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Dimapur VOL. IX ISSUE 25
The Morung Express “
www.morungexpress.com
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Our entire life - consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are
Andaman boat tragedy: Three including boat owner detained [ PAGE 8]
Queen Latifah married 33 couples at the Grammy Award [ PAGE 11]
HDR to act as policy documents for Nagaland [ PAGE 2]
Syria talks yield narrow deal, Assad ‘red line’ [ PAGE 9]
By Sandemo Ngullie
Kohima/Dimapur | January 27
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the discovery of nine dead bodies at Pachaspura, Chumukedima on January 3, has established the identities of the people suspected to be behind This is why I do not like gothe killings. A brief stateing to rural areas. ment from the State Crime Records Bureau, PHQ, KoThe Morung Express hima received today stated POLL QUESTIOn that three persons, whose Vote on www.morungexpress.com identities were not reSMS your answer to 9862574165 vealed, were arrested after the probe began. Treating Do you think that social media is being the case as sensitive, the misused in Nagaland? statement did not dwell on details, citing “Any particYes no Others ulars/ details are not disclosed at this stage due to the sensitive nature of the Valerie Trierweiler, right, the ex-first lady of French President Francois Hollande, speaks to a woman during her visit to Sion government hospital in Mumbai on January 27. A day after splitting up with Hollande, Trierweiler launched a new case, which may hamper investigation.” Morung Express news stage in her life Sunday with a charity visit to India. (AP Photo)
Dead infant found
Gunmen kill 22 in church attack
yOLa, JanuaRy 27 (REutERs): Attackers armed with guns and explosives killed 22 people at a busy church service in a northeast Nigerian village, witnesses said on Monday, in a region where Islamist sect Boko Haram is resisting a military crackdown. They set off bombs and fired into the congregation in the Catholic church in Waga Chakawa village in Adamawa state on Sunday morning, before burning houses and taking residents hostage during a four-hour siege, witnesses said. President Goodluck Jonathan is struggling to contain Boko Haram in remote rural regions in the country’s northeast corner, where the sect first launched an uprising in 2009.
Thieves steal Pope John Paul’s blood
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ROME, JanuaRy 27 (REutERs): Thieves broke into a small church in the mountains east of Rome over the weekend and stole a reliquary with the blood of the late Pope John Paul II, a custodian said on Monday. Franca Corrieri said she had discovered a broken window early on Sunday morning and had called the police. When they entered the small stone church they found the gold reliquary and a crucifix missing. John Paul, who died in 2005, loved the mountains in the Abruzzo region east of Rome. He would sometimes slip away from the Vatican secretly to hike or ski there and pray in the church. In 2011, John Paul’s former private secretary, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, gave the local Abruzzo community some of the late pontiff’s blood as a token of the love he had felt for the mountainous area.
–Jean Anouilh
Wawrinka still stunned he won Australian Open [ PAGE 10]
Morung Express news
The body of a dead infant was found abandoned in a drain in Dimapur. According to the police, the body was retrieved from the drain, locally known as ‘baloo noti’, near New Field police check post at around 8:00pm on January 26. The right forearm of the dead newborn was missing. It is suspected that the baby, a female, was born with only one arm. The body was transferred to the district hospital morgue, police added.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014 12 pages Rs. 4
PAcHAsPUrA: sit identifies perpetrators
reflections
Dimapur | January 27
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“Through the sustained interrogation of the arrested persons, the identity of the alleged perpetrators of the crime have been established and though they are evading arrest at the moment, all efforts are on to arrest them,” read the statement. It further stated that through the arrests, investigators got hold of “incriminating evidences and items,” while a vehicle used to carry out the killing was recovered. The three arrested, according to reliable inputs, are in police remand and are being kept in separate locations under unprecedented security arrangement. With conspiracy theories rife on the possible motives behind the killings, the SIT as well as the
Nagaland Police Headquarters, is tight-lipped on the progress of investigation more than three weeks since the probe started. There is still no clear definition as regards the statement “sensitive nature of the case,” though the inter-state implication involving armed organisations is believed to be compelling the Nagaland Police to tread cautiously. The SIT has maintained since the probe started that disclosing details might hamper its work. The PHQ also chose to use the same words. “Disclosing the details at this stage will come in the way of investigation,” commented IGP, Headquarters, Lungriading when contacted. Prodded further, the IGP chose not to comment.
general secretary Katho P. Awomi in an appeal addressed to the director higher higher/technical education and controller of examination, Nagaland University. In this, the Union requested the authority concerned to consider its view in a constructive way and pave the way for the students of Nagaland State to flourish outside the State and cre-
ate an opportunity for them to represent the State in the country and outside by scrutinizing the present sterile system of evaluation. In another representation to the chairman of Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), the Union stated that the marking system of the NBSE is also not satisfactory and urged upon the authority concerned to look into the matter.
