prevent irreversible injury to airways, said the study.

The study cited several young adults feeling uncomfortable taking their medication in public settings. Several of them do not manage their condition as advised, which can lead to increased asthma attacks and

emergency room visits. “Allergists need to communicate the importance of continuing medication, and patients should express any concerns they might have, such as taking medication in public, since there are often solutions,” said allergist Alan Baptist, an ACAAI member and senior study author. According to the study, many of young asthma sufferers said they stopped using prescribed medication when symptoms subsided. Unless directed by a physician, asthma patients should never change or discontinue preventive medications.

Israel holds memorial ceremony for Ariel Sharon

JerusALeM, JANuAry 13 (AP): Hundreds of Israeli VIPs and international dignitaries attended a state memorial ceremony for the late Ariel Sharon on Monday, remembering the controversial former prime minister as a fearless warrior and bold leader who devoted his life to protecting his country’s security.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair headed the long list of visitors who gathered outside Israel’s parliament building for the ceremony. Later Monday, Sharon’s body was to be taken from the Knesset to his farm in southern Israel for burial.

“Arik was a man of the land,” President Shimon Peres, a longtime friend and sometimes rival of Sharon, said in his eulogy. “He defended this land like a lion and he taught its children to swing a scythe. He was a military legend in his lifetime and then turned his gaze to the day Israel would dwell in safety, when our children would return to our borders and peace would grace the Promised Land.”

Sharon died on Saturday, eight years after a devastating stroke left him in a coma from which he never recovered. He was 85. One of Israel’s greatest and most divisive figures, Sharon rose through the ranks of the

military, moving into politics and overcoming scandal and controversy to become prime minister in his final years. He spent most of his life battling Arab enemies and promoting Jewish settlement on war-won lands. His backers called him a war hero.

His detractors, first and foremost the Palestinians, considered him a war criminal and held him responsible for years of bloodshed.

But in a surprising aboutface, he led a historic withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, uprooting all soldiers and settlers from the territory after a 38-year presence in a move he said was necessary to ensure Israel’s security. The speakers at Monday’s ceremony largely glossed over the controversy that surrounded Sharon, and instead focused on his leadership and personality.

“I didn’t always agree with Arik and he didn’t always agree with me,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who resigned from Sharon’s government to protest the Gaza withdrawal. Nonetheless, he called Sharon “one of the big warriors” for the nation of Israel. “He was pragmatic. His pragmatism was rooted in deep emotion, deep emotion for the state, for the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said.

Nearly 10 years on, the with-

Members of the Knesset guard carry the coffin of late Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the Knesset Plaza in Jerusalem, on Monday, January 13. Israel is holding a state memorial ceremony for the former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at the country’s parliament building. Monday’s official ceremony in the Knesset in Jerusalem will be followed by a private burial on the family’s desert ranch in southern Israel. (AP Photo)

drawal from Gaza remains hotly debated in Israeli society. Supporters say Israel is better off not being bogged down in the crowded territory, which is now home to 1.7 million Palestinians.

Critics say the pullout has only brought more violence.

Two years after the withdrawal, Hamas militants seized control of Gaza. In a reminder of the precarious security situation, Palestinian militants on Monday fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip.

Sharon’s ranch in southern Israel is within range of such pro-

jectiles but Monday’s missiles did not hit Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.

In a heartfelt address, Biden talked about a decades-long friendship with Sharon, saying the death felt “like a death in the family.” When the two discussed

Israel’s security, Biden said he would understand how Sharon earned the nickname “The Bulldozer,” explaining how Sharon would pull out maps and repeatedly make the same points to drive them home.

“He was indomitable,” Biden said. “But like all historic leaders, all real leaders, he had a north star that guided him. A north star from which he never, in my observation, never deviated. His north star was the survival of the state of Israel and the Jewish people wherever they resided,” Biden said.

He also praised Sharon’s determination in carrying out the Gaza pullout. “The political courage it took, whether you agreed with him or not, when he told 10,000 Israelis to leave their homes in Gaza, in order from his perspective to strengthen Israel ... I can’t think of a more difficult and controversial decision he made. But he believed it and he did it. The security of his people was always Arik’s unwavering mission.”

Sharon’s coffin has been lying in state at the Knesset’s outdoor plaza where Israelis from all walks of life paid respects throughout Sunday. With Sharon’s two sons, Omri and Gilad looking on, Monday’s ceremony took place under a mild, winter

sun. In addition to Biden and Blair, the prime minister of the Czech Republic, and foreign ministers of Australia and Germany were among those in attendance.

