C M Y K
www.morungexpress.com
Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 57
The Morung Express “
www.morungexpress.com
Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life
Sahara chief Subrata Roy surrenders, arrested
Sonakshi, Imran Khan’s voiceover for animated movie Rio 2
[ PAGE 8]
[ PAGE 11]
”
Saturday, March 1, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –Immanuel Kant
Illegal coal mining threatening lives and environment [ PAGE 2]
Ukraine accuses Russia of ‘armed invasion’ [ PAGE 9]
By Sandemo Ngullie
Abokali Jimomi
Dimapur | February 28
Light, atlast. now I can recharge my phone, now I can recharge my phone!
The Morung Express POLL QUESTIOn
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your answer to 9862574165 Is Naga society doing enough to create, develop and strengthen its democratic culture? no
Others
Petrol, diesel prices hiked Petrol price increased by 60 paise; Diesel by 50 paise per litre NEW DELhi, FEBRUARY 28 (PTi): Petrol price was hiked by 60 paise a litre on Friday, the second increase this year, and diesel by 50 paise per litre, the 14th hike since January 2013. The hikes, effective from midnight, are excluding local sales tax or VAT and actual increase will be higher and will vary from city to city. Announcing the price hike, Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest fuel retailer, said petrol price has been hiked because international oil rates have risen and rupee depreciated against US dollar, making imports costlier. The diesel price increase is in line with the January 2013 decision of the government to raise rates by up to 50 paise per month till such time that the entire losses on the fuel are wiped out, and prices made market determined. IOC said even after the 14th price hike since January 2013, the oil companies are incurring Rs 8.37 per litre loss on sale of the fuel.
USIEF announces fellowship prospect
C M Y K
KOLKATA, FEBRUARY 28 (MExN): The United States-India Educational Foundation (USIEF) has announced the opening of its annual competition for Fulbright-Nehru and other Fulbright fellowships. A press note from the US Consulate General in Kolkata stated that the Fulbright program offers opportunities in the United States that, according to the consulate, “will enrich one’s academic, research, teaching, and professional development.” The note added that USIEF alumni have demonstrated “strong leadership” in agriculture, arts, business, education, environment, humanities and social sciences, media, public health, and science and technology. “Outstanding” Indian students, academics, teachers, policy planners, administrators, and professionals have been encouraged to apply for the fellowship. USIEF expects to offer approximately 90 FulbrightNehru fellowships for Indians in 2015. Fellowship details are posted on the USIEF website http://www.usief. org.in. Application deadlines begin July 1, 2014 and the applicants may contact the USIEF offices in New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, or Mumbai.
Sangakkara helps SL pull off stunning win over India [ PAGE 10]
the economics of pork in nagaland
reflections
Yes
C M Y K
In this picture taken with a long time exposure people walk in front of the photo ‘Afghan Girl’ (Pakistan, 1984) during the exhibition ‘Steve McCurry Retrospective’ of US photographer Steve McCurry in the Kunsthalle (Art Hall) in Erfurt, Germany, February, 2014. The retrospective shows 120 photographs taken between 1980 and 2012 in countries such as Afghanistan, the United States, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Kashmir, Cambodia, Indonesia, Burma and Kuwait. The exhibition lasts until April 22, 2014. (AP Photo)
Blockade on Nagaland lifted temporarily Morung Express news Dimapur | February 28
The economic blockade imposed against Nagaland state on National Highways 29 and 36 has been lifted temporarily. Movement of vehicles resumed after the blockade was called off at 7:00 am on February 28. However conflicting reports emerged, as sources from Karbi-Anglong stated it was temporarily lifted, while officials in Nagaland informed that there was no intimation of conditions being laid down. A press release, appended by the presidents of All Dimasa Students Union and Karbi Students Associ-
ation, stated that the blockade was temporarily lifted based on assurance from the “Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Dimapur District to the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police Karbi Anglong District... for extending full support and co-operation to stop encroachment all along border areas of Karbi Anglong.” The district administrations of Dimapur and KarbAnglong had met at Khatkhati on February 27, where the Karbi-Anglong counterparts were informed of measures taken on the Nagaland side to prevent further flaring of tensions in the disputed area. This mes-
sage was reportedly taken note of by the organisations which enforced the blockade. The decision to lift the blockade was taken late on February 27 evening, sources informed. The statement continued, “... the organization have decided to observe for some more days whether Nagaland Govt. will take action against the encroachers and will give full support to Assam Govt. in stopping encroachment or not. If the Nagaland Administration does not take any action as per its assurance, then road blockade on NH 36 & 39 may have to be reimposed...” It further stated “broth-
“our story is a painful story”
Interactive Discussion on International Humanitarian Laws & AFSPA held Morung Express news Kohima | February 28
“Our story is a painful story of violation of our human rights. Our rights, though equal in proportion, if not more, have been violated all these years,” said Kaka D Iralu, writer and social activist, while speaking at an interactive discussion on International Humanitarian Laws & Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act held at Orchid Hotel here on February 28. The event was organized by the Bethesda Youth Welfare Centre, Kekhrie Foundation, Zion Welfare Society and North-East Dialogue Forum (NEDF). The discussion began with an introductory address by W. C Humtsoe, Convenor, North East Dialogue Forum, Nagaland State Chapter. Kaka Iralu spoke on ‘Violations on International Humanitarian Laws with special reference to Nagaland context’ and ‘AFSPA 1985 in relation to fundamental rights of the Indian Constitution.’ He began with an introduction of the history and origin of the Nagas and its political movement and how Nagas have suffered immensely under the Indian military rule. Iralu asserted on the need to reorganize political institutions and revive regional village units. “In spite of progressive development in all fields and having access to all kinds of information and education, our people are still extremely gender insensitive,” said Neidonuo Angami, former President, Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA), who spoke on ‘Violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with special emphasis on women and child rights in Nagaland context.’ She asserted that IHL ensures basic rights attainable to all but in reality this is far from being realized, espe-
naga writer and social activist, Kaka D Iralu speaking at the event.
