24th February 2014

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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 52

The Morung Express “

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If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it

ABCD of corruption is Congress identity: Modi [ PAGE 8]

reflections

By Sandemo Ngullie

Dimapur | February 23

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?

Yes

no

Others

Will an anti-racism law protect the rights of people from north East?

Yes

06% 89%

no Others

05%

Details on page 7

NFHRCC response to PWD (W&H) Full text on page 4

Assamese woman gang-raped in Delhi

How do you translate words like “protein” or “biodiversity” in Nagamese or in a Naga language? Statistics reveal a high literacy rate in Nagaland. However, functional illiteracy remains high. A functional illiterate person is one who does not have adequate reading and writing skills to “manage daily living and employment tasks.”

A science teacher in a rural Government High School in Nagaland narrates, “My biggest challenge is teaching Physics… it is painful to explain terms like ‘Aerodynamics’ or ‘Simple Harmonic Motion’. Science is about everything we do, see, touch and feel… it is interesting for children but when the curriculum is theoretical, it becomes so abstract that children cannot relate to the concepts no matter how much you lecture… you cannot expect a child to understand atoms, electrons and protons by memorizing textbooks. Besides, the only equipment in the lab is an old microscope. These are

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Ukraine Parliament speaker takes prez powers [ PAGE 9]

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children of illiterate parents, and they hardly understand English even in Class 10. We have to start form fundamentals.”

For example, she says, “An exam question was, ‘what is the root cause of pollution?’, and the student’s answer was ‘Papaya Root’!”

An NRHM official describes, “We try to convey meanings using examples, diagrams… like the process of childbirth and the functions of the reproductive system. It gets difficult to find equivalent words for scientific terms… we often use names of objects they can relate to such as ‘Aloo’” According to a Naga woman farmer, “we got this new ‘Seed Packet’ and were informed that it has instructions at the back in English, I don’t know what it says… I can hardly write my name,” holding a packet that also read “Treated with Thiram Poison.”

When reading ‘Expiry Date’ on medicine bottles has no meaning to an illiterate person, it is futile to make her read about the risk of pesticide residues in food or to become an ex-

Replace defensive Dhoni with aggressive Kohli: Ian [ PAGE 10]

DiMaPur, February 23 (MexN): The Action Committee against Unabated Taxation Nagaland has stated that “as far as unabated taxations are concerned, all factions stand sullied.”

ACAUT Nagaland, in a press note, stated that the “NNC/ FGN stand that they do not collect taxes but receives only free will donations deserves ridicule.” It further termed it unfortunate that the NNC/FGN do “not believe in the unification of the warring NPGs.” It appreciated the Kohima Chamber of Commerce & Industry for their appeal to the NPGs not to tax the business community of Kohima. It added that the KCCI is “right in pointing out that unabated taxation has reached sickening levels in Nagaland” and that ACAUT Nagaland “fully

endorses the stand of KCCI that unabated taxation taking place under coercion should not take place.” It reiterated its appeal for the Naga public not to pay tax to any of the NPGs as long as the factions remain divided. It further appealed to the chamber of commerce of all districts to take a stand similar to the one taken by KCCI. Quoting Victor Hugo, ACAUT Nagaland said that, “there is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world; and that is, an idea whose time has come.” It added that, “perhaps this stands true for Nagas today.” Stating that Naga future and aspiration lies in unity and that it is reverberating into the interiors of every Naga villages; the committee called for concerted efforts, “setting

pert in ‘Management Practices’ of nutrition, diseases or new scientific methods of cultivation or livestock rearing.

According to the WHO, “Health Literacy means more than being able to read pamphlets… im-

proving people’s access to health information and their capacity to use it effectively… it goes beyond narrow concepts of health education and behaviororiented communication, and addresses environmental, political and so-

aside each other’s differences and mistakes for a better future.”

It then cautioned, “Uncompromising and self righteous stance by NPG’s at this juncture will neither bring peace nor reconciliation and is an utter disrespect for the feelings of Nagas who yearn for peace and normalcy.” It then further appealed for the various NPGs to desist from targeting individuals airing facts in public interest.

Citing that of late, “NPGs have made a habit of targeting moral voices such as Khekiye Sema and T. Solo,” it stated, “Selective victimization of individuals will only serve to further alienate the former from the public.” ACAUT Nagaland further condemned “any form of intimidations to muzzle voices.”

DiMaPur, February 23 (MexN): The Nagaland state unit of the BJP today stressed on the urgent need to improve development and infrastructure in the border between Nagaland and Myanmar, for peace and stability in the region.

The BJP, in a press note, stated that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s recent visit to Myanmar has “highlighted the problems and plight of Nagas in Myanmar.” Terming the CM’s visit as “historic,” the BJP said that the visit will help to enhance India-Myanmar bilateral ties and bring people of both the countries closer. Meanwhile, the party appealed for the Government of India and the Prime Minister to continue to “extend help and support to the suffering Naga people in Myanmar, in order to bring more development and progress.”

Opinion poll suggests BJP will emerge as single largest party

in the survey, conducted in February, picked Modi as their favourite candidate for prime minister, four points more than in the agency’s January survey. Gandhi trailed with a rating of 18 percent, though he picked up three percentage points from January.

The poll predicted the BJP and its allies would win 236 of 543 seats at stake in parliament’s lower house, while the Congress and its allies would drop to double-digits.

More than 800 million people are eligible to vote in the world’s largest democratic exercise to choose a new government. India, Asia’s third largest economy, is growing at its slowest clip in a decade, choking off

cial factors that determine health.”

A Government official once said in frustration, “We give so many trainings every year, yet these villagers fail to incorporate these practices… they are lazy and useless, no matter how much

we teach, they just go back to the old methods… nowadays they just attend to collect their TA/DA; it’s all about greed and money now!”

Whereas, villagers grumble, “These Government people are making money out of us. They come and train us for one day, we hardly understand what they’re saying but out of politeness we sit, sometimes sleep in the class. After they leave, maybe we can practice 5 of the 100 things taught… yet they expect us to be experts and rich like them!”

For both the learner and the instructor, communication barriers hinder productivity, cause conflicts and misunderstandings, and disable them from achieving their targets.

For a Naga villager who never attended ‘School’ or cannot make sense of the Roman Alphabet--the only script used in Nagaland-- it is a mammoth task to comprehend not just the English words thrown around but the concepts and ideas of any new knowledge system.

A linguistics scholar says, “It is sad, this is to do with the education system.

It is not because people don’t have the ability to understand; sometimes it is also their attitude towards the [foreign] language.”

Our system of information dissemination needs complete reformation.

An illiterate Naga villager who has never even been to Dimapur or Kohima can only be as productive as the body of knowledge she possesses; her worldview formed through the language she understands.

What is the difference between an illiterate Naga villager and an illiterate English farmer? One has the advantage of language even if she cannot read and write. If all information a villager, rural student, illiterate mothers receive is in their own language, with related cultural concepts, it would be easier for them to comprehend ideas and meanings. Our rural development programs need an approach that is designed from the target learner’s perspective rather than “this will work for you” instructions. Productivity can increase only if the learner is made capable first to understand what is taught.

DiMaPur, February 23 (MexN): The Adivasi National Convention Committee (ANCC) and the All Adivasi Students’ Asso¬ciation of Assam (AASAA) have called for a 48 hour Assam bandh from 5:00 pm on February 24 to 5:00 PM on February 26. A press note from the AASAA, Karbi Anglong district informed that the bandh is being calledto protest the visit of Congress Leader, Rahul Gandhi. ANCC

and AASAA have appealed to all Adivasi social organizations to extend their support and make the 48 hour bandh a success.

The two bodies expressed “sentiments of betrayal from both the central and state Governments on the matter of scheduling the Adivasi tribes of Assam (Santhal, Oraon, Munda, Kol, Bhils, Ho, Kharia etc) before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.” “The Govern-

ment has no commitment to safe guard and protect the community socially, economically and politically,” it added. The bodies appealed for transport agencies, private parties and social bodies in Assam and Nagaland to extend their support to the Adivasis by keeping their vehicles off the roads.

The bandh will however exempt medical situations, school college exams, milk and water supply etc.

A woman is seen here in a village near Pungro, Kiphire, coming back from a hard day’s work at her field. As functional illiteracy in Nagaland remains high, people are unable to draw from the wealth of information and knowledge available in today’s world.

Help nagas in Myanmar: BJP

‘BJP and allies could bag 236 seats’

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–Margaret Fuller

KNSK appeals for attention towards Civil Hospital Mon

On “unabated taxations, all factions stand sullied”

New Delhi, February 23 (iaNS): A 21-yearold Assamese woman was raped here by two men who have been arrested, police said Sunday. One of the men was known to the woman who recently came to Delhi. Police said she was assaulted at a house in Mahipalpur in south Delhi Saturday afternoon. As the accused escaped, the woman came out of the house and alerted a passerby before police came in. Police said the accused - Rahul and Harun - were arrested late Saturday. According to a police officer, Rahul, who also belongs to Assam, brought the woman to Delhi on the pretext of marrying her. He had befriended her a year ago.

“A few days back they came to Delhi and took a room on rent at Mahipalpur where she was assaulted by Rahul New Delhi, Februand Harun,” said the officer. ary 23 (reuterS): Opposition leader Narendra Modi has widened his lead as candidate to become India’s prime minister and his Hindu nationalist New Delhi, Febru- Bharatiya Janata Party is ary 23 (iaNS): India’s likely to emerge as the sinelectoral size has grown gle largest party in coming 34.45 percent from 1998 elections, according to a to reach a whopping 814.5 new opinion poll. million now, an official The BJP also picked up statement said Sunday. The support in Uttar Pradesh country had 605.8 million and is set to get half the seats voters in 1998. Overall, in the heartland state which Dadra and Nagar Haveli sends the largest number of at 53.9 percent registered lawmakers to parliament, the highest growth rate in according to the ABP Newsthe number of voters from Nielsen poll forecast, pub2004 to 2014, followed by lished on Saturday.

Puducherry at 39.1 perThe results present a cent. Among states, West challenge to Rahul Gandhi, Bengal registered the high- the fourth generation memest rate of growth at 31.7 ber of the long-ruling Nehpercent. Andaman and ru-Gandhi dynasty, who is Nicobar Islands registered leading the ruling Congress the lowest growth (6.7 per- party-led coalition in nationcent), followed by Jammu al polls due by May. About and Kashmir at 8.9 percent. 57 per cent of respondents

India now has 814 million voters

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Monday, February 24, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4

rural citizens lost in translation: Functional Illiteracy in Nagaland Abokali Jimomi

I know this is hard but, if you want to keep our buildings, lands, red beaconed cars, money, tell the police I died last year!

Kylie Minogue opens up about her romance

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employment opportunities for thousands of young people who join the workforce each month.

To rule, a party needs the support of 272 lawmakers. The BJP, even with the biggest number of seats, will have to seek out coalition partners if the poll’s predictions are correct. In Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 80 seats, the BJP was estimated to win 40, up five from the January poll.

The Congress party was expected to win seven seats, a drop of one from last month’s forecast.

More than 29,000 people across the country were interviewed for the poll.

Local opinion polls have had a mixed record in the past, given the country’s

huge and diverse electorate. Gandhi has struggled to draw support for the Congress party, which is mired by corruption scandals and policy paralysis. He has seemed distant at times, unsure of how to stop the slide in the 129-year-old party’s fortunes.

Compared with the relatively untested Gandhi, Modi has years of experience as the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat, where he has built a reputation as an efficient, business-savvy administrator. But charges that Modi was complicit in riots in Gujarat that killed at least 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, have cast a shadow over his ambitions for the top job. Critics accuse him of not having done enough to stop the violence, allegations he has strenuously denied and have never been proven.

48 hr Assam bandh from today

Fostering Unity & Oneness

Angami

Sekrenyi 2014 25th February The Naga Heritage Village, Kisama

Host: SouTHerN ANgAmi Public orgANiSATioN Chief Guest Chief Host Her royal HigHness PrinCess MaHa CHakri sirindHorn of tHailand

Eno. nEiphiu Rio Hon’ble CHief Minister of nagaland

Highlights

Agri Expo at Bamboo Pavilion Exhibition cum Sale at Bamboo Pavilion Flower Exhibition at Hortiscape The Sekrenyi Chef Competition

Cultural Programs, Indigenous Games and many more...

9:30 A.M Onwards

Issued by : Publicity committee, SAPo

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Dimapur

LocaL

Monday 24 February 2014

The Morung Express C

MEx File RTI applicant seeks info on ‘border dispute’

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A view of the snow covered Japfü Peak seen from Dimori Cove, Kigwema on February Snow covered Mount Saramati, the highest peak in Nagaland on the Patkai mountain ranges 19. (Photo courtesy/Tsholo Kapfo) of the eastern Himalayas stands on the background of Kiphire town. (Photo by Lipichem)

KNSK appeals for attention towards Civil Hospital Mon

DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): Konyak Nyupuh Sheko Khong (KNSK), the apex organization of Konyak women has appealed for attention towards Mon District Civil Hospital. KNSK in a press release appended by its president Lomei Konyak and general secretary Moikap Konyak expressed concern that after the withdrawal of manpower by MSF, the Civil Hospital in Mon is undergoing an extreme shortage of workers. There is hardly one attendant in each ward in the hospital, it said. KNSK C M Y K

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SBTA informs on membership fees DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): The Sümi Baptist Theological Association (SBTA) has informed that it will be collecting membership fees from all its members for the tenure 2012-14. The 6th Biennial Conference will be held from May 16 to 18 at Mishili Yepaqa Baptist Church (SABAK), Phughoboto.

Meanwhile, the Association has called for an executive meeting on March 3 at SABC, Kohima from 10:00 am.

Therefore, SBTA General Secretary, Phushito L. Chishi in a press release has requested all the executive members to attend the meeting without fail.

executive members had visited the Civil Hospital on February 17 with main objectives of checking the scenario of the hospital after partial handover of the same to Nagaland government by Doctors without Borders (MSF), and to see whether the hospital has been upgraded to 100-bedded capacity. According to the note, the hospital was declared to be upgraded to 100-bedded from 50-bedded in August 15 last, but yet to be implemented so.

The main problem in the hospital, as observed by the team, after MSF

leaves is acute shortage of water. MSF has withdrawn its manpower, but still continue to provide basic amenities. The note stated that the hospital does not have water supply and MSF buy water to cater to the needs.

KNSK also expressed concern over irregularities of doctors and nurses.

On the day of their visit too, some doctors and nurses were absent, it said. The women organization specifically mentioned Doctor of Medicine (MD), Dr. Thungchanbemo and dentist, Dr. Simon. Stating that the former had taken leave till

December, but is yet to report to work and the latter is barely in station, KNSK has asked the two to report to work before March, otherwise it will take its own course of action.

Further, KNSK stated that the civil hospital has only one gynaecologist and poses great inconvenience during the period when the doctor concerned takes leave. It cited that in February, when the doctor was on leave, people went to Assam for delivery. In light of this, and keeping in mind the huge population of Mon district, KNSK has

Our Correspondent

In commemoration of the 50th year of statehood, the department of land resources has adopted 50 villages in Nagaland and plans to SPEEDily develop them into economically empowered and climate smart villages.

This is a special initiative for sustainable development and uplift of rural economy and thereby bring about an improved quality of life and as a step towards mitigating the effects of climate change, source said.

The duration of the project would be for a period of 5 years, after which an exit protocol shall be formulated for successful handover by the department to the community for smooth continuity.

An effective convergence and synergy of line

DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): Dreamers Education Foundation undertook an environment awareness program under the aegis of National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) 201314 with a theme "Biodiversity and sustainable practices" by setting up a kitchen garden on February 22, 2014. The garden, measuring 1050 sq ft (30"x35") at an unutilized courtyard in the neighbourhood of 7 Mile,

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Mass social work in Kohima

KohIMA, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): The denizens of the state capital on February 22 participated in the mass social work organized in view of its preparation for the visit of Princess of Thailand Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Angami Sekrenyi on February 25 at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will be the chief host. The festival, to be held under the theme “Fostering unity and oneness” will be hosted by Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) in commemoration of 50th year of the statehood of Nagaland.

Expected outcome at the end of SPEED

Kohima | February 23

An aerial view of Phek village. (Morung Photo/Chizokho Vero)

departments and consortium of institutions would also be given emphasis so as to effectively carry out the project in a holistic manner.

According to salient features of Special Programme

Kitchen garden being set up at 7 Mile, Model Village, Dimapur by Dreamers Education Foundation under the theme ‘Biodiversity and sustainable practices’.

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opened immediately.

The press release further informed that according to medical superintendent’s report, there is only one ambulance in the hospital which is also nonfunctional. Stating that the Civil Hospital in Mon is a lifeline for the people of the district as well as Assam, Myanmar and other districts in the state, KNSK has called for special attention and efficient management of the same. Moreover, it appealed for immediate upgradation of the hospital, so there is increase in manpower and other facilities.

for Environmental and Economic Development (SPEED), the programmes and activities will ensure quantifiable results of improved quality of life for the rural households with a fo-

Model Village here was fenced by reusing a construction bamboo waste.

The garden can be used continually throughout the year providing rotational cropping. The first phase crops planted included some local varieties of vegetables like onions, chilly, brinjal, maize, cabbage, tomato, sweet tomato, sweet potato, lady's finger, and bottle gourd etc, a press release informed.

The objective of the undertaking

was to persuade the youths and their families to take active part in conservation of biodiversity and sustainable practices. Such kitchen gardens can provide domestic vegetable needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems with minimal negative impact to the environment. A sustainable food system as such also encourages local production and distribution infrastructures and makes nutritious food available, accessible, and affordable to all.

Sustainable practices, the release said, is living life in a way that uses resources in a responsible way. It should address the growing scarcity of the resources that we currently use like water, energy, clean air, raw materials and food. A major hurdle to achieve sustainability is the alleviation of poverty, the note stated.

The foundation has thanked the Dreamers Vineyard Boys and youths in the neighbourhood for taking active part in the awareness program and also to Alungwi Zeliang for supervising the plantations.

cus on food security, livelihoods, and market linkages and increased household income through inclusive and sustainable approaches, bring into focus the concept of “Green Economy” as a

• Increased food production, greater returns in markets from agriculture and allied products and new employment opportunities.

• Improved land productivity and environmental quality as a result of soil fertility improvement, increased livestock fodder production, soil & water conservation, water harvesting, and increased vegetation.

• Efficient utilization of water and fuel energy • Increased household income/high purchasing power thus building a strong village economy • Sustained access to forest based livelihood by poor rural household • An environmentally conscious and informed village which has transitioned to a green, clean, healthy and happy village with strong social capital.

broad perspective of climate change adaptation and mitigation process, to support and develop the food production systems by improving technologies and generate cash income through

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DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): RTI activist Chubatangit Jamir has filed an application under section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to the Public Information Officer, (Border Affairs), Office of the Commissioner of Nagaland, seeking information on the state of proceedings regarding the “border dispute between the State of Nagaland and Assam.” As per the RTI application, made available to the media, the case is subjudice before the Supreme Court of India. It may be noted here that the applicant is a Bharat Jyoti and Indian Best Citizen Awardee. Informing that recently, the Government of Assam is erecting a concrete pillars just behind the geographical area of Indisen Village (earlier known as Ao-Kashiram Village) in the district of Dimapur, the RTI applicant queried whether the Assam government has made any official communication to the Nagaland government for erecting the concrete pillars in the said area. It then questioned if the Nagaland government is aware of any such activities of the Assam government area. The applicant further sought information on the kind of security measures arranged by the Nagaland government in the said area and on how far it has initiated the matter for preceding the entire border areas with the state of Assam. How far the Govt. of Nagaland initiated the matter for preceding the entire border areas with the State of Assam?

Kindly furnish the latest status.

LR department adopts 50 villages as climate smart village

Kitchen garden, a sustainable practice

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appealed to the authority concerned to depute one more gynaecologist to the hospital.