Even Egypt, the first Arab country to make peace with Israel, sent a low-level diplomat, its embassy said. Sharon’s life will be remembered for its three distinct stages: First, was his eventful and controversial time in uniform, including leading a deadly raid in the West Bank that killed 69 Arabs, as well as his heroics in the 1973 Mideast war.

Then came his years as a vociferous political operator who helped create Israel’s settlement movement and masterminded the divisive Lebanon invasion in 1982. He was branded as indirectly responsible for the massacre of hundreds of Palestinians at the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps outside Beirut when his troops allowed allied Lebanese militias into the camps. An uproar over the massacre cost him his job.

Yet ultimately he transformed himself into a prime minister and statesman, capped by the dramatic Gaza withdrawal. Sharon appeared to be cruising toward re-election when he suffered the second, devastating stroke in January 2006.

10

Dimapur

SPORTS

Tuesday 14 January 2014

The Morung Express

Spurs dominate to tame the Timberwolves

59th NSA wrestling meet KOHIMA, JANuAry 13 (MExN): The 59th Nerhema Sports Association Wrestling Meet will be held on January 15 at Keca, Nerhema with Keviletuo Kiewhuo, Advisor of Naga Hoho as the chief guest and Kekhriengulie Theunuo, President of Nerhema Krotho Kohima as the guest of honor. A press note requested every village member and well wishers to attend the event.

SAN ANTONIO, JANuAry 13 (AP): The San Antonio Spurs have been touting their depth all season, and it was sorely needed to overcome the loss of another key player Sunday night. Kawhi Leonard scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half and San Antonio beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-86 Sunday night for its fourth straight win.

Already without Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter, the Spurs lost Danny Green early in the second quarter to a sprained finger. Minus two of their top wings and their starting center, Leonard and the team's bench took over in the second half.

Tim Duncan had 15 points and Tony Parker added 14 points and 10 assists for Western Conference-leading San Antonio.

Matt Bonner also scored 14 points — including 4-for-5 shooting on 3-pointers — and Marco Belinelli had 13 points and Patty Mills added 10.

"You've got to stay ready, especially around here," Duncan said of overcoming the latest injury.

"That's what we preach, we're getting everybody ready and you'll get your opportunity whether it comes at the beginning or in the middle or in the end whenever it may be. When your time comes, you need to be ready to go because you're going to earn your minutes."

Edberg hopes to inspire Federer to more grand slams

MELBOurNE, JANuAry 13 (rEuTErS): Stefan Edberg believes his return to the Tour as a coach of Roger Federer can help the Swiss add to his record tally of 17 grand slam titles. The Swede will be a part of Federer's team for 10 weeks in 2014, including all four grand slam events. "I am doing it because I really think I can make a little difference," Edberg told a small group of reporters at Melbourne Park on Monday.

"If I can make a little difference, maybe that will take him back where he was. "Roger has to do the work on the court but it's maybe just a different voice, different opinions and obviously I've been in this situation before, in the big tournaments. "Tennis-wise he's such a great player but there are always many things you can work on, maybe minor things in his game. "It's going to be a tough road but I still believe he's good enough on a given day to beat anybody. "If he could win a slam here this year, it would be great but it's a tough task, a lot of good players."

With Boris Becker having joined Novak Djokovic's team and Ivan Lendl now in his third year as Andy Murray's coach, Edberg's return has added to a buzz of excitement on the Tour. The softly-spoken Swede quit the Tour in 1996 after winning six grand slam singles titles and still makes the occasional appearance on the Champions Tour. Looking like he could still be out there himself, Edberg hinted that only Federer could have persuaded him to give up his "comfortable life".

"I think Roger is such a special person both on and off the court, a person that I really respect and because it was him, at least I gave it a thought," he said. "I talked with my family because I live a pretty comfortable life now and this is a change. "But it's such a great opportunity to be around Roger and (maybe) I can have a good input in keeping him in this game as long as we can, because he's so great for tennis."

Leonard, who came in averaging 11.7 points in 35 games, had nine points in the third quarter, continually cutting to the basket to escape his defender for a series of dunks and layups.

Leonard's final basket of the quarter was a layup off an assist from Aron Baynes to put San Antonio up 8171 entering the fourth.

Leonard finished 6 for 9 from the field in the second half. San Antonio's reserves, who average a league-leading 46 points per game, had 51 points.

They scored 37 in the final three quarters after Green's injury.

"Our whole team does a great job of staying ready," Bonner said. "We work hard on off days, even on game days, to keep our wind up and stay sharp so we can come in and help the team win games. We pride ourselves on being a team, one through 14 or 15, and everybody's ready to step in and contribute."

The reserves also were critical defensively against a Timberwolves team that was averaging 107.6 point per game. Nikola Pekovic scored 22 points to lead Minnesota, but was held to eight in the second half.

