C M Y K
www.morungexpress.com
The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 254
Modi slams UPA, says country needs strong leadership
“
[ PAGE 08]
www.morungexpress.com
People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way Jennifer while promoting new movie Life of Crime...
[ PAGE 02]
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 09]
Yes
no
Others
Do you support ACAUT initiative against ‘unabated taxation’ and ‘illegal collection’ in the naga context? Yes no
70% 12%
Others
18%
Details on page 7
Myanmar seeks public support for 2014 census Yangon, September 15 (IanS): Myanmar’s Minister for Immigration and Population U Khin Yi Sunday urged the public to cooperate in the nationwide census in 2014 for working out a national development plan. The 12day census using a work force of 120,000 would be carried out from March 30 to April 10, 2014. The census would be based on statistics from 14 regions or states covering 70 districts, 330 townships, 3,051 wards, 64,346 villages and 13,620 villagetracts inhabited by 135 nationalities with five major religious faiths. According to Khin Yi, of the expected cost of $58.5 million for the census, Myanmar government has committed $15 million and the United Nations pledged $5 million for materials and courses, leaving a fund shortage of $38.5 million. Experts from 13 countries as well as UN Statistics Division, UNFPA, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the World Bank would also help Myanmar in the process.
Patient operated on abdomen instead of mouth
C M Y K
agartala, September 15 (ptI): In a case of apparent mistaken identity, doctors of a government hospital here have operated on the lower abdomen of a patient instead of his mouth. Ratan Das (45), a small trader from Ampi in Khowai district, was admitted to the G B Panth Hospital on September 6 for a surgery in his mouth but doctors operated on his urinary tract in the lower abdomen, according to the police complaint lodged by the patient’s wife.
Lorenzo wins San Marino Grand Prix [ PAGE 12]
rescue plan for highway-projects
Oh, stop cursing him. He is just a minister not a politician!
Will the ‘death penalty’ deter incidents of rape and sexual-violence?
–A. C. Benson
Guns, clans and rogue rebels undermine Philippine peace
By Sandemo Ngullie
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165
Monday, September 16, 2013 12 pages Rs. 4
6th North East Youth Peace & Cultural Festival in Dimapur
reflections
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
”
C M Y K
Seen here are the wet terrace rice fields of Mesulumi village in Phek district, waiting their harvest season in October. As per the 2011 census, Nagaland has a total population of 19,80,602 of which 14,06,861 people fall under the rural sector. The rural populace is dependent on agricultural produce for their livelihood. (Morung Photo/Chizokho Vero)
‘Land Acquisition bill to be notified early next year’ JaIpUr, September 15 (ptI): The Land Acquisition Bill would be notified by early next year after framing of rules, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Sunday and stressed the legislation will play an important role in curbing Maoist problem. In the next two months, the ministry would frame rules under the Act and it
would be notified early next year, the Rural Development Minister told reporters here. It provides for fair compensation to those whose land is taken away, brings transparency to the process of acquisition of land to set up factories and buildings, infrastructural projects and assures rehabilitation of those affected, he said, terming the legisla-
tion as “historic”. Besides giving many benefits of land rights to farmers, dalits, and tribals, the landmark Land Acquisition Bill could gradually “eliminate Maoist influence” in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Orissa in next five to six year. “Of the 88 Naxal afflicted districts, I visited 50 of them and found ma-
jor issues of land and forest that were behind Naxalism. Land deeds (patta) were given to 13 lakh tribals to live under the Forest Right Act, 2006. Jangal and zameen (forest and land) were issues behind these terror, and the new bill will certainly enable the state governments too to solve their genuine problems,” Ramesh said.