On the nursing institute to be started in Mon district, KNSK said that the building is complete and the public is asking for it to start soon. The note mentioned that according to Indian Nursing Council, a nursing institute can be started only if there is a hospital with 100-bedded capacity. Therefore, it has appealed for early implementation of 100-bedded in the Civil Hospital so the nursing institute can be

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introduction and expansion of agriculture and allied activities such as horticulture, cash crop, livestock, fisheries etc., to up-scale income generating activities and facilitates backward and forward

linkages for input supply and output marketing and for access to information, credit, technology, markets etc.

It also aims to promote non-farm livelihoods and spin-off activities at both group level as well as individual household level, soil & moisture conservation works such as water harvesting structures and fishery ponds will be constructed. Trees will be planted for fuel, fodder, fibre, fruits and timber.

It also aim to make the villagers informed citizens on environment, sanitation, health and other social issues through aggressive sensitization and motivational campaigns.

An alternative energy saving devices will be introduced thereby conserving energy and protecting village/community reserved forests, a source said.

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Nagaland conducts second phase of polio immunization

KohIMA, FEBRUARY 23 (MExN): Along with the rest of the state, Kohima observed the second round of Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) at Chief Medical Officer’s office, Kohima by setting up 254 booths with 56 supervisors on February 23. IPPI has been a regular activity with a goal to eradicate polio in the country since 1995, a press release informed.

In Kohima, officers from health department, administration, police department have been mobilized to supervise the success of the programme throughout the district. Dr. Avile Zao, DPO (UIP-RCH) informed the public that, the district has target population of 37,808 to be achieved and urged the community to administer two drops of polio for those missed-out children from (0-5) years during the house visit sessions. She also added that, army personnel has set up booths at 11AR, 19AR. Mobile Polio Team on IPPI would also be visiting transit points, especially bus stations, railway stations and taxi stands all over the state for the next two days.

The house to house visit and schools visit will be held on February 24 and 25, so the general public, community and parents as well as the school authorities have been informed to co-operate with the medi-

Aier DPO (UIP& RCH) Mokokchung.

The function was attended by Assistant Commissioner, EACs, CMO, Deputy CMO, IRCS, and Rotary Club of Mokokchung and health workers. The programme was carried out successfully through the active support and participation of the district administration, health workers, Indian Red Cross Society of Mokokchung, Rotary Club of Mokokchung, volunteers, Anganwadis and ASHAs, stated the press release.

Lions & Leo's Club of Dimapur provided polio drops to more than 200 children in different places in Dimapur on February 23.

cal personnel.

With efforts of health workers and the support of the people, India has been polio free for the last two years, said Dr. Avile Zao. She also stated that by 2015, the country would be completely polio free if people maintain or sustain the level of dedication and support.

ducted the second phase of intensive pulse polio immunization on February 23. A press release informed that Deputy Commissioner, Mokokchung Murohu Chotso was the chief Guest during the inaugural function at Imlong Place, Mokokchung.

In his speech, he encouraged the people to come forward and take the drops to protect the children from Mokokchung: Mokok- polio. The programme was chung district also con- chaired by Dr. Limatula

Dimapur: For the second round of IPPI in Dimapur district, 550 booths have been set up across the district with mobile teams to achieve the targeted population of 53,167 (0-5 years).

The programme was launched by Dr. M. A. Wati, Chief Medical Officer by administering the first two drops of polio at the inaugural function held at District Hospital Dimapur on February 23. The function was chaired by Dr. Lanuakum, District Programme Officer, RCH-UIP and was attended by Dr. D. Mero, MS, DHD, Dr. Imchameren, Dy.CMO, Dr. Khelito, DTO, Dr. Toshirenla, ZLO and Dr. Mao, DPO (NVBDCP). The department had achieved 107% coverage during the 1st round of IPPI in January 2014.

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REgional

The Morung Express

Monday

24 February 2014

Blockades paralyse life in Manipur IMPHAL, FebruAry 23 (THe HIndu): Continuing protests have affected life in Manipur, with essential goods vanishing from shop shelves and prices shooting up.

From Friday midnight, the Kuki Women’s Organisation imposed a 72-hour highway blockade. Lorries and buses could not ply on National Highway no. 37, a 222-km mountain stretch connecting Imphal with Assam. From Monday, the Committee on the Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur, is imposing a 72-hour blockade.

Government employees took mass leave on Friday and Saturday, demanding implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. The government has not invited the leaders of the two employees’ organisations for talks.

Many high-demand items have vanished from the market. Prices of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and eggs have shot up. Transporters find it impossible to bring rice, sugar and other PDS items. But the government has not moved. Police and paramilitary forces are not

COPTAM warns against defying bandh

IMPHAL, FebruAry 23 (nnn): The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur (COPTAM) has warned today that violators of the 'chakka bandh' in the hill districts of Manipur will be dealt with sternly. The bandh will begin from the midnight of February 24 and end on midnight of February 27.

Appealing to the transporters, the public, and civil society organizations, to

being deployed in vulnerable areas. Neither are they escorting lorries and buses.

The Kuki Women’s Organisation has been de-

extend co-operation to the 'chakka bandh', COPTAM leaders said inconveniences to the common people are bound to occur "but we have no other options since the state government continues to ignore our cries." COPTAM however informed that religion-related activities, educational institutions, students appearing board and council exams, and media, shall be exempted from the purview of the bandh.

manding protection of tribal land. The tribal people fear that the State government will include tribal lands in a district proposed

Farmers' body threatens to disrupt Rahul Gandhi's rally

GuWAHATI, FebruAry 23 (PTI): RTI activist Akhil Gogoi-led farmer's body has threatened that they will not allow Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi to hold his proposed rally here to protest against betrayal of indigenous people by Assam government. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to come to Assam for a two-day tour from February 25 and

have a public rally on the same day.

Akhil Gogoi, President of farmers' body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) alleged that the state has not fulfilled promises on land ownership. "Tarun Gogoi has said no land will be allotted to the indigenous people in forests, hills and water bodies. "However, as per The Scheduled Tribes and Other Tradi-

tional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006, those who are using any forest land till December 13, 2005, can get land rights," Gogoi said.

He claimed that thousands of indigenous people, under the aegis of KMSS, would come to the city tomorrow and prevent a government programme to distribute land ownership certificates.

Mining, quarrying banned near Sikkim wildlife sanctuary

neW deLHI, FebruAry 23 (Tnn): Human activities including mining, quarrying or setting up new 'major' hydro-electric projects will not be allowed around areas up to 200 meters from the Khangchendzonga National Park and four wildlife sanctuaries in Sikkim from April. Union environment ministry has notified these areas as 'ecosensitive zone' in order to create some kind of "shock absorber" around the identified stretch to protect environment and wildlife. Besides the lone national park of Sikkim, the other four wildlife sanctuaries which are to be covered under the order include Fambonglho (west of Gangtok), Kyongnosla Alpine and Pangolakha (east district) and Shingba Rhododendron

(north district).

The ban order will, however, not affect the ongoing agriculture and horticulture practices, organic farming and cottage industries including village artisans in those identified zones. The extent of eco-sensitive zone, under the notification, varies from 25 meters to 200 meters from the existing boundary of the national park and sanctuaries, depending on topography of the region and its proximity to international boundaries of Nepal and China.

Issuing the notification on Friday, the Ministry of Environment and Forest sought public opinion on this move within 60 days so that the ministry can look into suggestions and complaints, if any, relating to extent of the eco-

sensitive zone during the period. The proposed ban under the order will come into force after expiry of the 60-day deadline.

The apex court's order, however, empowers the state and central government to notify the perimeter of the zone based on scientific assessment, taking into account local factors including livelihood issues of local population.Though the ministry's order will ban construction of new major hydropower projects and expansion of the big existing projects in the ecosensitive zones, it will not affect 'micro' hydel power projects (up to 100kw) or 'mini' hydel projects (from 101 to 2000kw) which would serve the energy needs of the local communities in Sikkim.

to be formed by upgrading the Jiribam subdivision of Imphal east district.

In the past, the Jiribam district-hood demand com-

URGENTlY REqUIRED A lady warden and a cook urgently required for a girls’ hostel in Dimapur.

Kindly contact 9774211424

mittee had clarified that the proposed district shall not include any tribal land. Similar demands are made by Nagas whenever the demand for a separate district for Kukis gains momentum. Since the villages of all communities are located side by side, creating a new district after excluding some is not possible.

Dimapur

3

GRATITUDE The timely great Love of Humanity and the great Samaritan Concern that known and unknown persons in the Street showed in the Vehicle Accident on 5th February 2014 night at earlier Chümukedima Check Gate, saved my wife from bleeding to death.

One daughter, three sons, Thepfulhouvi Solo and wife Nibiü expresses in profound gratefulness; the unrelenting help from kith and kin; the unending concern from friends, Christians; love from Pastor, Reverend and Deacons from Khedi and other Churches; they have sustained us and we thank them all very deeply in the name of God.

Theta Tutorials Lower P. R. Hill, Kohima, Nagaland

ADMISSION NOTICE

1. Coaching for JEE (MAINS) — 2014 [for Engineering Courses] Issue of forms & prospectus : in progress Admission : in progress Commencement of classes : 03-03-2014 2. Coaching for AIPM/NEET (UG) — 2014 [for MBBS, BDS & Allied Courses] Issue of forms & prospectus : in progress Admission : in progress Commencement of classes : 03-03-2014 Documents required: 1) Photocopy of HSSLC Exam admit card/mark sheet

2) One passport size colour photograph Contact No. (0370) 2226005

ADMISSION NOTICE CHARIS HIGH ACADEMY (CBSE) CHUMUKEDIMA, WARD 2

Admissions for the session 2014-15 are open for classes LKG, UKG and class 1 to 7. The school provides air conditioned hostel within its premises and bus service between DC Court and the school.

The Last date of admission is 3rd March 2014 subject to the availability of seats for a particular class. Class starts from 2nd April 2014.

OUR COMMITMENTS 1. Christ-centered holistic learning for life-application.

2. Competent and qualified teachers as per CBSE norms.

3. Yearly up gradation upto class 12.

4. Providing all round development in the child.

5. Visiting remedial teachers for identifying the individual needs of the student.

6. Trained counsellor for students’ guidance.

7. Teaching-learning through smart class, continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) through cycle test, CCA and play way method.

8. Teacher-students ratio 1:25 with maximum 25 students per class.

9. Safe drinking water, computer education, maths and science lab, health service, library, childrens’ park, swimming, martial arts, music and scouts.

For further information kindly contact: +91 9402830041/8014250955 Principal

C M Y K

4 businEss The Wrath of Indifference: AK 47 Caution??

Monday

Dimapur

P

ardon the emotion but…, it is with ‘Utter Disgust’ I read the article of Mr. Khrovete Nuh, Deputy Secretary, FGN (Local Papers dated 21st February 2014), who denigrated and cautioned Mr. Khekiye K. Sema.

Khekiye K. Sema’s exposure of all the holes of Khrovete Nuh’s write-up (Local Papers dated 22nd February) is another matter. Honestly, we, the common people salute Khekiye K. Sema and a very small handful of others who are as brave as they are outspoken. Khekiye K. Sema et al. have put their lives at stake so that the younger generation will have a place called ‘HOME’, where everyone will be equals with equal opportunities. These intellectuals have been continuously highlighting the ills plaguing our decadent society where the large majority of our population has been trampled, over and over again, by unscrupulous, greedy, corrupt, and inefficient politicians, bureaucrats, etc. The NPGs

R

The Morung Express

24 February 2014

are no less, with the added weight of extortion, ransom-kidnapping, murder, etc. Way to go Khekiye K. Sema et al., we are behind you.

When the FNR first invited the various NPGs to unite, we hoped for some much deserved respite, with the added benefit of the long cherished dream of the Nagas coming true through a united family. Hats off to the initiatives of the FNR, and for the sustained effort! The tragedy is that however, some groups refused to be a part of the process. Why?? Because you think you can, and want to bring Sovereignty alone? This is sheer Stupidity, and… at its peak!

Khekiye K. Sema has, time and again, been accused of serving the Indian puppet State Government, being an Indian Bureaucrat, etc.

This is amazing because the Govt.

Servants comprise 10% of the population. The numerous politicians, their sidekicks and sycophants abounding in all the towns and villages, the party loyalists, and the numerous contractors

who are also earning ‘Indian Money’ probably constitute another 30%. 40% Traitors, eh!! What about the many politicians who have used NPG muscle-power and Indian Money to contest IndiaSponsored elections? We know that an extremely insignificant group of ‘Real National Workers’ depend on farming or other manual jobs for their livelihood. We salute these selfless individuals. But what are the livelihood sources of the vast majority of the NPGs? The more pertinent question, what is the livelihood source of the Transit Peace Campers? One can’t help wondering at the hovering presence of the Indian Rupee. Alas, hypocrisy abounds and we speak so silkily with forked tongues, and that too generously invoking the good name of the Lord at times.

The constant rhetoric (of the various NPGs) that they alone have the mandate of the people is Stupid Rubbish. Wise up! The people are not ignorant ‘Fools”.

The day one group brings a so-

lution, a blood-bath will ensue.

The people don’t want that. If, as Khrovete Nuh insists, the NNC/ FGN is the “only mandated Political Institution and Government” what is its political role today? The silence of your actions is deafening. I am no great lover of the NSCN (IM) because I don’t know which bullet will have my name on it, if someday I inadvertently bring out my version of the truth. But as far as I know they are the only organisation actively engaged with the GoI towards some agreement for some years now.

Agreed, that harping on all the Accords and Agreements is getting us nowhere. It is time to put aside all differences and work together.

But is that really possible without Unity? Is that also possible with the ‘Holier than Thou’ attitude? If this generation is to believe Khrovete Nuh about the “only mandated Political Institution and Government” stuff then the NNC / FGN should have been, at least trying, to heal wounds and crying for unity

and getting all other groups on the track. Hello, hello … where are you?

Don’t be fooled by the silence of the huge populace, particularly the younger generation, who are thoroughly fed up with the antics of the anti-national and criminal elements that abound in our society, most in the name of Sovereignty. They want back their future that has been robbed. They are impatiently waiting for that first ripple. Then, no power on earth can stop them. Memories of the rampage and destruction of so many cities, and finally, fall of so many mighty governments in recent years, are still vivid.

Please stop criminalizing the National Movement. Let’s get together, leaving aside our Stupid Egos and give the future generation their place in the sun. Let’s talk and get things done with, banging tables, if at all necessary, but without the ominous presence of the AK 47.

NFHRCC response to PWD (W&H)

eply to the Rejoinder issued by the Principal Secretary PWD (W&H) Nagaland on 23-02-2014, against the statement issued by the NFHRCC on 22-02-2014 to the effect that the State government had abandoned the Foot Hill Project for the last 40 years. In this regard it is expedient to state herein that the history of Nagaland Foot Hill Road was started way back in 1970s or the Foot Hill Road was gave birth in 1970s. However, the fact remains that since from seventies the said project was laying as dead-wood and with the passage of time it was gathering dust. Consequent upon which the Naga publics were forced to walk over the cactus coupled with humiliation in the road of our neighboring state.

Admittedly, as per the statement issued by the Principal Secretary, PWD (W&H) it appears that the Govt. didn’t abandon the Foot Hill’s project but due to funding constraints the same was not materialized. In ordinary parlance it is very difficult to digest the fact that the popular government was not in a position to arrange the necessary fund for the last 40 years to construct the Foot Hill Road. If the government claims that the Foot Hill Project was not abandoned

then in that view of the matter the project would have executed to some reasonable extent or the project would have woken from its deep slumber at least once in 40 years. However, despite of active initiative as stated by the department nothing has been executed nor seen within the span of 40 years. Therefore, having considered the same there was no alternative appropriate word available with NFHRCC other than to state the infamous word “Abandoned”.

The bond of contention in the instant Foot Hill’s Project is, as to why the Project is called “EXTRAORDINARY”? Unlike other project, the Foot Hill Project which was started way back in 1970s and subsequently the said project after a gap of 40 years has been initiating by the Naga public. Wherein, the land owners fully agreed upon to part with their land without a penny of compensation. Freedom fighters exempted their taxes having known the survival road for the Nagas and above all the popular government is putting extraordinary efforts to fulfill the aspiration of the people therefore the Foot Hill’s Project is an extra-ordinary project.

NFHRCC since from its incep-

tion is closely co-coordinating with the concerned PWD (R&B) department therefore there is healthy relationship between the NFHRCC and the concerned department till date. Which means that the concerned department fully understood the stand of the NFHRCC as well the Foot hill committee thoroughly seen the sincere efforts put in by the concerned department headed by Principal Secretary PWD (W&H) and Chief Engineer. Therefore, the question of interfering over the technical works of the concerned department and passing sweeping comments and judgment over technical matter by the Foot hill committee is highly irrelevant.

It is pertinent to mention herein that, the Foot hill road was born in 1970s and for the construction of the same Foot hill road the NFHRCC has been actively initiating since from the month of May 2013. Therefore, to avoid confusion from the minds of the public, it is made very clear that the present construction is the same Foot Hill Road which was born in 1970s. NFHRCC wholeheartedly welcome the bigger project for the road construction if any. However, the facts remains that it took around 40 years

to ignite the present Foot Hill Road Construction therefore the NFHRCC pray that the bigger project which is supposedly initiating by the government should not allow to roll on, on the same tract so as to fulfill the desire of the people.

NFHRCC highly appreciate the present government for their genuine commitment and sincere initiative for materializing the much talked Foot Hill Road construction under the stewardship of Hon’ble Chief Minister Rio, Hon’ble concerned Minister Azo, all the Hon’ble border MALs and Principal Secretary PWD (W&H) Temjen Toy and Chief Engineer D. Mero. In this regard the NFHRCC on several occasioned appreciated and acknowledged the popular Govt. and the concerned department through public speeches and printed media for their sincere efforts and endeavors. NFHRCC is looking forward for more understanding and co-operation from the popular government and concerned PWD (R&B) department to accomplish the long cherish goal.

Supu Jamir Convenor, Nagaland Foot Hill Road Co-ordination Committee.

Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary Mr. Losü Kezho Mao & Pfoza Kezho

Warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes on your Silver Wedding Anniversary (24 Feb 1989-24th Feb 2014). May your beautiful and adorable union may richly blessed and your love grows stronger.

Thank you mom and dad.

With lots of love....

Loving children.

Prof. G.T. Thong Nagaland University

At last, a vehicle for Naga roads!

C

hief Minister Niphiu Rio has on February 21, 2014 set on the roads of Nagaland a very fitting vehicle, Polaris, which “... are specially engineered to travel on rough and uneven roads... These vehicles are capable to provide smooth drive even on rocky, slushy, desert and muddy surfaces” (Eastern Mirror, 22.02.2014).

I hope Government

A

would sell these vehicles on heavy subsidy to poor people so that they too could travel comfortably undisturbed by the ground condition of the roads under their Polaris. The Road & Bridges Minister could now distribute these vehicles to the people rather than spending huge amount of money for road repairs and comfortable save 1.20 crore or more, which money can

enrich some pockets.

I am sure this wonder vehicle could be used as Ambulance for patient’s comfort since it can run smoothly even on Nagaland’s rough roads! “The rocky and hilly paths of the region are the best to see Polaris vehicles in action” (Eastern Mirror 22.02.2014).

K.K. Peseyie Kohima.

Tribute to Khoto Yhokha

gallant Naga Himveer Khoto Yhokha, Asstt Commandant (Engineer) of 25th Battalion, Indo- Tibetan Border Police laid down his life for the service of the Nation on 17/2/2014 and joined the divine force in a tragic incident. This unfortunate incident took place at the wee hours on 17/2/2014 at the remote Border Out Post ‘Rochcham’ in Chaglohogam Circle, Anjaw District of Arunachal Pradesh, when a tree suddenly fell down on his tent while he was asleep inside. The officer was an Engineer in ITBP and was supervising the construction works at this BOP near IndoChina border. He was an energetic young officer from Nagaland, commissioned in ITBP as Asstt. Commandant (Engineer) on 13/6/2012 at an age of 28 years. He belongs to the village Kigwema, District Kohima of Nagaland.

