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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 24
The Morung Express “
www.morungexpress.com
Corruption is cancer, says President [ PAGE 8]
reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
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Life is never easy for those who dream China lifts three-year ban on Lady Gaga’s ARTPOP album
Sunday, January 26, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4 –Robert James Waller
National Voters’ Day observed
Li Na wins maiden Australian [ PAGE 2] Egypt Revolution battered Open title [ PAGE 12] on 3rd anniversary
[ PAGE 11]
[ PAGE 9]
2014 must become year of healing: Prez ‘Today is the day to reflect’
Cautions that fractured government after polls will be catastrophic
nEw DElhi, January 25 (pTi): Favouring a stable government after the coming elections, PresLet us make Sunday a day ident Pranab Mukherjee of rest. Please! today warned that a fractured government will be hostage to “whimsical opportunists” and be “cataOn account of national strophic” to India. holiday, The Morung Asking the voters not Express will be closed to “let India down”, he said on January 26, 2014 2014 must become a year and will re-open only of healing after the fracon January 27, 2014. tured and contentious poliThe next issue of the tics of the last few years and newspaper will be whosoever wins must have available in the market have an undiluted commitment to stability, honesty on January 28, 2014. The Morung Express and development. Addressing the nation on the eve of 65th Republic The Morung Express Day, the President said he not a cynic because he POLL QUESTIOn was knew that democracy has a Vote on www.morungexpress.com marvellous ability to selfSMS your answer to 9862574165 correct. “It is the physician that heals itself and 2014 Do you think that must become a year of healsocial media is being misused in Nagaland? ing after the fractured and contentious politics of the last few years,” he said. Yes no Others Mukherjee said the year 2014 was a “precipice
Dear Readers,
Elected leaders are undermining the Naga political movement: NSCN K Full text on page 4
Nagaland govt. agrees to HPC Dimapur, January 25 (mExn): Action Committee Against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) has informed that the State Home Commissioner, Temjen Toy, agreed in principle to set up a “High Powered Commission.” A press release issued by ACAUT’s media cell informed that on December 19, 2013, ACAUT members met the Home Commissioner at the latter’s invitation at Chumukedima police complex to discuss the formation of a High Powered Commission, as per the October 31 rally Public Resolution held in Dimapur. “Accordingly, the ACAUT submitted 2 (two) names to be part of the Commission. The ACAUT submitted the names on January 11, 2014 giving ample time to the government to tackle the two unfortunate incidents in Mukalimi and the exodus of Rengma Nagas from Rengma Hills, Karbi Anglong, Assam”, the release stated.
Pedestrian run over by truck
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Dimapur, January 25 (mExn): A pedestrian was run over by a truck on NH-29 stretch at 4th Mile, Saturday afternoon. Sources said the truck, loaded with goods, was proceeding towards Kohima when the incident occurred at around 12:30 pm. The victim, identified as one Bakaruddin (62 years), hailing from Lanka in Nagaon district, Assam, was a resident of Old Showuba, Dimapur. He died on the spot. The driver of the truck fled from the scene after the mishap occured, sources said.