Kevin Love had 14 points and Alexey Shved added 11.

Love had 42 points in his previous matchup with San Antonio on Dec. 13, shooting 8 for 9 on 3-pointers. He was unable to generate anything close to that

Sunday, missing his only two 3-point attempts. He finished 3-for-14 shooting, struggling to get clean looks off against Bonner, Jeff Ayres and Boris Diaw.

"They were very physical with Kevin Love everywhere he moved," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. "We have to figure out a way to help him out a little bit, see if we can't have an answer for that." The Timberwolves went inside to Pekovic early, who rewarded the team with a pair of short jumpers over Duncan. He finished with 14 points and three rebounds in the first half, but was limited to eight points and three rebounds in the second half while battling Duncan, Ayres and Baynes for positioning.

"Pek's huge, he's a strong boy," Duncan said.

"He killed us on the offensive glass, especially in the first half. He had a great game tonight all around."

With the defense limiting Minnesota, San Antonio turned to its ball-sharing offense to seal the victory. The Spurs had 31 assists on their 42 field goals while shooting 57 percent from the field. "That's just Spurs basketball," Love said. "They're very unselfish, they make the extra play and that's tough to beat, especially when they have a couple of Hall of Famers in there. They've played together for a long time and they're a good

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan (21) and Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Love (42) compete for a rebound during the first half on an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 104-86. (AP Photo)

team. We played them well through the half and then they became the San Antonio Spurs."

After passing the ball off twice to reset from long

range, Bonner drained a 3-pointer that gave San Antonio a 22-15 lead. The Spurs will need more of that when they travel to New Orleans to face the

Pelicans on Monday night without Green, Splitter and, possibly, Ginobili. "(Green) will be out," Popovich said.

"He won't go on the trip so we've lost him."

Chakre Chovow Chithuni Silver cup India have by far the best

DIMAPur, JANuAry 13 (MExN): The Chakre Chovow Chithuni Silver cup football tournament organized by the Song Song Youth and Students organization ended on a high note with K C Lokho, (CO) IPS as the Chief Guest of the closing function.

The tournament also coincides with Chithuni, the New Year of the Mao Nagas. In his speech, the Chief Guest exhorted the young players that sports has become one of the most lucrative profession with fame and glory attached to it. He also asserted that Manipur, being a power house of sports in India, the arenas for the youths in sports are varied. He said the youths must take the profession seriously and not as a mere past time or entertainment, if one aspires to be-

young batsmen: Chappell

Participants of the Chovow Chithuni Silver cup football tournament.

come a true sportsman. He concluded the qualities in sports are dedication, perseverance and discipline.

The final day started with a tug of war for both

men and women, followed by traditional games of the Mao Nagas. The final football match was played between the Galacticos and Naldo Rubycon. After a grueling

ninety minutes match, former champion, Galacticos lifted the Chithuni Silver Cup trophy with a 2-1 victory.

The Chief Guest distributed prizes to the various

participating teams and de-hoisted the flag. Vote of thanks was pronounced by K. Phimu while benediction was pronounced by Rev. L. Adani.

almost took the lead when Christian Stuani steered his point-blank header past the wrong side of the post four minutes in.

Madrid weathered Espanyol's initial push and turned to Karim Benzema and Ronaldo to provide the attacking threat. Ronaldo scuffed Benzema's pass in the 18th before drawing two awkward saves from Casilla with a powerful strike in the 31st and a dipping free kick in the 37th.

Espanyol, which was without suspended forward Sergio Garcia and coach Javier Aguirre, was fortunate to make it to halftime not trailing after Angel Di Maria squandered Madrid's four-on-two counterattack seconds before Benzema headed wide in the 42nd.

But Pepe made good on Madrid's dominance by thumping Modric's pass under Casilla, who got a hand on the ball but not enough to keep it out of his net. Ronaldo had two more great looks to increase his impressive tally this season, but Casilla bettered him one-on-one in the 82nd before saving Benzema's shot in the 89th and watching Ronaldo fire the rebound wide with the goalmouth beckoning.

Nothing went Betis' way against Osasuna, a direct relegation rival, in a game both sides finished with 10 men.

MELBOurNE, JANuAry 13 (AP): It wouldn't be the Australian Open without boisterous Aussies serenading Lleyton Hewitt with silly songs from the stands, oversize clown wigs, kangaroo costumes and, of course, the searing heat. As the temperature edged past 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) on Monday, the line at the frozen slushie stand was more than 30 deep and crowds were jostling to get in front of the giant fans blowing cool mist into the air.

On court, a couple players held ice bags against their faces and necks during change-overs. Sweaty shirts were stripped off with increasing regularity.