His amicable presence and energy in his unit was always a boosting factor for the morale of the unit personnel. Coura-

geous initiatives of this vibrant officer had generated a pulse of work to develop infra structure for jawans to keep them in a comfort zone at this newly established BOP ‘Rochcham’ of 25th battalion. Rochcham BOP is situated in a densely forested area in the most inhospitable and inaccessible terrain, 37 kilometers away from the last road connected post Chaglohogam.

The 25th Battalion, ITBP will certainly miss his cordial smile and spirit of fraternity not only in the professional front but also in Sports and cultural activities. All unit personnel are in shock after hearing his sudden demise of their beloved officer.

He was 6th among the ten siblings and is survived by his parents, seven brothers and two sisters.

Pritam Singh Commandant, 25th battalion, ITBP Tezu, Lohit, Arunachal Pradesh

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

Simple Rules - There is just one simple rule: “Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box co ntains the digits 1 through 9.”

SUDOKU Game Number # 2801

DAILY CROSS WORD

CROSSWORD # 2812

DIMAPUR Civil Hospital:

STD CODE: 03862

Metro Hospital: Faith Hospital: Shamrock Hospital Zion Hospital: Police Control Room Police Traffic Control East Police Station West Police Station CIHSR (Referral Hospital) Dimapur hospital Apollo Hospital Info Centre: Railway: Indian Airlines Chumukedima Fire Brigade Nikos Hospital and Research Centre Nagaland Multispecialty Health & Research Centre

Answer Number # 2800

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

Northeast Shuttles

100/2244279 2222222 2222111 2222952 2222916 2243339 2224202

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Room 12 SpelliNG WoRdS

BAND

JUNK

CHIC

MEDIAN

CIRCLET

MEDIEVAL

CLICK CONFUSION CONFUTE

MILLRACE MILLSTONE PHOTOGRAPHING

DIVISION

PINEAPPLE

EVERYTHING

SILENT

FILIBUSTER

TELEPHONE

FILIGREE

TELEPHOTO

FROSTING

VAPOURING

FUNCTION

WIGGLE

IRON

WIGHT

IRONICAL

ZOOLOGICAL

D V A P O U R I N G S R U C U K C

C R N N R P P F R E I D I U S W

S L Q F O R H I I N V R S R R O I

E I E I I S O O L P E O I C F C G

C C L S A T T I F R N L L R O H

K T I U L O O B U Y M E E O N T

A I E G F A G H U N T I N T S F P

D L R N V R P S C H L T R T U P

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I H L M D H E R O G T H I G E E

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I N G D M N R I R O N I C A L P

H O E I I N G K N U J E E P N X P

N I W A M I L L R A C E S D G L

ACROSS

D D I N Z O O L O G I C A L Z E

1. Hindu princess 5. Party thrower 9. Meal in a shell 13. Portent 14. Cancel 16. Distinctive flair 17. Accomplishment 18. Tired 19. Somersault 20. Provide with a permanent fund 22. Complimentary close 24. Plunder 26. Feudal lord 27. Invade in great numbers 30. Goober 33. Sweet treats 35. Monetary unit of Macedonia 37. N N N N 38. Wild Asian dog 41. Grippe 42. Preserves 45. Fearful 48. Words to a song 51. Various 52. Bestow 54. Story 55. Pragmatic 59. Lariat

62. Boor 63. 9 9 9 9 65. Chick’s sound 66. River of Spain 67. Oxygen and helium, for example 68. Dispatched 69. Beloved 70. Stringed instrument 71. Terminates

DOWN 1. Was a passenger 2. Ends a prayer 3. Unnecessarily 4. Not outdoors 5. “Hee ___” 6. 1 1 1 1 7. Escargot 8. Root vegetable 9. Terrestrial 10. Found in some lotions 11. Phone 12. Unique 15. French school 21. Be dressed in 23. Quaint outburst 25. Feces 27. Poems 28. Corrupt 29. Greatest possible 31. Unanticipated

32. Anklebone 34. Drunkard 36. Ploy 39. Cover 40. Send forth 43. Farm vehicle 44. Sediment 46. Egg-shaped 47. Get worse 49. Adhere 50. Friendly 53. A Eurasian aromatic herb 55. Implored 56. Gown 57. Emanation 58. Lascivious look 60. Transmit 61. Chooses 64. South southeast Ans to CrossWord 2811

CHUMUKEDIMA: 03862-282777/101 (O) WOKHA: 03860-242215 (O) 9402643782 MOKOKCHUNG: 0369-2226225/101 (O) 9856872011 (OC) PHEK: 03865-223838/101 (O) 9436012949 (OC)

MON: 03869-290629/101 (O) 9856248962/ 9612805461 (OC)

Toll free No. 1098 childline

O

DIMAPUR: 03862-232201/101 (O) 9436601225 (OC)

TUENSANG: 03861-220256/101 (O) 8974322879

CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE

W

KOHIMA: 0370-2222952/101 (O) 9436062098 (OC)

ZUNHEBOTO: 03867-220444/101 (O) 9856158740 (OC)

08974997923

MOKOKCHUNG:

FIRE STATIONS

STD CODE: 0369

Police Station 1: Police Station 2 :

2226241 2226214

Civil Hospital: Woodland Nursing Home: Hotel Metsüpen (Tourist Lodge):

2226216 2226263 2226373/2229343

TAHAMzAM (formerly Senapati) STD CODE: 03871 Police Station: Fire Brigade

222246 222491

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For details & Test drive Contact: Urban Station, Near NSC Petrol Pump, 6th Mile Dimapur. Ph No : 240994 CURRENCY EXCHANGE CURRENCY NOTES BUY(Rs) SELL(Rs) US Dollars Sterling Pound Hong Kong Dollar

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LOCAL

The Morung Express

Monday 24 February 2014

IMA to launch Sumi voice hunt

ZunheboTo, February 23 (Mexn): Immanuel Music Academy (IMA) is all set to launch Sumi voice hunt for Sumi Singing Stars (SSS) across Nagaland and beyond starting from March 29. In this connection, a press conference was convened Sunday at the Immanuel Music Academy conference hall Project Colony Zunheboto.

The three event partners Abel Asumi, Catherine S Zhimo and Aron T Asumi; Managing Director, Director (Public relations) and technical Director respectively along with hosts of Advisors (SSS) and several young leaders attended the press conference.

The panel of advisors included Vihuto Asumi, Secretary, SH; Pastor Tokugha, Youth Director ZTSBC; Khekavi, Mission Director, SBAK Nito Mount; Er. Mugha-

lu Sumi, Spokesman, ZTYO; Avito Zhimo and K K Sumi.

Speaking exclusively to the media persons, Abel Asumi, Managing Director (SSS) highlighted the objectives of the SSS event, "A new attempt to educate the Sumi youth in exploring their talents through singing; building the confidence, appropriate platform, self esteem and building career through music/singing."

Aron T Asumi, technical director (SSS) briefed on the technical aspects and motive behind organising the event. The motto "You Can Sing" stands for "honing the potentialities of the latent talents," he said. The event will comprise of 5-round-contest and several road shows.

The winner of the Sumi Singing Star (SSS) Season-1 will be awarded a cash prize of 50 thousand, one year free music coach-

Students called to realize visions of government

Mon, February 23 (DiPr): The Deputy Commissioner for Mon, Angau I Thou, IAS called upon students to be the torchbearer of society and asserted that the responsibility to change the mindset of the people and the scenario of the society lies with the youth. She was addressing the launching programme of the National Youth Policy 2014 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan at Helipad ground, Mon on February 22.

Stressing on the National Youth Policy (NYP), she said the policy of the central government is to fulfill the aims and visions of the youths in building a strong nation. Informing that the responsibility of fulfilling the policy of the government depends on the youths, she said without strict discipline, sincerity and determination of the youths the policy of the

government would become a failure and urged the students to realize the dreams and visions of the government. She also cited that our future would be doomed, without participation of the youths in nation building.

Emphasizing on Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) she exhorted the youths to excel in their academic along with sports and added that learning alone from the books without sports and amusement is incomplete. She also said that the scheme offers a special platform for promotion of sports as a way of life among the youths and increase access to sports facilities throughout the country, and also to conduct competition in the block, district, state and national level to identify sports talent.

The Deputy Commissioner also appealed to the youths to have social values

GPS Tsiepfütsiepfhe gets new building

and to desist from all anti social activities. She also advised the youths to abide by the Christian principles and value to become decent citizens of the nation.

National Youth Policy (NYP) is to empower youth of the country to achieve their full potential, and through them enable India to find its rightful place in the community of the nations. Hundreds of students from various schools holding placard reading “Thank you Government of India”, “Victory for the Youths” marched from Don Bosco School junction to helipad ground via private bus stand and daily bazaar.

Invocation was proposed by Youth Director (KBCM), Yhaochi. Vote of thanks was pronounced

by Chingmei (NYC, Mon) while the programme was chaired by Kenlong (NYC, Mon). The Programme was organized by the NYK, Mon.

5

MEx FILE

ing/classes, certificate and gift hampers. All the interested Sumi (by birth) youths from 15-30 years of age are eligible to participate.

The candidates will be groomed on sound music knowledge, stage acts/ performance, moral and spiritual lessons by professionals.

The registration forms will be available at Lucky Corner Zunheboto, Immanuel Music Academy Zunheboto, and School of Music and Arts, Purana Bazar, Dimapur. The forms will also be made available on email and facebook page, abelasumi@gmail.com and www.facebook.pagesumisingingstar.com respectively.

For more queries one may contact the event partners at 9774215977, 9089995667 and Youths of Muslim Council Dimapur giving Polio drops to children be8794941609 or visit the official low 5 years in New Market, Dimapur during the second phase of Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization Programme 2014 on February 23. facebook page.

CSK to choose ‘Student of the Year 2014’

kohiMa, February 23 (Mexn): Charity School Kohima (CSK) initiated and began a unique competition, ‘Student of the Year 2014’, at a function held in its premises on February 20. According to a press release, the first of its kind in Nagaland, 30 students will compete for the ‘Student of the Year 2014’ title over a period of 36 weeks.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr. Helena Belho, Administrator of the school challenged the students to be committed and willing to change themselves before they think of Two-day mission consultation program was successfully conducted at Police Baptist Church Alichen on February 22 and 23, 2014 organized by the Bethany Mission Board changing the world. Keeping in line Alichen with Asenba Imsong, Field Director, NBCA (ABAM Mission, AP) as the resource with the theme of the comperson.

Dimapur

petition ‘You can be a world changer’, she encouraged the students to believe in themselves to make a difference in the world.

Over the course of the competition, the selected students will be judged on various categories like sports, music, communication skills, debates, observational skill, creativity, self-management, leadership skills etc. Apart from all these competitions, seminars for the contestants in order to equip them to be more responsible leaders and citizens will also be held.

Resource persons for the seminars would include noted social activist

Niketu Iralu, senior journalist Oken Jeet Sandham, Father Abraham Lotha, Dr. Sanyü Iralu, Robert Solo, Pfheluopfelie Kesiezie, Vicavor Krose, Dr. Helena Belho, Athem Raman, Kezharoko Pierü, Kevichülie Meyase, Asst. Pastor Jonathan Mesen and Meneno Mesen.

The school has announced that the winner of the competition will be awarded a year’s scholarship along with trophy and certificate. Besides the winner, the top 5 will also be awarded prizes. Charity School Kohima was established in 1987 and is managed by the Angami Catholic Women Organization.

Zeme Cingku Baudi Nagaland meeting

Peren, February 23 (Mexn): The first meeting of Zeme Cingku Baudi Nagaland office bearers, executive, advisors, area incharge and village representatives will be held at Forest Rest House, Jalukie Town on February 26, 10:00 am. Therefore, all the members have been informed to attend the meeting without fail.

Scouts and guides rally against drugs and tobacco

DiMaPur, February 23 (Mexn): Bharat scouts & guides students of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Project Sewak Dimapur conducted scouting testing and rally on February 21under the patronage of Principal B. N. DAS and members of scouting department. A press release informed that 150 students escorted by scout incharge Omveer Singh and scout masters Dr. N N Misra, Pankaj, B L Meena, Kavita Jadiya marched through the school campus, Sewak colony, APO, Dhobinala, Sewak office gate no. 01,Dimapur town, Midland colony with banners and posters against use of tobacco and drugs for healthy nation. It was also a camp on unity and diversity, the note added.

KYI launches membership drive campaign

Wokha, February 23 (Mexn): The Kyong Youth Initiative (KYI) has launched its membership drive campaign for the year 2014. Induction for some of the newly recruited members was held at Hornbill Hotel, Wokha on February 19.

KYI convenor, Yiben R.Humtsoe welcomed the new members, inviting them to be a part of the initiative. Introducing KYI as an advocacy non-profit organization, the convenor said that the KYI envisages people’s participation and works to empower the youths. Zuchanthung Ezung, chief campaigner for KYI’s Membership Drive moderated on members/volunteers registration, while Meza Ezung, co-convener announced year 2014 plan.

KYI Media Cell, in a press release informed that at present, the members are preparing for their upcoming project- ‘Mount Tiyi Marathon Rally Wokha’ scheduled to be held every year on World Health Day (April 7) with the theme “Run for a cause”. To know more about KYI and its activities login to Kyong Youth Initiative Wokha group on facebook.

School children study Chumukedima hillock

DiMaPur, February 23 (Mexn): Students of Brighter Academy (school), 7 Mile, Dimapur undertook a hiking expedition to Chumukedima hillock (View Point) for nature study under the aegis of National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) 2013 – 14 with a theme “Biodiversity Conservation” on February 21.

The hiking team comprised of 32 students, 3 teachers and 2 guides.

The team observed that the perennial streams in the hillock were dried up which might have caused due to deforestation. The team also found that teak wood plantations in the hillock do not seem to have extensive root system for holding soil together and absorbs greater amount of water and nutrients from the soil. So, other plants and grass cannot grow alongside which disturbs the food chain of some animals. Moreover, it does not have juice for insects or birds nor berries or fruits.

Landslides and soil erosion were also noticed, the release said, which may be due to reduction in green cover like cutting down and burning of tall grasses which can

withstand dry arid conditions and grow on rocky surfaces where other plants can't grow. This, it added, results in loss of top soil (bleaching) reducing fertility and causing lack of vegetation. This leads to further soil erosion and subsequently results in desert-like formation.

In the hillock, the study team also observed absence of birds, insects and other wild animals. It said hunting, excess collection of firewood, bamboo, wild vegetables, and banana products might have caused it. It also attributed the cause to plantation of teak woods which have no juice, berries, and fruits for insects, birds or other wild animals which eventually reduces the balance of ecosystem. The hillock was once inhabited by wild animals like barking deer, boar, leopard, wild cats and many varieties of birds and insects, it added.

The team also observed medicinal plants like locally called 'Pega'.

The extracts of the bark and leaves are used for skin and intestinal ailments. Another plant locally called 'Prizha' with long beans was also seen. The bark, leaves and beans are locally used for treatment of

Brighter Academy (School) students at Chumukedima hillock for nature study under the aegis of National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) 2013 – 14.

typhoid infection, cold and cough, skin infections etc.

Along the general observations, the students were given awareness on harvesting of plants, eco-friendly cultivation, forest fires, adverse impact of human activity, importance of environmental resources and the urgent need

for biodiversity conservation. The school authority has thanked Major Zakievilhou Zinyu, for his constructive guidance for the nature study and Nagaland Pollution Control Board (NPCB) for giving the students the opportunity to learn and be part of the Environment Awareness Campaign.

PCF general conference held in Phek Village

Phek, February 23 (Mexn): The Phekmi Collegiate Forum (PCF) 28th general conference was held at Phek Village Community Hall on February 18 last under the theme, “The righteous shall live by faith,” with Rev DN Soho, Pastor, Phek Town Baptist Church (PTBC) as the guest speaker.

The guest speaker, in his address, urged upon the forum members to be sincere, dedicated and committed in their pursuance so as to be successful in their venture. Stating that faith based venture is being viewed as the priority of human lives, Soho appealed for the members to put God in the first place in whatever work they pursue.

In service of the people… Deputy Director Land Resources C. VanPCF President Kuvehu Soho, in his chamo Ngullie training women self help groups on book keeping in a village during his recent field inspection in Kiphire district. Under presidential address, urged upon the

fellow members to opt for the spirit of hard work, perseverance and competitiveness in their lives so as to be at par with others in all fields.

According to a press statement issued by PCF general secretary Kuzhovesa Soho, the daylong conference also coincided with fasting program from 6:00 am to 12:00 noon at Phek Village Baptist Church prior to its formal session, where Zhevesa Nienu, Pastor, Phek Basa Baptist Church led the fasting session.

PCF had decided to observe fasting program for its members every year in the second week of February as part of its resolution. The fasting program was also attended by Church workers, village elders and octogenarian citizens of Phekmi vil-

lages where God’s blessing seeking ceremony was initiated by the octogenarian citizens.

Minister for PWD (R&B), Parliamentary Affairs, Nagaland, Kuzholuzo Nienu also attended the program and exhorted the congregations.

Meanwhile, a new team of PCF Executive was nominated for the tenure 2014-2016 comprising of the following members: President-Kuveduyi Venuh, Vice President-Zhokhosa Keyho, General Secretary-Kuveluta Soho, Asst. General Secretary-Nukuta Chizo, Finance Secretary-Thupuve Vero, Statistical Secretary-Huveshelu Hoshi, Program Co-ordinator-Nuzota Venuh while Nesucho Keyho, Kunesa Vero and Kuvehu Soho were nominated as the Forum Advisors.

kohiMa, February 23 (DiPr): Parliamentary Secretary for Law & Justice, Land Revenue and Labour Employment, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire formally inaugurated as chief guest, the new building of Government Primary School, Tsiepfütsiepfhe (AG) Colony Kohima on February 19, 2014.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire asked the parents and teachers to shoulder responsibilities to make the students assets of the society. Kire also urged the Ward Education Committee to take up prompt action in helping out the teachers for imparting quality education to students.

Director, School Education Zaveyi Nyekha, highlighted on the need for upgradation of the school to Middle and High School in future, while pointing out Tsiepfütsiepfhe (AG) as a populous colony. The present school location programme, seed money as loan is given to self-help group has enough land for upgradation and require IWMP to take up activities for livelihood to improve economy of the rural the support of the legislators, Nyekha added. people. (Morung Photo) DEO, Kohima, Senthang also delivered a short speech and appealed to the parents to send their children to Government schools to avail varied benefits like free textbooks, school uniforms, mid day meal etc.

DiMaPur, February 23 (Mexn): Dimapur Press Club (DPC) The first and only Government Prima- in its executive meeting held on February 20 framed rules and regry school in the colony was established in ulations for the club’s election to be held on February 25, 11:00 2010. The school was run in TTC building am at Breeze Restaurant. The meeting decided that only DPC regin the past few years but was shifted to a istered members will be eligible to contest and vote and only DPC permanent site after successful comple- registered members will be eligible to second a candidate. In case tion and inauguration of the building. SSA of two or more candidates for the same post, secret ballot will be funded the construction of a new school conducted. Non-registered members applying for any post, his/ building. The total strength of student’s en- her candidature would be rejected. Similarly, non-registered memrolment is 93, classes upto the 5 standard. bers cannot second a candidate. In case, no one applies for any post, Ward Education Committee Tsiepfütsiep- the house will nominate members to the vacant posts. Whoever fhe (Ag) also expressed special gratitude to comes late will not be eligible for vote. Candidates will be given Mezhülhoulie Khezhie, the convenor of con- time for speech. General Audit will be held at 10 am prior to the struction committee for his dedication and conduct of election. All members have been therefore requested devotion of time for successful completion to be at the venue by 10 am.

Nagamese feature film, Journalist was released on Saturday by MLA Yollow Konyak at Bookmarc conference hall, Dimapur. The film is directed by Akash Atae Konyak and produced by Shiyeli Richired Production. (Morung Photo) of the school building.

DPC election code of conduct

6

IN-FOCUS

The Power of Truth

The Morung Express MonDAy 24 FEbruAry 2014 voluME IX IssuE 52

Along Longkumer Consulting Editor

'Youth Powered' Cong?