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Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard in Srinagar on Saturday, January 25. Security has been beefed up in most parts of the country ahead of the country’s Republic Day which will be celebrated Sunday. (AP Photo)
moment” in India’s history and it should re-discover that sense of national purpose and patriotism which lifts it above and across the abyss and back on the road to prosperity. “1950 saw the birth of our Republic. I am sure that 2014 will be the year of resurgence.” He said the youth should be given jobs and they would raise villages and cities to 21st century standards. “Give them a chance and you will marvel at the India they create. This chance will not come if India does not get a stable government. “A fractured government, hostage to
whimsical opportunists, is always an unhappy eventuality. In 2014, it could be catastrophic. Each one of us is a voter; each one of us has a deep responsibility; we cannot let India down. It is time for introspection and action,” he warned. “Each one of us is a voter; each one of us has a deep responsibility; we cannot let India down. It is time for introspection and action,” the President said. He said India was in a turbulent part of the world where factors of instability have grown in the recent past. He admitted that the promise of India, a history of
ideas, philosophy, intellect, has sometimes been mislaid by misfortune and at other times by our own complacence and weakness. “Destiny has given us another opportunity to recover what we have lost; we will have no one to blame but ourselves if we falter,” he said. Mukherjee said a democratic nation is always involved in argument with itself. “This is welcome, for we solve problems through discussion and consent, not force. But healthy differences of opinion must not lead to an unhealthy strife within our polity,” he said. Detailed news on page 8
Dimapur, January 25 (mExn): Calling for reflection, Nagaland Governor, Dr. Ashwani Kumar today underscored the need to reorient Nagaland state’s existing policies and plans for achieving rapid agro-economic progress and industrialisation. Greeting the people of Nagaland on the eve of Republic Day 2014, the governor in his message said, “I think it is now time for us to embark on the path of rapid agroeconomic progress and industrialisation. Let us create quality infrastructure like roads, water and electricity.” Kumar also emphasised developing the skills of the youth and generating employment and livelihood opportunities for them. “In order to achieve these objectives we will have to reorient our existing policies and plans; review land use, its ownership and transfer,” the governor said. Kumar referred to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution that strives to secure “justice, social, economic and political; liberty
of thought, expression, and worship; equality of status and opportunity; and promote fraternity, dignity, unity & integrity” for all citizens. “Today is the day for us to sit down together to review and reflect how far we have succeeded in achieving these lofty ideals,” he said. The governor said India
initiating religious, education and democratic institutions. “We have been able to preserve and promote our arts, culture, customs and traditions. We are also on the road to making progress in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and health. These are great achievements and very positive indicators”, he said. The governor also said the recent initiatives taken by the State Government to commence construction of the Foothill Road, establish Special Development Zones and create Modern Townships are praiseworthy and commendable. The governor said one immediate need is to “codify our customary, civil and criminal laws” in order to provide fair, quick and inexpensive justice, not only to the people of the state, but also to those who visit Nagaland and do “business with us.” “Change is a law of nature. In order to make progress we have to keep changing and continuously evolving ourselves, our policies and our practices,” he added.
Nagaland Governor says let us create quality infrastructure like roads, water and electricity is a Sovereign, Democratic, Republic where all the constituent States play equal role, enjoy similar powers and have same responsibilities, and that among all the States, Nagaland occupies a special position in our Constitution. “This gives us additional responsibilities with regard to our culture, religion and social practices; administration of civil, criminal and customary laws, as well as, ownership and transfer of land and its resources”, he added. Kumar said the State has made tremendous progress
NMA saddened by ‘inhuman torture’ lost innocence!
Dimapur , January 25 (mExn): The Naga Mothers Association (NMA) has in the strongest term condemned the abduction and “inhuman torture” of a woman by four persons including a woman on January 17 in Kohima. NMA in a press release said such “inhuman treatment and the nature of crime committed to a woman is shameful and beyond human comprehension which cannot be accepted in a civilized society. No amount of excuses can justify under the law to commit such crime.” Express-
ing pain at the recurrence of rape incidents, NMA also condemned the January 12 incident, wherein a teenage girl was allegedly abducted and gang-raped at the State Stadium, Dimapur. “Such savage act has no place in society. As mothers, it saddens our heart to see such devilish acts taking place in our own place. Just a word of condemnation is not serving any purpose, and we appeal not to use women as objects”, NMA said. The association demanded strong punitive action against the culprits in consonance with the law.
‘Violence against women severe now’
KolKaTa, January 25 (ians): The world is facing “great crisis” because of “severe” violence against women, said American feminist and social activist Gloria Steinem. Speaking at the inaugural session of Kolkata Literary Meet (Kalam) here Saturday, she said violence against women is an indicative factor of a country’s tendencies towards damaging actions. “We are in a time of great crisis because violence against women is so severe... whether it’s the preference for a son or domestic violence...it’s so severe all over the world,” she said. “The biggest element that determines whether a country is violent inside itself or towards other nations is violence against women, not poverty or religion or other factors.” Steinem also contended that women “are no longer marginalised...we are no longer half of the human race”.