cially in “our context.” While speaking on women rights, Neidonuo stated that the major concerns around women’s rights in Nagaland today are violence against women, lack of access to equal opportunities in education, work, inheritance and other privileges, inaccessibility and lack of participation in decision-making processes. She added, “We must adopt ourselves to the given situation by applying more progressive and inclusive laws and rights that promotes equality of men and women in every aspect. Women’s rights can never be realized without the full support of men and we must reach out to men through education, information and dialogue.” On child rights, Neidonuo focused on the need for quality education that provides basic life skills and prepare children for a better quality of life and not just yearend degrees. Neidonuo also asserted that there is little normal social activities for young people in Naga society, which is an indication that the social rights of the people have been violated because of AFSPA and factional violence. Iralu added that Naga history needs to be retold to the younger generation who has not experienced any of the human rights violation that the AFSPA meted out on the older generation but concluded that the younger generation also has the right to know what went wrong and the mistakes the older generation made.
erly relationship between the people of Karbi Anglong, Assam and the people of Nagaland should be maintained and for that we must respect inter-state boundary.” Stating the organisations are aware of the trouble the people of Nagaland had to face during blockade, it added, “We feel it our responsibility to show goodwill gesture to the people of Nagaland after giving assurance for needful action from District Administration of Dimapur.” “Similarly, we expect from the people of Nagaland for being much concerned over the illegal encroachment on our land...” it added.
Pork is a primary food item in the State of Nagaland. A majority of Nagaland’s over 20 lakh people take pork as part of a traditional diet; the demand is unlikely to decrease yet. Nagaland State’s pork market is dependent on supply from outside as the local production level is insufficient to meet the demand. Several factors are deterring local farmers from producing enough for domestic consumption; one factor is the pricing of supply pork against which local farmers are unable to compete. A Naga piggery owner, Savino, who has been raising pigs for over 20 years, says, “The cost of feed outside the State must be very less. Otherwise, how would they be able to rear so many pigs?” At present, the retail price of local pork is not less than Rs.200 a Kg whereas, strangely, ‘Supply Pork’ costs anywhere between Rs.160 to Rs.180 per Kg. Moreover, the more remote an area is from distribution hubs, like Dimapur and Mokokchung, higher the price. This is due to logistical costs involved, which applies to prices of all imported fresh food items. This shows that people with lower incomes, living in remote areas of Nagaland, with poor transport connectivity and with lesser income opportunities, are doubly disadvantaged. Consumers are relatively aware that Supply Pork is of lower quality and therefore prefer local pork; however, price and availability become
Cabinet decides to impose PR in Andhra
NEW DELhi, FEBRUARY 28 (iANs): The union cabinet Friday decided to impose President’s rule in Andhra Pradesh, which is set to be divided to create a separate Telangana state. The cabinet, which met at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s residence, also decided to place the Andhra Pradesh assembly in suspended animation. N. Kiran Kumar Reddy Feb 19 had resigned as chief minister and also quit the Congress to protest parliament passing the Telangana bill. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had accepted Kiran Reddy’s resignation the same day and asked him to continue as caretaker chief minister till alternate arrangements were made. After consultations with Congress leaders from both Telangana and Seemandhra for nearly a week, the Congress party took the decision to impose President’s rule as recommended by the governor. The last and the only time President’s rule was imposed in Andhra Pradesh was in 1973 when P.V. Narasimha Rao of Congress party was the chief minister.