NPCC should field young candidate

T

he Congress party in Nagaland needs an inspiration from somewhere to renew itself as a force to reckon with as in the past. One way to go about it is to bring in a generational change within the leadership. And this it seems is what exactly Rahul has in mind, to bring young leaders to the fore and 'securing advisory positions for the old guard'. In fact Rahul has already effected a generational change in the state-level leadership of the party in several states. Following the party's massive rout in the recently held Assembly elections in the states of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the Congress quickly changed its PCC Chiefs of all four states, all young faces. However it is quite strange that despite electoral losses for the last ten years and more, the Congress in Nagaland has failed to make the much needed changes in the leadership structure so as to revive the party. Its time therefore for the grand old Congress party to move ahead with the times, especially in Nagaland where the party has been diminishing from one election to the other, literally reduced to 8 seats following the last State Assembly election.

Its simply a case of a leadership problem that the NPCC has been facing ever since the end of the SC Jamir era.

So what is the way forward? Perhaps the answer lies in the NPCC realising its strength and weaknesses and being honest about it. The Congress in Nagaland should come out of its denial of all these years. Only then will it succeed in making the party stronger for the people. The coming general election is a good time to reassess where it is going wrong.

Now that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been formally declared as the consensus candidate of the NPF led DAN alliance to contest in the coming elections to the Lok Sabha, all eyes, will be on whom the main opposition Congress fields, to take on Rio. Despite the overtures made by the NPF to the Congress to support the candidature of Rio as a 'consensus to represent the Nagas', it is unlikely that the Congress will find it comfortable to go along with Rio, whom it has bitterly opposed over the years. A political contest even though against someone as formidable as Rio is therefore going to happen, and in a way, this is good for democracy.

And so as mentioned above, the big question therefore is who will the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) project as its candidate. If the criteria set by Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to select candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections is any indication, then it should be someone young, basing on the generational change that Rahul is promoting across the country within the Congress party leadership. In fact, the NPCC has nothing to lose by fielding a young candidate. As it is, Rio is the stronger contestant hands down and what the Congress can actually do is to use the coming election to rebuild the party in Nagaland by infusing fresh blood and new ideas. The time is running out for some of the older people within the NPCC and there is a need to bring in more young people and rebuild the party. Win or lose, the coming Lok Sabha election is an opportunity for the Congress party in Nagaland. It should begin the process of investing in young leaders. The NPCC should therefore seriously consider fielding a youthful face to take on Rio. (Feedback can be send to consultingeditormex@gmail.com)

lEfT wiNg |

Nury Vittachi IANS

I feel a smelly food attack coming on

F

ear is rising. Many people in the West are terrified that activist cells from Asia could cause chaos in urban areas using small, portable weapons of mass destruction.

Yes, I am talking about durians. Recent events suggest the fears are justified. Consider this true story.

A homesick Asian student living in Britain went to a Chinatown supermarket recently and spent the equivalent of $30 on the abovementioned smelly, spiky fruit. Then he decided to walk home. Everyone he passed turned to glare at him. He leapt on a bus. After one minute, passengers were staring and sniffing. After two, they moved to the far end of the vehicle. After three, they ran from the bus and the driver phoned the police. The Asian student leapt off and ran to his bedsit, where he deposited the durian and went to a lecture. That's when the real trouble began.

Neighbors called building managers to report a poison gas attack. Building managers called the police. The police called the army. An army hazardous materials team evacuated the building and sealed off the area. Within hours, the US military budget had doubled and global war had broken out.

Okay, it's all true except that last sentence, so why didn't I include the guy's name? Because this scenario happens regularly. On the day of writing this, a durian purchase closed down part of Plymouth. It's not just durian, either.

At regular intervals, the Office of Emergency Management in New York receives panicked calls about clouds of "deadly caramel gas" sweeping through the city. Again, it's just Asian food. A New York factory processes methi, a wonderfully tasty sweet Indian vegetable.

I read in a newspaper that security experts are worried that bad guys could bypass airport security by inserting chemical weapons into their bodies. But surely this already happens? My aunt's baked lentil-cumin dish is the scariest chemical weapon on the planet. Simply sneak it onto the recipe list of an airline caterer and you could fill an entire plane with noxious gas in minutes. It would be a scene of indescribable horror and misery, just like her dinner parties. I discussed this with readers, and a French one said Asians could fight an entire war using smelly foods, such as Japan's natto, China's stinky tofu, Korea's doenjang and so on. This was a bit cheeky, coming from the nation which invented camembert, a dangerous chemical weapon if ever I smelt one.

But here's a two-part trick to cultivate harmony for any Asians living in or visiting Western countries. First, remove all cumin from your curry recipes. (That's the ingredient that goes out through your pores.) Second, eat a large dish of stir-fried methi every other day. This makes your sweat smell to Western nostrils like maple syrup waffles. This is not a joke; I've tried it. Look it up on the Internet. You can save a fortune on after-shave. It's long been known that if you eat lots of methi and stroll around airports, you soon find yourself followed by dozens of Canadians with their tongues hanging out. Now that's scary.

THE EDIT PAGE

C O M M E N T A R Y

Ken Butigan Waging Nonviolence

Restorative Justice is the heart of nonviolent change

I

f we’re going to build a more nonviolent world, it will mean more of us speaking up, listening closely and finding innovative ways to cooperate. This will be true for revamping structures and institutions — and it will also apply to tackling violence. In a more nonviolent world we will confront violence less by imposing punitive arithmetic — long jail sentences and paralyzing fines — than by taking deliberate steps to repair harm, meet needs, foster accountability and gamble on the idea that transformation is possible. The emerging discipline of restorative justice, simply put, will have found its way into the heart of our lives, our communities and our societies.

We’re so trained in the art and science of retribution that it’s sometimes hard to get a fix on what restorative justice is. I got a clue several years ago when my colleague Cynthia Stateman shared the following story. Cynthia was very close to her Uncle John. He was a doctor in their hometown, and when she was growing up she would often make the rounds with him visiting the sick. He was the town’s first African-American physician, and had built a clinic that served sharecroppers and mill workers. One night, years later, Cynthia got a call from a cousin telling her that her uncle had been killed by a young white man intent on robbing his clinic. The assailant had shoved her 75-year-old uncle against a wall. He fell, gasped for breath — and then suddenly died.

The would-be robber phoned 911 but then ran for it, only to be quickly captured. Cynthia immediately flew home to be with her family.

Cynthia has since written about the experience that unfolded once she got there in her article “Soul Force” (published in Engage: Exploring Nonviolent Living). In the midst of their grief and anger, her family had been unexpectedly asked by the public defender for help. The district attorney was going to seek the death penalty — would they intervene to urge the D.A. to file charges more commensurate with the crime? As grievous as this violence was, the lawyer said, it was a stretch to call what happened a capital offense. John’s son threw the public defender out of his house. But the rest of the family wouldn’t let it go. Right there they plunged into a struggle with justice — what was just in this case? What was the right thing to do?

In the end, most of them decided that they needed more information — and they could only get this from the offender. They were not, though, given easy access to him. “We bullied, badgered, threatened and made a whole lot of noise, before the attorneys would agree to set up a visit,” Cynthia writes. Finally, they got their meeting. Sitting before them was a 19-year-old named David, who, by his own admission, had been on a crime spree. On top of that, he owed someone money and was having trouble coming up with it. He was being threatened, so he had decided to rob the clinic. Ironically, he and his family had been the recipient of her uncle’s generosity — they had gotten free inoculations and other health care over the years at the center.

He seemed remorseful. He also seemed resigned to whatever happened. Like his father and other family members, he would be spending years in jail.

This seemed like the end of the story. But then something shifted. On the drive back home, while

W

hen the U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reach their deadline in 2015, there will still be a critical setback: millions of people in the developing world without full access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation and electricity in their homes.

Conscious of this shortcoming, the 193-member General Assembly hosted a two-day high-level meeting, which concluded Wednesday, to address three thematic issues: water, sanitation and sustainable energy, specifically in the context of the U.N.’s post-2015 development agenda. But water experts are sceptical whether the targets will be fully met by 2015 unless there is a dramatic acceleration of the current pace, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

A 2012 U.N. report claimed the goal to halve the proportion of people living without access to safe drinking water has been reached – with more than two billion people being the beneficiaries.

Still, there are 327 million sub-Saharan Africans without this crucial service today than in 1990, Girish Menon, director of international programmes at the London-based WaterAid, told IPS. At current rates, he predicted, it will take until at least 2030 for sub-Saharan Africa to meet the MDG water target.

Addressing delegates Tuesday, General Assembly President John Ashe described the magnitude of the problem as great: 783 million people live without clean water, 2.5 billion have no adequate sanitation and 1.4 billion people are without access to electricity, he said. “Compounding this problem is the fact that in many countries across the globe there is severe water stress and water scarcity,” he said. Ashe said about 80 percent of the world’s population lives in areas with high water security threats.

ruminating on this kid (“Jeez, what a loser.” “Face it, David doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of turning his life around.” “He’s illiterate.” “Pathetic.”), one of Cynthia’s cousins started composing a list of book titles. By the time they got to the house, they had concocted a proposal: David had to learn to read and then plow through a long list of books, including The Autobiography of Malcolm X. He had to get his GED and, as a condition of parole, learn a trade and keep a job. For good measure, he had to do “five or ten years” of community service.

When they presented their ideas to the D.A., he balked. But the family stood its ground, and the charges were reduced — and their recommended conditions were submitted to the court. David would spend years in prison, but he would not be heading to death row.

The last part of the story I found unbelievable when Cynthia first told it to me — and I find it unbelievable still, after all these years. If I didn’t know Cynthia I would be skeptical. But she’s a good friend so I have to believe it. The essence is that David petitioned the court to let him attend the funeral. The request was granted and the family, incredibly, invited him to join the procession and to sit with them.

After many people in the packed church offered

testimonials honoring Cynthia’s uncle, David stood up. He said to the assembly, “‘A good man is dead because of what I did. I’m sorry.’ He gestured toward my cousins. ‘They spared my life. I didn’t deserve that. I’m going to be in prison for a very long time, but I’m not being sent there to die. What I want to ask all of you here is: Is there any way you can forgive me?’” The pastor asked him to kneel, and slowly the congregation came forward to prayerfully lay hands of healing on him. One by one, Cynthia’s cousins did the same, including the one who had pitched the public defender out of his house.

Though Cynthia had studied nonviolence, she and her family were not schooled in the theories of restorative justice. They illuminated its key elements, however, as they struggled with a painful tragedy in a way that intuitively steered them away from retribution to restoration. Rather than leaving the matter entirely in the hands of the criminal justice system, they demanded an active role — sitting with, listening to and engaging with the perpetrator; imagining ways he might be able to turn his life around while still holding him accountable; advocating for a more transformative sentence; and astoundingly welcoming him into one of the most

painfully-charged environments possible — the funeral of the victim — which, paradoxically, proved to be a space of healing and reconciliation.

Restorative justice is not new — and it does not need a highly-developed theory to be experienced.

But stories like Cynthia’s have fueled the dramatic emergence of restorative justice as a key to positive peace and as a powerful practice for transformation and healing. Over the past few decades its principles and techniques have increasingly been worked out, refined and applied.

Restorative justice recognizes that crime hurts everyone: victims, offenders and the community.

It seeks to make things right by bringing all parties together: to hear the voice and needs of the victim; to hear from the offender — why did they take the action they did and what will make this choice less likely in the future? It increases the likelihood of reintegrating the offender into the community rather than being stigmatized, shamed and more likely to reoffend. Fundamentally, it provides an alternative to two traditional responses to crime: punitive and authoritarian on the one hand or permissive and paternalistic on the other.

Using peace circles (like those used by Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation in Chicago), victimoffender reconciliation programs, consultation circles, or other mediation processes, restorative justice is gaining ground. At the same time, its power, potential and processes are being increasingly clarified by practitioners and academics, including Ron Claasen and others at the Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies at Fresno Pacific University in California and Ted Wachtel at the International Institute for Restorative Practices.

(Wachtel views restorative justice as a subset of a larger social science he names restorative practices that “studies how to build social capital and achieve social discipline through participatory learning and decision-making.”)

Restorative justice curricula are increasingly featured in peace, justice and conflict studies programs in colleges and universities across the United States.

But it is also making its appearance in high schools.

An example is the Peace and Justice Academy in Pasadena, Calif., a high school devoted to preparing students to “stand for justice, wage peace and impact the world.” Elaine Enns, a long-time mediator, writer and activist, teaches the school’s cornerstone class in restorative justice. The dynamics of restorative justice seep into the school everywhere — from the entire school intensively creating and signing a Community Covenant at the beginning of the year that sets guidelines for how the teachers and students will treat each other, to the regular journeys that the school takes to engage emotionally and physically with social injustice. (Here is a compelling account of the school’s experience of Manzanar, the World War II Japanese-American concentration camp.)

Restorative justice lies at the heart of nonviolent transformation. We are offered opportunities in our every day lives to reach for this option (like Cynthia Stateman’s family); to study it (like academics on the one hand or the children in Pasadena on the other); or to bring its principles and dynamics to the innumerable struggles for social change that this world so decisively needs.

UN Focuses on Faltering Goals: Water, Sanitation, Energy Thalif Deen Inter Press Service A background paper prepared by his office says “achieving universal access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and modern energy services is one of the greatest multifaceted development challenges confronting the world today.”

Asked if the shortcomings will be carried over to the new proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the post-2015 agenda to be launched next year, Menon said, “If the SDGs are to succeed in eradicating poverty on a sustainable basis, they need to learn from the failures of the MDGs and reverse the neglect of sanitation and hygiene.”

Clarissa Brocklehurst, water and sanitation specialist and former chief of water, sanitation and hygiene at the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, told IPS, “While the MDGs were wonderful in terms of galvanising action on water and sanitation, there are several challenges closer to the MDG deadline.”

The MDG target for water has been met, but without widespread water quality monitoring, and the estimates for the number of people using safe water is based on a proxy measure (the type of technology households use), she noted. “Not enough progress has been made on sanitation and we are off-track to achieve the MDG target,” said Brocklehurst.

She said hygiene was not part of

the MDGs and as a result it has not received the attention it needs. “And perhaps most worryingly, what progress has been made in both water and sanitation is highly inequitable,” she added.

She pointed out that urban dwellers are far more likely to have water and sanitation than rural dwellers, and the rich are more likely to have received services than the poor. There is also evidence suggesting that within some countries, marginalised ethnic groups are more likely to rely on unimproved water sources and practise open defecation, she added.

Menon of WaterAid told IPS “at current rates of progress we’ll miss the global sanitation target by eight percent – that is half a billion people.”

Today, only 30 percent of Sub-Saharan Africans have adequate sanitation, a number that has only grown by four percent since 1990. Slow progress on sanitation is holding back progress on many other targets, he added.

Menon said water, sanitation and hygiene are critical to eradicating poverty, improving health, nutrition, education and gender equality, and enabling economic growth. “Given the scale of the challenge we are calling for a dedicated global goal focused on securing sustainable water and sanitation for all,” he said.

Brocklehurst told IPS that reported progress on many of the other MDGs

wRiTE-wiNg

shows similar outcomes, and in general, new targets after 2015 will have to be designed to encourage governments to make the poor, vulnerable and marginalised a high priority.

Water, sanitation and hygiene underpin progress in health, nutrition, gender equity and education and so should be a key part of future targets; and the targets set for them must build momentum toward universal access as an urgent priority, she added.

Asked if the current global financial crisis is having an impact on the achievement of MDGs, specifically water and sanitation, Menon said global aid for water and sanitation fell by around one billion dollars between 2009 and 2011, partly because of the financial crisis. While water and sanitation aid rebounded in 2012, they are still at half the level required to fill the MDG funding gap.

Developing countries’ figures on water and sanitation spending are unclear, but it’s apparent that no SubSaharan African government has met even their own target of 0.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on sanitation, Menon pointed out.

Asked if the United Nations was doing enough, Menon said U.N. DeputySecretary General Jan Eliasson has been taking the lead in making water, sanitation and hygiene political priorities, as seen in his “Call to Action on Sanitation” and keynote speeches at the U.N. and other international forums.

Meanwhile, he said, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF have led international consultations to develop new targets for achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene post-2015 . “WaterAid has actively supported these efforts and believes that universal access by 2030 is ambitious but achievable,” Menon concluded.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: The Morung Express, House No. 4, Duncan Bosti, Dimapur - 797112, Or –email: morung@gmail.com All letters (including those via email) should have the full name and Postal address of the sender.

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.

PERSPECTIVE

7 my Year Without porn: Dark future for India's energy poor some surprising lessons I

Monday

THE MORUNG EXPRESS

24 February 2014

NEWS ANALYSIS, FEATURE AND DISCOURSE

Brendan north

Asia Times Online

I

dan Mahle Change From Within

remember when I first discovered internet porn—I was 17 years old. Fascinated by this world of unleashed sexual expression and fantasy, I couldn't get enough of it. As I grew up and began exploring my own sexuality, I discovered just how different watching pixels on a screen was compared to the intimacy of making love with another human being. I thought I'd outgrow my porn habit over time.

But I never did.

I didn't know it then, but porn had become an addiction. And, like most addictions, I was ashamed to talk about it or even admit it was a problem. "Everybody watches porn," I remember hearing. It seemed so pervasive and culturally accepted that having an actual conversation about it was a total non-starter. So I kept it to myself.

I thought I had my habit under control. I thought I could quit porn whenever I felt like it. I even tried to quit a few times and then rationalized my eventual return to the addiction.

I didn't realize how much watching porn had manipulated my mind, warping my sexuality, numbing my feelings, and affecting my relationships with women. And I was not alone.

According to a recent study, more than 70 percent of 18- to 34-year-old men visit porn sites in a typical month. And it's not just guys watching sex online. It is estimated that 1 in 3 porn users today are women. Now, I want to be clear that porn use extends across all gender expressions, but for the purpose of this post I am sharing my experience with porn from the perspective of a heterosexual white man with more or less traditionally masculine ways of acting and speaking.

Let me also state clearly that I don't think all porn is bad. I've seen some great videos of couples engaging in intimate and respectful sexual encounters—of course, these are usually found only on feminist porn sites or in the category on mainstream porn sites called "female friendly" (It's interesting to note what the category name "female friendly" implies about all the other categories). But I'm not here to judge anyone else for what they choose to watch. I'm simply sharing the impacts that porn has had on my life and what has changed for me since I've stopped using it.

To me, what is worrying about porn is not how many people use it, but how many people have found themselves addicted to it.

Impacts of porn One of the best of the many studies conducted on the impacts of porn on men and women in society is a report by psychotherapist Gary R. Brooks. It documents many effects of porn, including three that strongly resonated with my experience: 1. Violence against women.

This includes an obsession with looking at women rather than interacting with them (voyeurism), an attitude in which women are viewed as objects of men's sexual desire, and the trivialization of rape and widespread acceptance of rape culture—fueled by fake depictions of women in porn videos often pretending to desire violent and abusive sexual acts. (Numerous studies have documented links between porn viewership and increased instances of sexism and violence toward women. Here is one source.)

2. Numbness and disembodiment.

This can include erectile dysfunction, inability to orgasm when not watching porn, detachment from your physical body, emotional unavailability and numbness, lack of focus and patience, poor memory, and general lack of interest in reality.

Furthermore, these outcomes in men have been linked to boredom with their sexual partners, higher levels of sexual promiscuity, adultery, divorce, sexism, rape, abuse, and suicide.

Since I quit watching porn a year ago, I've become more present in the moment, more loving, and a better friend to the women in my life

3. Fear of intimacy.

Watching porn contributes to many men's inability to relate to women in an honest and intimate way despite a longing to feel loved and connected. This is because pornography exalts our sexual needs over our need for sensuality and intimacy; some men develop a preoccupation with sexual fantasy that can powerfully impede their capacity for emotionally intimate relationships.

Why I quit watching I always felt like a hypocrite watching porn.