Japan keen to invest in NE NU and NBSE marking system ‘not satisfactory’
nEw DELhI, JanuaRy 27 (Ians): In what could cause China some heartburn, Japan has offered to invest majorly in building roads and infrastructure in India’s landlocked northeast, including in Arunachal Pradesh that Beijing considers part of its territory. As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left here
after a three-day visit, after talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during which both sides agreed to boost bilateral defence and security cooperation in a major way, a crucial part of their future cooperation was outlined with Japan evincing keenness to invest in the northeast. India’s landlocked northeast is a key part of
its Look East policy and a bridge to connect with the economically buoyant southeast Asia, known as the tiger economies. Building roads and infrastructure, like power plants, industries and telecommunication hubs in the northeast, would be a major contributor to connect the key region with southeast Asia. Related story on page 3
Our Correspondent Kohima | January 27
The All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) today stated that the marking system of the Nagaland University (NU), is not satisfactory compared to other universities, “which hampers the career of the students in matters of admission in other universities/technical institutions, due to less per-
centage of marks secured from our university.” “As comparing to the students from other State universities, our Naga students are second to none. However, due to our marking system, even the state rank holders are denied admission in other reputed universities, institutions/ technical education,” stated the Union’s president Tsukjem Longkumer and
All district courts to be renamed ‘friendly courts’ Nagaland and Prohibition Our Correspondent Kohima | January 27
Nagaland State’s Department of Law and Justice is gearing up to rename all district courts as “friendly courts.” This was stated in the compendium of various activities of the State departments in commemoration of 50 years of statehood. Other areas to be undertaken by the Department include: subordinate courts shall be established in all the ADC HQs, customary courts will be con-
Effects of drugs, alcohol in curriculum of school text books
structed in all the blocks and strengthening of Nagaland State Litigation Policy and State Legal Service Authority will be taken up. The Excise Department will spread the message of “No Drugs and Liquor” by displaying hoardings, flex boards etc. along the international and inter district borders throughout the district.
The Excise Department has also submitted a proposal to the School Education Department for inclusion of “evil effects” of drugs and alcohol in the curriculum of high school level text books. The Department of Higher Education announced the speedy conversion of Kohima Science College Jotsoma into an autonomous college,
expediting the start of an M. Ed. course at State College of Teacher Education, post graduate courses to be introduced in three discipline i.e., Mathematics, Physics and Environmental Science at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, introduction of vocational trainings in all the colleges, introduction of miniature libraries in all hostels and to conduct workshops, seminars, symposium, faculty exchange programme in the colleges to improve quality of education.
Jan 18 rape: victim’s employer detained Morung Express news Dimapur | January 27
NWHD disheartened by increasing rape cases
A week after the shocking gang-rape of a mother of two at Darogapathar, 2 DIMaPuR, JanuaRy ½ Mile, Dimapur on Janu- 27 (MExn): The Naga ary 18, police detained Women Hoho Dimapur the victim’s employer for (NWHD) has “strongly” concealing the occurrence condemned the “rape of of the crime. The victim’s a mother of two by three employer, identified as one unknown person at gunIslam Uddin, was detained point on January 18 in for questioning on Janu- Darogapathar, Dimapur.” ary 25, the day the victim The NWHD has also reformally filed a complaint, quested for the authorand has been placed under ity concerned to “reward police remand. befitting punishment to According to the police, the culprits and their acUddin was aware of the complice,” stated a press crime but did not inform note from NWHD presithe police. He had instead dent, Hukheli T. Wotsa asked the victim to leave and its general secretary, Dimapur the morning after Vimenuo Liegise. Furthe crime occurred, since ther, the Hoho urged the he was reportedly apprehensive of the trouble it on January 19. They were however might invite. At his urging, the victim along with her asked by Uddin to return family left for their village to Dimapur, and reportedly
non granting of bail “under any circumstances” to this case “so that this kind of barbaric act does not repeat.” “We are disheartened at the increasing number of rape cases almost every day. It is time for Naga people to rise up and protect your mother, wife, sister and daughter who are living in fear. We call upon all section of society particularly men organisations to strongly support and strive together in uprooting these evil acts from the Naga society,” the press note stated.