This is just the prelude, too. The forecast for the rest of the week is far more brutal, with highs expected to top 40 Celsius on Tuesday (104 Fahrenheit) and every day through Friday.

The concern for tournament officials is how the stifling heat will affect the players, staff and fans and whether they'll be forced to invoke the extreme heat policy and suspend play on the outer courts and close the roof and turn on the air-conditioning at the two courts with retractable roofs, Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena. Tournament referee Wayne McKewen said the heat policy is based on the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), which takes into account a variety of factors including the air temperature, humidity and wind speed.

NEW DELHI, JANuAry 13 (PTI): Effusive in his praise for the Indian batsmen, former Australia captain Ian Chappell has said that the side is currently producing "by far the best" crop of young talented cricketers.

"India is producing by far the best young batsmen currently, and in addition to (Shikhar) Dhawan, (Virat) Kohli, (Cheteshwar) Pujara and Rohit Sharma, Unmukt Chand is one for the future," Chappell said in an interview.

The Australian great said he was impressed with the attacking flare of the Indian opener Dhawan, who, he felt could be a valuable addition to any side.

"I really like the look of Shikhar Dhawan. He's a talented, aggressive opener and if successful they're ex-

tremely valuable to a team," the 70-year-old said.

With the ICC Cricket World Cup just 13 months away, Chappell said teams have already set their sight at the marquee event, to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

"Teams are always playing their ODI matches with an eye on the next World Cup. Given they will be playing at home, Australia is looking like a strong contender at the moment," Chappell, who played 75 Tests and 15 ODIs for Australia in his 16-year-long illustrious career, said.

Chappell, known to speak his mind on cricket administration and game controllers, said the ICC's move to test the Officiating Review System (ORS) to

ameliorate the controversial DRS will not bear fruits as the technology needs a massive overhaul.

"I'm like a lot of the players - I don't trust many aspects of either system.

I'd change many aspects of the system but my first change would be to take it out of the players' hands," he said. "I'm not a big fan of the system at all." The veteran is a part of the jury panel that would decide on the seventh annual 2013 ESPNcricinfo Awards for best cricket performers and performances in the year gone by. Asked about his favourite performances of the year 2013, Chappell said he enjoyed the counter-attacking skills of India captain MS Dhoni and Brad Haddin in particular.

Real Madrid edge Espanyol Aussie Open prepares for scorching heat to close on La Liga leaders

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, right, duels for the ball against Espanyol's Christian Stuani during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at Cornella-El Prat stadium in Cornella Llobregat, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 12. (AP Photo)

BArCELONA, JANuAry 13 (AP): With Cristiano Ronaldo missing his scoring touch, Real Madrid needed defender Pepe to score in the second half to secure a 1-0 victory at Espanyol on Sunday to pull within three points of the Spanish league co-leaders.

Pepe was left unmarked to head in Luka Modric's corner kick in the 55th minute, as Cristiano Ronaldo failed to add to his league-leading 20 goals.

Ronaldo is favored to win the FIFA's Ballon d'Or on Monday over Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery.

The Portugal forward un-

characteristically wasted two clear scoring chances, while goalkeeper Kiko Casilla denied him on another three occasions.

"The win is important because winning on the road is key to winning the league," said Pepe, who defended Ronaldo despite his off day. "I would vote for Cristiano because what he did last year is very important and he deserves it."

Third-place Madrid took full advantage of Saturday's scoreless draw between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, which left them level at the top of the table at the league's halfway mark.

"The important thing today was to cut into Barcelona and Atletico's lead," said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "We have to feel satisfied." Also on Sunday, Real Betis remained in last place after slumping to an error-plagued 2-1 loss at home to Osasuna.

Rayo Vallecano won 1-0 at Getafe's foggy Alfonso Perez Coliseum to end a five-game streak without a win in league play, and Levante edged Malaga 1-0 at home thanks to David Barral's 19th-minute header. Led by striker Jhon Cordoba, Espanyol surged forward at the start and

Novak Djokovic of Serbia chases down a ball for a return to Lukas Lacko of Slovakia during the first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia on Jan. 13. (AP Photo)

The temperatures could reach 42 degrees Celsius (107 F), for instance, and the players could still be on the courts if the humidity is low enough. It's up to McKewen's discretion when to enact the extreme heat policy. "I don't like to have a set guideline because if we know it's going to be fluctuating ... then we will make a decision based on that. If we know it's going to spike, we can bring it in sooner rather than later for the players," he said.

Other precautions will be taken as the WBGT rises, short of calling play, McKewen said. At a reading of 26, for instance, ice vests are provided to all players on the courts. At 28, there is a 10-minute break after the second set for players in the junior singles event and a 15-minute break for the wheelchair events.