Here I was, a man who is striving to be an ally to women, perpetuating the very culture of violence and misogyny that I was ostensibly trying to fight. The reality was that most of the videos I found online had titles that included words like "bitch" or "slut" and showcased controlling behaviors that were rooted in a culture of subjugation and objectification, where women are nothing more than sexual bodies to be exploited and dominated by men.

When I am deeply honest, I have to admit I was both intrigued and disgusted by these images. By that time, my mind had been trained to find aggressive, misogynistic, and even nonconsensual sex arousing. I found that this response was just one of many symptoms of a larger system of patriarchal oppression affecting my life. It is difficult for me to admit, but it got to a point where I felt physically ill watching the videos, and yet I kept watching. That's when I realized I was dealing with an addiction.

What I've discovered is that there is a whole spectrum of addiction, from a feeling of compulsion on one end to an intense dependency on the other. My porn addiction seems to have been pretty mild, since I did not experience any serious withdrawal effects. For some people with more serious addictions, professional support may be needed.

Last February, after a decade of use, I decided to quit watching porn for one year, both for the challenge of seeing if I could and for the chance to see how life might be different.

Today marks my one-year anniversary of life without porn. It hasn't been easy, particularly as a single guy, but what I've learned about myself through this experience has transformed my life forever.

Life after porn Here are some of the things I've gained during my year without porn: 1. Integrity and love.

Since dropping porn, I have restored a sense of personal integrity that had been missing from my life. Regaining this integrity has allowed me to move through a lot of my shame and find myself in a new space of deepening love for myself and others.

I've also noticed that I am often able to stay more present with women now, rather than projecting fantasies onto them. This was hard to do when my mind was cluttered with images from porn videos.

This newfound presence has also allowed me to begin to dismantle some of the subconscious sexism within me, helping me work toward becoming a better ally to the women in my life.

2. Embodiment and emotional expression.

My year without porn has helped me recon-

nect to my body and begin to develop healthy emotional expression. I've begun to expand my sense of self by learning how to move out of my head and into my heart. After many long years void of emotional expression, I've reconnected to my tears. This release of suppressed emotional tension has unlocked a lot of joy in my life. All of this has helped me begin to shift my sexuality from physical detachment to true intimacy, presence, and embodiment.

3. Creativity and passion.

Over the past year, I've started feeling more comfortable in my own skin. I've become much more willing to let go of control, to improvise, and to accept people's differences. I trust myself more than I ever have and, as a result, my sense of self-confidence has soared. I wake up every morning grateful to be alive, clear about my life's purpose, and passionate about the work I am doing in the world. My life today has a depth of authenticity and power that I never felt before.

Stepping up Last week, many folks in my community and around the world engaged in conversations about ending the sexual violence and abuse that directly affect over a billion women across the globe today. Of course, women and girls are not the only ones hurt by sexual violence. I've heard stories from a lot of guys who are also affected by cycles of violence and abuse that got passed on through generations. It is important, however, for me to recognize that far more women than men are victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse, and that men account for a vast majority of all perpetrators.

As the Franciscan priest and compassion advocate Richard Rohr has written, "pain that is not transformed is transmitted." And this pain is often transmitted in the form of violence. So how do we, as men, break this cycle?

It's clear to me that we will never transform our pain within a culture of silence. It is only by bringing our shadows to the light that we can diffuse the power they hold over us.

Over the past several years, I have heard a lot about inequality, sexism, and violence against women. I believe it is vital for porn to be a part of that conversation, particularly amongst men.

If we are serious about ending violence against women, then we must be willing to have open and honest conversations about how porn is affecting our lives.

I am committed to a world of love, respect, and safety for all people. I'm sick of all the shame, numbness, and secrecy surrounding porn and addiction. I’m saddened to hear about all the guilt people feel (from churches, parents, teachers, etc.) simply for wanting to express their sexuality in healthy and authentic ways. And I'm outraged by all of the violence, degradation, and exploitation of women. Enough is enough!

The only way we can transform the culture of violence is to make it transparent by speaking the truth about the ways that we consciously and subconsciously contribute to it. A culture of love and healing can only be built on a foundation of radical honesty and integrity, built from the ground up in our own lives.

Will you stand with me? It's time we start talking about the things we've been afraid to talk about, knowing we're not alone. It's time we begin transforming our pain into love by opening our hearts and reconnecting with our bodies. It's time we, as men, step into a more mature masculinity: one that recognizes the sacredness of the human body, one that creates intimacy and cultivates authentic connection and healing, one that is unafraid to love and be loved.

Dan Mahle is a group facilitator, program coordinator, and occasional blogger on the topic of men and masculinity. His work reaches into many different arenas, from youth leadership and intergenerational collaboration to environmental justice advocacy and men's work.

The Morung Express

n New Delhi, the inequality is palpable. While industrial and economic practices deserve the bulk of the blame for the abysmal air quality, coalburning stoves and wood fires used by the teeming poor emit fine particle pollution that exacerbate the problem.

The resultant smog has recently garnered widespread media attention, with reports indicating that the Indian capital may have the worst breathing air on the planet. But New Delhi's sullied skies allude to a greater truth: energy poverty is a multidimensional global crisis.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), over 1.3 billion of the world's population lack personal access to electricity, while 2.6 billion people are without clean cooking facilities.

These figures are among the myriad reasons impoverished countries often stay poor. Unclean indoor cooking poses a significant risk to the respiratory health of energy poor families, exacerbating infant mortality rates and lowering life expectancies.

Insufficient heating jeopardizes immune systems, further endangering the health of individuals already compromised by nutrient deficiency.

While it is axiomatic that chronically sick people are precluded from upward mobility, energy poverty is prohibitive in other ways. In areas where disease is not a primary threat, the absence of electricity prevents individuals from even visualizing their dreams.

Education is left to the evening in poor rural villages where agricultural labor consumes the day, and women seeking to liberate themselves of draconian gender roles and children hoping for a more prosperous future cannot learn in an unlit home. Economic and social development remain elusive for communities blinded by darkness.

Despite the billions afflicted, energy poverty is often omitted from human-rights discourse. Food and water scarcity, violent oppression, and displacement issues boast higher levels of awareness among the public and invariably gain more traction in the policy arena. The relative opacity of energy poverty should not diminish its importance among those who truly care.

Any reasonable interpretation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) reveals that energy poverty is a telling and unequivocal deprivation of basic rights. Article 3 of the UDHR states that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person."

The understanding of what constitutes a person's "security" is not limited to safety from violence; it includes the enduring well-being of the individual. Exposure to the elements and improper sanitation - consequences of energy poverty - imperil the "security of person" codified in the UDHR. Article 25 underscores the criticality of well-being: "Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family." Without question, such a living standard is unattainable in the absence of electricity.

Energy poverty is manifestly a human-rights crisis, but the toxic haze suffocating New Delhi serves as a compelling reminder that the tragedy is far more complex. Global energy inequity has environmental consequences. Aside

from the particle pollution of coal and wood-burning stoves, industrial reliance on contaminating energy sources is compounding air pollution problems.

Developing countries must unleash viable and comprehensive initiatives to reverse course before irreparable harm engulfs their homelands and peoples.

On a macro level, energy poverty is a constellation of nearly intractable institutional and infrastructural shortcomings. From an institutional standpoint, bureaucratic incompetence, corruption, regulatory ineptitude, and a paucity of political will impede the progress of a modern energy industry in developing states.

With respect to infrastructure, the solution to energy poverty is grounded in economic and political preconditions.

A modern energy industry can only succeed with economies of scale, wherein the cost of production is effectively offset by sufficient output. Obtaining the necessary level of output will require regional cooperation, foreign investment, and access to the global market.

Precedent to those factors is once again the need for political will. Leaders in energy-poor countries must work with geographically contiguous states on large, mutually beneficial infrastructural projects. Leaders must also convey their energy aspirations to the international community, working with state and non-state actors to accomplish the universally desirable goal of energy equity.

The eradication of energy poverty cannot be realized without acknowledging national security as the final dimension of the crisis. State security is predicated upon stability, and stability is reliant upon a number of factors, namely the fair distribution of critical resources.

Human history is largely a narrative of scarce, poorly distributed resources falling into the hands of a select few, exasperating the masses into revolt. In the case of energy inequity, it is not difficult to identify the haves and the havenots: the former bask in the light while the latter languish in darkness.

Fortunately, energy as a resource is not particularly rare, just poorly distributed. Resolving the allocation dilemma will rely upon the aforementioned prerequisites to a modern energy industry, as well as a skilled labor force to ensure an even flow. The US shale boom is a momentous opportunity for America to positively shape the future of developing countries. With its growing export capabilities, America can play a pivotal role in the creation and advancement of modern energy industries.

The most daunting policy challenges are at once complex, evolving, and scarcely understood. Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that energy poverty has manifested itself as a poisonous fog above New Delhi, a virtual cauldron of interrelated problems. The solution lies in deconstructing those problems and treating them within their own contexts. In the globalized, interdependent age in which we live, there are simply no excuses left to account for the leaden skies in New Delhi and the "bottom billion" worldwide suffering in the darkness. Casting light on their unseen troubles is a critical first step; addressing their plight with meaningful strategies is a compulsory second.

Brendan North works at a prominent international affairs think tank in Washington DC and has been previously published in US News and World Report.

POLL RESULTS

Will an anti-racism laW protect the rights of people from north east?

Some of those who voted YES had this to say: problem is that the northeast people and the by legislation. What is required is education is nowhere to be seen in any of the racist at• Yes, this is the only way forward. Unless there mainland indians have tacks. of the people and accepis legal protection for the northeasterners, our nothing in common, be tance. At this moment • In the 15th Lok Sabha, the MPs passed only 89% rights will always be trampled by those who it history, language, culthe people in India do not 177 out of 326 bills. This just show that they have no regard for our existence. An anti-racwant to accept the peohave no concern for the suffering of the peoture, colour of the skin, ism law is an important measure that the Indian food habits, religion etc ple from the North East ple. All they do is keep shouting at each other government must take, at least as a minimum thus the truth is that as their equal. and attacking each other with pepper spray and step to show their sincerity.

• No. Racism cannot be suspending the parliament. With this kind of atthey do not accept us • This is the most logical step that the governremoved by legislation. It titude, it is hard to even think that the MPs will as one of them and we ment can take at this juncture. needs action. The governalso do not accept them have any thought of passing an anti-racism law.

• Anti-racism law is not necessarily for protectment should take strong as one of us in hearts. ing our rights, but more importantly to punish This is the real picture. stand to deal with racism. Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say: those people who are responsible for racial disMass education is one • With the present slow paced court functions, Only a paradigm shift in crimination. We need to look at it both ways. societal attitude will milaws won't protect the NE people. Attitudes way of addressing it.

We people from the northeast states will not nimise racial discrimina• No, 1. Every Indian law and local mindsets of the north Indians get justice from the Government of India, we all tion. Remember racism has loophole 2. The law should be tackled. Racism is a backward know that. But at least those who are perpetuatwill keep for name sake 3. mindset, an ego factory that has no place in is a problem the world ing racial discrimination should be booked and over.

They are Racist and how a global world. punished. r they going to implement • I don’t see the law making any difference. It • No, it’s the mindset • Without an anti-racism law, we are toothless. of the people which does not depend on the law alone. There are this law.

We need an anti-racism law to protect our• Anti-racism law alone will many other factors that are involved. Let us say needs to change. selves from racial discrimination. that the government enacts an anti-racism law, not protect the people, unAbout time we the do you think the police who are supposed to less it is enforce strictly. people send efficient Some of those who voted no had this to say: • No, until and unless the implement the law will be able to do it earnestly.

Lok Sabha and Rajya • No, legal law will not solve the problem. racism is Sabha member to Pargeneral public(majority) of The police themselves are responsible for disa social problem and it can only be solved at the liament so that we are mainland come to terms in criminating on the basis of race in Delhi, so how societal level. this can be done through awareacceptance of NE people can we trust them. associated with them.

6% ness, campaign, educating the mainland peoas equal human beings • Why we northeast call ourselves Indian? If Right now we are Nep5% ple about the unique history, culture, languages alese to the mainIndian people don’t want NorthEast people with willing heart one canof north-east india. Wholehearted acceptance stream Indian. not expect Racism to stop to be Indian why we are so foolish? Indian by force. By the way How people treat our northeast people worse than attitude should be developed by the mainland • No, a new anti-racism YES no OTHERS animals. Why we NorthEast people join and strong is the Judicial Sysindians which will go a long way in limiting raclaw will not protect the tem of India with special reference to recent fight for our freedom. Why so foolish and call ism against our people unless this attitude is rights of the people from the North East bedeveloped it will continue the same. The core cause racial discrimination cannot be curbed racist attacks and rape cases? Till date justice ourselves we are Indian?

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.

8

Dimapur

NATIONAL

Monday 24 February 2014

The Morung Express

ABCD of corruption is Congress identity: Modi

accused Congress of playing “fraud” with the armed forces and mocked Rahul Gandhi’s pitch on fighting corruption.

Addressing a ‘fateh’ (victory) rally with leaders from the ally Shiromani Akali Dal on the dais, the Gujarat Chief Minister, who donned a saffron turban, also dismissed as “rumours and a pack of lies” the controversy about migration of Sikh farm-

ers from Kutch region in his state, promising that no Sikh farmer will have to leave Gujarat. He described the BJP-SAD alliance in Punjab as a symbol of HinduSikh unity which has put to end the “Congress’ game of divide and rule”.

In his 30-minutes speech at a packed ground, Modi was unsparing in his attack on Congress and said the party was now throw-

ing pepper instead of dust in the eyes of the people to befool them, a reference to the pepper spray incident in Lok Sabha involving an expelled Congress MP during the taking up of Telangana Bill. The BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate took potshots at the Gandhi family and Congress for targeting other parties on corruption.

“I am surprised that the leader of Congress is now engaged in raising fingers on other political parties on the issue of corruption, when the entire ABCD has become the identity of the corruption of Congress.

When Rajiv Gandhi was ruling the country as Prime Minister, there was no other party but only Congress, which was in power from Parliament to Panchayat.

“At that time he had said that when he sends a rupee from Delhi, only 15 paisas reach the village. What was this ‘Panja’ which used to rub the rupee (one rupee coin) and it would turn into 15 paisa,” Modi said, vowing that if he is elected Prime Minister he will occupy the top seat as a

With the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections and the consequent notification of the Model Code of Conduct likely in the first week of March, the EC has issued guidelines on manifestos in keeping with the Supreme Court of India directives on the matter.

The guidelines have been sent to all state election commissions and electoral officers for compliance and building awareness in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. “The guidelines are being added to the model

code of conduct manual as a first step in terms of compliance. This time, the content of party manifestos will also be under our scrutiny. Even if a manifesto is released before the code comes into force, it will be covered under the EC’s guidelines for manifestos,” chief electoral officer of Delhi, Vijay Dev, said.

As per the guidelines, an election manifesto should not contain anything repugnant to the ideals and principles enshrined in the Constitution, and should

be consistent with the letter and spirit of other provisions of the model code of conduct. “Political parties should avoid making those promises which are likely to vitiate the purity of the election process or exert undue influence on the voters in exercising their franchise,” the EC lays down.

“In the interest of transparency, level playing field and credibility of promises, it is expected that manifestos also reflect the rationale for the promises and broadly indicate the

ways and means to meet the financial requirements for them. Trust of voters should be sought only on those promises which are possible to be fulfilled,” the ECI emphasizes.

The Supreme Court in its judgment dated July 5, 2013 directed the EC to frame guidelines with regard to the contents of election manifestos in consultation with recognized political parties. The EC, in compliance with the SC directive, held consultations with political parties

where some supported the guidelines and the others were of the view that it was their right and duty towards voters to make such offers and promises.

While the EC agreed with the parties that the framing of manifestos is their prerogative, it held that it cannot overlook the undesirable impact of some of the promises and offers on the conduct of free and fair elections and maintaining level playing field for all political parties and candidates.

new Delhi, February 23 (ians): Fast track courts (FTCs) in sexual assault cases in the capital are not showing any mercy to rape-murder convicts. In four verdicts delivered so far in heinous rape-murder cases, all the nine convicts were sentenced to death.

They included the four men convicted in the Dec 16, 2012, gang-rape.

Six FTCs were set up last January following the Dec 16, 2012, gang-rape that ignited a countrywide debate on the safety of women and the need for an effective legal process to handle rape cases.

The latest verdict was handed down on Feb 19 in the brutal rape and murder of a 19-year-old. The court sentenced three youths to death for the abduction, rape and murder of the young woman, whose mutilated and decomposed body was found in a Haryana village in 2012.

In November last year, a special court awarded the death penalty to a 23-yearold man for the brutal murder of his seven-year-old neighbour. Before that, on Sep 13, 2013, the four convicts in the Dec 16 gang

rape case were given the office to her Qutub Vihar death penalty. house in south Delhi. Her The first death penalty body was found after four awarded was in January days in a field in Rodhai vil2013, days lage in Haryafter the ana’s Rewari FTC was district - bearFast Track set up. A ing multiple 60-year-old Courts send nine wounds on guard was her head and to gallows given the other parts of death penthe body. alty for the gruesome rape Police said the main acand murder of the three- cused, Ravi Kumar, comyear-old daughter of a rick- mitted the crime with the shaw puller. help of two friends as he Additional Sessions wanted to take revenge on Judge (ASJ) Yogesh Khanna her for refusing his overhanded down the death tures of friendship. The penalty in the Dec 16 case. three used a car jack and ASJ Virender Bhat hand- an earthen pot to kill the ed down the other three woman. verdicts. nWhile handing The father of the Dec down the death penalty 16 gang-rape victim exin the rape-murder of the pressed satisfaction over 19-year-old, ASJ Bhat said: the verdict handed down.

“The perpetrators of crime “Such verdicts will send a like rape and murder for- strong message to society feit their right to live. Life that rapists cannot be let imprisonment is highly free after committing grueinadequate in these cases some crimes,” he told IANS. and there is no alternative “Justice has been done but to impose the death and such verdicts will be a sentence.” lesson for rapists.”

The crime was a parThe death penalty ticularly gruesome one in awarded in the Dec 16 case which the three convicts was welcomed by large had abducted the young sections of society who woman Feb 9, 2012, while were outraged at the heishe was returning from her nousness of the crime. The

nile, on a moving bus. She died two weeks later of the grievous injuries.

Bhat, while handing down the death penalty last November to a 23-year-old man for the brutal rapemurder of a seven-year-old neighbour, said that such convicts are a “menace to society and do not deserve to be alive”. The judge held that the crime committed

by Bharat Kumar falls in the category of rarest of rare.

In 2010, Kumar had lured the girl with snacks and chocolate and taken her to a secluded field in Palam village where he raped and killed her, smashing her face with a heavy object.

ASJ Bhat, while handing down the verdict in the case of a 60-year-old guard, said he deserved death for the rape and murder of a three-year-old as the child was subjected to the convict’s “lust” in such a “ghastly” manner that she died on the spot. nDelhi-based lawyer Shilpi Jain told IANS: “Such verdicts will send a strong message to society that rape will not be tolerated in any case.”

Kochi, February 23 (PTi): Seeking to put a lid on fresh controversy over movement of two army units near Delhi in 2012, defence minister AK Antony on Sunday said Indian military is a responsible force which obeys the civilian government’s decisions and in no circumstances there will be a military coup in the country.

“In no circumstances there will be a military coup in India. Since the last seven years I have been associated with the Indian defence forces — those in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard with not only with those on top but the ordinary jawans and personnel on the border region also. “I can say one thing with conviction. Indian military is a responsible force. While the military takes decisions on operations, it obeys all policy matters taken by the civilian government. There is no need for any concern,” Antony told reporters here on the sidelines of a Coast Guard Investiture ceremony here.

The so called movement of Army was a “routine training exercise” only. It is a ‘closed chapter”, he said.

He was replying to a query on the fresh controversy that erupted on the movement of two army units near Delhi two years ago with the then DGMO Lt Gen A K Choudhary stating that there may have been “distrust” between the Army and government on the issue. “There is no need for any worry. There is no possibility of a military coup. I have full faith in the military and there is no remote possibility of a coup,” Antony said.