new DelhI, September 15 (IanS): Frustrated by several jammed highway projects, plans are afoot to re-negotiate contracts worth Rs 99,000 crore ($15.2 billion) with some of the private players in a bid to give them payment concessions, instead of imposing penalties. According to official sources, a grand rescue plan, billed as a one-time measure, is in the final stages of government approval and involves 23 concessionnaires (the private parties) and a total project cost of Rs.34,000 crore ($5.2 billion). Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Road Transport and Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes have okayed a moratorium of 6-10 years on the premia due from them. Law Minister Kapil Sibal has been asked to reconfirm if this plan is legally and constitutionally tenable. This, even after a senior official in the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General found fault with
the proposal and aired the opinion on the relevant file. Earlier, Sibal had noted that the rescue plan only has financial implications and it was the finance ministry’s opinion, and not his, that was required. In the process, even he had overturned the opinion of a joint secretary in his ministry. The law officer had said renegotiation was “neither desirable nor permitted at (such) a belated stage... (and was likely to) open a pandora’s box among equally-situated persons having contracts with the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India)”. The authority is the intended beneficiary of Rs.99,000 crore, as the money is expected to be used by it to build roads elsewhere in the country, mainly as a social obligation. Sibal’s reconfirmation and the subsequent approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic affairs presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not only defer the payments by 6-10 years but
also allow a major discount on the annul premia. The National Highways Builders Federation, in fact, wants a sweeter deal. Among the 23 concessionnaires, tasked to build 3,450 km of highways, GMR group was the first to throw its hands up on the 6-laning of a 555-km highway costing Rs.5,387 crore from Kishangarh to Udaipur in Rajasthan and further to Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The company has a legal liability to pay government-owned highways authority an annual premium of Rs.636 crore. But the nodal ministry has found, instead, that GMR’s annual proceeds from charging toll already exceeds Rs.715 crore. Out of 23 select concessionnaires, some no doubt are in distress. The more fortunately placed are also happy to join the chorus of economic downturn and claims of incapacity to raise the requisite debt or equity. The highways authority has backed this reopening of contracts citing national interest.
Governor informed of student’s grievances Protect Nagaland’s aquatic life Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 15
The Chakhesang Students’ Union (CSU) has urged upon Nagaland and Manipur Governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar for immediate implementation of the Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS), Pfutsero. This, the CSU said must be done in order to accommodate the 85 students temporarily taken in at Pfutsero Government College. The representation appended by CSU President, Thupukutho Lohe and General Secretary, Seve Vadeo informed the Governor that owing to immediate needs of the educational institution to fulfill demands of increasing students, the CSU had “acknowledged” the Government of Nagaland for upgrading Government High School (GHS) Pfutsero to GHSS during the
CSU calls for immediate implementation of GHSS, Pfutsero
2012-13 session. Following which, the CSU had submitted a representation for immediate implementation of the upgradation to the Nagaland Chief Minister in June 2013 and subsequently to the chief secretary in July 2013. The representation stated that the demand for implementation is being made in order to address the overcrowded 242 students of Class XI, which is inclusive of temporary admitted students at Pfutsero Government College, which is the sole college in the division. Meanwhile, “The Government Notification No.DSE/ CAB/HSE-UPGR/2012-13, dated Kohima the June 13, 2013
has notified for implementation of GHSS Seikhazou, Arts and Commerce streams and GHSS TM, Arts stream (Both in Kohima district) with immediate effect. Whereby, the latter [Pfutsero] could not be implemented due to non availability of students,” the Union said. The CSU in the representation termed this order as “purely bias and discrimination with best justification that the GHSS Pfutsero has 85 students undertaken declaration through the initiative of the CSU to join the newly upgraded GHSS Pfutsero prior to the activation of the said higher secondary school in the current academic session.”
The representation stated that the CSU has accommodated those 85 aspiring students to Pfutsero Government College for time being with the “hope and expectation that the department will consider the hue and cry of the Union for immediate implementation of higher secondary in the current session.” It added that there is an alternative infrastructure required to temporarily accommodate the students and to run the classes. However, it lamented that the CSU’s pleas despite several appraisals have been ignored by the authority. The representation continued that the concerned authority has failed to prioritize the genuine grievances of the student community in particular and the weaker sections of society in general. As such, the CSU called upon the Governor to act upon the issue.
AAN formed to protect water bodies and indigenous fish
DImapUr, September 15 (mexn): In an effort to promote tourism in Nagaland and to protect the state’s water bodies and aquatic life, the Anglers’ Association Nagaland (AAN) was formed on Sunday at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur. The Association will bring together anglers (Fisherman who use hooks to reel in their catch) from all over the state. It aims to promote the sport of fresh water angling in rivers, lakes and ponds. This is a bid to beef up tourism in the State. It further aims to create public awareness on conservation of indigenous fish population in Nagaland; to educate and to arbitrate and oppose the use of chemicals, electricity and explosives for fishing in the rivers, lakes and ponds of Nagaland.
