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Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 239
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An artist’s sphere of influence is the world
Delhi gang ‘I definitely rape: Minor have gets three my dark years in moments’ [ PAGE 11] reform home [ PAGE 08]
Dimapur goes fashion forward with ‘The Connect Studio’ [ PAGE 02]
UN experts leave Syria as US edges toward ‘strike’
Morung Express news Kohima | August 31
Vote on www.morungexpress.com SMS your anSwer to 9862574165 Is the print media in Nagaland exercising responsibility to ensure ‘spirit of inquiry?’ Yes
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Rongmei tribe ‘status’ not yet discussed in NLA
–Carl Maria von Weber
Bayern beat Chelsea to win Super Cup [ PAGE 12]
Disturbed Area Act: Why should we care?
By Sandemo Ngullie
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reflections
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Dipankar Roy, Senior News Coordinator at The Telegraph, Guwahati, feels that it is a “matter of shame” that “even after 16 years of negotiation and dialogues, the Centre has not arrived at a solution.” “Naga outfits are no longer banned, and although some factional clashes persist,” says Dipankar, “extending the Act is not the answer.” From June 30 this year, much to the Naga people’s disappointment, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs extended the Disturbed Area Act (DAA) in Nagaland for another year. The DAA was first enacted for the “suppression of disorder and for restoration and maintenance of public order” in “disturbed areas.” The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was enacted in 1958 to enhance the DAA in order to strengthen the position of the Army in the “disturbed areas.” “The Act is a paradox in itself,” asserts Chingya Luithui, a human rights acA portrait of former South African President nelson Mandela with get well messages outside tivist. According to him, it the Mediclinic Heart Hospital where he is being treated in Pretoria, South Africa on August 31. helps neither the State nor The government issued a statement that Mandela remains hospitalized in a “critical but stable” the Centre. “The Government is arguing that there condition amid incorrect reports that the former statesman had been discharged. (AP Photo)
KohiMA, August 31 (MExn): Secretary of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Secretariat, A.E. Lotha, has informed that the issue for recognition of the Rongmei Tribe into the status of Naga inhabitants of the State of Nagaland has neither been discussed nor taken up in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. This KohiMA, August 31 was informed today in a (MExn): The All Nagaland School Teachers Association press communiqué. (ANSTA) has written to the Chief Secretary of Nagaland, also the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Nagaland Education Mission SoMon, August 31 ciety, on August 30 revealing (MExn): The Konyak that teachers recruited under Union (KU) has notified the SSA funded posts have not Department of School Edu- been paid for three months cation that students of the this year. Government Higher SecThe Department of School ondary School, Mon have Education (DSE) had recruitdecided to abstain from at- ed 2491 teachers i.e. 201 untending classes with effect der GHS, 1203 under GMS and from September 2, 2013, due to non-availability of required teachers. The said school has not been appointed a math or physics teacher, apart from the lack of sufficient post graduate teachers for other subjects. The examination for these subjects is scheduled for September 6, without nEw DElhi, August 31 having been taught the (Pti): Petrol price was Saturrequired subject/lesson. day hiked by a steep Rs 2.35 Through a press release per litre, the sixth increase in from the President of the rates in three months, and dieKU, S. Manlip Konyak, a sel by 50 paise per litre on fallstrong appeal has been ing rupee and firming internamade to urge the depart- tional oil prices. The increase ment to “immediately ad- in rates, which will be effective dress” the “serious matter” midnight tonight, are excludwhich requires “urgent re- ing local sales tax or VAT, Indidressal” in order to “avert an Oil Corp, the nation’s largany unwarranted and un- est fuel retailer, announced. The actual hike will be higher wanted situation.”
is relative peace in the state. If there is peace then why should they impose such suppressive acts? If they are trying to restore public order, whose public order are they restoring? All these acts have done nothing but disturb public order.” Luithui refers to the intertwined DAA and AFSPA, both of which promote the ‘armed violence’ status quo of the region and abrogates people’s right to life. “From the point of view of the Nagas, it is a violation of their rights. The extension of the Act indicates that the GOI does not acknowledge the sentiments of the Nagas. The scars of AFSPA are very real,” says Avalok Langer, a journalist at the Tehelka. Army patrolling of the streets of Nagaland remains unaffected by the ceasefire of 1997; Nagaland continues to look like a war zone creating psychological fear. But Langer points to the Government of India’s security perspective on border matters. Has the DAA helped? “People often think that Nagaland is disturbed because of the political movement but the political movement never targeted the civil population,” re-
minds Neingulo Krome of the NPMHR. “If the Centre is extending the Act based on security and because Nagaland is a border state, they are making Nagaland a killing field. By extending the act they keep on legitimising the rule of the army. They talk about violation of the Cease Fire Ground Rules but it is applied to both parties. It cannot be one sided.” Nor is there anything to hint at a rising law and order problem. “If the DAA has to be extended there has to be serious law and order problem but it is not so in Nagaland,” maintains Tongpang Ozukum, President of the NSF. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 2012’s crime statistics show that Nagaland scored the second lowest in crime with the total number of case and complaints registered at 1415. Sikkim had the lowest count with 738 cases, while Uttar Pradesh scored the highest with a number of 1824160 cases and complaints registered. “Under the pretext of this Act, the Government of India is infringing on the rights of the Nagas. Even though there is a ceasefire,
they impose unnecessary frisking wherever we go,” Ozukum adds. For peace activist Niketu Iralu, this is insulting. “There are many disturbed areas all over India. We get it, they don’t get it. It is a very unnecessary and insensitive action which does not create any good,” he says. The “disturbed area” status, however, becomes the nail on the coffin when talks of peace and structures of violence exist simultaneously. “The DAA and AFSPA are structures in themselves. When there is search for sustainable peace, if militaristic structures are also removed side-by-side, the search for real peace can begin,” says rights activist Nepuni Piku. In that, not much has changed since the peace talks began as the DAA and AFSPA, both structures of violence, have remained intact, keeping away “genuine people’s participation.” That is why “we should care.” As Piku puts it, unless peace talks are complimented with the introduction of appropriate democratic structures, “there can be no democratic exercise of people’s aspirations.”