The revelation was “not new”. In 2012, Antony said, he had given replies to Parliament three times — twice for starred questions and once on an unstarred query, he said adding it was there in Parliament records.

new Delhi, February 23 (Tnn): For a country which till recently had a weak civil society movement, India is now witnessing a boom in the NGO sector. With a population of 1.2 billion, the country could well be the land of opportunities for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with the Central Bureau of Investigation conservatively estimating 20 lakh of them already operating in states and union territories.

The mind-boggling figures boil down to one NGO per every 600 people. Compare this to the latest government data on police. According to the latest figures from the Union home ministry, India has just one policeman for every 943 people.

But there is an accountability deficit among the NGOs. And that’s how CBI got into the picture as the Supreme Court responded to a PIL. Many don’t submit details of receipt of grant and spending to income tax authorities, the CBI told the apex court.

On the SC’s order, the CBI sought information from the states and UTs about operation of NGOs and status of audit of their funds. Major states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh — have provided no data about the number of NGOs operating in their territory.

Without the statistics

and state governments between 2002-09 released Rs 6654 crore to various NGOs, averaging almost Rs 950 crore per year.

For the financial year 2010-11, available data show that about 22,000 NGOs received a total of more than $2 billion from abroad, of which $650 million came from the US. On a PIL filed by advocate M L Sharma alleging misuse of funds by Anna Hazare’s NGO Hind Swaraj Trust (HST), a bench headed

by Justice H L Dattu had last year asked additional solicitor general Sidharth Luthra to engage the CBI to find out details of the funding of NGOs across the country and whether these were filing their income tax returns.

From the information

made available by the state governments and presented in tabular form by the CBI to the Supreme Court, it was apparent that most NGOs had not filed income tax returns regularly.

Responding to Sharma’s PIL alleging that large amounts of government funds were being doled out without taking proper account of utilization of grants by NGOs, Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (Capart) in an affidavit denied any wrongdoing by HST and annexed an audited account for the utilization of Rs 1 lakh.

Capart had given a grant of Rs 1 lakh to Hazare-led HST for watershed development in three villages in 1999-2001,but more

Gujarat state chief minister and India's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi listens to a speaker as he attends a national summit on financial services in Gandhinagar, India on February 19. (AP Photo)

Jagraon, February 23 (agencies): BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Sunday tore into the Congressled UPA government over graft and price rise, saying the “ABCD of corruption” has become the identity of the grand old party. Slamming the “delay” by UPA in granting ‘one-rank, onepension’ for ex-servicemen, Narendra Modi on Sunday new Delhi, February 23 (Tnn): Political parties and their leaders must now be prepared to face action for making false promises or misleading voters through pleaseall manifestos in the runup to the polls. The chief electoral officer of Delhi is preparing to include Election Commission of India’s guidelines on election manifestos in the Model Code of Conduct and will reach out to political parties in the weeks ahead to build awareness.

“chowkidar” (warchman) and won’t allow the ‘Panja’ (hand) to cast its shadow on the state treasury.

He hit out Congress on one-rank, one-pension issue. After Rahul Gandhi’s push, the government accepted the long-standing demand of ex-servicemen for ‘one-rank, one-pension’ and allocated Rs.500 crore for the fund a few days back. This decision is expected to benefit around 30 lakh retired personnel of the Armed forces. Modi wondered why the government did not bring this proposal in previous budgets even as it was in power for last ten years.

“The government, which is sitting in Delhi has always been playing a farce with the Armed Forces. Before this also, a number of times, the Finance Minister of Congress had made announcements about One Rank One Pension (OROP) but never fulfilled it. “Even this time since I am repeatedly talking about it, they have announced it but this is a “fraud” (dhokha) with you. Had Congress party been honest, they had the

chance to it in 10 budgets from 2004 to 2014. But they did not do it,” Modi said.

Maintaining that had the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee come to power in 2004, this would have been done, the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, “only our government will be able to implement it.” Modi also appeared to be reaching out to UPA ally National Conference as he mentioned Union Minister Farooq Abdullah among the leaders from whom he learnt how the administration is run.

“I worked with Bansi Lal, Parkash Singh Badal, Om Prakash Chautala, Farooq Abdullah and I saw how administration is run.

What could I learn from Badal Sahab, helped me a lot in running the government in Gujarat. Being with these seniors helped me a lot in administration,” he said. National Conference was earlier with NDA while BJP is likely to have an alliance with Chautala’s INLD this time as well.

Accusing Congress of cheating people, Modi said, “Now since they felt that

Parties to face heat for false poll promises

Control TB in India for world’s sake: President

new Delhi, February 23 (ians): President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday saidtuberculosis(TB)cannot be controlled globally unless it is controlled in India. “India has the world’s highest burden of tuberculosis. TB kills one person every two minutes in India or almost 750 people daily,” the president told a conference on TB and allied diseases here.

“Global TB control is unattainable without controlling the incidence of TB in India,” he said. Mukherjee added that nearly 20 years after the WHO declared TB a global public health emergency, major progress had been made towards meeting the global targets. India has been able to partner in the progress, he said.

“The Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) has become one of India’s largest public health achievements.

The overall vision of RNTCP is ‘a TB free India’,” he said.

“There is compelling evidence now that the tide has, indeed, turned in case of TB. The burden of TB has begun to fall and there are now fewer TB-related deaths each year than previous years.” Commending the health and family welfare ministry for developing a national strategic plan 2012-17 for TB control in India, he said the focus should be on better diagnosis of TB patients through improved outreach.

“The emphasis also has to be on improving patient-friendly access to high-quality treatment for all diagnosed cases of TB, including scaling-up treatment for multi-drug resistant TB nationwide.

“Let us commit ourselves to continue to do our best for instituting health care systems in the country which are equitable, affordable and accessible by all sections of the society,” he said.

DehraDun, February 23 (ians): Congress will bring a legislation on the right to health to benefit the poor, party vice president Rahul Gandhi said here Sunday. Addressing a rally here, Gandhi sought to woo women, youth and poor as he attacked Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for practising self-centred politics, while accusing the BJP of dividing people on religious and caste lines for electoral gain.

He said that rightsbased legislations brought by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, including the right to food, have ensured security for people. “Now we will bring the right to health,” he said. Gandhi also said his party will work to raise income levels of 70 crore people who were above poverty line but earned less than the

middle class. “We will raise their incomes to the level of the middle class in the next 5-10 years,” he said.

Targeting Modi, the Gujarat chief minister, without naming him, Gandhi said the state had made progress due to work of all its people, including women, youth and tribals. “He (Modi) thinks, ‘I have built Gujarat’,” Gandhi said. The Congress leader also accused the BJP of not supporting the government’s efforts to get all pending anti-corruption bills passed in parliament. “We will try to bring them in ordinance form,” Gandhi said.

He also accused the BJP of “not seeing” corruption in the party-ruled states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. “They only see power. They can do anything for power, make Hindus fight against Muslims, pitch one caste against the other,” Gandhi said.

Congress will bring right to health: Rahul

you have become aware, they have engaged in throwing pepper in Parliament. Those, who used to throw dust are now throwing pepper so that people fail to see the sins and the bad governance of Congress.” On the issue of alleged displacement of Sikh farmers from Kutch region of Gujarat, he said that it was a false propaganda from certain elements.

“I assure that no Sikh farmer will be displaced from Kutch and Gujarat,” he said amidst applause from the gathering. “If any officer does anything wrong he will go but no Sikh farmer will be displaced from Gujarat,” he said. “The people who are misguiding on the issue are posing a threat to the country,” he said adding that “the entire country is one”.

He applauded that both Punjabis and Gujaratis are moving on the path of development and live together in many countries.

On the issue of SAD and BJP alliance, he said it is “troubling Congress as its policy of divide and rule had failed”. Professing his love

for Punjab and its people, Modi said that music and food of the state is a favourite in Gujarat too and recalled how he had strived to build an earthquake ravaged Gurudwara in Lakhpat in Gujarat.

He also lashed out at Congress for allegedly forgetting freedom fighters liken Lala Lajpat Rai. “For Congress only Gandhi family is making sacrifices for the country,” he said He also lauded the contribution of Punjab in his endeavour to build statue of unity in Gujarat. Holding that his only aim is development, he said before polls NDA is National Democratic Alliance but when in government it will be National Development Alliance.

The only aim of NDA is “development” of the country, he said. The BJP leader, who was offered a ‘turban’ at the rally, said he will keep the sanctity of turban at all cost. “My responsibility is to keep the respect of turban intact...I will fulfil the responsibility of tradition of sacrifice...the country will flourish and farmers will be satisfied,” he said.

‘No mercy for rape-murder convicts’

In this February 22, a member of India’s Dongria tribe wearing traditional ornaments watches others dance during the two-day long Niyamraja Festival atop of the Niyamgiri hills near Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district, Orissa state, India. Ev23-year-old paramedical ery year, members of this indigenous group celebrate this trainee was raped by six festival sacrificing animals and birds in worship of their males, including a juve- deity.(AP Photo)

‘There will never be a military coup in India’

India witnessing NGO boom, there is 1 for every 600 people from these major states, the CBI was informed by other states about the existence of 13 lakh NGOs making the agency conservatively estimate that their number could go well be over 20 lakh. In Uttar Pradesh alone 5,48,194 NGOs are operating.

Kerala had 3,69,137 NGOs, Maharashtra 1,07,797, Madhya Pradesh 1,40,000 and Gujarat has 75,729 NGOs. While Kerala and Maharashtra have given details of finances of the NGOs operating in their area, Madhya Pradesh gave partial information about their funding. Gujarat was completely silent.

According to information received through RTI queries by Asian Centre for Human Rights, the Union

than 90% of the money was spent on honorarium, travelling, printing and stationery, the Supreme Court was told.

In two years, the trust spent Rs 63,243 on paying honorarium, Rs 20,347.50 was accounted towards travel expenses and Rs 6,487.50 was spent on printing and stationery.

This means, of the Rs 1 lakh granted for watershed development in three villages, the trust spent Rs 90,078 on honorarium, travelling and printing and stationery.

Capart functions under the ministry of rural development and assists over 12,000 voluntary organizations across the country in implementing a wide range of development initiatives.

InternatIonal

the Morung express

Monday 24 February 2014

Dimapur

9

Ukraine Parliament speaker takes prez powers

KIEV, FEbruary 23 (aP): A top Ukrainian opposition figure assumed presidential powers Sunday, plunging Ukraine into new uncertainty after a deadly political standoff — and boosting long-jailed Yulia Tymoshenko’s chances at a return to power.

The whereabouts and legitimacy of President Viktor Yanukovych are unclear after he left the capital for his support base in eastern Ukraine. He maintains that parliament’s decisions in recent days are illegal, and a top presidential aide told The Associated Press on Sunday that he will continue to fulfill his presidential duties.

The newly emboldened parliament, now dominated by the opposition, struggled Sunday to work out who is in charge of the country. Fears percolated that some regions might try to break away, after three months of political crisis that has left scores of people dead in a country of strategic importance to the United States, European nations and Russia.

Ukraine is deeply divided between eastern regions that are largely pro-Russian and western areas that widely detest

Yanukovych and long for closer ties with the European Union. Yanukovych’s shelving of an agreement with the EU in November set off the wave of protests, but they quickly expanded their grievances to corruption, human rights abuses and calls for Yanukovych’s resignation.

The Kiev protest camp at the center of the anti-Yanukovych movement filled with more and more dedicated demonstrators Sunday, setting up new tents after two days that saw a stunning reversal of fortune in Ukraine’s political crisis.

Tymoshenko, the blond-braided heroine of Ukraine’s 2004 Orange Revolution, increasingly appears to have the upper hand in the political battle, winning the backing Sunday of a leading Russian lawmaker and congratulations from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. senators on her release.

Russia’s position will be important for the future of this country, since Moscow has been providing financing to keep Ukraine’s economy afloat, and the two countries have deep but complicated ties. Russia’s finance minister on Sunday

This file image provided by IntelCenter on Wednesday December 8, shows a frame grab from a video released by the Taliban containing footage of a man believed to be Bowe Bergdahl, left. Washington has held indirect talks with the Taliban over the possible transfer of five senior Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for a U.S. soldier captured in Afghanistan nearly five years ago, a senior Taliban official told The Associated Press.

A U.S. official said the possibility of an exchange is under discussion but would not comment on whether any talks have yet occurred. (AP Photo)

aSaDabaD, FEbruary 23 (rEuTErS): The Afghan Taliban killed 21 soldiers in an assault on Sunday in a remote mountainous region, the Afghan government said, and six soldiers were missing after

the militants’ most deadly assault on the security forces in months.

Also on Sunday, in a possible blow to U.S. efforts to foster peace talks to end the long Afghan conflict, a Taliban spokesman said

urged Ukraine to seek a loan from the International Monetary Fund to avoid an imminent default. Russia in December offered Ukraine a $15 billion bailout, but so far has provided only $3 billion, freezing further disbursements pending the outcome of the ongoing political crisis. Russian legislator Leonid Slutsky said Sunday that naming Tymoshenko prime minister “would be useful for stabilizing” the tensions in Ukraine, according to Russian news agencies.

Tensions mounted in Crimea, where pro-Russian politicians are organizing rallies and forming protest units and have been demanding autonomy from Kiev. Russia maintains a big naval base in Crimea that has tangled relations between the countries for two decades.

The political crisis in this nation of 46 million has changed with blinding speed repeatedly in the past week. First there were signs that tensions were easing, followed by horrifying violence and then a deal signed under pressure from European diplomats that aimed to resolve the conflict but left the unity of

the country in question.

“We need to catch and punish those with blood on their hands,” Artyom Zhilyansky, a 45-year-old engineer on Independence Square on Sunday, referring to those killed in clashes with police last week. He and other protesters called for law enforcement chiefs to be held accountable and Yanukovych put on trial.

The parliament, in a special session Sunday, voted overwhelmingly to temporarily hand the president’s powers to speaker Oleksandr Turchinov, a top ally of Tymoshenko. The legislators also voted to remove a string of government ministers.

The legitimacy of the parliament’s flurry of decisions in recent days is under question. The votes are based on a decision Friday to return to a 10-year-old constitution that grants parliament greater powers.

Yanukovych has not signed that decision into law, and he said Saturday that the parliament is now acting illegally. However, legal experts said that de facto the parliament is now in charge.

Ihor Koliushko, head of the Center for Political and Legal reform, said that giv-

the group had suspended its efforts to arrange a possible exchange of Taliban and U.S. prisoners due to the “complexity” of the situation in Afghanistan.

It was not immediately clear whether the attack in the eastern province of Kunar was related to the suspension of talks on a prisoner swap. In response to the killings in Kunar, a mountainous region bordering Pakistan that has long been a stronghold of the Taliban, al Qaeda, and other militants, President Hamid Karzai put off a trip to Sri Lanka.

“The Afghan president is saddened by this tragic incident, and therefore he postponed today’s official trip to Sri Lanka,” Karzai’s office said in a statement.

Government officials said 21 soldiers were killed and three were wounded in the attack on an army check-

point in Kunar’s Ghaziabad district. Six remained missing, they said. The government sent reinforcements to the area where the predawn attack took place, Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said in a statement.

The Taliban appeared to have been waiting for them. Azimi said the reinforcements “came under enemy attack, and a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near them”. The suicide bomber did not kill any Afghan soldiers, Azimi said. In a possible reference to al Qaeda or other militants who might not be part of the Afghan Taliban, Azimi also told Reuters that “foreign fighters” had taken part in the attack.

The Afghan Taliban, in a statement emailed to media, claimed responsibility for the attack. Local officials in Kunar said three insur-

ing a demand for an end to barrel bombs, a demand for cross-border access and the naming of besieged areas were included.

“This resolution goes further than we have been able to get in three years,” U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters. “But a resolution is just words, it is implementation that matters and that’s what we’re starting measuring right now.”

‘FURTHER STEPS’ The resolution asks U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon to report to the council in 30 days on implementation and “expresses its intent to take further steps in the case of non-compliance.” Diplomats say Russia is unlikely to agree to any action if Syria’s government was found to be in non-compliance.

But several Western envoys expressed a strong intent to push for Security Council action if the resolution is ignored. “Of course we would have liked to have seen this resolution be even stronger than it is but we are committed to coming back to the council to seek further action if the demands are not met,” British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters.

Australian U.N. Ambassador Gary Quinlan said the Syrian conflict was “the biggest and the most devastating humanitarian crisis we’re currently facing.”

He said: “There will be consequences for non-compliance. We will remain determined.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement on Saturday that

throw the government.

Presidential aide Hanna Herman told The Associated Press on Sunday that Yanukovych was in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv as of Saturday night and plans to stay in power. Still, Herman sought to distance herself from him somewhat Sunday, as did his party.

In Kiev’s protest camp,

self-defense units that have taken control of the capital peacefully changed shifts Sunday. Helmeted and wearing makeshift shields, they have replaced police guarding the president’s administration and parliament, and have sought to stop radical forces from inflicting damage or unleashing violence.

Ukrainians’ loyalties

gents were also killed in the attack. The attack took place as U.S. and NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan ahead a year-end deadline, shifting the bulk of the fight against Taliban and other militants to Afghans. While Afghanistan’s police and army are seen as having made big strides in their ability to fight militants, doubts remain about whether they can keep a still-potent Taliban at bay,

especially in remote areas like Ghaziabad.

In a separate statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced that the group’s reclusive leadership, believed to be based in Pakistan, had suspended attempts to arrange an exchange of senior Taliban locked up for years in a U.S. prison for a U.S. soldier in militant custody.

In an effort to foster peace talks, U.S. officials

recently took steps they hoped might revive U.S. discussions with Taliban representatives about the proposed transfer of up to five Taliban detainees out of Guantanamo Bay prison in exchange for the return of Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier who went missing in Afghanistan in 2009 and is believed to be held by Taliban-linked militants in northwest Pakistan.

“Due to the political

complexity of the current situation in the country, the leadership of the Islamic Emirate has decided to suspend the issue for some time,” Mujahid said, using the name the Taliban gave their 1996-2001 government. “Therefore, the prisoner exchange process has been delayed until further notice,” Mujahid said. He provided no further detail on why the decision had been made.

A man passes by a small memorial dedicated to people killed in clashes with the police at Independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine on February 23. The Kiev protest camp at the center of the anti-President Viktor Yanukovych movement filled with more and more dedicated demonstrators Sunday morning setting up new tents after a day that saw a stunning reversal of fortune in a political standoff that has left scores dead and worried the United States, Europe and Russia. (AP Photo)

Afghan Taliban kill 21 soldiers, suspend prisoner swap attempt

UNSC unanimously approves Syria aid access resolution

uNITED NaTIONS, FEbruary 23 (rEuTErS): The U.N. Security Council achieved rare unity to act on Syria’s civil war on Saturday when Russia and China supported adoption of a resolution to boost aid access in Syria that threatens to take “further steps” in the case of non-compliance.

Russia, supported by China, has shielded its ally Syria on the Security Council during the threeyear-long war. They had previously vetoed three resolutions that would have condemned Syria’s government and threatened it with possible sanctions.

Lithuanian U.N. Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaite, president of the 15-member council for February, described the unanimous approval of the resolution, drafted by Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg, as a “moment of hope” for Syria’s people.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the council after the vote that Moscow supported the move because “many Russian considerations were borne in mind and as a result the document took on a balanced nature.”

China’s U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi said that Beijing was “gravely concerned” by Syria’s worsening humanitarian situation. “We strongly urge all the parties in Syria to implement this resolution in good faith,” he said.

The initial text was weakened during negotiations with references to the International Criminal Court and targeted sanctions removed. But other contentious points includ-

en the president’s absence from Kiev and the exceptional situation, “I think it would be right to say that we don’t have a head of the state, but the president’s duties are being carried out ... by the head of the Verkhovna Rada,” or parliament.

