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The Morung Express
Dimapur VOL. VIII ISSUE 176
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www.morungexpress.com
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reflections
By Sandemo Ngullie
Saturday, June 29, 2013 12 pages Rs. 4
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In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool China says ready to break new ground on border talks with India
‘I’m worried I’ll turn into a weird old woman with scary teeth!’ [ PAGE 11]
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Naga groups told to stop factional violence; asked to desist the path of self-destruction Our Correspondent Kohima | June 28
Current scenario in Nagaland...
One drowned kohIMA, June 28 (Mexn): A Class VIII student, aged between 14 to 15 years of age drowned while two others were rescued at around 2:30 PM from Tizu River, towards Sohomi village near Phek town today. Source said that the incident occurred when nine children (age10-15) went for fishing in the Tizu area.
Petrol price hiked by Rs. 1.82 a litre
new DelhI, June 28 (IAnS): Petrol prices will go up by Rs.1.82 per litre, excluding taxes, from midnight Friday due to the fall in the value of the rupee and hardening of crude prices in international market, state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) said. “Since the last price change, the downwards slide of rupee has continued and USD-INR exchange rate has deteriorated to Rs.58.94 per the US dollar during the fortnight. Further, international MS prices have also increased since the last price change,” the country’s largest oil marketing firm said. This is the third increase in petrol prices this month. The fuel price was hiked by Rs.0.75 per litre June 1, 2013 and Rs.2 per litre June 15, 2013. According to IOC, the depreciating rupee coupled with high international MS (motor spirit) prices have also resulted in rise of underrecovery incurred on sale of sensitive products like diesel, LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) cylinder and kerosene. “Estimated under-recovery of the corporation (IOC) on sale of these three sensitive products is expected to be around Rs.63,000 crore for the fiscal 2013-14,” it added.
60 days night-curfew along Assam border
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Mokokchung, June 28 (DIPR): As intimated by the Additional District Magistrate of Sivasagar, Assam, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Chubawati Chang, it has been informed that a night curfew has been reinforced from dusk till dawn in the 5 km belt of Assam side bordering Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to detect movement of antisocial elements. The Order is scheduled to be in force for a period of 60 days with immediate effect. Civil Officials deployed on duty are exempted from the purview of the prohibitory order.
secretary K. Inaka Assumi reminded the cadres of the factions that political struggle is not for area domination or taxation and asked them to stop divisions and groupisms. He said that if they really want to work for the public, they should strive for a violence free and peaceful society. He said no solution would be resolved with violence, adding that targeting and harming innocents is a crime.
Expressing solidarity, Angami Public Organization president Keneingunyu Sekhose said “Enough is enough.” He called upon the people to rise up and work together for peaceful coexistence. Naga Mothers’ Association vice president Sarah Nuh also strongly voiced “No more tear, shed no blood anymore.” The NMA representative stated that any kind of violence is not acceptable.
DIMAPuR, June 28 (Mexn): Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio today underscored the need for setting up technical and job-oriented institutes in a state like Nagaland, which is solely dependent on largesse from Delhi. Even as Nagaland prepares to celebrate 50 years of statehood, the CM said not a single national, regional or technical institute worth the name has been established in the state. “In these 50 years we have been dealing with the political issues, insur-
gency issues, the militancy and we had neglected so much on the institutions”, Rio said. The CM was addressing the inauguration programme of the new campus at the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysis of India (ICFAI) University, Nagaland, in Sovima. Taking a conservative estimate, Rio said about 25,000 Naga students pursuing higher or technical studies outside the state spend an approximate Rs. 1.5 lakh per student in a year, which would come to
a whooping Rs. 360 crore expenditure yearly. “We have no resources of our own, we are not a producing society, we are a consumer society and we are not exploiting our natural resources. So our society is literally a ‘salary economy’ and if such amount is drained out for studies, then for our other needs, essential commodities and all the materials that comes into our land, whatever money is given from Delhi is taken back”, Rio said.