assured the victim and her husband that pending bills due to the couple will be reimbursed, while cash and
jewellery lost on the night the crime occurred would be compensated. Following the assurance, the couple reached Dimapur on January 24, but Uddin failed to keep his words, the couple alleged in their statement to police. The First Information Report was filed by the victim the next day at Diphupar police station. Uddin was detained by police the same day. According to the victim’s statement, 8 people had entered the house, who overpowered her husband and a neighbour, while three of the intruders forced themselves on her. At least 4 to 5 people had guns, the victim told the police. The intruders further robbed cash amounting to around Rs. 7000 and gold jewellery kept in the house and left, alleged the victim. The crime allegedly occurred between 9:30 pm to 11:30 pm.
NBCC’s Unfinished Battle Morung Express news Mokokchung | January 27
In 1989, the Nagaland State Government, under immense pressure from the church and other social organizations, enacted the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act (NLTPA). Today, more than two decades after the Act was passed, the flow or consumption of alcohol continues in the socalled dry state of Nagaland, which has two paradoxical sobriquets ‘Nagaland for Christ’ and ‘Nagaland: Land of Festivals’. Twenty-four years since the NLTP Act was enacted, newspapers are flooded with reports of alcohol seizures by state and non-state agencies. Regardless of these seizures alcohol remains easily available in the market. Intellectuals have debated whether or not to lift Prohibition and, today, the opinions are evenly divided among society on liquor prohibition. However, the church is determined that the NLTP Act remains in effect, and more importantly, is enforced as a state law. The church aims to strengthen the existing Act so that liquor would be completely eliminated from Nagaland. This year, 2014, the church has reported a string of programmes focused on the reality of making Nagaland a dry state. The first activity is a seminar on the topic
‘Clean Election and Liquor Prohibition’ scheduled for January 28 and will be conducted by various church organizations affiliated with the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC). The Ao Baptist Church Council (ABAM) is planning to hold a mammoth ‘Social Concern Consultation Programme’ at its Mission Centre at Impur on the theme ‘Transformation in Christ’. Through newspaper advertisements, the ABAM has invited representatives from the church – pastors, associate pastor women, youth directors, social con-
the Excise Commissioner, has been instrumental in revamping and modernizing the Excise Department in the State. ABAM Women Department Secretary, Temsula Lemtur disclosed that “the ABAM is planning to carry out an elaborate and systematic programme against Liquor Prohibition in the district.” Notably, the ABAM had also resolved in 2012 that it will make Mokokchung a dry state in practice within ten years. In order to accomplish this, she also disclosed that the ABAM Social Concern Committee plans to carry out an elaborate year long programme. It will include activities like collecting statistics on alcohol users, distributing pledge forms to drinkers to pledge not to drink anymore, personal counseling at homes, carrying out processions, publicity through the media and putting up signboards in every village with the message against alcohol. Resolutions are likely to be passed after the January 28 consultative programme. Whether Nagaland remains a dry state in name or in practice will be known after the NBCC called programme on ‘clean election and liquor prohibition’ is conducted. For better or for worse, twenty four years ineffectively enforcing the Act called NLTP is surely an issue that needs to be re-examined.
Perhaps, among the many issues that concerns the church today, prohibition touches its core more than anything else. cern committee members – village council members, women organizations, students unions, the Ao Senden, Ao Students’ Conference and Watsu Mungdang. More than 500 participants are expected to attend the programme. The ABAM has also brought in the Commissioner of Excise, Maongwati Aier, as the resource person to speak on the Prohibition issue on January 28, while Advocate Namo Benja will speak on the topic of a clean election from a legal point of view. Maongwati Aier, as
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