Yanukovych, who spoke on television Saturday in Kharkiv, accused his opponents of trying to over-

remain divided. Emotions mounted around statues of Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin, after angry protesters took them down in several towns and cities. On Sunday, some pro-Russian protesters took up positions to defend Lenin statues in Donetsk and Kharkiv. Statues of Lenin still stand across the former U.S.S.R., and they are seen as a symbol of Moscow’s rule.

Parliament set new presidential elections for May 25, and Tymoshenko says she will run. Tymoshenko, whose diadem of blond peasant braids and stirring rhetoric attracted world attention in the 2004 Orange Revolution, spoke late Saturday night to a crowd of about 50,000 on Kiev’s Independence Square, where a sprawling protest tent camp was set up in December. Sitting in a wheelchair because of a back problem aggravated during imprisonment, her voice cracked and her face was careworn.

But her words were vivid, praising the protesters who were killed this week in clashes with police that included sniper fire and entreating the living to keep the camp going.

“You are heroes, you are the best thing in Ukraine!” she said of the victims .

the resolution “contains no threat of enforcement by sanctions.”

The United Nations says 9.3 million people need help - nearly half the population - and that well over 100,000 people have been killed. The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said that more than 136,000 have been killed since a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

“This resolution should not have been necessary.

Humanitarian assistance is not something to be negotiated; it is something to be allowed by virtue of international law,” Ban told the council after the vote.

“Profoundly shocking to me is that both sides are besieging civilians as a tactic of war,” the U.N. SecretaryGeneral added. The resolution “demands that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly allow rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access for U.N. humanitarian agencies ... including across conflict lines and across borders.”

It also demands all parties “cease all attacks against civilians, as well as the indiscriminate employment of weapons in populated areas, including shelling and aerial bombardment, such as the use of barrel bombs, and methods of warfare ... to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering.”

Syria’s U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari said the Damascus government “has continued to work day and night in order to fulfill all of the humanitarian needs of its citizens.” “The Syrian government bears the largest

share of the humanitarian assistance distributed in Syria, it has covered 75 percent of this assistance, whereas U.N. organizations and other international organization operating in Syria have covered only 25 percent,” Ja’afari told the council.

FRUSTRATION Najib Ghadbian, the opposition Syrian Coalition special representative to the United Nations, described the resolution as “a modest but necessary first step towards addressing the dire humanitarian needs of the Syrian people.”

“But at this point, it is only a text. It is crucial that the resolution is implemented immediately and in full,” he said in a statement.

The resolution strongly condemned “the increased terrorist attacks resulting in numerous casualties and destruction carried out by organizations and individuals associated with Al-Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist groups.”

Russian’s Churkin called on opposition groups in Syria to support the Syrian government in the fight against terrorism. “We consider that the Security Council should swiftly move on to discussing a separate draft document to counter terrorist activity in Syria,” the ambassador told the council.

The Security Council has now adopted five resolutions linked to the Syrian conflict. Aside from the aid access resolution, three resolutions were adopted in 2012 to mandate a failed U.N. observer mission to Syria and one last year on eradication of Syria’s chemical weapons.

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND DIRECTORATE OF SCHOOL EDUCATION NAGALAND :: KOHIMA.

ORDER

Dated Kohima, the 19th February 2014.

NO.ED/EL/869/2013 :: Service of the under mentioned teachers are hereby terminated with immediate effect for possession of Fake Educational Certificate. The certificates have been verified as fake by the SIT vide their letter NO.RC-2/2009 dt. 30/05/12 and its continuation dated 06/07/13.

This has the approval of the Govt. vide their letter NO.EDS/A-6/2009(PT-1(A)/7 dt. 06/01/14.

SL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65

DLVC No. 25 135 137 138 147 168 171 173 175 190 204 206 217 220 256 264 266 267 282 285 296 322 341 359 368 369 380 395 488 498 509 512 518 525 535 537 540 541 543 547 618 647 655 677 705 716 721 766 770 787 801 812 817 829 845 850 879 907 921 979 999 1010 1012 1062 1067

Appt. Order No. ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[17] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[64] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[128] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[330] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[71] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[255] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[285] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[256] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[160] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[100] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[145] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[103] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[231] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[281] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[237] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[116] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[238] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[218] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[195] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[148] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[304] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[287] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[82] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[177] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[74] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[252] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[280] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[150] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[641] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[617] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[671] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[670] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[677] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[657] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[675] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[665] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[662] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[674] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[659] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[658] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[413] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[350] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[368] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[491] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[366] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[574] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[480] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[534] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[387] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[521] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[352] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[535] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[357] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[422] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[540] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[550] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[356] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[605] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[607] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[762] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[739] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[780] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[774] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[849] ED/CON/APPT-1/2012[860]

Name as on Designation School as on apptt order apptt order Masainla P/T GMS Nagarjan Solomon Kinimi P/T GPS Disagaphu N. Khekato Sema P/T GPS Amaluma Kiyeli P/T GPS Dhansiripar Aholi Zhimomi P/T GMS Khekiho Aoyanger P/T GPS Ao Khasiram Arenlila P/T GPS Sodulhou Atili Assumi P/T GPS Showba New K. Atokheli Jakhalu P/T GPS Diphupar Chakhesang T.Chubayangla P/T GMS Sarbura H.Vikali P/T GPS Bhamunpukhri B A. Hekato Yepthomi P/T GMS Seithekima C Hotoni Sema P/T GPS Naharbari I.Vikiye Sema P/T GPS Singrijan C k. Kanili Sumi P/T GPS Old Showba Kheholi P/T GPS Ward 4(Ragailong) Khehuli Sema P/T GPS Old Showba Khehuto Z Ayemi P/T GPS Luzheto Kivili K.Zhimomi P/T GPS Ekaranipathar Kiyeni Sema P/T GPS Daniel Lanuchuba P/T GPS Tsitrongse N.Honi Chophy P/T GPS Ghowoto S.Achila Ao P/T GPS Nagarjan A N. Thoshili Sema P/T GPS Urra Tokhevi P/T GPS Urra Toshili Sumi P/T GPS S Hotovi K. Vihoshe Assumi P/T GPS Singrijan V. Yetoli chophi P/T GPS Daniel Kughakhe Sema P/T GPS Seyochung Town Kanili M. Assumi P/T GPS Kezieke P. S. Mungmela P/T GPS Anaki P Khel A. Moiken Phom P/T GPS Tamlu Town A T. Yonglang Phom P/T. GPS Nian A Tekarenla Ao P/T GPS Anaki P Khel Sentibenla P/T GPS Alayong N.Along P/T GPS Dangkhao Nganlong Phom P/T GPS Mongtikang S.Bongshet Phom P/T GPS Tangha Sector A H. Inato Phom P/T GPS Bhumnyu A M.Mano Phom G/T GPS Bhumnyu B Itsato k.Jakha P/T GPS K.Hetoi Ashe Sumi P/T GPS Ahoto Avika K.Zhimomi P/T GPS Ghotovi G.Nishela Zhimo P/T GPS Niuland Hoshito zhimo L. P/T GPS Izhevi Ikhili P/T GMS Pihekhu Imtisenla P/T GPS Aoyimchen Ketoi P/T GPS Hokhezhe Khekali H.Yeputho P/T GPS Nikiqhe Z. Kughato Sema P/T GPS Sunito N. Khutoli Kiba P/T GPS Ahoto Pronita Khemprai P/T GMS Nitozu Rosemary yeptho P/T GPS Ghokuto Tokaho sumi P/T GPS Bhamunpukhri B V.Inoka P/T GPS New Moava Vikishe Sumi P/T GMS Nito Kakheto Sema P/T GPS Ghokuto K. Binoli Chishi G/T GMS Suhoi Hotopu G/T GMS Aghunaqa Lhaijahoi Hohoi P/T GPS Phanjang Limatula Longkumer P/T GPS Bumei L.Hokugha Awomi P/T GPS Lithsami Rongsentula P/T GMS Chingmelen N Garlan Sema P/T GPS Newland Zunheboto Atoshe Sema K. P/T GPS Suruhoto A

# All appointment orders are dated 28/08/2012

Establishment as on apptt order SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Kiphire SDEO Kohima SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Longleng SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Dimapur SDEO Dimapur SDEO Niuland SDEO Niuland SDEO Dimapur SDEO Niuland SDEO Peren SDEO Tobu SDEO Tuensang SDEO Tuensang SDEO Zunheboto SDEO Zunheboto

SD/KESONYU YHOME, IAS PRINCIPAL DIRECTOR

10

Dimapur

SPORTS

Monday 24 February 2014

The Morung Express

India, Pak set for Asia Cup face-off

DHAKA, FebruAry 23 (AFP): India and Pakistan get a rare chance to score brownie points when they renew their intense, but intermittent, cricket rivalry in the Asia Cup oneday tournament which opens in Bangladesh on Tuesday.

On-field contests featuring the traditional foes, which attract millions of viewers around the cricket world, have fallen victim to political stand-offs between the two warring neighbours.

Since the World Cup semifinal in 2011, India and Pakistan have played just five one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches against each other, mostly in multi-nation events. Their most recent meeting was in the Champions Trophy last June when India won a rain-affected match in Birmingham by eight wickets and went on to win the tournament.

"It's always a big challenge playing against India because there is so much interest in the game," said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. "India are a formidable side and we have to be at our best to win.

"We may not have played each other much recently, but

IndIA AIM to retAIn no.2 PosItIon In ICC rAnkIngs

DubAI, FebruAry 23 (IANS): India start their campaign in the Asia Cup, which commences Feb 25 in Dhaka, with an aim to retaining the number-two spot on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings at the April 1 cut-off date. At number two, India will be the highest ranked side in the five-team tournament, with 115 ratings points, and will contest the tournament that also features fourth-ranked Sri Lanka, sixth-placed Pakistan, ninth-placed Bangladesh and unranked Afghanistan. The side that finishes top of the ODI rankings table at the April 1 cut-off date will receive a shield and a cheque of $175,000, while the side that finishes second will receive $75,000.

India held the number-one rank from January 2013, but ceded the top position to Australia after losing the recent ODI series against New Zealand 0-4. Australia are now assured of the number-one ranking on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings on the April 1 cut-off date, with 117 ratings points, and will receive the ODI Shield as well as the cheque of $175,000.

Even if India were to win all their matches in the Asia Cup, including the final, they would gain only two ratings points to move to 117, on par with Australia. But when ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, Michael Clarke's side will be ranked higher.

I know it will be an exciting match." Pakistan begin the fivenation Asia Cup, the symbol of regional supremacy in the one-day game, as the defending champions, having won the

2012 edition in Dhaka.

World Cup holders India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, hosts Bangladesh and new entrants Afghanistan will play each other once in the league with the top

two qualifying for the final in Dhaka on March 8.

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the tournament opener in Fatullah, a suburban town south of Dhaka which will host the first five league matches before the action shifts to the Bangladeshi capital.

The high-profile India-Pakistan game has been scheduled for Sunday, March 2 at the Shere-Bangla stadium in Dhaka.

India, the most successful team in the Asia Cup with five titles in 11 editions so far, will be without inspirational captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was ruled out with a side strain.

Top-order batsman Virat Kohli will lead India, while Dinesh Karthik will replace Dhoni as wicket-keeper.

Sri Lanka begin the tournament with the advantage of having been in Bangladesh for the past month, winning the Test, Twenty20 and one-day series against the hosts.

India start their campaign against hosts Bangladesh on Wednesday, eight days after ending a dismal tour of New 2012 London Olympic gold medalist Ryota Murata of Japan, right, delivers a punch to Carlos Nascimento Zealand where they lost both of Brazil during their middleweight eight-round boxing match, in Macau, Saturday, February 22. Murata won the competition. (AP Photo) the Test and one-day series.

ManU scores crucial victory over Palace

LONDON, FebruAry 23 (AP): Wayne Rooney scored for the first time in two months with a strike of the quality that justifies his lucrative new Manchester United contract as the floundering English Premier League champions won 2-0 at Crystal Palace on Saturday. The striker volleyed in United's second, shortly after Robin Van Persie's second-half penalty, a day after ending the uncertainty over his United future by signing a new deal that could earn him more than $140 million until 2019.

Such a contract would seem to be beyond the reach of Palace, whose fans appeared to throw coins at Rooney, who flicked them back in their direction.

"It's been more or less agreed for a month now and it was just the fine details that needed sorting," said Rooney, who pushed unsuccessfully to leave United last year. "I wanted to get it done as quickly as possible and thankfully it's behind me and I can concentrate on my football."

United needs Rooney, with just 12 goals this seaCrystal Palace's Mile Jedinak, right, competes with Manchester United's Wayne Rooney dur- son having missed much ing their English Premier League soccer match at Selhurst Park, London on Feb. 22. (AP Photo) of January through injury,

Arsenal, Man City stay on Chelsea's tail

LONDON, FebruAry 23 (AFP): Arsenal and Manchester City replied in kind after John Terry scored an injury-time winner against Everton to preserve Chelsea's position as Premier League leaders on Saturday. Chelsea's victory momentarily gave them a four-point lead at the summit, but Arsenal closed the gap to a point by overwhelming Sunderland 4-1 and City are three points back with a game in hand after edging Stoke City 1-0.

Arsenal had been dealt a dispiriting 2-0 defeat

by Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday and they reacted in style by outclassing third-bottom Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.

Left on the bench against Bayern, Olivier Giroud was restored to the starting lineup to face Sunderland and the Frenchman responded with a brace of goals in the first 31 minutes.

The former Montpellier man also played a role in the glorious move that led to Tomas Rosicky chipping in Arsenal's third goal before half-time, with Laurent Koscielny heading home a fourth in the 57th minute.

Emanuele Giaccherini claimed a late consolation for Gus Poyet's side, who face City in next weekend's League Cup final. "After playing for so long with 10 men in a difficult game in mid-week against Bayern Munich, it was good to win today," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Rooney impossible to replace: David Moyes

LONDON, FebruAry 23 (AFP): David Moyes, the Manchester United manager, admitted it would have been impossible to replace talisman Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford.

Rooney celebrated signing a new five-and-a-half year contract by sealing United's 2-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace with a superb volleyed finish to double the advantage following Robin van Persie's penalty.

Following the success at Selhurst Park which put United sixth in the table, Red Devils boss Moyes saluted the 28-year-old England striker and believes he will only get better after putting him in the bracket of the best players in world football.

Moyes said: "He's a really important player and you think about the

to be more prolific for it to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season. Although United ended a three-game winless run and climbed to sixth, David Moyes' side was eight points from Liverpool in the fourth Champions League place having played an extra game. And this was a victory against a Palace side that might have sprung from the bottom in recent months with a recovery but was still only

Barca's loss at Sociedad leaves Real on top FC Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes, tries to blocks the ball as Real Sociedad's Gorka Elustondo, right, looks at his goal during their Spanish League soccer match, at Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, Saturday, Feb. 22. (AP Photo)

amount of clubs who wanted to sign him. He would have been too difficult to replace. There aren't enough top players out there that you can get cheaply or easily. "Wayne's one of them, one of the top players. He shows it week in, week out for us and you can see the change in him - his leadership, what he's trying to bring to the team. "We want him to keep at it and I'm sure he will. He's a boy who wants to continue to get better."

Moyes, Rooney and United now travel to Greece for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 tie against Olympiakos. And the United chief, who has endured a difficult first term in charge following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, hopes his men can gain in belief from their vic-

two points above the relegation zone.

"We moved the ball well, maybe could have created more chances but overall we were in control of the game and once we got one goal we knew we'd get another and see the game out," Rooney said.

Looking at the team sheet, this is not a United side that should have taken until midway through the second half to score, or be in such a lowly position. The forward line in south Lon-

tory in south London and finish the season on a high.

Moyes added: "We have a really big European tie coming up on Tuesday night and our focus goes on to that. We wanted to win the game to make sure we go into that game in good form and confidence. It's such a big game for us. "We haven't played for ten days so I wanted to make sure all the players were ready and focussed for the game and ready to perform again. "We've a few injuries but hopefully we will get a few of them back for Tuesday. They have a chance. I have to see how Phil Jones and Jonny Evans are. "Rafa (Rafael) as well. We'll have a look at them tomorrow and hopefully see if they can join us."

don saw Rooney working in tandem with Van Persie and January signing Juan Mata.

United's teenage midfield dynamo, Adnan Januzaj, did put the ball in the net early on but it was ruled out because he appeared to control a pass from Van Persie with his arm. And as United struggled in front of goal initially, goalkeeper David de Gea was called into action to block Marouane Chamakh's header. United's Marouane Fellaini, starting his first game since De-

cember following wrist and groin injuries, squandered a good chance when he missed the target with the net in sight. It was a dangerous start to the second half

by Palace, with De Gea tipping over when under pressure from Glenn Murray's corner, and saving low from Jason Puncheon after Ince sliced over. United looked unable to score, but the breakthrough came after Chamakh, the forward who was back in defense, tripped left back Patrice Evra.

Qualifying groups for euro 2016

Group A_Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Latvia, Turkey, Czech Republic.

Group B_Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andorra, Cyprus, Wales, Israel, Belgium.

Group C_Spain, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine.

Group D_Germany, Gibraltar, Georgia, Scotland, Poland, Republic of Ireland.

Group E_England, San Marino, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Switzerland.

Group F_Greece, Faeroe Islands, Northern Ireland, Finland, Romania, Hungary.

Group G_Russia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Austria, Sweden.

Group H_Italy, Malta, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Norway, Croatia.

Group I_Portugal, Albania, Armenia, Serbia, Denmark, France*.

* Host France automatically qualifies. It will play matches in Group I, but no points will be awarded for their matches.

All India police shooting competition begins in Diphu

bArCeLONA, FebruAry 23 (AP): Four days after affirming its European credentials by toppling Manchester City, Barcelona slumped to a stinging 3-1 loss at Real Sociedad to relinquish the provisional Spanish league lead to Real Madrid on Saturday.

Gareth Bale scored a blistering long-range strike to help Madrid brush aside Elche 3-0 at home, and Barcelona was unable to match that with a win. Instead, it was overrun by Sociedad's dynamic attack led by forwards Antoine Griezmann and Carlos Vela.

Barcelona's defeat confirmed the change in course in the league title race over the past two months, leaving Madrid in command and waiting to see if Atlet-

ico can keep up when it visits Osasuna on Sunday. After starting the season with 13 wins and a draw, Barcelona has dropped points in four of its last seven games.

Barcelona coach Gerard Martino shuffled his lineup from Tuesday's Champions League victory at City and tried to reinforce his defense by playing with two holding midfielders in Sergio Busquets and Alex Song.

The move backfired when Song scored an own goal in the 32nd minute in the first of several defensive lapses that doomed the defending champions. Lionel Messi equalized in the 36th, only for Griezmann to restore the hosts' advantage after an error by defender Marc Bartra in the 54th before setting up David Zurutuza in the 59th.

The loss left Barcelona three points behind Madrid, the first time it has trailed its fierce rival this season. Atletico is also three points behind Madrid before it plays on Sunday.

The last time Barcelona lost by more than one goal was a 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in May 2013. Martino took the blame for the humbling defeat.

"Real (Sociedad) deserved to win," he said. "I didn't make the correct reading of the game. The decision not to change was also a mistake." Madrid won its third straight game without Cristiano Ronaldo, who was finishing a threegame suspension.

Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi opened the scoring at the Santiago Ber-

nabeu in the 34th. Bale then squashed Elche's timid second-half surge with a blast from about 25 meters in the 72nd before substitute Isco Alarcon sealed the victory in the 81st. Bale was having a discreet outing until his superb strike that hit the underside of the bar and bounced in, securing the three points that made Madrid the overnight pacesetters. "I said 'My goodness, what a goal' when I saw the ball pass by," Madrid fullback Dani Carvajal said.

Madrid will visit Schalke 04 on Wednesday in the Champions League final 16 enjoying an unbeaten streak of 26 games in all competitions.

Madrid then plays at crosstown rival Atletico next weekend in a highly anticipated league meeting.

Officers from various Police teams welcoming Major General Pankaj Sachdeva during the inauguration ceremony.

DImAPur, FebruAry 23 (mexN): A total of 32 police shooting teams from different parts of the country and central police organisations are participating in the 14th All India Police Rifle/Revolver/Pistol shooting Competition 2013-14 which started February 23.