Govt school teachers under SSA go unpaid for 3 months three persons held for abducting businessman
‘Students to stop attending classes’
1087 under GPS respectively against the SSA funded posts on June 15, 2011 and issued appointment orders on March 26, 2013, informed the letter signed by ANSTA’s President, Treasurer and Joint Secretary. “As far as monthly salary statement prepared by DSE for these teachers is concerned, an amount of Rs. 6,53,91,536 is required for their monthly salaries…the SSA authority on 23/5/2013 has credited Rs. 19,49,84,451 only to School Education account for pay and allowances
of the teachers appointed under SSA. The credited amount has exhausted after paying for 3 months salary i.e. March to May,” the ANSTA stated. As a result of this, these teachers have not been paid 3 months’ salaries from June to August. “In spite of untold hardships and difficulties being faced, they are performing their duties with sincerity till date,” the ANSTA said. While reiterating that “the salary component of teachers should not be used for other purposes,” the Association
asserted that there should be good coordination between SSA authority and the DSE. In view of this, the ANSTA has appealed to the Chief Secretary to “initiate prompt action on early release of the required fund for necessary payment of pending salaries of the aggrieved teachers at an early date failing which the Association may be compelled to take its own course of action even to the extent of closing down of all Government Schools across the State.”
and will vary from city to city. In a parallel move, diesel price was hiked by 50 paise, excluding VAT, in line with the January decision of the government allowing oil companies freedom to raise prices in small doses every month to wipe out mounting losses. Today’s hike is the eighth since the January 17 and most of the losses on diesel sales should have been wiped off by now to make the fuel market priced. But the fall in rupee, around 25 per cent since April, has worsened the situation and oil firms are losing Rs 12.12 per litre despite prices being raised by a cumulative Rs 4.75 this year.
15 days time given to State govt to address issue positively
es aired by ACAUT members in the presence of his advisers. “ACAUT is of the stand that the government of the day has to take bold decisions and draw a line as far as the issue of unabated multiple taxations levied by NPGs is concerned,” stated the press note. After three months of agitation and talks with the NPGs, ACAUT stated that it was “under no illusion that the road is going to be long and hard and ACAUT shall ever press forward.” ACAUT in public interest has given 15 days time to the Nagaland state government to address the issue positively, it was informed.
Petrol, diesel prices hiked ACAUT members meet CM
Petrol price rises by 2.35, diesel by .50 paise
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DiMAPuR, August 31 (MExn): Members of the Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) met Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at his official residence on Friday, August 30 and submitted a memorandum listing the problems being faced by the common man and its redressal thereof. A press note issued by the Media Cell, ACAUT stated that it was grateful that the CM listened patiently to the grievanc-
DiMAPuR, August 31 (MExn): On August 30, Sub-urban Police Station personnel arrested three persons from Thilixu village in a failed kidnapping for ransom bid. The accused identified as Swapan Roy (30 years), Ghokuto Achumi (25 years) and Henito Chophy (55 years) had abducted a shop-keeper from Kevijau colony on August 29. According to the officer-incharge of Sub-urban Police Station, Apong Jamir, about a month back, the three had ransomed the shop-keeper for a sum of Rs. 1.5 lakh. But the shop-keeper did not accede to their demand, the OC said. About a month later on August 29, in a bid to exact the amount, the three abducted the shop-keeper and kept him in confinement at a house located near the inter-bus stand, Golaghat Road. While in confinement, the shopkeeper somehow managed to negotiate the ransom to Rs. 30, 000. The abductors then let him off the next day but on the condition that the money must reach them by 12:30 pm, August 30 or face dire consequences. He was further directed to bring the money to a spot at the inter-state bus stand. After he was released, the shopkeeper reported the matter to the Sub-urban police station. Using him as a decoy, policemen in plainclothes were deployed at the said location but the abductors got wind of the police presence and slipped away before the expected transaction of
money could take place. The abductors told the shop-keeper to go away as they made their escape, the OC said of the turn of events. They were however tracked down later at night to Thilixu village and arrested. It was further stated that Swapan Roy with the assistance of the other two master-minded the kidnapping bid.
Four held for robbery and extortion
In a separate case, which occurred the same day, Sub-urban Police station personnel arrested a 25 year-old man for robbery. The accused identified as Lan Kamei, resident of Naga colony, Burma Camp, had snatched a gold necklace worth Rs. 60, 000 and two mobile phones from a woman at Thakurbari (Marwari patti). According to the OC, he had used a toy pistol to commit the robbery. He was arrested a few hours later at around 9:00 pm near Westyard after he made an unsuccessful bid to snatch a bike using the same toy pistol. In another incident on August 31 at around 8:00 am, East Police Station personnel arrested three persons for extortion. They were identified as Amento Aye (30 years), Kughato Sema (39 years) and Pukai Zhimomi. According to the OC of East PS, they were caught while in the act of extorting money and mobile phones from passers-by at the inter-state bus stand located at Golaghat Road.
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