At a reading of 30.1, there's a mandatory 10-minute break in women's singles if the players split the first two sets.

McKewen said he also receives input from trainers after a player has had a particularly greuling match in the heat and give that player a later starting time in their subsequent match.

Despite the concerns of organizers, Tim Wood, the tournament's chief medical officer, said tennis players have a relatively low risk of experiencing medical problems in the extreme heat. "We look into the health and wellbeing of players but we know over the years in different parts of the country and world, they play under these conditions," he said.

"A lot of people get hot and look distressed and hot and bothered. The actual risk

to the health is relatively small compared with other sports." By and large, the players said they were prepared for the heat.

"It's never been a problem for me," said eighthseeded Stanislas Wawrinka, who probably didn't experience many heat waves growing up in Switzerland.

"It's the same for every player so you need to be ready."

"For sure I'm not going to practice three hours during the afternoon, but I will be ready for my next match."

Defending champion Novak Djokovic said before the tournament began that he's come to expect scorching conditions Down Under.

After struggling at times in the Australian heat when he was younger, he has focused on improving his training in recent years so he can be fit enough to play five sets in extreme conditions.

Entertainment

The Morung Express C M Y K

2014 Golden Globe AwArds

Tuesday

Dimapur

14 January 2014

11 C M Y K

'American Hustle' big winner

Bright, vibrant and beautiful gowns were very much the order of the day at the 71st Golden Globes last night. American Hustle nomineee Amy Adams looked particularly eye catching in a plunging two toned Valentino red gown teamed with a chic braided updo while first time Globes attendee Lupita Nyong'o was a fashion standout in a stunning Ralph Lauren red dress with cape detail.

From left to right: Sofia Vergara, Sandra Bullock, Aubrey Plaza, Amber Heard, Reese Witherspoon, Amy Adams, Taylor Swift, Emma Watson, Melissa Rauch and Jennifer Lawrence.

S

hut out all night at the Golden Globes, the historical drama '12 Years a Slave' eked out the night's top honor, best film drama, while the con-artist caper 'American Hustle' landed a leading three awards, including best film comedy. Woody Allen was given the Lifetime achievement award for his work in cinema.

David O. Russell's 'Ameri-

C M Y K

F

or most people moving into a new house, it is important to quickly fill it with their own sentimental touches. And it seems that the Beckhams are no different after removal men were seen taking a huge heart painting into their recently bought London mansion.

The 7ft Damien Hirst artwork, called Daddy’s Girl, is pink and adorned with butterflies. Costing £600,000, it was commissioned by them for daughter Harper’s first birthday in July 2012 and is expected to be hung in her bedroom. The couple,

can Hustle' had the better night overall, winning acting awards for Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence. Best picture was the only award for '12 Years a Slave,' which came in with seven nominations, tied for the most with "American Hustle." Awards were otherwise spread around.

Matthew McConaughey took best actor in a drama for his performance in the Texas HIV

movies, because "Woody's women can't be compartmentalized." Rather than live on in the hearts of his fellow man, Keaton said Allen once said that "I would rather live in my apartment." "Woody's films have been changing the way we think about life, love and the pursuit of neuroses forever," she said.

The night's biggest winners may have been hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, whose second time hosting the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Beverly Hills, Calif., ceremony was just as successful as last year's show. Fey concluded the night by toasting the awards as "the beautiful mess we hoped it would be."

who are estimated to earn around £100,000 a day, paid £31.5million for the Grade II-listed property – and did not need a mortgage, the Daily Mail can reveal. The purchase went through in September, but was officially recorded only last month. Both David and Victoria are named as owners of the property, which is located in an exclusive part of West London, on official Land Registry documents.

Their new home has seven bathrooms for its eight bedrooms and more than 9,000 sq ft of floor space, not including a 100ft

Oriental garden. Interior designer Kelly Hoppen is believed to have been drafted in to help with plans to completely revamp the property. The couple will sleep in a huge master bedroom, there are three guest rooms, and the kitchen will be fitted to restaurant standards. As well as a large walk-in wardrobe/dressing room, Mrs Beckham, 39, will have a personalised manicure and hairdressing room which will have four nail bars, hairdressing chairs and mirrors surrounded with bulbs.

There will be a playroom for the couple’s chil-

dren – Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 11, and Cruz, eight, and daughter Harper, now two – who will each have their own bedroom. Beckham, 38, has a personal ‘snug’ in the roof of the house which will be equipped with a bar and a pool table. The couple have a range of business ventures that have allowed them to buy their new home without the need for a loan. His company, Footwork Productions, showed a profit for 2012 of £14.7million, up from allyu, or the Korean £13.4million. Beckham Wave, continued Ventures, which handles to spread in many Victoria’s fashion business, countries with the number posted a profit of £2million. of fans reaching 9.28 million in 2013. The number of hallyu fan clubs and groups worldwide reached 987 last year, according to the Global Hallyu Data 2013 report released by the Korea Foundation. Korea Foundation made a survey in 96 countries including the Philippines to get the data.