The event, inaugurated by Maj General Pankaj Sachdeva, Additional Directorate General, Assam Rifles at ARTC & S, Diphu will cul-

minated on February 28, 2014. In this competition, 11 women police personnel are also taking part.

A press release informed that the inauguration ceremony was marked by smart turnout and excellent march past by all the participating teams, which was followed by a band display and fire power by the organisers.

Addressing the participants, the release said, Major General Pankaj Sa-

chdeva, ADG Assam Rifles appreciated the teams and wished them a grant success. The General in his address exhorted the participants to put in their best and to learn from each other during the event. The General added that firing competition is a test of perseverance, determination and strong will to remain focused, which are three prerequisite of a professional policeman.

Entertainment

The Morung Express

Monday 24 February 2014

Harry Styles and Kendall Jenner

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arry Styles and Kendall Jenner have ended their relationship after three months, it has been claimed. The 20-yearold One Direction star and 18-year-old Kendall are reported to have called time on their long-distance romance to instead focus on their respective careers. A source told The Sun: ‘Kendall has been fo-

sible to sustain anything serious.’ The pair first started dating in November after meeting in Los Angeles, and then confirmed their romance with a skiing holiday over the Christmas holidays.

Kendall’s recent trip to London, which saw her model during London Fashion Week, was also reported to have been to host a party for Harry’s birthday.

However, sources said that the pair’s relationship had actu-

cusing on her modelIing and Harry is preparing for work on the band’s fourth album, as well as their stadium tour. ‘The reality is that with everything they both have going on, it’s impos-

ally come to an end before then - and the 1D heartthrob did his utmost to avoid any awkward run-ins with his very recent ex.

A source told the Daily Star Sunday: ‘Harry purposefully didn’t go

‘split after three months due to work commitments’

ctor Matthew McConaughey says he did not get along with his ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ co-actor Jared Leto. Much like the first half of the movie, where McConaughey’s character hates Leto’s character, the two actors don’t really care for each in real life. “Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto weren’t chummy on the ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ set,” said a source.

McConaughey confirmed it by saying: “We didn’t get along, He didn’t care about

to the Topshop show or have his planned party so people wouldn’t speculate about him and Kendall.’ But despite the pair’s time together coming to an end, Harry and Kendall are still said to be on good terms as their split was anything but acrimonious. The source added to the Sun: ‘There’s been no major fallout.

They’re definitely still friends ad haven’t ruled anything out in the future.’

Harry is no stranger to a celebrity relationship, having dated stars including Caroline Flack, Taylor Swift and Cara Delevingne. However, Kendall has so far only been in relationships with her high school boyfriend Julian Brooks, who she is reported to have dumped for cheating on her, and Harry. Despite the claimed split, Kendall appeared in good spirits on Saturday as she attended the launch of her new handbag line with sister Kylie before joining siblings Khloe and Kourtney to watch Miley Cyrus perform at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

MailOnline has contacted spokespersons for Harry and Kendall for comment on the split allegations.

me...and I didn’t care about (him).” ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ has been in the news for all the right reasons since it’s release! Winning immaculate acclaim, the golden globes and SAG’s for it’s brilliant performances and love from across the universe. But it looks like the two actors happened to make a great movie with admirable onscreen chemistry. ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ is distributed by PVR Pictures and PictureWorks in India and releases Feb 28.

Sam Worthington Pinkett Smith embodies Catwoman in head-to-toe leather days And Lara Bingle Spark

Wedding Rumours

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ctor Sam Worthington and his model girlfriend Lara Bingle have sparked speculation they are secretly married after the couple was spotted wearing what appeared to be wedding rings. The Avatar star stepped out with fellow Australian Bingle in New York on Thursday (20Feb14), when they were photographed wearing matching bands on their ring fingers, just four months (Oct13) after confirming they were dating. Representatives for the pair have yet to comment on the reports. Worthington previously dated actress Maeve Dermody, while Bingle was engaged to Australian cricketer Michael Clarke from 2008 to 2010.

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he’s just been cast as Fish Mooney in Batman prequel Gotham, but on Saturday night, Jada Pinkett Smith gave her best Catwoman impersonation as she slipped into a striking head-to-toe leather ensemble. The 42-year-old made quite the entrance as she stepped out with husband Will Smith and their daughter, Willow, to catch all the action ringside at the UFC 170 event held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Posing for photos on the way into the mixed martial arts arena, all eyes were on the petite mother-of-two in her sexy get-up.

The brunette beauty teamed skin-tight black leather pants with a low-cut matching leather shirt with sheer sleeves that was unbuttoned to reveal plenty of cleavage and just a hint of her black patterned bra underneath, complete with peeptoe patent leather booties. She vamped up her look even more with black kohl-lined eyes, metallic bronze eyeshadow, a pop of matte red on her lips and her long hair styled in loose waves that fell down around her shoulders almost to her waist. Black toe and nail polish and lots of shiny gold jewellery completed her flashy ensemble. While the actress undoubtedly stole the spotlight, she was quite literally overshadowed by her leggy daughter, who towered a good three-to-four inches above her diminutive mother.

The 13-year-old singer, who is known for her love of experimenting with her fashion and hairstyles, showed off her own unique style in her decidedly grown-up out-

fit. The pretty teen donned highwaisted black jeans tucked into unusual white stilettos with builtin slouched sock design and shiny black toes, while she flashed a hint of her slender midriff with a matching black turtleneck cropped top. A long black silk coat with oriental-inspired embroidered floral design threatened to slip down around her shoulders as she wore it in a casual, haphazard manner, while a white collar-style neckpiece with gold studded design completed her fashion-forward look. The star is currently wearing her hair in long, thin braids that fall almost down to her knees.

Action men unite! Will enjoyed a fun clenchedfist photo with UFC light heavyweight fighter Chael Proud papa Will was the most casual of all in his offduty attire - not that he let Team Smith down in any way. The 45-year-old movie star looked trendy but not overdone in pale blue jeans, a simple black V-neck tee, black Nike sneakers and a matching Letterman jacket with leather bodice and hood and cotton sleeves. The I Am Legend star and his leading ladies enjoyed two bouts, sitting alongside UFC light heavyweight fighter Chael Sonnen as they took in the Pyle versus Waldburger and Whittaker versus Thompson grudge matches. Unlikely pals Will and Chael had an animated chat during the fight, even posing for fun photos with clenched fists, much to the amusement of onlookers.

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Hulk Hogan confirms his return to WWE after six years

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ulk Hogan is returning to the WWE next week. The 60-yearold star, who hasn’t been on WWE television since December 2007, is set to make his re-debut on the flagship show Monday Night Raw. He will then appear on WWE Raw Backstage Pass on Monday and will also host the special anniversary of WrestleMania 30 in New Orleans in April. Confirming the news to WWE.com, the multitime world champion, who first competed at the very first event in 1985, said: ‘Words cannot express how excited I am to be back in the WWE family. ‘I only have one question for the WWE Universe: Whatcha you gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild as the host of ‘WrestleMania 30’? (sic)’ WWE Chairman Vince McMahon added: ‘We are thrilled that Hulk Hogan has returned h o m e to WWE. It’s fitting to have him help

Didn’t get along with Leto, says McConaughey

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us celebrate 30 years of WrestleMania and usher in a new era with the launch of WWE Network.’

The legendary wrestler’s return coincides with the launch of the WWE’s new streaming network, which launches on the same day. WWE Superstar Ryback recently said it ‘feels right’ for Hulk to get back in the ring. The 32-year-old professional wrestler - real name Ryan Reeves - previously said: ‘To have a guy like Hulk Hogan come back for WrestleMania 30 it just feels right. ‘His impact on the WWE and the significance of his career in the WWE to where it is now, he played a big part of that. To have him back, and I don’t know his physical condition or anything of that nature so I don’t know what role he can play, but just to have someone like Hulk Hogan there in the building in New Orleans it just feels right.

I’m hoping something can be done on that end.’ Hogan also made a name for himself in several movies and on reality show Hogan Knows Best, which ran from 2005 to 2007 and then led to his daughter’s spin-off show Brooke Knows Best.

Miguel Fined Over Dui Charge

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&B star MIGUEL has been fined $360 (?225) after pleading no contest to a charge of driving under the influence (DUI). Driving with alcohol in my system was reckless. I’m really sorry and I’m taking responsibility for this mistake. The Adorn hitmaker was arrested by police in Los Angeles last August (13) after cops pulled over his BMW for having tinted windows. He reportedly failed a Breathalyzer test and was booked for DUI before being released on bail. The Singer appeared in court on Friday (21Feb14) to face the count and was fined and ordered to attend an alcohol education course. He was also placed on three years of informal probation. Speaking after the hearing, Miguel told TMZ.com, “Driving with alcohol in my system was reckless. I’m really sorry and I’m taking responsibility for this mistake”.

Kylie Minogue opens up about her romance

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heir two year ro- clean pop star with a baby mance has recently face and been thrust back into curly the spotlight after the mini-series INXS: Never Tear Us Apart aired over the last two weekends. And now Kylie Minogue has opened up about her relationship with Michael Hutchence in the March edition of GQ magazine.

The 45-year-old says she still misses Michael and that his funeral was the first she had ever been to.

EightBefore Kylie met Miies-style chael she was the squeaky hair. However,

after the pair started dating she underwent somewhat of a style transformation, slipping into sexy thigh skimming mini dresses and chopping her hair into a bold platinum crop. The Confide In Me star says Michael, who already had a reputation as being a wild rock star, opened up her eyes to the world.

‘Let’s just say I was 21 and my eyes were open to the world,’ she tells GQ. ‘You want to experience everything and I couldn’t

think of a better person to, you know, take those first steps into the big wide world with...’ Kylie was among the many mourners who said goodbye to Michael at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney after the star was found dead in his hotel room at the Ritz Carlton Double Bay in 1997. ‘I remember thinking that at the time, that of course his was the first funeral and the first kind of thing like that because Michael was just so many firsts in my life …

He was. Yes, he was,’ she explains to the magazine. Kylie started dating Michael in 1989.

The couple were together for two years before Michael dumped her for Danish supermodel Helena Christensen.The pair did however remain friends.

Meanwhile, Michael’s INXS band members will appear on Channel 7’s Sunday Night at 7.30pm on the weekend for a special sit-down interview. The band’s guitarist Tim Farris tells of how much Michael would have disapproved of Paula Yate’s ex-husband Bob Geldof being the guardian of his now 17-year-old daughter, Tiger Lily.

Geldof took custody of Tiger in 2000, after her

mother Yates died of a heroin overdose, two years after Michael’s suicide. ‘Michael hated Bob in the end so much, to think that he would end up as the sole parent of Tiger Lily would have been the most horrific thing he could have imagined,’ he says. However, Farriss says the teenager is ‘lucky’ to have Geldof, who raised her since she was a toddler along with her half sisters, Fifi, Peaches and Pixie. Meanwhile, Kylie poses on the front cover of new month’s GQ in a black onepiece swimsuit alongside with twin models Jordan and Zac Stenmark.

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Anna Nordqvist of Sweden shows off her winner's trophy during the awarding ceremony of the LPGA Thailand golf tourna- Mike Pyle, right, kicks TJ Waldburger during a UFC 170 mixed martial arts welterweight fight on Saturday in Las Vegas. Pyle won the bout by TKO. (AP Photo) ment in Pattaya, southern Thailand on Feb. 23. (AP Photo)

Ronda Rousey, right, kicks Sara McMann during a UFC 170 mixed martial arts women's bantamweight title fight on Saturday, Feb. 22 in Las Vegas. Rousey won by TKO. (AP Photo)

Replace defensive Dhoni with aggressive Kohli: Chappell

NEW DELHI, FEbruary 23 (PTI): Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell feels Virat Kohli should replace Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India's Test captain as the incumbent is defensive and lets the game "meander along like an absentminded professor strolling in the park". Writing in a column for 'ESPNCricinfo', Chappell argued for Kohli's elevation as soon as possible after India's shambolic recent tour of New Zealand in which the team failed to register a single win in any format. "Dhoni is a brilliant

captain in the shorter versions of the game, and a master at timing his run to the finishing line as a middle-order batsman.

However, as a Test captain he's too reactive and has a tendency to let the game meander along, like an absent-minded professor strolling in the park," Chappell wrote.

"His conservatism allows the better players among opposition batsmen too much freedom and too many easy runs. Consequently, big partnerships, like the match-saving one by Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling,

build too often," he said referring to the drawn second Test in New Zealand which India seemed like wining inside three days at one stage. "Dhoni really should have been replaced as Test captain following India's disastrous tours of England and Australia in 201112, when his teams displayed little fight in losing eight matches on the trot."

Chappell said Dhoni seems to lack ideas when the team flounders.

"When a captain starts to hinder his team, he needs to be replaced. During that horror

patch, Dhoni was unable to inspire his team and looked like a skipper just going through the motions. There's no doubt that a captain -- even the best of them -- can stay on too long, to the point where he loses his team," he explained.

"Dhoni did bounce back when he orchestrated a convincing whitewash of Australia at home. There's no question he's a better captain under familiar conditions. He's at his best with spinners operating regularly, whereas when conditions are more in tune with

seamers he struggles." "In fairness to the selectors, not replacing Dhoni following the disaster in Australia was understandable, as a number of senior players retired and the alternatives were few," Chappell said.

Chappell said Kohli has the aggression which is needed to fire up a team in trying circumstances. "A suitable alternative is now available in Virat Kohli.

He has leadership experience as captain of Indian youth teams and, more importantly, he's now the right age and has matured into a top-class bats-

man. Even more importantly, he has shown his mettle overseas by scoring runs in difficult arenas like the WACA and the Bullring," he said.

"This is the sort of inspiration India need to boost their overseas record. However, what they need even more is a proactive captain who can get the best out of his bowlers when playing in unfamiliar conditions," he added.

"Kohli is an aggressive batsman but that doesn't automatically mean he'll captain in the same manner. Ricky Ponting

was an aggressive strokemaker nicknamed "Punter", but as captain he didn't take his gambling instincts on to the field."

Chappell said once given the job, Kohli will have to show a lot of courage in decision-making.

"Kohli needs to be brave as an India captain. Instead of placing defensive fields for Ishant Sharma's wayward deliveries he has to challenge him by deploying men designed to aid the bowler, as long as he maintains line and length. If Ishant can't oblige him, he has to find another bowler who can.

Russia top medals as Sochi games end Venus wins Dubai title for 3rd time

SoCHI, FEbruary 23 (aFP): Sochi`s $50 billion Olympics close on Sunday with Russia hailing a Games closely wrapped up in the image of President Vladimir Putin and the country seizing first place in the medals table. Russia guaranteed top spot after a clean sweep of the men`s 50km cross country race thanks to Alexander Legkov, Maxim Vylegzhanin and Ilia Chernousov.

The hosts then hammered home their supremacy when Alexander Zubkov claimed his second gold in Sochi by leading the four-man bobsleigh team to victory. With just the ice hockey final to be decided, Russia has 13 golds and a total of 33 medals, topping the table ahead of Norway.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach added to Russia`s feel-good factor by describing the 2014 Games as "great", saying the response from the ath-

The final hockey match's score is indicated on the Bolshoy Ice Dome, top, with a view of the Iceberg Skating Palace, foreground, and the Olympic Cauldron, left, before the closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 23, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo)

letes was "overwhelmingly positive". "These were excellent Games that may lead to the reversal of some criticism" of the Russian organisers that preceded the Olympics, Bach added at a news conference.

But in a reality check ahead of the closing ceremony, which is due to start

at 1600 GMT, Games officials revealed that a fifth competitor had failed a drugs test. Austrian crosscountry skier Johannes Duerr, who had been due to take part in the men`s 50km on Sunday, tested positive for blood booster EPO in a pre-competition test in Austria on February

16, organisers said.

Duerr is the fifth athlete to be excluded over a positive doping test from the Sochi Games, where the IOC is carrying out more tests than ever, with a new emphasis on pre-competition tests. The Austrian took part on February 9 in the first cross country

event of Sochi 2014, the skiathlon, finishing eighth.

But he tested positive for EPO a week later in Obertilliach, Austria.

Ukrainian cross country skier Marina Lisogor, Latvian men`s ice hockey player Vitalijs Pavlovs, German biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle and Italian bobsledder William Frullani all failed tests at the Games. Despite the late flurry of doping shocks, Russian officials are keen to bask in a 16-day showpiece that passed off relatively unscathed. "The ice of the scepticism towards the new Russia has been broken," said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak.

"The Games have made the country, the culture, and the people a little closer and more understandable for the world."The IOC`s executive director for the Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli, said that the Sochi Olympics have been "of a very high level".

DubaI , FEbruary 23 (aP): Venus Williams won her 45th career WTA title in an impressive 6-3, 6-0 victory over Alize Cornet of France in the Dubai Championships final on Saturday.

The 44th-ranked Williams, playing courtesy of a wild card, also won this title in 2009 and 2010. She's won her last 15 matches in Dubai. Williams, who will move up to No. 29 in Monday's updated rankings, last won a title at the 2012 Luxembourg tournament.

Cornet had an early 2-1 lead with a service break, but Williams broke even in the fourth game.

After breaking Cornet in the sixth game, Williams failed to take advantage of two set points on the Frenchwoman's serve in the eighth. Williams closed out the first set on a third

Venus Williams of the U.S., right, holds the trophy next to runner up Alize Cornet of France during the final match of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, Feb. 22. (AP Photo)

set point with a clean backhand winner. In the second set, it was Williams all the way as Cornet was unable to even win a game. The 26th-ranked Cornet was attempting to post back-

to-back wins over the Williams sisters. On Friday, Cornet scored her first career upset over a No. 1-ranked player by beating Serena Williams 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals.

Liverpool edge Swansea in thriller

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aNFIELD, FEbruary 23 (aGENCIES): Liverpool just about emerged victories, Jordan Henderson’s 74th minute winner sending a jittery Kop home delighted, but Swansea will consider themselves unlucky to have left Merseyside pointless after a superb contribution to a game that was both thrilling and ridiculous.

Liverpool have sprinted to victory in most of their home games and when Daniel Sturridge struck after three minutes it seemed the trend to have matters decided by halftime would continue. Raheem Sterling delivered a pass with the outside of his right foot last seen when Steven Gerrard sent Sturridge clear at Fulham. The England striker has 18 in 19 Premier League games this season, but he’ll be the first to admit, with this kind of service, he’s rather like Charlie given complete access to the chocolate factory.

Henderson’s exquisite second on 21 minutes, curled past the static Michel Vorm from 18 yards, began to summon memories of the swift destruction

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Liverpool's Jordan Henderson celebrates after scoring past Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm, bottom right, during their English Premier League soccer match at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, England, Sunday Feb. 23. (AP Photo)

of Arsenal a fortnight ago.

But while Liverpool can be a joy to behold in attack, Brendan Rodgers must need to hide beyond the nearest sofa when reviewing replays of their defending. This is a side capable of extraordinary extremes and the concession of two goals in four minutes demonstrated why title pretensions have been regularly undermined. Former Liv-

erpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey deserved congratulation for a thunderous swerving effort into the top corner, eclipsing Henderson’s similarly struck effort.

Shelvey apologetically held aloft his arms and The Kop applauded.

There were jeers, however, when Martin Skrtel left a wayward boot on Shelvey on 27 minutes, conceding

a free kick. It was floated goalbound by Jonathan De Guzman and glanced in

by Wilfried Bony with the help of the Slovakian defender’s deflection.

Breathtaking in attack, woeful in defence, Liverpool found themselves back in the starting blocks.

Fortunately, Suarez and Sturridge rarely fail on their own territory.

The Uruguayan once more

picked out his partner, who headed Liverpool back ahead on 32 minutes. Still calamity in the Liverpool’s defence was never far away and Skrtel’s abysmal afternoon deteriorated when he conceded a 47th minute penalty. Referee Mike Jones adjudged Skrtel to have pulled Bony’s shirt, a punishment, perhaps, for crimes in previous fixtures as much as this.

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