Protestors brave the rain in Kohima at a protest rally against factional clashes on June 28. (Morung Photo)
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–Lord Chesterfield
‘Update & create better interface India guards with concerned audiences’ against Champions [ PAGE 02] Trophy Vatican monsignor arrested hangover in 20M euro plot
‘enough is enough’ Hundreds of people rallied today in protest against the indiscriminate firing on a Naga Students’ Federation official on June 25 in Kohima. The event was held at the Old MLA Hostel Junction and was organized by NSF, who denounced the act and condemned factional clashes. Strongly condemning the life attempt on Kesosul Christopher Ltu, NSF Assistant General Secretary, the NSF president Tongpang Ozukum said the rally was a sign of showing resentment. He questioned the safety of the common people when even a social worker like an NSF official was targeted. The president declared that the NSF will fight back against any element disturbing the innocent people, and called upon all Nagas to jointly fight for justice and for a better tomorrow. Urging the public to stand united, he said “We will stand firm and stand for Nagas.” He pointed out that despite continuous appeal by civil societies to stop gunfight in populated areas, the president lamented that clashes among cadres continued. Former NSF general
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‘total bandh’ on July 1 • No vehicular and pedestrian movement • Admin, security, medical and media exempted DIMAPuR, June 28 (Mexn): The Naga Students’ Federation has informed of a “total bandh” in all Naga inhabited areas on July 1 from 6:00am to 6:00pm as a follow-up action to the public rally held on June 28. A press note from the Auditor General of the NSF, Jungithung Yanthan and its Finance Secretary, Shikavi Achumi stated that the bandh is to express “resentment against the life attempt on an NSF official, against the incessant clashes and killings amongst the underground factions, imposition of illegal taxation by the Naga UGs and arbitrary harassment and endangering the lives of innocent civilians by our Naga national workers.” The NSF appealed to all Tribal Hohos, Women Hohos and the Naga
people for support and cooperation. It also appealed to all government establishments, educational institutions and the business community to remain closed as a sign of solidarity to the students’ community. The proposed bandh will be strictly imposed upon vehicular and pedestrian movement, government and private functions/ programs or any other related events. However, it was informed that administration, security personnel, medical and press media would be exempted from the preview of the bandh. Meanwhile the Diphupar Naga Students’ Union has appealed to all institutions/ schools and commercial establishments within Diphupar village to participate and extend their solidarity.
NSF demands befitting punishment
DIMAPuR, June 28 (Mexn): The Naga Students Federation has submitted an ultimatum to the President of the GPRN/ NSCN with regard to what it termed as an “attempt to assassinate the Assistant General Secretary of the NSF by one of your cadres on June 25.” The ultimatum appended by its President, Tongpang Ozukum and its
General Secretary, Esther Rhakho demanded that befitting punishment be awarded to Lieut. Amento Kiba involved in the shootout and stated that the “GPRN/NSCN should clarify the intention of the assassination attempt on the life of the federation official.” It demanded that armed cadres should be confined to the designated camp and that movement of
armed cadres in civilian areas should be immediately stopped. The ultimatum sought assurance to “desist from committing such inhuman act in future.” It added that the recent incident is detrimental to society and that such unabated occurrences have “defied the very basic foundation of Naga national movement by replacing it with acts of violence, in-
timidation and destroying the people whom you profess to stand for.” The federation urged the GPRN/ NSCN to deliver justice to the students’ community on the above stated charter of demands within 7 days with effect from July 28. The NSF cautioned that failing to do so would force them to take further course of action till the legitimate demand is fulfilled.
DIMAPuR, June 28 (Mexn): A fourteen yearold minor abducted from Dimapur was rescued from a brothel in Mumbai on June 22. The girl, a non-Naga, went missing on December 2012 but a police complaint was lodged only on June 14 by the girl’s father. The minor was rescued and brought home by a team of Dimapur police led by OC Women Cell, Tingbem Thomsong, UBSI Ramokla, and constable Achila and assisted by UBSI Joseph Zeliang of East Police Station.