The Association plans to protect river systems of Nagaland from any form of pollution that damages aquatic life and the indigenous wild fish population. It will further render voluntary services to the Nagaland state government, NGOs and any private party who are in pursuit of conservation and breeding of indigenous species population in Nagaland. The meeting elected Issac Zhimomi as President, Dr. Imsu Jamir as Vice President, Phukato Zhimomi as General Secretary, Vijay as Joint Secretary, Subbasish Das as Treasurer and Sumit as Information and Publicity Secretary. Mulato Chishi, Vikashe Zhimomi, Asangba Jamir, Hokato Zhimomi, Biplap Chakrabarty, Kevin Angami, Kikheto Sumi, Pilato Sumi, Ricky Ozukum and Aboi Laishram have been inducted as executive members of the Association while Wati Jamir and Zuchamo Lotha will be advisors to the same.
Discovering the person you are: A risk worth taking Vibi Yhokha Kohima | September 15
“Psychology is about loving yourself, finding yourself but there is much beyond that. Counseling is not a sign of weakness but of strength because you are willing to discover the person that you are,” says Themmungla Athem Raman, the only practicing Clinical Psychologist in Kohima. She says that mental illness is a reality that Naga society needs to accept. It is an illness that creeps in slowly and quietly but is manageable and treatable. It was during her BA at Jyoti Niwas College, Bangalore that Athem started taking an interest in Clinical Psychology. She moved to Delhi and pursued her Masters in Clinical Psychology from Delhi University. “You get a good picture of what is happening in society, the changes and how these changes influence the individual,” says Athem. Athem completed her M. Phil in Clinical Psychology from Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), Imphal besides a Counseling course from Christian Counseling Centre, Vellore.
The reason she chose RIMS was because she wanted to work somewhere closer to home and to get an idea about people and the dynamics and structures of society. She also worked with Family Planning Association India, Kohima for one year and is currently a visiting consultant for the State Mental Health Institute, Kohima. “People get confused with Psychiatrists and Psychologists. Psychiatrists are medically trained and prescribe medicines while Psychologists are trained in practical applications in ways to reduce distress and enhance psychological and physical well being. Our main aim is to maximize peoples’ independence Themmungla Athem Raman and autonomy and to discover ing behind the name The Cloud a ‘need’ for psychological interwho they are,” says Athem. Room- a Centre for Counseling vention in Nagaland. She hopes and Psychological Assessment that her endeavor will encourThe Cloud Room- A Counseling and Psychological which she recently opened in Ko- age more people to join the prohima. Taken from John 1: 38-39; fession. Assessment Centre “Clouds are made up of dif- the motto of the Center ‘Come ferent layers with unique charac- n See’ was given by her 94 year It’s the quality of time you teristics. What you see and what old grandfather. It means to see give and not the quantity “Many of our youths strugI see is all different. Small things things from a differing perspeccan bring about a huge differ- tive and understanding oneself gle with self-esteem, identity crisis which has a lot to do with ence in our lives,” explains Athem in the light of god. Athem asserts that there is underlining traumas that we when asked about the mean-
have encountered,” says Athem. During her M. Phil research on ‘Subjective Well Being of Youth’, she found that majority of the youths in Kohima derived happiness from materialism. Athem says that a lot of kids coming for counseling have behavioral problems and are from broken families. Parents ask her to rectify the kids but do not realize that the problem is within the family. She adds that many parents fail to spend quality time with their children, which is more important than quantity. The role of the society, church and family “Psychology does not like to be mixed up with spirituality but I believe that Christianity plays an integral part in the treatment process. The fear of god is there in a person even if he/she commits a murder.” She adds that the church and society usually ignore mental illness, treat it exclusively as a spiritual problem or refer people to professionals and wash their hands off the ‘trouble.’ She laments that mental illness is still looked upon as a curse and that “people would
rather go to quacks and prayer centers.” Athem stresses on family support as a decisive factor for the betterment of patients. “Our bodies, minds and spirit are inter-related in ways too mysterious for us to unravel. And technically all sickness is ultimately spirited in origin- they entered our world as a result of humanity’s rebellion against god. But to assume that disorders and diseases attached to the brain have direct spiritual causes and solutions is to misunderstand the way we are made. Mental illnesses are real, treatable and manageable conditions caused by genetic, biological or environmental factors or combinations of the three.” She further adds that to withhold or discourage medical and psychological intervention is as cruel as to deny treatment for a broken arm or a case of diabetes. When asked why she chose to work here when there are more opportunities outside Nagaland, Athem replies, “I always wanted to work at home. My heart was always here. If I can help one or two lives and make them realize their potentials, I won’t mind.”
C M Y K