dominating influences on their buying decision, especially for those with lower disposable incomes – who comprise the highest percentage of the Naga public. According to findings of a study conducted on the ‘Supply Chain of Pigs from Outside the State’ by Dr. Simon Ao, bulk of Nagaland’s pork supply comes from Uttar Pradesh: Barielly, Badayu, Bewar (Mainpuri), Bidhuna (Auraya), Farukabad (Fathenagar), Kanpur, Rae Barielly, Amethi, Faizabad, Jaunpur, Allahabad – Mehowa, Naini & Begum Bazaar, Gonda and Balia etc. The supply route starts from NH 24 connecting to NH 39, and pigs transported to Dimapur (Nagaland), Jorahbad (for Megahlaya and Assam) and Mizoram. According to the 201011 Administrative Annual Report of the Department of veterinary and animal husbandry, Government of Nagaland, Nagaland’s total livestock import stood at Rs. 221.67 crores. Of this, a majority might be of pork, given that 207 pigs are slaughtered daily throughout Nagaland (supply pork), as per Dr. Simon Ao’s report of 2010-11. Today, the cost of the same (per kg) has doubled. How is Supply Pork from outside dominating the local market? According to Rev. Supong Aier, President of NPFA (Nagaland Pig Farmers Association), “Local farmers are unable to produce enough for the market… the State Government is trying to uplift local piggery industry but the funds should be channelized properly; gen-
uine farmers and entrepreneurs should be identified. High feed cost is a huge challenge… subsidized rate on feed should be worked out for local farmers.” All local pig farmers trying to organize piggery units in Nagaland highlight one common issue, “Feed cost is too high, and profit margin is less.” One critical point to consider is that the method of pig rearing at source points such as Uttar Pradesh, as the findings reveal, is not technologically superior. This raises important questions if farmers and consumers in Nagaland are aware of the quality of meat imported and why it is cheaper and what are the public health implications, besides losing out on revenue generation sources to importers. The practice of pig rearing or backyard piggery is not new to the Nagas. Even if local production were to increase, importer’s pricing would pose a stiff competition and local farmers will continue to be disadvantaged. This scenario is not helping the State’s economy: the influx of “cheap” imported pigs is killing local production and affecting livelihood opportunities for local people. Without pork import substitution policies with stronger tariff barriers by the State Government, there would be lesser incentive for local production to move up to the next level. Public health hazard posed by unregulated pork imports from unknown sources is another major issue that needs to be tackled.
Strike disrupts rail services in NE
AgARTALA/gUWAhATi, FEBRUARY 28 (iANs): A 100hour strike called by the indigenous people in southern Assam disrupted railway services in parts of the northeastern region for the third day Friday. A meter gauge railway line passes through Dima Hasao district of southern Assam, connecting the Tripura capital Agartala, Bairabi in northern Mizoram and Jiribam in western Manipur besides districts of southern Assam with the rest of the country. The North Cachar Hills Indigenous Students Forum (NCHISF) and the North Cachar Hills Indigenous Women Forum ((NCHIWF) have jointly called the protest. The strike began Wednesday morning in support of an autonomous district council in Cachar hills, a police official told the media at Silchar. Trains carrying food and other essentials have been “badly
affected”, a Tripura government official told IANS. “Hundreds of passengers were stranded in Tripura and elsewhere as the Northeast Frontier Railway suspended services in the region,” the official added. Assam government officials held an inconclusive meeting with NCHISF and NCHIWF leaders Thursday. “The officials are still persuading them to withdraw the strike,” an official source told IANS. The strikers have halted movement of trains in the region. The two outfits, representing non-Dimasa ethnic groups, are demanding bifurcation of Dima Hasao district into two autonomous districts. The North Cachar Hills district was renamed Dima Hasao last year, triggering protests by non-Dimasa ethnic tribals. Dimasas are the dominant tribe in North Cachar Hills while many non-Dimasa tribes live in the area.
‘Corruption practised with impunity in India’
WAshiNgTON, FEBRUARY 28 (iANs): Corruption is present at all levels of the government in India and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity, says a US report, providing fresh fodder to the opposition in an election year. “Corruption was widespread,” said the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry submitted to Congress Thursday. Under the heading “Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Government”, the report said law provided criminal penalties for official cor-
ruption. But the government “did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.” “Many government-run programmes to alleviate poverty and provide employment suffered from poor implementation and corruption.” It says the CBI registered 583 cases of corruption between the months of January and November. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) received 7,224 cases in 2012. Of those, 5,528 were received in 2012 and an additional 1,696 remained from 2011. The commission recom-
mended action on 5,720 cases. NGOs noted that bribes typically were paid to expedite services, such as police protection, school admission, water supply, or government assistance. Civil society organizations drew public attention to corruption throughout the year, including through public demonstrations and websites that featured individual stories of corruption. Rape, domestic violence, dowry-related deaths, honour killings, sexual harassment, and discrimination against women remained serious problems. Investigations into indi-
vidual cases and legal punishment for perpetrators occurred, but in many cases a lack of accountability due to weak law enforcement, a lack of trained police, and the overburdened and under resourced court system created an atmosphere of impunity. “So let me be clear. This is not just some high-minded exercise. This is about accountability. It’s about ending impunity,” said Kerry after releasing the report. “We know that we’re not perfect. We don’t speak with any arrogance whatsoever, but with a concern for the human condition.” Related story on page 8
C M Y K