According to the report, countries in Asia and Oceania that includes the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Japan, Thailand and China have the most number of hallyu fans with 6.8 million. This was followed by countries in North America and South America including the Unit-

David takes delivery of Damien Hirst piece for Harper’s nursery

Man sues Jennifer Lopez for 'tricking him’

A

C M Y K

The complete list of winners

drama 'Dallas Buyers Club'.

Leonardo DiCaprio, a ninetime Golden Globe nominee, won his second Globe for best actor in a comedy for his work in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'

Alfonso Cuaron won best director for the space odyssey 'Gravity,' a worldwide hit and critical favorite.

Meanwhile, Woody Allen won a lifetime achievement award for more than four decades of writing, producing and directing films. He didn't attend Globes on Sunday, however, and actress Diane Keaton accepted it on his behalf. Keaton played the starring role in 'Annie Hall,' one of Allen's best known movies.

Keaton noted that women loved to be cast in Allen's

man is suing Jennifer Lopez for allegedly tricking him into sending her nude photos of himself. The pop star, 44, is being sued in Los Angeles

by Rodrigo Ruiz, who is asking for $10,000, alleging a series of letters from Jennifer left him so depressed he sought counseling, according to a report on TMZ. But it appears that a 53-yearold woman is behind the bizzare events, according to the report.

In the suit, Ruiz says the singer mailed him a series of unsolicited letters, beginning in 2008, demanding he send her naked photos and demo CDs. The suit further claims the letters encouraged his belief that he had a chance at a music career and a possible romance with Jennifer. He says she failed to follow through, leaving him with depression for which he sought professional help. In addition to the lawsuit, Ruiz filed a police report claiming sexual harassment.

The plaintiff sent TMZ three of the letters he allegedly received from Jennifer. One letter reads: 'I just wanted to let you know that I do remember you and that I am interested in you. I have plans on leaving my husband. But I can't say much right now so that's it for now.

Send me pictures of you both with clothes and without clothes.' Jennifer and her husband Marc Anthony, 45, split in July 2011. Their

divorce was finalised in 2012 after eight years of marriage. Anthony is the father of her five-year-old twins Max and Emme. A second letter sent to the site reads: 'This is Jennifer Lopez writing to you again and just to let you know that I got your packages, music, and demos.

And just to let you know you need to send me pictures of you with and without clothes.'

A third, more explicit letter says: 'This is Jennifer Lopez and as you can tell its been a while since I last wrote and as you can see I have a new boyfriend which means your in for the long haul and you have to put up with the fact that I am f**king him and sucking his d**k."

Lopez has been dating dancer Casper Smart, 26, since October 2011. Although Ruiz believes Lopez sent these letters to him, according to, records obtained by TMZ show the post-office box he replied to is owned by a 53-yearold woman in Los Angeles. When the site contacted her about the lawsuit, she made a claim about operating a Jennifer Lopez fan mail exchange before hanging up. Jennifer's representative told TMZ: 'This is a small claims matter that appears to be a desperate attempt for notoriety. Ms Lopez has never seen or met the plaintiff, nor has she ever communicated with him. We believe this matter should be summarily dismissed.'

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est picture was the only award for '12 Years a Slave', which came in with seven nominations.

Best TV Mini-Series or Movie: Behind the Candelabra Best Actress, TV Movie or Miniseries: Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake Best Actor, TV Series Drama: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad Best TV Series, Drama: Breaking Bad Best Original Score, Motion Picture: Alex Ebert, All is Lost Best Original Song, Mo-

tion Picture: Ordinary Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture, DraLove, Mandela: Long ma: Jared Leto, Dallas Walk to Freedom Buyer's Club Best TV Series, Comedy: Best Screenplay, Motion Brooklyn 99 Picture: Spike Jonze, Her Best Supporting Actor in Best Animated Feature a TV Series, Miniseries, Film: Frozen Motion Picture Made for Television: Jon Best Actor in a TV Series, Voight, Ray Donovan Comedy or Musical: Andy Samberg, BrookBest Actress in a Motion lyn 99 Picture, Comedy or Musical: Amy Adams, Best Actor, TV Miniseries or American Hustle Movie: Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama: Robin Wright, Best Actress, TV Series, House of Cards Comedy or Musical:

Amy Poehler, Parks & Recreation

Best Director, Motion Picture: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: American Hustle

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyer's Club Best Motion Picture, Drama: 12 Years a Slave

Korean Wave fans reach 9.28 million worldwide

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ed States, Canada, Peru, Chile and Argentina with 1.25 million fans. Third is Europe with 1.17 million fans followed by Africa and the Middle East with about 60,000.