one-third of voters want Modi for PM
Opinion poll forecast upper hand for BJP
nEw DElhi, January 25 (rEuTErs): A third of voters want Narendra Modi to be their next prime minister, placing him well ahead of his rivals in general elections due by May, according to the latest in a series of opinion polls that show rising support for the opposition candidate. The survey, conducted by pollsters CSDS for the CNN-IBN television channel, also forecast that Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win 192-210 seats in the 543-seat assembly, while the ruling Congress party would only bag 92-108 seats. Given India’s diverse and fragmented electorate, neither the BJP nor any other party is expected to win the 272 seats needed for an outright majority. The biggest party will seek to form a coalition with regional parties. Modi, who has pre-
narendra Modi (AP File Photo)
sided over rapid economic growth during more than 12 years as the chief minister of Gujarat, has been wooing voters by pointing to his track record as a leader who cuts red tape and attracts investment. “People are looking forward to leadership, they think a strong leader will solve their problems,” said CSDS director Sanjay Kumar. “They don’t want a dictator, but they want someone who can take strong decisions.” By contrast, Congress has shied away from naming its prime ministerial candidate until after the polls, even though many party workers had wanted Rahul Gandhi, a scion of
the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that leads the party, to take on the role.
SCANDALS After a decade in power, Congress faces public anger over a string of corruption scandals, slow policymaking and economic growth hitting a decade-low. While 34 per cent of voters surveyed picked Modi as their first choice for prime minister, only 15 per cent chose Gandhi, according to the CSDS poll. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul’s mother and Congress party chief, was in third place with five per cent. The survey’s nationallevel forecasts were re-
leased on Friday, while state-level forecasts were released in stages earlier this week. Another survey released on Thursday, conducted by pollsters CVoter for the India Today media group, found that almost half of respondents wanted Modi versus 15 per cent who backed Gandhi. The CVoter poll forecast that the BJP would win 188 seats in the election, more than double the expected tally for Congress. India’s diverse political landscape makes election results notoriously hard to forecast, particularly in terms of how many seats a party might win, versus the more straightforward calculation of a party’s share of the overall vote. The CSDS poll surveyed just under 18,600 voters in 18 states, with a margin of error that varied from state to state. CVoter surveyed almost 21,800 respondents across all of the 28 states, with a three percent margin of error at the national level and five percent margin at the state level.
A young boy leaps in the air as he plays with a ball. Evan Bailyn reminds us: Childhood is the source of our imagination, our hope, and first treasured memories. (Photo by Ato Lemanghu)
naro Longchar Kohima | January 25
One wintry Kohima morning, the sun was yet to rise from its sleep and the sky had not cleared from the cold night. The entire town seemed asleep, as most stayed within the warmth of their homes. All but few dared to tread in the freezing cold. As the bitter chill bit through the air, wearing nothing but an old school sweater and worn out pants with a basket on his head, was a boy not more than seven to eight years old. Probably on his way to fetch water, he dragged his cold feet as he stared down at the ground with a lost forlorn look. He stood out among the few morning joggers, a small little figure shivering in the frosty winter morning as his breath fogged the air around him. He is the face of countless children that we see every day. Children, who work in our homes, cook and clean for us, some even as young as four or five years old. “We do not often realize that we are part of human trafficking, we bring chil-
dren from border areas and from various villages of the mostly eastern areas. We bring them to help us in our domestic work with the promise of providing them education. But, sometimes and in some cases these children are not properly treated”, says Rev. Narola, Women Secretary, Naga-
Somebody warned them that the branch will break and they will fall and hurt themselves. They quickly responded saying that, “It does not matter because we are just people’s servants.” One must seriously question whether these children brought as domestic help under the veil of providing education is in fact a form of human trafficking and, thereby, a violation of human rights. It is time to examine how certain forms of structural oppression that are direct violations of human rights have become normalized in our society. Clearly, we justify our stance on domestic helpers in our homes by providing them with clothes, food and education. Rather the question is whether we are contributing to the loss of their childhood. The naïve wonder of innocence that a child holds in his eyes is no longer there. It is replaced by the mature understanding that he is no longer a child because he cannot engage as a child in his own life, being loved, nurtured, playing, growing and treasured.
‘We do not often realize that we are part of human trafficking’ land Baptist Church Council. Most often, we seem to forget that these so called ‘domestic help’ are just children. We expect them to do the same work as an adult, with their tiny little hands and very small undeveloped body. These children know that they do not have the same luxury as other children, the luxury to be a ‘child’. Once, while passing through a government primary school, some children were playing on the branch of a small tree.
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