SDPO, Dimapur, Relo T. Aye, briefing the media, said that the father had tried searching for his missing daughter on his own but was not successful until he received credible inputs from a source in Dimapur. The source turned out to be a woman (name withheld), who was also a victim of human trafficking but had managed to escape and return home. The woman, also a non-Naga, had landed up in a brothel in Pune in June 2012 after she was lured by one man identified only as Farokh
on the promise of marriage. Months later, in April of 2013, she managed to escape from the brothel in Pune, where she was sold, and found her way home. While in the brothel, the woman got in touch with a young girl from Dimapur, who turned out to be the missing fourteen year-old. After the woman reached Dimapur, she was able to locate the girl’s father, who finally lodged a missing complaint based on the information provided by the woman. Immediately after the complaint was received,
a police team was constituted to locate the missing minor. The team headed for Pune on June 22 where they spent the first two days scouring Pune’s Budhwar Peth red light district, where the missing minor was initially believed to be located. The minor was eventually traced to a brothel in Mumbai and rescued. It is suspected that the minor was lured by the same man identified as Farokh. The police are now on the lookout for the man whose real identity remains sketchy.
CM underscores need for technical institutes Abducted minor rescued from Mumbai brothel
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the true dignity of labor Longrangty Longchar Mokokchung | June 28
Imagine a life dedicated to cleaning garbage in town barehanded, without a facemask or proper footwear for the past twentynine years. Such is the life of a Municipal solid waste worker in Mokokchung who entered the job way back in 1984. Dilpa Gurung alias Lambu is a non-assuming person just like any ‘Municipal Solid Waste Worker’; he doesn’t know how old he is. He is illiterate, married with five children – two sons and three daughters – all grown up now; two of the daughters have married off. He occupies a one room building allotted by the Mokokchung Municipal Council which he partitioned into a kitchen and a bedroom. He was a cowherd
Dilpa Gurung alias Lambu in front of the MMC Garbage disposal truck in Mokokchung. (Morung Photo)
looking after a farm belonging to a local person earning Rs 200 per month plus food and accommodation. Then he joined the PWD and worked in a stone quarry earning Rs 300 before he finally landed as a ‘solid waste dispos-
al worker’ in 1984. When he first joined the ‘Mokokchung Town Committee’ (back then it was not a Municipal Council) as a solid waste worker, he earned Rs 400 per month. They would load the garbage on a tractor and dispose it
at town’s outskirt. Today he earns a fixed salary of Rs 4000 per month, plus a rent free one room place, doing the same old job. However, life remains the same for him and other workers. Continued on page 3
ACAUT reiterates stand against multiple taxation
DIMAPuR, June 28 (Mexn): The Action Committee against Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) under the aegis of Naga Council, Dimapur has again appealed to the NSCN (IM) higher authority with regard to its memorandum submitted earlier on the issue of multiple taxation and dealership system. According to a press note from ACAUT Co-Convener, L. Supong Ao and Secretary, Solomon L. Awomi, some “NSCN-IM functionaries of market in-charge” had been forcibly collecting multiple taxes and Godown taxes from the market and not even sparing footpath vendors. The press note disclosed that the “field staff of tax collectors were even demanding Godown taxes from those shops which do not have Godown including from pan shops.” In this regard, the ACAUT for what it described as “the betterment of our Naga society” requested the concerned higher authority to look into the matter and check immediately. It was reminded that as per the ACAUT’s resolution, it had made known to the general public and the businessmen not to pay any form of taxation to any groups till the issue is resolved. The ACAUT has also drawn the attention of the higher authority looking after
law enforcement on the rampant collection of illegal taxation at new field check gate by police personnel. The press note termed it as “very sad and hurting to know that the officer in-charge” at new field check gate had been asking Rs 15000/- (fifteen thousand) from “personnel whoever wants to be at gate and used to collect the same amount from the personnel at gate as commission by the officer every month”. “It is often seen that the state department instead of using judicious authority is being mislead by few vested bureaucrats in the state machinery”, it alleged and pointed out that the ACAUT wanted stern action against those officers and personnel’s involved. Stating that the ACAUT had stood up for public interest to fight against all kinds of illegal taxation by the different groups of underground and state agencies, the press note strongly urged the State Government to address this “urgent call to abrogate the taxation at gates and DMC toll tax in its jurisdiction immediately before any unwanted situation arise and to avoid anti-social element Industry”. ACAUT also clarified that the June 27th publication in the local papers where it had mentioned DMC (Vet cell) should instead be State Veterinary Department.
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