In terms of Korean fan clubs and groups, North America and South America have the most number with 464 followed by Asia and Oceania with 234, Europe with 213 and Africa and the Middle East with 76. The number of hallyu-related fan clubs and groups increased from 783 in 2012 to 987 in 2013, according to the report.

The report cited the rise in popularity of Korean dramas, or Koreanovelas, and K-pop in the Philippines.

It said GMA Network and ABS-CBN have been airing

Korean dramas since 2003 when GMA Network aired “Autumn In My Heart.” From 2003 to 2013, a total of 191 Korean dramas were aired in the Philippines, the report said. The popularity of Korean dramas have prompted the two broadcast stations to have their own adaptations. It said K-pop began to become popular in the Philippines in 2009. SHINee performed in the country in 2009, which paved way for other Korean groups to visit the Philippines.

Last year, among the Kpop artists that visited the Philippines included 2PM, Super Junior, CNBLUE, EXO, Girls’ Generation and Infinite. The report said among the most popular K-pop artists in the Philippines are Girls’ Generation,

Super Junior, Big Bang and TVXQ, and the most popular Korean actors are Lee Min Ho, Kim Soo Hyun and JYJ’s Yoochun. It said in the Philippines, there are more than 100 hallyu fan clubs and groups. The report listed 11 major fan clubs in the Philippines. These are the Philippine K-pop Convention Committee (PKCI), Korean Drama Society in the Philippines, Cassiopeia Philippines, Big Bang Philippines, Super Junior United Philippines, Wonderful PH, SHINee World Philippines, Soshified Philippines, 2OneDay Philippines, BEAST Philippines and 2NE1 PH. The report also cited the popularity of Korean language classes, Korean films and Korean food in the Philippines.

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Djokovic, Serena win at Australian Open MELBOURNE, JANUARY 13 (AP): A self-admitted "rusty" Novak Djokovic began his bid for a fourth consecutive Australian Open title with a 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-1 win Monday over Lukas Lacko.

Serena Williams appeared to be as polished as ever in beating Australian teenager Ashleigh Barty. With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. But as the secondseeded Djokovic's patience level began to drop, his skill level stepped up. He stayed on course for a fifth Australian title, hoping to be the first man to achieve that feat since the Open Era began in 1968.

Top-ranked Williams won her 23rd consecutive match — including 18 at the end of last season and four last week in winning the Brisbane International — after beating Barty 6-2, 6-1 in 57 minutes. Williams

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after defeating Lukas Lacko of Slovakia in their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on January 13 .(AP Photo)

continues to be in rarified territory. Her Brisbane title was the 58th of her career — she won 11 last year, including the French Open and U.S. Open. A five-time winner of the Australian Open, she's trying to end Victoria Azarenka's two-year run as women's champion at Melbourne Park. "Obviously I'd love to win again in Melbourne," Williams said.

Djokovic also had a strong finish to 2013, entering the

tournament on a 24-match winning streak, which followed his loss to Rafael Nadal in last year's U.S. Open final.

He's now also on a 22-match winning streak at Melbourne Park. "It is the first competitive match I've had this season, I haven't played for five or six weeks," Djokovic said.

"I was a bit rusty on the court the first two sets. Afterwards it was all working well."

Three-highly-ranked play-

MDCA Inter Club Cricket Tournament

MOKOKCHUNG, JANUARY 13 Man of the Match for making 50 runs and (MExN): Day 11 of the ongoing MDCA also picking 1 wicket. Zero Boys despite Inter Club Cricket Tournament played at today’s loss have also already qualified for Imkongmeren Sports Complex saw Ti- the next stage.

In the second match of the day, Musketans beat Zero Boys by 4 wickets in the first match while Sovran Kings humbled teers took on Sovran Kings in a very crucial Musketeers CC in merely 12 overs. In the encounter which was to determine the fate day’s first match, Zero Boys won the toss of the two teams to qualify from their group. and elected to bat first. They put up 105/9 With Ascesis topping the group and already in 20 overs on the scoreboard with their booking a place in the quarter finals, today’s highest run getter being Wapang with match was the decider for Züngamedem and 23 runs. The Titans bowlers bowled well Sovran Kings. Sovran Kings won the toss and but did not get support from the field- elected to field first. Put in to bat first, Musketeers started their ers. Titans boast of their fielding prowTuesday's FixTure: inning shoddily and could manage to score ess but today was just 8:00 am just 94 runs losing all not their day as their skylark CC vs ebullient CC their wickets. Akumsloppy fielding result12:00 noon long and Aren notched ed in seven dropped Brotherhood CC vs Bachelors CC 19 and 16 runs respeccatches. Pawan of Titively for Musketeers tans CC took 5 wickets conceding only 10 runs. Longsa, Ato and while Chuba took 3/16 and Imnatoshi took Akum all chipped in with a wicket apiece. 3/27 for Sovran Kings . The Kings needed to Titans CC chased down the target in the chase down the target of 95 runs in exactly 16th over losing 6 wickets, riding on Long- 9 or less overs in order to go ahead of Zünsasunep's consecutive fifty of the tourna- gamedem in the Net Run Rate aggregate ment. He made 50 runs but lost his wick- and qualify for the next round. They got off et right after completing his half century. to a flyer but lost too many wicket and no Longsasunep is one of the youngest players, batsmen could stay in the crease for long. if not the youngest, playing in the tourna- The eventually won the match in the 13th ment and surely the youngest player to hit over but that was not enough to take them two back to back half centuries. Pick of the through to the next round, thus paving the bowlers for the Zero Boys was Meren who way for Züngamedem CC. Imliwapang 19 finished with a figure of 3/19 from 4 overs. and Imnajungshi 17 were the top scores for With today’s win, Titans top their Sovran Kings. Sentiwapang and Waponggroup and have qualified for the knock toshi finished with a figure of 3/23 in 3 out stage after winning all three group overs and 2/21 in 4 overs respectively. Immatches and will play either Team Ben- liwapang of Sovran Kings was awarded the dangsunep or Bachelors CC as they have Man of the Match for contributing with the to play the last match of the group stages bat as well as picking two wickets earlier in tomorrow. Longsasunep was awarded the the Musketeers inning.

ers were beaten in the first round, including 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and two Italians, No. 7 Sara Errani and No. 12 Roberta Vinci.

Sixth-seeded Kvitova lost 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 to No. 88-ranked Luksika Kumkhum of Thailand, who was playing in just her second Grand Slam tournament.

Errani, the 2012 French Open finalist, was beaten 6-3, 6-2 by Julia Gorges of Germany and Vinci lost 6-4, 6-3 to Zheng Jie of China. Two-time finalist Li Na beat Ana Konjuh of Croatia — the youngest player in the tournament — 6-2, 6-0. Other winners were Wimbledon semifinalist Kirsten Flipkens, beating Britain's Laura Robson, No. 9 Angelique Kerber, 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur, No. 14 Ana Ivanovic, No. 26 Lucie Safarova, No. 28 Flavia Pennetta, No. 30 Eugenie Bouchard and No. 31 Daniela Hantuchova. American Madison Keys wasted five match points in the second set and another in the third before beating Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 6-2, 6-7 (8), 9-7.

Venus out in opening round

MELBOURNE, JANUARY 13 (AFP): SEVEN-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams fell out of the Australian Open at the first hurdle after a marathon clash with Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Makarova. The former world No1 was unseeded in Melbourne despite playing 11 events last year and making three semi-finals, and she looked on course for victory after winning the first set. But a series of unforced errors and failure to convert crucial break points cost her dearly and she was sent packing 2-6 6-4 6-4 after a nearly two-and-half-hour epic in blazing hot conditions. Williams hasn't won a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2008 and is without a title since Luxembourg in October 2012, but she made the final of the warm-up Auckland Interna-

tional, losing a three-set final to Ana Ivanovic.

It put her in good stead for Melbourne but after being diagnosed with energy-sapping Sjogren's Syndrome in 2011, and adopting a raw foods diet to ease her symptoms, she pulled out of last week's Hobart International to rest. It appeared to pay dividends as a fresh Williams got an early break to go 2-0 up before the Russian immediately broke back. Williams is seeking to stay in touch with the game's elite after two years marred by battling illness and injury, and her trademark booming serve was firing. She was also returning well and sent some sizzling winners off her backhand to secure two more breaks and take the first set 6-2 in 31 minutes.

Despite searing heat on Margaret Court Arena, Williams was looking set and should have

Venus Williams of the U.S. yells in frustration during her first round loss to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on January 13. (AP Photo)

gone 5-2 up in the second but she threw away two break points and then lost her serve to be 4-3 behind. She fought back to win the decisive next game on her fifth break point to level at 4-4, only to lose her next serve and then the set on a series on unforced errors as the pressure mounted. Williams took an extended off-court break between sets to regroup, returning to race to a 3-1 lead in the third before a wild backhand allowed the Russian back into the match.

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